"Life is a game, and I never understood why everyone takes it so seriously. Let's have some fun before the next move comes!" - Ash Noir
A cool breeze swept through the hill of the Demon Slayers and Shadow Walkers. It passed through the Chinese structures of the Shadow Walkers and smoothly glided over the bloody battlefield at the hill's peak until it finally reached Yuichiro, who had slowly begun to open the gates to the temple of the Demon Slayer leader. The young man entered the temple, filled with courage and pride, yet also burdened by regret and a small piece of fear. Could he really manage to defeat his own master? Would he fall at the hands of the person who had taught him his techniques? The only thing that drove him forward despite all his doubts was a pure sense of duty. If the young man didn't go now, he would have to endure the cruel battle that continued outside. He didn't want that. He couldn't.
So the young man walked through the wide corridors and halls he had already traversed an hour ago. The lavish decorations, which had once seemed impressive and admirable, now appeared threatening and terrifying. With one hand, the boy held the hilt of his katana, still sheathed, ready to draw it at any moment. When he eventually stood before the door to his master's chamber, he paused briefly. But with the thought that he must win, he opened the door and stepped inside. It was the right thing to do. It had to be. As Yuichiro slowly approached the podium where Ryunosuke knelt, the latter began to laugh. "Hahaha, Yuichiro, you never cease to surprise me. You want to fight me to stop the war, don't you? Your aura betrays it."
Slowly, the boy began to draw his sword. Shortly after, his master rose and grasped the golden katana lying beside him. "Very well, I will grant you a fight. If you give me a little fun, I will consider stopping the war." Ryunosuke also drew his sword. Immediately, the atmosphere changed. The aura Ryunosuke now exuded was battle-hungry and fiery. Yuichiro stepped back a few paces, as if being pushed by an invisible force. His master grinned mischievously. "You want a fight? Then you shall have one! I'm curious to see if my training has paid off, Yuichiro."
Episode 10 - Resonance (Part 1)
At the same time, Ash arrived at his master Xu Wei's temple. The boy walked through the dark woods surrounding the Shadow Walkers' temple. Unlike the Demon Slayers' temple, whose architecture was characterized by majestic wooden buildings and artfully decorated roofs, the Shadow Walkers' temple lay hidden deep in the mist and shadows of the forest. The air was cool and damp, and the narrow paths were barely visible, lined with twisted roots and dense undergrowth. The buildings of the Shadow Walkers were simple, made of dark stone and bamboo, covered in lichen and moss. Nothing here screamed of glory or honor—it was a place of silence and darkness, where the warriors of the shadow trained to be unseen, to kill silently, and to fade back into the mist. There was no grand gate to welcome visitors, just an unremarkable, roughly hewn stone wall and a wooden gate, barely distinguishable from the surroundings. Only the silence revealed the presence of this hidden sanctuary.
Ash moved smoothly through the thicket, as if he were a shadow himself, slipping through the night. His eyes wandered over the dark stones and the motionless figures of the Shadow Walkers patrolling around the temple. They didn't notice him—or pretended not to. For the Shadow Walkers, the game of hiding and detecting was so deeply ingrained in their culture that even a fleeting glance would have been seen as disrespectful.
The temple of Xu Wei was located at the heart of this gloomy complex. It was not a temple in the traditional sense—no shrine, no holy artifact. Instead, it was a small, hidden hall deep underground, amidst the mist. The stairs leading down were damp and slippery, and the sound of his footsteps was the only noise filling the cold, silent corridor. Ash buckets and burning torches cast flickering shadows on the walls. Ash reached the entrance to his master's chamber, a narrow crack in the stone, almost invisible to anyone who didn't know the way. The heavy wooden doors slid open silently as Ash approached. The chamber itself was filled with deep shadow, lit only by a single torch in the center of the room, and even that only dimly. The darkness seemed alive, as if it were a part of the room itself.
In the middle of this darkness sat Xu Wei on a low podium, his posture motionless, his eyes closed, as if in meditation. Xu Wei was a gaunt man, his long black hair tied in a simple braid, his face angular and his features severe. His thin mouth never curled into a smile, and his eyes—when he opened them—were as cold as the deepest sea. His aging body might have looked weak, but every Shadow Walker knew that Xu Wei was one of the deadliest men to have ever lived.
Ash stopped a few steps from his master. At this moment, he was no longer the reckless, playful Ash who mocked everything and everyone. His stance was firm, and his eyes flashed with seriousness. There was a hint of tension in the air, as if even the shadows were waiting for what would happen next.
"Master Xu Wei," Ash said firmly, his words echoing in the silent chamber, "I am here to challenge you."
