"I am nearing my end..." Kurain admitted as he stood beside the bonfire, watching his shaking hands as he understood the sudden sense of weakness he was feeling.
"Hah..." A sigh with mirth escaped his lips as he realized the obvious.
Mortal Sense, Eye of Akasha, and Kami were not your normal mental abilities, but a high-frequency oscillation; however, even the best oscillator's spring gets loose and worn after such reckless abandonment.
Coupled with the fact that Degeneracy, which cumulatively increased his body's density... It was but natural that his body would be worn out from the trauma. He was afterall, but a human...
A brief pause occurred, as a strange question emerged within his heart: 'Am I even a human?'
Looking at his hands, he recounted his previous and the present life... he had fought like a dog would fight over a bone.
Reckless. Savage. Uncaring about its safety as long as it got fed.
Whether it be Ferdinand or Kurain, that hunger had remained.
The hunger to do something. The hunger to not be a statue. The hunger to fight. The hunger to feel the sensation of being alive.
Action... Action had been his drive—a drug he was high on.
In his former life, from childhood to adulthood, he had been like a perpetual motion machine of action. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting. FIGHTING!
Kurain fell still, his lips parting little by little, yet no words came—only a quiet drift into memory.
"What experience and history teach is this—that nations and governments have never learned anything from history, or acted upon any lessons they might have drawn from it."
It was a quotation, a well-known statement by the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. Its meaning was simple: 'Humanity learned nothing from its own past.'
As the thought lingered, his lips pressed together.
Then—he licked them.
He tasted the irony.
"Haha..." A self-deprecating laugh slipped from him. He had struggled so fiercely... from childhood into adulthood, holding himself together, only to one day break himself apart into debris.
"No matter what one may do, or where they go, their life would eventually lead back to me."
These words of Baal were not a threat, but a promise of destruction. A blunt declaration that triumph over death was beyond reach.
In this world, all things decayed... sooner or later, crumbling into dust. That was the unvarnished truth. Nothing endured forever, and it was precisely this that gave life its meaning.
'If death is inevitable...' Kurain thought, his head dipping, his gaze settling on the silver dog tag. He held it in his right hand as the thought continued, '...Then I must ensure that the 'when' and 'how' carry meaning.'
His arm quivered faintly as sorrow welled up, his chest tightening, a single drop of silver tracing down his features as the memory of a vow surfaced.
"I, Kurian, the Iron Hound, vow from this day onward: anyone who brings harm to my family, the Ghost Hounds, shall receive no mercy — myself included."
He shut his eyes as his resolve took shape, 'I will resign from the Ghost Hounds.'
***
"So those Fractsidus goons are here in Jinzhou now." Chixia rubbed her chin thoughtfully, her voice turning grim. "Things are more serious than I thought."
After defeating Scar and rescuing Yangyang, Scar and a mysterious woman — Phrolova — retreated as Scar had offered Rover an invitation to join the Fractsidus in their grand theatrics, and the new world they were building.
Before hearing her answer, the two had left, leaving Rover and Yangyang to continue with their investigations in Qichi Village.
After returning to Jinzhou, Rover and Yangyang recounted their discoveries and encounters to Chixia, whose expression darkened as she heard that Fractsidus had appeared in Jinzhou.
"Ugh... Why was Madame Magistrate's token pointing toward that village?" Chixia muttered in frustration. Despite this, Rover remained composed, a faint smile resting on her lips.
"Rover?" Yangyang called out, and Rover shook her head lightly before suggesting, "Should we go get some food?"
"Food!?" Chixia beamed, while Yangyang frowned slightly. "Are you sure? Don't you want to investigate further?"
Rover reassured her, "I am certain. I believe I have enough evidence to understand what needs to be done. Besides..."
She turned to them with a smile. "... I would really appreciate the two of you showing me around, doing something fun in Jinzhou instead of worrying about the tokens. It feels redundant, I think."
Hearing her response, Yangyang let out a soft giggle. "Alright, if that's what you want. Come," She extended her hand towards Chixia and Rover, as the three friends enjoyed their leisure.
