image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/7/75/Cyrus_Thorne%2C_son_of_Elden_Thorne.png]

In Chapter 17 of "Swordbound: The Hero's Journey to Silence the Seven," the narrative plunges deeper into Cyrus Thorne's quest during the Japan arc. Having uncovered the long-lost blueprint for the Sword of Water—a key to vindicating his father—Cyrus faces the urgent need to forge this pivotal weapon. As he flicks through his mobile for a solution, he stumbles upon a number, glowing like a beacon of hope: Elliot Harper, his father's colleague from FuturForge Innovations.

Taking a deep breath, Cyrus dials the number. The line rings twice before a familiar voice answers.

"Hi, Elliot," Cyrus begins, his voice tinged with a mix of anxiety and hope.

Elliot's response comes warm, tinged with concern, "Hey, Cyrus, how are you? Sorry to hear about Professor Elden."

"I'm hanging in there," Cyrus replies, a slight tremor in his voice betraying his calm exterior. "I'm glad you remember me. Look, I need a favor. Could you help me get into the FuturForge R&D lab?"

Elliot pauses, the weight of the request settling over him. "Cyrus, what's this about? I don't want to get involved in anything illegal."

Cyrus hastens to reassure him, "It's nothing unlawful, I promise. I just need to use the lab to forge something important—a project that could prove my dad's innocence."

Elliot's skepticism is palpable, even through the phone. "You know I believed in your father's work, Cyrus, but this is a lot to ask."

"I know, Elliot, and I wouldn't ask if it weren't absolutely crucial. You've seen the kind of research Dad was doing. You know he was on to something big. This is about finishing what he started, about restoring his legacy."

There's a long silence, and for a moment, Cyrus fears he has overstepped. Then, Elliot's voice, softer now, filled with a reluctant resolve, returns.

"Alright, Cyrus. I can't deny your father was a great man, and he deserves justice. Meet me outside FuturForge tonight at midnight. We can't let anyone see you. It's risky, but we'll do it for Elden."

A wave of relief washes over Cyrus. "Thank you, Elliot. I won't forget this."

After hanging up with Cyrus, Elliot returned to his PlayStation 5, where he had momentarily paused his game. On the screen, the fierce brawls of Tekken 5 awaited, but so did his spirited online friend, known in the gaming world as "Hip-Hop King."

"Hey, Hip-Hop King, I need to leave," Elliot announced reluctantly, his character frozen mid-combo.

From the other end of the line, a teasing voice countered, "Hey, you haven't won a match yet. You sure you want to duck out now?"

Elliot sighed, a mix of amusement and urgency in his voice. "I need to head back to the office to settle something important."

His words seemed to pique Hip-Hop King's curiosity. "Going to the office late at night, huh? Sounds suspicious to me," the mysterious gamer retorted with a chuckle. "I'm gonna call your office to confirm that."

"Hey, please, don't," Elliot pleaded, a note of desperation creeping into his voice. "What do you want? Should I send you a PSN card?"

"Nah, I don't do blackmail like those scammers," Hip-Hop King replied, his tone lightening. "I want in on whatever you're up to. Sounds like an adventure to me."

Elliot paused, the weight of the situation settling in. "I'm really just going back to my office," he insisted, hoping to dissuade his persistent friend.

"That's even better. I've been wanting to check out FuturForge," Hip-Hop King countered excitedly. "See you outside."

Before Elliot could protest, Hip-Hop King disconnected, leaving him staring at the silent game screen. "Here goes nothing! How unlucky of me," Elliot muttered to himself, grappling with the surreal turn his night had taken, now tangled with two unusual requests that promised to twist his quiet evening into an unpredictable adventure.

Cyrus Thorne clutched the crucial blueprint in his hand, his steps quickening as he made his way towards FuturForge Innovations to meet Elliot. As he navigated through the bustling streets, his focus was abruptly shattered by a cry for help piercing the urban hum. "Someone, please help! That guy touched my butt!" The distress in the voice propelled Cyrus into action, drawing him toward a narrow alley where the commotion was unfolding.

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In the dimly lit space, Cyrus caught sight of a striking figure: a girl with long, blunt-cut pink hair that cascaded like a vivid waterfall. Her red irises were fiery with anger as she clutched the front of a man's shirt, her slender frame tense with determination. The man, clearly distressed, protested vehemently, "You are crazy! I'm innocent, why are you framing me?"

