Under the moonlight,
Genichiro Ashina waited with his eyes closed.
Ashina was retreating on all fronts and stood on the brink of collapse. If things continued like this, the land would be overrun within days. He needed power — power capable of resisting the Interior Ministry's army.
The Divine Heir was his last hope.
He would never allow her to be taken from him.
Yet after waiting some time, Genichiro still hadn't seen the Divine Heir or her shinobi escort. Suspicion stirred in his heart. He turned to the shadows.
"Bring her back."
"Yes!"
Two Night Kite Assassins cautiously approached the hidden passage. One slipped inside, the other following closely, prepared to assist.
But the passage was empty.
No one.
Impossible.
Suddenly — a figure descended from above.
White Crane Hermit struck like lightning. The instant the first assassin exposed an opening, a blade flashed — white in, red out — and the man collapsed without a sound.
The second assassin recoiled in shock.
White Crane Hermit surged forward, sword pressure crashing down like a storm. Though skilled, the assassin was caught completely off guard. He barely blocked four or five strikes before his defense shattered.
Clang!
His weapon flew aside.
White Crane Hermit reversed his grip on Kusabimaru, drove the hilt forward, and impaled the man through the chest. Blood sprayed as the assassin fell lifelessly to the ground.
The ambush was too sudden.
Genichiro hadn't even had time to intervene.
"You…"
He finally realized he had underestimated this opponent. Not only was the Divine Heir's protector fast — he had read Genichiro's deployment like an open book.
The watching Adventurers felt their hearts pound.
"The Old Master is insane… only he could pull something like this off."
"He wiped out four elite Night Kite Assassins right under Genichiro's nose!"
"Now it's finally a fair duel!"
"Maybe… just maybe… this is winnable!"
Excitement surged.
But no one dared relax.
Genichiro Ashina was a Tier Two, Five-Star powerhouse. So far, only Bihua had barely defeated him — and even then, she admitted she couldn't guarantee victory again. This fight allowed no mistakes.
Hope existed.
Which made it terrifying.
White Crane Hermit steadied his breathing and raised his blade.
Genichiro locked eyes with him. The shinobi's resolve was unmistakable — this man would not retreat, not even half a step.
Since words were useless…
"Genichiro Ashina enters the battle!"
He opened with the Ashina-style technique — Dragon Flash.
Danger!
White Crane Hermit slid aside instantly. A crescent of sword energy sliced through the reeds behind him, cutting hundreds clean in half.
Genichiro surged forward like a hunting tiger.
A chilling blade streaked through the night.
White Crane Hermit had failed this fight more than ten times. He had watched countless recordings. He had rehearsed every movement in his mind thousands of times. Each twitch of Genichiro's wrist, each shift of weight — all were carved into his instincts.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
He deflected the strike cleanly and countered with three rapid slashes, all of which Genichiro parried with ease.
Against Genichiro Ashina…
Never rush.
Strike decisively when openings appear.
Evade without greed when they don't.
Hesitation meant death.
The two exchanged over a dozen blows.
Wherever they passed,
reed plumes scattered like drifting snow.
White Crane Hermit forgot himself — forgot victory and defeat — and lost himself in the battle. He was no longer fighting to win, but to push himself beyond his limits.
At first, Genichiro hadn't taken him seriously.
Then his surprise grew.
Then his shock.
Though this shinobi was far weaker than him, he seemed to know every technique Genichiro possessed — absurdly so. Every subtle motion was predicted. Every attack was dodged by a hair's breadth or neutralized with precision.
It felt like striking cotton.
Nothing landed.
After twenty rounds…
Then thirty…
Genichiro felt something dangerous.
Fatigue crept into his limbs, while his opponent grew steadier — slowly reclaiming the initiative.
"Who are you?"
"No matter who you are," Genichiro growled, "Ashina Genichiro will not fall here!"
Another twenty rounds passed.
The pressure worsened.
If this continued…
He might lose.
If his Night Kite Assassins were still alive, he could have ordered a sneak attack. One moment's distraction would be enough.
And then he understood.
That was why the shinobi had eliminated them first.
White Crane Hermit pressed harder. After a perfect deflection, Genichiro's chest finally opened.
Now!
White Crane Hermit gripped his sword with both hands and drove it forward.
The blade pierced armor.
Blood erupted as it was withdrawn.
Time seemed to freeze.
Then the watching Adventurers exploded into cheers.
"He did it!"
"No way — he actually did it!"
"The Old Master is insane!"
"Best ending to the day!"
Some couldn't help laughing smugly.
"Hahaha! I want to see Lord Qi's face right now — he definitely didn't expect this!"
"So even Old Thief Qi makes mistakes sometimes!"
"He's talented, sure, but he's still young — who would've predicted someone as stubborn as Old Crane?!"
—
"Wait!"
"Something's wrong!"
"Don't celebrate yet!"
The background music from the Secret Realm Crystal didn't fade.
It intensified.
Oh no.
Genichiro stood back up.
His helmet fell away. His long black hair hung loose, his face pale as a demon's. A strange crimson glow burned in his eyes.
Black mist crawled over the wound.
It healed — visibly.
Dark clouds swallowed the moon. The once peaceful reed plains were consumed by a chilling wind, turning the landscape eerie and oppressive.
White Crane Hermit whispered, "What… are you?"
"I told you," Genichiro said coldly. "I cannot lose. I must not lose. If saving Ashina means becoming a demon, then so be it."
