Right after Ling Mo agreed to cross the courtyard, Shin intended to lead his new friend over to introduce him to Kento.
However, Kento was entirely immersed in his own world, his Kyokushin Karate fists relentlessly hammering the tree trunk without a single moment of pause.
Shin was just about to call out to his brother when suddenly, Ling Mo’s slender, ice-cold hand gently tugged at his sleeve.
Ling Mo uttered no words, merely offering a subtle shake of his head before using his gaze to signal Shin to follow him.
Receiving the cue, Shin felt a spark of surprise but followed the enigmatic boy out of curiosity.
The two silently departed from the convent grounds, stepping out into the ancient, picturesque town.
In the daylight, the town revealed a bustling, tranquil beauty.
Townsfolk moved to and fro in a lively rhythm, the echoes of street vendors and casual chatter reverberating through every alleyway as everyone went about their respective chores.
As Shin walked, his eyes scanned the surroundings, his heart swelling with silent awe.
This vibrant, peaceful scenery was an absolute contrast to the suffocating, blood-soaked, and deceitful atmosphere of the Dark Zone he had grown up in.
This place made him feel as though his chest could finally draw in a breath of entirely fresh air.
After walking for a while, Ling Mo led Shin to a halt in front of a large wooden house adorned with a rustic wooden sign.
From within, resonant, synchronized shouts and the heavy thudding of feet against a sparring floor echoed outwards.
It was a martial arts dojo.
Ling Mo gestured for Shin to follow him inside.
Peering through the canvas curtain door, Shin observed roughly ten individuals—all seemingly around their own age of sixteen—sweating profusely as they trained under the strict guidance of a man.
The man stood at the center of the room, possessing a resilient stature and an aura akin to a treasured blade concealed within its scabbard.
The moment he spotted the familiar silhouette entering, the master halted his instruction, turning to offer a hearty, boisterous smile:
— “Oh, Ling Mo!
You’ve arrived?”
But as his gaze shifted to the black-haired teenager standing beside Ling Mo, his thick eyebrows arched in profound astonishment:
— “You brought a friend along today?
Truly a rare sight…
I have never once seen you proactively bring anyone to this place until today.”
Shin took a sweeping look at the dojo’s structure, marveling silently to himself: “A genuine martial arts dojo…”
The master stepped closer, lightly stroking his short beard as he spoke in a friendly tone:
— “Greetings, young man.
I am Asuka Ren, the martial arts Sensei of this establishment!
And what might your name be?”
— “Sir, my name is Yanagisawa Shin,” Shin replied, bowing politely in strict accordance with martial arts etiquette.
Sensei Asuka Ren gave a slight nod, his sharp gaze seemingly piercing through the teenager’s physical frame:
— “Your posture shows exceptional foundation.
Have you trained in martial arts before, Shin?”
— “Yes, sir, I have!” Shin admitted frankly.
— “Then where do you hail from?
And who was the one who instructed you?” Ren inquired curiously.
Shin chose not to conceal the truth, briefly explaining his current residence at the convent while summarizing the brutal, cutthroat combat life he had endured in the Dark Zone.
The moment the words “Dark Zone” left his lips, Asuka Ren’s eyes flickered.
He fell into a brief silence before asking:
— “For a child to emerge alive from the Dark Zone with such a solid skeletal frame and steady aura…
Your grandfather, who also doubled as your martial arts master, must have been an incredibly wise and powerful figure.
What is his name?”
Shin bit his lip, his eyes sorrowful yet brimming with absolute pride as he answered:
— “Sir, my adoptive grandfather’s name is Kuroko Akaisin.”
A Clash of Intent
WHOOSH!
The air within the dojo instantly froze.
Sensei Asuka Ren stood entirely paralyzed, his eyes wide in absolute disbelief.
The youth standing before him was the disciple and adoptive grandson of Akaisin?!
He took a sharp step forward, hastily gripping Shin’s shoulders as he demanded urgently:
— “Akaisin?!
Your grandfather is truly Kuroko Akaisin?!
How…
how is he now?
Where is he currently?”
Shin’s gaze fell.
Choking back his tears, he recounted the harrowing assault by the psychopath Fengmo and how his grandfather had sacrificed his own life to activate the forbidden spatial teleportation art to grant his siblings a path to survival.
Hearing the tale to its end, Asuka Ren slowly released his grip on Shin’s shoulders, letting out a long, melancholic sigh:
— “I see…
Truly tragic, so very tragic!
You should know, young man…
I was once one of your grandfather’s eternal rivals.
Although I suffered a crushing defeat at Akaisin’s hands years ago, his martial mastery and character inspired me deeply.
Later, I chose to live in seclusion in this small town, teaching martial arts for free to the youth to carry on his spirit…
To think a living legend like him would perish in that junkyard.”
Ren shook his head to dispel the grief.
