The Rat King declared, and a blood-red, canine-shaped beast emerged from the heavily contained area behind him.
Number 011: Celestial Beast.
The Rat King, while dispatching rats to aid Yang Lin in locating someone, accidentally stumbled upon Celestial Beast's containment cell and subsequently ordered the rats to release him.
Celestial Beast mimicked Byakuya's voice, directly unlocking several nearby voice-activated doors.
Celestial Beast possessed the ability to imitate anyone's voice. For him, these voice-controlled access points could be opened simply by shouting.
Byakuya observed this and massaged his neck. Celestial Beast let out a growl, and a pair of bat-like wings sprouted from his back, while countless sharp spines began to erupt across his body!
Celestial Beast had an established nickname: the Beast-Form Tank.
Seeing this transformation, Byakuya smirked. The black and white Phantoms behind him immediately dispersed, separating into four distinct streams: Cyan, White, Black, and Red.
The Cyan represented the Azure Dragon, the White represented the White Tiger, the Black represented the Black Tortoise, and the Red represented the Vermilion Bird.
These were the Four Divine Beasts.
"Recall precisely how you were captured back then."
...
Deep within the containment zone.
Yang Lin, following the little mouse, arrived before a specific containment cell. Inside this enclosure rested a sword.
The sword's overall coloration resembled brown, like a tree trunk, yet countless blood-red, throbbing life patterns spread across its surface.
Number 021-7: The Yang Tree.
A derivative compound of the 021 Swordsmith. Its specific function remains unknown; no extensive trials have been conducted. The rationale for this extreme caution is detailed in Document 021-7-N49-2 ("The Timing Cipher Answer"). It was formerly utilized by ███.
Yang Lin peered through the glass at the sword dubbed Yang Tree. For some inexplicable reason, he perceived a distinct, throbbing heartbeat.
Thump-thump, thump-thump...
"This sword is sentient."
The mouse signaled its companions. They worked in tandem to chew through the primary lock mechanism of the containment cell door.
Yang Lin hastily entered the cell, but found himself facing countless layers of electric netting.
Jihen saw this and with a mere flick of his wrist, instantly released Kael. Kael clung to the electric netting and reached out to carefully pull the sword free.
"It doesn't seem particularly special. Is this the object you were seeking?"
Jihen instructed Kael to pass the sword to Yang Lin. Yang Lin grasped the sword in his hand, and the throbbing heartbeat near his ear grew markedly stronger.
He remained silent, merely staring blankly at the weapon in his hand.
"What are you waiting for? You have the item, why aren't you leaving?"
"Hey?"
Jihen said, waving his hand in front of Yang Lin's eyes, but Yang Lin showed no reaction whatsoever.
Stunned?
Boom!!
Just then, a tremendous explosion suddenly echoed from the ground above. The entire base below began to violently shake!
Jihen suddenly looked upward. "The Monster Alliance is already here?"
"No, it shouldn't be that swift."
But whatever the cause, this was unequivocally not a positive sign. Yet, at this critical juncture, that kid Yang Lin was immobilized.
What course of action to take?
"I cannot simply abandon him and flee; otherwise, I'll have no plausible explanation for Seth. Ugh, this is so complicated!"
"Kael!"
Jihen waved his hand, releasing Kael again, and directed Kael to lift Yang Lin, preparing for an immediate escape.
He was about to bolt, but a figure materialized, blocking their path.
Upon seeing that individual, Jihen's pupils suddenly contracted, because that person was none other than Byakuya!
"...Now things are convenient; no one needs to depart."
Byakuya covered the distance in two steps, flashing as if teleporting.
But his attention was not fixed on Jihen. His gaze fell directly upon Yang Lin.
And at this very moment, Yang Lin suddenly opened his eyes.
He spun around, leaped off Kael, and gripped the Yang Tree sword in his hand. Jihen saw this and hastily stated,
"You're finally conscious. If you hadn't woken up, neither of us would need to deal with this."
Yang Lin looked toward Byakuya. "Who is he?"
Jihen saw this and took a step back, whispering, "He is Byakuya, the one I mentioned—the current Chief of Kitsune, incredibly ruthless, more monstrous than any actual monster."
He is Byakuya?
Yang Lin held the sword with both hands, assuming a defensive posture. But Byakuya offered a strange smile.
"I know you. Your name is Yang Lin. Your father's name is Yang Avee, and he once held a post at the Beiling City Police Station. Am I correct?"
"That is true."
