"The Three-Legged Crow?" Alex asked, his words carrying blatant shock.
The bird, now fully realized in its illusory flaming form, nodded.
"You are the avatar of the Sun?" Shumi asked.
The crow smiled. "I have been called that."
Alex turned toward her with a curious look.
"The records I've read mention that the Three-Legged Crow was born of the sun, an avatar of its existence on the land. Some said it tore a piece of the sun and consumed it, becoming the Sun Crow."
She turned toward the crow. "Is that true?"
The bird didn't answer immediately. It let the pause linger for a second longer before saying, "In a way."
"In a way?"
"I did eat something to become what I had become. But it was not a piece of the sun, but rather a fruit of a tree from long ago," he said, turning to look toward Alex. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you? I can sense it in your body."
Alex's eyes went wide. "The fruit of the Nine Yang Divi— no, Nine Yang God Tree."
The crow nodded.
