'December 7th, 2023, 7:04 PM, the disgrace to samurai, Genichiro Ashina, has been executed!!!!'
'No, dude, are you serious?'
'Awesome!!'
'So strong, Chun Hei!!'
'Wow, the lightning reversal is so cool!'
'The first person on the whole internet to defeat Genichiro Ashina?'
'Brother, you made me cry...'
'Wet? Did you think I'd pity you? You little sister... I'm already in sage mode!'
'This game looks pretty easy, I'm gonna download it.'
...
'Godslaying successful!'
'Oh, he's not really a god, Isshin Ashina is.'
Chun Hei commented softly. Genichiro Ashina had given him some trouble.
But the pressure wasn't as intense as with the Phantom Butterfly, because the pathetic Ichiro had cheated by cutting off his arm with a story-driven kill at the start, making Chun Hei look down on him from the bottom of his heart.
Most importantly, Genichiro Ashina was too balanced, seeming to know a little bit of everything but mastering nothing.
However, it was precisely this kind of slippery boss that was exceptionally lethal to ordinary players.
If Chun Hei hadn't released the perfect parry tutorial video, players would have spent at least three days grinding against Genichiro Ashina.
Of course, these were afterthoughts.
Now, Chun Hei was quietly gazing at the prompt before him.
[Combat Memory: Genichiro Ashina
A memory of battling a peerless warrior, preserved in the heart.
By sitting with the idol and facing combat memories, attack power can be grown.
Genichiro Ashina is the object of vengeance as defined by the Iron Code.]
Before Chun Hei could process it, his vision suddenly turned blood-red, and a dark crimson technique appeared before his eyes—
[Acquired: Blood Smoke Slaughter
Generates a blood mist around the user, entering a state of bloodlust when using skills.
This is a forbidden secret art performed through death, which turns the blood splattered by surrounding enemies into blood mist, obscuring vision and activating the user's potential.
A rare life-or-death battle can sublimate the will to fight, and the killing intent will become more focused.]
'This... this Blood Smoke Slaughter seems to have some depth.'
Chun Hei's voice trembled slightly; he smelled something strange.
He had a premonition that Blood Smoke Slaughter would be a move that could change the players' status in the game!
It could continuously increase the player's will to fight and killing intent during combat, which would be of great help in overcoming difficult challenges. Once players became engrossed in this slaughter...
'You... won.'
Emma's voice interrupted Chun Hei's thoughts. She emerged from an adjoining cubicle. Seeing Wolf preparing to draw his sword with hostility, she gently stopped him,
'I have no intention of fighting you, warrior of the Divine Heir...'
Rustle rustle—!!
A gentle breeze blew past. Chun Hei saw a hint of terror in Emma's eyes. 'Could it be... could it be that Lord Genichiro used the Rejuvenating Water...'
Following Emma's gaze, Chun Hei saw a terrifying sight: the dead Genichiro's body was emitting crimson steam.
Crack!
Immediately after, the 'corpse' opened its eyes and slowly stood up.
'Ugh... cough...'
The dead Genichiro gasped, trembling as he said, 'This Ashina land is my all. If that is the case, I am willing to discard my humanity—'
His eyes emanated a strange scarlet glow, appearing as an undead creature.
'Resurrection?'
Chun Hei immediately raised his sword into a defensive posture. 'Is this the fourth phase? Truly troublesome. Who is the protagonist here, me or you...'
However, Genichiro, after reviving, did not display much fighting spirit. He flipped over the wall and fled the Tenshukaku.
As he left, he even taunted, 'Farewell...'
Uh...
'He's gone?'
Chun Hei shrugged. 'Guys, he didn't want to fight me, it's not like I'm afraid of him.'
As he spoke, he discreetly put his right arm behind his back, preventing anyone from seeing his trembling hand.
If he had fought any longer, he would have been unable to hold on.
With the crisis averted, Chun Hei approached Emma again.
'I can finally complete my master's task,' Emma said to Wolf with her hands clasped in front of her, her expression sincere. 'Thank you.'
