Chapter 538: The Crimson Sword and the Thousand-Year Vow
As the sun climbed higher, the grand hall was littered with exhausted figures, the Central Dominion Guard sprawled across the floor in deep sleep. Ethan’s gaze eventually settled on Bongo. He had questions for her about the crimson longsword. Ever since she had awakened her memories, she had not once drawn the Blood Sword in battle, which puzzled him deeply.
With a thought, he sent her a telepathic message. Come with me somewhere.
"Oh? Alright!" Bongo blinked in surprise, but she did not refuse.
At the hall’s entrance, Ethan paused and glanced back at Julian, giving him a subtle, meaningful look. Julian hesitated, torn, and then abruptly pitched forward off his seat with a loud thud. Ethan caught sight of the foot that had just been pulled back—it belonged to Regis, the old City Lord.
Ethan bit back a laugh, lips twitching, and turned away. A moment later, Julian came scurrying after them. Seeing him, Ethan raised his hand, and the Shatterstar mech materialized in the open. He motioned for the two of them to climb aboard.
Before they could, two more figures stumbled out of the hall, rushing toward them. Ethan frowned and asked, "Why are you two here?"
It was Blackie and Micah.
Ethan hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Yes, but not right now. I’ll tell you when I’m leaving."
He had intended to slip away without a word, but their anxious faces left him no choice but to give this promise. In truth, he felt reluctant. If he submitted the quest and was transported back, he could not bring much with him—only what could be stored in his Mindscape. He had tested it before: the Shatterstar’s core control could be carried there, which meant he could still bring the mech itself. But living beings could not enter the Mindscape.
The exception was magical beasts. After refining the Sigil of the Wild Legion, his Mindscape had gained the ability to house such creatures. Once inside, they would be placed on the crescent-shaped island in the south. That meant he could bring Blackie and Ormund back to Earth. He had not asked them if they were willing yet, but Micah... no, there was no way. Micah would have to remain here.
As for Julian, Ethan knew he would never come. His roots were in this land—his father, his beloved, everything he held dear.
Ethan had planned to deal with the Blood King first, then return to ask Blackie. If Blackie agreed, he would take him to Earth, where their strength would be invaluable against the coming catastrophe.
"Are you going to the Central Dominion? Just take us with you!" Blackie called out. "I have something to tell you anyway!"
Ethan’s expression stiffened. He cast a glance at Julian and Bongo, thinking, Blackie really has no tact. Can’t he see I’m trying to give them a moment?
Bongo noticed the look and cut in before Ethan could speak. "Don’t bother. I know what you’re thinking, but now isn’t the time for that." She stepped closer to Julian, taking hold of his remaining arm. Her voice stayed calm, but her eyes met Ethan’s firmly. "The war has just ended. Dragon Child has already gone east, to clear the underground rivers so the Sea of Death can be supplied with water again. Serpent-Turtle is in the North, searching for a way to completely purge the plague beneath the Extreme North Ice Fields. And I need to reorganize the beast tribes of the Southwest Domain. None of us can afford to be idle. As for our matter..."
She gave Julian’s arm a gentle squeeze. "You don’t need to worry about it."
Then she turned to Julian. "Right?"
"Eh? Oh—yes... yes," Julian stammered, wide-eyed, as if happiness had landed on him too suddenly to grasp.
Ethan and the others were stunned. Everything was happening too fast.
"You don’t have to act this way," Bongo said quietly. "During the great war, I thought I had no chance of survival. If anyone in the entire Sea of Death understands the Blood Clan best, it’s me."
Her words revealed the truth. Ethan understood immediately. Ever since she had obtained the Blood Clan’s Ship Key, she must have fought them countless times in ages past. She knew their power better than anyone, and so she had chosen to keep her distance from Julian. Better to let him believe she had no interest than to give him hope, only for that hope to be crushed by death and separation.
"You called me out here because you want it back, don’t you?" Bongo asked.
She raised her hand, and the air split open with a ripple of space. Through the rift, they glimpsed a fiery world of endless flame. At its center floated a crimson longsword.
"I stole it," Bongo admitted. "When I found it, it had already birthed a weapon spirit, overflowing with destructive intent. I had no choice but to seal it with my own life fire, hoping to refine it and erase its spirit. But it was too powerful, always striking back. It forced my immortal body into endless rebirth, life after life. For fifty thousand years I was reincarnated. Each time I was reborn, I grew stronger, but in the end, I only managed to destroy the weapon spirit."
There was helplessness in her eyes as she turned to Julian. "This is also why I ignored you. A thousand years from now, you will turn to dust. And I... I will still be here, alone."
The others exchanged uneasy glances. No one knew what to say. But Julian’s hand closed firmly over Bongo’s, his gaze steady and filled with resolve.
"Don’t worry. A thousand years won’t be the end for me. Look at this."
He released her hand and drew something from his spatial pouch: a bead glowing with golden light. Everyone’s eyes widened. For a long moment, no one spoke. Then Blackie blurted out, "Wait a second, isn’t that... an Energy Core? Where did you get so many?"
Before anyone could react, he lunged forward, reaching for it.
Julian snapped his wrist, and the handful of Energy Cores vanished back into his pouch. There had been dozens of them.
"Serpent-Turtle gave them to me," Julian explained. He faltered, his eyes flicking to Bongo, then quickly continued. "He said these cores can help me break through to Voidbreaker rank and beyond. They can even regrow my arm... and extend my lifespan."
Ethan froze. He suddenly remembered—he had once planned to venture to the Extreme North Ice Fields to find these very cores. But so much had happened that he had completely forgotten.
"No wonder," Bongo breathed, her eyes widening. "I’ve been reborn countless times, but my progress can’t compare to that old turtle’s. He’s been living off these things all along."
Everyone understood at once. Serpent-Turtle’s rapid rise in strength suddenly made sense. He had advanced faster than even Bongo, the Dragon-Phoenix, whose strength was built on endless cycles of rebirth. These Energy Cores weren’t just treasures—they were divine-grade resources.
"Did he say how many he had?" Ethan asked.
Julian shook his head. "He didn’t give a number, but... he implied I could use as many as I wanted."
Ethan’s eyes narrowed. That decided it. He would have to make another trip to the Extreme North Ice Fields. But first came the Central Dominion. He needed to deliver the Blood Sword—the Ship Key—and mine the resources there. After that, he would return north, secure a stockpile of Energy Cores, and then... he would finally go home.