The journey to Yrik City was uneventful. Two days of steady travel, the rhythmic beat of his footsteps a constant drum against the backdrop of the Yog Kingdom's sprawling landscapes. He arrived at dusk, the city gates looming before him, not as imposing as Jadeheart's, but radiating a different kind of power. The power of old money, of established authority, of entrenched nobility.
He presented his guild identification and the summons from Guild Master Yoru at the gate, the guards waving him through with a respectful nod. Even in Yrik City, the name "Kenji," the bronze-rank cultivator who had single-handedly resolved the Jinzo incident, carried a certain weight.
The Guild headquarters in Yrik City was a grand, imposing structure, a stark contrast to the more utilitarian building in Jadeheart. He was ushered into Yoru's office, a spacious chamber adorned with maps, trophies, and portraits of past Guild Masters, their faces stern, their gazes unwavering.
Yoru, a man of imposing stature and sharp intelligence, greeted him with a curt nod. "Kenji," he said, his voice deep, resonant, "the Jinzo incident… your report was… concise. Perhaps too concise."
Kai met his gaze, his expression unreadable. "I delivered the perpetrators. The investigation is concluded."
"The perpetrators," Yoru echoed, his eyes narrowing slightly, "were two young boys, barely trained in the most basic cultivation techniques. Yet, they managed to… subdue an entire village? Unlikely."
Kai remained silent, his gaze unwavering. He had anticipated this line of questioning. He had prepared his answer.
"They spoke of… blood techniques," he said, his voice flat, emotionless. "Forbidden arts. They stumbled upon something they couldn't control. The scrolls… they were destroyed in the struggle."
Yoru studied him, his gaze sharp, piercing, searching for any flicker of deception, any hint of falsehood. But Kai's face betrayed nothing. He was a mask of cold indifference, a blank slate reflecting nothing but the Guild Master's own suspicion.
"Destroyed?" Yoru echoed, his voice laced with skepticism. "A convenient… accident."
"Efficiency," Kai replied, his voice a chilling whisper. "Loose ends must be… eliminated."
Yoru's gaze lingered on him for a long moment, then he nodded slowly, a grudging acceptance of Kai's explanation, or perhaps simply a recognition of the futility of further questioning. He had no proof, no evidence to contradict Kai's report. And the two young men, mutilated and silenced, could offer no testimony.
"Very well, Kenji," Yoru said, his voice regaining its usual authoritative tone. "The Jinzo incident is… closed. However," he continued, his gaze sharpening again, "your… methods… have attracted attention. The Ito Clan, in particular, has expressed… interest."
The Ito Clan. The name, even in Yrik City, carried a weight of power, of influence, of… danger. Kai had anticipated their involvement.
"Interest?" Kai echoed, his voice a carefully modulated blend of curiosity and indifference.
"They require… a bodyguard," Yoru explained, his gaze fixed on Kai, assessing his reaction. "For their heir. Reo Ito. A… delicate assignment. High risk. High reward."
A bodyguard. For the Ito heir. It was… unexpected. But also… an opportunity. A chance to infiltrate the Ito Clan, to gain access to their resources, their knowledge, their power. A chance to climb the ladder of influence, to move closer to his ultimate goal.
"I accept," Kai said, his voice flat, emotionless, betraying nothing of the calculations churning beneath his cold facade.
Yoru nodded, a flicker of… something… crossing his face. Approval? Amusement? Calculation? It was impossible to tell. "Good," he said, his voice regaining its usual authoritative tone. "Reo Ito will arrive tomorrow. You will be introduced then. Consider this… a promotion, Kenji. And a warning. The Ito Clan… they are not to be trifled with."
Kai nodded curtly, accepting the assignment, the promotion, the warning, all with the same cold indifference. He left Yoru's office, the weight of the Ito Clan's attention settling upon him, not as a burden, but as a… challenge. A challenge he intended to overcome. A challenge he intended to… exploit.
He returned to the room assigned to him in the Yrik City guildhall, smaller, less comfortable than Room 567 in Jadeheart, but sufficient for his needs. He placed the Ethereal Katana beside his cot, the living steel humming faintly in the quiet room. He closed his eyes, focusing inward, drawing on the whispers of sword qi, on the subtle warmth of the Black Jade Necklace, on the dark secrets of the Blood Techniques.
He had a new mission. A new path. A new opportunity. And he would not squander it. He would become the Ito heir's shadow. He would infiltrate their ranks. He would gain their trust. And he would use them, as he used everything and everyone, to further his own relentless pursuit of power, of immortality, of… destiny. The serpent's coil had tightened, and Kai, the phantom warrior, was now bound to a new master, a new path, a new game of shadows and ambition. And he intended to… win.