Kafka really was something else.
Just now—just that moment—Evan had almost lost control.
Barely managed to rein it in.
You had to admit it: Kafka walked along a blade's edge, yet showed absolutely no fear toward him.
And that was precisely because Kafka did not understand fear.
She had no concept of terror, no instinctive distinction between life and death.
To her, survival and annihilation were merely outcomes, not emotions.
That, too, was why Elio had been able to recruit her so easily.
Kafka acted with absolute rationality.
Because as long as she followed Elio's script, nothing else mattered.
To her, the world itself was nothing more than an enormous stage play.
What difference did it make?
None at all.
This time, her curiosity had only been stirred because Evan appeared.
A variable that should not exist.
A deviation that caused the future's script to branch.
Or rather—
for those who walked the Path of Finality, every branch merely led to a different ending.
Evan watched Kafka's retreating figure and deactivated his Treasure Appraisal Eye.
No chest.
Or rather—Kafka herself did not currently carry a chest.
That was normal.
Key plot characters often didn't produce loot until their arc concluded.
It didn't matter.
Kafka's appearance had only been meant to confirm his identity.
According to the original script, the Astral Express detouring to the Xianzhou had one core purpose:
To establish a bond.
Once the Stellaron Crisis was resolved, the Luofu would gift the Express an Alliance Jade Token.
With that token, should the train ever face catastrophe—
The Xianzhou Alliance would cross the cosmos to answer the call.
Because Elio's script had already written it.
No matter which branch the Express walked—
Its future would converge upon a single outcome:
Confrontation with the Destruction Aeon, Nanook.
Thus, everything the Stellaron Hunters did
was to stack allies for the Astral Express.
The Xianzhou Alliance was one such pillar.
As for Penacony…
That depended.
Firefly.
Sunday.
Robin, the "winged songstress."
All of them were weights added to the scales.
Evan exhaled slowly.
So much had happened in a single day.
The Stellaron eruption.
The Artisanship Commission.
The Alchemy Commission.
And then Kafka.
If he hadn't shoved the Divination Commission mess onto March and Welt—
He wouldn't have had a single moment to breathe.
No—wait.
When had he rested?
He still had to train Yanqing.
Just thinking about it made his temples ache.
Evan turned and headed for the training grounds.
Cloud Knight Training Grounds · Exalting Sanctum
Every Xianzhou sky-vessel uses Cavern-Realm expansion technology, and within each Cavern-Realm is a dedicated Cloud Knight training facility.
Because Cloud Knights were long-lived.
And because—
Thirty years of peace made people forget war.
Without conflict, vigilance dulled.
Thus, outside of rest periods, Cloud Knights trained relentlessly.
And since they were long-lived—
Their training was brutal.
The kind that showed no mercy.
At the Exalting Sanctum's main training ground, Yanqing had already arrived.
He selected the largest arena.
Then closed his eyes.
Breathing.
Recalling the pressure of that sword.
That overwhelming presence from earlier that day.
Yanqing was a born sword prodigy—
a sword-fetus martial bone, trained since childhood.
"Why's Lieutenant Yanqing here so early?"
"No idea. Heard the general ordered him to apprentice under someone—a foreigner."
"A foreigner? Yanqing's killed three Nest-Fathers. He needs a foreign teacher?"
"General's orders. Who dares question them?"
Yanqing ignored the murmurs.
He had long since grown accustomed to them.
A swordsman existed to be honed into a blade.
Nothing else mattered.
Records within the Cloud Knights stated:
The General discovered the boy and defied all opposition to induct him.
Throughout a millennium, prodigies of the Hunt were many.
Yet granting military rank to one not yet of age drew widespread scorn.
Until the boy entered the battlefield—and silenced all doubt.
And yet—
There was a flaw.
Ask Yanqing what he liked besides swordsmanship.
And his answer was always the same:
"Interests only slow the speed of my draw."
"Not bad. Picked the biggest arena, huh."
Evan's voice sounded as he entered, using Jing Yuan's authorization token to pass unrestricted.
"Master Evan!"
Yanqing opened his eyes at once, gripping his sword and standing straight.
Evan, by contrast, looked… relaxed.
"Honestly, I only know a little swordplay."
"But since Jing Yuan tossed you at me…"
"Guess I'll have to give this a full effort."
He scratched his head, spreading his hands helplessly.
A pale cyan sword briefly formed in his grasp—
A replica based on Xianzhou sword models.
After a moment's thought, Evan dismissed it.
"Master… you won't be using a sword?"
"No need."
Evan shook his head and stepped closer.
"Ready?"
"This time, I won't hold back."
"I won't suppress my strength."
"You'll be facing me at my peak."
"You may attack at will."
"And I will attack you."
"Use everything you have—
footwork, sword techniques, mental arts."
"All of it."
"Your goal is simple."
"Survive."
"Three minutes."
"…Huh?"
Yanqing's mind went blank.
Wait.
Was Master Evan trying to kill him?
An Emanator—
not holding back—
for three full minutes?
This was training?!
Even the surrounding Cloud Knights felt something was off.
"That foreigner's nuts! That's Lieutenant Yanqing!"
"He destroyed a Borisin flagship!"
"He's mastered multi-sword control before adulthood!"
"What can a foreigner possibly do?"
Evan ignored them.
Thirty years of peace dulled perspective.
They called anyone not from the Xianzhou a foreigner.
But Kafka was a foreigner too.
So was Silver Wolf.
So was Firefly.
And each of them could flatten this place.
Yanqing's confidence wavered.
Until Evan spoke again.
"Yanqing."
"What is your sword for?"
"Cutting beef tripe?"
That did it.
Yanqing clenched his teeth.
"…I understand."
"Cloud Knight Lieutenant Yanqing—
requests instruction!"
"Good."
Evan's eyes narrowed slightly.
Then—
BOOM.
His aura exploded outward.
Not just the pressure of an Emanator—
But the intent of a sword.
An invisible forest of blades formed around Yanqing.
Every sword pointed at him.
The pressure slammed down, pinning him in place.
This was a Cloud Knight training ground—
Built to withstand naval artillery.
And yet—
That sword intent alone
nailed Yanqing to the arena.
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