Aren leaned forward, eyes wide, his voice trembling with realization.
"Wait… so you're Muri Khan? Are you the one we've been searching for all this time? And you've just been sitting here, hidden in this quiet place? Did we finally find it? Is there even anything else left for us to look for? I guess… the only thing left is to find Valerie's sister, get her away from the Warden of Silence… and then I can finally rest. Mission done."For a moment, silence settled thickly around them, like a heavy blanket they couldn't throw off.
Then, the Smiling Blade's glow pulsed faintly, as if it let out a deep, unseen sigh.
"Do not think I am the relic," it said quietly. "It's not that simple. It's more complicated than you can imagine. Too tangled to explain fully right now… You wouldn't understand it all at once. You both should rest. Tomorrow… your training begins."
But Valerie stayed where she was, her eyes locked onto the blade. Her voice was soft but unyielding.
"No. I want to hear it. The whole story. The betrayal… the plot… all of it. Please."
The blade's glow dimmed, almost as if it was retreating into old, painful memories it had tried to bury. It was clear this story wasn't just history ; it was a wound that still bled somewhere deep inside.
Valerie leaned in closer, her fingers curling into the floor.
"Please… we need to know. We've come this far. Don't leave us in the dark now."
Aren watched, tense and silent, feeling the weight of every unspoken word pressing on his chest.
The Smiling Blade stayed quiet for a long time. Its glow flickered gently, like a candle on the verge of going out, as though it was wrestling with the past — a past full of heartbreak and betrayal, of loyalty turned to ashes.
Finally, it gave a low hum, a sound that almost felt like a trembling breath.
And then, it began.
"After the six beings vanished into the shadows, I stepped out from my hiding place. My heart felt like it might burst as I ran to check on Master.
When I found him, he was deep in meditation ; lost far beyond this world, reaching places none of us could ever touch. I didn't dare disturb him. I just sat there in the corner, tears threatening to spill. They had betrayed us… my own brothers.
I waited for hours, but he never moved. I wanted to shout, to warn him, but I knew it would be disrespectful to interrupt that sacred communion. So I stepped away.
By evening, I checked again. Still, he remained frozen in that deep trance.
I couldn't sleep that night. My mind felt like a battlefield, torn between grief and the thought of facing my friends in battle. I trained with my sword endlessly, each swing echoing through the halls like a desperate cry.
In the middle of the night, I went to check on him again. Still unmoving. What could he be doing for so long? I crept closer, torn by duty and fear. I wanted to call out, to shake him awake — but I stopped myself.
Astonishingly, he stayed like that for another whole day. I didn't understand it. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I knelt beside him. I whispered, my voice shaking with tears, 'Master… Master…'
There was no answer.
I reached out to touch him ;and to my horror, he wasn't really there. It was just a spirit image, a projection. The moment my fingers brushed against it, it disappeared into thin air.
In its place, I saw a folded note, set precisely where he had been sitting. My hands shook as I picked it up. I opened it slowly… and this is what I found."
The Smiling Blade paused, its glow pulsing in slow waves, as though gathering the courage to share the last words of a fallen legend.
[I always knew. I felt the betrayal long before they acted. I heard their whispers echoing, but I chose to trust them ; to believe that our bond was stronger than any thirst for power.
I left behind something none of them could imagine: the true Relic. Forged in the ancient age, it carries the essence of the stars and blessings from gods and goddesses alike. Once, it had a name known only to the heavens.
But you… you proved yourself different. Loyal, unbreakable, strong in both spirit and heart. Because of that, I gave it a new name: Muri Khan.
The holy ones revered it, but only a few truly understood its real power. When the time is right, and when you truly feel in your soul that you're ready, the Relic will reveal itself ; but it will first test you. It will push you beyond your limits, force you to the edge, and only then will it show its true face.
Remember this: you will no longer remain human forever. When the moment comes, you will transform into a sword. Only after you fulfill your true purpose will you return to being human again.
Stay strong. Never let weakness conquer your spirit. Be brave. And above all, believe. Believe that one day we will see each other again… but not until you have truly become the blade you were meant to be.]
A heavy silence fell again.
Aren leaned forward, his brows drawn tight.
"Wait… do the other six know about the Muri Khan?"The blade pulsed, a sad glow lighting the space.
"Yes. They found out. They're searching for it too. And now… your mission is clear: you must face them, defeat them one by one, and reach the Muri Khan before they do."
....
It paused again, as if those words weighed even heavier now that they had been spoken aloud.
"The real challenge is this: to claim the Muri Khan, we must defeat all six of them. Only then can we truly finish this journey."
The Battle has Just Began...