The deafening roar of the Gifu coliseum vibrated right through the concrete wall Merun was leaning against. In an instant, he disappeared.
As he reappeared Inside, the dust was just settling on the arena floor.
He had seen it all. From his hidden vantage point, Merun had just finished watching Mikan's match. She was doing phenomenal for a martial apprentice—in fact, she was clearly at the absolute peak of her realm. What truly impressed him was how she had started incorporating steel threads and daggers into her movements, seamlessly blending them to enhance her Mobile Suppression martial path.
She's grown so much, Merun noted silently, a wave of pride washing over him. The Iaiashin household had clearly been treating her well, giving her access to resources and training he could only have dreamed of a few years ago.
Then, his eyes had drifted toward the stands. He caught a brief, clear glimpse of the rest of his family sitting together, cheering. In that single second, the emotional wall he had built up over two months of brutal, suffocating training cracked. His heart broke down like a sudden dam, flooded with pure, aching longing. He wanted nothing more than to leap over the barriers, run into the stands, and show up right then and there.
But he forced his fists to clench tightly in his pockets. No. There had to be an order to things.
He quietly disappeared once more.
As he reappeared outside the quiet corridor of the arena, trying to steady his breathing, the temperature in the air suddenly plummeted.
"Who are you? How did you get past the guards?"
The voice was calm, soft, and serene. Yet, the aura behind it completely betrayed its gentle tone. It was heavy, suffocating, and terrifyingly intense.
Merun didn't need to look to know that Master Iaiashin was standing right behind him, her hands hovering precisely over the hilt of her regal katana.
Merun slowly turned around to face her.
The moment their eyes met, the lethal composure on Master Iaiashin's face sharpened. Her eyes widened in pure shock. For a few seconds, the high-and-mighty Noble Martial Master just stared. Then, slowly, her sharp eyes softened, a faint, rare hint of joy flickering across her features.
"Merun Furutsu," she murmured, her voice carrying a trace of disbelief. "In a few short months... you've grown this strong?"
A cold sweat broke out down Merun's spine. He instinctively shifted his weight. "Master Iaiashin... how could you tell?"
He was genuinely baffled. Right now, he was actively suppressing his ki to its absolute limit, masking his presence so thoroughly that he should have looked like a completely ordinary non-martial peasant.
He didn't think anyone short of a Martial Sage could see through it.
She offered a small, knowing smile. "There are things your body language tells me even without you knowing. The way you stand, the way you breathe—your muscles hold the memory of power."
Not knowing what else to say, and feeling the sheer weight of what she had done for him, Merun stepped forward and bowed a perfect, respectful 90 degrees.
"I heard of what you did, Master," Merun said, his voice thick with sincerity. "Thank you."
Master Iaiashin blinked, momentarily caught off guard.
"Not only did you save me, but you took care of my family," Merun continued, still holding the bow. "By the news that reached my ears, they're thriving. Truly... thank you."
A profound silence settled between them. Inside her mind, Master Iaiashin was utterly astonished. Based on everything she knew, she had been entirely convinced that Merun would grow to absolutely despise her because of her noble status. Especially since he had been pulled from the brink of death and harbored by the Beggar Sect—a group she was 100% certain would brainwash him into becoming a noble-hating, martial-hating puppet.
Yet, looking down at him, she could read people well enough to know he wasn't faking. There was no hidden malice, no masked resentment.
He was... genuinely thankful.
"Thank me not," she said softly, her eyes calming once more as she regained her regal posture. "Your family has taken care of themselves. To think such talented siblings almost died of starvation in a tiny rural village... you included."
She took a step closer, the heavy pressure of her aura fading into a cool breeze.
"Besides, I didn't save you for free, Merun. The Beggar Sect... they've told you about your alibi, correct?"
Merun finally straightened up, nodding. "The Penitence of the Iaiashin. I know the story I'm supposed to tell."
"Good. That saves me the trouble," Master Iaiashin replied smoothly. "You are to officially join the Kinzoku Clan starting tomorrow. And you must prove your worth in the Steel Convergence tournament. You will be registering for tomorrow's Senior bracket."
Merun paused, the request catching him slightly off guard, but he kept his composure. "Wait... you still haven't answered my question, Master Iaiashin. Why did you save me?"
She stared into his eyes, but it seems she was looking further into his soul.
"...Potential," she answered without hesitation, her gaze piercing right through him. "You have the potential to bring back this clan to its former glory... among other things. I could see it the moment we fought. Nothing escapes my sight, Merun. I can always tell apart an unrefined diamond among a heap of trash."
...Wait, so I was the trash before? Merun thought, a deadpan expression briefly crossing his mind, though he wisely kept it off his face.
"I must take my leave to handle some internal affairs," Master Iaiashin said, turning away as her kimono billowed slightly. "Be sure to register for the Senior bracket before the sun sets tonight."
Just as she was about to sky-walk away, she paused, looking back over her shoulder. A rare, genuinely stunning smile graced her face.
"Welcome back, finally. Merun Furutsu."
With a soft blur of motion, she leaped into the air, instantly taking to the sky and flying back toward the high tiers of the coliseum.
Merun stood frozen outside the arena, completely unable to move or think for a few moments as his brain slowly processed the entire conversation.
The sheer weight of her presence still lingered in the air.
...Yeah. I still think I can't take on Martial Masters just yet, Merun realized, a wry smile touching his lips. Her power was still an absolute mountain.
Then, his eyes snapped wide as a sudden, frustrating realization hit him.
Fuck! I forgot to scan her power level!
He groaned internally, rubbing his temples. The distraction of the meeting had completely wiped the objective from his mind. But as his mind traced back to the registration for the Senior bracket, the unhinged, raspy voice of the Beggar Sage from their earlier transmission suddenly echoed perfectly in his memory, laying out the exact directives he now had to execute.
"Fourth! Practical directives," the Beggar Sage's holographic projection had barked, his eyes flashing with data-hungry madness. "Gifu is built on the Kinzoku Clan. They're independent, metal-tempering powerhouses sitting on esoteric alloys that every single entity on the continent wants to grab. You are going to be my eyes inside the forge."
The memory of the old man's face warped with intense, ravenous focus in his mind's eye.
"Map the underground veins and mines! I want the exact chemical compositions of their alloy production. I want to know exactly which rival sects, corporate interests, or noble dynasties are buying the high-grade metal used for the world's best armors and weapons. And since this Steel Convergence tournament is drawing every hidden player out of the woodwork, use that scouter! Scan everyone. Tag every single high-threat individual whose power level doesn't match the public rosters. I want a complete census of the wolves, Merun. Give me the numbers!"
Merun lowered his hand from his temple, his gaze hardening as he looked out toward the bustling capital. The directives were clear.
Stepping out of the shadow of the corridor, Merun blended into the crowd, heading straight for the registration booths. The wolves were gathering in Gifu, and it was time to start counting them.