A bark of laughter exploded through his mind, wild and booming.
"Oho!" Shukaku roared, excitent flaring in his tone like a desert windstorm. "Now that is what I like to hear! Ti to wake the storm, huh? Let us see if you can handle even a fraction of my power without growing a tail and losing your damn mind!"
"Controlled," Arthev repeated, firm and unshaken. "We start small. Just your soul power. I'll test the rge. If it pushes too far, I will pull back."
"Tch. Always with the damn safety nets," Shukaku muttered, but his voice was eager, pulsing with anticipation. "Alright then, reach out ,grab hold of my power. I ain't gonna bite…"
A pause.
"…At least not yet."
Arthev inhaled slowly, pressing his back firmly against the tree. He reached inward, drawing on the bond between him and the beast within.
Shukaku stirred.
A surge of soul power answered ,hot, heavy, and gritty like desert winds whipping through stone canyons. It poured into Arthev's veins, setting his nerves alight. His skin prickled as a faint tan hue blood across his arms, black markings curling like ancient runes around his wrists,early signs of possession taking hold.
His senses expanded.
The forest ca alive,every fluttering insect wing, every swaying leaf beca crisp in his mind. He felt the world breathing around him, vibrating through the grains of dust on the ground.
Steady. He focused, holding the torrent in place, his mind wrapping around the chaos like a steel chain. Slowly, deliberately, he exhaled and eased the rge. The markings receded, the color in his skin fading back to normal.
"A step forward," he said ntally, voice composed. "We'll build on this. Daily. Until I can control your full form."
"Tease," Shukaku muttered, but there was no irritation in his tone,only pride. "Ya felt it though, didn't ya? That rush. That power. Keep goin', Stunned Face. Keep pushin'. You're gettin' closer to bein' more than human."
Arthev opened his eyes.
The forest was quiet, painted in soft gold under the mid-morning sun. The ache in his body was gone. His thoughts were clear. His path was set.
He rose to his feet and slipped the scroll from his belt,the warrant for the Hunting Soul Forest, the next step on his climb.
Strength first. Then answers.
Two Month Later — Skyhaven City
The crystalline peaks of Skyhaven shimred beneath the late afternoon sun, their jagged edges catching the light like shards of polished glass. Perched along the northern border of the Star Luo Empire,near the edge of the Star Dou Forest and just shy of the Heaven Dou frontier,the city rose high in the mountains, its white stone walls and sky-blue spires casting a luminous glow.
Skyhaven. A city that lived up to its na.
Built as both a fortress and a forge, it thrumd with activity. The clang of tool workshops echoed through winding alleys, while carts rolled past, hauling glowing equipnt and rare ores. Mid-tier Spirit Masters patrolled the streets in crisp uniforms, mingling with traders and inventors bartering over blueprints, crystals, and enhancent runes.
At the city's heart lood the Skyhaven Vault,a jade-fortified monolith rumored to house rare spirit stones and classified soul tool designs. It was equal parts treasury and temptation, a beacon for empire loyalists and thieves alike.
Arthev stood at the main gate, the wind tugging at his travel-worn cloak. Dust from the road clung to his boots and the hem of his robes. His dark eyes scanned the bustle ahead,rchants haggling, children chasing soul lamp fireflies, guards inspecting wares.
This city… he mused, his gaze narrowing. It doesn't exist in my mories of Douluo. No records, no na—nothing.
That absence gnawed at him. In a world so familiar, Skyhaven was a crack in the mirror.
And cracks begged to be explored.
(Flashback)
Upon entering Nuoding Academy, Arthev made his way directly to the Academic Affairs Office. He paused briefly at the door, then knocked politely before pushing it open.
"Oh, it's Arthev. What brings you here today?"
Director Su looked up and greeted him with a warm smile upon seeing him enter.
The other teachers in the room also smiled and nodded in acknowledgnt. After four years at the academy, Arthev had earned the respect and fondness of nearly every teacher. His diligence, discipline, and budding talent made him a model student,soone everyone admired.
Arthev stepped forward, his expression calm yet resolute.
"Director Su, I'm here to apply for early graduation."
Director Su was briefly stunned by the sudden declaration. But before he or the others could react further, Arthev continued:
"Also, I should let you know... the standing here right now isn't the real ."
