Fu Rong stared at the unscathed Liu Wukui, clearly surprised.
"Girl's got some luck. I heard that one never leaves anyone alive."
There was both relief and amazement in her voice.
But Liu Wukui gave a deadpan glare.
"Sis Rong, don't tell me you're disappointed I survived?"
Fu Rong flailed her hands. "No no! That's not what I meant!"
Seeing her flustered, Liu Wukui broke into a mischievous giggle. She had gotten her.
Nearby, Qiu Rang furrowed his brow.
"Enough. This isn't the time for jokes."
Scanning the area, he continued,
"That executioner came looking for Chief Ma—and that's no coincidence. We should assume danger is imminent. I suggest we send backup to support him."
Everyone agreed immediately.
Zhao Guizhen, Hari Chagai, and Fu Rong were selected to aid Chief Ma. Each left Biyu Village with their own thoughts—and their own doubts.
The rest stayed behind, ready for whatever storm might arrive.
Meanwhile, Hikaru Uchiha had already begun tracking his next objective.
Though immensely powerful, he had never met Ma Hongxian or Chen Duo face to face, which limited his ability to pinpoint them. So, he called Xu Xiang.
Formerly the North China Division Commander, Xu had been saved by Hikaru's intervention. He was no longer in power, but his old contacts still served him well.
And as expected, not long after, a message popped up on Hikaru's device: Chen Duo's current location.
Wasting no time, Hikaru invoked his Body Flicker, warping through space to arrive near her.
Just in time.
He landed in the middle of a fierce duel—Ma Hongxian vs. Chen Duo.
A clash of explosive force and frightening speed.
But the tide was turning. Chen Duo, though resilient, was faltering.
Ma Hongxian's barrage was about to land the final blow—
When Hikaru appeared between them, serene and deadly.
With one hand, he caught the incoming strike. Power rippled outward—yet the man didn't budge an inch.
Both combatants froze in shock.
Ma Hongxian's face contorted with recognition. He had seen this man before—
"You're that reaper… the one with Zhang Chulan."
His tone was tense.
Hikaru didn't respond. Instead, he lifted a hand, and with a soft hum, the detonation tag affixed to Chen Duo's neck vanished. It reappeared in his palm—then crumpled into ash.
Chen Duo instinctively touched her neck. Her brows furrowed in confusion.
Who was this man? Why did he dismantle her collar?
Why was he looking at her… like that?
Once the bomb was dealt with, Hikaru finally turned to Ma Hongxian and spoke calmly:
"Chief Ma, I have a request."
The man hesitated but nodded.
"Speak it. If it's within my power, I'll do what I can."
"I want to borrow your technique—Divine Mechanism Refinement."
Ma's face stiffened. He frowned deeply.
This wasn't a forbidden jutsu—but it wasn't something given lightly.
They'd only just met. There was no trust, no bond.
Why would he hand over such a core method?
But just as he was about to politely refuse, Hikaru offered his price:
"I can restore your lost memories. In exchange."
Ma Hongxian blinked.
"…You can?"
Those lost years—the void in his past—had tormented him.
He'd founded Biyu Village for one reason: to reclaim what was stolen from his mind.
His "sect" was a smokescreen.
He stared at Hikaru, searching for any sign of deceit.
But Hikaru's smile remained steady, calm, and sure.
After a long pause, Ma inhaled slowly and said,
"If you really can… the technique is yours."
He prepared to share the entire method on the spot.
But Hikaru raised a hand.
"Not yet. There's something else I must handle first."
Turning, his gaze fell on Chen Duo.
She instinctively recoiled, then—like a cornered beast—released a wave of Gu-toxin from her palms.
But Hikaru merely waved his hand. A gust of wind swept through—dispersing the venom instantly.
She blinked in disbelief. That… that wasn't possible.
Her toxins had never been countered so easily.
She tried again. Same result.
That's when it hit her. Someone was suppressing her.
And all eyes pointed to Hikaru.
Finally, she broke the silence.
"…What do you want from me?"
Hikaru smiled gently.
"I came to offer you a choice."
Seven simple words.
But to Chen Duo, they were thunder in her soul.
She froze.
"…What did you say?"
Her voice trembled.
Because no one—no one—had ever said that to her.