The two stared at each other in complete silence.
The alley seemed to have shrunk, as if the walls were slowly closing in. The air was heavy, laden with an invisible pressure that made Wang's skin crawl. Neither of them moved. Perhaps they were just waiting for the other's first move to decide who would attack first.
Wang clenched his teeth, clearly irritated by the situation.
He didn't want to fight.
He never wanted to.
Taking a deep breath, he decided to speak before things escalated into something worse.
"Can't we just… not fight?" Wang said, his voice firm but controlled. "I don't like fighting unnecessarily. I don't even know you. In the end, you got your freedom, didn't you? So why do I have to fight you? It makes no sense at all."
The creature remained motionless for a few seconds. Then, a low laugh echoed through the alley. It wasn't an open laugh—it seemed more like a mockery mixed with contained anger.
"Pathetic…" the creature murmured. "You're stronger than those human trash who were here before… and yet you refuse to fight. Aren't you ashamed?"
The blue eyes behind the mask gleamed intensely.
"I can feel your strength from afar. You're not the strongest I've ever faced, but you're definitely not ordinary. That's why I'm going to grant you something rare."
He stepped forward.
"My name is Zulmat. A Renegade."
Wang frowned.
"Renegade of what?" he asked. "You don't even look human. What are you, anyway?"
Inside, however, his thoughts were running in another direction.
Damn… there's no way out.
Even if I run, he turns to smoke. He passes through walls, objects… anything.
Is this where I really die?
Zulmat seemed to notice Wang's hesitation and slowly opened his arms.
"Since you don't intend to attack…" he said provocatively, "I'll do the honors for you."
Without any warning, his body dissolved into black smoke.
Wang's eyes widened.
Before he could react, he felt a violent impact on his abdomen. The blow was so strong that the air escaped his lungs instantly. His body was thrown against the alley wall, shattering part of the concrete and sinking him into the structure.
A dry sound echoed.
"Gah…!"
Wang spat blood, feeling his body lock up. Part of the concrete had molded around his back and shoulders, trapping him momentarily.
"I… I didn't even see him coming…" he murmured, struggling to breathe.
Zulmat reappeared a few meters ahead, watching intently.
"I don't know whether to call you pathetic… or praise you," he said. "Even after a direct hit, you're still conscious. I hit you squarely."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Any other human would be dead or unconscious. But you… you're more resilient. I didn't even need to use force against those others."
Wang clenched his teeth.
Forcing his muscles, he began to move. The concrete around his body cracked. With a brutal effort, he managed to break free, falling to his knees before rising again.
His body ached. Every breath burned.
Still, he stood.
"I don't want to fight…" he said, panting. "But if I want to survive, I'll have to. At least until someone shows up and gives me time to run."
He tried to smile, even though he was nervous.
Zulmat responded with contempt.
"No one will show up for you, you damned coward." His voice turned cold. "But rest assured. I'll finish this so quickly you won't even have time to feel pain."
Even with his body trembling, Wang raised his fists.
He knew he would lose.
But he couldn't fall there.
A few seconds passed. Gradually, his body began to respond better. The pain hadn't disappeared, but he could already move more steadily.
Then Wang advanced first.
He ran, accelerating as much as he could, leaping towards Zulmat and delivering a punch charged with all his strength.
The fist pierced the creature's body.
"Damn it!"
Zulmat had transformed back into smoke. Wang couldn't stop the blow and hit the alley wall with full force.
The impact didn't hurt his hand.
The wall, however, cracked.
An entire piece crumbled, opening a hole in the concrete.
Zulmat reappeared behind him, staring at the destruction in surprise.
"I see…" he murmured. "So you really aren't normal. Even without weapons, that strength…" He chuckled softly.
"I thought humans like that didn't exist anymore." And to think that your filthy race arrived here so recently… and already dominates everything.
Wang breathed heavily.
"There's no way I can beat you…" he admitted. "I can't even hit you! You turn to smoke whenever you want! How can anyone fight against that?!"
Zulmat seemed amused by the boy's despair. His blue eyes conveyed satisfaction.
"Relax, kid. Humans like you are rare these days. Feel honored to receive a compliment from me."
He crossed his arms.
"Most need to hide behind weapons, magic, or tricks to face me. That's how I got trapped in that cursed sword."
His tone darkened.
"But unfortunately for you… I can't be defeated empty-handed. It takes something more to even touch me."
He laughed loudly.
Wang raised his fists again. He was sweating. He was nervous.
But, strangely, he still didn't feel defeated.
Zulmat sighed, clearly bored.
