The Dragon-Slaying Sword, Chi Xiao, had chosen a new master.
This might not mean much to ordinary people, but to the Second Brother and the Imperial Court in the capital, it was shocking news. Chi Xiao was the only sword capable of opposing a dragon, the natural enemy of the Sui siblings.
Moreover, the Emperor residing in the capital, the Emperor of Yan, possessed dragon blood and the appearance of a dragon. In Yujin’s eyes, a half-human, half-dragon form.
Thus, Chi Xiao’s threat wasn't limited to the Sui. Even the Emperor, the highest power in Yan, had to be wary of it.
Legends and myths carry such weight.
The removal of Chi Xiao from the Imperial Treasury had the same implication. Wherever the Sui go, the Emperor's eyes are watching. It was sent to Dahuang with that meaning. Yet, out of nowhere, Chi Xiao chose an outsider, not of Yan blood, as its master.
And a Sarkaz at that.
While news would take time to spread, the moment it was known that an outsider was chosen by Chi Xiao, the Second Brother, who monitored and managed the Sui, and the Emperor would be furious.
"Didn't you say you would take responsibility and manage it?"
"Hoho, the news might be wrong? Are you telling Us to judge your subordinate's video as fabricated?"
"What are you doing?"
"Bring the person responsible immediately and have him bow his head."
The Emperor summoned the head of the Second Brother (the organization, not the sibling).
The head, who had been idly fishing at home, was suddenly summoned to the palace to kowtow. Failing to resolve the Chi Xiao matter meant risking forced removal from his position. He faced an ideological verification while getting friendly with the floor.
As the Emperor personally grilled the head of the Second Brother, the Imperial Court could no longer sit still. Seven of the eleven existing Sui siblings were gathered in Dahuang. While mourning a sibling's death was understandable, the Court managing Yan couldn't just watch.
"Summon the Imperial Guard."
The Imperial Guard. The elite force protecting the capital 'Jin' (Gold) and the pinnacle of Yan's military power deployed in the northern wars.
They began moving toward Dahuang under the Emperor's order to verify Chi Xiao's master personally.
And while the capital was in an uproar, at this very moment.
Yujin was exploring the depths of the mine with Chongyue.
Wearing Originium dust masks, people collected samples.
Those belonging to the Tianshi Bureau collected samples to check the Originium activity status, while the Second Brother and the military escorted them, dealing with occasional Originium slugs. The problem was the abnormal ferocity of the slugs.
As if terrified.
Seeing the slugs rushing in as if losing their minds, the Second Brother skillfully drew his sword and cut them down.
"…Second Brother, you and the military escort the Tianshi here. I need to go deeper with Sir Yujin for a moment."
Sensing something, Chongyue looked into the dark cave without even wearing a mask. Yujin was wearing one just to show he was careful about Oripathy.
"Are you going to keep calling me Sir Yujin?"
"Well, isn't it correct? I heard you are indeed a knight."
"That title only works in Kazimierz or Kazdel. In Yan, I'm just an outsider."
"Think of it as me wanting to get closer."
Chi Xiao, which had chased Yujin earlier, hung at his waist alongside his original sword. With its conspicuous red scabbard, every Second Brother agent knew instantly that Yujin had become Chi Xiao's master.
The problem was Yujin didn't feel any different after obtaining Chi Xiao. To Yujin, Chi Xiao was just a sharp and sturdy sword.
"Hmm."
Darkness deepened as they went further in.
Yujin frowned at the darkness that was bizarrely thick. They were carrying lights, but the darkness seemed to devour even the light.
He gripped his sword. Not knowing what would appear, Yujin held the hilt tight. His senses rang alarm bells, warning him this wasn't a normal Originium explosion.
"Is this okay?"
"…For now. Sir Yujin, whatever pops out, do not be afraid."
"Please stop calling me Sir Yujin and just call me comfortably. It's awkward."
After a brief conversation, Yujin shone the light deeper into the cave. They were almost at the bottom, but no slugs were in sight.
"Wait."
Continuing to walk, Chongyue raised his hand to stop. Deep in the hot mine. As Chongyue in front stopped, Yujin naturally halted too. Then, standing beside Chongyue, he looked at 'It' beyond the darkness.
"…What the fuck."
He felt a disgust he couldn't suppress without cursing. Wearing the guise of an Originium slug, a bizarre entity reflected on Yujin’s retina.
Twisted face, foul stench, a monstrosity with a hundred eyes and a thousand fingers. Grotesque and bizarre. An indescribable discomfort surged up his throat, and Yujin reflexively drew his sword.
"Aren't you scared?"
"…Rather than scared, that thing is just fucking disgusting."
He knew instinctively.
That was the Demon Netsalem had warned him about.
Its movements were unnatural. Moving with static-like glitches, it met Yujin’s eyes. Yujin reflexively aimed his sword at it, and it looked at Yujin’s sword.
It reached out. Towards Yujin’s sword. As the finger approached, Chongyue suddenly stepped forward and punched, bursting the hand.
"I thought you might know roughly... but Yujin, you seem to know about that existence in detail."
"Yes, I heard stories from my Master. though it's my first time seeing one."
Chongyue stepped forward. The Demon twisted the slug's body, took a human form, and rushed at Chongyue. He tried to strike the Demon's arm with his gauntlet, but the Demon dodged the strike the moment the arm extended, stretching and twisting its arm bizarrely to reach Chongyue.
Chongyue, changing the trajectory with his gauntlet to deflect the arm, stepped back. Then, taking a proper stance, he said to Yujin.
"Do not touch it, do not look at it for long, literally do not make contact with it. That is the experience I gained fighting them. Destroying it as quickly as possible minimizes their influence."
Pollution.
The ground the Demon stepped on slowly turned pitch black, sucking in color. Darkness absorbing even light. Yujin watched, then created a cluster of platinum light with his sword, creating starlight that drove away even darkness to illuminate the surroundings.
However, there was something neither Chongyue nor Yujin expected.
— Kiiiii■■■eeeeek—!
The Demon, which absorbed all light, could not absorb Yujin’s light. Rather, as soon as the light shone, it screamed bizarrely and went berserk at Yujin. Rushing past Chongyue toward Yujin, the Demon shrank back as if terrified upon seeing Yujin’s eyes.
"…Fear? That thing feels fear?"
Chongyue spoke looking at the Demon, but Yujin’s eyes remained on it.
Yujin knew instinctively.
It fears Yujin’s platinum light. He didn't know why, but his Stars whispered so. Knowing Chongyue would dislike it, Yujin cautiously brought out three stars, illuminating the cave brightly. The ceiling of the cave became a night sky, and brilliant constellations began to shine.
— Gaa■■■h! Kiii■■■eeeek! Kyaa■■■aaah!!!!!
The Demon, agonizing even under normal platinum light, collapsed on the ground and convulsed. As if encountering something it shouldn't, writhing and crawling toward Yujin, the Demon slowly melted away. Where the darkness disappeared, a normal Originium slug was crawling around.
"This is... impossible..."
Chongyue looked at the slug as if he had seen a miracle. Then Yujin lifted the sword that was the foundation of the constellation and plunged it deep into the ground. Then, releasing Arts with all his might, he dyed the earth with light. Platinum haze spread throughout the cave.
The cave walls, stained black like mold, returned to normal.
The land polluted by the Demon regained its original color.
Life found its place again, and Originium slugs began to crawl out.
"…I tried it because I thought it might work. It really does."
And when Yujin drew his sword again.
The mine had returned to its original color, back to normal.
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