The three were just about to enter the center hall when a group of guards rushed into the hallway, surrounding them.
Mischa stopped.
"More of them?"
She frowned before rushing forward.
Her sword flashed and the guards were sent sprawling, their weapons scattering across the floor as the remaining ones fell.
She turned to face the two younger men, her eyes green and unreadable. Lokei gaped at her.
"Where the hell did you get her?"
Sun Yunso turned to face her
"Don't ask me."
Mischa returned her weapon to its sheath as she calmly approached the two men, the look on her face suggesting that she wasn't overly impressed by what she had just done but before anyone could say anything else, a voice echoed through the corridor.
"Where the hell is that thing? I'm already late. Is there even a point in me being here? The madam really insisted that I come here. What a bother..."
Sun Yunso's eyes widened.
Lokei turned to face him, noting the sudden realization on his face.
"Sun Yunso? What's wrong?"
He didn't answer and instead, he stared at the direction the voice had come from. Sun Yunso was still panting heavily. Slowly, he turned to face the direction of the voice.
A young woman was standing a little further down the corridor, glancing around as if she had forgotten why she came in the first place. She turned to face Sun Yunso, looking at him for a brief second. At first, she looked as if she had seen a ghost. The longer she stared at him, the more she began to recognize his features. Her expression changed to bewilderment.
"Wait, why do you look so familiar? Ah. That's why."
A small smile played on her lips
"You're that boy who lived with that man, Su Qing, aren't you? I must say, you've grown quite a bit since I last saw you."
Her eyes swept over him, taking in the scars along his eyes and the two swords at him.
"How have you been all these years?"
Sun Yunso's face remained impassive
"Mischa. Lokei. Go to the center hall."
Lokei blinked.
"What?"
"Go. Do not look back"
"What the hell are you–" Mischa tried to ask but was cut off by Sun Yunso.
"Sa Wayong and Chu Runar may need help, now go.”
They didn't understand. Lokei shot a glance at Sun Yunso and the woman.
"Why are you suddenly-"
Sun Yunso was already gone and in a blur of motion shot past the three of them, and in the blink of an eye, he was beside the young woman. She barely had time to react before Sun Yunso shoved her against the wall. The two swords at his hip were already out, one pointing at the base of her throat, the other hovering just above the other side.
His expression was different from when he had first appeared. There was no amusement, no confusion. Just a cold-blooded killer's look. The young woman looked him up and down before something very surprising happened.
"...Well. You certainly have grown up."
Sun Yunso's grip on his swords tightened.
"Tell me why you're here."
Sun Yunso's anger rose.
His swords were still against the young woman's throat, but they weren't the only things that had gotten colder.
"Who are you?"
The words came out, and some distant part of Yunso's mind echoed them back to him. A similar inflection, a similarly calm and casual tone.
'Su Qing, the Phantom Blade, has been put to death.'
The words were ones he'd once heard, said in the same moment that marked the end of his master's life and Sun Yunso's grip on both of his swords tightened.
"I asked you who the hell you are!"
The young woman looked unimpressed, and was far more concerned with his lack of manners than the fact that he was holding two very deadly weapons against her throat.
"Now now, calm yourself dear boy, it's terribly rude to come to a lady like this."
Sun Yunso's face darkened, and the woman gave a polite smile.
"But if you wish to know my name then if you must know, I am Christiana Challen, the Archsinner representative of Envy of the beautiful group named, The Scarlet Wolverine Sect and yes, I was the one who delivered the killing blow against the man you held so dear."
Sun Yunso's grip tightened around his swords. His mind reeled with the words that Christiana had just said.
Sun Yunso's hand quivered with emotion as a single tear rolled down his cheek. Not out of sadness, nor grief, but rather anger. The woman who stood before him was the one who took his master's life, who stole the life out of his heart, and took away everything he had lived for up to this point.
Sun Yunso's eyes narrowed at the sight of the woman who had stolen his everything
"I'll kill you!"
He leapt forward, both of his swords slicing towards Christiana, his vengeance against her the driving force behind his movements.
Yet she did not move an inch.
Christiana merely raised one hand, placing it against Sun Yunso's chest.