Xu Wei's eyes slowly opened, and the old man looked up. His cold, piercing eyes fixed on Ash as if they were boring into him. There was no sign of surprise or wonder on his face, but a faint, almost imperceptible twitch of his lips showed that he found the challenge amusing.
"A challenge?" Xu Wei said softly, his voice deep and calm, like a whisper cutting through the darkness. "You challenge me, Ash? Do you know what that means?"
Ash only shrugged, a crooked grin on his lips, but his eyes remained serious. "I know exactly what it means. I challenge you to end this war. There is no other way."
Xu Wei regarded him for a long moment, his fingers gliding over the hilt of his sword lying beside him, but he did not draw it. "You think you're strong enough to defeat me?" he asked, the words calm and without a trace of mockery.
"I'll find out soon enough," Ash replied, his grin now gone, replaced by a spark of determination in his eyes.
Xu Wei nodded slowly, as if acknowledging his student's courage. "You've played with fire for a long time, Ash," he said, his voice now a little harsher. "It's time for you to understand that fire can also burn."
The tension in the room rose. The darkness seemed to pull tighter around them, as if it were preparing to become part of the impending battle. But Ash remained undaunted, his gaze firmly locked on his master. The moment of decision had come—and nothing would stop him from fighting for the peace he so desperately sought.
The challenge had been spoken, and the battle was about to begin.
Meanwhile, the fight against Ryunosuke was gaining momentum. Yuichiro stood on the podium, bathed in soft sunlight, staring deep into his master's eyes. The wind carried the scent of cherry blossom petals, which swirled gently through the room. But there was no peace in Yuichiro's heart, only the tension of the impending battle. Ryunosuke, his master, stood calmly, his golden katana in hand, ready for battle. He was not only a powerful fighter but also a mentor—someone who had taught Yuichiro everything. Now, however, they stood as opponents on the battlefield.
"Ready, Yuichiro?" Ryunosuke's voice was deep and calm, but beneath it lay an unspoken threat. "I will show no mercy."
"I expect nothing less, Master," Yuichiro replied, his fingers tightly gripping the hilt of his sword. With a fluid, practiced motion, he drew his sword from its sheath, the blade glinting in the light. "This is the only way to end this war."
Ryunosuke smiled coldly as he raised his own blade, which glowed with a golden shimmer. "Then show me what you've learned." With a quick step, he rushed toward Yuichiro. The speed was overwhelming—a blurred motion that transformed from a calm kneeling man into a raging storm in an instant.
Yuichiro dodged to the side at the last moment while immediately activating his skill: [Spirit Blade]. A bluish glow enveloped his blade, and his steps became surer. With a powerful slash, he struck at Ryunosuke, but his master parried the attack effortlessly, as if it were child's play. Their swords clashed with a deafening crash, and the air itself seemed to crackle with energy.
Ryunosuke was unimpressed. With a quick maneuver, he leapt back and called upon his first skill: [Golden Crescent]. His blade began to glow in a bright golden arc before he unleashed a semicircular strike at Yuichiro. The golden energy rushed toward Yuichiro like a storm wind.
Yuichiro instinctively raised his sword, but the impact was enormous. He was thrown backward, crashing hard against the wooden wall of the temple, feeling the air rush from his lungs. He struggled to catch his breath as he pulled himself up, his body trembling from the force of the blow. "So much power…" he gasped.
But there was no time to rest. Ryunosuke was already in motion again, his blade flashing with deadly precision toward Yuichiro. Each of his attacks was merciless, perfect, and flawless. Yuichiro knew that he could only survive by being clever. "I have to bind him…" he thought as he gathered his concentration.
With a swift motion, he called upon his second skill: [Binding Chains]. Chains shot from his ghostly blade, moving like living creatures toward Ryunosuke. But Ryunosuke only grinned. "Hah! Go ahead and try!" He deflected the first chains with a quick sword strike, but Yuichiro did not relent. The chains came from all sides, wrapping around Ryunosuke's arms and legs.
For a moment, it seemed as though Yuichiro had gained the upper hand. The chains tightened around Ryunosuke, and the master stopped moving. Yuichiro breathed heavily, holding his blade firmly in his hands, preparing for the next strike.
But Ryunosuke suddenly laughed. "You've underestimated me, Yuichiro!" With a wild shout, he broke the chains with sheer force. "Now I'll show you what true power is!" He activated another skill: [Heavenly Strike]. His blade glowed with a blinding light before he brought it down in a massive strike toward Yuichiro. The ground beneath Yuichiro shattered as the blow struck the temple floor, and Yuichiro felt his legs give way under the force.
