Director Tim Ayr stood outside the district and sensed people arriving behind him.
"You've come," he said calmly.
They were the two battalions of the Flair and Sano families, accompanied by several heirs. He also saw Star Instructor Ryan Shine among them, who spoke up,
"Director, why haven't you gone in yet?"
"There is another person at the ninth level inside," Tim Ayr replied calmly.
But the people around him were instantly shocked.
"The ninth level?!"
"Which one of them, Director?!"
Only three people on the continent had reached the ninth level, and their names were well known. But Tim Ayr sighed.
"Someone I don't know. But he is strong, and he asked me not to interfere so no one would get hurt."
"Then let us go in, Director!" Brad Sano said, stepping forward.
Tim Ayr did not stop him. But the moment Brad took a single step, his body trembled violently and he collapsed to the ground, utterly powerless. His eyes were filled with deep shock.
"Family Head!"
"What on earth happened?!"
"Pull him back!"
The Sano family forces rushed forward, but Tim Ayr stopped them and quickly dragged Brad back.
"We'll wait until that person permits entry."
Everyone stood in shock and anticipation even Glass Sano who's so cold—when suddenly something else happened before their eyes.
"AAAAAAAH!!!"
Evil spirits burst forth from their hiding places around and before of them, flying upward.
"Take positions!" Miral Flair shouted as the battalions prepared themselves.
Yet the spirits did not pay them any attention. Instead, they all turned toward the palace, moving at incredible speed toward the pillars radiating sinister blood-red auras. One by one, they threw themselves into the pillars.
All the pillars began to shake violently—even the black and white ones trembled fiercely. Suddenly, a crimson, blood-colored dome enveloped the palace.
Director Tim Ayr decided to step inside. This time, he met no resistance.
"Move!"
Everyone advanced quickly and the director muttered an incantation.
"(Time Stop)."
A vast magical force spread outward, covering a great distance—but it failed to reach the palace, blocked by that unknown person. Tim Ayr stopped at the palace entrance as everyone else hurried forward.
They noticed the emptiness of the village.
"This village has been abandoned."
"Well, that's better than it being infested with evil spirits."
"But it's still kind of creepy…"
The soldiers whispered among themselves. Time itself was frozen around them so they wouldn't waste a single moment.
When they reached the palace gate, the director touched it—and his expression changed.
"What is it, sir?" Ryan asked upon seeing his face.
Tim Ayr spoke angrily,
"The spell forming this dome contains a fragment of a pure spirit. If I destroy it by force, even my magic won't be able to save everyone in time. At best, they'll lose limbs but survive."
Everyone inhaled sharply the cold air. The director's expression was grim.
'I never expected that even at the ninth level, I'd be placed in such a helpless position unable to do anything!'
He spread his domain around the dome.
"(Time-Slow Trap)."
It was a wide-range spell that slowed all targets once certain conditions were met. As the director prepared the trap, the dome grew stronger and more transparent, allowing everyone to see inside.
The Blood Spirit had absorbed all the blood that once coated the dome, further strengthening it. It let out a piercing roar.
"You bastard! Come out and accept your death!"
Its gaze locked onto a particular palace window—then swiftly shifted to the main door as it opened. Shion stepped out, looking bored.
"What is it, you bastard? I have been sleeping for a long time. Can't I even stretch a little?"
"Shion!!" everyone outside the dome shouted.
...
When Shion stepped out, the dome blocked visibility from the inside, so he couldn't see what was happening outside.
He thought inwardly,
'Shi Yun Lan told me that inside this domain, I fight with my soul. My physical condition won't reflect my true strength—that's good. Even with Shi Yun Lan's help, my physical power isn't at its peak, but my soul is. And what appears is the normal form, not the spirit-world form, so I'll be able to observe this monster closely.'
Shion held a strangely designed sword in one hand, with a lantern and a scroll hanging from his waist.
'Shi Yun Lan said he had taken control of these tools. I'll be able to fight this spirit for a decent amount of time until Solan purifies it once and for all. But she must find the core array—aside from mine and hers, all the magic circles have disappeared. They must be located.'
Shion moved forward and pointed his sword at the spirit. The Blood Spirit's form shifted, revealing the figure of a woman with a terrifying aura, pitch-black eyes, and a body dripping with blood despite being a spirit.
"You despicable bastard!!"
"Why did you call for me, you ugly hag?"
"You're the one who destroyed my magic circle and dropped me to the seventh level!!"
"Yes. Your appearance was indescribable back then—but now I can clearly describe you as an ugly old hag. Much easier on the eyes."
Those outside couldn't take a breath because of what is happening.
"Shion Lan! That spirit is at the seventh level! Retreat immediately!" Star Instructor Ryan shouted.
The Blood Spirit laughed, her cracks with her grin splitting from ear to ear. Combined with its black eyes, it was utterly horrifying.
"That's perfect, little one! I'll kill you after I find that black spirit—and then take my revenge!"
Shion looked at it with a strange expression.
