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The system panel glowed. The purple card flipped, revealing the character's face.
"It's actually him!!"
The figure was unmistakable: deep blue hair, skin like a shark, razor-sharp teeth, and gold eyes. He wore the signature black-and-red cloud robe of the Akatsuki and carried a massive broadsword, the Samehada, on his back.
Hoshigaki Kisame! The "Monster of the Hidden Mist," Itachi's formidable partner from the Naruto world. Though a villain, he was a man of fierce conviction, whose final, honorable sacrifice to protect secrets had earned Qi Yan's deep respect.
But there was no time for nostalgia.
With a Purple Character Card now in his hand, the more valuable Gold CardsâXiao Wu and Tsugikuni Yoriichiâwere safe.
Qi Yan immediately selected the Hoshigaki Kisame card and hit 'Recycle.'
"Ding! Are you sure you want to recycle the rare character card Hoshigaki Kisame?"
"Yes!"
"Ding! Recycling successful, gained two stars of magic power!"
A powerful surge of magic energy slammed into Qi Yan's body. It didn't just refill his drained reserves; it violently expanded his magical limit.
"Humans 400 years later are still so weak! But it's really interesting to see you grovel and struggle, hahahaha!!" Alazam cackled, tightening his grip on the King's neck.
"Your Majesty the King!!" Soldiers cried out, still trying desperately to intervene.
"Run! Notify all citizens! Everyone, run! Don't leave a single person in this country!" the King roared, tears of despair in his eyes. The shattered Dragon Slaying Sword and the invincible defense of the Dragon had confirmed the terrifying truth: humanity could not win. This country was finished.
"Run? You can try." Alazam licked his lips, ready for his feast.
The Client and the Champion
Suddenly, a voice cut through the carnage, calm and perfectly polite.
"Excuse me! Could you possibly put His Majesty the King down? He is my client."
Everyone froze, turning to see the source of the voice: a handsome young man with black hair and black eyes, walking toward the chaos.
"Mr. Qi Yan!!!"
Hope flickered briefly in the crowd. This was the man who had single-handedly slaughtered five Nine-Star Demonic Beasts minutes ago! But the hope died just as quickly. The gap between a human and a Giant Dragon was simply too vast.
"Oh, it's you. I saw your little display earlier. Your strength is not bad," Alazam mused. "If you surrender to me, I can let you live." Having just been unsealed, Alazam needed powerful subordinates. Qi Yan, whose strength was comparable to a lower-tier dragon, was an appealing prospect.
"Qi Yan, run!" Erza screamed, guilt and panic overwhelming her. If she hadn't insisted on the S-rank mission, Qi Yan would be safe.
Qi Yan reached Erza, gently knelt, and lifted her into his arms. He then turned and began walking backwardâstraight toward the city wall.
A chilling silence fell over the battlefield.
"Qi Yan... you..." Erza began, confused and heartbroken.
He gave her a confident, reassuring smile. "Don't worry! I'll handle this guy."
He gently set her down. Then, facing the colossal Magic Dragon, Qi Yan began to walk forward. With every step, he chanted the invocation, his gaze locked on Alazam.
"Full Reception! Tsugikuni Yoriichi!!"
Step One: The irises of his eyes turned red. Step Two: His facial features subtly sharpened. Paper earrings bearing a red sun appeared on his ears. Step Three: His hair grew rapidly and darkened to a deep crimson, pulled up into a high ponytail. Step Four: His clothes morphed into the uniform of a samurai, complete with a flowing red haori. Step Five: A long, sleek katana materialized at his waist. Step Six: A strange, fiery crimson pattern appeared on his left forehead, like a burning mark.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi!!!"
Every single personâexcept the unconcerned Dragonâwas utterly stunned by the transformation.
This appearance, this posture... anyone who had watched the World's Strongest Swordsman Tournament that day recognized the figure. The man who had crushed every Nine-Star Swordsman with an invincible demeanor, the man who vanished right after.
They hadn't fled in fear, as some had speculated. He had merely changed costumes.
"Yori... Yori... Mr. Yoriichi..." Arthur looked at Qi Yan, his mind reeling. To realize the unbeatable swordsman was the man who had also saved them from the monster hordeâit was more shocking than the appearance of the Dragon itself.
"Call me Qi Yan. Tsugikuni Yoriichi is my alias," he clarified, still walking toward Alazam.
"Yes... Yes! Mr. Qi Yan... you... how could you...?" The old King, dangling from Alazam's grip, was bewildered.
"I apologize, Your Majesty," Qi Yan said with a light chuckle. "I'm quite poor, and the prize money was generous, so I decided to participate. I didn't mean to accidentally win first place." He paused, his voice turning serious. "Can the prize money for the champion be paid?"
"This... it can be paid, but the country is already..."
Qi Yan shrugged, a dangerous calm settling over him.
"That's simple. Just kill it, and everything will be fine."