Only Karma and Nie Li remained in the library.
Karma didn't say anything.
He just looked at Nie Li.
"…."
That single, quiet stare made Nie Li's soul almost leave his body.
Nie Li swallowed hard.
Why is he looking at me like that?
Why isn't he saying anything?!
Say something! Yell at me! Hit me! Do something!
This silence is worse than death!
Nie Li sat there stiff as a board, back straight, hands neatly placed on the table like a student waiting to be executed.
His legs started trembling.
Karma tilted his head slightly. His eyes were sharp now, with no trace of his usual lazy smile.
"…How did you know?" he asked quietly.
Nie Li froze in place.
"How did you know about Ziyun's birthmark?"
The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere inside the library changed. The air grew heavy, as if an invisible pressure had settled over the room.
Karma crossed his arms slowly. His tone remained calm, but there was unmistakable weight behind it.
"I never asked how you know so much," he said evenly.
"I never asked where all that knowledge of yours comes from either."
Nie Li swallowed hard.
"As long as it benefits Glory City," Karma continued, his gaze fixed firmly on Nie Li,
"I don't really care where your knowledge comes from."
Nie Li's throat went dry.
"But this," Karma said, his eyes narrowing slightly,
"This is something personal, How the hell did you know something like that?"
Nie Li felt it clearly now.
Karma was angry.
Just quietly—dangerously—angry.
Oh no.
Nie Li panicked internally.
This is bad.
This is really, really bad.
When Karma gets pissed off, things never end well for the other person. Ever.
Nie Li sat rigidly in his chair, sweat forming at his temples as his thoughts raced wildly.
Okay. Think. Think fast.
If I answer wrong, I'm dead.
If I hesitate, I'm dead.
If I breathe wrong, I'm probably dead.
He forced out a weak, awkward laugh that sounded completely unconvincing.
"H-Haha… you see, Karma," Nie Li began, waving his hands nervously,
"there's actually a very reasonable explanation. Totally normal. Nothing suspicious at all—"
Karma didn't blink.
Nie Li immediately stopped waving his hands.
Nie Li felt his soul trying to leave his body.
Karma kept his gaze on Nie Li and slowly lifted one hand.
That was it.
Nie Li's soul nearly left his body.
H-He's going to hit me.
This is it. This is how I die.
"W–Wait, Karma! I can explain—!" Nie Li yelped, nearly leaping out of his seat.
Karma didn't move. His raised hand froze in midair.
"…Explain," he said calmly.
Nie Li snapped straight like a disciplined soldier.
"W–When I tested your soul attributes," he blurted out, words tumbling over each other,
"s–some of your memories leaked into me!"
He waved his hands frantically, desperate to look innocent.
"I–It wasn't intentional! I swear!"
"Just fragments! Really blurry ones!"
"I didn't even want to see them!"
Karma's eyes narrowed.
"…My memories?" he asked slowly.
Nie Li nodded so hard his neck nearly snapped.
"Yes! Yes! Exactly!"
"I saw them by accident! Completely by accident!"
"I swear on my life!"
"On Lu Piao's life too, if that helps!"
Somewhere far away, Lu Piao probably sneezed.
Karma stared at him.
Nie Li's legs began shaking so badly it looked like he was about to start vibrating through the floor.
The awkward smile on his face had fully collapsed into pure terror.
Say something…
Please say something…
Nie Li begged silently, sweat rolling down his back as the silence stretched on far longer than it should have.
Karma's eyes narrowed even more, like he was trying to stare straight through Nie Li.
"…Accidentally, huh?" he said quietly.
Then his voice dropped, calm but dangerous.
"Alright then," Karma said. "If you really saw my memories…"
He leaned forward slightly.
"Tell me."
"Exactly what did you see?"
Nie Li froze.
His brain screamed.
I'M FINISHED. I'M FINISHED. I'M FINISHED—
"…Uh…" Nie Li stuttered.
Then, like someone jumping off a cliff, he blurted it out.
"Y-You visited the City Lord's mansion to invite Ziyun for dinner," Nie Li said rapidly.
"And you… accidentally saw her naked in her room."
Karma's eyelid twitched.
Nie Li gulped and continued, voice shaking.
"And then she slapped you so hard you almost met your ancestors."
The library went dead silent.
Karma didn't say a word.
But his raised hand slowly shifted… and instinctively pressed against his own cheek.
"…Tch."
That small motion alone confirmed everything.
The sting.
The humiliation.
The trauma.
Karma stared into the distance for a second, remembering that moment with crystal clarity.
Then his eyes snapped back at Nie Li.
"…So you really did see it," he muttered.
Nie Li nodded furiously, almost crying.
"Y-Yes! See?! I told you! I didn't want to know that either!"
Nie Li's face stayed stiff, but inside his mind, he was basically praying to every ancestor he could remember.
Thank the heavens…
In his previous life, Ye Ziyun had mentioned that incident in passing—complaining about how Karma "somehow barged in at the worst possible timing" and got slapped so hard it echoed through the hall.
If I didn't remember that… I'd be dead right now, Nie Li thought, sweating even harder.
He glanced at Karma's hand still resting on his cheek and mentally sighed in relief.
Yep… that's definitely the one.
After a brief pause, Karma spoke again.
"…What else did you see?" he asked, glaring straight at Nie Li.
