Rain poured over the graveyard as Isshin slowly opened his eyes.
Everything felt distant at first, like waking up from something far too deep. His body was heavy, but not unfamiliar. He had felt something similar before, back in the cave when he pushed himself too far.
But this time should have been different.
He should've died.
Isshin clenched his fists, his expression steady. "Raijin," he said quietly. "What happened?"
Raijin hesitated. "I… don't know. That shouldn't have been possible."
Isshin let out a slow breath.
He looked down at the grave in front of him.
Here lies Isshin.
The rain had already smoothed out the disturbed soil. It looked untouched.
He didn't stay there long.
Standing up, he pulled his hood over his head and put on his mask. His gaze shifted toward the horizon.
"I need somewhere isolated," he said. "Somewhere I can train."
Raijin responded immediately. "There's a place. An old mountain. It used to be filled with cultivators, but it's been abandoned. Hard to reach. Easy to get lost."
Isshin nodded.
Without another word, he started moving.
The forest ahead was dense. Thick roots twisted across the ground, vines hanging low, making every step harder. It wasn't a place someone could walk through easily.
But he kept going.
Rune stepped into the abandoned house.
The door creaked behind him as dust filled the air. The place smelled old, like it had been left untouched for years. Light slipped through gaps in the wooden walls, barely lighting the room.
He walked slowly, scanning everything.
Broken tools. Scattered papers.
Then something caught his eye.
An envelope.
He picked it up carefully.
"I'm sorry. I had no choice but to go back. They found me. I just hope you make it, Rune. — Vel."
Rune's grip tightened slightly.
The paper crumpled in his hand.
He didn't say anything.
He left the house.
Rain had started again by the time he reached the city.
The streets were quieter now. Most people had gone inside.
Rune walked into a bar.
Warm light and noise replaced the cold outside. He sat down and ordered drink after drink, watching time pass as the crowd slowly thinned.
Eventually, the bartender spoke.
"Stop pretending. That's just juice."
Rune didn't react.
Instead, he asked, "Did Vel leave anything else?"
The bartender paused. "She said you should get stronger and come back in ten years."
Rune stayed quiet for a moment.
"…It's only been one."
He didn't explain further.
Elsewhere, Karin trained.
For seven days straight, she focused on the technique.
Her body hurt constantly, but there was progress. Her qi responded better now. The image of wings was becoming clearer.
At the same time, the Heavenly Demon Sect was falling into chaos.
With the Heavenly Demon in isolation, some elders tried to take control. They spread rumors that Karin had been kidnapped.
Others opposed them.
Voices filled the halls.
"You're twisting the truth!"
"We're protecting the future of the sect!"
Swords were drawn.
Qi filled the air.
The situation was about to turn into a fight.
Then—
Something crossed the sky.
A streak of light moved too fast to follow.
Everyone stopped.
Trying to understand what they had just seen.