Chapter 2.8 Raven the Phoenix
When Raven finally found the Ever Night Horned Beast Steed, she was surprised to see Dark already locked in battle with it.
The beast was a towering black horse, its horn gleaming like polished obsidian. Every strike Dark unleashed was met with a swift parry from that horn, the clash ringing out like steel on steel. The Dark Horse moved with terrifying speed, its hooves tearing into the ground as it countered every blow, refusing to yield even an inch.
Dark gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his brow. No matter how many techniques he used, the beast's strength and speed overwhelmed him. He was clearly on the losing end, forced back step by step.
From the shadows, Raven watched with an amused smile tugging at her lips. The so‑called male lead was giving his all, yet the Dark Horse dominated the fight with ease. Its movements were fluid, its power relentless—it was clear who held the upper hand.
The battle dragged on for half an hour, the forest trembling with every clash.
Finally, Dark's expression hardened. Realizing he could not win in his current state, he pulled out an escape talisman. In a flash of light, his figure vanished, leaving the beast behind.
The Dark Horse threw back its head and neighed, the sound echoing through the forest like thunder. Victorious, it stood tall, its chin lifted high, as if declaring to the world that no one could challenge its might.
Raven stepped out from the shadows, her crimson figure catching the Dark Horse's attention.
The beast immediately grew guarded, its horn gleaming faintly as it lowered its head, eyes narrowing at her. It studied her from head to toe, trying to gauge her strength, but no matter how hard it tried, it couldn't sense the depth of her power.
"Hey, little Horsey."
Raven calmly smiled, her voice carrying both playfulness and threat.
"I won't make this difficult for you. Just answer me with a yes or no, understand? Will you come with me willingly... or do you want me to drag you out of here as a corpse?"
The Ever Night Horned Beast Steed's expression darkened. Its ears twitched, its muscles tensed, and its eyes flickered with confusion.
Why wasn't this human attacking? Why was she negotiating instead?
'Is this human dumb... or too confident? ' The beast thought, its tiny but cunning mind struggling to understand her.
The forest grew still, the silence pressing down like a heavy blanket.
The choice hung in the air, would the Dark Horse bow its head and follow her alive, or would it fight to the death and risk being slain?
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Raven came out as the winner of the match, having successfully retrieved the horn of the Ever Night Horned Beast Steed and even capturing it alive.
She did not break its horn but brought the beast whole in front of the Guardians. The Ever Night Horned Beast Steed was a fine creature, surely not a bad choice to use as a steed.
"The winner of this match is Raven, disciple of Guardian I."
Gillha announced.
"Since you retrieved the horn of the Ever Night Horned Beast Steed, it is now yours. Well done for capturing it alive. You are very lucky, these beasts are known to be nearly impossible to catch alive, only dead."
His tone carried approval as he looked at her.
The other Guardians also regarded Raven with respect. They recognized her strength and ability, and their approving gazes confirmed her worth as the disciple of Guardian I, Silver.
The disciples could only watch with envy as Raven basked in the recognition of the Guardians. Yet among them, one pair of eyes glared at her with a dark and dangerous expression, teeth clenched in silent rage.
Raven, however, was all smiles as she was announced the winner. She glanced at the Ever Night Horned Beast Steed with satisfaction.
The beast shivered under her gaze, remembering all too well how it had been beaten black and blue by this Demoness. That smile of hers alone was enough to make it tremble.
"Thank you, Guardian Gillha."
Raven said politely before running toward Silver, her new steed following behind.
"Cici, congratulations on your victory. I hope it wasn't too 'hard' for you in there," Silver said warmly, pride shining in his eyes.
For a fleeting moment, a softer emotion flickered there as well, quickly hidden away.
"I told you I'd win, didn't I?"
Raven grinned.
"Don't worry, nothing bad happened to me in there. I'm fine. But..." her voice dropped into a whisper, her smile twisting into something darker, "I know someone who isn't."
Silver's expression softened further.
"Hmm. I'm proud of you," he said, gently caressing her hair.
"I'm proud of me too!"