Nie Li froze.
"N-Nothing! Nothing at all!" he blurted out immediately. "Just that! I swear!"
Karma stared at him—long and hard—clearly searching for the slightest hint of a lie.
Nie Li stood there stiff as a board, face pale, not daring to blink.
Finally, Karma looked away.
"…Alright," he said.
Nie Li nearly collapsed in relief.
"But," Karma added, glancing back over his shoulder, his tone sharp with warning,
"don't ever speak about things like that again."
He slipped his hands behind his head, his usual carefree posture returning as if nothing had happened.
"And don't scare Ziyun like that either," he said lightly.
"She's easy to fluster."
Nie Li nodded so fast his neck hurt. "Y-Yes! Absolutely!"
Karma waved casually.
"See you later. Sorry—I just wanted to make things clear."
He turned back and flashed Nie Li a smile.
For some reason, Nie Li felt more terrified of that smile than of Karma's serious expression.
With that, Karma walked away, his footsteps echoing softly down the corridor before fading into the distance.
Nie Li stood there for a full second.
Then—
"Haaaaaah—!"
He let out a massive sigh of relief and slumped against the table.
"…I really thought I was going to die just now," he muttered, sliding down into the floor.
His legs finally stopped shaking.
"…That guy," Nie Li said, wiping sweat from his forehead,
"is absolutely terrifying when he gets serious."
The library slowly returned to silence once more.
Inside the Uzumaki Mansion — Karma's Room
The room was quiet—luxurious and refined.
Spirit lamps glowed softly along the walls, their light brushing over silk curtains embroidered with the Uzumaki crest. Furniture carved from rare spirit wood sat polished to a mirror sheen. Every detail spoke of wealth, power, and a family that stood far above nobles.
Karma lay sprawled across a wide couch, one leg hanging lazily over the side as he chewed on a piece of dried fruit, utterly relaxed.
Before him, a young man knelt on one knee.
He looked no older than sixteen, dressed in dark combat attire. His posture was straight, disciplined—like a blade drawn and held perfectly still, waiting for a command.
Karma glanced at him and sighed.
"…How many times have I told you," Karma said lazily, eyes half-lidded,
"when it's just us, stop kneeling."
The boy didn't even blink.
"It is my duty," he replied calmly.
"I am your sworn shield. Kneeling before you is natural."
Karma clicked his tongue.
"Tch. You make me sound like some ancient emperor."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"Stand up. You're hurting my eyes."
The boy hesitated for exactly half a second—then rose smoothly, movements precise and controlled.
Karma leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting just a bit.
"Have you heard?" he asked casually.
"Chen Linjian from the Divine Family, what is he planning to do?"
The boy's eyes sharpened at once.
"…Yes. The Ancient Orchid City ruins?"
Karma's grin widened.
"Knew you would know."
The boy relaxed just enough to sit in the chair nearby, though his spine stayed straight.
"Are you planning to go, Karma?" he asked.
Karma stretched his arms over his head, joints popping lightly.
"Why not?" he said cheerfully.
"Ruins, danger, treasure—sounds like a fun outing. Way better than sitting around drowning in paperwork."
The boy frowned slightly.
"It will be dangerous," he said.
"And you should ask your father for permission."
Karma burst out laughing.
"My old man won't stop me," he said easily.
"It's my mom who'll throw a fit. That's the scary part."
Then his smile thinned—just a fraction.
"Prepare the squad," Karma added casually.
"All of them."
He tilted his head, eyes glinting.
"During the trip, I want your squad with me."
The boy stood instantly and placed his fist to his chest.
"As you wish."
Karma leaned back into the couch, popping another piece of dried fruit into his mouth, completely at ease.
The Next Day — Glory City Market
Karma did not want to be here.
That much was obvious from the way he was being dragged through the bustling market by Ye Ziyun, his expression somewhere between sleepy and deeply wronged.
"I told you already," Karma muttered, half-asleep as she pulled him along by the sleeve,
"this is nap time. Sacred, holy, once-a-day nap time."
"You nap all the time," Ye Ziyun shot back without slowing down.
"And you promised."
"I promised nothing," Karma yawned. "I was coerced. Emotionally blackmailed."
"That's called friendship," she said flatly.
"Horrible custom," he replied.
Despite his complaints, he still followed—hands in his pockets, eyes half-closed, clearly suffering through what he considered the most terrifying activity known to man.
Shopping.
Just as they turned into a wider street—
"MURDER—!
THE SACRED FAMILY IS COMMITTING MURDER—!"
The shout exploded through the market like thunder.
Karma stopped.
His head tilted slightly.
"…Huh," he said. "That voice sounds familiar."
Ye Ziyun froze.
Her face drained of color.
She grabbed Karma's sleeve tightly.
"That's Nie Li!" she said urgently. "He's in danger!"
The shout came again, louder this time.
"MURDER! SOMEONE HELP—!"
Ye Ziyun's grip tightened.
"Karma," she said, panic creeping into her voice,
"do something. Please—we have to help him!"
Karma didn't answer right away.
Instead, his eyes shifted—upward.
On the rooftop of a nearby building, a figure was kneeling silently.
Their eyes met.
Karma gave a small, almost lazy nod.
The figure vanished.
Karma straightened.
"Alright," he said lightly. "Nap's cancelled."