Looking at the endless deep blue sea under the bright moonlight, one can't help but think of the boundless universe.

Waves cascade ashore, crashing against the shoreline.

On a huge peninsula shrouded in thick fog that takes three or four days to travel by boat and brave the wind and waves, there is a nation called the "Qiankun Country" that is inhabited by a group of black-haired and yellow-skinned humans.

Because the "Qiankun Kingdom" is separated from the mainland by huge mountain ranges, it rarely interacts with the outside world and is very xenophobic.

And from the "Qiankun Kingdom", many rumors have circulated, the most interesting and unbelievable of which claims that the "Qiankun Kingdom" is a country governed by God himself.

"The people are the staircase connecting heaven and earth, and His Majesty the King is walking slowly down this staircase."

This is an ancient rumor that has been passed down by word of mouth and even written down.

The princes who had seized the land for their rights stopped the war in an instant, and all the people kowtowed to the king, who had stepped down the ladder of the gods.

People firmly believe that the king is a god, and that gods are different from man, and that gods do not die, but only return to heaven.

As a result, the king's position was repeatedly inherited by the king's descendants.

Perhaps thanks to the rule of the "gods" for generations, the Qiankun Kingdom has been able to prosper for hundreds of years.

However, time has passed, and the current situation is very different from the past.

The king was no longer smart, and his political missteps had long since caused the people to lose trust.

When the anger of the populace reached its peak, their revolt spread like a spark, and at all times, the king ruthlessly suppressed them.

Unconsciously, the people of the country gradually divided into two factions.

Those who believe in God and those who oppose it.

It was a foggy early morning as usual, and on the low hillside stood a magnificent building, the Royal Palace, built in the unique architectural style of the place.

As if to highlight the majesty of the king, the palace oppressed the surroundings with its huge body.

The thick stone walls are piled high, and on the other side of the wall are handcrafted from wood, with curved arches and windows.

The flames pierced the clouds, and the vigilance was tighter than ever.

The moonlight shone through the gray mist into the dormitory.

With the faint sound of footsteps on the wooden floor, six or seven figures slipped into the dormitory.

These were the elite assassins of the rebel army "Night Dark", a force hostile to the king.

The Assassins had only one goal, and that was the king's life.

The king, seated on a throne in the corner of the dormitory, looked at the Assassins with composure and stood up.

"Ignorant human, I am the king of immortality, and you think you can kill me?"

The king, wearing a strange mask and covered by huge clothes, gave the impression that he did not belong to this world in the moonlight, and his thin and unpleasant voice creeped the Assassins.

"The evil spirit, which sucks the flesh and bones of the people, dare to talk about the heavens with your filthy mouth? If you were an immortal as you say, you wouldn't be hiding like a mouse! ”

With the Assassins' rhetoric and shouts in unison, they drew their weapons from their waists and stabbed the king with force.

Faced with such an attack, the king dodged with ease, and reached out his fingers, gripping the blade of one of the Assassin's weapons with his fingertips.

With just a slight twist, accompanied by a screeching metallic sound, the weapon was snapped.

Seeing this, the Assassins panicked.

At that moment, the king stretched out his slender fingers like centipedes and grabbed the head of one of the assassins.

"Ahh

The head of the Assassin let out a cry of pain, and the fingers that gradually pierced the Assassin's head revealed the King's unimaginable power.

The Assassin, with five holes in his head, then slipped to the ground as if his body had been hollowed out.

"You...... Terrible monsters! ”

The rest of the Assassins, feared and angry, continued to attack the king one by one, only to find their weapons unsheathed, and the king unscathed.

But in the blink of an eye, the king slashed through the Assassins with his sharp nails.

Before the Assassins could even scream, their bodies were broken in two.

Countless limbs fell to the ground, blood slowly seeping through the cracks in the wooden floor.

At this point, the remaining Assassins finally realized that the king was not the object of their plot.

Perhaps, the king is really an inhuman being, or maybe the king is really a "god".

Thinking of this, the Assassins fled the dormitory.

The king, who was left alone in the dormitory, seemed to anticipate this, and let out a tearing laugh, and did not pursue them.

The riot that took place in the king's chambers spread untouched among the forces of the army.

Just as the Assassins were fleeing over the wall in a panic, a man appeared on the road leading to the shopping street, waiting for the Assassins.

The man stood under the city gate, shrouded in dim shadows, his hands clasped around his chest, his shadow stretched by the moonlight.

