"Wei Zhuang has been defeated by Gai Nie. Yue Shen has betrayed the Empire and now follows that man called Goku…"
"Oh? Interesting!"
Before Meng Tian could even finish speaking, Zhao Gao's lips curved into a faintly amused smile, tinged with malice.
"How fascinating… Da Siming, Shao Siming, and now even a woman like Yue Shen has submitted to him. This Goku… the more I hear, the more curious I become. It seems the Yin–Yang Clan has lost its edge."
"From my analysis," Meng Tian said grimly, "Gai Nie was only able to unleash such a terrifying strike because of Goku's demonic sword. Simply holding that sword multiplied his aura several times over."
"A demonic sword, you say?" Zhao Gao's expression darkened with interest. "Legend has it that the sword possesses a will of its own — capable of sweeping across the world. Once it appeared, it dethroned Tian Wen from the top of the Weapon Ranking. I had thought His Majesty sent us personally for a trivial matter… it seems I was wrong. To think there still exist such formidable beings in this world."
He turned his gaze toward the man lying on the ground in black robes. "Intercepting him halfway was indeed the right move. At last, our preparations will prove useful."
"Are you certain this will work?" Meng Tian's brows furrowed. "That man — Goku — is terrifyingly powerful. Mysterious beyond comprehension. One sword alone was enough for Gai Nie to unleash a strike that split the sky. I saw it myself — a streak of light, and in the next instant, the Three Sword Slaves and Wei Zhuang were both defeated! As for Goku himself… he's even more terrifying. I witnessed him with my own eyes — one swing of his sword, and a mountain thousands of meters high was cleaved clean in two. That sight… I'll never forget it!"
Zhao Gao chuckled softly. "What's this? The great General Meng Tian… afraid?"
"Yes," Meng Tian admitted heavily. "I'm afraid. I once thought I could avenge my past humiliation… but after seeing him today, I couldn't even raise my will to fight. Perhaps… I am no longer fit to be a general."
For the first time, Zhao Gao's eyes showed genuine surprise. The fearless Meng Tian, admitting fear?
Goku — what kind of man was he, to make even Yue Shen kneel and to shatter the will of one of Qin's most renowned generals?
Yet Zhao Gao's intrigue only deepened. Even if the enemy was powerful, he would never yield.
His gaze fell on the black-robed captive. "So long as the Mo Family's Juzi is in our hands, the rest of the Mohists will fall in line."
The unconscious man on the ground — none other than the Mo Family's leader, Yue'er's father — had been captured at great cost. Hundreds of elite Luo Wang assassins had perished, and Zhao Gao himself had to intervene personally.
In the original history, this man perished under Da Siming's Six Souls Curse. Now, even without it, he still could not escape fate — caught once again in Zhao Gao's grasp.
"Come," Zhao Gao said coldly. "A new war is about to begin. Life and death shall soon prove our worth."
His tone was eerily calm, exuding both arrogance and conviction.
"Swords are killing tools. Luo Wang are killing tools. We — are all killing tools."
His gaze swept over the shadowy assassins.
"You are Zhao Gao's servants. Zhao Gao is His Majesty's servant. Therefore, you are all servants of the Emperor himself. This battle — you may win, but you cannot lose. A single defeat, and all our heads will roll."
As his voice fell, countless masked assassins emerged silently from the forest. Each bore a black spider tattoo on their neck — the mark of Luo Wang. The entire organization had mobilized.
This time, they were going all in.
---
Inside the Mo Family's mechanical fortress, thanks to Goku's intervention, the poisoned disciples had all been cured.
Yet when they looked at Wei Zhuang, hatred filled their eyes — hatred born of fallen comrades and shattered kinship.
"Why save this murderer?" Da Tiechui demanded furiously. "Hasn't he killed enough of our brothers?"
"You're still as naïve as ever," Wei Zhuang sneered, glancing at Gai Nie. "Even if you begged him to save me, I feel no gratitude. In this chaotic world, fools like you cannot survive."
