Kazan glanced at his aching arm, then back at Ginji. If the loan gave him an opening, he would have to finish the fight before it closed.“Get ready—I’m going to channel my energy into you!” said Shigure.Blue light streamed around Kazan, pouring from the relic Shigure guarded.Ginji paused, then drove a kick through the glowing outline.The blue aura flared at contact. His leg snapped back, carrying him away from Kazan before he could withdraw it himself.“What kind of aura is that?” asked Ginji once he steadied himself.Blue glare hid the boy’s outline. Ginji shifted sideways, searching for an exposed flank.Ginji released a black aura and tried to suppress the blue aura enveloping Kazan.The black pressure frayed against the blue light. Ginji fed more Ki into it, but could not force the aura inward.“What on earth is happening to this young man?” Ginji wondered, utterly baffled.The blue light contracted against Kazan’s skin, then sank into him.His eyes glowed blue. The red faded f

“Aargh! H-how… is that… possible?” Ginji struggled to speak as the pain set in and blood filled his throat.***Inside the body now moving without him, Kazan could still hear Shigure’s voice.“The sword struck your heart and liver. Stay with me.” The words had reached him as he lay on the sand, before the darkness could close completely.Kazan had tried to answer. He could not feel his mouth.“Let me take control. I can bear the backlash of this transfer, but you must not fight me.”“My cultivation…?” Kazan’s thought had scarcely formed before Shigure answered.“Your body cannot withstand my full power. Force it through you and your martial foundation could be destroyed.”“I’ll keep the flow to a third of my strength. That should spare it.”Kazan had felt warmth enter the torn places in his chest. Shigure held him there as the damaged body began to answer again. “You still have to wield the Nirvana Spear. I won’t lose you here.”“But this will drain me. When I leave you, I’ll have almo

Back at the Western Desert Sect, the waiting knights heard that Kazan had woken and would come out to meet them.They left their tents and gathered in the open space before the hall.When Kazan emerged beside Arata, the nearest knights straightened and raised their hands in salute.“Greetings from the Wind Cloud Sect to the Heretical God Knight!”“Respectful greetings from the Eagle Eye Sect to the Heretical God Knight!”Each knight saluted Kazan on behalf of their respective sects.Kazan returned the gestures, still slow to recognize the title as his own.“Thank you all for your respect! I feel this is too much for me to accept!” said Kazan.“You saved everyone here,” Isamu said. “Let them thank you.”“The tournament ended before the rankings were settled,” another knight said. “But after what we saw, we recognize you as Tsukigawa’s strongest.”Light Level veterans stood beside spectators from the Middle Level and Upper Knight level. All had seen Ginji force the gathering to its knees

“Young Master! We heard they named you the number one knight. Is that true?”“Young Master, is it true that you can fly? If so, please show us—we’d love to see it!”“Young Master! What about that enemy knight from the Black Star Organization? They say he’s incredibly powerful! How did you defeat him?”A barrage of questions flooded Kazan as the crowd pressed around him, including knights at the Lower Level and Middle Level.Kazan glanced from one raised hand to the next, unable to finish an answer before another question began. Isamu laughed from the edge of the gathering.“He’ll have to get used to this,” Isamu said. “And wait until the young ladies hear he’s home.”Isamu also recalled his own past, when he was first named one of the Five Strongest Knights.Arata chuckled. His own place among the Top 10 Knights remained unsettled, but Kazan had come home beside him. For the moment, that was enough.Arata watched Kazan standing amid the crowd, then shifted his gaze toward Enjou by the

Kazan and Arata were sitting together by a small pond in the backyard.Across the yard, Xinyue and Rika bent their heads together. Rika’s earlier anger had vanished. Kazan glanced at them again before returning his attention to the pond.“Do you like Miss Xinyue, Kazan?”Arata’s question took Kazan by surprise.“What are you talking about, Teacher?” asked Kazan.Xinyue laughed at something Rika said. Kazan looked away, but the familiar sound stayed with him. Aira had laughed like that when she was young.“It’s just that you’ve been glancing at Miss Xinyue a lot lately—if it’s not because you like her, then what else could it be?” Arata asked again.“Teacher! Does glancing at someone always mean you like them? There are many reasons to look at another person—curiosity, suspicion, reminiscing, and many others!” said Kazan.“I know that! But your glances mean you like her!” Arata chuckled softly.“It’s up to you, Teacher, to think whatever you want!” said Kazan.“Young Master! Commander I