He saw the Assassins, and he approached them.

The short knife at the waist and the long knife on the back of the man caught the eyes of the Assassins, who was none other than the king's bodyguard.

"Whoa."

One of the assassins whispered the name of the infamous escort samurai.

"Wait a while, come, raise your sword."

The man, known as the Pier, did not flinch even in the face of the large number of Assassins, only to see him lean down and grasp the long knife tied behind him in a forward-swooping position.

The Assassins saw that he was the only one now, and although he was a notorious warrior of the guards, they felt that there was still a chance to win.

So they drew their weapons and jumped together.

After pulling out the long knife with great force, he swung it vigorously, and with the sharp sound of metal clashing and the light of the sword, the assassins who jumped in the air also fell to the ground weakly like fallen leaves.

He retracted his long knife from its scabbard and looked at the enemy who had fallen to the ground, suddenly noticing an abnormality.

One less.

After taking stock of the corpses on the ground, he found that one of them had escaped, and the footsteps from behind him were getting farther and farther away.

Seeing that the assassin's figure was about to disappear into the alley of the shopping street, he immediately took advantage of the victory to pursue him.

However, because of the fog, the obstructed vision made the wall lose its sense of direction.

Eventually, the figure disappeared, and he thought that he could no longer continue the pursuit, so fortunately he decided to turn around and withdraw from the alley.

Suddenly, a sword shadow surrounded him and pounced on him, who was caught off guard and subdued in the small space.

"Although the assassination failed, a big fish was caught. Are you the infamous Guardian Samurai, Tuo? ”

A majestic voice came from the other side of the dark alley.

He realized that the sword pointed at him was not trying to end his life, but to subdue him.

"Who are you?"

"I am the leader of the Night Black, you can call me a god horse, and I am also the prey of your dreams."

The Night Crow is a rebel army led by Shenma that suddenly appears and rapidly expands in power, and is the greatest threat to the king today.

Although the king's army tried to encircle and suppress it many times, it never even encountered the shadow of the divine horse. And now, this person is right in front of him.

He questioned the behavior of the god horse and thought to himself.

"I see, you caught me but didn't kill me immediately, it seems that I have what you want here."

"Haha, I saw it so quickly."

"What do you want?"

"I want the king's head. What do you think? As long as my conditions are met, I will spare your life. ”

The answer of the leader of the night black, Shenma, did not deviate from what he expected, and he not only smiled at this and shook his head.

"You're looking at the wrong person, I can't do it, so you might as well just kill me."

Shenma was silent for a while and said, "Why? Do you also think that the king of today is really a king? ”

"Not really. Unkindness, greed for power, oppression of the weak, these are all things that the king has done. ”

Shenma was very satisfied with Yuan's answer, so he also wanted to hear his next content.

"In that case, there's no need for you to sacrifice your life and forget your death for him, right?"

"It's a mission, and I'm his escort samurai, so I don't need to ask about the merits."

"Then let me ask you one last question, why do you complete the task even when you know that you are dying? As long as you agree to my conditions here, even if you change your mind after you go back, you can live first. ”

Since he didn't expect Shenma to ask such a question, and since this answer might become his last words, after a while, he replied briefly.

"Because assassinating the king is not going to be an easy task."

Hearing Yuan's answer, Shenma smiled heartily.

"Hahahaha!"

There was loud laughter in the alley.

Surprised by Shenma's reaction, he thought about it for a long time, but he still didn't have a clue.

"Easy? What a nice meeting, see you next time. ”

With that, Shenma led his men to disappear into the darkness on the other side of the alley, shrouded in thick fog.

This is the first time that he and Shenma have seen each other for a short but intense time.

Time passed, and the kingdom of Qiankun was still ruled by the king.

On the other side of the royal palace, the fields and rivers around the village are covered with snow.

The eaves seem to have been put on white hats, and in order to keep out the cold, billowing smoke has been billowing all the time.

Put the wood in the firewood to adjust the temperature of the water, and put the old mother's feet into the steaming wooden basin to wash them carefully.

The old mother looked at her son with a smile and said.

"You don't want to marry a daughter-in-law?"

“……”

Listening to the old mother's question, he just smiled faintly.

"I've reached an age where it's not surprising that I would die tomorrow, but I'm a little worried that I'll be left alone in this world in the future."

"Don't worry too much, I've been living independently for 10 years."

"It's time to let yourself go."

……

In the old mother's worried words, he smiled silently.