Gai Nie met his gaze, calm and resolute. "Right or wrong, I hope you won't lose yourself again. Next time we meet, I won't hold back."
"Hmph." Wei Zhuang snorted, then glanced briefly at Goku. Despite his pride, an unfamiliar unease filled his heart. He had never underestimated Goku, yet reality proved even more overwhelming than he imagined. With merely one sword lent to Gai Nie, Goku had defeated them all. Once, Wei Zhuang had dreamed of challenging him — but now, standing before that same man, he could only feel fear.
"One day," he muttered, "I'll stand at the same height as you…"
Goku watched him leave with a faint, knowing smile. "Let's see if you can survive this…" he murmured to himself.
Suddenly—
Shhh!
A flash of cold light streaked through the air. Wei Zhuang's instincts flared as he spun aside—
Splat! Blood sprayed from his arm.
"Zhao Gao!" he roared, his voice thick with killing intent.
Out from the shadows stepped a slender figure, draped in black. His face pale, his eyes cold and serpentine — Zhao Gao himself.
"Impressive reflexes," he said softly. "As expected of the master of Liu Sha."
The entire hall stiffened. Even Ban Dashi and the other Mohist masters braced themselves.
"Strike at me," Wei Zhuang growled, "and you'll pay dearly."
"A beaten dog barking at its master," Zhao Gao replied coldly. "You live only because your enemy showed you mercy. What value could such trash have?"
Rage boiled in Wei Zhuang's veins, but his injuries and broken weapon left him helpless.
The Mohist disciples, meanwhile, looked on with grim satisfaction — secretly hoping Zhao Gao would finish him.
But their leaders knew better. They could feel the killing aura rolling off Zhao Gao in waves.
As Zhao Gao stepped forward, he examined three fallen figures nearby — all crippled by Gai Nie's earlier strike.
"What terrifying swordsmanship…" Zhao Gao whispered. "To shatter weapons and destroy their meridians with one stroke… even I wouldn't survive that sword."
All around them, Luo Wang assassins materialized, and beyond the fortress, ranks of Qin soldiers surrounded the city like an iron wall.
Seeing Meng Tian among them, Shaoyu stepped forward furiously. "So, you've returned, Meng Tian! We spared your life, and you repay us with this? Come — let's settle our debt!"
Zhao Gao didn't even bother to stop him. To him, Shaoyu was just a child.
His eyes, instead, locked on Goku. At first glance, Goku looked perfectly ordinary — calm, unassuming. Yet precisely that ordinariness made Zhao Gao uneasy.
With Gai Nie, Xiao Gao, Da Siming, Shao Siming, Yue Shen, and the others present, the Mohist forces were already overwhelming.
But Zhao Gao hadn't come to fight. He had come… to negotiate.
---
"Guo Shi-daren," Zhao Gao said with a faint smile, "I'm curious — His Majesty has treated you well. Why betray the Great Qin Empire?"
Yue Shen's tone was calm, emotionless. "You shouldn't have come. It is written — you will fail."
"My fate," Zhao Gao said proudly, "is in no one's hands but my own. Not even Heaven's — only the Emperor's and mine."
Yue Shen said nothing, her veil falling once more to cover her eyes, returning her to her usual serenity.
Zhao Gao turned to Goku. "So you are the so-called 'Number One Sword God under Heaven,' Goku?"
Goku waved his hand lazily. "Move aside, eunuch. I've no interest in talking to you."
Zhao Gao froze. The word "eunuch" struck like a blade to the heart.
His face twisted with fury, eyes flashing with murderous light.
"You…"
In a blink, he vanished.
Without a sound, Zhao Gao appeared behind Goku, his sharp nails gleaming like knives, plunging straight toward Goku's heart — vicious, silent, fatal.
Pssh!
His claws pierced through Goku's back. A cold smile spread across Zhao Gao's face.
"So this is the so-called Sword God of the world?" he whispered. "In front of me, Zhao Gao—".
..
New fic is out. Douluo dalu: Ascension To Godhood