"I'm tired of you." He raised his right hand. A strange energy began to concentrate in his palm, glowing darkly. "I've seen your limits."
His gaze turned serious.
"I also don't want to risk you awakening some unwanted power… or them still existing and finding you."
The energy grew.
Zulmat pulled his arm back, preparing to strike.
But, at the exact moment he lunged to attack—
SLASH.
His arm was severed.
This time, it didn't turn to smoke.
The limb fell to the ground and dissolved into dark mist.
"WHAT?!" Zulmat shouted, recoiling and clutching his shoulder. "HOW WAS I HIT?!"
Wang's eyes widened.
"I have no idea…" he murmured. "But it seems like a miracle in my favor."
He turned toward the alley entrance.
A human silhouette slowly approached. An old man emerged from the shadows. He wore a black kimono with red stripes, worn sandals, and wielded a gleaming sword. A blue aura constantly enveloped his body.
The old man smiled as he looked at Zulmat.
"I didn't imagine you could escape the sword," he said calmly. "My ancestors sealed you away long ago and hid you well."
He sighed.
"But time passes… and memory fails."
Zulmat gritted his teeth.
"You're one of those damned ones…" he growled. "Boy, you were lucky."
His body began to disintegrate.
"Now that this old man has appeared, I can't play anymore."
A new arm began to form from the smoke.
Zulmat cast one last hateful glance… and disappeared.
Silence filled the alley once more.
"He escaped?" Wang asked.
"Don't worry… he escaped from me," said the hooded figure, his voice firm but laden with contempt. "It may not seem like it, but I could defeat him under these conditions. From what I sensed, he only recently awakened… that would give me enough of an advantage to defeat him with relative ease. Even though he's stronger, he's still not used to this body. It would be the perfect opportunity."
There was a brief pause. The tone of his voice became more acidic.
"But that coward was clever. He didn't let anger dominate his filthy brain."
Wang took a deep breath, still trying to recover from the recent shock.
"Anyway… you can go after him, can't you?" he asked, hope in his voice.
"I'm afraid not," replied the stranger, shaking his head. "He can completely conceal his presence. Without any kind of aid, tracking him would be extremely difficult." Right now, the best we can do is prioritize our safety and get out of here before those three wake up.
Without arguing, the boy nodded. The two walked together through the narrow streets, quickly moving away from the scene of the confrontation. As they advanced, the atmosphere changed: people circulated more frequently, artificial lights illuminated the main roads, and not far away, Republic soldiers patrolled the area, alert to any sign of trouble.
The feeling of immediate danger began to diminish.
"Now that we're in a safe area…" Wang broke the silence, "tell me, sir… who are you?"
He hesitated for a moment before continuing:
"And… thank you for helping me. If it weren't for you, I would be in serious trouble. I probably would have died… or would have had to run very fast to avoid ending up like that."
The man let out a short laugh.
"No need to thank me. Thanks to his attack, I was able to sense his murderous instinct and detect him. Besides, I live nearby." "You could say today was your lucky day," he said, laughing again. "Hahaha."
He took a deep breath before continuing.
"Well, to begin with… my name is Fanshi Foo, but you can just call me Fan. I am the last living member of the Society for the Preservation of Human Life against the Enemies of Humanity."
He grimaced.
"Well… that was the initial name, hahaha. Then we changed it to Kaifang. The old name was too long."
"Nice to meet you… my name is Wang," the boy replied. "And I agree, sir… that name really was enormous. But why Kaifang?"
Fanshi Foo crossed his arms, thoughtful.
"There's no grand reason, actually. From what I've heard in old accounts, the first master was reading a book and found that name among the stories. He liked the sound of it and decided to use it. A simple name, but impactful… something that could be remembered even in the distant future."
He sighed.
"And here we are, almost five hundred years later… with only me left. An old man about to kick the bucket," he said, laughing at himself.
"Don't say that," Wang replied quickly. "Why don't you recruit someone to teach?"
Fan's smile slowly faded.
"I'd like to… but I'm a terrible master. I don't know how to teach properly and I end up being too nice."
He looked around, observing the city.
"Besides, in the situation we find ourselves in, there's no room for the Kaifang. Look at our country… divided, fragmented into various factions. A nation that was once prosperous, now trapped in constant war. We've been like this for almost a hundred years."
His voice became more serious.
"The population's discontent with the current government has fueled support for these groups. Some have even come to directly rival the Republic. And, however corrupt and incompetent they may be, they still preserve human life and the safety of citizens… unlike those other factions."
Wang scratched his head.
"I don't follow the news much… nor do I know much about the country's history. But I've noticed a growing wave of violence."
He sighed.