He remembered a long time ago, on the day of a massive peasant uprising, suddenly separated from his wife and young daughter in the chaotic streets.

Because it was a sudden change, there was no time to leave a last word and goodbye, so I lost the two of them.

As a result, he had to spend a torturous time.

Although I really want to die like this and go to my wife and children, I can't keep my elderly mother alone, so I can only persist day by day.

In the blink of an eye, 10 years have passed since such a muddy day, and the pain of parting seems to have become as hard as a cocoon.

In the evening, the snow began to fall again, and as the barking of the dogs in the village stopped, so did the night.

After confirming the sound of the old mother's breathing soundly, he cautiously left the room.

He had long been aware of the presence of a guest wandering in the courtyard.

I don't know how long the guests waited, but the shoulders of the guests were already covered with snow.

"Who are you?"

"It's finally out, remember me?"

How could this majestic and familiar voice forget, and the man suddenly sensed the true identity of that figure, the leader of the night black, the divine horse.

"Whew...... How could I forget. ”

"Hahaha, that's for the best. But it's really inconvenient to stand and talk like this, so it's rude to ask, is your room here? ”

Before he could dissuade him, Shenma shook off the snow from his body and walked into the room.

Shenma's generous appearance made it impossible to imagine that he was the man with a reward of 10,000 taels, which couldn't help but make Yuan a little distracted, and then Yuan also quietly followed in.

"If you came to me because of the previous incident, then you made a mistake. As I said, I am the king's samurai, and now here I may cut your throat at any moment. ”

"I'm sure you wouldn't do that, I think you're quite sensible."

“……”

"Give me a hot drink, I don't know if it's because the weather is too cold, and I feel like my internal organs are going to be frozen."

The cheeky man who failed to win the god horse could only heat the stove and heat up a glass of wine.

The sound of two people drinking wine broke the silence in the dark room.

"It's a really good wine, and the aroma is simply superb."

"Now it's time to get down to business."

"Look at your temper, you know, let's get to the point."

“……”

"Please help me to assassinate the king."

Hearing Shenma casually say that he was going to assassinate the king, he put down his glass and sighed deeply.

"Why should I do that? If you want to assassinate the king so much, shouldn't you just let your followers do it? ”

"There's a lot to be done if it's just trying. But in the end, we realized that this could not be done in the usual way, and it is because of this that we began to look for the right person for this important role. ”

When he said these words, Shenma's expression became very solemn.

"It's a big job, but it seems like you're just looking for someone who is willing to sacrifice for you, don't you think it's a lame quibble?"

Under the-for-tat rhetorical question, Shenma touched the rough beard on his chin, thought for a while, and continued to answer.

"Well, that's not wrong. But someone has to do it, and as long as the king is still alive, the people will not be able to live for a day, so it's a big job. ”

"But there is only one human life."

"Life is important to everyone, and I can't take it lightly. But in this land, do you think that the value of every life is the same? Haven't you thought that too many lives have been sacrificed to protect someone's life? "

"Man, inherently dead, is heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather. This is because everyone's ambitions are different. "

Miao's words made Shenma speechless for a moment.

He poured wine for Shenma, and Shenma drank warm wine and then asked.

"Suddenly curious which faction you belong to."

"I can't answer this question for the time being, I'm still in a state of unchoice."

Seeing that he hesitated for a moment, choosing to avoid answering this question, Shenma continued to ask rhetorically.

"Is it because you want to provide for your mother?"

"......"

I don't know if it's because it's not easy to answer, Yuan didn't reply to Shenma directly, but stared at him.

In the embarrassment of silence, Shenma snorted and drank the rest of the wine before getting up and leaving.

"It's a good wine, it's warm, it's time for me to go."

With such a greeting, Shenma quietly left the room, staring at the seat where the guest had left for a long time.

Although there are only two sides to him, I feel from him that there is clearly an invisible force that attracts others.

So it can also be speculated that people who are willing to work for him will spring up like mushrooms after a rain.

I don't know how many springs and autumns have passed.

Due to the recurrence of uprisings and assassinations, the king was more perceptive than ever, and his evil deeds such as burning villages in order to eliminate all suspicious people were more and more than the bottom line.

He did not think it was advisable for the king to do so.

And he did not think that the king was a god.

But despite this, he was still the king's bodyguard.

Protecting the king is the ethics and mission of the profession chosen by the person concerned, as natural as the order of the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

The protection of the palace was further strengthened, and the old mother was gradually lost in time.

