KRRRUMBLE—!
A boy erged alongside a bolt of lightning.
Kuhn Eduan stepped onto the Sword Altar and slowly looked around.
Sohow… the scenery felt off.
"What the hell happened here?"
It looked as if so ultra-high-temperature beam had split in two and detonated across the land.
The ground was completely torn apart, remnants of Shinsu Origin Style lingered everywhere, and unstable shinsu currents were still writhing violently.
And that was—
A massive shinsu storm… and a sword floating in the sky?
Shuuuaa—!
Suddenly, the storm compressed inward.
As it shrank, a white-clad boy was revealed outside of it. For a mont, Eduan thought it was Arie Hon—
But it wasn't.
Looking closer, Hon was still inside the storm.
KWAOOONG—!
With a casual gesture from the boy, fifteen swords plunged straight into the storm.
The explosion and shockwave shook both sky and earth.
"…What the hell is that?"
Confusion. Doubt. And sothing else entirely.
At the storm's core was Shinsu Origin Style—and the swords were also ford from it.
The problem was—
Those weren't Hon's.
They were created by that white-haired boy.
Wasn't he Arie Hon's child?
Then how was he using Shinsu Origin Style?
No—how was he even fighting Hon on equal footing?
A Regular from the outside?
"…Huh. This might actually be fun."
Having watched the entire exchange, Eduan's data casually made his way toward Hon's palace.
....
Shuuua—
With a single wave of his hand, all remaining aftershocks from the Shinsu Origin explosion vanished.
Not my hand.
Hon's.
He looked… perfectly fine.
I had put everything into that attack.
And yet—still not enough?
"Excellent," Hon said calmly.
"That last mont was genuinely dangerous."
He slid his sword back into its sheath.
He had no intention of continuing.
When I silently watched him, he smiled lightly.
"As a father, cutting down my own child would be strange indeed. I won't pursue this any further. I won't ask about your background either. I've enjoyed myself enough."
"If that's the case, I'm grateful," I replied sincerely.
Hon nodded once and descended to the ground with .
"Shall we return to the palace? It's odd to say after crossing blades, but you could use so rest."
"Yes. Let's go together."
Even back when they were D-Rank Regulars, the Ten Family Heads were still… themselves.
Different personalities, but all overwhelmingly self-paced.
I had wanted to talk with Hon a bit more anyway, so I accepted his offer—fully intending to relax in the guest chambers.
That plan lasted right up until—
"….."
"….."
Both Hon and I stared in silent disbelief.
On the sofa lay a boy, feet propped up, sprawled out comfortably on pristine white cushions—
Casually munching on grapes.
Blue hair.
Eyes crackling with electricity.
There was no mistaking who it was.
Eduan noticed our stares, spat the grape seeds carelessly into a dish, and looked back at us.
"What? Why are you both staring like that?"
"…Why are you here?" Hon asked flatly.
"Visiting."
"..."
Hon fell completely silent and slowly surveyed the room.
His once-immaculate chamber was in shambles.
A hidden compartnt beneath the floor had been opened, its contents scattered—
Including his personal goblets and bottles.
"…Oh, that?" Eduan said casually.
"I figured I'd try sothing other than wine. Took just a sip, but nah—wasn't great."
"…Your mouth must be the size of a catfish if a 'sip' emptied all those bottles. And more importantly—"
WHY DID YOU BREAK MY GLASSWARE?!
Hon roared and drew his sword.
Eduan yelped and instantly dove out the window.
"Jeez, what a temper! They're just data anyway—can't you just remake—whoa—!"
A slash flew past his head, forcing him to duck.
"Hon, hold on a second," Eduan shouted.
"I'm not here for you. I'm interested in the kid standing next to you."
Hon stopped after that one strike.
His expression was still awful, but he sheathed his sword and took several deep breaths.
Apparently, this wasn't their first ti.
(Endure, endure, endure.)
Hon truly wanted to shove Eduan into Zahard's mirror and erase him, but after ntally chanting to calm himself, he regained his composure.
"Eduan. If you're here, who's managing the Spear Palace?"
"Oh, that? I picked up a daughter recently. Should be fine."
…That's definitely Maschenny.
The mont Eduan said it, she popped into my mind. Without thinking, I glanced at him—
And our eyes t.
"Oh? You're my daughter's friend, huh?"
Technically true, but sothing about that phrasing felt off.
"Ah… yes. Nice to et you."
Before I could finish, Eduan stepped right up to .
He circled , eyes darting everywhere, then grinned with clear amusent.
"Hmmm… you really are fascinating. You look exactly like his kid, but the feel is closer to ours. Hey Hon—before entering the Tower, you didn't ss up your lower body or anything, did you?"
Sching—
"Haha! Kidding, kidding. No way our Hon would do that, right?"
Eduan quickly patted Hon's shoulder, retracting the comnt.
Though if we're talking about ssed-up lower bodies, the outside version is way worse—
As I was thinking that, Eduan looked at again and let out a playful chuckle.
