Chapter #57
That night, while Hifung and Ray slept soundly, Sheshi lay awake, watching Hifung's face.
Her thoughts drifted back to her final moments with the man who had once been her master, right before he left her in that cave.
---
—Sheshi's Past—
Sheshi was still grieving, knowing she was about to be abandoned. The man stepped closer and rested a hand on her shoulder.
Man: "You know… I never wanted to part ways with you."
Sheshi's eyes widened in confusion, but the man only smiled faintly.
Man: "One day, someone will open that gate and find you. He will have an aura like mine—red. You must never tell him my name."
Man: "Someday… he will be the one to bring you back to the upper world."
Sheshi's heart twisted with questions.
Sheshi: "But why can't I tell him your name, master?"
The man simply smiled.
Man: "That is my order. Do not question it. Just promise me."
Unable to resist, Sheshi nodded, though the unease never left her heart.
---
—Back to the Present—
Sheshi's eyes welled with tears as she gazed at Hifung. She had waited for him… for decades, perhaps centuries.
---
The next morning, Hifung stirred awake. His eyes opened—and froze. Sheshi was curled up beside him, sharing his bed.
Hifung: "WUAAAAA!!"
His shout startled Ray awake across the room and roused Sheshi as well.
Out in the corridor, Shelyn muttered to herself.
Shelyn: "Why do I always have to be the one to wake them—"
She opened the dorm door, only to find Sheshi lying cozily next to Hifung.
Her heart burned with jealousy, anger, and frustration all at once. But she bit her lip, powerless to lash out.
---
Later that day, they gathered in Yuita's office, seated on the sofa before him.
Yuita: "I know this is sudden. And I shouldn't ask this of you, but…"
His voice faltered. Hifung leaned forward, reassuring.
Hifung: "Don't worry. Tell us what's wrong."
Yuita hesitated, then spoke.
Yuita: "The Yuten Kingdom… the kingdom next to Zen… Yesterday, they sent me a declaration of war."
The words dropped like thunder.
Hifung: "What!?"
Ray: "But why send it to you, Lord Yuita?"
Yuita: "After King Filz's death, the council insisted I take the throne. Though I resisted, I had no choice. And so, the letter came to me."
Hifung: "So Yuten chose this moment—when Filz is gone—to strike!?"
Ray: "They probably think Filz was Zen's strongest shield."
Yuita: "Ironically, none of us were the ones who killed him."
Hifung: "Then… what do we do?"
Yuita: "That's why I need your help. Especially now, with Sheshi here—a dragon."
Ray: "Wait… Filz and the King of Yuten—did they ever fight?"
Yuita paused, then nodded grimly.
Yuita: "Yes. Before Filz gained the Dragon Claw."
Hifung: "And the winner?"
Yuita: "…The King of Yuten."
The color drained from their faces.
Ray: "Then… when does the war begin?"
Yuita: "The letter only declared war. No date was given."
Panic filled the room—except for Sheshi, who looked lost, not understanding.
Hifung: "So… we're already at war?"
Yuita: "Yes. I've ordered defenses raised on all borders. And another thing… We can't keep relying on magic swords. Iron weapons, in truth, can surpass them."
---
That afternoon, they visited the capital's weapon shop. Inside were countless weapons: swords, bows, spears, scythes—even blades that looked ominous and cursed.
They split up. Hifung examined a sword, Yuita tried out a scythe, Shelyn tested a bow, while Sheshi clung to Hifung's side.
In the end, Yuita paid for all of them:
Hifung and Ray chose simple-looking swords.
Shelyn picked up a pair of short blades.
Yuita carried a heavy iron staff.
Sheshi, however, bought nothing.
Hifung: "You're not getting a weapon?"
Sheshi (smiling brightly): "I don't need one, master. Besides, this is the Sixth World."
Hifung: "Oh? Which world were you from before?"
The question caught her off guard.
Sheshi (thinking): "He didn't forbid me from revealing which world I came from… but maybe…"
Sheshi (nervous laugh): "Uh… I forgot, hehe."
Hifung frowned slightly, while Ray gave her a sharp look. Something felt off.
But Sheshi quickly leaned on Hifung again, clinging to his arm. Hifung blushed, while Shelyn's glare grew colder, her jealousy burning.
Then—BOOM!
An explosion echoed from the kingdom's border. Black smoke curled into the sky.
Ray: "An attack!?"
Yuita: "Let's move!"
They rushed to the site. From the treetops, they spotted a Zen outpost—its soldiers bound, surrounded by Yuten troops.
Yuita: "Those must be Yuten soldiers."
Ray: "Shouldn't we rescue them?"
Yuita: "Wait… It could be a trap. We need a plan—"
But before he could finish, one of the Yuten soldiers raised his sword, preparing to behead a Zen prisoner.
Their eyes widened in horror.
[A/N]: Hey everyone, I just want to share some info and reminders.
[A/N]: At the start of the Sixth World arc, I forgot to name the kingdom where Yuita and the others live. So from now on, I'll call it Zen.
[A/N]: Also, the story is getting close to Chapter 60. After Chapter 60 is published, I plan to pause updates for a while to rewrite and improve the writing style of the whole novel.
[A/N]: Sorry that I haven't been releasing new chapters lately—it's because I don't have internet access right now.
[A/N]: So after Chapter 60, I'll likely stop publishing for 1–2 months, then resume. Unless you all keep giving likes and comments—if you keep motivating me, I might continue releasing chapters sooner than expected.
[A/N]: Please support me with likes, comments, or shares with your friends. That will give me the energy to keep going.
Hope you enjoy the story. Thanks for reading!