Chapter 24: Once Upon A Time
Ye Yu and No One, both died, found themselves respawning at the square in the City of Azure Flames.
They saw each other.
Almost simultaneously, they burst into laughter.
"Brother, that combo was impressive."
"Senior Brother, you're formidable too. I still have much to learn. Using the Society In Black Technique as an escape skill really opened my eyes!"
The two of them chatted and laughed as they made their way towards the main hall.
A good brawl could indeed forge a deep bond!
Especially when you're playing video game, bond can easily be made like that.
Heavenly Demon In Black stood in the main hall, awaiting their return.
"You two brats didn't do too badly."
Both of them bowed respectfully.
"Alright, from the start, I intended to help both of you. The duel was merely to gauge your strengths."
She directly tossed a token to Ye Yu.
"This is the token that grants you access to the Library of the Society In Black. Inside, there are several skill books for the Shadow Assassin; you can learn them."
No One was taken aback.
Hidden Technique?
Skills for classes are generally acquired in three common ways.
Introductory skills are learned immediately upon entering a class.
Level-based skills are learned upon reaching certain levels.
And then there are Hidden Technique, the hardest to obtain.
Many players even at level 69 have yet to acquire a Hidden Technique of their old classes.
Typically, one acquires a Hidden Technique from item drops by bosses.
So, Ye Yu had requested Heavenly Demon In Black to teach him this Secret Manual.
Impressive.
"What are you staring at?" Heavenly Demon In Black spoke up.He tossed him a token.
"You go take a few books too. From the way you fought earlier, you lacked the demeanor expected of a Blade Dancer."
No One was a little shocked. But he still thanked the master.
Was he gonna get a Hidden Technique that easy as well?
"Since both of you tied, I'll reward you equally. Ye Yu's request was to learn skills, so I grant this to both of you. Now, let's address No One's request."
No One swallowed hard.
"Defeat the Phantom of The Immortal Blade."
Ye Yu was startled.
"Are you try to tackling a new dungeon?"
Ye Yu didn't belong to a guild; he was more of a solo player with few acquaintances.
Even though he wanted to challenge dungeons, he often had to pass them up.
Most of his gaming time was dedicated to PVP.
For daily quests or dungeon raids, he usually pug, looking for public teams.
"Yes, I was planning to ask if you wanted to join. Our team needs a Shadow Assassin."
"Of course, I'd love to!" Ye Yu replied joyfully.
The rewards from the Godlike dungeon are absolutely huge !
The previous dungeon opened, and even now, countless people are still go for it. Epic gear, Secret Manuals, and rare items are countless.
Being a Pioneer had its perks.
No One was secretly delighted. This junior brother had a good temperament too. While ruthless in battle, he was quite approachable otherwise.Hearing the master said he was cold, No One thought he would remain silent.
She and No One both understood that this person had simply been playing solo for too long, had few people to talk to, and was just a bit shy with new acquaintances.
"You two done talking? How dare you interrupt the master?"
The Heavenly Demon In Black behind them emanated a menacing black aura.
The two brothers could only bow their heads and apologize.
"Never mind, now I will tell you the secrets of this world."
"And soon there may be a junior sister joining, you two should behave properly."
Both nodded.
It wasn't surprising.
Though the Society In Black stayed hidden, this time they were recruiting quite a lot.
The number of players in the Shadow Assassin and Blade Dancer classes, although not as popular as the famous classes, was significant.
The number of people meeting the requirements to become disciples of the Heavenly Demon In Black had also increased.
"There will be more of my disciples soon, but they won't be true disciples like you. They will only be called Disciples of the Society In Black."
"If you do not train diligently, the title of a Disciple of the Heavenly Demon In Black can easily be taken by others. Be cautious and fight for it."
Both bowed their heads in compliance.
"Now then."
The mist around the grand hall intensified.
It surrounded everything in a white shroud.
Nothing around could be seen now.
"I will tell you of a past that no one remembers."
Is this... a cutscene?
Both appeared to see from a third-person perspective, not through their own eyes.
"The world reincarnates."
"In each cycle, countless beings are born, and countless beings die."
"Each cycle of this world lasts for an unknown length of time."
"Only when you become an immortal can your lifespan compare to the heavens."
Before their eyes now, they saw the sky with countless souls soaring upward.
"The current world has been in countless cycles."
"Both the Immortal Blade and I have lived through to the third cycle."
Before them appeared two exceptionally beautiful women, one wielding dual swords and the other a long sword, facing a massive beast that obscured the sky, with its fur distinctively white.
The White Beast.
"In the previous cycle, the Immortal Blade and I were lovers."
No One had heard this before, and remained calm.
Ye Yu couldn't help but exclaim, "What?"
"A yuri couple... They truly make a lovely pair."
The Heavenly Demon In Black continued.
"In the first cycle, we were a married couple. At that time, the world was saturated with spiritual energy, and those who cultivated aimed to become immortals. Unlike now, when hardly anyone dreams of immortality anymore."
"During one of our explorations of the Tomb of The Immortal Blade, Avery Snow luckily obtained an inheritance, becoming the new Immortal Blade."
"The title of Immortal Blade is passed down through generations. It is not a title for one person alone."
"At that time, my cultivation was far inferior to Avery Snow's."
An image of an awe-inspiring Immortal Blade appeared before them.
It was a man.
So, in the first life, they were a man and a woman.
In the second life, they were both born as women.
"At that time, realizing my inadequacy, I sought to distance myself from the Immortal Blade."
"Little did I know that my inferiority would lead to tragedy."
The image of the Heavenly Demon In Black now appeared, holding a demon mask that seemed unusually alive, as if the mask itself had a soul.
"Falling into the demonic path, I trained relentlessly, eventually reaching a level of cultivation envied by many, becoming the Heavenly Demon."
"The Immortal Blade still had feelings for me; no matter how deeply I delved into the demonic ways, time and again, he tried to help me."
"In the end..."
An image appeared, causing No One to be momentarily stunned.
The Immortal Blade faced the Heavenly Demon, their sword still sheathed, while the Heavenly Demon brandished their sword at the Immortal Blade."
"Stop."
"Stop right now."
The voice was choked, as if it could break into tears at any moment.
"Don't you understand!? We can never be like we were before!!!"
Tears streamed from the eyes of the Heavenly Demon In Black.
"In this life... In this life..."
The voice grew increasingly stifled.
The Immortal Blade said nothing, only slowly stepped forward.
It was as if the whole world fell silent at that moment.
He gently embraced her.
The Heavenly Demon's face, filled with anger and grievance, suddenly turned innocent, like that of a young maiden.
His warm body just held her like that.
"I’ve caused you so much grievance."