Shion Lan sat before the Jura family, listening to what Petaline had to say.
"It concerns Rose Gard—more precisely, her heritage."
Shion immediately grew attentive.
"You know that the domain stage begins at the seventh level," Petaline continued, "because of the power of the domain. Rose's inheritance is also at the seventh level—she already possesses a domain. But the strange thing is… there is no seventh-level technique that corresponds to it."
Shion frowned.
"That is strange. But what does it have to do with me?"
Petaline coughed awkwardly.
"Well… you have a master whose depth cannot be fathomed, and you yourself are talented. I thought you might have some insight."
Shion didn't know how to respond. Should he tell her about not having master in the first place? Or just pretend he can't communicate to the older Shi Yun Lan?
The questions stuck in his head until a headache struck him.
"You don't need to investigate this," Shi Yun Lan said lazily inside his mind.
"There are techniques that appear weak at first but evolve into higher levels. Some beginner-level techniques branch into stronger ones, while others originate from higher-level techniques. For example, (Cutting Flames) of yours is a mid-level technique, yet you can use part of its power at a beginner level. But whether it can reach advanced levels depends on refinement—perhaps a slight movement change, deeper understanding, or restructuring the sequence of motions."
Shion decided to act.
He condensed his star aura as if communicating with the "Radiant Star." The head of the Jura family focused on him, clearly impressed. Despite being only at the third level, the pressure of his aura was immense.
When Shion opened his eyes, he relayed everything.
Petaline relaxed. After some polite exchanges—and brief discussion about the painting Shion had received the previous day—he took his leave and returned to his box, continuing the day's events.
...
Elsewhere, King Jord Joul sat with his first and second queens, troubled by one question,
"How should we reward Shion Lan?"
He had a headache over it.
The first queen said,
"If he were a commoner, I would grant him great wealth. But now he is a noble—such rewards are no longer appropriate. We also cannot give him royal techniques, since he already has a master and his own heritage."
The second queen added,
"I would suggest giving him a precious artifact. But we know nothing about the Radiant Star. All our artifacts are priceless—we cannot allow an unknown party near them. Even if the Radiant Star intervened, Shion is still too weak to protect such treasures."
The king nodded.
"And if we give him something trivial, it would diminish his achievements—and insult him beside us. Considering his contributions in the Dark Crows incident and the Neumann family's district… we cannot neglect him."
The second queen frowned.
"Was it necessary to grant him nobility so quickly in his first mission?!"
The first queen added,
"You could have rewarded him with status in Neumann instead of giving yourself this headache."
The king sighed internally.
' Who would've thought he'd grow this fast… and now I'm blamed? '
He cleared his throat,
"I have a suitable reward."
They looked at him.
"The sword at the end of the treasury—the one bound in chains and sealed."
The first queen gasped.
"Do you want to kill my savior?!"
The second queen's thoughts raced.
' That cursed sword?! It nearly brought disaster two centuries ago! Its wielder's tools were among the most terrifying on the continent… and now he wants to give it to Shion?! If my daughter finds out… '
The king noticed their fear and smiled inwardly.
' If the Shi family head truly cares about Shion, that sword won't be a problem. And this will reveal the nature of their relationship… '
Aloud, he said,
"Do not worry. Shion can suppress it. If not, we will compensate him."
The first queen protested,
"This isn't about his ability! That sword carries endless suffering—countless souls—and is tied to forbidden techniques! It's dangerous!"
But the king was firm.
"The sword will be his. Unless you have better ideas, there's nothing more to discuss."
With that, he left.
The first queen worried for Shiun as her savior.
The second worried for him because of her daughter's feelings.
...
The king went to the treasury.
It was filled with legendary weapons, rare potions, powerful techniques, ancient art…
But at the far end, the atmosphere darkened.
He revealed a hidden passage and entered a sinister chamber filled with blood vials, monster remains, and forbidden artifacts.
There, a sword stood embedded in the ground—bound in chains and surrounded by seals.
The king gazed at it.
A mocking voice came from the sword,
"Get lost. I prefer women."
The king replied coldly,
"Fitting—for a blade that slaughtered tens of thousands of them."
The sword laughed.
"You can't blame me. Women are soft… irresistible."
"So that was your master," the king said. "A degenerate who tortured women. Isn't that right, Sword of Sins?"
The sword trembled with wicked laughter.
"Yes! A pathetic man betrayed by his wife—so he found pleasure in tormenting women!"
The king raised his seal.
"Tomorrow, you'll meet your new master."
Chains and seals began to loosen.
The sword fell silent briefly.
"What's the trick this time?"
"No trick. I've found someone who can suppress you. You'll simply be useful in his hands."
The king left.
The sword's aura flared dangerously.
"That Jord Joul… he tried harder than any king to destroy me. And now he gives me away? Does he not fear I'll take control of this new host and cause chaos? …What is he planning?"
The Sword of Sins, the most malicious artifact that made massacres two hundred years ago as it controlled its wielder by growing his desires and negative feelings to make what it's made for..... destruction.
The Sword of Sins had consumed a lot of souls of its wielders and victims so it could formed its soul and it got the ability to think.
' My new wielder can control me?.... It's so funny that the little Jord can think of something like this. Well.... It's not like that I can get myself out of here on my own. '
The soul of the sword smiled and said,
' Let's see this little one who can stand against me! '
...
In his room, Shion trained with Shi Yun Lan within the Veins Domain.
He had integrated Neumann Swordsmanship with his own techniques, pushing his spirit to its limits.
He now stood on equal footing with Shi Yun Lan—who was only using third-level power.
Shi Yun Lan stopped and praised him,
"I admit—you've improved. Even with the (Aura of Death) and (Blood of the Dead), you can face me directly."
Then he raised his sword.
A terrifying aura of blood and death surged from it—red and black intertwining in a sinister dance.
"That's bad!"
Shion instinctively stepped back.
"This," Shi Yun Lan said, "is the sword aura. When you and the sword become one, it releases your techniques on its own—as if it were alive. Some swords even house the spirits of their users and carry their heritage."
Shion asked,
"How do I become one with the sword? I haven't even reached three stars yet."
Shi Yun Lan replied,
"You think you can't reach the fourth level before three stars, don't you?"
Shion nodded.
"You never saw Yossi Sano using a ninth-level domain while still at eight stars. It's about capability—not rules." Shi Yun Lan mentioned the accident of the Neumann family remembering the guardian spirit of Glass Sano.
Shion tried combining fire and water within his sword as they formed his will—but failed. His hand was injured.
Shi Yun Lan shook his head.
"You don't even understand how to merge them in your body."
But Shion objected, "I actually have the fire element and water element in my body. Did you forget?"
Shi Yun Lan answered, "All you've done is split them—never truly combine them."
A red line suddenly appeared across Shion's neck—
and his head fell.
...
He woke up, clutching his neck.
"No matter how many times… death still feels real."
He thought about the word merge.
' Have I been missing something? '
Then he felt something trying to enter his consciousness.
"Solan Neumann…"
He closed his eyes and thought,
' Not this time. I need boundaries. '
...
In the darkness, he saw light.
At its end—a peaceful world.
But unstable.
She's disturbed… because of earlier, he realized.
The ground trembled, the air wavered.
"Solan! I'm here!"
A hand emerged from behind a white tree.
Then she appeared—pure, beautiful, with a face blending a woman's grace and a child's innocence.
When she saw him—
her face flushed red.
And the world around them trembled… as if it wanted to reject him—
and embrace him at the same time.