The chamber was still echoing from the prince's collapse when the Emperor moved slowly, deliberately, circling his son like a shadow measuring its source. Then, without warning, he knelt on one knee before the prince. He extended a hand, fingers firm, and lifted the prince's chin until their faces aligned. His voice, low and steady, cut through the silence.
"Memory does not bleed because it heals, It bleeds because it lives."
The prince's breath hitched something old flickering behind the mask but he nodded once.
The Emperor rose to his full height, his presence towering even in weariness. The prince, steadying himself, followed, shoulders squared once more despite the lingering tremor in his limbs.
Without turning, the Emperor's voice rang out, "Commander Zhou. Its strength?"
A man in silver-accented armor stepped forward swiftly, fists clenched at his sides.
"According to the information collected," he began, voice tight with restraint, "it appeared to be a Tier 7, Your Majesty." Commander Zhou's expression darkened. He paused, briefly exchanging glances with the other commanders each of them equally pale.
At that, the wounded slayer raised his voice, pain sharpening his words.
"Demons of that strength don't act with reason. They exist to destroy. To devour. But this one—it was hunting. Fast. Calculated. Ruthless."
He swallowed hard, trembling.
"If we face it again, we can't send ordinary slayers. Even our elites… they'd be reduced to ashes within moments."
He looked down, knuckles white.
"…It can't be just a Tier 7."
A heavy silence followed.
The Emperor's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded, turning sharply to Commander Zhou. "Speak."
Zhou held the Emperor's gaze, his brow furrowed with unease. He hesitated, then finally spoke with careful weight.
"Your Majesty… nothing is clear yet. But what the boy says may hold truth." His voice dropped slightly. "There's something unnatural about this one. Something that doesn't fit right."
"That's the very reason," he continued, stepping forward, "why we made the request. We can't approach this like an ordinary mission. This…demon is something else entirely."
The Emperor raised a hand, silencing him. A long breath escaped his lungs as he rubbed his temples, Then he turned slowly, to the prince. "Given what lies before us… there is no choice." His gaze sharpened.
"Your request is granted."
The air in the hall shifted gasps muted behind composed expressions.
"The Crown Prince will lead this mission."
The prince stepped back slightly, stunned. His mouth parted, a protest nearly escaping, but the Emperor cut him off.
"You must find that demon and end this. Before it spreads further… before the past swallows us again."
"This mission," he said, voice low but unshakable, "is greater than… fear"
The prince lowered his head, fists tight at his sides,
"…As you command, Your Majesty."
——————
Evening draped the sky in dusky gold, shadows lengthening across the cobbled path as seven trudged wearily through the Middle Ring. The streets were unusually packed crowds pressing against one another, murmurs thick in the air like bees buzzing in a stirred hive.
"How could this happen inside the capital?"
"Where are the cultivators?"
"They say it burned everything, oh! gods above…"
Kaen glanced at the others and pulled a small pouch from his sleeve, offering it to Astra. "Here. Dried liánfā petals soaked in glacier mint. Good for fatigue."
Astra blinked, taking the pouch with a nod. "Thanks…" She opened it and sipped from the straw tucked inside but immediately paused, frowning. "It's… blocked?"
Kaen took it back and examined the pouch with a confused grunt. "Tch. Guess the petals swelled too much again."
Before anyone could comment further, the crowd's tension escalated people whispering sharply, worried faces turning toward one direction.
"Twenty slayers gone, just like that?"
"Even the Middle Ring isn't safe anymore?"
"How can you say that? That's the Middle Ring—inside the imperial capital itself! It's supposed to be the most heavily guarded sector!"
"Why hasn't the emergency bell rung yet?"
The seven turned toward the commotion. Just ahead, a large wooden notice board had drawn a restless crowd. The Imperial Crest gleamed faintly in the evening light, stamped above a fresh parchment sealed with crimson wax.
Shion narrowed his eyes. "What's going on?" he asked a man near the edge.
An older man turned, his beard twitching with unease. "Danger notice. A demon attack. he said grimly, pointing. "Look there—official post."