"Move."
She said simply, her tone almost in a mocking manner.
Suddenly, an invisible force slammed against Sun Yunso's chest, sending him flying back. He cried out in surprise as he flew through the air, his two swords still in his hands as he landed flat on his back against the wall. A small puff of dust came from the area where he had landed.
There was a moment of silence as the two stared at each other. Then Christiana lowered her hand and gave him a rather curious glance.
"Goodness," She hummed, tilting her head slightly as she looked at Sun Yunso. "You really are quite emotional, dear boy."
Sun Yunso pushed himself off the ground, giving her a rather odd look. After a few moments he finally straightened out and faced Christiana again. She shook some dust from her attire before looking back at Yunso. Seeing the mix of anger and hatred in his eyes, she chuckled softly. It wasn't a sound of nervousness, nor of surprise, rather she found it quite amusing.
Sun Yunso's expression darkened.
"Be calm, boy."
The moment the words left her mouth, something strange happened. All of Sun Yunso's anger, his hatred, the vengeance that had driven him to attack her suddenly disappeared. The rage that had driven his emotions for so long disappeared in an instance, replaced with his usual calm and collected look.
Sun Yunso blinked in confusion.
What... just happened?
His mind replayed the events that had occurred just a few moments ago. He could still see Christiana before him, and still remember the terrible thing that she had done to Su Qing. And yet... he no longer felt the emotions that he once had.
Christiana merely tilted her head in interest at Sun Yunso's expression.
"So this is what emotions are like..." She mused to herself, her tone amused. "How very interesting."
Sun Yunso stared at her, trying to understand what had happened.
Was this her Seijinism?
He had heard about powers that could persuade people on a mental level, but that was not what this was. She had not convinced or coerced him, she just spoke and his heart obeyed.
What power is this? Is it Seijinism?
It had to be, but at the same time, he couldn't grasp how it was possible. The questions plagued his mind, but he forced them away.
Now is not the time, the woman who had murdered his master was in front of him and he didn't have the luxury of wasting time on thoughts that would do nothing to help him at this moment.
Sun Yunso closed his eyes and exhaled sharply. In his right hand he held the white-hilted sword he had found earlier, the one whose memories had shown him a sorrow so great that he could barely comprehend it. He remembered what he had seen, the despair and pain and unbearable tragedy locked away in that weapon, and he thought that, perhaps, if he could end even a fraction of that suffering, even if only in himself, it would be worth it.
'Please, help me. Become the white paint in my canvas and in exchange... I swear I'll help you. I'll help you.'
A soft white light drifted from the blade, coalescing along the steel before flowing down the length of it like a spectral liquid, encasing it in an aura of white energy and with that he opened his eyes.
"Elsa..."
It almost came out as a whisper, but the name still escaped his lips.
The black Seidan that had coiled itself around his initial blade began to writhe and writhe, dark tendrils of energy stretching out from it as the white glow from Elsa's sword pushed against it, flowing in the opposite direction. The auras of the two swords spun around Sun Yunso, one black and one white, dancing around him in a dance of light and shadow.
Christiana's smirk was beginning to fade.
Sun Yunso dropped into a fighting stance then he charged forward, two blades loose in his grip, the different auras trailing behind him as he ran straight at the woman who had taken his master's life.
Sun Yunso charged forward, the black and white auras around him trailed behind as he brought both of his swords up to slash at Christiana. She simply moved to the side, allowing the blades to pass through the air just barely missing her.
Sun Yunso halted and spun, already preparing another attack but Christiana easily moved out of the way once more.
Her movements were fluid and simple as if she was simply annoying instead of fighting a man who came to kill her.
"Stop."
The simple word sent a jolt of electricity through Sun Yunso's body. It was as if some unseen force gripped his body and restrained it. He struggled against it as he tried to move forward his arms still bringing the swords up in an attacking motion but the black and white auras surrounding his body flickered.
His muscles strained against the invisible force but Sun Yunso couldn't move another inch. Christiana leisurely strode over to him.
