"Pant... pant..."
Although it was still a bit of a struggle, in the end, the boy did it!
You could see the excitement gleaming in Zāwù's eyes. Along with the beads of sweat on his cheeks, it was dazzling proof of his hard work. Zāwù looked towards Blade, who stood in the distance with his sword, a shy yet expectant expression on his face.
However, the man's expression hadn't changed much from beginning to end. Noticing Zāwù's gaze, he gave his assessment without any rush.
"The idea is good, but it's all flash and no substance."
"..."
Hearing this, Zāwù's cheeks flushed with shame. He lowered his head, looking just like a good student obediently listening to his teacher's critique.
"However, there is another sword style that descends from the sky."
"Magnificent and lethal."
"You, want to learn it?"
Blade's tone was calm. But what Zāwù didn't know was that this sword style was still carved into Blade's heart in the form of an indelible scar, its cruel pain forcing him to review that person's sword skills day and night.
Light sparked in Zāwù's eyes once more.
"Yes!"
The boy expressed his feelings with the simplest, most direct word.
"Then stand your ground, and watch this sword."
Blade raised his sword, holding it level with his chest. He wiped his fingertips along the blade's edge, completely ignoring the dripping blood and the pain from the wound. A scarlet blood moon appeared high behind him.
The next moment, the black-clothed man leaped into the air, flipping his body as nimbly as a swift. The tip of Shard Sword bloomed with the ultimate sword light, his eyes filled with the ultimate destruction! He rained down wave after wave of blood-red ripples upon Zāwù like a torrential storm!
In that moment, Zāwù truly thought he was going to die!
But for some reason, he still stood his ground. He let the cold sweat drench his entire body. He let the wind from the sword blow back his white bangs. He remained perfectly still.
Finally, the sword light carved a terrifying fissure in the ground before him, several feet deep and many yards long.
Zāwù trembled, his light, jade-green eyes still wide open, trying to comprehend the profound sword intent within the move.
After the demonstration, Blade landed as lightly as a quiet autumn leaf, his dark, ancient-style clothes fluttering with the wind.
"Why didn't you dodge?"
Zāwù quietly swallowed.
"...Because, Big Bro Blade told me to stand my ground."
"Are you not afraid of betrayal?"
"Are you not afraid that former comrades, close friends, any intimate relationship can be destroyed, turning them against you!?"
Blade was usually a man of few words; he didn't seem like someone who would say so much.
"I... don't know."
Zāwù's voice was a little timid.
Hearing this, the ferocity and murderous aura in Blade's pupils gradually subsided. He looked down at his sword, at the wound on his fingertip that was already healing, the flesh growing back at a mad pace.
"Then I hope you never will."
"Pick up your wooden sword. I will now teach you this style."
It had a beautiful name.
—Fleeting Blooms, a River of Dreams.
...
From the day Kafka picked up Zāwù, he had been living at the Stellaron Hunter's supply base.
Although he couldn't remember anything about his past, no matter what method he tried, as long as the present he was experiencing, every moment of his daily life, was this peaceful and happy, it was enough.
During the day, the boy practiced the sword with Big Bro Blade.
At night, he was captured by Big Sis Silver Wolf to play games.
Sometimes it was a two-player, single-player game, like the popular "It Takes Two: Cosmos Edition." In the game, Silver Wolf and Zāwù played a couple facing a mid-life crisis, embarking on an adventure to multiple planets to find their "runaway" daughter. They experienced fun gameplay and a touching story, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying.
Other times, it was an online game that was popular throughout the entire universe. Silver Wolf was a high-ranking player on the ladder. She had once reached number one on the all-universe server, letting the name "Silver Wolf" shine at the very top of the rankings. But given that she made no effort to hide her real identity, many people suspected... she was cheating.
After all, who was "Silver Wolf"?
A super hacker who viewed the universe as her game. No matter how tricky the defense system, she could crack it with ease. Her data warfare with Screwllum of the "Genius Club" had become a legend in the hacker world. For a "Silver Wolf" like her, casually modifying a few in-game stats or developing some undetectable cheat software was all too easy.
Silver Wolf never paid attention to what the outside world thought of her. The one time she did respond was with a taunting shout.
—"What? If it's not off, that means it's on?"
Under her personal tutelage, Zāwù quickly became familiar with the game, and his skill level skyrocketed at a visible pace. It went from Silver Wolf carrying him at the beginning to him being able to hold his own, slaughtering his way up the universe's competitive ladder. Gradually, even famous esports clubs in the universe took notice of him and sent him tryout invitations.
Unfortunately, Zāwù never replied.
Because he had more important things to do.
For example, tidying the room for his Kafka... Big Sis Kafka.
Tonight was no exception. Even though Silver Wolf clung to Zāwù, pitifully begging him to play a few more rounds with her, Zāwù could only politely decline.
Although Silver Wolf seemed like a cool and aloof type of girl, once you got to know her, and especially since Zāwù was her peer, she was clearly much more lively and playful than most people thought.
Just like now, as she joked with him.
"Wuwu, you heartless boy, you play with me and then run away!"
Zāwù was quick-witted, sensitive, and intelligent, but he was clumsy with words. He could rarely win an argument against Silver Wolf and could only defend himself in a weak voice.
"I did not..."
Admiring the boy's blushing face, Silver Wolf was finally satisfied and let him go.
In the hallway leading to Kafka's room, Zāwù let out a long, deep breath. It's worth mentioning that he was currently dressed as an elegant butler. Kafka had previously joked about him being the little manservant of the base. He must have heard it from somewhere, because he had made this outfit for himself.
He hoped Kafka would like it.
In fact, Kafka did like it, but she teased him verbally.
"My little Zāwù has learned to dress up~"
"Whose attention are you trying to attract, hmm?"
Zāwù still remembered how his face had turned beet red, and he had lowered his head, unable to say a word. Afterwards, Kafka had pulled a white rose out of thin air as if by magic and pinned it to his tie, which complemented his white hair perfectly.
"..."
Shaking his head slightly, Zāwù cleared his mind, not letting himself get lost in the beautiful memory. He approached the door and, with a mix of apprehension and anticipation, raised his hand to knock gently.
"Knock, knock."
There was no response. Nothing at all.
The sharp-witted boy noticed the door was unlocked; it would open with a gentle twist.
So... did Big Sis Kafka go out and leave it unlocked on purpose, to make it easier for me to tidy up?
A faint sense of disappointment washed over Zāwù's heart, but he quickly pushed it aside.
The boy pushed the door open and entered.
The motion-sensor lights turned on automatically, illuminating the room and letting him see, at a single glance, the woman's purple-red stockings scattered on the sofa.
-------
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