With a deepening frown, Shion stepped forward, the others close behind, gently weaving through the murmuring crowd until he stood before the board. His gaze swept across the crisp black ink as hushed voices rippled around them,
"And now they're sealing roads? We're being boxed in!"
"Is the demon still out there? What if it comes south?"
"They said the sky turned black above Huoshan District…"
Imperial Notice to All Citizens of the Capital, By Decree of the Imperial Council and the Order of His Majesty
A Class-Level Threat has been officially confirmed in the Northern Reach of the Middle Sector, locally known as Shuilin District.
• All residents within a 6-lǐ radius are to evacuate before nightfall.
• Cultivation barriers have been activated and remain in force.
• Civilian travel through all major gates and side roads in the affected zones is strictly prohibited until further notice.
• Any unauthorized attempt to enter restricted areas will be met with force.
This emergency action has been enacted for the protection of all citizens, following the appearance of a hostile, unidentified high-rank demon. Citizens are advised to remain indoors, refrain from spreading rumors, and await further instructions from the proper authorities.
—Issued under the Seal of the Imperial Wardens and the Grand Minister of Defense.
Shion scoffed, eyes scanning the tightly packed crowd around the notice board. "They've locked down the entire northern quadrant," he muttered. "That's nearly a fifth of the Middle Sector."
Behind him, Kaen folded his arms, jaw tense. "A threat strong enough to erase a whole district… and vanish without a trace." His voice dropped. "That's no rogue beast."
Astra stepped beside him, brows furrowed, her voice barely above a whisper. "A demon that powerful inside the capital? Weren't the defenses supposed to be impenetrable?"
Shion glanced over his shoulder. "Impenetrable to mortals. Useless against high-tier demons. The barriers, wards, sentry arrays—demons at that level can bend past them if they really want to." He paused, lowering his voice. "But no demon with that kind of power… acts recklessly. Not without a reason."
"Huh?" Astra blinked.
Ryoma stepped forward, his tone calm but laced with unease. "Demons with that kind of power don't usually move openly. They stay disguised, hiding their identity. Most of them prefer solitude. They don't act without reason and they always aim for something bigger."
He looked toward the north, For a moment, his blue eyes caught the light—glinting sharply, glowing, as if something deep within had awakened.
"When one of them does act, it's with purpose. They don't stir unless the goal is worth the risk."
He paused.
"But to unleash that kind of force inside the capital—within the heart of the Empire itself, that's not just bold. It's a risk, even for a being of that level."
Kaen finished for him, voice cold.
"It's a declaration."
——————
The thunder of hooves echoed down the mountain trail, echoing like war drums through the evening mist. The prince rode ahead, his cloak billowing behind him, refusing to slow only pushing faster, his horse nearly flying across the terrain.
Behind him, Daita gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on the reins. "Tch… reckless as always." He leaned forward and spurred his steed, surging through the narrow path until he drew level with the prince.
"Akira!" he called, sharp wind slicing his voice. "Just what are you doing? First, you change the destination without warning—heading south? The attack was in the north, wasn't it? His Majesty will be furious!"
Akira didn't slow down instead, he urged the horse faster with a sharp tap of his heel, jaw tight, his tone colder than steel. "That demon already wiped out Shuilin District.
You really think it would stay there, waiting politely for us to arrive?"
Daita blinked, heart skipping. "Right… I didn't think of that."
Just then, hooves pounded harder behind them. Commander Zhou caught up, expression stern beneath his silver helm. "Seventh Prince," he said sharply, "is it really your place to question the Crown Prince's decision? You've been… distracted this entire time. Where is your focus?
He looked between them, then narrowed his eyes toward the setting sun on the horizon. "The change in route wasn't random. We understood what His Highness meant the moment he ordered the shift in direction and strategy."
Daita lowered his gaze, realising it.
Akira's voice cut through the wind, steady and low. "Daita… you wanted to uncover the secrets of the Snowy Mountain, didn't you? Did you find something later that's been troubling you lately?"
Daita's expression shifted as he looked ahead, the wind brushing through his hair. He was quiet for a beat, then replied softly, "You could say that."