The atmosphere in the office instantly shifted. The warm smiles faded, replaced by surprise and tension. A brief silence settled over the room like a heavy fog.
"This is a Wood Clone I created," Arthev explained, his voice steady. "I was concerned that you might not approve if I ca in person, so I used this thod to avoid unnecessary trouble."
"A clone?" Director Su finally asked, brows furrowed with astonishnt. "Is this one of your soul ring skill?"
Arthev shook his head. "No, this is a self-created soul skill,sothing I developed myself. As for my true body... I believe he's already left Nuoding City by now."
This ti, the silence was heavier, filled with the weight of unspoken thoughts. The teachers looked at one another, both shocked and impressed.
Director Su blinked slowly, then sighed.
"You've always been mature beyond your years..." he said with a nod. "Since you've already made your decision, and with a talent like yours… we won't stop you.Is there an interdiate soul master academy you're planning to attend? The dean and I can write you a recomndation letter."
"Thank you, Director Su," Arthev replied, shaking his head gently. "But I don't plan on enrolling in any academy for now."
Seeing the determination in Arthev's eyes, Director Su didn't press further. With his assistance, Arthev's graduation application was quickly processed and approved.
After leaving the office, Arthev returned to Dormitory Seven and began packing his belongings. The room was quiet, the late afternoon light casting soft shadows across the floor as he folded his clothes with practiced efficiency, placing each item neatly into his travel satchel.
Just then, the door creaked open.
As fate would have it, Xiao Wu stepped in, her usual bounce subdued by the unexpected scene. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise when she saw Arthev thodically arranging his things. A soft lavender ribbon, embroidered with tiny white rabbits, was tied in her hair,a playful bow nestled just above her left ear. It swayed gently with her movents, catching the light with a quiet charm that matched the flicker of concern in her gaze.
"Arthev, what are you doing?"
Her voice was soft, almost unsure, nearly swallowed by the quiet of the room. She stood in the doorway, watching him fold a shirt with slow, practiced care.
Arthev glanced up. Their eyes t briefly his gaze calm, unreadable,before he looked back down and zipped his bag.
"I am leaving, Xiao Wu," he said evenly. "I applied for early graduation."
She blinked, her breath catching in her throat. "Early? But... why?"
Her words stumbled as her brows drew together. "We were supposed to graduate together. With Tang San. Under the sa roof, at the sa ti..."
Her voice trailed off, the last words falling into a hush. There was a note of protest in her tone, but it trembled beneath sothing more uncertain.
Arthev's hands paused. For a mont, he did not answer. Then he stood up straight, his eyes drifting to the window, as though watching sothing far beyond the walls of their dormitory.
He drew a breath and said with dramatic weight,
"It is not my heart that chooses this, Xiao Wu, nor my will to run from comfort. The path of life is... relentless. Swift. Like a chicken escaping the stew pot. I must go where destiny squawks."
Xiao Wu blinked.
"I an, calls," he corrected with a faint, wry smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "It calls. I ant calls."
The silence that followed was neither awkward nor cold,just suspended. Her expression didn't shift, but sothing had clearly changed in the air between them.
She looked down, uncertain. Her lips parted, but no words ca. Her chest felt tight, as though sothing invisible had curled up behind her ribs. It was not exactly pain... but it was not nothing, either.
She could not understand it,why she suddenly felt as if a piece of the world was slipping out of place, or why watching Arthev pack made the room feel emptier than it should.
Arthev took a step toward her, slowly. From his pocket, he retrieved sothing,a necklace, its pendant a sleek light green, shaped like a slender dagger. It glead faintly in the dim light, elegant in its simplicity. A thin black cord held it, flanked by two silver beads.
He gently pressed it into her palm. Their fingers brushed for the briefest mont.
"Keep this," he said quietly. "Just a small token. Consider it... a souvenir. Like when travelers bring back rocks from the mountains, except I figured a rock might feel a bit underwhelming."
Xiao Wu stared at the pendant, silent. It felt unfamiliar in her hand ,cool, weighty, and sohow important.
She did not speak. Her fingers closed around the necklace slowly, and her gaze lifted, just as Arthev turned toward the door.
