The two continued walking toward the old Kaifang headquarters. The building, which had once housed dozens of members dedicated to the preservation of humanity, now served as a home for a single man: Fanshi Foo.
And even he no longer remembered everything.
His memories of Kaifang were like an old book with missing pages. He knew the code, the purpose, the existence of the organization and its historical importance. But the details — names, specific events, strategies, records — were blurred. All that remained was a broad summary etched into the tired mind of an old man fighting against time.
During the walk, Wang observed the surroundings closely.
The capital of Palaniya remained intact. The streets were clean, the structures well-maintained, the public buildings restored. There was movement in the markets, commerce functioning, soldiers patrolling in an organized manner. To anyone looking only at that, it would seem the country was living in complete normalcy.
But it was a carefully maintained illusion.
Beyond the capital's borders, the reality was brutal. The regions dominated by the Gangon Shogunate were true scenes of devastation. Burned cities, destroyed fields, infrastructure reduced to rubble. Where there had once been schools and hospitals, there were now improvised weapons factories.
People worked under armed surveillance.
Exhausted men carrying steel. Women sewing military uniforms. Children molding metal parts too small for adult hands. Those who collapsed from exhaustion were discarded.
Shogun Gangon remained seated in his castle — a castle built upon the ruins of Palaniya's old port city.
That port had been the nation's greatest symbol of hope.
It was the only point on the island where ships capable of crossing the sea were being built, to connect Palaniya to the rest of the world. For centuries, the country had lived in isolation. When they were finally on the verge of breaking free from that isolation…
Something happened.
Something large enough to fragment the Republic, divide the territory, and spark a century of internal conflicts.
What exactly occurred in that moment was still a mystery.
After a long walk, they finally arrived at the old Kaifang headquarters, still located in the capital, called Palamir.
Wang stopped in front of the building and examined the structure carefully.
— So this is Kaifang's secret HQ, Master Fan? — he asked, tilting his head slightly. — Honestly, I imagined something abandoned, destroyed… but it's well-preserved. Or did you get the address wrong?
Fanshi let out a short, carefree laugh.
— No, I didn't get it wrong. We're in the right place. It may not look like it, but I take good care of this place. Back when Kaifang still had relevance, we received government funding. We helped with delicate missions, protected civilians, neutralized threats the Republic couldn't expose publicly.
He ran his hand along the outer wall, as if touching the past.
— After we were nearly wiped out, the government cut the resources. But I kept the place operational. After all… it's still Kaifang's home.
Wang crossed his arms.
— Was Kaifang created by the government, or did the government simply decide to use it when it saw value in it?
Fanshi thought for a few seconds.
— Kaifang emerged independently. Years later, we were summoned to explain our activities. Since our objectives were considered noble and we weren't breaking any laws, the government decided to support us. Back then… the government of Palaniya was good. At least that's what the records indicate.
He sighed.
— But at some point something changed. Maybe a change in leadership. Maybe internal corruption. Maybe something bigger than politics itself.
Wang replied naturally:
— Democracy isn't perfect. No human system is. At some point it fails.
Fanshi shook his head.
— I don't believe it was just political failure. If it were only corruption, we wouldn't be in this state. Something caused a structural collapse.
He pressed his hand to his temple.
— I just can't remember.
Wang shrugged.
— You said it's been almost a hundred years since everything started falling apart. It's normal not to know. Maybe the answer is in the archives here… but I don't care that much about the past. I'd rather focus on training and getting stronger.
Fanshi smiled faintly.
— The past can wait in books. The present cannot.
They entered the headquarters.
The interior was spacious, much larger than it appeared from outside. Long corridors, rooms lined up like in an old hotel. There were communal dormitories, individual rooms, a large meeting hall with a solid wood circular table.
Further ahead, equipped training rooms.
In the basement, a small internal prison — meant for members who broke the code of honor.
And a vast library, filled with books on Palaniya's history, treatises on aura, magic, records of Kaifang missions, and strategic studies.
All empty.
No voices echoed through the corridors.
Only Fanshi lived there now.
Wang began to explore, opening doors, examining each room.
— There's too much here… I'm lost.
Meanwhile, Fanshi headed to the kitchen. He grabbed the coffee container and put three generous scoops into the filter, along with enough sugar to make the drink almost medicinal.
— Nothing like strong coffee to clear the mind — he murmured.
He left the coffee brewing and went to look for the boy. Even living there, he still got confused among the corridors.
After a few minutes, he found Wang standing in an internal arena.
It was a large, circular space with a reinforced floor and impact marks scattered across it. Beside it, a long counter displayed various weapons: daggers, knives, axes, cleavers, spears, and swords of different sizes.
The only type absent was firearms.
Palaniya's constitution prohibited civilians from carrying weapons that fired projectiles. They were rare and monopolized by the Republic, which used them in the constant wars against the other factions.
