Before Jiang could ask anything else, the air shifted. The figure snapped his fingers, and a screen appeared, floating in the endless whiteness. On it, Aylin's face appeared—bloodied, her arms trembling as she hovered over Jiang's limp body. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she muttered desperate words under her breath, her voice cracking with emotion.
Jiang's heart froze in his chest as he stared at the screen, his breath catching in his throat. Aylin's face was streaked with tears, her hands trembling as she pressed them to his lifeless body. Blood smeared across her arms as she muttered desperate, broken words, her voice cracking with exhaustion.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" she cried, her voice hoarse and raw. "You will not die on me! I'm tired of losing everyone… I'm tired…" Her hands began to glow faintly, a shimmer of light pulsing from her fingertips. "I don't care about the mission anymore… just please, come back."
Jiang's stomach churned as the realization hit him—she was sacrificing herself to bring him back. His breath caught in his throat, and a cold wave of panic rushed through him. "No," he whispered, his voice barely audible. His hands trembled as he reached out toward the screen, helpless.
"Ah, yes," the figure said, his voice dripping with amusement. "She's about to burn her life away for you. Quite touching, really. She'll die, and you'll live. Convenient, isn't it?"
Jiang felt rage boiling up inside him, his fists clenching. "No," he growled, louder this time. "I won't let her die for me."
The figure's grin widened, watching Jiang's turmoil with gleeful curiosity. "Oh? So noble of you. But her life force is already fading. Unless, of course…" He leaned in, his tone lowering to a teasing whisper. "You accept my offer."
Jiang's heart pounded as the figure's words sunk in. Become his pawn. Help him escape. That's all it would take. His mind raced, every part of him resisting the idea—working for someone who had clearly manipulated him from the start—but he couldn't ignore the image of Aylin, sacrificing everything just to save him.
The figure's hand hovered above Jiang's head, glowing faintly. "What's it going to be? I bring you back… she lives, and you help me escape this prison. It's all so simple."
Jiang gritted his teeth, every muscle in his body screaming against the choice, but the sight of Aylin, broken and on the verge of collapse, sealed his fate. His voice cracked as he answered.
"Fine," he spat. "I'll do it. Just save her."
Jiang clenched his fists, his mind racing. "That shadowy figure… it's been following me since all this started. What is it?"
The figure chuckled softly, watching Jiang with an amused glint in his eyes. "Ah, yes, the Yokai. A creature bound by spiritual energy, lurking in the shadows. Humans without magic? They're invisible to most. But you… you've been marked by the system. That's why you felt its presence."
"Marked?" Jiang frowned, feeling the weight of the word. "So that thing can keep tracking me?"
"Unfortunately, yes. As long as you carry the system's energy, you're like a beacon to it. But don't fret," the figure said, casually waving a hand. "The Yokai's true form can be revealed with a priest's shrine rod. Without one, it will continue to hunt you, but it won't be able to fully harm you unless you're spiritually vulnerable."
Jiang swallowed hard. "And where am I supposed to find one of those? A priest's shrine rod?"
The figure let out a low chuckle, his voice smooth as silk. "Ah, well, the good news is they aren't as rare as you might think. Just forgotten. Think of old, abandoned temples or shrines, places that once held spiritual power." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "They're just relics, really—holy items left behind when the world moved on from magic. But in the right hands, they can still channel the energies needed to deal with Yokai."
Jiang frowned. "So, you're saying these things are just lying around? Collecting dust in some ruins?"
The figure shrugged with casual ease, smiling as though the matter was trivial. "More or less. Humans don't recognize their worth anymore. They see them as mere artifacts of a long-forgotten past. But you… you'll know where to look. Just keep an eye out for places of worship—temples, shrines, holy grounds. These rods are there, waiting to be found."
Jiang's mind whirled with the weight of everything he was being told. "So, until I find one of these rods, I'm just a walking target for these Yokai?"
The figure's grin widened. "Precisely. But don't worry—they can't fully harm you unless they draw out your true form. For now, you're more like… an intriguing snack. They'll sense your potential, but they won't be able to do much without the right tools. It's more of a cat-and-mouse game, really."
Jiang clenched his fists, frustration boiling beneath the surface. "And what about her? What happens to Aylin?"
The figure's grin softened into something almost kind. "If you agree to help me, she lives. Simple as that. You'll wake up, alive and well, and she'll think she saved you. Everything will be as it was… or as close as it can be." He stepped closer, his hand hovering above Jiang's forehead, glowing faintly. "So, do we have a deal?"
Jiang hesitated, his heart pounding. The image of Aylin, broken and exhausted, flashed through his mind. He had no choice. He couldn't let her die for him.
"Fine," he spat, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. "I'll help you. Just save her."
The figure's smile widened. "Good."
His hand hovered, fingers brushing Jiang's skin. As the power began to surge, Jiang managed one final question. "What… what do I call you?"
The figure paused, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You can call me…" He trailed off, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Ah, that's for later. For now… we have a deal."