The Lower Stupa

Just as Blood Claw's massive hand was about to brutally rip the life-saving ring from Ichinose's finger, and his furious roar still echoed through the cave—

"Shiiing—!"

A bolt of deep blue lightning tore through the thick curtain of vines at the cave entrance! A piercing shriek of desperate resolve!

The Shadow, like a spirit of vengeance, folded its wings and dove straight for Blood Claw's face, its sharp claws like poisoned daggers! Its target: those eyes bloodshot with rage and greed!

"What the hell?!" Blood Claw was caught off guard! He instinctively jerked his head aside to dodge, forced to pull back the hand reaching for the ring and block instead! The sharp bird claws left several deep, bloody gashes on his thick arm!

"You damn little pest!" Blood Claw was thoroughly enraged! He roared and swung his hand back to grab the annoying bird! At the same time, his other hand shot toward his waist—where a micro-controller could instantly release a nerve-suppressing current to destroy the Shadow's brain!

In that split second, a voice, elegant and laced with icy fury, flowed into the cave like moonlight:

"Ohohoho... Such a barbaric stage, such crude actors, such... a defiled star. This shoddy play called 'Despair' is truly the most utter blasphemy against 'aesthetics'!"

The vines were calmly parted by a long, fair hand. Koenji Rokusuke's figure appeared at the cave entrance. The cold moonlight outlined his resplendent golden hair and upright posture, like a luminous body in the darkness. His golden eyes, like molten gold, swept across everything inside the cave: scattered weapons and trash, Ichinose Honami bound roughly, her clothes disheveled and eyes brimming with tears, and the assassin standing like a savage beast, arm bleeding, face full of brutality.

The moment his gaze touched Ichinose, the molten-gold fury nearly erupted! But in the next second, it was covered by a deeper, colder elegance.

Blood Claw's movements froze! He recognized the newcomer, and his face twisted into a mix of ferocity and wariness: "Koenji Rokusuke? Hah! The young master of the Koenji family?" He let out a hoarse, grating laugh like sandpaper. "What? A pampered little noble brat like you, always yapping about 'beauty,' dares to wade into this muddy water? I've killed eight or ten wastes from families like yours! One more won't make a difference!"

Koenji wasn't provoked. Instead, as if hearing an amusing joke, he curled his lips into a cold smile: "Oh? Is that so? Using filthy hands to destroy exquisite art, just to prove your own maggot-like existence? What a... pitiful and twisted logic." As he spoke, he casually took a step forward, his posture still elegant and composed, as if inspecting his own domain.

"Stop right there!" Blood Claw's alertness shot to its peak! He knew all too well how terrifying these scions of noble families could be! Beneath their flashy exteriors often lurked deadly fangs! Without hesitation, he abandoned grabbing the bird and yanked out the heavy military pistol from his waist! The dark muzzle instantly locked onto Koenji's forehead! His movements were lightning-fast!

"Take one more step, and I'll blow that pretty face of yours to pieces!" Blood Claw's voice was thick with brutal menace. "Throw out all your damn weapons! Poison needles! Knives! Anything that can hurt! Now! Right now!"

Koenji stopped. His golden eyes calmly fixed on the cold muzzle, as if admiring a uniquely crafted piece of art. He spread his hands in an extremely elegant "display" gesture: "As you wish, sir brute who pursues the 'aesthetics of power.'" He began to move with composure:

A beautifully crafted, paper-thin poisoned throwing knife, pinched between his fingertips, was gently dropped at his feet.

Then, several needles as fine as ox hair, gleaming with a faint blue sheen, slid from his sleeve.

Finally, he pulled a gem-encrusted dagger from behind his waist, its blade glinting with deadly cold, and tossed it aside as well.

The crisp clatter of metal hitting the ground was especially jarring in the silent cave.

Blood Claw didn't relax; the gun remained steady: "And don't try anything! Turn around!"

Koenji complied, turning gracefully as if performing a waltz.

Blood Claw pulled a pair of heavy handcuffs from his pack and threw them harshly at Koenji's feet with a dull clang.

"Pick them up! Cuff yourself! Hands behind your back!" Blood Claw's command brooked no argument. "Don't dawdle, or I'll put a bullet in the blonde girl first and let you watch her die right in front of you!"