Turning his gaze toward Ling Mo and then back to Shin, his eyes suddenly ignited with the fierce excitement of a true practitioner:
— “Ling Mo here is currently the strongest disciple in my dojo.
Would you two…
care to step onto the mat for a spar?”
Startled by Sensei Ren’s proposition, Shin turned to look at Ling Mo.
The boy immediately nodded, a blazing fire of battle intent erupting within eyes that had been entirely vacant moments prior.
Without a shred of hesitation, Shin clenched his fists and accepted.
The two stepped onto the central oak sparring floor.
The ten other disciples instantly surrounded them, forming a curious ring to witness the confrontation between the dojo’s top student and the newcomer.
WHOOSH!
The moment they assumed their combat stances, the atmosphere enveloping Ling Mo shifted entirely.
His gaze turned bone-chillingly cold, razor-sharp, and laced with a lethal, perilous intent—as though he sought to terminate his opponent within a single exchange.
Simultaneously, a volatile shroud of deep-blue Sophion energy began to ripple violently around his frame.
He possessed absolute mastery over this power!
Seeing this, the corners of Shin’s lips curled into an excited smile.
His own crimson-and-black Sophion surged forth instantly, coiling around his forearms:
— “You possess Sophion as well?
Splendid.
Let’s see…
which of us has forged a better command over it!”
BOOM!
Ling Mo offered no verbal reply.
His speed was utterly terrifying, overwhelming Shin from the very opening seconds.
He unleashed a relentless barrage of punches and palm strikes that sliced through the air, systematically driving Shin into the corner of the ring.
THUD!
CRACK!
SNAP!
”So fast!” Shin marveled internally, but he did not panic.
The rigorous, unforgiving training drilled into him by old Akaisin immediately manifested.
Shin anchored his stance, employing the pinnacle reflex techniques inherited from his grandfather to deflect and neutralize the sheer momentum of Ling Mo’s strikes.
He accelerated the circulation of Sophion within his pathways, his body fluidly evading the onslaught as he began to match his opponent’s offensive rhythm.
As the two fought on perfectly equal terms, a fierce deadlock of martial techniques radiant with energy, Ling Mo grew overly eager to terminate the bout with his lethal intent.
Consequently, he left a microscopic vulnerability in his left flank following a sweeping kick.
”There!”
Shin seized the golden opportunity.
Ducking low to slip past the kick, he funneled a concentrated burst of Sophion into his palm, delivering a precise, close-quarters strike directly to the diagonal axis of Ling Mo’s chest.
BOOM!
The force was calibrated perfectly—just enough to shatter Ling Mo’s balance, causing him to lose his footing and crash heavily onto the wooden floor with a resounding thud.
The dojo fell dead silent for a fraction of a second before Sensei Asuka Ren erupted into crisp, hearty applause, his laughter shattering the silence:
— “Excellent!
Absolutely magnificent!
You two put on a truly stellar performance!
Exceptional work, Shin!”
Shin panted softly, retracting his Sophion before immediately leaning down to extend his hand, offering to pull his opponent up.
Ling Mo lay on the floor, yet he displayed no trace of anger or bitterness following his defeat.
He stared intently at Shin’s extended hand, the look in his eyes completely transformed—it was a gaze of recognition and supreme respect reserved for the person who had finally bested him.
Ling Mo grasped Shin’s hand, leveraging the force to stand.
Around them, the other disciples finally snapped out of their stupor, showering the duo with eager praise.
Sensei Ren walked over, slapping Shin’s shoulder triumphantly:
— “I see boundless potential within you, Shin.
Would you care to study under my style as well?
I will personally instruct you in Judo and Aikido to complement your existing combat repertoire!”
Shin’s eyes lit up, and he immediately bowed:
— “Yes, absolutely!
Thank you, Sensei!”
And so, for the entirety of that afternoon, Shin remained at the dojo, immersed in the strict but systematic training of Sensei Ren.
Throughout the process of mastering new stances and throws, Ling Mo—despite his silence—always stepped forward to demonstrate the movements with absolute precision so Shin could easily replicate them.
Through the session, Shin opened his heart and befriended many kind-hearted fellow disciples within the establishment.
Thirst for Knowledge
While Shin was spilling sweat on the training mat, back at the convent, young Loona remained fiercely glued to the library, refusing to step outside by even a single pace.
CLICK…
The door opened softly, and Sister Clara walked in, carrying a snack tray with a selection of freshly cut fruit and a glass of warm milk.
She stepped gently to the young girl’s side, resting the tray beside the towering stack of books:
— “Loona, have some fruit to refresh yourself.”
— “Yes, thank you so much, Sister Clara!” Loona looked up, offering a bright smile before quickly snapping her eyes back to the pages of advanced Biology.
Clara sat gently beside Loona.