Although the old mother kept saying that it was okay for her, the picture of letting him go quickly made Tuo forget it for a long time.

In this way, as time passed, it finally came time when I could go home after a long absence.

I kept speeding up my pace with a lot of worry, but I don't know why the road felt so long today.

After a while, he arrived at the mansion, but he always felt that something was a little strange.

Because through the gate, you can hear the old mother's laughter.

......

As soon as he opened the door, he saw the old mother smiling happily on the back of the god horse.

"What am I talking about? Old woman? Isn't it just coming?"

"......"

I don't know if I realized that the god horse was playing tricks, and the old mother got off the back of the god horse and hugged him tightly.

He soothed the back of his old mother, who had always felt uneasy, but he couldn't take his eyes off Shenma's body.

"How did Your Excellency come to this place?"

"You've been away from home for so long, and I'm afraid your old mother will feel lonely, so I'm here. Ah, I almost forgot that I was preparing dinner. "

As he spoke, he added firewood to the iron pot that was burning in the yard.

I saw him open the lid of the big iron pot, and the smell of broth spread in the courtyard.

As if he had anticipated where the precious meat came from, he looked at the god horse wordlessly.

Even though I knew that Shenma was extraordinary, I didn't expect it to be to this extent.

In this regard, he nodded his head and expressed his gratitude.

"Thank you so much for your trouble."

"It's just a trivial matter, and you shouldn't take it to heart. Are we all someone's children? Haha, isn't it? Old woman? "

Shenma smiled and shook the old mother's hand, and the old mother nodded happily one after another.

"Then I'll take my leave. It's been a long time since I've had a hearty meal with my mother, so I won't bother for now. "

Shenma originally wanted to leave directly after saying goodbye, but even though he and his old mother tried their best to stay, they still resolutely refused under the pretext that they had something to do.

In this way, Shenma said to the old mother that he would come often in the future, so that the old mother was relieved and left.

According to the agreement, Shenma really often came to the mansion after that to spend time with the old mother, and in addition to leaving the hunted animal meat or rice bags, etc., to serve the old mother carefully in place of the often left Yuan.

The uninformed old mother just thinks that Shenma is a good friend of Shenma, and the old mother has no doubts about Shenma's kindness.

In the spring of the following year, the old mother left the mound peacefully.

Although the funeral was simple, Shenma was still carefully waiting by his side.

Perhaps knowing that this day would come sooner or later, he did not leave a tear.

On the contrary, Shenma burst into tears like his own son.

"You and your mother should have had a deep relationship over the years, so forgive your ugliness."

......

The grave of the old mother was placed next to the wife and daughter.

Next to the two grassy graves was a new mound of earth.

The grave is lined with brocade flowers that bloom every spring.

Shenma stroked the buds of the brocade flower, looked at the mound, and asked secretly.

"The flowers are so beautiful, do you know the flower language of this flower?"

He knows the flower language of the trick flower, so in the face of Shenma's question, he pays more attention to the potential meaning than the question itself.

"Is it really just because I'm curious about the language of flowers?"

"yes."

Looking at the serious face of the horse with his mouth closed, he replied helplessly.

"The flower language of this flower is to follow a person."

"Well, it's a samurai flower. So you seem to be surprisingly knowledgeable. "

The two of them naturally shifted the conversation to the king.

"I ask you something, why did you have to kill the king?"

"Because it's for justice."

He expected this answer.

Because if you want to convince someone, then you must need a righteous reason.

Most people will always take happiness as a prerequisite and take it for granted to sacrifice a few in the process.

But he didn't like this kind of justice.

"Justice, do you think justice will be perfect?"

"Justice, that means that most people live in misery. Because of one king, most people become unfortunate. This is not common sense, so justice comes from correcting this mistake. "

"I don't like people like you who stir up other people's emotions. Confuse the masses with pompous words and make them sacrifice innocent lives in order to stop the madness. For me, the greatest enemy is injustice in the mask of justice. "

He was not a person who would show his emotions, but when he said this, he clearly felt his irrepressible sadness and anger.

"May I ask why?"

Hearing Shenma's question, he turned to the tomb and replied.

"The owners of these two tombs are my wife and daughter. When the popular uprising broke out a decade ago, they were caught in the middle of an angry crowd and died inexplicably. "

"……"

Hearing Yuan's words, Shenma didn't know what to say for a while.