The atmosphere in the temple was tense to the breaking point. The battle between Yuichiro and his master Ryunosuke had already pushed beyond their physical limits. Both fighters were panting, swords in hand, as sweat ran down their faces in thin streams. The ground was splintered, and the room around them had become a battlefield. Ryunosuke's golden katana still glowed, but his posture betrayed that the master knew the final exchange was about to begin.
"You've fought well, Yuichiro," Ryunosuke said, his voice hoarse, but a fire still glimmered in his eyes. "But this isn't over yet."
Yuichiro raised his sword slightly, the blade still surrounded by the ghostly energy of the [Spirit Blade]. "I will end this war, Ryunosuke. Whether you want it or not."
Ryunosuke smiled, a proud yet melancholic smile. "You've learned a lot, Yuichiro. But do you truly have the strength to defeat me?"
Yuichiro did not respond with words but with a clear, decisive movement. He held his blade upright, focusing deeply, and called upon [Binding Chains]. Chains shot from his ghostly blade, racing toward Ryunosuke to bind him in place.
Ryunosuke closed his eyes and raised his blade as if he had been waiting for this moment. With a fluid, elegant motion, he also called upon his own [Binding Chains] skill. Chains of golden energy shot from his katana, colliding head-on with Yuichiro's ghostly chains. The two streams of chains clashed in the air, fighting against each other like living creatures.
"You want to pit chains against chains?" Ryunosuke laughed quietly, though his voice was tinged with respect and pride. "Let's see whose resolve is stronger!"
The chains whirled through the room, clashing and pushing against each other. Yuichiro held his sword firmly, his teeth clenched as he struggled to gain control over the chain battle. Ryunosuke remained calm, but his eyes gleamed with concentration.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, Yuichiro's chains began to gain the upper hand. His master's golden chains trembled, wavered, and began to be pushed back. Ryunosuke's forehead creased, and sweat ran down his temples. "You have… truly grown stronger," he muttered. "But don't think that's enough!"
Yuichiro panted, his muscles trembling from exertion, but he didn't give up. "I won't give up, Ryunosuke! The war must end, and I will rid the battlefield of this burden!" With a final shout, he poured all his remaining strength into the attack. His chains, fueled by the ghostly energy, surged forward, shattering his master's golden chains and wrapping tightly around Ryunosuke's arms and legs.
Ryunosuke stopped moving as the chains bound him. He lowered his sword, his breathing heavy, but his face showed no disappointment. On the contrary—a faint smile spread across his lips as he looked up at Yuichiro. "Hah… You've truly won."
Yuichiro, surprised that he had actually succeeded, let the chains slowly loosen. "Master…" He paused, unsure of what to say.
Ryunosuke raised a hand and waved it dismissively. "Say nothing, Yuichiro. You have completed what I taught you. There's nothing more to prove. I will come with you." He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "You've won, and that means you're ready to bear the responsibility. Come, let's go."
Yuichiro lowered his sword and exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Master." The tension in his body eased, and he felt the pressure of the last few hours slowly lift. Ryunosuke stepped beside him; the battle was over, but the feeling of relief was overshadowed by the task ahead. The war raging on the hill wasn't waiting.
Together, side by side, they stepped out of the temple into the light of the late day. Yuichiro knew this was only the beginning. The real battle would be fought on the battlefield. But now they had a chance to change things—and he wouldn't let that chance slip by.
While the battle between Yuichiro and Ryunosuke reached its conclusion, Ash's fight had only just begun. "Ash," Xu Wei said in his characteristic deep, almost threatening voice, "I knew you would come. I heard your steps in the distance."
Ash grinned mischievously and shrugged. "Master, you know I can never stay still for long." He playfully tugged at the sleeve of his oversized black T-shirt, which was nearly slipping off his shoulder. "But today, I'm not just here to have some fun."
Xu Wei barely blinked at Ash's words. "You want to talk about the war, don't you?" He took a few steps closer, his movements as silent as the night itself. "And you think you can convince me to end it?"
"Not just that," Ash replied, his voice growing a bit more serious, though his playful grin remained. "I'm going to do it. And if that means we have to fight for you to understand… then I'm ready."
Xu Wei raised an eyebrow, though the slight glimmer in his eyes revealed that he accepted the challenge. "You know you stand no chance against me, Ash. You may be my student, but I'm still your master. And you'll learn that there are things even you can't change."
Ash's hands tingled with anticipation as he assumed his stance. "We'll see, Master. I've always had a weakness for the impossible."
Xu Wei drew his sword with a fluid, graceful motion. The sword was slim, almost unassuming, but Ash knew it was a deadly weapon in his master's hands. The blade gleamed in the moonlight as Xu Wei calmly pointed it at Ash. "Then let's begin."
