Eldritch Horror Theatre

"Yes."

Blocked at the scene of the death and facing a crowd of onlookers, Fu Qian answered the demigod's question with a single word.

That answer, combined with his current demeanor, clearly sent a profound shock through the gathered transcendents.

"How should I address you?"

The vertical-pupiled demigod silenced the Kamakura Family member with a glance and continued.

"Yun."

His response was, once again, a single word.

Yun...

The Kamakura Family member had been eyeing Fu Qian with suspicion ever since he turned around. Now, he nearly jumped in shock.

"The past me did indeed die."

Fu Qian finally spoke a few more words this time, gazing up at a forty-five-degree angle toward the space beyond the stone doors.

Just as he thought, it was a pitch-black corridor that looked exactly like a tomb passage.

"For all these years, I bitterly sought the path of the demigod. Chess Swordplay, Swordless, Killing Sword—none of them allowed me to take that final step."

He had lifted the words of a certain black-clad swordsman from that Sin Fire Game in the Wasteland word for word.

Indeed, to avoid a direct conflict with the people from the Academy, the face he had shaped for himself this time belonged to that Peak Tier 4 sinner—Swordsman Yun, whom he had personally delivered to the afterlife.

Given that he had no intention of hiding his strength, Fu Qian considered this a highly appropriate choice.

With that man's Rank, he should have held a certain level of fame within the transcendent realm.

Especially when facing the Kamakura Family—fellow blade users—he would undoubtedly be highly recognizable.

The facts proved this true. Now, he only needed to explain why he wasn't dead.

"In the end, it was Death that carried me across that heavenly chasm. I dispelled delusions, saw my true heart, and achieved finding life through death."

"It really is you..."

It seemed Fu Qian's fully plagiarized speech perfectly captured the man's essence.

The fellow from the Kamakura Family instantly dropped his doubts and vouched for this new identity.

"Why are you here? My grandfather..."

As he spoke, the man stared at the ground, his voice trembling.

At least he was aware of the trouble his family was currently facing and hadn't immediately pinned the murder on him.

Fu Qian nodded inwardly.

"He was already dead when I arrived."

A moment later, adopting a tone that suggested he owed explanations to no one, Fu Qian completely ignored the rest of the question and shot back with one of his own.

"You seem to have run into some trouble?"

...

The deceased's family member fell instantly silent.

His family had certainly run into trouble—calamity, even. But faced with such a suspicious figure, his subconscious instinct was still to hold his tongue.

"Yun?"

The vertical-pupiled demigod, who had not spoken since his initial question, softly repeated Fu Qian's name.

The next moment, however, he ignored Fu Qian entirely. His immediate reaction was actually to turn toward Guan Jingzheng with a strange smile.

"Professor Guan, it seems we have encountered a Sword Dao Demigod... Earlier, when I invited the Sword Comprehension Institute to investigate alongside us, you lacked interest. But now, it turns out your harvest is the greatest of all!"

The content of his words was fine, but his tone dripped with mockery, making it somewhat unbefitting of a demigod's status.

Guan Jingzheng, standing off to the side, already wore a stiff expression. He stared fixedly at Fu Qian before his gaze finally dropped to the man's hands.

"That appears to be a weapon belonging to the Kamakura Family. So, where is your sword?"

This man's temper truly hadn't changed a bit.

"You fall far short of Li Weixuan. I will only discuss this matter with him."

Recalling his previous dealings with Professor Guan, Fu Qian looked away. He leveled the Openwork Heavy Sword and handed it to the conflicted middle-aged man from the Kamakura Family.

The implication was clear: explaining it to a piece of dead wood like him would be a pure waste of breath.

...

Faced with this gesture, the middle-aged man's blood-streaked face momentarily twisted in hesitation.

The next moment, however, he took a deep breath and solemnly accepted the blade. He then stepped forward and carefully inspected the corpse.

Already provoked by the vertical-pupiled demigod, Guan Jingzheng was now being belittled by Fu Qian using Li Weixuan as a comparison. His face was positively livid.

However, after only a few seconds of internal struggle, he successfully convinced himself it wasn't worth lowering himself to this man's level and let out a heavy snort.

"Hehehe..."

The vertical-pupiled demigod's reaction was a burst of laughter utterly filled with schadenfreude.

"You know Li Weixuan?"

"I've seen his methods. Quite a decent young man."

Fu Qian did not skimp on his approval of Dean Li.

"As I see it, he should have become a demigod long ago. I wonder if he encountered some unique circumstances."

"It's a pity we walk different paths. My experience might not be of any use to him."

"It doesn't matter. As long as Li Weixuan knows a new demigod has emerged on the sword path, that is honestly enough."

The vertical-pupiled demigod laughed out loud.

"And you are?"

Faced with this demigod's eccentric words and actions, Fu Qian feigned a look of being intrigued by his acknowledgment.

"Casi, Dean of the Academy Apocalypse Institute."

The man offered a very straightforward self-introduction.

"Apocalypse Branch..."

The next moment, Swordsman Yun appeared lost in thought, as if something had just occurred to him.

"Do you know a man named Fu Qian?"

...

"You know that guy?"

The moment these words left his mouth, it was Guan Jingzheng who reacted the strongest.

It seemed highly likely that this timeline was set after he had committed his crimes. Choosing to change his appearance really had been a wise decision.

Observing the clamoring Guan Jingzheng, Fu Qian silently made his assessment.

"He is someone who leaves a deep impression."

Deliberately stressing the words "deep impression," Fu Qian looked at Casi.

"He must be a demigod by now as well, yes?"

A demigod...

Under Guan Jingzheng's suspicious gaze, Dean Casi's vertical pupils nearly narrowed into slits.

"Professor Fu is an instructor at the Apocalypse Branch. However, following a minor incident not long ago, he left the Academy and has yet to return."

"Although he hadn't been with Apocalypse for long, his performance was indeed outstanding. As for whether he has achieved the Demigod Realm, we can only know once he returns. Are you an old acquaintance of his?"

'A minor incident? Outstanding performance?'

'With that tone, not only does it sound like I'm not a wanted fugitive, it feels like I'm about to be nominated for Outstanding Teacher of the Year.'

'Could Professor Lanaya have played Holmes, perfectly reconstructing the scene and realizing I was just ridding the people of a menace?'

"He was the one who gifted me Death, allowing me to see the opportunity to become a demigod."

Pondering this silently, Fu Qian raised a hand and stroked his own neck a moment later.

"If the opportunity arises, I will return this gift to him."

A gift? Return it?

Meaning he "helped" you achieve the Demigod Realm, and you plan to kill him the next time you meet?

Fu Qian's words clearly sparked a strong reaction. For a moment, even Guan Jingzheng wore an odd expression.

However, upon learning that this mysterious demigod swordsman actually held a grudge against Fu Qian, his tense demeanor seemed to relax ever so slightly.

Perhaps in his eyes, even a sword path fanatic like this was far more lovable than that guy.

"If I see him next time, I'll be sure to pass along your sentiments."

Casi's reaction was quite nonchalant, genuinely speaking as if he were just passing on a casual greeting.

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