The pressure skyrocketed.
He had already been Tier Two, Five Stars.
Now…
He had clearly broken into Tier Three.
Bihua shouted urgently, "Old Master, don't clash head-on! This state definitely has severe backlash — it can't last long!"
White Crane Hermit knew she was right.
But—
Danger!
Genichiro crouched low, gripping his sword in reverse. Lightning split the sky and crashed down onto his blade, flooding it with blinding gold electricity. The surrounding reeds within several meters were instantly scorched to ash.
"Holy crap…"
Every Adventurer froze.
Genichiro became a bolt of living lightning, tearing across the battlefield in an instant. Reeds vaporized in his wake. He appeared before White Crane Hermit and struck.
The sword hadn't arrived yet.
The lightning had.
This attack was undefendable.
White Crane Hermit couldn't deflect lightning.
The moment he was locked by the electric arc, his body went numb — completely unable to block the follow-up strike.
An arm flew into the air.
History repeated itself.
White Crane Hermit collapsed among the scorched reeds, critically wounded and unconscious.
Genichiro suppressed the abnormal energy, replaced his helmet, and said calmly:
"This is Tomoe's Lightning. It is no disgrace to fall before it. I will take the Divine Heir now."
It was over.
White Crane Hermit exited the Secret Realm.
In the end, he still couldn't overturn the plot-kill.
Reality proved Lord Qi had accounted for every possibility — Genichiro Ashina was destined to win this battle.
Bihua gasped. "He was hiding his strength!"
Three Bamboo muttered, "From what we saw, he has at least two hidden abilities — near-immortality and lightning manipulation."
Wool Warrior: "Tomoe's Lightning… that's insane!"
Violent Little Chicken: "I want that skill!"
Time Traveler: "That technique isn't Ashina-style at all. Where did Genichiro learn it? The origin of Tomoe's Lightning has to be part of a deeper storyline."
Pig King: "When we reach Ashina Castle, how are we supposed to fight someone like that? You can't block lightning with a sword!"
"There has to be a way!"
White Crane Hermit soon returned. Though he failed to change the outcome, he had successfully forced Genichiro to reveal his true strength — and he looked satisfied.
His perseverance over several days earned universal respect.
Despite another crushing defeat, he showed no frustration — only reflection.
"So Genichiro Ashina is Tier Three…" he murmured. "At his age, that's terrifying. If given time, he might rival Isshin Ashina in his prime. What a tragedy…"
Indeed.
There was no time.
Genichiro had clearly walked a forbidden path — gaining immense power at a devastating cost.
White Crane Hermit realized that during their prolonged battle, he had developed something like mutual understanding with this Secret Realm character.
Three Bamboo asked, "How do you judge Genichiro?"
White Crane Hermit replied, "From his blade, I feel conviction. He isn't a villain — he's someone utterly selfless."
Wind in Sleep blinked. "That's high praise coming from you."
White Crane Hermit nodded. "His heart is as clear as Ashina's moonlight. Everything he does is for this land. If sacrificing himself would save it, he wouldn't hesitate."
Iron Heart added, "That explains why Lady Butterfly and General Oniwa were so loyal to him."
Boulder offered another view. "But if Ashina is doomed regardless, isn't his obsession another form of selfishness? His stubborn persistence may bring even greater disaster — to himself, to others, and to the people."
Different people saw the same man differently.
Genichiro Ashina's complexity was undeniable.
For now, however, no one lingered on the topic.
Although White Crane Hermit failed to alter the plot, he received an extraordinary reward — the Mystic Medicine Gourd.
"New equipment?"
"Wait — this is rare treasure!"
[Mystic Medicine Gourd]
Rare Treasure — Upper Gray Tier
Usable once per day. Restores 3 Stamina.
Recovery increases by +1 for every Tier of cultivation.
In the Secret Realm, this gourd healed wounds.
Outside, it became a stamina-restoring artifact.
With it, White Crane Hermit effectively gained three extra adventures per day. For a top-tier player, its value was immeasurable — far more precious than any lightning skill stone.
Rare Treasures couldn't be unlocked in shops.
The only way to obtain them was through drops.
Which made them priceless.
Worth it.
Completely worth it.
After everything he endured, he gained both fulfillment and tremendous reward. With this gourd, White Crane Hermit's cultivation speed would recover faster than ever.
The day's adventures ended on a perfect note.
Then —
A figure entered the main hall.
Tall. Handsome. Young, yet carrying unmistakable authority.
It was none other than Lord Qi.
"Lord!"
"He's here!"
"Holy crap — Old Thief Qi finally showed up! Everyone, surround him — don't let him escape!"
As Miracle City expanded, Qi appeared less often. Many Adventurers were seeing him for the first time.
Including Bihua.
She had never admired anyone in her life.
But after just a few days in Miracle City, she had become a full-fledged fan of Boss Qi.
Seeing him now…
He was far younger than she imagined.
Building Miracle City at this age was already absurd. What would he become in twenty or thirty more years?
Unthinkable.
Unthinkable.
Bihua squeezed into the crowd, heart pounding like a fangirl meeting her idol.
She wanted to shake his hand.
She wanted answers.
Nancilia, White Crane Hermit, and the others were also surprised by Qi's sudden appearance. He'd kept a low profile for days — he wouldn't show up without reason.
A major announcement?
New content?
A Secret Realm update?
The Adventurers' excitement skyrocketed as they surged forward.
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