Tension hung over every corner of Moon Blade City, as if the entire city was holding its breath, waiting for an event that would change its fate. In every street and alley, different forces began moving in silence, making agreements and weaving alliances that might last for days... or collapse in a single moment.
Inside the main palace, four men stood in a vast hall with towering stone pillars. Three of them were heavily armored guards, while the fourth stood before them, watching the city through a massive window.
One of the guards sighed, clasping his hands behind his back, and said in a low voice,
"It seems everyone has started forming alliances."
The guard standing beside him nodded and replied,
"That is only natural. The inheritance of the Golden Moon Swordsman is no ordinary treasure. It is an opportunity that could change its owner's fate forever. Anyone who wishes to compete for it cannot rely on their strength alone."
The third guard smiled faintly and said,
"But the moment the inheritance appears... those alliances will fall apart. Once the treasure reveals itself, even the closest allies become the bitterest enemies."
Silence filled the hall for a few seconds before one of them asked curiously,
"In your opinion... what will the inheritance produce this time?"
The guards began exchanging possibilities, each mentioning a legendary treasure or technique they had heard about in ancient legends.
But the man standing before the window did not say a single word.
He simply remained silent.
Although he never turned to look at them, his presence alone was enough to silence anyone. A murderous aura quietly seeped from his body, making it difficult to breathe even while standing near him, as though the scent of death itself surrounded the place.
This man was none other than the Lord of Moon Blade City.
Although he had not left the palace for days, he knew everything happening within the city. His network of spies scattered throughout every corner delivered news to him constantly, to the point that he knew what happened in the darkest alleys before even the people there did.
"Go."
The moment that single word left his mouth...
The three guards disappeared.
There was no sound of footsteps, nor did the ground tremble beneath them. Their bodies simply vanished from where they stood, as if they had never existed in the first place.
The City Lord closed his eyes for a moment before letting out a long sigh.
"There is something... that truly bothers me."
The lights of countless houses stretched toward the horizon, while the markets bustled with people and fighters moved everywhere in preparation for the coming inheritance.
He gazed at the city with eyes full of thought before speaking in a quiet voice,
"I only hope... nothing happens beyond my calculations."
Silence fell once more.
Then he smiled, a smile whose meaning was impossible to understand.
"After the appearance of the inheritance of the Golden Moon Swordsman... everything will change."
---
On the eastern side of the city stood an enormous battle arena, surrounded by towering stone stands that had been built thousands of years ago.
It was known as...
The Arena of Life and Death.
A place where neither retreat nor surrender was allowed.
If two fighters entered this arena under an agreement to fight to the death, only one of them would leave alive.
How many great heroes had fallen upon its ground?
And how many legends had been born within its walls?
No one could count them.
Inside the arena stood three men.
The first was an elderly man dressed in white robes embroidered with golden threads, his face carrying the dignity of countless years.
He was...
Wei Tian Hu, the Third Elder of the Wei Clan and the one responsible for managing the arena.
He looked across the vast arena and said proudly,
"Here... the Princess of the Sun Kingdom will fight."
Then he swept his gaze across the arena and continued,
"And here as well... the strongest fighter among the younger generation in the World of the Manuscript Reader will be decided."
He paused for a moment before adding,
"And for the first time in the history of this arena... the Law of Life and Death will be suspended."
That decision alone was enough to cause an uproar throughout the city, for the Arena of Life and Death had never broken its rules since the day it was founded.
The Wei Clan had ruled Moon Blade City for thousands of years, even before the appearance of the Demon Emperor himself.
The silence was broken by Baran as he turned toward his companion.
"I know this isn't really my business... but Narvik, do you think you'll win?"
Narvik remained silent for a few moments before scratching the back of his head with a calm smile.
"Hmm... I don't know."
He raised his eyes toward the sky before continuing confidently,
"The Princess is very strong, and I might lose against her..."
He paused for a moment before determination ignited within his eyes.
"But I will fight with everything I have."
Baran smiled mysteriously and said,
"Do you know... she's not a real princess?"
Silence filled the air.
As for Wei Tian Hu...
His face turned pale at that very moment.
His breathing almost stopped.
Insulting the royal family of the Sun Kingdom meant insulting the King himself, and anyone who dared do so could bring disaster upon the entire city.
He knew only one person reckless enough to do such a thing...
Ryo.
But what he heard next was far worse.
Narvik looked at Baran in surprise and asked innocently,
"Really?"
Then, without caring about those around him, he asked,
"So... is she an illegitimate daughter?"
At that moment...
Wei Tian Hu grabbed his chest with both hands.
He felt as though his heart had stopped beating.
If those words reached the King of the Sun Kingdom, he would not hesitate to erase Moon Blade City from the map to preserve the dignity of his throne.
Baran panicked and waved both hands frantically.
"No! No! That's not it at all!"
He let out a long sigh before sitting down on the ground, shaking his head helplessly.
Narvik looked at him with interest.
"Then?"
Baran smiled faintly and said,
"Do you want to hear the story from the beginning?"
Narvik nodded immediately.
On the other side...
Wei Tian Hu looked from right to left, searching with his eyes for anyone who might have heard the conversation, as though he was ready to silence every witness before those words spread beyond the arena.
Baran sighed, took a deep breath, and said,
"Alright..."
"I'll tell you everything."
"It all began... on that day."