Shoyo: ‘My my…I never thought I would step a foot into this place’

Since he currently lacked eyes, he could only perceive his surroundings by the sounds, smell, touch, and of course the chi the living beings emitted from their bodies.

Perhaps ripping out his eyeballs was being a little too cautious. Not a single one of the Demon Hunters of the Golden Dragon Branch even suspected that he was not a human.

Shoyo: ‘I can grow them back anyways’

Jing Fu was rushed to the medical wing and was currently bandaged up. Apparently, the doctor was another Guardian named Shisui, and he (Shoyo assumed it was a male doctor) was currently on another mission. So, the one in charge was one of Shisui’s apprentices, who made sure to stich up and bandage Jing Fu’s injuries.

Luckily, his vital organs managed to avoid damage, so he should be able to recover. Even then, it would take approximately a month for him to heal up. Until then, Jing Fu was forbidden from going to any missions by the Order’s leaders.

Since they did not have a Guardian in charge of their team, Nagare and Kai were unable to go on important missions by themselves, much to Nagare’s ire.

Apparently a Demon Hunters needed to be 3-star rank or above to go on important mission by themselves, or have a Guardian leading them. Nagare was 1-star and Kai was 2-star, and Shoyo was not even a Demon Hunter.

Those that were lower than 3-star rank were assigned on non-vital missions or patrol duties in groups. In a sense, they were given the jobs that had lower chances of encountering demons or monsters.

For someone obsessed with vengeance against demons like Nagare, that was no good.

Even if he knew he needed to be stronger to be seen as worthy of taking up higher ranked missions, his heart grew restless with impatience.

Nagare tried to relieve his anger by training himself non-stop, swinging his sword over and over again.

Shoyo: “You know that you are only going to make your muscles strained. Your swordsmanship wouldn’t improve unless you use your chi”

Nagare: “If I do that, I will run out of chi within half an hour, and then what? I wouldn’t be able to use my sword or even move properly for the rest of the day!”

Shoyo: “Weren’t you the one who wanted to learn the elemental chi?”

Nagare: “Yes, but without knowing my chi affinity, it is pointless”

Shoyo: “Perhaps one of those geezers might be able to help”

Nagare: “They are the elders of this order, have some respect!”

Shoyo: “Whatever. Wanna see them?”

Nagare: “Guess it wouldn’t hurt to try”

The territory that the Golden Dragon Branch covered was enormous.

It was practically a village of its own.

A hospital wing, several blacksmith shops, training grounds, and dojos were within sight.

Many Demon Hunters were training with their instructors.

From what Nagare heard, they were new recruits, still learning the basics of swordsmanship and usage of chi.

Once they are able to channel their chi through their blades, they are tasked with slaying a single demon, and if they pass, they become a 1-star class Demon Hunter, the lowest ranked members of the Order.

Depending on how successful they are in their subsequent missions, they would be raised in rank. The higher the rank, the more important missions could be received.

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Highest ranked were the mightiest swordsmen of the Order, the Guardians. They were the ones who carried out the most vital missions for the Order.

Currently, most of the Guardians were on missions, with only the injured Jing Fu being here at the moment.

The ones they were heading towards, the elders were the retired members of Guardians or former high ranking Demon Hunters. Many were forced out of front lines due to old age or injury. Along the way, Kai joined along.

“Oh, young ones, anything this old bag of bones can help ya with?”

While many of the elders were a little hard to approach, this one was a little weird. His attire was like that of a monk. His right leg ended in a wooden stump. He leaned upon a cane to aid him in maintaining his balance for walking.

Nagare: “Greetings elder, I would to ask your help with…”

Kai: “Master Dashi? Is that you?”

Master Dashi: “Kai! It has been a while”

Nagare: “Dashi? Are you by any chance related to Hiromasa Dashi, my master?”

Master Dashi: “Ho, so he took another disciple too….Figures. Anyways, I am Masahiro, Masahiro Dashi. I am Hiromasa’s twin brother”

Nagare: “Twin brother?!”

Masahiro: “I know, hard to believe because he has no face, not since what demons did to us….”

He looked down at his peg leg.

