---
In another part of the island, the trees rustled melodically as their leaves waved under the fierce wind. The ground was covered in withered leaves, and the blue hue of the plants seemed even deeper in this part of the island. Then, the space around a certain area suddenly rippled, accompanied by a strange sound. The air seemed to tear apart as if pulled open by an unnatural force; the space around it was jagged and cracked.
From this tear in reality, two tall cloaked figures stepped through. The first one looked around and asked, "Sir Lazarus, is this the so-called General Realm?"
"Yes, young master Bloodthrone," the other replied, bowing his head.
The first figure grinned sinisterly as he surveyed their surroundings. "Well, Lazarus, it seems we'll have to stay here a little longer than expected," he said, his voice dripping with bloodlust.
---
Meanwhile, at Zilong's residence, he ate the food with great enthusiasm.
"When Emma said she was cooking jollof rice, I thought it would be just another dish, but this tastes heavenly," he said, taking another spoonful of the orange-colored rice. This was the most delicious food he had ever tasted. Zilong's mouth watered.
"Yeah, our mother taught her how to make this dish, so of course it's good," Jacob said, still chewing his rice. He looked at Mr. Haruki, who was busy enjoying the dish with joy. "Wait, Mr. Haruki, is that a tear in your eye?" Ava asked teasingly.
"No, some of the rice got stuck in my eye," he replied, immediately wiping away the tears.
"This is the best food I've ever tasted in my life. I never thought I had all the ingredients to cook this sort of miracle," Mr. Haruki proclaimed, holding the bowl of rice in his hand.
They all finished the food rather quickly and went about their business.
---
"Runes? What do you mean, runes?" Zilong asked, puzzled.
"Yes, there's also arcane magic, but you don't need to know about that," Mr. Haruki said as he tried to demonstrate something.
The four of them—Emma, Ava, Zilong, and Jacob—stood in a line, watching Mr. Haruki as if he were their teacher.
"But why do we need to learn how to wield runes?" Emma asked, shaking her head regretfully. "No offense, but I don't think this Seeker stuff is going to work for me."
Mr. Haruki simply stared at her. "Sorry, but you don't have a choice," he said, his gaze turning cold.
Zilong shivered as their eyes met.
"The Oni, who are evil spirits, are invisible to the naked eye. The only people who can see them are those they choose to reveal themselves to," Mr. Haruki explained, looking at Jacob.
"Jacob," Mr. Haruki called.
Jacob, who had been lost in thought, suddenly snapped back to reality. "Sir?" he answered.
"Take off your shirt," Mr. Haruki instructed.
The rest of the group raised their eyebrows in confusion as Jacob slowly and hesitantly removed his shirt.
What Zilong saw made his eyes widen. A black tattoo of a reaper—a figure holding a scythe—was inked neatly on Jacob's back, as if drawn by a professional artist. Another rune was etched on his neck like black ink, deep and intricate.
"What is that?" Emma asked.
"Does it look familiar?" Mr. Haruki inquired.
The reaper on Jacob's back bore an eerie resemblance to the one that had almost killed them on the ship, no wait, they were the same..
"What is this…" Zilong couldn't fathom.
"When a reaper dies, part of its soul merges with the soul of its killer. This is usually meant to torment the killer, but sometimes, it's meant to slowly kill them," Mr. Haruki explained.
"So, the Oni will torment Jacob?" Zilong asked, terrified.
"Sort of. That's why we need to build mental fortitude," Mr. Haruki added.
"But if the Oni can make anyone see them, doesn't that mean we won't see them unless they want us to?" Emma asked, arms crossed, looking at Mr. Haruki intently.
"I said they could make you see them, but I never said they could make you *unsee* them," he replied, looking at Emma, who raised her brows.
*Sigh...* "This means you will be able to see the Oni regardless of whether you want to or not," he said, his gaze turning serious.
Emma was still skeptical about all this. Mr. Haruki sighed and took off his shirt.
Despite his age, Mr. Haruki possessed a surprisingly muscular physique, each muscle defined and well-toned, showcasing the strength and vitality he had maintained over the years.
As he removed his shirt, his body revealed a breathtaking tapestry of tattoos. His chest, arms, and back were covered in intricate depictions of monsters, each unique and distinct. Some were fearsome, with snarling fangs and razor-sharp claws, while others were mythical, with scales, horns, and eyes that seemed almost alive. Intertwined with these monsters were runes, carved like ancient script into his skin. The tattoos and runes blended seamlessly, creating a mesmerizing and fearsome display across his aged yet powerful body.
Zilong looked on in awe. "What the hell? How does such an old man have a better physique than me?" he muttered, his mouth agape.
"Wait, I thought you killed only one Oni. How do you have so many tattoos?" Jacob asked, confused.
"Boy, I never said I killed only one Oni in my lifetime. I was a Seeker back in my day," Mr. Haruki replied.
"What? That's so cool!" Ava's eyes sparkled with admiration.
Emma couldn't say anything. She was captivated by Mr. Haruki's unwavering physique despite his old age. It was impressive—well, if not impossible.
---
They did basic exercises until night fell and then made their way back to the hut.
Zilong, Emma, Ava, Jacob, and Mr. Haruki all sat around a table, eating the last remnants of the jollof rice. They hadn't eaten in the afternoon, so they made up for it by finishing off the huge plate.
Zilong devoured his portion like a hungry lion and, within a few short minutes, had already cleared his plate.
He looked at Emma, who was still dawdling with her food.
"Hey, are you going to finish that?" he asked, pointing to her plate.
She cradled the plate in her hands and began eating it.
Mr. Haruki had run them through a drill today, and it almost seemed as if he was punishing them for no reason. Except for the large block placed on Jacob's and Zilong's backs, everything was fine. They did stretches here and there until night fell.
'Maybe I will have those cool runes like Mr. Haruki someday,' Zilong thought. The runes on Mr. Haruki's body were very detailed; they almost seemed alive.
'Well, better not think about it too much,' Zilong sighed.
Mr. Haruki, cradling a cup of tea, suddenly looked sharply to the left, jumping up from his seat in an instant.
**BOOM!**
Zilong didn't even have time to react as the straw hut where they resided exploded into a million pieces, sending him and everyone else flying.
Zilong's head smashed against a tree ten meters away from the hut. He looked around, horrified.
"Well, would you look at that! Our master has finally found the General Realm dwellers," a voice echoed through the dark forest.