Without hesitation, Ash lunged forward. With a quick step, he activated [Quiet Step], a lightning-fast dash that nearly instantly catapulted him to his master's side. He wanted to catch his master off guard, but Xu Wei was prepared for everything. With the precision of a sword master, he parried Ash's attack with an elegant movement of his sword, while simultaneously delivering a swift, targeted strike toward Ash's stomach.
Ash dodged nimbly and activated [Silent Strike], a quick, precise blow that should have hit Xu Wei. But his master sidestepped and struck again with precise force. The air between them crackled with tension.
"You're slowing down, Ash," Xu Wei remarked calmly as he swiftly repositioned himself. "Are you trying to test me?"
Ash laughed quietly as he leaped forward again, his nails slicing through the air. "Slow? I thought I was just getting warmed up!"
But Xu Wei remained unfazed. With a swift movement, he called upon his first skill, [Eternal Wind]. The wind around them suddenly spun at deadly speed, turning into blades of air that rushed toward Ash. Ash, unable to lose his grin, leapt back and activated [Sphere of Silence]. Suddenly, everything fell silent. The wind, the leaves, even the sound of their footsteps was swallowed by an all-encompassing silence.
Xu Wei, however, was completely unfazed, raising only an eyebrow. "Silence won't save you, Ash." He swung his sword with an elegance only a master could command, cutting through the invisible wall of silence.
Ash continued to dance through the fight, darting through the courtyard like a shadow, but Xu Wei was always right behind him. Finally, the moment both had been waiting for arrived: the final clash. Xu Wei raised his sword high above his head, and Ash, gathering his energy, prepared for the final strike.
"I'll show you why I'm your master," Xu Wei said as he called upon his skill [Heavenly Blade]. The air around him began to vibrate as his blade charged with unstoppable energy.
Ash grinned. "And I'll show you why I'm your best student." With those words, he lunged forward, his movements smooth and lightning-fast.
The blades clashed in mid-air, and the spark from their final strike lit up the night sky. But in the moment their swords met, Ash knew this was more than just a fight. It was the moment that would decide whether the war continued or finally ended.
Ash's sword clashed hard against Xu Wei's, sparks flying in the quiet night of the courtyard as the two warriors fell into a dance of speed and precision. The blades sliced through the air, each strike and block deadly accurate and full of intent. Ash moved with a grace that resembled a dancer, his movements almost playful, but in his eyes was the determination to defeat his master.
Xu Wei, on the other hand, was the embodiment of stoic discipline. Every step was perfectly balanced, every attack precise like a machine. The wind raging around them threw leaves into the air, but nothing seemed to break the focus of the two fighters. Xu Wei swung his sword in a wide arc, once again calling upon [Eternal Wind], the wind turning into razor-sharp blades shooting toward Ash.
Ash grinned, dodging just in time before reappearing behind Xu Wei with a lightning-fast [Quiet Step]. "Still elegant, Master. But a bit predictable."
Xu Wei spun around, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I taught you everything you know, Ash. But not everything I can do."
With a deep breath, he gathered his inner energy and called upon [Phantom Chains], a skill he had never taught Ash. Invisible chains shot from the ground, wrapping around Ash's legs, suddenly blocking his movements. "The skill of the Demon Slayers?" Ash was confused. Had the Shadow Walkers really copied the Demon Slayers' skills and used them for themselves? "You're too careless," Xu Wei said calmly as he pointed his sword at Ash's chest. "And that will kill you."
Ash's grin faded for a moment as he felt the chains around his legs. "Not bad, Master. But do you really think that's enough to stop me?" With a fluid motion, he raised his hand and summoned [Sphere of Silence], a quiet pressure that forced Xu Wei to lose his balance. In the sphere of silence, they continued to fight, but the weight of retreat hung heavy on Ash's shoulders. He knew he had to not only win this fight but also convince Xu Wei.
The battle raged on, their swords clashing at relentless speed. Xu Wei raised his hand again, ready to send Ash crashing to the ground with a devastating strike, but Ash interrupted him. "Master, Ryunosuke will be at the battlefield."
Xu Wei froze, his sword hanging in the air. The mention of Ryunosuke brought a wave of memories back. It had been years since he and the leader of the Demon Slayers had faced each other in a war, but the scars of those battles lingered in his mind. Xu Wei slowly lowered his sword, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Ryunosuke, you say?"
Ash seized the moment to break the chains holding him captive. He grinned triumphantly as he lowered his sword. "Yes, Master. If you don't come with me now, it will be too late. We can end this war, but you have to come."
