"Are you sure this is necessary?"
Looking over the third sacred relic, Fu Qian asked casually.
It was about the length of a forearm, jagged and gray-black all over, with only the blade's edge gleaming white, running all the way to the raised, thorn-like tip.
The blade and hilt were one seamless piece. It looked a bit like turbulent currents had congealed over it, but a closer look revealed that the two were utterly different—more like bones soaked black with dirty water.
It exuded an unprecedented air of evil and sublimity, and Fu Qian had no doubt about its lethality.
"By all appearances, you have the upper hand. You can just wait here, and the moment I lose my balance, even a little, you win."
"You even said yourself just now that the outcome was already decided."
"That is indeed a fact. From the moment you swallowed a fragment of me, there was no way for you to escape."
The Agent maintained his excellent habit of answering every question Fu Qian asked.
"You will become a part of this world forever, and a part of me as well."
"But the process isn't set in stone. Given the unreasonable tenacity you've shown, even after swallowing a second portion of divine power, I need to speed things up."
"But don't worry. I'm not going to walk over there with this weapon in my hand and stab you in the heart."
Before the words had even faded, the Agent turned the weapon around and plunged it straight into his own chest.
"To break down that tenacity faster, I need to introduce a more intense sensation."
This did nothing to stop him from speaking. As he talked, his arm slowly turned, carving an arc across his chest.
Unlike the wound from when he had