"They themselves may not know that innocent lives are sacrificed for the sake of so-called justice. After all, they are just ignorant and fearless ordinary people, but the people behind them must know this, right?"

"I'm sorry about your family. I also don't take it for granted to sacrifice a few people for the sake of justice, but we can't stop the struggle so that we don't let the misfortune continue. "

"Then you can be sure that the common people will be happy under your rule?"

"I never wanted to sit on the throne, and I need to correct that first. When the forces of evil are removed, a new justice will reappear in the land and people will be held accountable. At that point, my role will be over. "

Shenma's answer was that he had never expected it.

He thinks it's nothing more than an ideal statement.

"If that's what you think, then the justice you advocate is nothing more than compassion."

"What then, in your words, is justice?"

In the face of Shenma's sharp question, Yu just shook his head slightly.

"I don't know. Maybe it's because I haven't found the answer that I'm so afraid of change. "

Shenma nodded.

"Yes, I used to be like that, but that's another topic. But have you ever wondered how the king came to be like a monster? Do you think it's reasonable to be even strong enough to be worshipped as a god?"

"I never thought about it."

"I can tell you that this is a secret that has been passed down from generation to generation in the royal family. It is because eating poisonous herbs, poisonous herbs can turn people into inhuman beings, and in moderation, they can strengthen the body, but this is not the case with today's kings. The overdose of poisonous weeds made his face unusually distorted, and his hands and feet became ugly and long. That's why the country always wears a mask and clothes that don't fit. "

Although it is said to be a royal secret, it seems that all the content of what Shenma said can be matched.

Therefore, this can't help but make people wonder how the rebel leaders knew such a secret of the royal family so clearly.

"I don't understand, how can you know the secrets of the royal family so clearly? This is not something that can be investigated simply through a survey. "

"Because I was also a member of the royal family. As a kid I was called the Crown Prince. "

The crown prince is synonymous with "son of the king".

Strictly speaking, this means that he is the eldest son of a son who can succeed his father in ascending to the throne after his father's death.

The story of the disappeared crown prince is one of the oldest rumors in the palace from a long time ago.

I've heard of it before, but I've never thought about it, so I haven't paid much attention to it.

Shenma continued.

"As the crown prince, I also have a younger brother. We are good brothers who have a very good relationship. But there was only one king, and my brother wanted to sit in that position, but I never thought about it, so in the end I gave up everything and left the palace, and my brother got his wish to sit on the throne. "

"According to Your Excellency, is that brother the current king?"

"Exactly."

"......"

"I used to believe that I would become the younger brother of Mingjun, but after he became king, I completely changed. This matter has never been within my control, after all, I am no longer the crown prince, and I can even say nothing. So just as I was about to sit on the sidelines, things got worse. ”

"One day I heard the people crying out with hatred. I knew that I would not be able to escape this responsibility until the moment I died, and that I would never be able to live a free life. ”

"I know that all this will not change automatically on its own, someone always needs to stand up, so in this way, this group of people who want to change stand up and unite together, which has become today's justice."

He was curious if the king knew the identity of the god horse.

"Does the King know who you are?"

"Looks like I've noticed it. Although it has not been officially announced, this fact will eventually surface one day. I don't want things to get to that point, either. After all, even if I say it myself, no one will believe it. "

"It's a really hard story to believe that the leader of the rebels is the crown prince."

Shenma took out the flank used for chest protection and handed it to Yuan.

Although it is stuck in a messy leather scabbard, judging by the ornate decoration of the Wakicha gauntlet, this is definitely not ordinary.

When he saw the sign carved in the middle of Wakisa, he believed the words of the gods.

"This is, the sign of the royal family."

"This was the object I used to protect myself when I escaped from the palace. It was just right for me when I was young. "

"Your Excellency's fate has been truly bumpy. "

"You are the first person I have ever told the truth. Take this wakami. This is my gift to you. "

"No, it's a royal property. It's also the only evidence that can prove your identity, how can this kind of thing be given to me?"

"To be honest, I never wanted to prove my identity to anyone.

"......"

He gently pushed the wakicha out of the leather scabbard, and it could be seen that the sharp blade showed a delicate state in the sunlight.

"I have never reciprocated your favors, so why do you continue to show favor to me? Are you sure I'll bring you the king's head? "

"Yes, I haven't received a reply from you, but I want to try to win your heart. Because I think it's a way to undo the mistakes of my past that can't be washed away. "

"......"