Wang observed each weapon carefully, without touching them, imagining himself wielding each one.
— Are you imagining yourself fighting? — asked Fanshi.
Wang turned.
— Yes. I'm trying to figure out which one suits me. But honestly, I prefer my fists. They're part of me. A weapon is like a horse… you need to tame it for it to become an extension of your body.
Fanshi nodded.
— In time you'll better understand that relationship. But for now, let's rest a little. We walked a long way.
Wang smiled lightly, as if they weren't in the middle of a national war.
Meanwhile, in another part of the capital, at a police station:
— Captain Bonus speaking! We need reinforcements immediately! The city is being invaded by the Shogunate! They outnumber us! We won't be able to hold them or protect the civilians!
Another city was being raided.
The Shogunate survived through slavery and plunder. They invaded territories to capture workers and resources. Since they didn't produce medicine adequately and treated their slaves brutally, they constantly needed new prisoners.
It was never enough.
The Republic's current president was inexperienced and heavily dependent on his general for strategic decisions. The problem was that the general seemed incompetent — or worse, a possible double agent.
Even with firearms, the Republic struggled.
The reason was aura.
Aura strengthened the body, amplified physical attributes, allowed one to surpass natural limits. The greater the mastery, the greater the resistance and strength.
Shogun Gangon had mastered aura at a high level and taught much of his army to use it, making his soldiers resistant even to projectiles.
Even so, the balance was maintained by the Steel Warriors — a third faction made up of enhancement magic users and bearers of special artifacts.
It was a standoff between three forces.
That was why the Republic had not yet fallen.
Any all-out attack could open a gap for the other two sides.
Gangon then adopted another strategy: advance slowly, city by city.
Back at Kaifang, training began.
— You'll repeat the sword movement for at least an hour every day — Fanshi explained. — The body learns before the mind.
He then shifted his tone.
— But aura is different. You need to calm your mind, heart, and body. Feel your inner energy. Breathe in. Concentrate. Release. Channel it around yourself.
Wang frowned.
— That's still very abstract. Can you demonstrate?
Fanshi hesitated, but agreed.
He walked to the center of the arena, stepping a few meters away.
He raised his arms. Clenched his fists. Breathed in deeply.
The atmosphere seemed to grow heavy.
His body began to tremble slightly. The floor vibrated. His clothes moved as if there were wind inside the hall.
He kept his eyes closed.
Breathed in again.
And then, as he exhaled, something exploded.
An invisible wave of energy expanded — but before it could dissipate, it was pulled back into his body.
The energy began to wrap around his silhouette.
A blue aura appeared, outlining every part of his body like a living, pulsing line.
It was not flame.
It was not smoke.
It was as if his very soul were trying to escape… but remained obedient.
Wang watched without blinking.
Now he understood.
The war outside was only half the problem.
The real battle began here.
The blue aura still wrapped around Fanshi Foo's body like a living, pulsing line. The energy vibrated softly around him, tracing every muscle, every strand of hair, as if drawing his silhouette in the air.
He breathed deeply and let the aura stabilize before beginning to explain.
— Do you see, boy? — he said, his voice lower but firm. — This is aura. It is the vital energy of your body… and of your soul. It is not merely physical strength. It is not merely power. It is who you are.
He slowly opened and closed his hands, watching the blue glow that surrounded them.
— Each person has a specific color. That color reflects something internal. If someone possesses a truly pure heart, free of malice, their aura tends to be white… almost transparent. A clean light. But if someone carries deep hatred, if they are a cruel killer or someone who feeds on the suffering of others… the aura turns red. And the more rotten the soul… the darker it becomes. It can reach absolute black.
The hall seemed quieter as he spoke.
— That is why I say aura is like showing our true nature. It is as if the body cannot hide what the soul truly is.
He then looked at his own blue outline.
— And as you can see… mine is blue. That means I am neutral. I am not pure. I am not completely good. But I am also not someone dominated by evil.
He was silent for a few seconds, staring at his own glow.
— I spent my life believing I was fighting for a good cause. I killed people for Kaifang. I carried out missions. I took lives because I believed it would protect humanity. But… sometimes I wonder if it was all truly right.
His expression grew heavier.
— Perhaps this forgetfulness that haunts me… this fading memory… perhaps it reflects my own shame. Perhaps my mind is trying to erase the weight of the lives I destroyed. The families I tore apart. The children left without fathers. Perhaps I cannot carry all of that.
Wang listened in silence, absorbing every word.
— I didn't fully understand that part about the colors — he finally replied. — You say you don't regret everything completely… but you also don't have a white aura. Maybe that means you were never a purely good-hearted person.
Fanshi gave a faint crooked smile.
— I can't say either. Aura has existed for a long time, but we only began to understand it a few centuries ago. What we know is little. Very little. It's almost all speculation.
He then raised a finger, as if remembering something important.
— There is one exception. An extremely rare aura. The golden aura.