Raven beamed a smile as she basked in the attention her hubby was giving her.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
The room shook with Yuka's fury.
Shards of broken objects littered the floor as she hurled everything she could grab, each crash echoing like thunder against the walls. Her eyes were bloodshot, her face twisted with rage, and her breath came in ragged bursts.
"How is she still alive?!"
She screamed, her voice raw.
"I left her in the Dark Forest to die! She should have died!"
Her chest heaved, veins standing out on her neck as her anger consumed her. Then, slowly, her expression shifted. The wild fury in her eyes narrowed into something darker, colder.
A smile—crooked and cruel—spread across her lips.
"Hahaha... Xuanmi, do you think I fear you? Now that I know it's you, the thief who stole what was mine—I'll kill you. If I killed you once, I can do it again."
Her laughter rang hollow, echoing in the wreckage around her. In that moment, Yuka's rage hardened into resolve. She would not rest until her sister was destroyed.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
"So what do you want to show me, Silver?"
Raven led her deeper into the woods. She held his hand firmly, her curiosity growing with every step.
"You'll see when we get there. Don't worry—we're almost there."
Silver gave her a mysterious smile before turning his gaze forward again.
Raven frowned softly.
"Hmm?"
She was dying to know what he was hiding, but knowing him, he wouldn't reveal anything until the right moment. Since it was meant to be a surprise, she could only cling tighter to his hand and follow.
The two of them walked further into the forest.
The trees here were ancient, their thick trunks rising like pillars, their branches weaving together to block out the light.
The deeper they went, the heavier the air became. For anyone with a fragile heart, just stepping past the entrance of this place would be enough to send their pulse racing and their courage faltering. Alone, it would be terrifying. But with Silver leading her, Raven pressed on without fear—only curiosity.
The woods that the two just entered was the forbidden woods, where only the Guardians are able to enter their since they are the only one who had the ability to open the final barrier to that place.
That place was a sacred zone for the Guardians, and how, why, when?
That, they don't know.
Ever since the time the Guardians started guarding the gate that place had already existed and was still continuing to exist even now.
"Are we there yet?"
Raven tug Silver's robes.
"Were here."
Silver could only smile helplessly at his impatient disciple. She had asked countless times if they had already reached their destination, and he was relieved they finally had—otherwise, his Cici might have grown bored of the journey.
Raven's ears perked up the moment Silver announced they had arrived. She quickly looked ahead, and her eyes widened in awe at the sight before her.
The Holy Land stretched out before Raven like a dream made real. Towering peach trees lined the path, their branches heavy with blossoms that drifted down like soft pink snow, filling the air with a sweet, delicate fragrance.
The petals carpeted the ground in pale shades of rose and white, glowing gently under the sunlight that filtered through the canopy.
At the heart of the grove lay a series of crystal‑clear ponds, their surfaces shimmering like glass. Bright koi swam gracefully beneath the water, their scales flashing gold, white, and crimson as they rippled the stillness.
The ponds were connected by small stone bridges and winding streams, the gentle trickle of water blending with the rustle of leaves to create a melody of peace.
The air was calm, sacred, as if time itself slowed within this place. Every detail—the blossoms, the koi, the soft breeze—seemed to whisper of harmony and hidden power.
"Wow! This place is so amazing, so beautiful!"
Raven had never seen such a beautiful place before and run straight to the center of the Holy Land, her voice filled with wonder
"I'm glad you like it," Silver said softly. His heart skipped a beat as he watched her smile so brightly. In that moment, he realized just how deeply he had fallen for his disciple.
Ah... I'm in love.
"Well, this place is really beautiful, but is this all you wanted to show me?" Raven asked, swinging Silver's hand as she looked at him curiously.
Silver had been lost in a daze, staring at her without realizing it. He only snapped back when Raven called out to him in her usual playful tone, standing right in front of him.
"Ah? N-No, this isn't all."
Silver stammered.
"I told you before about a place called the Holy Land, right? This... this is that place."
"What?! This is the Holy Land?!"
