Taiki felt like he was just a puppet of a rotten system.


    Even his efforts in studyingw and bing a true master had not helped him achieve what he dreamt of all his life. Eventually, he just gave up on being a better person and an instrument of change and peace.


    He epted his role as a cog in the machine.


    However, after living in the outside world for a while, he realised something about human beings. Not the human beings on Martial Ind who were constantly pursuing strength they could not use, money they could not enjoy and long life on an ind they could not live.


    He realised that he wanted something more from his life. He did not want his life to always be in ck and white. He wanted the sshes of colour that came with the natural messy lives of human beings. He wanted to try.


    Because life was about trying.


    Human beings were only amazing because they were helpless and useless. But they woke up every morning trying to make something of themselves. Trying to do the impossible… And when they did the impossible, they would try something else.


    But Martial Ind…


    It was a dead ce.


    Since the moment someone discovered the ind and the rare material, everyone stopped trying to be better. No one focused on true cultivation anymore since they could depend on the rare material to increase martial power and longevity.


    Everyone thought that they had achieved the peak of humanity. The most effort made was to improve the effects of the rare material for even more strength and longer life. No one thought of trying to advance the world more.


    For instance, the researchbs did not consider if the rare material was only useful when consumed. Perhaps, it might have been an important energy resource. Maybe, it could resolve the energy crisis on the globe.


    And even worse, the elites of Martial Ind refused to consider a safer approach to mining the rare material.


    When Taiki first discovered that the extraction of the material meant a loss of lives, he was angry and frustrated. He wanted to run to the secondary ind and rescue everyone. He wanted to shout and scream at the unjust world.


    However, he discovered how powerless he was, even as one of the elite Guardians of Martial Ind. He did not even have clearance to know the location of the secondary ind. He could not even use thew to prove the atrocious acts on Martial Ind.


    So, he gave up and decided to protect the Iekami n.


    He hoped that his efforts would give him peace. As long as he could, at least, be a true guardian to his family, he might be able to live with himself.


    But again, this decision only led him to take his nephew against his will. He thought he was doing the right thing for Kaito, but once he truly knew him, he realised that Martial Ind was not for someone like Kaito.


    He was a person who lived life to the fullest. He needed his freedom, and he found his happiness with a nice girl.


    Slowly by slowly, Taiki felt his heart thawing. He felt his passion for changing the world returning into his soul. He believed that he could be like a normal human who tried, even when the result was probably going to be a disaster.


    And on his journey to finding a way to change Martial Ind, he found that he had a lot inmon with the number one threat tow and order and the Guardians.


    His meeting with Yuan Haoran was not ordained or fateful. The demon king hade directly to him after he returned with Kaito and Akira after the incident in Tokyo. And he was not polite. Not that Taiki expected politeness from someone like him.


    In fact, Yuan Haoran threatened him.


    In his words, he said that he promised to exchange favours with Hu Lei so that Akira could be treated. However, the demon king said he had a lot of other ways to make life difficult for Kaito if Taiki did not cooperate with him.


    It was not a subtle threat.


    In the past, Taiki might have said that he did not negotiate with terrorists. However, he hade to know and love his nephew. Therefore, he agreed to listen to Yuan Haoran before deciding on the next steps to take.


    The best surprise was that their goals were somewhat aligned.


    Of course, Yuan Haoran original n involved killing everyone who had ever been associated with Martial Ind while he nned to eliminate the power of Martial Ind by sending them into the light on the international legal scene.


    The only thing they agreed on was that the secondary ind needed to be destroyed.


    A fewpromisester, they formed a tentative n. And the only time they could carry it out was when they had the small window when the outside world was allowed onto the ind. In other words, the Triennial Championships…


    "Master, what did you think of the performance?" A chipper voice spoke up from beside Taiki.


    Taiki was startled as he heard the final notes of the drumming and cymbals shing together. People screamed like they were out of their minds. Even the dignified n leaders could not help pping enthusiastically.


    "Not bad." He said perfunctorily.


    "I know, right?" Nicole said. "By the way, where is Kaito? I cannot see him with the Iekami n."


    She wanted to give uppletely on Kaito, but she had seen his girlfriend. She was a little good-looking, but otherwise, she was a nd character. She nned to take advantage of the championships to lodge another ''attack''.


    "Focus on your work," Taiki responded a little irritably.


    "Yes, Master!" Nicole pouted.


    As soon as the performance endedpletely, a new kind of sound was heard. It was the sound of loud boots hitting the ground of the Arena in a stato beat, creating a piece of unique music. The synchronicity of thud, thud, thud was almost mesmerising.


    And silence fell in the Arena.