Receive the mission

The Kaiser didn't utter a word. He leaned back on the seat and began tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest: tap… tap...

The silence surrounding him was suffocating, heavy, and gloomy, as if every movement in this space was incredibly difficult.

Raven Hart Cole felt an overwhelming pressure, as if the very air had suddenly grown dense. There was no aura of power emanating from the Kaiser, yet he felt pressure as if time itself had slowed down for a moment, and a weight had accumulated in his chest that he could not bear. Sweat began to drip from his forehead as he tried hard to control his breathing. Though only a few seconds had passed, Raven Hart Cole felt they were years.

Then, suddenly, the tapping stopped.

The moment the Kaiser spoke, Raven Hart Cole felt an invisible burden lift from his shoulders.

"No need to apologize, Black Crown."

Few words, yet Raven Hart Cole felt as if a heavy load had been lifted from him. He took a breath, trying to regain his composure, placed his right hand over his chest in salute, and said with deep respect as he bowed:

"Yes, Lord Kaiser."

"Don't feel tense, Black Crown," the Kaiser said in a magnetic voice, then continued, "I've come today to give you the mission."

Mission... Raven Hart Cole thought, and felt excitement. He hadn't been able to sleep since the last meeting with the Lord Kaiser. He had been waiting for this moment eagerly, not knowing how time had passed, how the hours felt like years due to the anticipation.

The Kaiser raised his hand calmly, and the shadows around him moved as if they were living beings, shifting through the void to form faint words before Raven Hart. His eyes followed them as he listened to the Kaiser's words.

The Kaiser said in a serious tone: "Your mission, Black Crown, is to collect a few items."

The words around him stopped for a moment, while the shadows completed their formation and revealed the mission list:

100 milliliters of pure demonic beast blood, rank one: Golden-Fanged Tiger.

Iron-Clawed Eagle's talon – Rank one demonic beast.

Red-Eyed Monkey's eye – Rank one demonic beast.

And finally, Blood-Transforming Grass – rank two.

Mission Reward: [Saint's Solitary Sword Technique]

Raven Hart Cole examined the list carefully until his eyes landed on the reward. The moment he saw it, his eyes widened in shock, and he thought in astonishment:

The Saint's Solitary Sword Technique?

The sword technique created by the great Saint, the Solitary Sword… Rumors said he disappeared in the Cursed Giant Mountains 300 years ago under mysterious circumstances.

Raven felt excitement he couldn't believe what he was seeing. At the same time, his reverence for the Lord Kaiser in front of him grew even more.

How did he get the technique?

Records stated that the great Saint, the Solitary Sword, was always alone. He never took any disciples.

How did the Lord Kaiser find it?

Above all… the mission wasn't that difficult.

While Raven was lost in thought, a voice interrupted his train of thought:

"Don't get too excited, for such a reward was only placed because it's your first mission."

The moment Raven heard those words, he felt slightly disappointed but it made sense. A technique of this level wouldn't be sold on the streets.

The Black Crown bowed respectfully and said:

"Thank you, Lord Kaiser. I will be worthy of your trust, and I will complete the mission perfectly."

The Kaiser watched him silently, then said in a calm tone:

"I hope so."

The Kaiser raised his hand and pointed at Raven Hart Cole's left shoulder, tattooed with a deep black crown beneath which was a tilted sword. The black list moved and was drawn into Raven Hart Cole's left shoulder, disappearing into the tattoo. The Kaiser said:

"With the Black Crown emblem tattooed on your shoulder, you can communicate with me… and also view the mission. You may try it."

Raven looked at the tattoo on his left shoulder and reached out to touch it. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused all his attention on the tattoo. Suddenly, a mission list appeared in his mind, as if it were floating in the void before him.

[Mission List]

First Mission: Collect the Items

100 milliliters of pure demonic beast blood, rank one: Golden-Fanged Tiger.

Iron-Clawed Eagle's talon – Rank one demonic beast.

Red-Eyed Monkey's eye – Rank one demonic beast.

Blood-Transforming Grass – rank two.

[Mission Reward: Saint's Solitary Sword Technique]

Below it were faint words: Mission Time: Unlimited

Raven opened his eyes and looked at the Kaiser before him, murmuring in a low voice:

"Unlimited mission time."

The Kaiser gave a faint smile behind the darkness and shadows that concealed him, then leaned back and said:

"Yes… but that doesn't mean you have time to hesitate."

A heavy silence filled the space for a few seconds before he continued in a deep voice:

"Every moment you delay your first step, your rival moves one step closer to the peak. Those who seek power have no luxury of hesitation."

Raven felt a cold chill crawl from the base of his spine, but his eyes remained steady, unwavering from the shadows hiding the Kaiser's features.

He spoke calmly, though his voice carried a hint of challenge:

"I do not hesitate… I observe. The sword is not drawn into the air, but unsheathed when it knows where to strike."

The Kaiser laughed, and his laugh echoed like a bell in an empty hall not mocking, but carrying a strange satisfaction.

"Good… an answer worthy of a member of the Seven Crowns Council."

Then he continued in a deep, low voice:

"Well, I think our meeting today is over. But you must be careful… and don't rush into your mission. Also, I don't mind if you recruit subordinates to aid you in your tasks it will make their completion easier."

He raised his hand slowly, and the darkness began to recede. The shadows covering the courtyard withdrew like smoke, and with them, the Kaiser gradually vanished.

Before he disappeared completely, his voice echoed across the place:

"Until we meet again… Black Crown."

Then silence fell.

---

In the cave

Christopher opened his eyes slowly, a sharp headache slicing through his skull like a dagger. He gasped and immediately raised his hand to his head, pressing his temples with trembling fingers.

He muttered sarcastically, breathing heavily:

"Well... at least the side effects are less than before."

Christopher thought about the special ability called "Influencing the World through the Eye of Heaven."

Using this technique, I can deceive Raven… but the side effects aren't joking… tsk.

His head was still pulsing gently, as if his thoughts were moving through a thick fog.

Christopher sighed and stood up slowly from the ground, his legs heavy as though immersed in mud. He felt exhaustion not just physical, but the kind that carves deep into the soul.

He looked around, then headed to the mat Melina had placed for him beside the stone wall.

He lay down quietly, letting his eyes close gradually. The last thing he felt was the warmth of the rough blanket and the scent of medicinal herbs in the air.

It had been a long day... too long.

He drifted into deep sleep.

---

The next day

Christopher woke to the sound of soft crackling fire and the smell of warm soup filling the air. He slowly opened his eyes and noticed that sunlight had crept through cracks in the cave ceiling, reflecting on its gray walls in a calm, reassuring glow.

His body was still heavy, wrapped in white bandages, but he felt a slight improvement.

"You're finally awake."

The voice came from Melina, who sat near the fire, stirring the contents of a small wooden bowl.

Christopher smiled as he sat up slowly and said in a hoarse voice:

"It smells better than the herbs you put on me last night."