Raven shouted in surprise, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Hm... I brought you here today to choose a weapon that suits you best. This is your reward for winning the match—you get to choose first what kind of weapon you want."
Silver's mood lifted as he watched how happy his disciple was.
"Really? Then where do I choose? I don't see any weapons around."
Raven looked left and right, scanning the area, but not a single weapon was in sight.
"You don't need to see the weapon to choose it. You just need to feel it."
"What? Don't tell me this is one of those legendary 'compatible weapons' that chooses its owner or something."
Raven's mouth twitched.
What's the point of choosing first if you're not literally the one choosing?!
"Well... sort of?"
Silver scratched his head, a little lost at her words, but he nodded anyway since it wasn't entirely wrong.
"To choose your weapon, you must first spread your consciousness over that lake. If a weapon takes a liking to you, it will spring out of the water."
"Just like that?"
Raven raised her eyebrows. Is choosing the "Legendary" weapon so easy, just like that, and it's enough?
"Simple as that."
Silver confirmed his disciple's doubts.
"Then if that's the case, here I go."
Raven closed her eyes, steadying her breath as she focused on spreading her consciousness into the water.
The moment her mind touched the lake, her surroundings shifted. What she saw was not the forest anymore, but a world completely different from hers—like stepping into another dimension.
The place sparkled with countless gems and crystals of every color, covering the ground and walls like a vast treasure cave. They shone and glittered like stars scattered across a night sky, their light reflecting in every direction. It was dazzling, almost overwhelming in its beauty.
Embedded within those glowing crystals were weapons—swords, spears, bows, and blades of all shapes and sizes. Each one gleamed with a cold, sharp glow, as if calling out to anyone who dared to reach for them. Just looking at them was enough to stir desire, to tempt any passerby to try and claim one.
Raven's eyes narrowed as she studied them seriously.
She wanted to choose, but she didn't know how. Silver had only told her to spread her consciousness—nothing more.
No hints, no guidance.
She frowned, thinking hard.
Should I try to impress the weapon somehow? Maybe show it a trick? Or... do I just wait?
For the first time, Raven felt a little lost
'What do you need?'
The voice echoed through the empty space, bouncing off the walls of crystal and steel.
'What do you need?' another voice followed, deeper this time, overlapping with the first.
'What do you need?'
The words repeated again and again, coming from every direction, until it felt like the entire place was whispering the same question.
"Who are you?" Raven asked, her brows furrowed in confusion. Her voice sounded small against the endless chorus.
But the voices did not answer her question.
'What do you need?'
'What do you need?'
'What do you need?'
The sound grew heavier, pressing into her mind, as if the weapons themselves were speaking directly to her soul.
The voices never answered her, only repeating the same question again and again until it grated on her nerves.
'What do you need?'
"Why do you keep asking the same question over and over?!" Raven snapped, her tone sharp with irritation. "I'm not deaf, and I don't have the memory of a fish. I heard you the first time, thank you very much!"
But the voices didn't stop.
'What do you need?'
'What do you need?'
Raven groaned, clutching her head. "Ugh! Would you stop already?! My ears are hurting from hearing the same thing on repeat!"
The voices only echoed louder, surrounding her from every direction, as if testing her patience—or waiting for the one answer only she could give.
'What do you need?'
The voice echoed again, relentless, as if trying to push her to the edge.
"Owww! Why do you keep asking that same question over and over?!"
Raven snapped, her patience breaking.
"Fine then! Since you're oh so 'powerful,' give me a weapon that's strong enough to crush my enemies! I want a weapon so powerful that nothing can defeat me when I wield it! I want it to be powerful enough that... that I'll never be powerless again. I want it strong enough so I can protect the people important to me! I want it so powerful that I'll never lose him again!"
Her voice cracked at the end, the words spilling out before she could stop them. She hadn't planned to say any of this, but the endless voices had scraped at her nerves until the truth buried deep in her heart burst free.
For a moment, silence fell. Then, a deep, resonant voice answered, calm and absolute.
"Very well then. If that is what you desire... I will grant it to you."