Watching the small girl tirelessly pore over the dry academic knowledge without a hint of fatigue, she let out a sorrowful, aching sigh:
— “You’ve been studying since morning; you really ought to rest a bit.
Overexerting your mind like this will affect your health.”
Loona giggled, her fingers already flipping to the next page as she replied:
— “It’s alright, sister, this is my greatest passion.
My brain and I aren’t ready to rest just yet; I want to read more!”
With that, Loona immersed herself once again.
Sister Clara silently observed the girl’s profile.
In that fleeting instant, the phantom silhouette of her deceased biological younger sister appeared vividly before her eyes.
Her poor sister back then had been just as obedient, possessing the same luminous eyes and unyielding passion for life…
until a cruel illness had snatched her away forever.
Clara’s eyes grew slightly red.
Restraining her emotions, she stood up to avoid disrupting the child:
— “Very well, keep reading then.
If you require anything else, simply call for me.”
— “Yes, I will!” Loona waved as Clara departed.
Outside in the yard, Kento continued his solitary, relentless training.
The boy punched and kicked the tree trunk until his knuckles were raw and bleeding slightly before finally bringing his movements to a halt.
Thus, a peaceful but busy day for the three children drew to a close as night gradually draped its dark shroud over the town.
Shadows in the Sanctuary
Dinner at the convent proceeded within an exceptionally warm atmosphere.
Once the meal concluded, everyone was granted a brief period of free leisure time before bed.
Shin brought Ling Mo over, officially introducing his new friend to his siblings.
Strangely, although Ling Mo did not utter a single syllable, he coordinated seamlessly with the three siblings.
Afterward, the three boys—Shin, Ling Mo, and Kento—played football together in the small courtyard to unwind.
Loona sat on a stone bench nearby, clutching a book while smiling at her brothers, though she internally wished to return to the library for further research.
Until late into the night, Sister Clara and the other sisters did their rounds across the convent, knocking on doors to signal strict curfew.
Everyone returned to their respective quarters.
Shin waved goodbye to Ling Mo, entering the shared room with Kento and Loona.
Late night, 12:30 AM.
The convent plunged into a dead silence, save for the wind whistling through the ancient stone crevices.
On her small bed, Loona tossed and turned, completely unable to sleep.
The unfinished theories regarding chemical reactions from the afternoon book lingered vividly in her mind, fueling the thirteen-year-old’s intense curiosity.
Unable to resist her thirst for knowledge, Loona slipped out of bed.
She glanced at the other two beds, noting that both Brother Shin and Brother Kento were fast asleep, thoroughly exhausted from their grueling day of martial arts training.
Holding her breath to avoid making a sound, Loona quietly turned the doorknob, stepping into the pitch-black corridor.
She intended to sneak back to the library to scan a few more pages before returning to sleep.
However, because the convent was vast and entirely lacked guiding lights at night, and the structural design of the gray stone corridors looked identical, the thirteen-year-old completely lost her bearings.
Instead of turning left toward the library, Loona took a wrong turn, veering right into a long, deep passage leading straight to the Sanctuary of the adjacent grand cathedral.
Her small feet made soft pitter-patter sounds against the freezing stone floor.
The further she walked, the more bleak and strangely solemn the atmosphere became, entirely devoid of the familiar scent of books.
Loona shivered slightly, looking up at the colossal stained-glass windows reflecting the dim moonlight, whispering in fear:
looks so unfamiliar.
Did I take a wrong turn?”
Just as she was about to turn back, from the main ceremonial hall behind the massive double wooden doors of the Sanctuary, a flickering glimmer of candlelight accompanied by low, mysterious voices leaked through the gap…
CREEEAK…
The heavy scraping of the wooden door hinges echoed through the quiet night, making Loona jump.
From the shadows of the main ceremonial hall, two figures slowly stepped out.
Beneath the dim moonlight filtering through the colored glass, Loona was astonished to recognize Priest Malachi and Mother Superior Agatha.
Without time to think, her Dark Zone survival instincts kicked in.
Loona immediately slipped into hiding behind a colossal marble dragon statue in a blind spot, holding her breath to watch.
Priest Malachi and Mother Superior Agatha walked to the center of the Sanctuary’s main hall.
Malachi reached out to touch a crucifix relief on the ancient stone wall, turning it to a precise angle.
CRACK…
CLICK…
RUMBLE…
A low, heavy thud echoed as a section of the stone floor beneath their feet slowly parted, revealing a passage leading down into a pitch-black secret chamber below.
The two quickly descended, and immediately after, the entrance slowly slid shut, returning the surface to its seamless state as if nothing had ever happened.
Waiting until the area fell completely silent and ensuring her own safety, Loona tiptoed out from behind the stone statue.
Her intelligent eyes locked onto the exact location where the stone block had closed.