"My, my, you really do have so much bloodlust don't you?" She said as she stopped in front of him as she peered at his face. "So this is what emotions do to humans. How very interesting. I do hope I can experience them one day. But alas, I do not have time for you. I have more important matters to attend to."
With that Christiana turned away from Sun Yunso and began walking towards the center hall door. His eyes were fixed on her as she walked away, Yunso's body still restrained by her command.
"Get back here..."
His voice was soft as he tried to force his body to move.
She turned her head to look at him.
"Do try not to look so sad about this, dear boy. We shall meet again."
With that she turned back around and walked away, Sun Yunso still standing rooted to the spot. His body strained as he fought against the invisible command that kept him still. His muscles screamed in protest as he tried to force his body to move. The power of rage pumped through his veins, giving him strength.
'Move!'
Christiana was walking away from him and he had to stop her. If she got away then the woman who killed his master would live to walk away. He would spend the rest of his life cursing the day he allowed her to leave. Sun Yunso fought against the intangible force trying to keep him still.
It was all he could do, all he could think about. With all of his might he forced his body to move, willing it to move with his mind but nothing happened. Christiana was almost at the doors leading to the centre hall when she snapped her fingers.
Instantly Sun Yunso felt his body move on its own accord.
For a moment he just stood there, surprised, flooding his senses before he charged forward. His feet left the ground as he flew towards Christiana, both of his swords raised and ready to strike.
"Stop."
Sun Yunso's body halted in midair, his heart pounding in his ears as he struggled against the command but nothing happened. His body remained still in the air, his swords pointing at the back of Christiana's head. Christiana sighed as she turned around facing Sun Yunso once more.
"I am doing my best to let you walk away, dear boy. But it seems that your emotions are doing a fantastic job of keeping you here. To be perfectly honest as a worthless puppet such as myself I do not think such disgusting feelings will ever develop inside of me. But alas, I do not have time to waste on you. I shall have to take this weapon with me or else the madam will punish me."
Christiana turned away from Sun Yunso once more, leaving him hovering in the air and once again Sun Yunso was forced to watch the woman who killed his master walk away from him.
This was becoming quite frustrating for Sun Yunso. Whatever the hell Christiana's Seijinism was, it was powerful. So powerful, that it was like a cheat code, leaving him absolutely no chance to counterattack
It just wasn't fair.
His chance to kill her was slipping away and he could do nothing. Christiana stepped back through the door to the centre hall. After a few moments, she came back out again; her hand underneath her chin as if contemplating something.
Sun Yunso stared intently at her.
'Is she thinking of doing something?'
Based on her body language, it seemed as if she was mulling something over. But just when Sun Yunso was about to try and think of what she was scheming, Christiana snapped her fingers again
With that one brief movement, the invisible binds around Sun Yunso disappeared and he fell to the floor and instinctively tried to move towards her but Christiana was already gone. Sun Yunso stared at the empty space where she stood a moment ago and was currently trying to comprehend the situation and so, his repressed anger finally broke through.
"Damn it!"
Sun Yunso's exclamation resonated through the corridor. Tears gushed profusely from his pale eyes as he balled his fists, angry at his own weakness. Right in front of him, was the woman that had killed Su Qing and again, he was helpless to do anything about it
Sun Yunso lowered his head
"I'm sorry, Master…" His voice was barely a whisper.
Another chance to fulfil his revenge had slipped through his fingers and now, Christiana Challen, the woman that had delivered the killing blow to Su Qing was walking away, and he had failed to stop her.
Sun Yunso felt like crying. Like a complete and utter waste of space. In the stillness of the corridor, Sun Yunso could almost picture his master's eyes looking upon him, not the kind, forgiving eyes he was used to when he was younger, but ones swimming with loathing.
He felt his chest ache.
There have been so many times like this. Times when his revenge was inches away from being complete only for him to trip and fall along the way. The head of the Huo Clan. Sun Yunso failed to take in account the possibilities and his own faulty predictions had led him to walk right into the snare of death and now it has happened again.
Sun Yunso had found the woman behind Su Qing's death. He faced her, drew his swords and faced her in a furious duel in an attempt to avenge his master but in the end, she saw him off as if he was nothing more than an annoying insect.
Sun Yunso's hands shook by his side.
