The thin smile on Arok's face vanished as quickly as it appeared. The General's expression froze once again. He stepped forward through the remaining spore fog. The mud of the Eastern Canyon made a wet sound beneath his black combat boots, stepping on the remnants of decay without hesitation.

Last Updated : 2026-04-04

The sharp smell of rotten roots and sulfur flooded the Kaijin military preparation room.Ganda's right arm rested on a teak wood support. The military physician had forced new flesh to grow covering the destroyed nerves using boiling herbal liquid.The arm was now covered in dense black scar tissue that throbbed slowly. Its shape resembled a block of charcoal wood.Sora stood behind Ganda. His hands pulled the leather straps holding together the golden O-yoroi armor chest plate. The pull was precise and stiff.Ganda held his breath. The cold iron of the traditional armor pressed hard against his new skin which was still very sensitive.Sora suddenly stopped his hand movements. He grimaced softly. His hands let go of the armor straps and slipped beneath the collar of his own uniform.Sora adjusted the tie of the rough sarashi wrapped tightly around his chest. The friction of the thick cloth scratched abrasions that had not dried due to non-stop wear.Ganda saw that movement through the

The smell of Cloud Pagoda incense still clung to Sora's pores, but now he was forced to inhale the choking scent of jasmine.Not even two hours had passed since they stepped out of the Kagane fog. The night air out there froze the bones. The city streets were deserted, as if the residents knew death was lurking behind the shadows.Arok split the unit right at the main intersection. Ganda was pulled into the dark shadows for execution preparations. Sora was sent to Kaida's residence in the upper district.Arok's orders were very clear. Guard the lives of the people in this room if the chaos creeps up. Ensure Kaida does not stab in the back.Arok placed Sora there as both a bodyguard and a spy.Now Sora stood stiffly in the corner of an exclusive room whose floor was covered in red velvet carpet. The air here was too warm. The stone fireplace burned steadily, burning dry pine wood that radiated heat throughout the room. The fragrance of high quality tea leaves chased away the smell of f

The rainstorm tearing the Upper District apart never touched the Cloud Pagoda.At this highest peak of Kagane, the air always felt warm. The aroma of perfectly brewed pine tea wafted filling the room, merging with the sandalwood fragrance from the carved pillars. The walls were lined with thick silk that muffled every noise from the mortal world below.There was no sound of crying. There were no screams. There was no clinking of steel. Here, the world felt clean.This was the golden cage where the gods ruled. The place where reality was shaped by ink strokes, not steel slashes.But tonight, that throne felt as cold as ice.Shogun Masayori sat straight in his chair. His face was calm, almost flawless. But the hand gripping the throne's armrest paled, his knuckles tensing until they nearly lost color.In the middle of the room, stood a man who brought the outside world into this silence. A Special Envoy of the Aurellian Empire. His dark blue uniform was embroidered in gold with perfect