A thousand thoughts raced through Shun's mind.
The ability to manipulate and reshape someone's memories—the audacity and sheer devastation of such power—befitted its reputation as the first complete ethereal arm. Shun could easily imagine the temptation of seizing it for himself, harnessing the boundless possibilities it offered.
But as the allure of ambition flickered, a sobering thought settled over him: challenging the King directly would be sheer folly. His bond with Albert Eldran, not to mention the scale of the opposition, made such a confrontation nothing short of impossible. The notion of a handful of outlaws overthrowing a monarch was absurd.
"One day, I'll defeat you… but not now. Not yet, Alfred Eldran," Shun mused, his cold, determined gaze sharpening. Dharma stood beside him, silently seeking Shun's stance on the unfolding conversation. Danica Amnir's revelations had hardly surprised Dharma—he had been aware of Alfred's formidable capabilities from the beginning. Deep down, he knew: Alfred Eldran was the one adversary he must never provoke, not without being absolutely prepared.
Without a word, Shun motioned for Dharma to approach. Leaning close, he whispered something into the old man's ear. Dharma's eyes lit up with a mix of excitement and admiration. As Shun finished, the older man chuckled, his voice rumbling like distant thunder. "Hehahaha, you haven't changed…" Dharma murmured, his gaze heavy with unspoken memories.
The Four Blackguards watched the exchange, their silence betraying nothing but their calculation. If Shun and Dharma aligned with them, their plans would advance with far greater ease.
Shun stretched out his arms, shaking his head thoughtfully. "Considering it, I believe my grandfather's downfall may have had something to do with Alfred Eldran. So, if your plan proves viable, I wouldn't object to joining you."
The weight of his words was evident. Shun had long suspected that Sirius Xshasi's betrayal wasn't simply his own doing. Alfred's ethereal arm wielded terrifying power, enough to reshape the fate of the entire kingdom with a mere gesture.
"But as you can see," Shun continued, his voice turning casual, "it's getting late. My friends will grow worried if I'm gone for too long. Let's reconvene tomorrow. Dharma and I will be ready to discuss this further." His eyes gleamed with sincerity, though he withheld certain details, locking them away behind a carefully crafted smile.
Danica bowed gracefully. "As you wish. We shall meet here again tomorrow afternoon."
Vivid Nollen, seething beside his comrades, couldn't hide his fury. "Dharma Leyndra… I'll deal with you later," he muttered through clenched teeth, the bitterness of his father's death still fresh.
Hugo Goldsmith shot him an irritated glance. "Yo, can you shut your mouth for once? Don't ruin it for all of us."
Alice Clayton chimed in, her voice soft yet firm. "They offer us benefits. With their help, our odds will skyrocket."
With a few muttered complaints, the Blackguards disappeared, slipping through a hidden entrance back to their base. Shun and Dharma turned towards the city, the capital glowing in the fading light, a beacon of luxury under the amber glow of the setting sun.
"Let's head back," Shun gestured. "Can you cook?"
Dharma laughed, a raspy, wild sound. "Cook? Of course! But I can't promise your friends will enjoy the taste, hahahaha!"
Shun smirked. Despite the old man's grim reputation, he was becoming increasingly likable. It reminded Shun of his time with students at SIGMA Academy, Glynn Belkarn, Elysia Eukanorn, and a few others. In the capital, Shun had found more kindred spirits than he'd expected. He realised that there were a lot of people in this world that he could connect to.
He realised that this world might not be as bad as he thought.
...
When they returned, the graduates from SIGMA Academy were already lounging, their faces lit with mild surprise at Dharma's presence, though Mia and Vito appeared distinctly uneasy.
Shun had instructed them beforehand to keep quiet about Dharma's true identity, presenting him instead as an attendant dispatched by the King. It spared Shun from unnecessary explanations, a hassle he had no patience for.
The others had finished dinner and were scattered around the lounge, engaging in casual conversation about their day.
"Hey, we were about to go looking for you," Jaylen remarked, a book in hand as usual, ever the diligent scholar.
Emilia, still buzzing with excitement, was regaling the others with tales of her awe at the army's discipline. "Vergil Killer may have a terrifying ethereal arm," she exclaimed, "but he's the best commander I've ever seen. He doesn't fight for war, but for peace!" Gideon and Yurien nodded in agreement, wide smiles on their faces.
Emilia's voice rose with more excitement as she mentioned Ricklan Armous, the 16th complete ethereal warrior and deputy supreme commander of the army—Also a graduate from SIGMA academy.
"Not much. Just ran into some idiots on the outskirts. Took longer than expected to deal with them." Shun shrugged and replied.
Gesturing to Dharma, he added, "This is Jayden Williams, the attendant sent by the King." Dharma forced a polite smile, playing along with the identity Shun had crafted to avoid scrutiny.
The group greeted him warmly, unaware of the dangerous truths that lay beneath the surface.
Then, Shun's gaze shifted toward Silver, who was staring blankly at Dharma. "Silver?" he called out.
She blinked, clearly startled. "Sorry, I was lost in thought. What's up?"
Suppressing a chuckle at her flustered expression, Shun stepped forward. "I might need your help tomorrow afternoon. Are you free?"
Silver blinked again, her wide eyes full of curiosity. "Yeah, I'm free. What's it about?"
Clearing his throat, Shun moved to the center of the room, commanding everyone's attention.
"If you haven't heard already, the outskirts of the capital are home to the Four Blackguards, the strongest group in those lawless lands."
He paused, allowing the tension to build.
"Jayden and I encountered them today. They were discussing something… alarming. Though once rivals, they've united with one purpose: to assassinate the King. Albert's father."
A ripple of shock swept through the room. Albert, though still haunted by Alfreya's final words, stared at Shun, his surprise evident.
"Are we going to stand by while our friend's father is attacked? No."
Shun's voice rang with conviction, his words slicing through the silence like a blade. Leon smirked from the corner, no doubt thinking that Shun's speech was meant for Dharma's ears.
"Their chances are slim, but we can end their plans before they even begin."
Shun's eyes glimmered with resolve. "Not only can we restore the King's trust, but we can also wipe out those outlaws once and for all."
He paused, his tone growing graver. "But there are three complete ethereal warriors among them. We'll need someone as strong as Silver to take them on. And Jayden here is no slouch either. Our odds are good."
Emilia stood up, protesting. "Silver and Jayden can't handle this alone! We're all in this together."
The others nodded in agreement, their eyes meeting Shun's with a shared determination.
Feigning contemplation, Shun nodded slowly before breaking into a grin. "That's the spirit. But if you want to come with us, you have to promise me one thing."
His eyes flickered with fierce intensity.
"Don't ever, ever die."