We returned to the house in silence. Kenjuro split off to his own place, and Shinra headed straight to his room, his face still showing the bruises he got from Haruka. For a moment, I thought he might actually vanish for good.
I went to my room as well, my mind churning over everything that had happened.
On our way back from Eldoria City, Shinra had finally told me about his grudge against the Eldore Guild and why he'd claimed that the Arcane Guild held only the Twelve Scales of the Dragon Blade.
Well according to him, That arrogant brat, Kagusa Eldore was part of the Eldoria guild and was the youngest son of the Eldoria guildmaster. He wasn't particularly strong but his guild and name was.
Yuta was the eldest of the Eldoria guild master.
Shinra met both of them during the guild exhibition between the Eldoria and Arcane.
A guild exhibition is where two guilds have a showdown of battle to showcase both side's power and skills which is watched by various important people.
Some Noble guilds take advantage of these exhibitions to act cocky and embarrass guilds that are lower than them like the commoner guilds.
During the exhibition between the Eldoria guild and Arcane guild a few years ago, The Arcane guild lost against the Eldoria guild. Although Shinra was extremely talented he and a few people were the only strong ones in the Arcane guild.
Ultimately, Shinra was defeated at the hands of the Eldoria guild master's eldest son, the strongest, most talented disciple of the eldoria guild, Yuta Eldore, The guy with the white hair.
The Arcane guild was defeated one-sidedly by the Eldoria guild embarrassing the Arcane guild and showing that the strength, that the Arcane guild used to possess was gone forever.
"....And as for the techniques of the guild, Before the great war.." Shinra said, "...the guild elders hid all our techniques in a secret vault here in the Arcane Guild. Powerful stuff—enough to make any guild envious. But it's been lost to us ever since they died, taking the secret with them."
What Shinra and the current guild members didn't know was that, in my previous life, I sealed away all of the guild's techniques, wealth, and records. I believed that by doing so, I could protect them from falling into the wrong hands. But when I died, the secret of the vault's location perished with me—and with the few others who shared that knowledge.
The current Arcane Guild had only managed to survive because of donations from an anonymous source—barely enough to sustain the guild. The only technique left now is the Twelve Scales of the Dragon Blade, a C-rank martial art.
Over time, the vault became a myth, something people whispered about but no longer believed in.
The memory weighed on me as we walked back, dredging up the complicated tangle of betrayals that had marked my past life. I'd learned early that trust could be a weapon, sharp-edged and treacherous. There were only a few people I'd ever truly relied on.
When I first arrived in the Arcane Village, there was no guild. I was already highly skilled in martial arts, with a connection to ki that allowed me to master techniques beyond their limits.
I created an original martial art and taught it to villagers who could channel ki. For those who had a natural ability for mana, I shared my magic scrolls. Together, we built a community.
I helped others find their strengths.
Gin Shiba, talented with literacy, finance, and tactics, became the guild's administrator.
Akira Hakabe, a gifted mage, rose to archmage level on his own with the help of the magic scrolls I'd provided.
Maki Zen, an old witch with innate healing abilities, grew more powerful through our training sessions, and
Yuji Harutobe, a little orphan I'd once saved on a mission, came to see me as an older brother.
These few were the only ones I trusted completely. But despite that trust, I took precautions. I stored the guild's techniques, wealth, and records in a hidden vault that only Gin Shiba and I knew about.
When the world was invaded by Zaratraz, the Arcane Guild was summoned to protect the people. I was ready to join the battle when Yuji clung to me, begging me to come along and fight beside me. My response was cold: "A battlefield isn't a place for children." I shook him off, leaving him behind.
On the battlefield, Akira led the mages, Maki healed the wounded, and Gin managed our strategy.
But in the end, both Akira and Maki fell, along with everyone else who knew the vault's location.
Their deaths took the secret with them, leaving the survivors and descendants to rely on scraps of technique, a shell of the guild that ultimately crumbled.
It was my fault that the guild was left to struggle like this. The thought weighed on me heavily. I sighed, and that's when the system's message appeared, as clear and bright as a sign from fate:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
QUEST ALERT:
Objective: Locate the Hidden Vault of the Arcane Guild
Reward: Receive Martial Art Journals and Scrolls.
