“This should be our first meeting, leader of team China, Zheng Zha. It’s nice to meet you.” Miyata Kuraki said to Zheng, his tone neither overbearing nor humble.

Zheng took a look at Miyata Kuraki, that youth gripping a katana. Although he was an enemy, his performance while under their surveillance left Zheng with no ill intent towards the man. He was after all someone who could treat captives kindly, and was an honourable warrior. He couldn’t be too bad, even if he was Japanese. In any case, they wanted team East Sea’s psyche force user to help, so he nodded cooly. “Yes, I am team China’s leader Zheng Zha. Are only you three here to welcome me?”

If it were others saying this, perhaps Miyata Kuraki would have felt some sense of humiliation or arrogance. However, only those who knew of Zheng’s strength would understand that it was completely fair of him to say this. Zheng was too strong. This mightiness had reached the the point where it was like the difference in strength between a lower-tier lifeform and a high-tier lifeform. Looking from afar before had already given the sense of being unrivalled, but now that the three were right before him, the pressure was incredibly obvious. There was even the feeling that there was a giant and towering mountain before them.

Zheng’s question to them had some doubt in them. It wasn’t sarcasm, but the truth. Don’t even mention just three people, dealing with him would require… an army!

“Apologies. Those that are worthy of fighting by my side only number two. The rest don’t qualify as my companions, so I’ll have to show your honourable personage some disrespect by facing your might with us three.”

Zheng’s mind moved, and he thought about what they had observed. This Miyata Kuraki, as well as that girl Sora Aoi, were obviously different from those who kept using the words yellow monkey. Although he didn’t know what their innermost thoughts were, they couldn’t be bad to an extreme level.

Miyata Kuraki gave a serious look at Zheng. “Can we not make peace? Although we're enemies, we don't have too much of a conflict in our plot missions. In fact, it’s non-existent. Also, considering your team China’s strength, getting a large increase in your points and ranked rewards shouldn’t be doable within a short period of time, right? Can we make peace?”

Zheng frowned slightly. At first, he nodded, but then it changed to a shake of his head. “We can make peace. But not now. Team East Sea… has some who must die!”

“Is that so?” Miyata Kuraki’s expression immediately became much more gloomy. He had misinterpreted Zheng’s words, and thought that Zheng meant that team China happened to lack some points and ranked rewards, and needed to kill a few.

“Then, my final question. Zheng-kun, as a Chinese, do you hate us Japanese?”

“I hate! But I don’t hate you all the same time!” Zheng said bluntly, “I hate your government, as well as your right-wing. Also, the many things you’ve done, such as revising textbooks, forcibly occupying our islands and not respecting history by distorting and modifying it. But I don’t hate some of you. Those of you who came to my country to help with the large-scale tree planting in the northwest, those who went to The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre to kneel and those who had spent a whole thirty years helping my country’s agriculture education. I’m clear on my gratitude and grudges, and who to hate and who not to. I’ll pay back my debts and take my revenge when it’s needed. Relax. Even if my team China wins the final battle and returns to the real world, we won’t commit the atrocities you’re imagining. I have my pride.”

“My gratitude, Zheng-kun. You too have your warrior spirit. To battle with you is my honour!” Miyata Kuraki laughed heartily. He gripped his katana and took a step forth. “The enhancement I pursued is called the Ghost Knight! The sub class I use is the Crying Ghost 1 which is primarily using the heart to rend to soul. Let us battle, powerhouse of team China! Let me see exactly how strong this apex of God’s Realm is!” He made a horizontal sweep as he finished his words. However, the katana brushed against his own neck, before he used a hand to wipe the blood on his body.

As Miyata Kuraki wiped the fresh blood, the black runes on his body became more obvious, and it looked as if there were a layer of black mist on his body. He laughed, and held his katana aloft, chopping down.

“Ghost Slash!”

Zheng didn’t attack first, just silently looking at Miyata Kuraki apply fresh blood on his body. He then saw a black glow appear on Miyata Kuraki’s body, before he chopped down. This slash brought a black and misty light blade with it, and Zheng was immediately shocked. He stepped down and retreated.

Unexpectedly, the black light blade had instantaneously reached. Behind the black light blade, a several metres large ferocious ghost abruptly charged out, and sent a claw striking towards Zheng. Unable to guard in time, Zheng could only block with a single hand. However, it directly passed through the ferocious ghost’s claw. The arm that entered the ghost’s body abruptly vanished and a grotesque hole was torn open by the ghost’s claw in the middle of his chest.

