Author's Preface
A few days later, Blue was back on his feet. The team didn’t rush anything. They stuck to smaller, lower-rank gates, keeping things controlled. The fights were easy compared to what they had faced before, but no one treated them that way. Not after what happened. They watched Blue more than usual. Even now.
“You know I’m fine, right?” Blue said as they moved through the last stretch of another cleared gate.
No one answered him. Samantha glanced over briefly, then looked away. Cynthia stayed focused ahead. Chris didn’t even acknowledge it.
Darrien snorted. “Yeah, yeah. You’re always fine.”
Blue rolled his eyes. “I am.”
They finished clearing the gate without any issues and stepped back out into the open air. Olivia was already there, waiting.
Darrien looked at Blue, then turned to Chris. “I’m starting to regret saying yes to bringing him in.”
Blue frowned. “What the hell, man?”
Darrien shrugged. “Sorry, bro, but I see my deranged sister now that you’re around more than I ever have in the past.”
Chris gave a small nod. “He’s got a point.”
Cynthia laughed under her breath, and even Samantha let out a quiet chuckle.
Blue looked between them. “I don’t even know what that means.”
Olivia walked straight past the group and stopped in front of Blue. “Aaron wants to meet with you,” she said. “Tonight. Eight o’clock. Be at the guild.” Then she looked at Darrien. “You know I come around only for you, brother. Not him.”
Darrien opened his mouth to respond, but she was already moving. She grabbed him, and the two of them disappeared.
Blue stared at the spot they had just been. “What is all that about?”
Eve stepped forward. “They have a complicated relationship.”
Blue looked at her.
“They’re both assassins,” she continued. “Just… very different.” She paused for a moment. “Their parents died when they were young. So even if it doesn’t look like it, they do care about each other. Olivia’s focused. You’ve seen that. Darrien’s strong, but he likes to play around. She pulls him out like that to keep him in check.”
Chris crossed his arms. “As you can see, it’s worked very well.”
That got a laugh out of everyone. They split off not long after, heading back toward their vehicles and calling it a day.
That evening, Blue stood in the lobby of the Buckeye Guild. No receptionist, no guild members in sight. Arthur came from around the corner.
“Ahh, Blue, good to see you again.”
“Hello, sir.” Blue nodded his head.
“Aaron is waiting for you in the arena.” Arthur gave Blue a tap on the back and a wicked smirk. “Have fun.”
Blue took the elevator down to the arena. Aaron stood in the middle, arms crossed. Blue approached him.
“At least someone wants to spar. The team is treating me like an injured baby bird.”
Aaron’s face didn’t move. He looked pissed.
“Umm... Aaron?” Blue asked, trying to get a read on the situation.
Aaron threw a wooden jian at him. As Blue caught it, Aaron rushed him. His fist slammed into Blue’s ribcage. Blue doubled over, the jian slipped from his hand. Before he could recover, Aaron swept his legs out from under him. Blue hit the ground hard, the air knocked out of his lungs. Aaron was on him instantly. Punch after punch came down toward his head. Blue barely managed to block, his arms taking the brunt of it. He could feel blood from Aaron’s knuckles running down onto him.
Then it stopped.
Aaron pushed off and jumped back, putting distance between them. Still no words. Blue laid there for a second, catching what little breath he could. This wasn’t a spar. Aaron was pissed. And right now, Blue was the target. Blue forced himself up and rushed forward, trying to take the advantage.
“Not good enough.”
That was all he heard before Aaron grabbed him with both hands. He spun once and sent Blue flying. Blue crashed into the northern wall, the impact knocking the breath out of him again. He dropped to the ground, blood rising in his throat before spilling from his mouth.
He was done.
"…Fine. This was how they were doing this."
Blue took a deep breath. He felt the divine energy in his dantian. He let go of the tension in his body and allowed it to flow. Instantly, the aura around him changed. The normal qi people were used to seeing, clean, structured. Was now thicker, heavier. Laced with strands of gold.
Aaron felt it immediately. Blue planted his feet. Ready. Then... Aaron smiled. A wide, satisfied grin. He sat down instantly, legs crossed, arms planted on the ground behind him. Arthur and Olivia appeared beside Blue in that same moment. Blue, still ready to give Aaron ten times what he had just taken, forced himself to calm down. His qi retracted. The divine energy settled.
He looked at Arthur. Then at Aaron, still grinning. His gaze flicked between Aaron and Olivia a few times until he heard it.
One word slipped from Olivia’s mouth.
“Champion.”
Blue froze. Instantly, his mind went back to that night, telling the team everything, Darrien practically falling out of the sky into the back of the truck, no one questioning it.