Receiving Yang Lin's confirmation, Byakuya continued, "Speaking of which, you and Kitsune share a profound origin."
"This is an unknown history. The very first person to propose the Kitsune plan was your father, Yang Avee."
"After proposing this strategy, your father went into deep hiding, feigning his demise, and secretly established this Kitsune organization."
"One could argue that Kitsune originated entirely from your father's design. Although he couldn't lead Kitsune to its zenith, he certainly established its groundwork."
"This is extraordinarily significant."
"It is merely unfortunate that your father, during a perilous containment operation, met his end."
"Though I never encountered him, I still feel a sense of regret for him."
"Can I trust what you say?" Yang Lin inquired, raising his sword.
Byakuya glanced at Jihen beside him. "You don't trust me, do you trust him?"
"A monster who isn't human."
Yang Lin spared Jihen a brief look. "Not trusting him doesn't automatically mean I must trust you."
Byakuya smiled. "Caution is commendable, but you also need the capacity to discern right from wrong. How simple would it be for me to subdue both of you right now?"
"Yang Lin, everyone has a defined place in this reality. Some are destined from birth, like you."
"Do you believe that standing there is where you truly belong?"
Yang Lin remained stationary, lost in contemplation. Jihen observed this and interjected, "What ultimate good has Kitsune achieved? How much superior are they compared to us?"
"Even Byakuya did..."
Thud!
Before Jihen could finish, a white Phantom rushed out and pinned him against the wall.
"When did you get a say in this?"
Byakuya's eyes were cold. Yang Lin suddenly spoke, "I do not oppose Kitsune apprehending those anomalies. That is analogous to police apprehending criminals."
"But forgive my bluntness, everything I have witnessed along the way suggests that Kitsune sacrifices ten innocent lives to eliminate a single wrongdoer."
"Do you deem that morally sound?"
Byakuya: "Then have you ever considered that one criminal might eliminate a thousand righteous people, and we only incurred a cost of ten lives, thereby safeguarding nine hundred ninety good people?"
"Do you believe that outcome is wrong?"
Yang Lin frowned. "I believe that is fundamentally incorrect. How can human lives be treated as collateral to be gambled away and converted like chips?"
"However, your commentary did offer me a crucial realization."
"From the fact that you can utter such words, to viewing human lives as mere gambling tokens, you fundamentally do not value human life. The lives of ordinary citizens might be negligible to you."
Byakuya's faint smile gradually faded. "But Kitsune is your father's magnum opus. Do you truly wish to disavow your father's foundational decision?"
Yang Lin rested his hand on his sword. "Regardless of whether Kitsune originated from my father, I maintain that its original intent was noble."
"It is simply that someone has guided it down a misguided path, much like you have."
Byakuya's gaze grew progressively colder. "In this reality, perfection is an unlikely state for any element. One unwilling to tolerate even a speck of dust in their eye will never achieve true greatness."
"To secure eternal tranquility, short-term sacrifices are an unavoidable necessity."
"Everyone possesses their own concept of justice, yet one who remains rigidly unyielding will be the first to break. One who constantly forces the pace is bound to eventually falter."
"Bend and find wholeness; straighten and become twisted; become empty to be full; become worn to be new; gain by having little; be confounded by having much."
"Do you comprehend? One must always learn the wisdom to open one eye while closing the other."
"If you aspire to reform Kitsune, you are welcome to try. Join Kitsune, demonstrate your capability, and upon my demise, you may wield your full authority."
Yang Lin shifted his gaze toward Jihen. "Although I hold no affection for him, there is one assertion he made that I wholeheartedly concur with."
"Once humanity has witnessed the truth, it can no longer subsist on falsehoods."
"To ask me to intentionally overlook wrongdoing is something I cannot comply with. Therefore, I refuse."
...
On the first floor of the containment zone, a group of rats were skewered through their abdomens by steel drills, nailed rigidly to the wall in a single row.
Only a tiny Rat King remained, pinned to the wall, green fluid dripping mournfully from its eyes.
At this moment, a small mouse dropped from his head.
The little mouse shook its head. "Byakuya actually didn't deal with us excessively. What on earth... compels him to value that individual so highly?"
Celestial Beast fractured a few steel bones from his own body. This was certainly somewhat unexpected.
Byakuya hadn't even managed to secure them in cages before he departed. This could only imply that Byakuya considered those two individuals inside to be of greater importance than the Rat King and his cohort.
Of course, it was also possible that some specific artifact held greater value, and those two individuals' immediate objective happened to target that object.