Then an idea flashed into his mind,
'Is it possible… that it means me? Didn't it see my form in the Recorded Past either?'
He asked,
"What spirit are you talking about?"
"A spirit that stayed with me for fifteen years! Protecting that pure spirit! Without it, I would've killed her on the first day!"
Outside, everyone began murmuring surprised.
"Could it be an eighth-level spirit?"
"Wait—didn't it say Shion destroyed its level?!"
"And the pure spirit! Does that mean Solan Neumann is still alive?!"
"What does she look like now? Has Shion seen her?!"
While chaos erupted outside, Shion smiled foolishly. He lowered the lantern and raised his hand, revealing flaming claws.
"Was this the technique that black spirit used?"
"…!"
The Blood Spirit stared at the claws in disbelief. Though Shion's appearance and his techniques seemed unstable, the power within claws were undeniably real. Its shock quickly turned into raging fury—so intense that even the commanders outside sensed it.
"What's happening?!"
"I don't know! But it looks like that boy has provoked the spirit!"
The Blood Spirit screamed in rage and pain.
"AAAAAAH!! You despicable bastard!! You were the one suppressing me all this time?!"
"Ammmm,Yes?" Shion replied mockingly.
The Blood Spirit laughed cruelly.
"Then I'll kill you—and then I'll kill that girl!"
While taking, a spell suddenly formed beside Shion's head, aiming to kill him. He simply tilted his head, and it missed.
Looking annoyed, Shion said,
"Did you forget? I lived with you for fifteen years. That old trick won't work on me."
The spirit was shocked but sensed movement within the palace.
"Trying to find the magic circles?! Dream on!"
It prepared to attack Solan, but Shion said coldly,
"You won't move unless you defeat me first."
He swung his sword.
The spirit replied indifferently,
"Then taste this first—(Soul-Devouring Blood)."
As the seventh level spell moved toward him, Shion's body suddenly blazed with overwhelming power that doesn't match with his.
"What's happening to him?!"
"That's seventh-level power!"
"How did he do that?!"
Even the Blood Spirit paused before roaring in fury.
"You stole my power!!"
"(Star Vortex)."
Shion dispelled the spell, stared at the Blood Spirit with disdain, and said,
"Didn't I tell you? You won't do anything while I'm here. Now—do you accept fighting me by my rules?"
"Your rules?! Fine! I'll break every bone in your body and make you beg for death!"
Then he smiled mockingly,
"That's all I needed to hear."
Shion unrolled the scroll. Symbols and words glowed upon it, and a powerful spirit emerged—one that terrified the Blood Spirit.
"Eighth level spirit?!"
The spirit tried to retreat but noticed its domain shrinking, enclosing only itself and Shion, leaving the rest of the palace outside.
"What are you doing?!"
"You agreed to the duel. Due to your spiritual power leaking into the scroll, this match is now official. We must fight."
The rules were simple:
The Blood Spirit cannot leave the duel unless one side is defeated, with both remaining at their respective levels.
The spirit sneered.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then the domain will collapse under the scroll's power, opening a rift that can be exploited," Shion replied with a smile as he thought,
"Solan will be able to run from here as the forbidden spell will be broken and I will depend on Shi Yun Lan to get out from here'
But director Tim Ayr's eyes gleamed.
"If a rift appears, I can save him instantly—and kill the spirit at the same time!"
"This boy is sharp," someone muttered.
"Of course," Ryan said proudly. "In the end, he's my student."
He was met with skeptical looks.
"When did you ever teach him anything?"
"This is all his own effort. When did you interfere?"
"Do you even know anything about him?"
The Blood Spirit glanced beyond its domain.
'If my domain cracks even slightly, those bastards will rush in and kill me…'
It turned back to Shion.
"Clever boy. You're using those people outside to help that girl search. If I refuse, they'll kill me once the domain shakes. Boy—you're making me want to spill your blood even more!"
"…?"
Shion didn't understand.
"Are you saying there are people outside the blood domain?"
"…!"
Seeing his expression, the Blood Spirit fell silent. Outside, everyone's minds froze as well—even the director's spell faltered when hearing that.
"You can't see outside the domain?" the spirit asked weakly.
But Shion answered hesitantly
"No. All I see is you, me, and a sea of blood around us."
"..."
The Blood Spirit screamed,
"Damn you! I'll fight you—and kill you!!"
The scroll's power fully activated. Neither of them could leave the domain created by the scroll, which now contained the blood domain within it.
Thanks to the scroll, Shion could now see outside—and he was greeted by the scene of the reinforcements.
"Welcome, everyone!" Shion waved with a smile.
"What are you doing in there?! Get out now!"
"Don't worry, boy—we'll save you!"
Miral Flair and Brad Sano unleashed their techniques.
"(Lightning Beam)!"
"(Compressed Sea)!"
Their attacks fired—at the same time the Blood Spirit lunged at Shion.
"(Soul-Devouring Blood)!"
Shion stood there, smiling at it.