With her innate logical reasoning and the advanced mechanical structural knowledge she had vororiously absorbed in the library all day, it took Loona less than three seconds to analyze it.
Just by glancing at the gaps and the wear on the patterns, she knew exactly where the triggering mechanism lay.
”It’s that relief…”
Loona approached gently, mimicking the Priest’s movements, quietly turning the stone block.
The underground passage opened just enough.
The nimble girl slipped down the subterranean stone staircase leading deep into the earth, not forgetting to pull the internal mechanism to leave the entrance slightly ajar to avoid detection.
The Crusade Division
Down in the subterranean vault, the air was frigid and thick with the scent of ancient dust.
Loona tiptoed step by step, relying on the flickering light emanating from the end of the corridor.
Before her stood a thick iron door cracked slightly open.
Inside stood Priest Malachi and Mother Superior Agatha.
Malachi held a communication device radiating a brilliant blue light, seemingly discussing something of monumental importance with a mysterious figure on the other end.
The audio from the other end was heavily distorted by interference; try as she might, Loona couldn’t make out what the person was saying.
She could only listen to the Priest’s solemn tone:
— “The mission has been mandated!
Three new children have just appeared at our convent…
They are the adoptive children, as well as the direct disciples, of Kuroko Akaisin!”
The other end seemed to emit a low barrage of astonished sounds.
Malachi furrowed his brow, continuing his report:
— “I will keep this secret completely classified.
The three children are currently safe under the protection of the convent!”
After a brief silence listening to the instructions, Malachi bowed respectfully:
— “Yes, understood, My Lord!
Once the mission is completed, I will report back to you immediately.”
Mother Superior Agatha, standing nearby, spoke up as well, her voice cold and decisive, entirely detached from her benevolent daytime persona:
— “The top-secret mission has been mandated.
I will help you arrange everything at the convent; I absolutely won’t let the other sisters suspect a thing.”
— “Understood, I will complete it as quickly as possible!” Malachi nodded.
With that, Priest Malachi deactivated the communication device.
He walked over to a clothing rack, decisively shedding his daily solemn white priestly vestments and tossing them aside.
In their place, he donned a long, coarse black trench coat steeped in a lethal aura.
Around his neck hung a crucifix necklace, and embroidered on the back of the coat was a strange emblem: a sword wrapped around a pair of bleeding wings.
Malachi stood tall, placing a hand over his left heart, his eyes blazing with a fanatical devotion as he intoned his oath in a voice that reverberated throughout the chamber:
— “In the name of the Supreme Church, I—of the Crusade Division—shall fulfill the mission!”
Immediately following, he closed his eyes, reciting an execution hymn in an ancient tongue:
”For the sake of the Holy Temple, I venture into the abyss to cleanse the impure; in the name of the Lord, I shall destroy every heresy that dares to defy His light.”
WOOSH…
WOOSH…
The moment the oath concluded, the stone wall behind Malachi suddenly shifted, a complex magic circle manifesting to transform the ordinary chamber into an advanced arsenal filled with various dark combat gear, from firearms and daggers to magical artifacts.
Malachi reached out, decisively drawing a razor-sharp greatsword.
The blade was pitch-black, etched with intricate ancient runic characters along its edge that pulsed with a dangerous, brilliant crimson light.
Agatha looked at the sword, taking a step forward to pat Malachi’s shoulder:
— “Rest assured and depart.
I will handle things here for you!”
The Flight Back
Witnessing the entire horrific spectacle from start to finish through the door crack, Loona’s entire body trembled violently.
Her face drained of all color, her heart hammering wildly in her chest as if it would leap out.
The Priest…
and the Mother Superior…
who on earth are they?
The Crusade Division?
Top-secret mission?
That sword…
An overwhelming sensation of extreme danger enveloped her mind.
Loona knew that if she were discovered here at this moment, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Not daring to hesitate for another second, she immediately spun around, taking exceptionally quiet yet swift steps, fleeing back up the stone staircase.
Returning to the Sanctuary’s main hall, Loona suppressed her rising panic.
Using the last of her composure, she silently pressed the stone trigger, precisely closing the secret chamber and restoring everything to its original state to leave no trace.
PITTER…
PATTER…
PITTER…
Loona ran blindly at breakneck speed through the dark corridors, dashing straight to the siblings’ bedroom.
She gently pushed the door open, climbing into her bed with lightning speed, pulling the thick duvet completely over her head from top to toe.
Lying in the darkness of the blanket, Loona’s entire body continuously excelled with fear, her hands tightly clutching the edges of the duvet.
The horrific secret she had accidentally uncovered tonight…
was like a ticking time bomb, forewarning that the peaceful life at the convent was merely the tip of a hidden iceberg.
The room once again returned to its tranquil silence, save for the hidden, ragged gasps of the young girl beneath her heavy blanket.
END OF CHAPTER 13