Celestial Beast, having successfully broken free from containment, looked at the little mouse before him. "Rat King, my associate, this presents an excellent opportunity."
"Celestial Beast, forgive my candor, but while physically superior, you cannot withstand Byakuya's capabilities," the little mouse advised, hopping onto Celestial Beast's shoulder.
Celestial Beast bared his teeth. "Didn't you say the boss and his team were planning to engage him? Where are they now?"
The Rat King sensed a slight hesitation. "They likely haven't arrived yet, but we can strategically retreat and await rendezvous with the main force before launching a coordinated attack."
There truly existed such a thing as a fateful bond.
Every time the Rat King managed to breach containment, he would coincidentally facilitate the release of other Numbers, especially Celestial Beast, who exhibited the highest rate of recurrence.
Why? Because the Rat King harbored an intense desire for vengeance against Kitsune.
And in terms of sheer destructive capability, Celestial Beast was arguably second to none. Every time he was unleashed, he could turn the entire facility upside down.
"No need to rush. I'll go assess if I can secure the release of Clown and the others."
Celestial Beast had just finished speaking and was preparing to move when he was hastily stopped by the Rat King saying, "Clown isn't here. He was transferred half a year ago."
"Several others were relocated as well. I suspect Kitsune's side must have sensed something, and in the interim, they dispersed many of the fierce anomalies to different containment sectors."
"As for the headquarters, apart from a few of us remaining, it's largely deserted."
Celestial Beast let out a roar. "Then we will return later to confront him!"
With that declaration, Celestial Beast vibrated his wings, directly carrying the Rat King, and charged headlong through the maze structure. He couldn't map the path precisely, but he could establish a trajectory and simply smash his way forward.
But scarcely had they departed than their path was obstructed.
The figure blocking their way was none other than the individual Celestial Beast most wished to avoid: Nightmare!
"Bitch!"
Nightmare stared pointedly at Celestial Beast and the Rat King. "Can't you simply maintain composure for a brief period? I always end up being the one to clean up the mess."
Celestial Beast bared his fangs. "Traitor!"
Nightmare's expression remained placid. "Divergent paths lead to divergent convictions. This reality defines our current hierarchy."
"I have never endorsed the ideology of perpetual chaos. Relying on iron-forged blades for unending combat is inferior to achieving true stillness through perfected martial arts. I genuinely wish I could calmly negotiate a resolution with all of you, but I recognize that is impossible."
"Therefore, lights out."
Absolute Darkness!
...
On the third underground level of the heavy containment zone, Byakuya and Yang Lin stood locked in a tense standoff. The atmosphere gradually grew heavy and thick.
Looking at Yang Lin, who held the Yang Tree sword, Byakuya slowly closed his eyes.
"Truly... regrettable."
"You are like a moth drawn to the night flame, blindly following the fire, unaware that the very light can consume you."
"You fundamentally have not seen through this world, nor have you witnessed what Truth truly is. Someone merely covered your eyes, pointed you forward, and you charged ahead without hesitation."
"But humans behave this way. They can be deceived; they can be easily incited. As long as they are human, they are bound to make erroneous choices."
Not yet started?
Jihen watched silently from the side. Byakuya was acting slightly unusually today, wasn't he?
Byakuya had never spoken words like "put down your butcher's knife and join us" to any monster. Of course, this applied to non-monsters as well.
What was so unique about Yang Lin that warranted Byakuya wasting so much breath?
"You claim I've been deceived, yet you personally admitted to the facts I presented. Is there still any necessity for these proclamations?" Yang Lin questioned.
Byakuya looked at Yang Lin, his gaze incredibly sincere.
"Those facts are accurate."
"But none of this was my decision; it was fate's allowance."
"They operate under the assumption that if they simply eliminate me, the issue will conclude. Foolish. It is Destiny that has brought us to this juncture. Destiny is compelling us to choose."
"Take a good look at this world. Everything laid before your sight is never truly worthy of being labeled an enemy."
"Then who, in your view, is the true adversary?" Yang Lin asked.
Byakuya replied, "It is Destiny."
"Destiny will bring those entities before our eyes."
"And what are those entities?"
"They are ghosts, gods, demons, and death itself."
"I know you are special, Yang Lin. You possess sight, don't you?"
"You can perceive those colossal entities that ordinary people cannot see."
Yang Lin understood what Byakuya referred to: those massive specters that existed amidst the ruins, invisible to normal folk.
He saw them.
But, so what?
