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(Long Yi's Perspective)

"…" Everyone was silent, still shocked at what just happened.

Feng Mian, Mei Gui, Obsidia, and Lin Luo were the most affected, having spent time with Xuan Kai the longest. 

"He can't be…" Feng Mian muttered, kneeling on the ground before the cliff and sobbing. "Xuan Kai…"

Even Lin Luo, who on the surface hated him, had her fists clenched, expression unreadable.

"Idiot… he still hasn't even given me back my powers…"

Obsidia took a deep breath and slammed the ground, roaring into the abyss below. "Bastard… how can you just die like this, human?! You haven't even fulfilled our deal yet! You hypocritical, annoying, and stupid liar!"

But of them, Mei Gui was the most distraught of all. Her eyes were lifeless as she wandered aimlessly towards the cliff where Xuan Kai had fallen, shoulders slumped and footsteps heavy like a zombie.

"Master…" she murmured quietly, over and over again. "Master… I can't feel him… Master…"

Her feet edged closer and closer to the brink of the cliff, and I realized what she was trying to do.

"You can't!" I hurriedly yelled and rushed over, wrapping my arms around her to prevent her from following Xuan Kai's fate.

"Let… me… GO!"

She shrieked in anger as I was launched backward by a blast of energy more powerful than anything I'd ever experienced before, even as a Golden Monarch.

"Ngh-!" Crashing into a tree, I clutched my abdomen in pain where she struck me.

"Elder sister!" My little brother shouted in worry, rushing over to me to see if I was okay. But I ignored him and instead called out something before Mei Gui could jump off.

"He's still alive!"

At this, she stopped. My plan had worked. Slowly, she — and everyone else — all focused their gazes on me.

"… What did you say?" Mei Gui demanded, eyes as cold as ice.

"He's still alive," I replied, struggling back to my feet.

"H-How do you know?" Feng Mian asked, confused.

If Xuan Kai was here, he definitely wouldn't want me to say this out loud, but he wasn't. Therefore, I was free to do as I pleased.

"The curse he placed on me. I'm not dead yet, am I? That means he is fine too."

At this, Mei Gui's eyes widened. "Soul Shackle…"

But then, her eyes clouded over again.

"Master could've simply… unlocked it… to protect you…"

"W-What? Ha… but why would he do that?" I challenged hesitantly.

"Because he's not as evil as you think," Feng Mian said quietly. "Lin Luo, Obsidia, and Long Yi… he's kept the three of you on leashes, but that's because he's overly cautious. He may kill people as if they were ants, but deep down, he isn't evil. He knows you are innocent and won't drag you down with him just because he died."

"Wha…" I blinked several times in surprise. "Then that feeling I had earlier, as he was falling…"

Back then, when Xuan Kai had disappeared from our sight, vanishing beneath the fog, I had felt some chains around my soul be released. Was that really him unlocking the curse…?

"I felt it too," Lin Luo said, being another victim of the curse. "That idiot… he's not so bad after all."

"But putting the whole 'curse' matter aside for now, this means… it is actually possible that Xuan Kai died," Ming Hao muttered.

"No," Mei Gui cut in suddenly, which surprised all of us. Her eyes weren't lifeless anymore, now filled with renewed determination and confidence. "Master is not dead."

"Weren't you convinced he was just moments ago…?" I asked, confused.

"I believe in him. My Master… would not die that easily."

*****

- IMF Headquarters, The Shadow Empress's Chambers -

(Ling Xin's Perspective)

I twirled around an apple in my hand, resting the side of my head on my fist. My eyes were closed, the blinds in the room drawn and lights dimmed.

Sighing, I opened my eyes slowly and looked at the fruit I was holding, bored and longing.

"That boy… he put this curse on me, but hasn't contacted me in so long. I wonder if he still remembers me, hm~?"

As I thought about him, I couldn't help but subconsciously smile. For some reason, he intrigued me a lot. No other man has ever made me so deeply interested in them — though I suppose this is what desire does to someone, isn't it?

Oh, Xuan Kai… I miss you.