Koenji's gaze swept over the cold, rough handcuffs on the ground, then glanced at Ichinone Honami in the corner, bound, her eyes full of terror and helplessness. Her star-like golden hair was now smeared with mud, tears silently streaming down her azure eyes, like a masterpiece violently torn apart. A powerful impulse, named "protection," overwhelmed all resistance to "restraint" and "inelegance."

He bent down, using his long, black-gloved fingers to elegantly pick up the handcuffs that clashed so starkly with his demeanor.

"Ohohoho..." He let out an ambiguous chuckle, as if elegantly mocking fate. "To protect the faint light of a star, to temporarily don these crude shackles... Isn't this itself a kind of... tragic beauty filled with sacrifice?"

Under Blood Claw's wary gaze, Koenji moved fluidly, even with a strange sense of ritual, and with a click, locked the cold metal handcuffs around his own pale wrists. Then, he obediently placed his hands behind his back.

Blood Claw finally relaxed a little, but the gun still aimed at Koenji: "Get over here! Squat next to the girl!"

Koenji didn't need to be dragged over as Blood Claw expected. He stepped forward on his own, his pace still carrying that ingrained elegance, as if the handcuffs were priceless wrist ornaments. He walked to Ichinose's side, ignoring Blood Claw's wary stare, and with a slightly awkward yet dignified posture, knelt and sat down, close to Ichinose.

Blood Claw watched Koenji maintain that infuriating noble composure even as a prisoner, and couldn't help but sneer again: "Tsk tsk tsk! Look! Look at our noble young master Koenji! Doesn't he look like a peacock stripped of its pretty feathers, still putting on airs? What a joke! If your parents saw you like this, would they regret giving birth to such a useless poser?"

Koenji seemed not to hear the filth. He turned his head slightly to look at Ichinose Honami, trembling and crying beside him. The cold fury in his golden eyes was replaced by a strange, soothing gentleness. His voice was low and clear, like a spring flowing under moonlight, reaching Ichinose's ears directly:

"Dear Miss Honami," his voice carried a strange magic, instantly capturing all of Ichinose's attention, "please do not fear this temporary gloom. The light of a star is never truly extinguished by clouds; it is merely... gathering strength for a more brilliant radiance."

He leaned forward slightly, speaking in a volume only the two could hear, his voice filled with absolute certainty: "Please believe that the 'Arbiter,' who walks in the night yet yearns for the light, has never let the moon that rises solely to protect you... fall. He will surely tear apart this curtain of darkness, crush all filth, and come to welcome his star."

Koenji's words, like a spell with magic power, pierced through the thick clouds of fear in Ichinose's heart. She stared blankly at Koenji's golden eyes, still brilliant in the dim light, with no trace of false comfort, only a conviction close to prophecy.

Kazama In...

That cold figure who put the ring on her finger under the moonlight...

That quiet, calm profile in the movie theater...

That young man who discussed the world of books with her rationally in the library...

That him who said goodnight at the dormitory door and cared about her health.

His gaze, his promise, the cold touch of his fingertips... surged into her heart like a tide! A powerful, almost faith-like trust overwhelmed her fear!

"Mm!" Ichinose nodded firmly. Though tears still glistened in her azure eyes, the deep fear had been replaced by a stubborn hope. She stopped trembling; though still bound, she straightened her spine. She believed in him! Kazama In would definitely come! Just as Koenji said!

Blood Claw watched their silent exchange, saw the light rekindle in Ichinose's eyes, and burned with even more rage: "Damn it! Still flirting and playing tricks when death's at the door!" He paced irritably, the gun swinging back and forth between Koenji and Ichinose like a cornered beast.

Outside the cave, the wind howled, and the rain finally poured down! Heavy raindrops pounded violently against the vines and rocks, producing a deafening roar! As if playing a wild prelude to the final judgment about to come! Inside the cave, under the cold muzzle and crude insults, Ichinose Honami closed her eyes, letting Koenji's powerful words echo in her mind, sinking into the fragments of memories with Kazama In... Those shards of memory would become her strongest armor, waiting at the end of the darkness for that cold moonlight that would surely tear everything apart.