The Red Queen looked at Smith with deep suspicion.
She didn't trust him—at least, not entirely.
But time was running out, and her grandfather's condition was deteriorating rapidly.
"Fine. I'll give you a chance. But if you try anything funny, I won't let you walk out of here alive!" she warned, her tone sharp and dangerous.
Smith ignored her threats and calmly walked into the attic. "Tell me everything. What exactly happened to your grandfather? How did he get hurt?"
The Red Queen quickly followed, her voice urgent. "My grandfather was once a soldier of the Holy Empire—a general, in fact. He was responsible for guarding one of the strategic passes.
Later, the Holy Royal City experienced a devastating upheaval and became completely isolated from the rest of the empire. The Holy Empire began to crumble, and monsters surged back in retaliation."
She paused briefly, collecting her thoughts before continuing.
"My grandfather held the line here. Fueled by sheer obsession, he fought off wave after wave of monsters. But the prolonged battles shattered his mind. Eventually, he descended into madness."
"We used to stabilize his condition with the blood of the Earth Elephant, which can calm mental chaos. But now… the blood is no longer effective. Either it's too diluted, or his condition has worsened beyond its reach."
Smith followed her gaze to an old man seated in a wooden chair. Though physically stable, the man's body trembled periodically. His eyes were wide, blank, and lifeless—muttering "Kill... kill... kill…" in a low, repetitive voice.
The trauma of war had clearly left a permanent mark on his psyche.
The Red Queen and her maids stood off to the side, watching Smith closely. Any suspicious action on his part, and they were ready to intervene.
Smith crouched in front of the old man, locking eyes with those vacant, rage-filled pupils. A sense of haunting bloodlust lingered in them—like a soldier forever trapped in an unending battlefield.
After a brief moment of silence, Smith's expression sharpened. His Mangekyō Sharingan activated with a flicker of light.
"Genjutsu: Sharingan Illusion."
He cast a powerful illusion directly into the old man's mind.
Given the old man's current state—despite being a fifth-level psychic—he was in no condition to resist.
"You're trying to use illusion to treat my grandfather's trauma?" the Red Queen asked, narrowing her eyes. "I've tried that already. It doesn't work."
Illusions, after all, were a form of spiritual influence. In theory, they could be used to suppress mental disorders or even reconstruct broken memories. But she herself was an experienced illusionist—and her efforts had failed.
"You couldn't do it because your illusion skills are lacking," Smith replied flatly.
"You—!" the Red Queen flared with anger. "Fine, let's see what you can really do!"
Smith ignored her outburst and focused his efforts, carefully layering illusions to neutralize the old man's trauma. He constructed peaceful memories, suppressed violent impulses, and redirected the mental chaos like a sculptor shaping raw clay.
The old man's body began to tremble violently. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he groaned in pain, caught between madness and lucidity.
---
BOOM!
Suddenly, the old man's body shot upright. A flash of brilliance surged in his once-cloudy eyes, and a wild, overwhelming pressure exploded from his form.
A fifth-level mutant's aura erupted fully, making both Smith and the Red Queen momentarily freeze.
Such power…!
Smith immediately began forming hand seals, ready to counterattack. It was his first time experiencing the unrestrained pressure of a fifth-level psychic up close—and it was no joke.
But then, just as suddenly, the aura vanished—like a faucet abruptly shut off.
The old man had reined in his power entirely.
"…Xiao Xi," he said softly, his eyes now clear and focused as he turned to the Red Queen.
"Grandfather! Are you... are you really back?" she gasped, her voice trembling with joy.
It had been so long since he had called her name—so long since he had looked at her with recognition in his eyes.
"It seems like the treatment worked," Smith finally let out a breath.
To be honest, even he hadn't been sure it would work. Using the Sharingan to heal someone's mind was unprecedented.
But fortunately, it had succeeded.
"Young man," the old man said, turning to Smith. "It was you who saved me, wasn't it? Thank you."
"No need to thank me. I had a deal with your granddaughter," Smith said casually. He then turned to the Red Queen. "Now that I've held up my end, it's time for you to tell me where the Burning Fire Clan is."
The Red Queen's expression shifted—eyes glinting with mischief.
"You want me to tell you? I never said I was someone who keeps her word. What if I just... don't?"
Smith's eyes narrowed dangerously.
But before he could respond, the old man suddenly slapped the Red Queen on the butt.
"Didn't I teach you anything? You must always keep your word!"
"G-Grandfather!" she cried, humiliated. Her face turned bright red from the embarrassment.
"Don't make me repeat myself. Hurry up and tell him what you promised," the old man said sternly.
"I'm your granddaughter! Why are you siding with an outsider?!" she pouted, trying to deflect.
The old man gave her a warning glare and raised his hand again.
"All right, all right! I'll talk! Just stop raising your hand already!"
The Red Queen quickly covered her rear, afraid of another spanking.
Smith smirked quietly. A mischievous girl like her definitely needed someone to keep her in line.
"The Burning Fire Clan's base isn't in Dark City. You'll have to travel east—about thirty miles from here, there's a forest. Inside that forest, you'll find a cave. That's their main hideout. Good luck," she said reluctantly.
Smith nodded and turned to leave, having gotten what he came for.
---
Once outside, Smith considered his next move. Now that he knew the Burning Fire Clan's location, he had to make a choice—go alone or involve others like Zhang Yi.
After some thought, he chose to go alone.
The strength the Burning Fire Clan had displayed so far was far from ordinary—borderline terrifying. Their objectives remained unclear, but their cruelty was undeniable. Involving others might only lead to unnecessary casualties.
And so, Smith ventured east toward the location the Red Queen had provided.
Before long, he arrived at the forest thirty miles outside Dark City. There was no need for detailed searching—he could already sense the presence of the Burning Fire Clan in the air.
Following the ominous aura, he reached a small hill. At its base, a cave mouth opened like a dark, waiting maw.
Outside the cave, a purple flame blazed furiously. Suspended within the fire was a human figure—charred beyond recognition, his life long extinguished.
Smith's heart dropped.
It was Wang Yan.
"Wang Yan!" Smith rushed forward, bringing him down from the flame—but it was too late.
Just then, the purple fire flared again, rising high into the air before condensing into a humanoid figure made entirely of fire.
The fiery entity hovered above the hill, its body radiating dreadful energy.
"Who are you?!" Smith demanded.
The flame figure grinned wickedly.
"This is our first meeting, so allow me to introduce myself," it said, its voice a deep growl laced with burning malice.
"I am Youli, true leader of the Burning Fire Clan… Inheritor of the Flame of Sin… and the Lord of Dark Sin."
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)