"I've been threatened for days. My school has practically become a war zone. Sometimes it feels like a simulation of the chaos that all this has become…"
A sheepish smile appeared on his face.
"But at least, with all this chaos, the rent is cheap and there's still money left over for studying," she said, chuckling slightly.
Fanshi Foo narrowed his eyes.
"It might be cheaper now… but if this continues, there won't be school for you to finish tomorrow."
He stared at Wang seriously.
"I saw where you live. It's very close to the Shogunate's territory. If they keep advancing, they'll soon take your house. My advice is simple: get out of there before it's too late."
Wang hesitated for a few seconds before speaking:
"Sir… since that's the case… could you train me? So I can defend myself. What do you think?"
He lowered his head slightly.
"That way, I could keep my house. I can't afford a higher rent if I have to move."
The old man frowned and sat down on a park bench. The idea clearly didn't appeal to him. He seemed to be seriously considering leaving the city before the Shogunate completely dominated it.
"And what good would it do for me to train you?" he asked. "You alone are no match for armored samurai with swords. What would you do if you faced several at once?" "Well…" Wang replied, brightening up, "I took that broken sword and brought it with me. If you help me fix the blade, I can fight with it!"
Fanshi Foo had already noticed the sheath, but hadn't realized it was the same sword in which the creature was imprisoned.
"Ah… that's right…" he murmured. "Age is already taking my past away," he said, laughing. "But look, boy… this sword doesn't have an ordinary blade."
He leaned forward slightly.
"It's a magic sword. Its blade only manifests if the user knows how to use magic and has an affinity with some element to imbue it. As far as I know, you don't know how to use magic… or swords."
Silence hung for a moment.
"I would have to teach you the basics of both," he continued, "and you don't have time for that."
He sighed deeply.
— But I fear there is no other option… Zulmat is free again…
Fan ran a hand over his forehead.
— My head doesn't work like it used to. I need, at least, to ensure that the Kaifang survives for future generations. That is the first article of our code of conduct.
He recited solemnly:
"The Kaifang cannot die. For our legacy and our history to continue, every member must have at least one disciple in life, in order to preserve our customs, our history, and humanity itself in the face of its enemies."
"That's profound… but a little arrogant," Wang commented. "But alright. Just answer me one thing: what is humanity's enemy, if not humanity itself? Here in Palaniya, I only see humans fighting with humans."
Fanshi Foo was silent for a few seconds.
"It wasn't always like this," he finally replied. "According to the Kaifang books, Palaniya was once a prosperous, rich, and technologically advanced nation. We grew too fast…"
He frowned.
"But something happened. I don't know exactly what. My memory fails me. However, something caused the Republic to crumble, stagnate, and fragment."
"You know we're an isolated island, don't you?"
"Are you saying that isolation caused all this?" Wang asked.
"Not exactly… but it was one of the factors," Fan replied. "Anyway, I'll help you. You'll be my student. You'll learn to use this sword… and to seal Zulmat again."
He smiled slightly.
"Seeing the sword helped me remember some things. And having you around might prevent me from forgetting others."
"I don't know how you still remember you're part of the Kaifang," Wang commented.
"That's easy!" the old man replied, pointing to his own kimono. "The name and symbol are embroidered here. That way, I'd never forget. Hahaha."
"Besides, I live in the old society lodging. I'll take you there. I'll explain what you remember along the way, and tomorrow we'll start training. Agreed?"
"Right… master," Wang said. "Just tell me… is this Zulmat very dangerous?"
"If my memory serves me right, yes," Fan replied. "He wasn't killed because we didn't know how to destroy him. We only managed to imprison him in the sword."
He scratched his chin.
"I just don't remember how to do this again… hahaha. But we should find something in the lodge records."
His tone turned serious.
"Just remember: Zulmat is intelligent. And stronger than any known faction."
"Last question, master… when you spoke of three factions, were you counting the government?"
"The government? No." Fanshi Foo shook his head. "There is a third faction… very dangerous. It operates in the shadows. It had objectives opposite to those of the Kaifang."
He smiled slightly.
"Smaller in number, but much more treacherous."
"That's too much information…" Wang murmured. "And I can't forget, otherwise you won't remember to tell me again later."
"Don't worry," Fan replied, standing up. "As long as I can train you, you'll be fine."
He started walking.
"Let's go home."
After the long conversation, Fanshi Foo headed towards the old Kaifang headquarters. Beside him, Wang walked with the weight of a new destiny on his shoulders. Now, he needed to master the sword, confront Zulmat, and perhaps discover if humanity's true enemy was the sealed monster… or the very factions that were consuming Palaniya from within.