"Is that of consequence?"
Byakuya stated, "That is highly significant. When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes back into you. Those entities will eventually, without fail, respond to your observation, descending before you."
"If this is Destiny, what is your course of action?"
"I will resist."
"Precisely."
Byakuya walked directly in front of Yang Lin. "But Destiny is not something a single person's power can alter. And once Destiny descends, resistance becomes impossible."
"Therefore, we must preempt Destiny's descent, destroy it, or perhaps prevent Destiny from ever manifesting."
"I require your strength, Yang Lin."
"Join me in resisting Destiny?"
Looking at Byakuya's outstretched hand, Yang Lin's answer was remarkably decisive.
"I refuse."
Yang Lin rejected Byakuya once more.
Byakuya slowly retracted his extended hand. A white Phantom materialized beside him, and with a mere flick of his finger, it transformed into a white sword.
Yang Lin instantly drew his own blade and launched an assault!
Yang Lin's gaze swept across the space. A flash of sword light shot directly toward Byakuya!
Clang!
Byakuya casually blocked the attack with one hand. Yang Lin hastily widened the distance. His feet began moving in the pattern of the Nine Palaces walk, his figure constantly shifting to attack from multiple angles!
However, Byakuya simply and casually parried a few times with his white sword, completely neutralizing his fierce offensive.
"This casual engagement—is this your full capability?"
Hearing Byakuya's words, Yang Lin immediately took a step into the Central Palace, gripping the Yang Tree greatsword with both hands, using the momentum to slash horizontally!
Byakuya saw this and suddenly stepped forward. Immediately after, he brought his sword down, striking the Yang Tree sword directly from Yang Lin's hands, sending it flying!
Thud!
The Yang Tree sword flew backward, piercing into the wall not far away.
And Byakuya had already moved behind Yang Lin. He whispered close to Yang Lin's ear, "You still have ten seconds to recall your past."
"However, if you change your mind now, it is not too late."
"If Destiny refuses to offer you a choice, then I shall."
"Yang Lin, your future rests entirely in your own hands."
Byakuya's voice came from behind him. Yang Lin slowly closed his eyes. The throbbing of his heart echoed incessantly in his ears.
But one voice, however, managed to drown out the layers of throbbing heartbeats.
"Do not be afraid, child. The moment you grasped that sword, you became invincible. Byakuya is no match for you."
"He is saying all this to you now precisely because he is afraid."
"Trust me, child."
A throbbing pain suddenly emanated from Yang Lin's forehead. That voice, like a curse, refused to be dislodged from his mind.
That colossal octopus face was laughing behind him.
He desperately wished for that voice to vanish, but he couldn't.
He just wanted to hear the rhythm of that heart a little more clearly, but Chino's words drowned out all other sounds.
"Use that spear."
Yang Lin looked down at the coiled snake imprint on his palm: Hierro's Spear.
In the Manifest World, this item was comparable to a Spear of Judgment; one could say whoever it pierced was definitively finished.
But, what was the actual distinction between Chino and Byakuya?
Yang Lin didn't trust Byakuya, so what reason did he have to trust Chino?
"Be silent."
Hearing Yang Lin's words, Byakuya behind him seemed to realize something instantly.
"Are you referring to him, or to me?"
Yang Lin shook his head. "It's... all of you."
Byakuya's expression instantly turned cold. "This... is Destiny."
"Chief."
At this moment, a figure suddenly ran to Byakuya's front.
The newcomer was none other than Kitsune S-class personnel, Nightmare.
Seeing Nightmare, Byakuya placed his sword against Yang Lin's neck, adopting a stance ready to counter-slash and behead him.
"Is the matter resolved over there?"
Nightmare nodded. "Yes."
"This is not your concern. Proceed to the surface."
"He is?"
"Unimportant."
Hearing Byakuya's words, Nightmare turned around. At this moment, Yang Lin was still arguing with the voice in his head.
His face was contorted in pain, his eyes tightly shut.
Byakuya's eyes gleamed with lethal coldness. He had never displayed such clear killing intent before.
The white sword in Byakuya's hand gradually began to emit waves of light.
In an instant, terrifying sword qi began to uncontrollably disperse in all directions!
Nightmare felt the bone-chilling sharpness and murderous intent, then turned his head sharply. This technique... could this be it?!
The final move of Soaring Sword Art?!
"Ascend to Heaven?"
Excluding low-level cultivation methods, Kitsune's A-class and S-class personnel possess a total of three primary cultivation techniques.