"Wait…" she said, though she did not know what she wanted to ask.
He looked over his shoulder and gave her a small smile,soft.
"I will not be far. Just chasing that squawking destiny," he said lightly, and with one last glance, stepped out into the corridor.
The door clicked softly behind him.
Xiao Wu remained still, her hand curled protectively around the necklace. She did not cry. Her face showed no obvious sorrow. But sothing in her chest felt… misplaced.
She stood there for a long ti, staring at the empty doorway as if expecting him to co back and say it was a joke. That he had forgotten sothing. That he had changed his mind.
But no one returned. And the silence did not answer her.
She did not understand what she felt,not really. It was not anger. Not grief. But sothing close. A quiet ache, like a song rembered too late. The air around her felt thinner, as if it no longer held the sa weight.
All she had was the necklace and the echo of his footsteps down the hall.
And strangely,what lingered most wasn't just the farewell, but the way his words had failed to lift the mont.
Arthev always teased her with words.
Never with gestures, never with tone or expression,just quiet jabs slipped into conversations, clever lines that nudged at her pride or poked fun at sothing she said. Normally, she would puff up, argue back, toss a pillow at his head or roll her eyes dramatically.
But today, even when he said destiny was "squawking" like a chicken, it didn't make her roll her eyes. It didn't make her laugh or pout or scoff.
She had just… stood there.
And maybe he noticed too, but if he did, he didn't say anything.
Maybe it was because she didn't know what to say. Or maybe it was because this ti, sowhere deep down, she didn't want him to turn his words into a mask.
Not today.
Not when he was really leaving.
And so, for once, his teasing fell into the quiet,soft, unanswered, and strangely heavy.
(Flashback ended)
------------
Now, standing before Skyhaven City, arthev felt the weight of that decision press into the mountain wind. The spires sparkled like they belonged in another world,clean, blue, pristine. A stark contrast to the tangled ss of mories behind him.
"Fancy place, huh, Stunned Face?" Shukaku's voice grumbled in his mind, layered with rough amusent. "All shiny towers and glowin' junk. So what now,gonna jack one o' those l toys and run?"
Arthev didn't blink. His reply was ntal, steady, unshaken. "No theft. I'm here to observe. Study. This city doesn't exist in any record I've seen,not even in Douluo's historical maps. That's not a mistake."
He paused, eyes narrowing as he watched a group of engineers unload a crate of glowing spirit capacitors.
"If it were so remote village, I'd dismiss it. But Skyhaven isn't small,it's advanced, fortified, and rich in tech. That makes it significant. Hidden things gather in places like this."
"Ugh, borin'," Shukaku snorted, clearly unimpressed. His tail thudded lazily sowhere in the recess of Arthev's mind. "You could at least pretend to cause a little mayhem. That big green vault? Screams treasure trove. One punch and we'd be swimmin' in spirit stones."
Arthev's lips twitched, but the expression never reached full amusent. "And announce myself to every power in the region? No. We stay low. Learn first. Strike later if needed."
He stepped through the gates, disappearing into the thrumming heart of Skyhaven.
Information first. Power follows.
"The Skyhaven Vault?" Arthev echoed, his tone asured as he slipped into the city proper, blending seamlessly with the flow of rchants and Spirit Masters. "A fortress wrapped in jade and steel. Spirit stones, blueprint caches,it's a beacon for thieves. But I didn't co to steal. I ca to understand."
"Tch, yer no fun," Shukaku muttered, his voice like shifting sand, though a flicker of intrigue danced beneath the complaint. "Fine, go sniff around your ghost city. But don't co cryin' to when so shiny-cloaked punk picks a fight. I'll bury the whole street if I have to."
Arthev's lips twitched ,barely a smile, more a chanical tick of acknowledgnt. His mind had already begun assembling Skyhaven's layout: soul smithies lined the east quarter, the bustling market stretched along the central spine, and the jade-green spire of the Vault rose distant and aloof, guarded and humming with unseen power.
This city doesn't belong in the records. It exists outside the script,outside what I know.
His gaze swept the streets, quiet intensity behind every step.
And I intend to rewrite that script on my own terms
To be continued.....
User Comments
0 comments from readers