Master's task?
Chun Hei furrowed his brow. 'Whose dog... oh no, who do you serve?'
'Isshin Ashina.' Emma replied frankly.
'...Ugh!'
'I am a physician who serves Lord Isshin.'
'Why would he order you to help me?' Chun Hei's wariness was fully evident to Emma, who comforted him, 'Lord Isshin does not seek the power of the Dragon's Heritage.'
'Therefore, he intends to let the Divine Heir escape Ashina.'
'Escape Ashina?' Chun Hei awkwardly touched his head. Was a new main quest about to begin?
'Yes.'
'So, the letter thrown into the well was written by you?' This was Wolf asking, as the player, with an omniscient perspective, already knew this.
'That's right.'
Emma did not deny it. 'My task ends here... There is someone you must meet.'
'The Divine Heir is downstairs.'
'I might not be able to see the beautiful sister anymore. Thinking about it, I feel a bit regretful.'
Chun Hei sighed and turned to go downstairs.
On the first floor, in a cubicle.
Before Chun Hei could enter the room, the Prince's murmuring voice was heard, 'You've gone down the wrong path... Lord Genichiro.'
'I'm here, master.' He had no intention of eavesdropping and walked directly into the room.
'...Yes, thank you for coming.'
'Let's go,' Chun Hei said softly. 'If nothing unexpected happens, we may have to leave Ashina.'
'Wolf.'
The Prince raised his voice slightly. 'My blood... the Dragon's Heritage makes people immortal.'
'That's you, isn't it?'
'Yes.'
'But I wanted to save you at the time, and even if I had to do it again, I would still do the same thing. However...'
The Prince emphasized, 'Immortality creates stagnation. The Dragonrot, the Rejuvenating Water, are all like this.'
'The way humans survive is thus distorted. I want to sever the chain of impurity caused by the Dragon's Heritage immortality. Wolf, can you assist me?'
[Assist the Divine Heir / Abide by the Iron Code, Protect the Divine Heir]
Bingo!
'Understood!'
Chun Hei snapped his fingers. 'The power of the Dragon's Heritage grants immortality, but the Prince believes it is a cursed power. He wants to sever the immortal ability in his bloodline, thus breaking free from this curse.'
'However...'
Chun Hei repeatedly examined the two options, perplexed. 'What's the difference between these two choices? Abide by the Iron Code, what was that Iron Code again? My adoptive father is dead, so what code am I supposed to follow?'
[Assist the Divine Heir]
He made his choice.
However, Wolf's reply was, 'I cannot go against my adoptive father's... I cannot violate the Iron Code.'
This is... a refusal?
Then what was the point of making me choose?
Chun Hei muttered internally.
So whether he chose to or not, Wolf would silently adhere to the Iron Code. Wasn't this redundant?
Wolf's answer did not surprise the Prince.
He bowed slightly, calmed himself, and said, 'You've died and been reborn how many times to save me... Twice... or thrice...'
'You think too highly of me. At least add two zeros...' Chun Hei thought.
'You can't count them anymore?'
'As long as it's to protect the Divine Heir, I'm willing to do it any number of times.'
One thought in his mind, another on his lips – that's Chun Hei. His words were always eloquent.
'I don't want you to become immortal,' the Prince said seriously. 'I don't want you to be plagued by endless calamities.'
'Wolf... let us sever immortality together.'
The Prince knelt on one knee, his hand placed horizontally across his chest, his head bowed very low. This was almost an impossible thing to happen in the status-conscious Ashina land.
The master offered a noble courtesy to his subordinate. Even for the subordinate to help him, he was willing to go against his own code, which was something that could have been done with a simple command.
This could only mean that the Prince regarded Wolf as an equal, not assuming the role of a master, and gave Wolf sufficient respect.
The result was predictable...
Before Chun Hei could reply, Wolf took the lead in stating, 'Ugh! ...As you command!'
'Thank you, Wolf!'
'But...' Chun Hei mused, touching his chin. 'Is severing immortality really that simple?'
...