"Soaring Sword Art."
This is a cultivation technique and incantation that only A-class personnel can truly practice.
B-class personnel are eligible to practice scattered variations, such as the Cloudblade that Reinhard took from Soaring Sword Art and gave to Yang Lin.
Besides that, A-class personnel can also practice two other cultivation methods.
One is called "Advanced Cultivation Manual," and the other is "Comprehensive Ether Application."
Moving down the hierarchy, B-class personnel practice intermediate cultivation methods and scattered versions of Ether application, along with some other supplementary techniques.
However, those methods are not worth mentioning; there are many more below them.
And within the entire Kitsune organization, only Byakuya's cultivation method is completely divergent from everyone else's.
No one knows precisely what that cultivation method entails. They only know that Byakuya cultivates uniquely, that is all.
And this move Byakuya is currently executing, Nightmare has also practiced it, as it originates from Soaring Sword Art.
However...
No one in history has ever been able to perform it successfully.
This isn't due to insufficient training time, nor insufficient cultivation effort, but because Soaring Sword Art itself harbors a fundamental flaw!
That final move can seemingly only be executed by Byakuya!
Perhaps this is why Zero instructed Byakuya to cultivate a different method before his departure.
Perhaps only by cultivating that singular method can this final move be properly utilized!
However, the manual specifically notes that this move holds immense destructive power and should not be employed except in dire, life-or-death scenarios.
Byakuya used this technique to end Yang Lin. Indeed, that previous event was genuine.
Byakuya gathered his strength for the strike and was about to unleash it, but at this critical juncture, infinite darkness instantly engulfed the entire third underground level!
Byakuya's spirit was assailed, and his consciousness was forcibly shunted into an eternal dreamscape!
When he finally opened his eyes, he found himself beneath a vibrant nebula.
"Do you comprehend the gravity of your actions?"
"Nightmare."
...
Several hours later, under the cover of night.
Yang Lin's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. He suddenly opened his eyes. Before him shimmered a starry sky.
"Where is this?"
"The location is irrelevant."
A strange voice emanated from the side. Yang Lin followed the sound, discovering an individual with distinctly demonic features, yet dressed impeccably in a Kitsune uniform, seated beneath a tree.
"You are?"
"A Kitsune operative, Nightmare," Jihen stated from nearby.
Yang Lin covered his forehead. He couldn't recall the events leading up to this. He only remembered the voice in his head growing louder and louder, an overwhelming presence seeking to devour his consciousness.
And he had been constantly resisting that voice, repeatedly reciting a specific sentence.
What that sentence precisely was, he no longer recalled, but he knew its meaning was certainly not one of meek compliance.
"What transpired?"
Jihen tossed him the Yang Tree sword. "We went to retrieve the sword, and Byakuya caught us in the act. Byakuya offered you a position in Kitsune, and you refused."
"No need to rehash it. I remember that much," Yang Lin replied.
Jihen stood up. "But you were no match for Byakuya. Ultimately, he intervened and secured our escape."
"However, one detail still puzzles me. Why did you decline his offer?"
"If it were me, I would have readily accepted Byakuya's proposal."
Yang Lin lowered his head. "Because I am not you. Some people refuse to treat others with basic human dignity, but someone has to maintain that standard, right?"
Jihen heard this and glanced at him. He was indeed a genuinely good person, though he didn't dislike the fact.
In this world, the good disliked the bad, and the bad disliked other bad individuals. Who dislikes good people? But good people always face the most arduous paths.
Yang Lin: "But that isn't the core issue. Had Byakuya persuaded me before I acquired this sword, I suspect I might have accepted."
Jihen looked confused. "What significance does obtaining this sword hold? I don't detect any special abilities in it?"
Yang Lin gripped the hilt with both hands. "It doesn't require overt abilities. It also informed me that Byakuya was lying."
"Lying about what?"
"From the moment he mentioned my father, there might not have been a single truthful word in everything that followed," Yang Lin stated, standing up with the sword.
"I do not know his true objective. Previously, you all emphasized Byakuya's character, and I remained skeptical. So, unless I witnessed it myself, I wouldn't have believed it."
"And what is your assessment now?"
"Byakuya is not a benevolent entity. I find myself unable to align with him. If forced to choose between cooperating with him or fighting him, I lean strongly toward the latter," Yang Lin concluded.
"So, you have resolved to confront Byakuya?"
"No."
"Previously, there were only two paths available, but now, a third option has emerged."
"A third path? What is it?"
"I will escape."