"Why—do I seem too different from that reckless womanizer image people have of on the outside?"
"No. Other than the womanizer part, you don't seem all that different. That's why it's not that surprising."
"…."
"Heh."
A quiet chuckle escaped.
This ti, Eduan turned his gaze toward Hon. Hon subtly averted his eyes, swallowing the laugh that had almost slipped out, then let out a faint, satisfied sneer.
"Haha. Seems my child has quite the discerning eye."
"Hmph… whatever. The outside and the here are different beings anyway."
Despite his words, Eduan still hadn't fully erased the awkwardness from his expression. It was clear he hadn't expected such an unfiltered, straight-to-the-point remark from .
Of course, like the Ten Family Head he was, Eduan quickly recovered his composure and casually changed the subject.
"Anyway, since I'm already here, Hon, I'll be staying a few days. Fighting this kid looks like it'd be fun too."
Eduan pointed at with a grin.
I could only respond with an awkward smile.
Ah… seriously. I'm exhausted.
I had planned to rest peacefully in this palace for a while, then quietly move on to visit the other Family Heads.
'…Yeah. I should run.'
"Aha… haha… sorry, but I was planning to check out so other stages."
"Oh? Then let's fight right now—"
"Eduan. He's saying he doesn't want to because you're annoying."
"…?!"
Father—did you really have to say it that bluntly?
It hurt a little because it was true.
Eduan's face twisted—this was already the second ti today.
"Well, fine. If you really must visit another stage, I can't stop you. Your data will remain anyway. So—where to?"
"…Huh?"
"Which stage are you heading to next?"
"..."
I had made that excuse on the spot. I hadn't actually thought it through.
The mont my face stiffened, Eduan's eyes glead.
"Ohhh? Don't tell you lied just to ditch —"
His pupils crackled faintly with electricity.
This was bad. If this went any further, we'd actually end up fighting.
Seriously—Maschenny really inherited Eduan's battle-crazed blood perfectly.
What were the nas of the other stages again—
"T-the Palace Of Red And Black."
I blurted out the first na that ca to mind.
Who lived there again…? Judging by the na, definitely—
"Yurin?" Eduan blinked. "You're going to see her? On purpose?"
Surprisingly, he looked taken aback.
Well… she didn't seem like she had the best personality, but maybe during her D-Rank days—
On second thought, no. Even back then, going to see her was probably a bad idea.
"Haha… I misspoke. I ant the Bedroo—"
"No. You're going there."
"…What?"
Eduan curled his lips into a sharp grin.
This felt like payback. I really should've filtered my words better.
"I'll co with you. Would be troubleso if Yurin killed you. Your data has to remain, after all. And it's been a while since I've seen the others."
Sohow, the situation had naturally shifted into Eduan joining .
"Hon, you coming?"
Hon let out a small chuckle.
"Hmm. It has been a long ti since we've seen each other, ever since Zahard brought that mirror. Very well. I'll co too."
Before I knew it, Hon had joined as well.
"Ah—sorry, but my companions—"
"My daughter?"
"Yes. I appreciate it, truly, but I'll be going with my friends."
Honestly… it's a bit much.
Eduan's smile deepened.
"Your party's all at my colleagues' stages, right? I'll bring my daughter along, and the rest of your group can et the others while they're at it. Works out nicely, doesn't it?"
He looked at with a smiling face—
—but his eyes weren't smiling at all.
It was the kind of smile that said: This is the limit of my patience.
I couldn't push back anymore.
"…Let's go together."
"Haha! Should've said that from the start."
Eduan laughed heartily and slapped my shoulder.
Why did I end up traveling with this unruly man?
Well… part of it was wanting to see old comrades again, but still—
'It really does feel like an adventure.'
A clear path.
Companions.
A sense that sothing fun lay ahead.
Ever since clearing every quest in the Hidden Floor, this feeling had been absent for far too long.
Watching this kid made Eduan recall the excitent of traveling the Tower back then.
Hon must feel the sa way—otherwise, he wouldn't have accepted the invitation.
If he followed this strange, unknowable child's path, perhaps he could relive that joy again.
And maybe—just maybe—he could convince the others that there was no need to vanish into that mirror after all.
It feels like we're returning to the days we loved…
So why is it that you alone keep moving ahead?
We are data.
No matter what the outside versions of us beca, shouldn't we focus on who we are now?
Eduan's data thought of his friend—who had changed too much—and let out a bitter smile.
Hoping that one day, that friend would rember what a true adventure was.
....
Two days later.
After receiving Hoaquin's ssage, Maschenny arrived at the Sword Altar.
"Khun Maschenny Zahard greets the head of the Arie Family."
"So you're Eduan's daughter. You really do resemble him."
And thus—
Khun Eduan, Khun Maschenny Zahard, Arie Hon, and Arie Hoaquin
Set foot toward the Palace Of Red And Black, the stage ruled by Ha Yurin.
Why does this feel like a bizarre family group trip…?
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