I saw Wangyue again more than an hour later.
She was clinging tightly to James, silently sobbing into his chest. The fear of losing her brother had shattered her composure. Even now, safe and alive, she couldn't stop trembling.
Elsewhere, the Shinomiya family was in the middle of a chaotic family meeting. Yuko burst into tears as she hugged Shinomiya Saki and loudly scolded her father, Shinomiya Hiroshi, for arriving too late.
Hiroshi, usually quick with a comeback, simply sighed and muttered that it was a blessing in disguise. As the first second-level powerhouse to arrive at the scene, he had already crawled through the wreckage—yet he said nothing in his defense.
Nearby, Chiyo Nitta stood beside her father, Mr. Shinji Nitta. Her face didn't show panic, but there was a lingering confusion in her eyes. Mr. Nitta gently patted her shoulder, praising her bravery and composure.
"Qingyi, your contribution today is immeasurable. The Extraordinary Association will be rewarding you accordingly," said Hiroshi, his tone both warm and official.
As the head of the Shinomiya family and vice president of the Extraordinary Association base in Tianshui County, his words held weight.
James nodded politely. He had no reason to refuse—he was injured, had exposed a great deal of his power, and had risked his life. Compensation was the least they could offer.
"Qingyi, if you have time, come visit the Nitta household. We've collected countless rare swords over generations. Take a look and see if any suit your needs. Think of it as a token of thanks for saving Chiyo. Don't be shy."
Mr. Nitta stroked his mustache and extended the invitation with genuine warmth.
"Don't listen to that old man," Hiroshi interrupted, swaggering over. "The Shinomiya family has the deepest roots in Tianshui County. Come visit us instead. I'll take you through our treasure vault. And don't forget—Xiaoxiao talks about you every day. You can't ignore her now!"
From the look on Shinomiya Saki's face, it was obvious that her father was making things up again.
"Two seniors!"
A deep, yet boyish voice rang out from behind.
A tall, muscular young man stepped forward—it was Taigo Yokogawa, whom James hadn't seen in quite a while.
"Our Yokogawa family has decided to forge a blade uniquely suited to James, as a gesture of gratitude."
Yokogawa Ota? Yokogawa Taitsugu?
It clicked for James.
The Yokogawa clan didn't originally reside in the city of Tianshui, but rather in a nearby town. The only facility they maintained in the city proper was the Yokogawa Training Hall, which had been overseen by the senior family member, Ota himself.
They hadn't expected such a disaster to strike.
Still, thanks to James's intervention, casualties had remained minimal. Buildings could be rebuilt. As long as people survived, everything else could be fixed.
"Is Ota-senpai alright?" James asked. He held genuine respect for the old man who had fearlessly joined the battle.
"He's stable, but he'll need time to recover."
Given the advanced medical technology in this world, the fact that recovery would take time indicated just how serious Ota's injuries were.
Shinomiya Hiroshi and Nitta Shinji both fell silent. Hiroshi even winked at James, clearly urging him to accept the offer.
"James," Taigo continued, "our family has forged swords for generations and created many legendary blades. Please allow us to create one for you."
He spoke with pride and passion, detailing the Yokogawa family's legacy. It was clear that this wasn't just a business—it was a heritage.
"Then I'd be honored," James replied with a respectful bow. He knew that crafting a high-quality blade required rare materials and intensive labor. This was no small gift.
"We'll tailor it exactly to your specifications," Taigo said with a beaming smile. "Your satisfaction is guaranteed!"
That was the Yokogawa clan's long-standing, customer-first philosophy.
"Thank you," James said sincerely.
Hiroshi arranged for a car to take Wangyue and James home. As the vehicle pulled away, the ruins of the battlefield slowly disappeared from sight.
---
The next morning.
James opened his eyes and gently shifted Wangyue off his arm. She was still asleep.
It was rare for her to sleep in—she must've been truly exhausted.
Let your big brother cook breakfast for you today.
One hour later, Wangyue stared blankly at the "black cake" on her plate.
"Brother… maybe I should keep cooking breakfast from now on…"
James gave a troubled smile. He was Qingyi's Swordmaster—renowned across Tianshui—and yet he couldn't even fry an egg properly.
This must be a curse.
With a sigh, Wangyue got up and returned to the kitchen.
---
At the same time, the internet exploded.
A full-length video had been uploaded to major streaming sites. It began with the black monster bursting out of the ground, followed by its chaotic rampage, and ended with James's breathtaking counterattack and display of Kamui.
The footage was steady, uninterrupted, and incredibly high-definition. The uploader later clarified that it had been recorded from a hot air balloon, not a movie production.
Of course it wasn't a movie. The devastation in Tianshui County was very real. The incident had caused thousands of deaths and the complete destruction of an entire district.
The view count soared—millions, then tens of millions, then hundreds of millions—still climbing without slowing.
> "This is brutal… How many people died?"
"Did you see? After that black thing passed by, there wasn't even ash left."
"Anyone know where this happened?"
"Tianshui County, Sekigahara Prefecture, Sakura Province."
"How do you know?"
"Because I live here, genius."
> "Who is that guy? That extraordinary person is insane!"
"Based on the destruction, I'd say both the monster and the guy are around half-step second level."
"He's so young, though! He doesn't even look like a high schooler."
"He's a third-year student at the top private junior high in Tianshui. Ranked first."
"What the—why is it you again in the comments?!"
"Because I go to school with him…"
"Okay, I'm packing my bags. Two suitcases."
Thousands of comments flooded in every second.
Fights to the death between extraordinary individuals were rare—and when they happened, they were usually low-level and short-lived. But this? This was epic. Cinematic. Destructive on a mythic scale.
> "He's so cool…"
"Just three moves!"
"Why didn't he just do that from the start?"
"Probably a last-resort move. Look carefully—it only happens after the support teams arrive."
"Yeah, see those people from the Extraordinary Association nearby?"
The phrase "three moves" quickly became a meme. In every intense battle scene, people would spam the phrase in the comments. It was even used jokingly in friendly duels—players announcing "three moves!" to psyche out their opponents.
Of course, it usually wasn't a real trump card. Many people just used the line to bait their opponents into letting down their guard—before exploiting the opening. It turned out that every world had its share of trolls.
Meanwhile, James's identity had already been investigated by several major extraordinary families.
To them, someone like him had limitless potential. As long as nothing unexpected happened, he wouldn't just reach the third level—he'd likely surpass it.
Better to invest now, while he was still accessible.
Back in Kanto, junior high schools were shaken. When James's records reached the desks of competing principals, top students across the region began protesting.
> "I have to fight him? Seriously?"
"Principal, I recommend we withdraw from this year's tournament."
"Don't look at me, Sensei. Why don't you go fight him? You probably wouldn't last ten seconds either."
The principal of James's own school, meanwhile, was all smiles. Mr. Nitta, meanwhile, was already drafting ideas on how to recruit James to his institution.
---
The outside world was abuzz with drama, speculation, and memes.
But James?
He was calmly attending class, as if nothing had happened. The only difference was that his classmates now looked at him with a mix of awe, reverence, and fear.
This world… ran deep.
That monster from yesterday? It wasn't an isolated incident.
The Extraordinary Association had protocols for events like this. That meant it wasn't uncommon.
James, who had enjoyed a brief period of peace, now felt the pressure return.
This wasn't over.
It was time to prepare for the next world.
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