Guild Treasury Recovered.
Penalty: The Guild Will Fall
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
The next day, as Kenjuro, Shinra, and I made our way to the training grounds, I could see the weight of yesterday's events still on Shinra's face. The bruises were fading, but the anger and humiliation lingered.
Kenjuro gave him a sidelong glance. "You're still stuck on that?"
"It's hard to just shake off," Shinra muttered. "I was completely defenseless when I saw Yuta. Everything from last year came rushing back. I trained so hard, and it still wasn't enough… it's just frustrating."
"Stop whining," I interrupted.
Shinra blinked, thrown off. "What?"
"The guild exhibition was 4 years ago almost," I said. "In two months, we'll be facing the Eldore Guild again."
Kenjuro raised an eyebrow. "Isn't the opponent selection supposed to be random? We could face any guild."
"That would've been the case," I replied, "but after yesterday's encounter, it's clear that Kagusa's not going to let this slide. Even though I tried to de-escalate things, Shinra still humiliated him. He'll pull some strings to make sure we're matched up against the Eldore Guild in the next exhibition. So instead of whining, let's get ready. It's almost certain we'll be facing Kagusa."
Shinra let out a frustrated breath. "You said it yourself; he's already at the level of a martial apprentice. No matter how hard we train, we can't beat him with just these techniques."
"Exactly," I replied, a hint of a smirk forming.
Shinra looked at me, still confused. "What do you mean?"
"There's no way we can close the gap with just the Twelve Scales of the Dragon Blade."
Shinra looked away, exasperated. "I've already told you—there aren't any other advanced techniques."
I looked at him steadily and said, "That's why we're going to find the secret vault."
He raised an eyebrow, skepticism written all over his face. "Are you serious? Didn't you hear a single thing I just said? It's a false rumor. If it was here, we would've found it by now. It's been 100 years!"
"I think I know where it is," I said calmly, unfazed by his doubt.
Both Shinra and Kenjuro froze, staring at me in disbelief. "What?!"
I took a breath, ready to explain. "I'm not entirely sure, but I think I know where it was. While roaming around the guild, something confused me but now it makes sense. I'll show you."
"Where?" Shinra asked, curiosity starting to replace his frustration.
Instead of answering directly, I turned and began walking toward the place that had been on my mind. I could hear their footsteps behind me as they followed, though they were likely exchanging doubtful glances.
It was obvious why they were confused because I was literally someone who just joined their guild in their eyes, whereas they had lived their whole life and still had no clue where it was.
We arrived at the guild's garden, a place that had once been vibrant and full of life but now lay desolate and forgotten. The air was thick with the scent of decay, as withered flowers drooped lifelessly, their petals scattered like memories of a brighter time.
Bare trees stretched their skeletal branches toward a pale, overcast sky, a grim testament to the garden's neglect.
Yet, at the center of this disappointing sight, one tree stood out—a plum blossom tree, blooming defiantly, its delicate pink petals swaying gently in the breeze. Beneath it lay a small pond, its still surface mirroring the blossoms above.
Plum blossoms had always brought me solace, especially in my darkest moments, reason for which I don't know. Perhaps, their steadfast bloom, undeterred by the changing seasons or chaos around them, reminded me of resilience and calm.
Perhaps that was why I had chosen this tree to stand guard over the vault.
"A plum blossom tree? What about it?" Kenjuro asked, breaking the silence.
"Look closer," I said, gesturing toward it. "The garden is filled with dried-up flowers and trees, yet the plum blossom tree continues to bloom."
Shinra squinted at the pond but seemed unconvinced. "Perhaps you don't know but plum blossoms survive even in harsh conditions. They bloom when everything else withers, that's why even after all the other flowers and trees dried up it still blooms"
"Even If it can survive harsh conditions, it cannot survive alone for 100 years without the necessary resources," I explained. " Don't observe with your eyes," I instructed. "Feel it with your other senses."
They hesitated but eventually closed their eyes. I watched as they tried to sense what I had noticed earlier. At first, their expressions didn't change, but then I saw a flicker of recognition cross their faces.
Kenjuro was the first to speak. "It's filled with mana!"
I smiled, satisfied that they could sense it too. "Exactly. But that's not all."