Gently, I pressed my lips against the apple, planting a deep kiss on it, then backed away and smiled again.

I wonder, when will we meet aga-

Suddenly, my eyes widened and I immediately shot up in my chair.

The lock that was his grasp around my soul… it just broke. I was free now, uncontrolled — but somehow, that made me more saddened and distressed rather than happy.

What's going on… he wouldn't have just let me go like that for no reason… what happened…?

Sensing that there was something wrong, I immediately picked up the phone on my desk and dialed a number. The voice on the other side immediately picked up.

"Yes, Madam Shadow Empress?"

"I want you to track someone down for me. Now."

"Very well. Who will it be?"

"His name is Xuan Kai. Black hair, red eyes, tall. Quite handsome, and should be a student at the Shanghai Magic Academy."

"Roger that… though 'handsome' is not a term I hear from you often, madam. Nor has you being so engrossed with a boy like this ever happened before."

"Since when was it your position to make remarks like this?" I asked, impatience evident in my tone.

"Yes… my apologies. I have tracked him down. He appears to have left the capital yesterday for the mission to explore the mysterious corruption spreading across the continent of Africa."

"Corruption… Africa…" I murmured, linking the two words in my head. "It couldn't be…"

A rare serious expression overtook my face as I spoke into the phone.

"Send me the coordinates. I'm setting off."

"Understood, madam."

*****

- ??? -

(Xuan Kai's Perspective)

Wake up~

Come on… wakey wakey~

  "Ngh…" Faced with this soft and alluring voice in my head, I slowly opened my eyes. "Where am I…?"

The last thing I remember was falling down into the abyss. But… strangely, I wasn't dead. Or maybe I was, and this was hell.

Either way, I saw darkness all around me. It was as if my eyes were closed still. However, my hands and clothes felt wet. I was in water.

With great struggle, I got up to my feet, hearing the sound of water droplets dripping off my body into the pool below. It was cold. Very cold. And… I felt empty inside.

I remember this feeling. It was from back then, before my awakening. Had I… lost my magic powers? No… but if I concentrated really hard, I could still feel an extremely thick Necromancy mana concentration in the air.

My body felt extremely weak, but I raised my hand nonetheless and began absorbing the mana in the environment using the technique Mei Gui taught me. There seemed to be an endless supply of death energy in this place, whatever it was. I began to become convinced this really was hell.

"Fufu~ my sweet darling… finally awake."

I immediately stopped and turned around in the darkness, feet splashing in the water and eyes darting left to right in search of the owner of the voice. It was the same light-hearted, seductive one that had whispered to me in my mind, and I raised my guard.

"… Who's there?"

"My, my… so cautious of me. That hurts my feelings, y'know, darling~"

Suddenly, lights went up all around me. Bright white ones, just enough to make my surroundings clearly visible. It was then that I realize I was in a temple. As expected, I stood on a flight of stairs leading up to a throne, my feet submerged in cold, frigid water.

On the stone throne sat an incredibly beautiful girl, on par with Mei Gui. She wore a black robe befitting of a queen of death, matching her long black hair. She also appeared to be quite young — 18, 19 at best. Her body was perfect like Feng Mian's, and her deadly smile and starry pink eyes that appeared to be glowing only added to her charming allure.

Dangerous yet irresistible, psychotic yet seductive. That was the girl before me, caressing her own cheek gently.

I could tell — this girl was strong. The death energy I've been absorbing into my body… it all came from her. By instinct, I summoned my Chaos katanas and held them tightly, prepared to fight. But to my surprise, the girl didn't make any hostile move and instead frowned slightly, almost as if… sad?

"Why, darling?" She asked softly, standing up from her throne, letting her long and smooth black hair dangle down her back. "You take my power to supplement yourself, and now you wish to kill me?"

I narrowed my eyes, not wanting to converse with this woman. "Who are you?"

At this, any sign of sadness in her complexion disappeared, replaced with a gentle smile that seemed to draw me in.

"Fufufu~ you don't know, darling~? My name is Axilia…"

Walking closer, she cupped my face in between her soft, warm hands.

"… the Princess of Death."