Then he looked back at Olivia. “…Fuck.” He swallowed, glancing toward Aaron, visibly shaken now that it had clicked. “You know… huh?”
“I do now,” Aaron said, patting the ground beside him. “Come. Seems we have a lot to discuss.”
Blue took a seat next to Aaron. Olivia and Arthur joined them.
This feels like Murim all over again, he thought.
Aaron started the conversation. “Here. Take this. It’s a pill from Nytherra. It’ll heal whatever wounds you still have.”
Blue took the pill. He could feel it working instantly. The fatigue left his body.
“Now that that’s out of the way… Mr. Champion,” Aaron said, his tone shifting slightly, “mind telling me what’s going on.”
Blue lowered his head. “Damn… how much do you know?”
“Everything Olivia overheard that night. But I know there’s more. I’ve known there was more to you since the moment you showed up.”
“Alright…” Blue exhaled. “Then let’s do this fair. Answer for answer. And for the record, if they didn’t step in, I was about to stomp your ass.”
Aaron laughed. “Sure. And maybe after this, we’ll see if you can back that up.”
Blue nodded. He told Aaron everything he had told his team, about Hatred, the golden gods, being chosen as their champion, his system and the existence of the old gods. Once again, he left out the truth of his reincarnation… and his siblings in Murim.
“And what about you leaving the guild?” Aaron asked, his tone turning sharper.
“Seems Olivia didn’t leave much out,” Blue said, side-eyeing her.
She just grinned.
“Well… I’m planning to teach unawakened people how to use qi,” Blue continued. “You know I’m the only one who can cross that golden gate. Murim’s in bad shape. We think Hatred is manipulating the powers there.” He leaned forward slightly. “So the plan is to train people, see if they can cross, and send them to Murim to train under different masters. It helps them… and it helps us.”
“And the pendant?” Arthur asked.
Blue shot another glance at Olivia. He sighed and squeezed the bridge of his nose.
“It’s easier to find if I’m my own boss,” Blue replied. “Look… none of this has to involve you. I don’t want to drag you into something I got myself into.” He paused. “As for the team… they’re not going to listen to me. They’re set on following her. And honestly, Eve… she wants to follow me. And, I need her.”
Aaron leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. “You know… Eve is stronger than most people think. I brought her into the guild to make her stronger. She’s a hell of a leader.” A small pause. “She’s been on me since day one about finding you.” Aaron exhaled. “I’ve spent a lot of time building this guild. Protecting this city.”
He looked back at Blue. “So I’ll make you an offer. The ranker competition is in three months. If you take rank 1 from the Germans, I’ll make sure you become a ranker and can form your own guild. You’ll have my full support. You can take Eve and her team with you.”
Blue looked and Aaron. "But? Theres always a but."
Aaron smiled. "But, If you don’t… you stay. And you become an executive of the Buckeye Guild.”
Blue blinked, caught off guard. “…Wait. You’re not upset? Then what the hell was that beating for?”
Aaron smirked slightly. “Would you have shown me that divine energy if I didn’t force it out of you?”
Blue paused. “…You’re right.” He exhaled. “Alright. I’ll agree. But you answer one question for me.”
“Go ahead.”
“Why is the Association pretending the gate I entered during my ranker exam wasn’t S-rank? Darrien explained everything to me… after his sister here finished torturing him.”
Aaron let out a slow breath. He glanced at Arthur.
Arthur raised his hands. “I’m staying out of that one.”
Aaron shook his head slightly. “I don’t know, Blue. I have my suspicions. Titus. Grayson. Maybe the Association as a whole.” He looked back at him. “But suspicions don’t change what’s already happened. And you don’t need to be chasing conspiracies right now. Regardless of what happens in the competition… I’ll support you.”
“I’ve told you before, we’re not your enemy. Let us help. Whether that’s as allies… or as your guild. You’re not alone in this. So win the competition. Let me handle Titus and Grayson for now.”
Blue nodded slowly. “…Alright.” Then he smirked slightly. “Can we agree to stop beating answers out of me from now on?”
Arthur laughed. Aaron followed.
“I’m not making any promises,” Aaron said. “But I do want to test that energy now.” He stood and rolled his shoulders. “Care for a rematch? I’ll take it easy this time.”
“Like hell you will,” Blue said, standing. “You’ve got five minutes. That’s all I can hold it.”
Aaron grinned. “Then let’s not waste time.”
The two clashed again, hard and fast, neither holding back. Five minutes. That was all it took. And by the end of it, Blue had a goal. To win the international ranker competition.