'I've been that close before..." His voice trailed off.
Sun Yunso shut his eyes and suddenly, it was all Su Qing again. Su Qing who raised him, trained him and gave him a home
"I'm sorry, Master.", he muttered.
Sun Yunso was still in the corridor and suddenly, he felt as if he had betrayed Su Qing. Betrayed the only master he had.
Inside the centre hall, Lokei and Mischa had already arrived.
They glanced about, surprised to see the usual commotion and chaos was entirely absent. The guests were all seated, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Even Saikichi Yoshe continued auctioning the various items with as much aplomb as ever.
"Are they seriously still holding the auction ?" Lokei asked.
Mischa, on the other hand, barely paid heed to Lokei's question. Her eyes swept over the gathered guests searching for familiar faces. She spotted them. Two of her squad were seated along with the other guests. As soon as they sensed Mischa's presence, both of them stood up and moved towards her with surprising swiftness, halting right in front of her.
They bowed
" Captain "
Lokei raised an eyebrow.
'When did they get here? I didn't see them moving '
He shot a surprised glance between Mischa and the rest of her squad.
The only response Mischa gave was a curt nod.
"Report "
The young male straightened up.
"The auction has been running smoothly, Captain. The Nishizi has yet to come up . The things that have shown up were mostly useless things that no one could possibly want"
Mischa's eyes moved to the auction platform.
"So, the Nishizi is still here"
"Yes, Captain "
On the platform, Saikichi was busy addressing the audience, his ever calm face giving away nothing. Lokei crossed his arms, trying to wrap his head around how the auction could continue on as if nothing had happened while chaos broke loose throughout the estate.
Meanwhile, Mischa's gaze was still fixed on Saikichi.
"Then we wait until it appears .”
Saikichi Yoshe glared at those seated on the auction platform with his calm blue eyes
"Now let us go to the next item."
An attendant came forward with a long wooden case. She placed it on the table, opening the lid to reveal a nicely decorated object inside, there was a murmur from the guests as they leaned forward to get a better look.
Lokei was not interested in the item. Instead he kept his attention on Saikichi.
Something about him was making the blood pump in Lokei's veins. The auction was continuing with no hiccups despite what had transpired in the entire estate.
Mischa stood with her two squad members nearby as she listened to their reports.
"Stay here," she ordered, "keep watch of the auction and inform me if anything happens."
"Yes Captain."
The two members bowed and took their places with the other guests. Mischa turned her attention back at the auction platform.
The Nishizi hadn't appeared yet and so she would not budge an inch from there before it did.
Meanwhile Chu Runar was still fighting with Saikichi Yoshe, trying with all his might to get him to sit down.
"Would you just stay down already?!"
Chu Runar brought his Ant constructs to strike Saikichi but as soon as they made contact with the clan head, the figure dispersed into clouds. Another Saikichi reappeared a few feet in front of him, preparing his next strike.
Chu Runar was getting frustrated. Every time he tried to attack Saikichi, the figure simply vanished into smoke and reappeared in front of him.
No matter how much he attacked, he couldn't seem to land a blow. Worse was he was starting to find out that he couldn't even tell which of the figures was the real Saikichi. He was growing weary while Anzo remained the same.
A short distance away, Sa Wayong had started to understand the method behind it all. She had been watching from the sidelines as Anzo fought, reading the patterns of how he moved, how his clouds dispersed, how his clones behaved, and how he switched from one to the other.
The pieces were finally coming together for her
She snapped her fingers and a translucent mirror appeared beside her. Inside the glass, the image of Saikichi Yoshe appeared, from his face to the long strands of hair that framed his profile.
Sa Wayong stared at it and knew that she had succeeded but she also knew that she couldn't let the Mirror be seen by Saikichi. He would no doubt try to destroy it before she could use it to counter his technique.
Sa Wayong quickly hid the Mirror behind one of the guests seated in the auction hall. Then she turned and started to run towards the centre of the stage where the fight was happening.
Her heart was pounding. She was scared. She knew that Saikichi was a very dangerous opponent and that she had no assurance that she fully understood his Seijinism yet. But she had to do something.