I pointed toward the pond and continued, "Try to sense more. Focus on what's beneath it."
Shinra frowned but closed his eyes again, focusing intently. Moments later, his expression shifted, a spark of realization lighting his face. "There's... a magic circle. A massive one. It's beneath the pond."
He paused, then added, "That's why the plum blossom tree continues to bloom. The mana from the magic circle flows through the pond, sustaining the tree and allowing it to thrive."
I nodded, pleased that he'd noticed. "Exactly. Now think about it—why would an ordinary pond in a normal garden need such a large magic circle? And why would it be filled with mana?"
"At first, I thought it was just an anomaly, but when I heard about the secret storage, it all made sense. The Arcane Guild was known for its power and rise in ranks. It wouldn't be kept somewhere obvious. It would be hidden where no one would think to look like in the middle of a garden."
Obviously, this was just some story I made up so they didn't suspect my real identity. It seemed like a good cover.
Both Shinra and Kenjuro stared at me, their disbelief obvious. I could almost hear their thoughts: "How could something like this go unnoticed for 100 years? It seemed so simple but why didn't we think about it like that."
I didn't wait for them to voice their doubts. Instead, I began removing my shoes. Shinra's voice snapped me out of my focus. "Wait, what are you doing?"
"Jumping in," I said.
Shinra's eyes widened in alarm. "You can't just jump in because you have a hunch! It might be dangerous."
I shrugged, already pulling the shoes off completely of my feet. Shinra looked at Kenjuro for support, Kenjuro was removing his shirt, ready to follow me. Shinra asked shocked, "Why the fuck are you removing your shirt?"
Kenjuro didn't reply rather he smirked as he tossed his shirt aside.
Shinra groaned in defeat. "You're both insane." But he sighed and began removing his own shoe. "If we die, I'm haunting you both."
With all three of us ready, I stepped to the edge of the pond and dived in. The cold water enveloped me instantly, the chill sharpening my senses. I swam downward, the others following closely behind.
As we descended, the mana in the water became thicker, more tangible, like an invisible force pressing against us.
Then I saw it—the massive magic rune circle etched into the floor of the pond. Its intricate designs pulsed faintly with energy. I reached out toward it, motioning for the others to stop.
"Here it is," I said, my voice muffled by the water.
Shinra's curiosity got the better of him. Before I could stop him, he placed his hand on the stone altar at the center of the rune. My instincts screamed, Stop him! but it was too late.
The moment his hand made contact, the handprint on the stone lit up, glowing a deep blue. A surge of ominous energy rippled through the water, sending shivers down my spine.
"Shinra!" I shouted, my voice muffled and panicked signaling we had to get out fast
Because we were underwater they didn't understand what I was trying to signal.
Before we could move, the water around us warped violently which caught all three of us and we were all thrown down by the waves into a cave. We were stuck in the cave and above us was the pond and the water was flowing upwards
Kenjuro turned to Shinra and groaned, "Are you dumb or something? Haven't you ever read a manga? You never touch things in a dungeon or an unknown place like this! It's always a trap."
Shinra raised his hands defensively. "Okay, okay, my bad! but nothing happened"
As soon as he said that an eerie presence filled the space.
The shadows around us started to move, twisting and shifting as if they were alive. Slowly, they took shape, forming into soldiers clad in ghostly armor, monstrous beasts with jagged, unnatural features, and figures that didn't seem to belong to this world.
Their eyes glowed faintly, like dying embers, but their gaze burned with an intensity that made my chest tighten.
The air felt thick and heavy with an unnatural chill, and every instinct in us screamed to run. These weren't just illusions—they were manifestations of Maki's power, one of my subordinates in my previous life.
The phantom soldiers were one of her skills, a bloodline trait something that she was born with which only of the Zen family possessed and they were the countermeasure I had put in case any intruder approached us. The reason they were activated was because Shinra was the one who put his hand and not me.
Kenjuro looked at Shinra with an accusing stare and Shinra was signaling he was sorry and I didn't have time to scold them further. The creatures advanced, their movements slow and deliberate, as if savoring the moment before an attack. I clenched my fists, my mind racing.
It was a trap I had made for intruders and we just walked right into it.
...