He took a deep breath and smiled and hugged Wakicha in his arms.

"Suddenly curious, why didn't you kill me at that time?"

Kamima tilted his head and answered Hunt's question.

"That's a weird question. Shouldn't I be asked why I chose you?"

"......"

"I'm always looking for someone with the right personality to match my strengths. I was convinced of this when I first met you. "

He shook his head.

"I still don't really understand your grand justice."

Shenma smiled wryly.

Just as he wanted to convince the man in front of him that it was too early to say these words, he saw the man holding the sword in his hand and saluting him.

"But I have heard that a man should give his life for someone who understands him, and I would like to repay your trust in me."

"You ....."

Shenma replied with a grateful face.

The spring breeze is warm, swaying the buds of the flowers.

Since that day, the two have gotten along like a fish in water.

Often together they fish during the day, drink at night, and talk frankly.

One night when the bright moon illuminates the earth, Shenma put down his wine glass, looked at the moon, and said in his memory.

"Actually, I used to have a daughter."

"There were, and the proof is no longer there."

"Yes, I sent her far away more than ten years ago."

"......"

"It's a night like today. It was a day in my life that I could never erase. The sleeping child still clutched the scabbard of the waki. I couldn't bear to take it out of my child's hands. I took the knife from the boy with a fluke mentality, and the scabbard should still be on the child. "

He was a little unaccustomed to watching the usually confident man turn into a self-deprecating and annoyed look.

"Why did you send her away?"

"That child is like an egret, and will stand out among the crows."

Although I don't know why, I don't know what happened, and I don't know the specific inside story, I don't plan to dig deeper.

Because he knows that no matter how much he comforts, it will not help in the end, and if it is something that can be solved, Shenma will definitely solve it by himself.

"If you want to hide a tree, you have to hide the tree first. It's the same thing. "

Shenma was amused by this ambiguous expression and continued.

What is this comforting way? It's like, it's like you've always been like this, it's always been so peculiar. "

"I'm only going to say what I can understand, and I'm not very clear about the rest."

Hearing this, Shenma smiled and drank the rest of the wine.

In this way, the two men discussed trivial matters for a long time, and it was not until late at night that they began to talk about the important task.

"It would be better to have a little earlier than planned, for the king has burned down a few more villages in the past few days, and it feels as if the madman will not stop his madness until I die. I feel like it's just a disadvantage. Recently, it was revealed that a large amount of gunpowder was being sent to the royal palace. If these things are used on the people, there will be an unprecedented catastrophe. "

"I can act at any time."

"But even you can't disobey the king's hundred-step order, right?"

The hundred-step order refers to the order that no one should approach the king's side.

None of his attendants or guards in the palace could approach him, and he would probably die before they could get close.

But he didn't care in the slightest.

"I have sworn that even if I give my life, I will end the name of the king. It is not a matter of safety, and although it may be a little reckless, as long as you can take advantage of the king's defenselessness, you will be able to accomplish the important task that your Excellency has been waiting for for a long time. "

"This is something that will come at the cost of lives, and it can only succeed, not fail. So we have to think of a perfect solution. And I have a brilliant idea in mind. "

"Clever plan? What is it?"

Regarding the question of hunting, Shenma smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

"Because it's still in the preparation stage, I'm a little embarrassed to say, I'll tell you when I have a detailed plan."

"Understood."

After Shenma finished speaking, he began to think.

He was a little surprised, because Shenma would choose to discuss with him almost every day, but he also respected his wishes and did not continue to bother.

Time passed like this, and before I knew it, 8 days had passed.

As the sun sets, night falls, and the sky begins to rain, and the deserted world is poured into the sky.

Listening to the sound of footsteps in the rain in the distance, the Assassin of the Night Dark brought a letter and a wooden box wrapped in satin.

"What is this?"

"This is what Mistress Shenma asked for. My lord, let me tell you that this is the best plan. "

"......"

Seeing off the Assassin, he entered the room and untied the layers of satin.

After opening the lid of the wooden box, he saw what was inside, thought about it carefully, and then nodded slowly.

Covering the box, he opened the envelope and shone it under the lamp.

It's the handwriting of Shenma.

After reading it word for word, he folded the letter and hid it between the plackets of his clothes.

"Justice ......"

He nodded slowly and muttered in a low voice.

Then he picked up the glass on the table and handed it to his lips, took a sip, and fell into deep thought.