Chu Runar was still fighting and Sa Wayong could see that he was tiring with every strike that missed.
She had to do something, otherwise Chu Runar's fate would simply be death.
Saikichi sensed Sa Wayong approaching and he turned his head slightly in her direction. He found nothing but another annoyance in front of him. Annoying insects who had decided that this was the place and time to challenge him and for the first time since Chu Runar had attacked, Saikichi raised his right hand. He made several hand signs with it before a staff appeared in his grasp.
Without hesitation, Saikichi threw the staff straight at Sa's head.
"Wayong! Duck!" Chu Runar yelled.
But it was too late as the staff hit Sa Wayong squarely at the head and she crumpled to the ground.
Saikichi lowered his hand, looking away.
"That's why weaklings don't belong on the battlefield."
Chu Runar looked at Sa's body on the ground, his grip tightening around his weapons as the anger boiled in his chest then Saikichi suddenly felt a presence behind him. Sa Wayong appeared behind him and before Saikichi could turn around, Sa Wayong delivered a powerful kick to the back of his neck, sending him flying across the hall.
Chu Runar's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. The Sa Wayong who had fallen to the floor was still there and the one who had kicked Saikichi's back was behind him.
Sa Wayong slid to the ground a short distance behind Saikichi, her feet sliding along the floor before gaining enough traction to stop.
She stared at him for a moment.
'I... actually hit him.'
She had done it. She had actually landed a strike on Saikichi Yoshe and more importantly, she had succeeded in copying his Cloud Clones. She turned her head to a body laying on the ground; the one she had left behind to make Saikichi think he had killed her. The Mirror was working as she wanted it to.
But there was no time to enjoy that fact.
'Now I just need to keep him busy for five minutes.'
Sa Wayong swallowed nervously. There was the fact that if she didn't stop him, she would likely end up as Chu Runar's partner in death. Chu Runar who was standing near her stared at Sa Wayong in shock.
Sa Wayong, the girl that had practically trembled in Chu's presence the whole fight, had just kicked Saikichi Yoshe's ass with a single kick.
"Sa Wayong...?" he muttered.
She turned her head to glance at him. Her body was still shaking, and her hands hadn't stopped shaking. She was scared, more than she wanted to admit but this time, the girl didn't run. Sa Wayong turned her eyes back to Saikichi as he got to his feet. She was scared but not to the extent of running away.
Sa Wayong steadied herself for Saikichi's next assault. Her heart was still pounding in her chest, but she refused to be intimidated then she sensed it.
A familiar presence among the auction attendees. She turned her head towards the seats where the woman had been seated with a young man Sa had never seen before. Sa Wayong immediately recognized the young man as Lokei Yoshe, but the woman accompanying him was someone she'd never encountered in her life.
"Runar," she said as she turned her head towards him. "Lokei is here. He's inside the centre hall."
Chu Runar turned in the direction Sa Wayong was looking and there he was. Lokei was among the attendees. He seemed completely unaware of the battle taking place a short distance away. Chu Runar's eyes widened in shock as he tried to call out to him.
"LOKEI!"
Chu Runar tried again but louder.
"LOKEI!"
Chu Runar tried for a third time but Saikichi appeared between them.
"That won't work."
Sa Wayong and Chu Runar both turned to look at him.
"This is a secret Cloud Barrier. It prevents all sounds and movements from passing through. To Lokei and the other attendees, I am just conducting my auction as normal. They are completely unaware that there is a battle taking place. In a way, you can think of it as being in another dimension. That's not an entirely accurate description, but it's the closest I can think of."
Sa Wayong and Chu Runar turned their heads at the same time in shock.
A barrier capable of separating them from the inside of that hall so thoroughly was more than they had expected.
'Wait... then how did me and Chu Runar be able to get in?' Sa Wayong thought.
Had Saikichi allowed them to come inside? Or had they somehow managed to pass through the barrier? That second possibility was instantly dismissed by Sa Wayong . A barrier of this level would not be something that could be breached so easily.
They must have been allowed in by Saikichi.
If he had allowed the both of them to come inside, there had to be some reason for it and that reason could not possibly be something good for them.