The soul space was vast and endless, an eternal night stretching beyond sight. The two Shishis—their golden fur shimmering like molten sunlight—prowled within the darkness, their massive paws pressing against the unseen ground.
They had entered his domain.
But unlike the usual spirit beasts that attacked out of instinct, these two simply watched him, their smiling jaws betraying no ill intent.
Kazel smirked, rolling his shoulders before raising a single finger, curling it in a taunt.
"Alright, let's do this quick."
Yet, instead of lunging at him, the beasts spoke.
"Have you thought about peace?"
The voice echoed directly in his mind, deep and serene.
Kazel's smirk faltered slightly. "What?" His brows furrowed.
The second Shishi followed. "Do humans need peace?"
A strange question. A challenge, but not of strength.
Kazel tilted his head before exhaling a small chuckle. "I see… so you're that type, huh?"
These weren't just mindless creatures. They were philosophers.
With a shrug, he dropped onto the water's surface, sitting cross-legged. "Fine then. Come here and let's have a talk."
The twin Shishis padded forward, their golden fur rippling with an unseen energy.
They sat across from him, mirroring his posture.
In this endless night, a negotiation had begun.
"Do humans need peace?" one Shishi asked again, its golden eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Kazel exhaled, rubbing his chin. "That depends on what you mean by 'peace.'" He shrugged. "But sure, sometimes a little peace is necessary."
The second Shishi tilted its head. "Then tell us—what is peace to you?"
Kazel crossed his arms and let his thoughts flow freely. "In my time, peace was something I achieved by standing at the very top." His eyes gleamed with a sharp glint. "When I said 'A,' people did 'A.' If I disliked something, it was fixed before I even raised an eyebrow. To me, peace was order—better than the blood-soaked warring times I was born into."
The Shishis listened in silence, their smiling jaws giving nothing away.
"In other words," Kazel continued, "I pinned chaos against chaos and crushed it until only peace remained. Under my rule, no war broke out for fifty years."
One Shishi flicked its tail. "Chaos against chaos..."
The other nodded. "And the result was peace."
Kazel smirked, but his voice carried a weight beneath it. "Don't be fooled, though." He stood, his gaze firm. "'True peace' is impossible. No matter how perfect a system seems, someone out there will always feel wronged. Injustice will always exist, whether it's obvious or hidden beneath the surface."
His hand curled into a fist. "The world is designed to be unfair." His voice was calm, but his conviction was unshakable. "'True peace' is nothing more than a child's dream—a fragile illusion that reality will always shatter."
The Shishis remained silent for a moment. The night stretched endlessly around them.
Then, one of them finally spoke. "Interesting."
The other chuckled. "Very interesting."
---
Meanwhile, in the bustling market, Ondira strolled through the crowded streets, moving with the effortless confidence of someone who belonged everywhere and nowhere. She bypassed the guards at Old Pao's shop without so much as a glance, walking straight through the front door.
Behind the counter, Old Pao was wiping down his desk when he looked up and spotted his visitor. His bushy brows lifted in amusement before he let out a quiet chuckle. "Well, well... It's been a while."
Ondira, still masked, didn't bother with pleasantries. She reached into her cloak and pulled out two black bags, setting them down on the wooden desk with a solid thump.
Old Pao's fingers tapped against the surface before he casually untied one of the bags, peeking inside. "Ah, this must be the Rare Spirit Beast from Heir Forest," he mused, his wrinkled face betraying little reaction.
"Shishi," Ondira confirmed.
A short chuckle rumbled from the old merchant's throat. "Not bad, not bad." He nodded approvingly, though it was clear that a Rare Spirit Beast, while valuable, was hardly enough to impress someone of his experience.
He leaned back, lacing his fingers together. "I imagine the hunt was easy for someone of your skill," he said smoothly. "Though, I am curious—Shishi are creatures that seek peace. They only act when disturbed. So tell me, how did you find a pair?"
Ondira tilted her head slightly. "If I had burned down the forest, you'd be the first to hear about it," she said, her voice laced with dry amusement. "But no, it was simpler than that. I found them near a pile of corpses."
Old Pao's gaze sharpened. "Bandits?"
"Bandits," Ondira confirmed.
Old Pao hummed, stroking his beard, his interest piqued. "Now that," he murmured, "is interesting."
"Alright, let's get this appraised, shall we?" Old Pao said cheerfully, despite the weight of the situation. He lifted a small, weathered stone in his palm, its surface etched with intricate, time-worn patterns.
"The Soul Pulse Stone," he announced with exaggerated flair, as if he were unveiling a priceless treasure.
Ondira exhaled sharply, arms crossed. "Do you really have to say that every single time?"
"It's tradition," Old Pao declared proudly. "Pao Pao's Shop has had this policy since the very day I opened its doors."