In the dead of night, the sound of the rain gradually stopped. It wasn't until dawn that he sat up and walked out of the house with what the god horse had given him.

The Staircase of Kings is an image of the navy blue night sky.

At the top of the staircase looms the king wearing a mask and sitting on a bed

He strode past the many soldiers and neatly arranged attendants who surrounded the stairs.

As he passed by the attendants, he heard the attendants shouting repeatedly.

"Escort samurai, go up the stairs. Escort samurai, go up the ladder. "

Ignoring the shrill shouts, he walked up the stairs.

One of the attendants held out his hands to him, and he handed the weapon in understanding.

"Escort samurai, go up the stairs."

It wasn't until he heard the king's voice that he began to walk up the stairs.

One step, two steps, three steps, walked for a while, stopped not far from the king.

The king under the mask can be felt very excited.

"Greetings to you, lowly slave"

He knelt down and saluted, and the king raised his hand and pointed at the box with a slender finger.

"Is this the box?"

"Yes."

"Take it out and have a look."

"......"

He untied the silk, opened the box, and gave it to the king. The king looked closer for a moment, unable to believe his eyes.

He couldn't hold back the joy in his heart and laughed.

"Not bad, not bad. I will give you this royal treasure, the Cloud Blade, as I promised a long time ago, and you will have it

There is a treat that matches this pair of swords. "

The king handed the two cloud blades, wrapped in a thick cloth, to the front of the tower.

"I just did what I had to do, and I was so grateful to have given me such a high honor."

He knelt and bowed his head.

The king pulled out the contents of the chest with his slender fingers and reached for the attendants and soldiers at the bottom of the stairs.

"Everyone gave me a careful look, this is the end of fooling the heavens, threatening the gods, and the night black."

The king was holding someone else's head.

Seeing this, the people cheered for joy, but they knew better than anyone that their hearts were full of fear.

It was the fear that no one could stop the monster in front of him from getting away with it, and there was no hope for the despair of this world.

That's right, what they saw was the head of the rebel leader, the "Divine Horse".

The quiet space reverberated with the king's unbridled laughter.

And at this moment, behind the king, with a crisp metallic sound, suddenly a silver light drew a trajectory.

In an instant, the king turned his head to meet the mound.

The mound, which was still lifeless, now seems to be flashing like a beast.

Bite!

Everyone watched with bated breath, no one could speak, and the sound of something falling powerlessly sounded in the silent space.

Thump......

The king's neck fell like this, and the supporting body slowly lost its balance and fell over.

For Yuan, the words he once spoke to Shenma flashed like a marquee, and that brief moment seemed like an eternity.

By the time he came to his senses, the people under the stairs were already overwhelmed, and their shouts were getting louder and louder.

He bent down, picked up the king's head, and reached for the man at the bottom of the stairs.

"Look."

Hearing the solemn voice, the entire palace fell silent.

"The god you serve like heaven is just an ordinary man."

The god that everyone originally believed in was denied, and they were instantly speechless.

He continued.

"He wantonly deceived the world and slandered the people, coveted immortal power, and caused all the people of the world to suffer with cruel politics, contrary to the will of heaven. This should be judged as it should be. "

Then he came to a conclusion that he did not want to admit.

"It's not just justice, it's providence."

Slowly, he let go of his hand, letting the king's head roll down the high, long steps.

Looking at the king's head rolling down the irregular staircase, everyone forgot about the line and dodged left and right to make way for a wide path.

Maybe it's the fear of God's death, or the fear of those who kill God.

He walked slowly down the King's Steps, on the way out of the crowd.

"......."

No one could stop it, and the voice of the captain of the guard rang out.

"He killed the king! Arrest that guy! "

At this time, countless soldiers cheered up and threw themselves at the mound with their weapons.

Despite this, he still walked forward without hesitation.

Bang.

The closed doors of the palace slammed open, and angry people poured in with weapons.

They kept shouting and complaining to themselves, but they didn't seem to hear anything.

On this day, the news of the king's death and the change of state power fluttered like a flag over the palace.

The rumor soon spread across the country.

"The king has returned to the West!"

"Returning to the West? I heard that he was hacked to death? "

"Will God be beheaded?"

"Who did that?"

"I don't know."

The rumors have become more and more outrageous, to the point where it is impossible to determine which part is true and which part is a lie.

"The angry heavens sent warriors to kill the false king!"

"Then it would be nice if he ruled the country directly."

