The morning sun bathed the earth in gold as Li Xīrán finished her breakfast atop the gourmet tablecloth. After tidying it with practiced care, she stepped beyond the village gates, where a faint morning mist still clung to the roadside grass.
She stood alone, the only figure visible in the quiet countryside.
"Master Eren said one of the strongest members of Black Lotus would take me to hunt my first soul ring..." she murmured, her voice half-lost in the breeze. Excitement laced her tone, but it could not mask the slight unease lingering in her eyes. She was curious, no, eager, to meet another member of the mysterious organization. And deep inside, she hoped to earn recognition worthy of her master's praise.
Yet ten minutes passed. The road remained empty.
Boredom creeping in, she began to pace back and forth, occasionally kicking loose stones to pass the time. Her thoughts, however, continued to return to one person.
"Why didn't Master Eren come with me himself?" she sighed. "I wanted to show him how hard I've worked…"
She still remembered his words the night before with clarity.
("I'll be busy tomorrow," Eren had said, reclining casually on his bed. "There's something important I must prepare, so I won't be joining you for your hunt. But do not worry, the one guiding you will be one of Black Lotus's strongest. In the entire Douluo Continent, you could count those capable of threatening him on one hand.")
With that, he had summoned the strange pink door, vanishing behind it with his usual nonchalance. She remembered the color vividly.
"Pink…" she whispered to herself now. "Master must really like pink. Maybe I should tailor some of my robes with a bit of pink. He might appreciate it…"
She smiled faintly, lost in thought, until the warmth in the air changed. A shadow fell across her form.
Her body stiffened, instincts sharpened by cultivation whispering danger. She turned at once, leaping backward with a clean pivot, eyes fixed on the figure that had appeared behind her.
A man stood still as stone, partially obscured beneath a bamboo hat. His black cloak bore a lotus emblem, its red outline glimmering faintly in the sun. The same symbol was stitched onto the lower folds of the garment, hinting at silent authority. But it was not the cloak that unsettled her.
It was the man's eyes, crimson irises with three tomoe spinning slowly, and lines etched into his expression like carvings from an ancient statue.
The man looked her over in a single, cold glance.
"You're reckless," he said, his tone flat as steel. "Distracted in the open, without awareness of your surroundings. A mistake that could have cost you your life."
His voice struck her like winter wind. She remained silent, tense, wary.
"But," he continued, stepping forward, "your reaction time and instinct to create distance were correct. You may yet become a worthwhile force within Black Lotus."
His words held neither encouragement nor scorn, only a distant appraisal, as if assessing a tool. Xīrán's brows furrowed. She did not lower her guard.
Still, when she heard him mention Black Lotus, part of her wanted to believe. Yet Eren's warning echoed in her memory.
( "The organization is filled with people like you," she remember what master Eren had once told her. "Some seek revenge. Some desire destruction. Others crave power. A few are simply mad. But all of them want more… and have nowhere else to go.")
Looking at the figure before her, she couldn't tell which type he was. But one thing was clear: he was not someone to take lightly.
The black cloak. The lotus sigil. The hat. The eyes that seemed to see through everything.
He was no ordinary man.
And in truth, he wasn't. He was Eren, currently under the effect of the Itachi Uchiha experience card he had written down that very morning, granting him six hours of power at itachi peak. He chose the Star Dou Forest for her soul ring hunt, not only because of its vast variety of soul beasts but also because it offered the perfect environment to temper her through real combat. With only six hours at his disposal, there was no better place to accomplish both goals efficiently.
Itachi introduced himself in a calm, measured tone, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Uchiha Itachi of Black Lotus. I am here under Master Eren's command to guide you through your soul ring hunt."
Xīrán quickly composed herself and bowed slightly.
"Li Xīrán... of Black Lotus," she said, mimicking his tone awkwardly.
She had never introduced herself that way before, but the moment the words left her mouth, something stirred within her. Her lips curved upward, a strange satisfaction blooming in her chest. There was pride in it, belonging. For the first time in her life, she felt the weight and honor of a title.
"So this is what it feels like..." she whispered inwardly, eyes gleaming with resolve. "I'm one of them now. I'm a member of Black Lotus."
Before her thoughts could wander further, Itachi interrupted coldly.
"Let's move. Every second matters. I assume you're not the kind who would want to waste time now."
Without waiting for a reply, he stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. A chill ran through her body, not from fear, but from the overwhelming presence he radiated. His next words were spoken with the calm finality of someone who had walked paths darker than most could imagine.
"Time is a resource. Every second marks a turning point, not just for you, but for those around you. Every breath counts."
The moment he finished speaking, the mark beneath his palm pulsed faintly. In the blink of an eye, the forest around them vanished. The world twisted, light bent, and space folded. In an instant, they reappeared deep within the Star Dou Forest—at one of the phantom marks Eren had placed months ago during his journey across the continent.
Xīrán stood frozen, her eyes wide with awe.
"What... what was that?"
Itachi, already walking ahead, turned his head slightly.
"That," he said, eyes still half-lidded, "was Phantom Mark, a unique technique exclusive to Black Lotus."
He paused, opening his eyes fully as his gaze pierced the canopy.
"It requires soul power control at a microscopic level and absolute awareness of every mark you lay. You're not ready for it yet. Focus on cultivation first. Mastery will come with time."
Xīrán nodded obediently, still taking in the towering trees, the mist-laced air, and the distant cries of beasts echoing through the foliage.
"Where are we?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of fear and fascination. "I've never seen a forest like this. It's beautiful—"
"Yes," Itachi interrupted, his tone as flat as ever. "Beautiful. And deadly."
He turned to meet her gaze once again.
"This is the Star Dou Forest. Within these woods dwell soul beasts of all levels, some barely a decade old, others ancient enough to crush a Title Douluo. For many, this place is the origin of dreams. For many more, it is where those dreams died, torn to pieces by beasts they never should have provoked."
His gaze shifted forward again, and he continued walking.
"Do not expect me to intervene unless your life is on the line or you face something far beyond your limits. Fight, learn, survive. Or fall."
Xīrán's throat tightened, but she nodded. She understood. She wanted strength, and strength would not come from comfort.
Yet, in the back of her mind, she found herself muttering:
"Does everyone in Black Lotus speak like this? Why do they all stop mid-sentence, throw cryptic warnings, and leave you hanging on edge?"
She clenched her fists in mock frustration, then smiled slightly to herself.
"One day, when I'm strong enough... I'll do the same. I'll leave others speechless and shivering, too."
She whispered under her breath with exaggerated seriousness:
"Yes... that will be my ninja wa, ah, no... my soul master way."