[After escorting Master Gongshu to the gate, he prepared to part ways with the group. Though the Artisanship Commission was dangerous, that wasn't reason enough for him to abandon his duties.]
[Sushang was about to try persuading him again when Xueyi raised a hand to interrupt: "Everyone has their duties. Let's go."]
[Outside the Artisanship Commission's gate was the dock. After successfully completing the escort, Xueyi thanked the group again: "Thank you all for your protection along the way. This act of goodwill will be reported to the Ten-Lords. If fate allows, I'll repay you."]
[After Xueyi left, Sushang planned to return to the Alchemy Commission to regroup with her unit and asked about the others' plans.]
[Luocha, a wandering merchant, naturally followed Sushang. Dan Heng, considering Stelle's current location, decided to join them for the next leg of the journey.]
——
[Meanwhile, earlier at Central Starskiff Haven.]
[Yanqing was tracking Blade's whereabouts, but the clues had run dry here.]
[He approached two Cloud Knight soldiers to gather information. When Blade was mentioned, both soldiers looked troubled: "After that Blade broke free from the Shackling Prison's restraints, it's like he vanished into thin air. Maybe he's no longer on the Xianzhou?"]
["…Or perhaps, Blade never intended to escape," Yanqing mused, his gaze lowering as he voiced a bolder theory.]
["Ugh, what kind of calamity has the Luofu provoked? Demons and monsters are all stirring up trouble at once."]
[Seeing the soldiers' worried expressions, Yanqing stood tall with confidence: "I'm here to slay those demons for the General."]
["You?" The lead Cloud Knight sized him up, raising an eyebrow. "I haven't received any orders from General Jing Yuan…"]
["Er… this is a covert operation."]
["Should we assign a few men to assist the Lieutenant?" The Cloud Knight's tone carried a hint of condescension, emphasizing the words "assign a few men."]
["I appreciate the Captain's kindness, but covert means the fewer who know, the better," Yanqing replied with a subtle, cold huff.]
Attack on Titan——
Survey Corps Office.
"…Yanqing's being underestimated, huh," Levi scoffed. "When it comes to swordsmanship, no one in the Cloud Knights could underestimate Yanqing, right?"
"As the General's lieutenant, Yanqing's strength is surely well-known among the Cloud Knights," Erwin said in a low voice. "But investigating a case isn't the same as fighting. Criminals don't just stand there and duel you. Yanqing's swordsmanship is impressive, but he may lack experience in investigations."
"Capturing someone as dangerous as Blade would be best handled by forming a search team, with members covering each other's weaknesses. Yanqing going alone clearly shows he's trying to prove something to the General… Heh, the mindset of a young man. I can understand it."
"From your tone… Erwin, are you hoping Yanqing comes up empty-handed?" Levi narrowed his eyes.
"…I'm not as invested in the events on the screen as you might think. The Corps has too much on its plate right now."
Erwin looked away from the screen, rubbing his temples wearily. "The higher-ups are secretly researching immortality, dumping a lot of trouble on the Corps. Compared to what's about to happen on the screen, I'm more concerned about the Titans beyond the Walls and reclaiming Wall Maria."
"New orders from above?"
"Yes. The latest task: secure the spinal fluid of twelve Pure Titans."
"Tch… those lunatics," Levi muttered darkly. "Do they even know what they're researching?"
"All immortality research is classified. The Corps has no authority to pry, but rumors are leaking out. There are two main directions: religion and science."
"Religion?" Levi frowned. "The Wall Cult? They're getting involved too?"
"No, it's said someone proposed emulating the Xianzhou's ancestors, seeking blessings of immortality from the Aeon of Abundance beyond the skies. But with the limited resources within the Walls, building a planet-sized ship is impossible, so that plan's been shelved for a new direction."
"???"
Levi's face twisted in confusion.
"As for the second direction… you can probably guess."
Even now, Erwin's tone remained calm. "I sense they're touching something forbidden… but with so little information, I'm in the dark. All I can do is protect Eren and keep the nobles' hands off him."
——
["Hmph, assigning men… who're they underestimating?" Yanqing muttered coldly to himself before beginning his independent investigation at Central Starskiff Haven.]
[But after searching for a while, he found no valuable clues and decided to head to the dock to investigate the starskiff Blade had hijacked.]
[Along the way, Yanqing noticed piles of Mara-struck corpses littering the path, nearly blocking it. Upon closer inspection, the wounds on their bodies weren't caused by Cloud Knights.]
[Only one person came to Yanqing's mind with such skill: Blade. Finding traces of his prey, Yanqing felt a bit more at ease.]
[Following the trail upward, Yanqing spotted a group of Mara-struck surrounding a white-haired woman.]
["How are there still civilians trapped here? The Cloud Knights here are slacking," Yanqing thought urgently, leaping forward. Instantly, six flying swords shot out from behind him. "Hey, lady, don't panic! I'll save you!"]
Baki World——
"Oh? Flying swords? So swords can be used like that?" Miyamoto Musashi studied the six swords hovering around Yanqing with great interest.
Centuries ago, he had created the Niten Ichi-ryū, pioneering a dual-wielding style with one long and one short sword, which caused quite a stir among warriors of his time. In his understanding, two swords were the human body's limit. How could someone control six flying swords?
"Miyamoto Musashi, look closely at the hilts of those swords," Kaioh Kaku suddenly advised.
Following Kaioh Kaku's direction, Musashi noticed that the swords' hilts seemed to conceal some kind of intricate mechanism he couldn't comprehend, allowing the boy to control them fluidly.
The six flying swords moved as if wielded by six distinct master swordsmen, each employing different techniques yet complementing one another perfectly. In an instant, they cut down three Mara-struck on the spot.
Retsu Kaioh, standing nearby, was trembling with shock, his lips quivering as he struggled to speak.
"Are all six of those swords being controlled by Yanqing alone?" Kaoru Hanayama, though unable to discern the specific sword techniques, could sense the killing intent emanating from the blades as a seasoned fighter.
That killing intent clearly came from a single person.
"…Impossible," Retsu Kaioh wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes wide. "Controlling six flying swords at once, each with a different sword technique, in a split second… How is that possible? At his age?"
Only when Yanqing sheathed his flying swords did Miyamoto Musashi reluctantly tear his gaze from the screen.
"Magnificent, magnificent."
Adopting a more reverent demeanor, Miyamoto Musashi began to clap softly.