Zheng was inwardly shocked at this terrifying power. However he suddenly realised no brilliance had flashed on his body. In other words, his defensive systems hadn’t been activated, and he immediately shouted, “Wrong! Illusions?”

As expected, as he continuously unlocked the genetic constraint, the ferocious ghost and wounds disappeared by the time he unlocked the third stage. Only Miyata Kuraki slashing down was left before him. He stepped down and retreated again. The slash landed on the deck, and carried a corrosive effect, causing the deck to begin to melt. The light blade completely vanished only when two metres of depth had been dissolved.

“The katana rends the fleshy body, while the heart rends the soul. My katana is still burdened with hesitation and my heart still cannot rend the soul. Zheng-kun, don’t show mercy. Show me respect!” Miyata Kuraki gave a deep exhalation, laughing.

Zheng exhaled as well, before laughing. “Honestly, this move is indeed greatly advantageous against those below the third stage, or those with flaws in their hearts. A pity though. This move should have a higher realm. The so-called ‘heart rends the soul’ should be giving you a clear path forward…”

“Then I shall begin to battle, leader of team East Sea, as well as the other two. No need to be polite. Come at me with your maximum power, because a battle that far surpasses you in level awaits. I shall continuously raise my strength. We’ll start with… Explosion!”

***

At the same time as Zheng reached the flagship, Sora Aoi was praying non-stop in her room. Her heart was truly filled with love towards Miyata Kuraki, and she hoped that he would be able to survive no matter what. Alas… she no longer knew how to help him live on as of now.

Suddenly, a violent sound travelled over from the door, as if someone was using strength to knock on the door. Sora Aoi’s mind flashed in understanding, A sweep of psyche force let her know that it was Koinu Maosu and the rest of team East Sea. They all had ferocious expressions as they stood at the door. Koinu Maosu, especially, was repeating beating the door with his muscles swelled up.

“SORA AOI! Hand that team China member over to us! We want to hand her over to team China’s leader! That way we can survive!” A middle-aged muscular man shouted.

Koinu Maosu made noise even more madly. “What handing over?! We’re using her as a hostage! As soon as we had her, team China rushed over to save her. She must be important! I’m guessing she’s that monster’s lover! It’s definitely so, there’s no better choice than using her as a hostage! We will surely survive!”

Sora Aoi said coldly, “The lot of you should scram! You are no longer my or Kuraki’s companions. We don’t have companions like you all! It’s best for you all to stay a bit further from me. I don’t want to see human waste like you all!”

Those outside stopped dead, before becoming even more enraged. The muscles on Koinu Maosu’s body transformed continuously, until he became a mini-giant. He viciously punched the giant door, shouting at the same time, “Screw your leader! I’m not doing this anymore, I just want to survive! You’re falling out just over a yellow pig! I also don’t have a companion like you! Hand her over, or I’ll kill you along with her!”

Sora Aoi’s heart grew colder. She didn’t say anything, only smiling coldly a she rose to her feet. Her eyes began to change in colour, and the space around her body began to distort. Looking at her, it seemed she had some other power other than being a psyche force user.

With a boom, the giant door was finally ruined by Koinu Maosu. He sent the ruined door flying at Sora Aoi with a kick, but it came to a halt a metre away from her. Koinu Maosu also knew that he couldn’t let Sora Aoi unleash all her power. He rushed to before the ruined door, ignoring everything else as he unleashed punch after punch over. At teh same time, he shouted, “Everyone kill this traitor to her country! We can only survive if we do so!”

Those outside were both dumbfounded and motionless. However, when they saw Zhao Yingkong, who was lying on the bed, their expressions turned hideous once again. They all charged in as a group. Apart from two who went to capture Yingkong, the rest used various methods to launch attacks on Sora Aoi. Sora Aoi could only defend herself, and the distorted space began to decrease in size.

“Hehe, need my help?”

Those participating in the battle looked over in shock. The originally unconscious Zhao Yingkong was standing there giggling. The two who had ran over to capture her were both twisted in an extremely strange manner, and were continuously wailing in pain. The girl only had a beautiful smile and was acting in an innocent manner, as if the two’s injuries were unrelated to her.

“Need my help in killing this trash? Hehe…”

1 Crying Ghost, alternatively Soul Bender, is a subclass of Male Slayer

/Ghost Knight in Dungeon Fighter Online.