Uncle's expression turned grave. "Who are you? Which archmage did you study under?"
Liver glanced at him coldly. "That's not something you need to know." He raised his right hand—the one adorned with the Black Marin ring—and snapped his fingers. "Good luck."
The next moment, all the remaining puddles within a hundred-meter radius surged violently. From each, countless blades of water shot out, slicing into the palace's supporting pillars.
Clang, clang, clang—!
A thunderous rumble followed as the treasure chamber finally collapsed under the strain. A massive cloud of dust erupted outward, billowing around Liver, the wind tossing his silver-white fringe across his forehead.
"Civilians or officials?" he mused. Though they fought well, he sensed no killing intent from Jackie and the others. That meant they had never taken a life.
"Never mind. The mission comes first." Deciding not to waste any more time, Liver's figure vanished into the swirling dust.
...
"Cough... cough... Teacher! Jade! Are you alright?" Tohru called out anxiously, his broad body having shielded most of the falling debris. In his worry, he forgot someone else entirely.
"Cough... Tohru, why didn't you ask about me?" Jackie groaned, struggling to free his upper body from the rubble. He was utterly exhausted—sweat pouring down, limbs trembling from fatigue.
First, the fight with Finn and his gang; then, being swept away by the flood; now, buried under collapsing ruins. The fact that he was still alive was nothing short of miraculous.
"Uncle, who was that guy—Liver?" Jackie asked, finally getting pulled free with Tohru's help.
"I'm not certain," Uncle replied, frowning. "That man, Liver—he had two magical artifacts and even used spatial spells. He's definitely not someone ordinary..." Then, realization struck him, and his eyes widened. "Aiyah! I know what this means! Quickly, Jackie—we must return to San Francisco!"
"But Uncle, shouldn't we go after the mask fir—ow! Uncle, why?!"
Without another word, Uncle smacked Jackie sharply on the forehead, producing a loud bonk!
"Forget the demon mask! Forget the Japanese mummy! For now, search the ruins for any useful clues. Once we're done, we're going back to San Francisco immediately! The magic circle's warning..."
Meanwhile, the four Dark Hand enforcers, having barely escaped with their lives, stumbled out of the ruins of Shendu's palace.
Seeing no sign of Tarakudo, Chow looked around nervously. "So... the new boss isn't coming after us? Does that mean we're... free?!"
Realizing this, all four of them broke into cheers. Could you really blame them? They just wanted to make a little money—and instead, they'd been tossed from one disaster to the next. Truly, bosses came and went, but the four of them were eternal.
But before they could celebrate for long—thud!
"Ahh!" ×4
...
A day later—thanks to the knowledge implanted by Selene—though a bit rusty, Liver managed to travel safely by plane to Tokyo, Japan.
While the modern world's identification systems posed some inconvenience, a little money went a long way. Fake IDs, passports, private jet rentals—none of it was difficult when one knew the right price.
Night fell over Tokyo. In a dimly lit hotel room...
Using a high-density Honkai Cube as a medium, Selene's upper body gradually materialized as a shimmering projection before Liver through a series of crystalline molecular reconstructions.
"So, you've already obtained General Rairakku's mask? And even fought Tarakudo?" she asked calmly.
"Yes, Milady," Liver replied, kneeling on one knee with solemn respect.
"Excellent. You're currently in Tokyo... which means..."
Selene closed her eyes, recalling the mental map stored within her mind. The Bat Khan's mask was located in a museum somewhere in California; the Sumo Khan's mask rested on a totem pillar at the base of a waterfall along the North Atlantic coast; the Samurai Khan's mask lay deep beneath an ocean; and the Squid Khan's mask was sealed within a mountain's rock strata.
Then there were the Mini Khan, Crab Khan, and Mantis Khan masks—each scattered across great distances, one farther than the next.
After a brief pause, Selene continued, "The closest one to you right now is the Razor Khan—General Murasaki's mask. It's located somewhere inside a themed inn called 'Ca' Bauta' in Tokyo. Find it quickly."
"As for the others, leave them for now. They're far too spread out—searching one by one is inefficient and a waste of time. I'll have the Thirteenth District handle the collection for you."
"Also, you've been working alone. That's far too slow and inconvenient... Take out the Ninja Khan mask. You'll need some assistance."
"The Ninja Khan might not excel in any one area, but their abilities are well-balanced. Versatile and reliable."
Following her command, Liver retrieved a violet-red mask from a reinforced container.
"This is a will-protection seal I've crafted specifically for you," Selene said. "Engrave it onto your forehead. Once you wear the mask, it will minimize the risk of corruption or control."
As she spoke, the Honkai Cube projection shimmered. The violet crystal melted, and from her crystalline form fell a diamond-shaped sigil glowing faintly.
"Yes, Milady." Catching it midair, Liver pressed the sigil to his forehead without hesitation. The mark seared into his skin, leaving a faint crimson glow. Then he donned the Ninja Khan mask.
"The secrets within it... you'll come to understand them in time," Selene said softly. "When you've gathered all nine masks, and the ultimate darkness descends—that will be the moment I make my arrival."
"Liver, I await your success."
With those final words, Selene's form dissolved into motes of violet light. The simulated Honkai construct reverted to its original crystalline bar shape before dissipating entirely.
Once her presence had faded completely, Liver rose slowly to his feet. "Search every mask-themed inn in Tokyo," he commanded.
From the shadows at his feet, countless red eyes flickered into existence in silent acknowledgment.
...
San Francisco — Uncle's Rare Finds.
"Aiyah! Jackie, hurry and finish setting up the magic circle! Why are you so distracted? Time is of the essence—this is very important!"
The frail old man's silver hair stood straight up, like an agitated mountain goat's fur. With a sharp whack, he smacked Jackie squarely on the forehead.
"Ow! That hurts... But Uncle—" Jackie began, rubbing the sore spot. Though he wanted to argue, his mind was full of questions.
"The Oni Mask was stolen! Shouldn't we be trying to get it back?" He frowned, clearly uneasy. Of all people, Jackie knew best the danger these Oni Masks posed.
He tried to reason with Uncle, hoping to convince him. After all, Jackie had fought the Shadowkhan before—he was practically an old acquaintance of the Shadow Army by now.
He understood all too well: if these masks, capable of summoning dark assassins, fell into the wrong hands, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"Aiyah! Jackie, do you really think the mask is what's important? This magic circle was created by the Immortal who sealed the Eight Demon Sorcerers!"
Uncle's tone grew deadly serious. "If we don't figure out what this warning truly means... our world could be facing a disaster unlike anything we've ever seen!"