Shuku couldn't believe his eyes, as he had never seen anything like this before in his life. The streets were so fancy, and there were mechanisms about that he had never seen ever before.
"There are places even I haven't had the chance of visiting before… and this place, the Eternal Nation, you called it, is one of them," Lucas said, gazing at the magnificence of the abodes and grandiose buildings, "Mostly because, during my time, they were still trying to gather resources to further develop themselves."
"…Yeah…" Shuku responded, too amazed to even say anything but a single word. This place reminded him very much of Kōmon-shi, but, there weren't nearly as many trees and flowers that could be found everywhere, combined with the presence of so many large buildings.
"But, where am I going to meet up back with the others?" Shuku muttered to himself, "Seiji didn't mention a meeting place…"
"I guess I should just head to the Black Dragon Manor first then. Perhaps I'll just meet back up with them on the way." Shuku said before turning to Lucas, who was hanging off of a strange mechanism called a street lamp, and asking,
"Sir Magician? Do you know where the Black Dragon Manor is?"
"The Black Dragon Manor? That place still exists?"
"Yeah? What do you mean?"
"That cult of aristocrats ultimately serves the Wheel of Blasphemy, the Elden God who is said to hold dominion over the aspect of fate and the stars. But, I thought they would've been eventually purged by the countries surrounding the Darklands region since that God is quite a bit unorthodox to worship and praise."
"Well… do you know where it is?"
"Of course I do. But, we may need to do a bit of walking. The Darklands region is on a closely linked island, after all."
Just then, something landed on Shuku's shoulder, making him flinch from surprise. It was the Wild Rose Beetle he had seen in the cavern.
"...This is a surprise. A Wild Rose Beetle is pursuing you."
"What? Is it attracted to me or something?"
"That seems plausible. But, it seems to be more attracted to your blood, from the looks of it." Lucas replied, pointing at the beetle, which was quietly feeding on Shuku's blood.
And, they both noticed that it was slowly growing bigger from doing so.
"…Well, if it's not exactly hurting me, then, what's the harm in letting it drink my blood?"
"Right, and this is usually how people tame Wild Rose Beetles anyway, so, perhaps you'll end up with a new companion by the time it stops sucking your blood."
Shuku nodded and walked onward, with the accompaniment of a new companion.
•••
"Distinguished Might, slay the night, give us our goodness grace."
"Distinguished Night, grace our sight, give us divinity for eternity."
"Distinguished Blight, brace for plight, give us protection for another night."
A strange man uttered these words as if he was saying a prayer at midnight. A prayer meant for Demons and Devils.
A strange man who wore a range of varying clothes, from a red scarf that hung over his shoulders and back to a trenchcoat that he didn't wear fully and instead draped over himself. Usually, the streets of Sēn Gōng called people like him, raving madmen.
But, this man was different. He had an objective in mind, clearly expressed by the pistol he hid in his hand and the freakish smile he put on his face. He had to hunt someone, someone who had stepped past him, whispering to himself like he was also a madman, or, as it was as if he was talking to a "ghost".
But, this man didn't care, for he lifted his pistol, and with a silent shot, a bullet was shot out, and struck him in the back.
"Gagh…!" He let out, as pain akin to a hot iron piercing him flooded his body, "…Fuck…"
"Haha… this is who the Black Dragon Manor ordered me to kill? A man with a disfigured arm? A renowned mercenary like me was reduced to such an easy job. Hell, even a criminal with a trigger finger would be able to get the job done!"
This man was not at all worried about law enforcement envoys seizing him, as there were almost no witnesses around, and, he had left little to no evidence at all.
But, judging how, in the next second, the moon was turned upside down for him, there was something else he needed to worry about instead.
His head was severed from his neck as Shuku, his crimson eyes glaring with killing intent, had instantly executed the man brave enough to shoot him in the back, for he was certainly not prepared to die today.
"That man…" Lucas muttered, "I noticed him walking down the other end, singing a prayer that I recognised almost instantly. It was the prayer to the Stalking Demon, which could only mean that he was most like a mercenary part of the Demon Corps. But, I can't figure out for the life of me why he would blatantly underestimate someone like you."
"Demon Corps?" Shuku said while attempting to extract the bullet lodged in his back, but yet constantly disrupted by the Wild Rose Beetle trying to lap up as much blood as it could.
"A mercenary organisation, of course. One that operates for criminals to earn money. They're crazies who worship demons all for the sake of money. …It's a right shame, if this body wasn't just a projection, I would've identified him as a threat before he had even turned the corner."
"Well, it doesn't matter now…" Shuku said, while inspecting the bullet he had dislodged, "But, people in the outside world do have access to strange things, don't they? I would've never thought something similar to a pebble could make me feel such pain."
"There are many things that the world has developed, all due to the aid of the Gods. And also, I also heard a mention of the Black Dragon Manor from his mouth before he died, he must've certainly been hired by them. But, I wonder, have you come into contact with them before? Or there is almost no way they would recognise you."
"I haven't."
"Ah, then the only possible explanation is that they got their hands on a Divine Item, a Black-Grade one, too."
"A Black-Grade? They're organized into ranks?"
"Of course! Nobody would be able to tell anything apart if they weren't organized. Black-Grades are considered the most mystical, while White-Grades are considered the most dangerous. The grades in-between are considered a combination of both elements."
"Then, the one I have on me is…"
"The Luminous Branch is a Darkblue Grade, second to only the Black Grades in terms of being mystical."
"…Huh… I guess there is still a lot for me left to learn."
"Indeed. But, let's leave that topic for now, as the mystifying nature of the Eternal Nation's forests awaits us, and beyond even that, the Black Dragon Manor lies in wait."