For the rest of the day, the three enjoyed themselves, visiting all the wonders, warmth, and pleasures the city had to offer.
Rover felt a sense of ease settle over her; her mind no longer weighed down. Instead of fretting over every small detail, she was content with just understanding what had to be done, rather than everything that ought to be done.
Around three in the afternoon, Rover shared some bread and confit from the day before with Chixia and Yangyang. As they ate, Chixia remarked, "These are good. Where did you get them?"
"Oh, I got them from that mercenary—Kurain." Chixia glanced at Rover before asking, "Did something happen?"
Rover let out a quiet sigh and explained, recounting the man's sheer disrespect and brazen attitude. Chixia nodded in response. "Yeah, that does sound like the Iron Hound. There are records of him being quite the bold flirt."
"Has he done anything impolite before?" Rover asked suddenly.
Chixia paused to think before replying, "None that I know of. He usually makes rude or improper remarks, if that counts."
"Hm..." Rover gave a small nod, not dwelling on it further. Just then, Yangyang spoke up. "Now that I think about it... I once met one of his students."
"He has a student?" Rover asked, raising an eyebrow.
Yangyang nodded. "He actually has two. One of them is from Huanglong—she is also a Midnight Ranger. Her name is Danjin, I believe."
"The other..." Yangyang's expression hardened. "I don't know much, but I've heard records that this person was rendered a cripple—unable to wield weapons, though still capable of basic tasks."
"A cripple? Is there a story behind that?" Rover asked, an ominous feeling stirring within her.
Yangyang's body tensed slightly as she replied, "I can't confirm it, but... I've heard rumors that it was Sir Kurian himself who crippled him."
***
Night settled over Jinzhou like a blanket of stars, as Rover stood before Huanglong's largest data center: the Grand Library.
She faced the vast system that housed all of Huanglong's archives. A voice broke the silence—one she had anticipated—as Scar's laughter rang out. "Hahaha, thank you for leading the way, Rover."
He stepped inside with a smirk, advancing toward her, giving a slow twirl as he took in the surroundings. "...What a magnificent place to set foot in. Vast. Exhaustive."
"Oh... how I'd love to tear this place apart from the inside... and blow it all to pieces!" He gazed upon the Grand Library, its stone-carved chamber adorned with Loong dragon motifs and statues.
Rover turned to face him just as he held a card like a knife against her throat.
"Hmm? I thought you'd look a bit more surprised." Scar muttered, his tone laced with mockery. "I wonder... why?"
In an instant, the temperature dropped sharply. Rover stepped back as Scar's lower body became encased in ice, the cries of Loongs echoing through the chamber. From behind, Sanhua and the Magistrate, Jinhsi, struck in an ambush.
"So, you set a trap for me?" Scar barked with amusement, clearly unbothered by the sudden attack. The temperature surged as he shattered the cryo restraints, freeing himself from the icy hold.
"Hehe... hahahaha!" His laughter rang out, wild and unrestrained. "Interesting... Do you really think you can trap me here?"
With casual flicks of his hands, Scar battled the spectral Loongs. Jinhsi's gaze sharpened. "You will not escape." With intricate gestures, she commanded the Loongs, driving them into a fierce pincer assault.
Scar's arms were caught within the jaws of the Loongs, while a larger one lunged at him. Yet he merely looked on and laughed. As the maw clamped down upon him, he rasped, "What a shame I can't stay and play a little longer..."
Behind him, the gate to his Elysium opened, and he stepped through it. "Till we meet again, dear friends."
It was then that Rover surged forward, her voice firm with resolve. "You're not going anywhere!"
To be continued...
***
A/N: I've been dealing with high cortisol levels because of my exams, and the schedule has been a bit chaotic lately. Once everything settles, I should come out of this just fine. I'll resume daily updates starting from the 25th of April.
That said, I'm considering using whatever time I can during the exam period to finish Volume Two. If things go as planned, I think I'll do that.
P.S. "Someone comment a low-cortisol Tachyon gif."