Without hesitation and driven by the urgency in the girl's voice, Cyrus stepped in decisively. His fist connected with the man's jaw, a swift action that forced him to stumble back. Freed from his grasp, the girl let go of the man's shirt as he exclaimed, "You both are crazy!" Rubbing his jaw, he added, "I got punched and framed for nothing!" before he scrambled away, leaving the alley as quickly as his legs could carry him.

The girl then turned towards Cyrus, her expression morphing into one of wide-eyed innocence. She moved closer and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. "Thank you for saving me. I thought I was violated. Thank you for being here," she murmured, her voice quivering as if on the brink of tears.

Cyrus, taken aback by the sudden intimacy, tried to step back. "Hey, we just met. You might want to let go of me," he said, his voice laced with discomfort.

But she only hugged him tighter, her voice muffled against his coat. "No, you're my hero," she insisted.

With gentle firmness, Cyrus managed to loosen her grip, peeling her hands away as he took a step back. "I'm Cyrus Thorne," he introduced himself, maintaining a polite distance.

image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/3/35/Kim_Ji-Eun_giving_an_innocent_look..png]

"My name's Kim Ji-eun. Thank you for saving me," she replied, her gaze lingering on him with a mixture of admiration and something unreadable.

"It's nice to meet you, Ji-eun. I really need to go now. Take care," Cyrus said quickly, turning to leave as he checked the time. His encounter had already delayed him more than he liked.

As he walked away, Ji-eun watched him go, her innocent facade perfectly in place. Unbeknownst to Cyrus, the entire ordeal had been a manipulation by Ji-eun, crafted meticulously to place her in his path. The man had been nothing more than a pawn in her game to draw closer to Cyrus, a plan that had unfolded just as she intended. As Cyrus disappeared into the crowd, Ji-eun's lips curved into a subtle, knowing smile. The game had just begun.

image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/8/82/Elliot_Harper_portrait.png]

Elliot Harper stood outside the wrought iron gates of FuturForge Innovations, nervously glancing at his watch as the chill of the night air settled into his bones. Clad in his usual white lab coat over a crisp white shirt paired with smart grey trousers, he presented a professional yet slightly disheveled appearance, his neatly trimmed short brown hair somewhat tousled by the breeze. Behind square-rimmed glasses, his hazel eyes scanned the empty street, betraying a mix of intellect and mounting anxiety. His mind raced as he thought about the best way to slip Cyrus and Hip-Hop King past security. The latter had only ever been a gamer tag on his PlayStation screen, but Elliot had concocted an image of a man nearing 30 who wore oversized shirts and backward caps—a quintessential hip-hop aficionado.

image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/7/7a/Noah_Anderson_lit_up_with_an_innocent_and_childlike_expression%2C_adding_to_his_youthful_charm.png]

His musings were interrupted by the sound of sneakers scuffing against the pavement. He turned and found himself staring at a kid standing confidently before him. The boy wore an oversized yellow sweater and baggy blue jeans, capped with a red beanie. A chain necklace glinted under the dim streetlight, catching Elliot's eye as the boy cocked his head to the side, a cheeky grin spread across his face.

"Yo, you must be Elliot," the boy said, his voice high-pitched and youthful, yet brimming with confidence.

Elliot blinked in confusion. "Uh, sorry, I don't think I know you. Where are your parents, little boy? And how do you know my name?"

The boy let out a burst of laughter. "Your online nick! You put your real name as Elliot_Harper. Haha! Who in their right mind uses their real name online?" The kid's laughter was infectious, and Elliot found himself chuckling despite his bewilderment.

Then the realization struck, and his jaw dropped. "Wait, are you—"

image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/0/00/Noah_Anderson_Profile.png]

"Yep! I'm Hip-Hop King," the boy said with a flourish, extending his hand. "Sorry I didn't introduce myself sooner. Name's Noah Anderson, and I'm here for the adventure."

Elliot stared, still stunned by the unexpected reveal. "You're... Hip-Hop King?" He repeated incredulously.

"Sure am," Noah said, rocking back and forth on his heels. "And I can't wait to see what you've got in store for us."

Elliot struggled to recover, glancing back at the gate and contemplating how on earth he was going to sneak both Noah and Cyrus past the tight security measures. His nervousness must have shown, because Noah leaned in and nudged his elbow. "Don't worry about a thing, Elliot. I've got some tricks up my sleeve."