Ondira rolled her eyes but let it go. "Whatever. Just get on with it—I only killed them a few hours ago."
Old Pao nodded and carefully placed the Soul Pulse Stone inside one of the bags. The moment it touched the contents, his face darkened, his fingers drumming against the desk.
"Hmm… That's not good."
Ondira's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Old Pao tilted the bag slightly, peering inside. "The Soul Pulse Stone isn't reacting."
Ondira's stomach twisted. "You're joking." She grabbed the bag and looked for herself, but sure enough, the stone remained dull and lifeless. "Is it broken?"
Old Pao didn't answer immediately. Instead, he picked up a large tusk from behind the counter and lightly tapped it with the Soul Pulse Stone. A soft, rhythmic glow pulsed from within the stone, proving its function was still intact.
He clicked his tongue. "No, not broken. The Shishi's soul has already been integrated with someone."
Ondira stiffened. "That's… not possible." Her voice was calm, but her fingers clenched the fabric of her cloak.
Old Pao let out a slow sigh, leaning back. "A shame, really. A properly integrated Shishi is one of the most powerful spirit beasts out there—if used right. But they're tricky to utilize."
"Because they need to be integrated as a pair," Ondira muttered, already knowing the answer.
Old Pao nodded. "Exactly. And that kind of synchronization requires a ridiculously strong Soul Space. Not something you see every day. If this one's already bonded, you won't be selling it for spirit stones."
Ondira remained silent for a moment before exhaling sharply.
Old Pao, ever the businessman, gave her a reassuring grin. "But don't let it get you down. I'm sure you'll find another Rare Spirit Beast soon enough. Bring me a good one next time, and I'll make sure you get the best price in the market."
Ondira didn't respond immediately. Instead, she glanced back at the bag, her mind racing with the implications.
"By the way, did you run into any strange kid on your way here?" Old Pao asked, rubbing his chin as he leaned back in his chair.
Ondira looked up sharply. "I did… wait, don't tell me you sent him?"
The old man chuckled, his wrinkled face filled with amusement. "Well, I may have had something to do with that. If you met him, that means he's still alive." His tone was light, but there was a hint of genuine relief in his voice. "Thankfully, the bandits didn't get him."
Ondira clicked her tongue, crossing her arms. "Akh! That brat! He must be the one who integrated with the Shishi!"
"Kazel?" Old Pao's brows lifted.
"That's the name!" Ondira snapped.
Old Pao let out a hearty laugh, shaking his head. "Hahaha! That's really hard to believe, especially since you just killed them a few hours ago. That kid is still in the Body Tempering Realm. Not to mention, he just recovered from Soul Rot. It's implausible to be him, or at least not impossible at mere hours. "
Ondira narrowed her eyes. "Then explain why the Soul Pulse Stone didn't react."
Old Pao scratched his beard, still unconvinced. "There could be a lot of reasons for that."
"No. There's only one that makes sense." Ondira crossed her arms. "He must have done it. Besides, regarding the bandit case, there is no way those weaklings he was with killed those bandits. But him? That kid was different."
Old Pao waved a hand dismissively. "Alright, alright. If you're about to tell me Kazel wiped out an entire stronghold of bandits on his own, I'm going to need to charge you for headache medicine… and you'll be paying for it, of course." He grinned slyly.
Ondira scoffed, rolling her eyes before turning on her heel and walking out of the shop.
As the door swung shut behind her, Old Pao sighed, a wistful smile settling on his lips. "This old heart is relieved to hear that Kazel is alive and well. But if what she said is true…" He trailed off, staring at the discarded bag of fur before chuckling to himself. "Then let this old heart be drenched in delight. Still… I've learned to keep my expectations low over the years—Kazel, my boy, I can't wait to see what you do at Scale Dalgona."
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the bag into the trash.
—
Outside the shop, Ondira stood still for a moment, pulling out the blue ribbon tied with strands of golden Shishi fur. She ran her fingers over the delicate knot, her grip tightening slightly before she exhaled and tucked it away into her storage ring.
"Hmph. You better live up to your words, brat."
With that, she disappeared into the crowded streets, her cloak billowing in the wind.
—
Inside the dimly lit bandit cave, Kazel's eyes snapped open, glinting with satisfaction. A slow grin spread across his face as he flexed his fingers, feeling the surge of power settle within him.
With a flick of his wrist, he caught the red ribbon between his fingers, twirling it lazily before smirking. "Heh…"
The once still air inside the cave now carried a subtle shift—an unseen force humming beneath the surface. The twin Shishi had become his, their presence lingering within his soul. Power coiled within him, untapped yet brimming with potential.
He glanced toward the entrance where the others would soon arrive, no doubt filled with questions. For now, he relished this small victory.
(Ondira… you'll be keeping my ribbon safe, won't you?) He chuckled under his breath before slipping the red ribbon into his robes.