Masahiro: “But yeah, we are genuine brothers”

Nagare: “Sorry I asked”

Masahiro: “Well, enough about that, what you came here for, lad?”

Nagare: “I want to know my chi affinity”

Masahiro: “So you want to reach the level 2 of swordsmanship…It will not be easy. Many have maimed themselves trying to learn it; some have even died from it. Level 1 swordsmanship may be weak, but it is safe. Are you sure about this?”

Nagare: “I have nothing left to lose”

Masahiro: “If you say so, kid. But there is no shame in backing out, you know? Even if mastered, it wouldn’t guarantee your victory”

Nagare: “I already made my resolve”

Masahiro: “Very well. I assume you want to try it as well?”

Shoyo: “Nah, I am good”

Masahiro: “In that case, follow me”

With Masahiro Dashi leading them, the trio entered a room that was a little strange, located in a remote area, and the walls were reinforced with steel.

In the center stood a single crystal ball attached to a metallic platform.

Masahiro: “Put your hand upon that orb and pour your chi into it”

Nagare: “All right”

Nagare approached the orb and placed his right hand on it, and his chi flowed into the orb. But no matter how much he poured, there was no change.

Nagare: “It’s not working!”

Masahiro: “Concentrate, if it were easy everyone would be doing it. The orb forces you to access your chi element, to get a feel for it, in a sense”

Shoyo: “Why are we standing three meters away from him, then?”

Masahiro: “If he mishandles his flow of chi, he might explode”

Nagare: “Wait, what?!”

At that moment, the orb attained a crimson glow.

Thinking that it was going to explode, Nagare ducked and covered his head.

Yet, no explosion occurred.

Nagare looked a little silly cowering before a crystal orb.

Masahiro: “But if he does it properly, he should be safe”

Nagare: “Then say that first!”

Masahiro: “Interesting. You seem to have more than one affinity, but the one that is most dominant is clearly fire”

Masahiro stated it as a matter of fact after examining the colors of the orb.

Nagare: “What about wind?”

Masahiro: “No wind. Mostly fire, with some hints of water. But that is all I can see”

Nagare: “Are you kidding me….”

Nagare: “Well, at least it could not get any worse”

Shoyo: “Don’t you want to try it as well?”

Kai: “I have already done it a while ago”

Shoyo: “Is that so? Do tell, what affinity?”

Kai: “It’s wind”

Nagare: “Are you kidding me!?”

Nagare fell on his knees and started to punch the ground.

It was obvious he really wanted to have a wind affinity, yet Kai was the one who possessed it.

Masahiro: “Hey laddy, I will ask you again, wouldn’t you want to give it a try?”

Shoyo: “Not interested”

Masahiro: “Your choice. But don’t ask me to train you when your friends reach the next level of swordsmanship”

Shoyo: “That’s what I am counting on”

* * *

Kai: “Master”

Masahiro: “I am assuming your hunt for Leo was unsuccessful”

Kai: “No. I was captured by another monster before I could track that bastard down. Had Nagare-san and Shoyo-san not arrived when they did, I would have surely become food to that thing”

Masahiro: “You were too impatient. Running off on your own when you still were not ready”

Kai: “I must have my vengeance!”

Demons had killed countless families, leaving many orphans. Kai and the many others were taken in by Masahiro Dashi as his disciples.

One of his disciples was a young man named Leo Karus, Kai’s sibling disciple and once best friend.

But in his thirst for power, Leo betrayed them and became a demon.

He massacred most of Masahiro’s disciples and cut off Kai’s arm when Kai tried to confront him.

The only reason Kai survived was because of Masahiro’s timely arrival, forcing his former disciple to flee in the night.

Ever since then, revenge has been all Kai could think of.

Kai: “No matter what, I will kill him”

Masahiro: “Then be prudent and don’t act alone. Those two young ones seemed like a good pair, joining them would not be such a bad idea would it?”

Kai: “But I work alone…”

Masahiro: “And look where that got you! Right into the belly of a beast! Stop being stubborn and team up with them, you foolish disciple! There is only so much you can do alone!”

Kai: “If you insist, Master”

Kai’s voice betrayed his frustration.

In his mind, he knew his master was right, but his rage filled heart could barely be quelled.