"Go forth, Acid Flood!" Xuan Yang yelled, commanding the toxic liquid as if it were merely an extension of his own body.

However, this time, I wasn't fazed in the least. This time, I was prepared. Thanks to Mei Gui, I now had a way of defeating Xuan Yang and his Battle Soul. Instead of running the other direction like he expected me to, I instead jumped directly upwards. Since I had cast Potentia Excitant: Salire on myself earlier already, I was able to jump several times higher than normal, reappearing far above the tsunami of acid.

"Wha-" Xuan Yang began, but it was too late.

Space - Eliminate.

Saying the incantation in my head, I channeled my mana and erased space itself, blinking me directly in front of Xuan Yang's snake Battle Soul. Level One Sky Magic - Flight. Keeping myself levitated, I began doing as Mei Gui instructed.

I only have one chance. I have never practiced before, and honestly, there's a 90% chance I'll fail. But in order to survive, I must do this. I must succeed on my first attempt. Not just for myself...but for my parents as well.

Step one - Get within direct contact range. Complete.

Step two - Channel my Chaos energy, and let it flow out of my hands, onto my target. Complete.

And finally, step 3 - chant these words:

"Forbidden Magic - Soul Shackle."

And then...nothing. Silence ensued. The above events happened in the matter of a few seconds, and Xuan Yang didn't even have time to react. However, it didn't matter how fast I was. I...I faile-

"W-What the hell is this?!" Xuan Yang shrieked as his face became contorted in agony.

Suddenly, just when I thought all hope was lost, several black chains swirling with furious red energy rose up from the ground, passed directly through the acidic liquid without being harmed in the least, and locked themselves around Xuan Yang's Battle Soul. The snake let out a bloodcurdling scream as it was immobilized, the chains continuing to wrap themselves around the poor Battle Soul.

I fell back to the ground, as Xuan Yang's Acid Flood had disappeared already. He seemed to be choking, bound by invisible shackles. He was too busy desperately clawing at his neck with his hands, and so the Acid Flood subdued. Huh...so he's affected by the chains on his Battle Soul as well?

I walked closer to Xuan Yang, who had collapsed onto the ground, terrified and unable to move.

"D-Don't come any closer, b-bastard!" he yelled, but his voice quivered from fear.

I closed my eyes and placed my hand on the handle of my katana, a murderous gleam in my eyes. "Xuan Yang...it is time for your judgement."

*****

(Xuan Yang's Perspective)

What? What the hell?! Why can't I move?! Ugh...it hurts, it hurts! I feel as if multiple hot iron chains are strapped around my body! O-Oh, I know! Come, Battle Soul! Come! Help me, Serpent! No good, it's not working...what is this...I can't control my own Battle Soul anymore?! G-Gah...what do I do...what do I do...

I stared on in despair as the boy in front of me edged closer and closer. I-Is the end...? Damn it...me, killed by the son of a mongrel?! Me, of all people?! They are all mongrels! Xuan Ying, even after death, you will continue to stand in my way?! Hah! There's no damn way I'm dying at the hands of him, I will not be held back by a dead man!There's no damn way I'm dying at the hands of him, I will not be held back by a dead man!

The boy placed his hand on the handle of his katana, closed his eyes, and took a graceful sword stance leaning on one knee. As I looked at him, trembling in fear, my vision was clouded by a white light, and I saw my younger self, playing together with my brother Xuan Ying without a care in the world. Ah...childhood memories...? Come to think of it, there was a time when us two brothers were just kids, huh?

Then, the scene changed, and my brother and I were now both young men. I saw myself eavesdropping on a room, where my father was discussing something with my brother about becoming the next patriarch. It was around this time that I began envying him, and that jealousy...gave birth to hatred.

The scene changed once more, and my brother's wife had just given birth to a child. However, this child was disabled, a failure of a human. He had been born without the slightest trace of magic - in other words, his power was so miniscule it could just be rounded down to zero. It was around this time, that I began to concoct an evil plan to fulfill my desires and achieve what it is I want.