Wang's eyes widened slightly.
— Golden?
— They say it is the color of the chosen hero. One whose heart is truly pure. A complete soul, free of hatred, free of resentment, free of selfishness.
He let out a small laugh.
— I have never heard of anyone who truly had that color. That is why I believe it is merely legend. But if it exists… perhaps it appears once every hundred years. It is not something common.
Wang scratched the back of his neck.
— So I should hope my aura is blue or white… because if it's red, I'm a bad person, right?
Fanshi shrugged.
— It's not that simple… but it's a good start.
The boy breathed deeply.
He closed his hands, raised his fists in front of his chest, and tried to repeat exactly what he had seen. He breathed in deeply. He tried to feel something inside himself — some hidden energy, some internal vibration.
At first, nothing.
Only his own heart beating faster.
He tried again.
Breathed in.
Concentrated.
Imagined his energy rising from his feet to his head.
Tried to push it outward… and then pull it back.
His body trembled slightly.
A strange sensation ran down his spine.
The air around him seemed to grow a little denser.
And then — almost imperceptible — a thin line began to form around his body.
Wang slowly opened his eyes.
A blue aura outlined him.
Steady. Simple. Clear.
He spent a few seconds just observing it.
— Blue… — he murmured. — So I am like you, Master. Neither bad… nor good.
Fanshi observed carefully.
— Technically, yes. But we cannot treat aura as absolute truth. We still don't know everything about it. The blue aura is the most common. It represents ordinary people. People who live their lives without causing great harm… but also without great heroic sacrifice.
Wang kept the aura active for a few more seconds before letting it fade.
— I think I understand — he said thoughtfully. — The blue aura is like a starting point. It is neutral because it can still evolve. As we live, as we make decisions, the color can change. Our actions write our story… and perhaps decide our color in the end.
Fanshi was silent for a moment.
— I never thought of it that way… — he admitted. — But it makes sense.
He looked at himself again.
— Except I'm already old… and still blue. Does that mean I never matured? — he let out a light laugh.
Wang replied naturally:
— Or perhaps you never chose a side. But what is "good" and "evil"? They are vague concepts. Each person sees them differently. Perhaps we shouldn't be trapped by such shallow definitions.
Fanshi crossed his arms.
— There are kinds of goodness and kinds of evil. But there are things so absurdly wrong that anyone can recognize them.
He tilted his head.
— Give me an example.
Wang thought.
— The government is bad… but it is also good. It maintains order. If it weren't for them, the Shogunate would have taken over everything already. So we need them. And the Shogunate is clearly the evil side, right?
Fanshi breathed deeply.
— From a common perspective, yes. But for me… both are bad. The difference is that the Shogunate is a greater evil. An evil that cannot be allowed to exist.
His voice grew heavier.
— They are pure evil. And everything that is too pure… is not trustworthy. In the purity of evil, there is no logic. There is no building. They do not think about the future. They build nothing. They only conquer, plunder, and destroy. They are ignorant beings who live only to fight.
He clenched his fist.
— The government has a duty to put an end to them. And we… have a duty to eliminate Zulmat.
His gaze grew distant.
— Zulmat is different. He is not government. He is not Shogunate. He is the unknown. And everyone fears the unknown. Because we do not understand. We do not know how to react.
He breathed slowly.
— I only think about cutting him in two until he disappears.
Wang blinked several times.
— This conversation got a bit strange, Master… let's change the subject. Sometimes you talk too much and seem to lose your train of thought.
Fanshi burst out laughing.
— HAHAHA! You're right! I really do lose track. It's been a few years now that my memory has been failing. Sometimes I mix up something that happened this morning with something that happened fifty years ago.
The tension eased.
After that, Wang returned to practicing aura.
This time, he could activate it more easily. He spent the rest of the morning and all afternoon trying to stabilize it. Sometimes it flickered. Sometimes it disappeared. Other times it became too strong and left him dizzy.
But he persisted.
Before learning to fight… he needed to learn to control himself.
Later, Fanshi decided to teach the basics of magic.
— I'm not a great magic user — he admitted. — I only know the essentials.
He demonstrated how to imbue his sword with fire magic. A thin layer of flaming energy wrapped around the blade.
— The trick is to channel your energy outward and mix it with the element.
He then snapped his fingers, creating a small flame at their tips.
The flame was modest. Weak.
— This is good for lighting a cigarette… or a stove — he said matter-of-factly.
Wang tried.
Once.
Twice.
Ten times.
Five hours later…
Nothing.
Not even a spark.
His face was sweaty. His arms tired. His mind exhausted.
— This is impossible… — he murmured.
Fanshi scratched his head.
— Perhaps you have no affinity for fire. Not everyone does. Magic requires talent… and training. A lot of training.
The sun was already setting.
Wang was frustrated, but also determined.
He had achieved the aura.
Now he needed to conquer the rest.
The real training… had only just begun.