Although the name of the Unknown Soldier has slowly faded into obscurity, the story of the Unknown Soldier has been talked about by people all the time.

Sometimes it's the presence of fear, sometimes it's praise......

In the middle of the night, in the rare clear night sky, the moon and stars shine at the same time, adding a little charm to the shadows of the trees stretching towards the sky.

The winding ridge stretches along the moonlight, spectacularly, and the leaves of the trees blown by the wind pull out the tune as if they know the wind current.

The night in the mountains is steeped in mystery and beauty, and the sound of burning bonfires and smoke blooming in the sky makes people speculate that there are people in this lonely place.

He took out the last letter from Shenma's bosom.

I've read it many times, but because it's someone who is about to leave reading this letter, it seems that there is some comfort in living in this lonely mountain.

[I'm sorry I can't see your surprised eyes with my own eyes, but I should be glad I didn't see your dull appearance.]

In fact, I have been thinking about it alone for a long time during this time, and if this matter is discussed with you, I am afraid that I will not be able to make up my mind, so I can't do this.

I'm sorry.

As I was thinking, I suddenly remembered what you said, the so-called manhood is to give his life for someone who understands himself. I said that I understood you and wanted to repay your trust, but in fact, it was really from my heart.

I've always believed in you, and if it were you, I would have been able to seize this hard-won opportunity.

That's why I dare to draw conclusions so easily.

Of course, it's false to say that it's easy, just like you are in pain because of your mother's affairs, in fact, so am I, and I can't find a trace of my daughter, which will always be a pity in my heart.

But I couldn't hesitate any longer.

The greatest misfortune in this land is because of my fault, my indecision, my blindness, snowballing bigger and bigger.

Someone has to stop the snowball now, it's justice and providence.

Your friend, Shenma. 】

He folded the letter, approached the bonfire, burned it, turned it to ashes, and then flew away like a dance in the wind.

Silently watched the letter disappear, and said his last greetings to his relatives and friends.

"I did what I agreed. Rest well. "

-

Many years later,

To the east of the western continent, an unknown hamlet is filled with an idyllic atmosphere.

Sheep grazing on a green field at sunset. Along the road leading to the village, unknown flowers gently shake their heads.

The wooden sign of the village's only bar repeatedly shook and stopped, and the owner of the bar feared that the bracket would break.

At that moment, the door opened.

A homeless man shook off the corners of his dusty gray coat a few times and sat expertly across from the bar.

"Boss, have a drink?"

"Huh? So you're from the East. What a good sword. In this way, it seems that I have been seeing Orientals a lot lately. "

The owner kindly stretched out his old handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief for the Oriental Wanderer.

Then, taking out a wooden cup full of wine, the homeless man took a sip of thanks.

"Thank you."

"Where are you from? West? South? Did you come across the desert? "

"I want to take a break, do you have a spare room?"

"Well, I'll take a look at ......"

The owner of the tavern put on his glasses, looked at the account book with a frown, seemed to find something, and replied with a bright expression.

"There happened to be an empty room, and an Oriental girl had just checked out in the morning, and now she was living in an Oriental again. Ha ha. "

Even if the room introduced by the bar owner is small and basic, it is enough to relieve fatigue and stay for one night.

While unpacking his luggage, the homeless man stumbled upon a shiny object in the gap between the bed and the wall and reached out to take it out.

It's a short scabbard with a familiar pattern somewhere.

"It's ......"

"Huh? Scabbard? Wasn't that Oriental girl lost?"

As if thinking of something, the homeless man rummaged through his bag and took out an object.

Take out the wakicha you got from your old friend, pull it out of the poorly leathered scabbard, and slowly push it into the scabbard you just found.

Not only is the size just right, but the crow pattern that is broken in the middle is also connected.

Anyone who looks at it knows that this is a set.

"Huh...... Such a coincidence...... Do you know that girl? "

"How so?"

The homeless man nodded, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Got information from the host about the Oriental maiden who left in the morning.

"The nearest city to fight the demons."

News about the girl's destination or neighborhood is a very interesting story for a man who has been wandering for a long time.

The next day, the door of the bar was opened to welcome the sun, and the homeless man was on the road again.

The homeless man, who had been walking for a while, suddenly stopped where he was.

Looking at the sky, I remembered the faces of my old friends who had left a long time ago.

"Maybe it's my turn to repay the reward."

He tightened his rope, secured his weapon firmly, dusted himself off, regained his strength, and moved on.

"It's called, Rochester."