My surroundings changed once more, and I had just received the news of my brother's and his wife's death. I saw the reflection of myself grinning deviously with a satisfied expression. My father had just appointed me as the next patriarch of the Xuan family, and all my goals have been achieved.

I-Is this what they call...your life flashing before your eyes?

Cut to the next scene, and my deceased brother has come to the Xuan family residency, seeking vengeance. W-Wait, this isn't a 'scene'...this is reality. The flashbacks are over...? But how?! Xuan Ying - my brother - he should be long dead!

I stared at the figure in fear and disbelief. Was this some kind of bad dream? Either way, I wanted to escape. I wanted to scream, I wanted to run. Staring straight at me, stood my deceased brother, despite him being killed a long time ago.

N-No way...there's just no damn way! H-How did I even end up in this situation?! I was fighting that boy, Xuan Kai, and then-

Ah...I see. It isn't my deceased brother I'm seeing. The person standing before me right now is the spitting image of him: his son - Xuan Kai.

I felt my eyesight get hazy as the two figures, father and son, overlapped in my vision. The combination of the two of them gazed at me with cold, red eyes devoid of all emotion except hatred and malice. Then, the figure opened his mouth slightly; his voice no more than a whisper.

"That wasn't your life flashing before your eyes-"

In an instant, his katana was out of its sheath, and he dashed right next to me.

What?! N-No! I refuse to die here! I am Xuan Yang, patriarch of one of the Four Great Families of Shenzh-

And then, like the grim reaper himself, here to shatter my dreams, the boy whispered death straight into my ear.

"-That, was me."

*****

(Xuan Kai's Perspective)

Xuan Yang's decapitated head fell to the ground with a light thud, and his limp body collapsed onto the blood-soaked grass. I glanced at my katana, painted red with the color of blood. Then, dropping my weapon, I looked up at the starry night sky, and closed my eyes as the rain washed over me, along with my tragic past.

"It's over, huh...?" I muttered to myself, collapsing onto the ground, tired but relieved at the same time. Mei Gui hurriedly ran over and crouched down beside me in worry.

"Master, are you alright?"

"Yeah...better than alright, actually," I said weakly. "I'm happy...I finally avenged the assassinations of my father and mother. I still have to kill off the rest of the Xuan family, but the main culprit has already been apprehended."

"Yes...I am glad Master is happy," Mei Gui said with a smile.

I patted her head and laughed. "What happened to your usual emotionless demeanor there?"

Mei Gui immediately stiffened and looked away, cheeks slightly pink. I chuckled and stood up. "We're not done just yet, Mei Gui. Xuan Yang would never be able to gather such a big force of assassins on his own, back then. The elders of the Xuan family and the previous patriarch must've approved of his decision and helped as well."

The crimson-haired beauty stood up as well, and nodded her head after immediately comprehending my intention. "Understood. I will track them down."

"There is no need for that," a voice suddenly said out of nowhere.

Mei Gui and I immediately spun around to find a tall man wearing a plague doctor mask leaning against a tree near the edge of the training field.

I clenched my fists as I realized who it was. "...Plague."

"Indeed I am," he said, walking closer to us. Mei Gui and I both put up our guards, ready for anything.

"That girl over there...she's not a human, is she? Hm...whatever. I must say though, that little trick of yours back there was quite clever, Xuan Kai."

I smirked. "Kuku...I hope you had fun playing hide-and-seek while I killed Xuan Yang."

"Well, we merely had a temporary deal," Plague replied casually. "I do not really care about whether he is alive or not."

I narrowed my gaze. "Then...why are you here?"

Plague laughed. "I said I formed a temporary deal with Xuan Yang...but it was still a deal nonetheless. And you killing him...well, let's just say that hinders my plan quite a bit."

"Your...plan?" Mei Gui and I said at the same time.

"That's right, my plan!" Plague raised his two arms in the air. "For the glory of the Midnight Syndicate, I shall eradicate this city!"