Xu Wei stood silently for a moment, his eyes fixed on the ground as he pondered. Finally, he sheathed his sword, the coldness in his eyes replaced by a quiet determination. "If Ryunosuke is indeed there... then I will face him. But don't be under any illusions, Ash. This war won't end so easily."
Ash smiled, relieved by the victory he had achieved, even if it wasn't the one he originally sought. "I knew you'd be reasonable, Master. Let's go. We have a war to end."
Together, they left the courtyard of the temple, the night enveloping them as they descended the path toward the battlefield, where the fate of the two warring factions would be decided.
Aiden and Liang Wei stood in the middle of the abandoned battlefield, surrounded by the remnants of the war. The air smelled of ash and burnt earth, and the sobbing of the wounded weighed heavily on their shoulders. Morvan stood a little farther away, his gaze fixed on the dark horizon, the black slime that clung to him like a shadow playing between his hands.
Morvan stared into the distance. He stood there, motionless, his back turned to them. Liang Wei took a step closer, his brow furrowed. "Morvan? Is everything alright?"
Slowly, with an almost eerie calm, Morvan turned around. His face was expressionless, his eyes empty, yet there was a dangerous coldness in his gaze. "You really haven't understood anything, have you?" His voice was quiet, almost a whisper, but his words cut through the silence of the battlefield like a dagger.
Aiden frowned, taking a step back. "What... are you talking about?"
Morvan's lips twisted into a bitter smile as the black slime danced around his hands. "You really thought I was one of you. So naive. So incredibly blind."
Liang Wei placed his hand on his sword, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell are you talking about, Morvan? We fought together. You were one of us."
"One of you?" Morvan laughed, a cold, mocking laugh that made their blood run cold. "That was never the plan. I'm not one of you. I never was. You were nothing more than pawns in Valenor's grand game. And I... I was the hand that moved those pieces."
Aiden stared at him in disbelief as the reality of his words slowly sank in. "You... were on Valenor's side this whole time?" His voice trembled, a mix of anger and disappointment in his tone. "How could you do this to us?"
Morvan took a step closer, the black slime forming around his arms like living shadows. "It wasn't hard. You trusted me. And trust is a weapon more powerful than any blade. I used you to achieve Valenor's goals. You were never more than tools."
Liang Wei drew his sword, his eyes blazing with fury. "You disgusting traitor!"
Morvan shrugged, as if the accusation were nothing more than a passing breeze. "Betrayal is just a matter of perspective. To you, I may be a traitor, but to Valenor, I am the one who brings the war to him."
Aiden clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on Morvan with a look that could kill. "And what now? Are you going to kill us?"
Morvan laughed again, a dark, rumbling laugh that echoed through the silence of the battlefield. "Kill you? Why would I do that? You're nothing more than dust in the wind. You stand no chance against Valenor, not after what's coming."
He turned and began to disappear into the shadows, the slime swirling around him like a black cloak. "My work here is done. Now it's up to Valenor to seal your fate."
Aiden rushed forward, his hand outstretched as if to grab Morvan, to pull him back, to bring him to his senses. "Morvan, damn it!"
But before Aiden could reach him, the black slime liquefied, wrapping around Morvan's body and slowly engulfing him until he vanished into the shadows. "You stand no chance. None of you do." With those words, Morvan's figure dissolved into the darkness of the battlefield, like a shadow carried away by the wind.
The silence that followed was unbearable. Aiden stood frozen in place, his breath heavy, his gaze fixed on the spot where Morvan had stood. Liang Wei placed a hand on his shoulder but said nothing. Words had no meaning at that moment.
Aiden took a deep breath, the disappointment and pain gnawing at him as he tried to gather his thoughts. "We... we lost him." His voice was hoarse and broken, and for a moment, it seemed as though he would collapse.
But then Liang Wei resolutely raised his sword. "No, Aiden. We haven't lost. Not yet." His voice was firm, his eyes fixed on the future. "Morvan may have betrayed us, but we are not finished. Valenor may have a plan, but we will keep fighting. For those who still count on us. For what is right."
Aiden looked at Liang Wei, his eyes filled with doubt but also with hope. He nodded slowly. "You're right... We can't give up."
The two men stood there, alone on the ravaged battlefield, but in their hearts still burned a spark of resistance. And they knew, no matter how hopeless the situation seemed, they had to keep fighting.
The two masters could be convinced by their students, but in doing so, Aiden and Liang Wei lost one of their most valuable team members. Was Morvan truly a spy for Valenor all along? What will happen when the two masters meet? Will the war come to an end? Find out in Episode 11 - Resonance (Part 2)!
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