The weight of the Veilborn's words lingered long after they had vanished into the shadows.
Raiyo sat in silence, his mind running through everything he had just experienced—the endless void, the voices from his past, and the resonance of something vast and ancient calling out to him.
The Third Blade.
Kurosei no Tsugunai.
He had heard its voice in the darkness. It was not like the other two.
Murakumo no Yoru and Shintei no Kiba were weapons wielded by men, forged to carve history. But the Third Blade… it felt different.
As if it was not meant to be held by mortals at all.
Ojiro stood by the cave's entrance, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. She had barely spoken since the Veilborn disappeared.
Raiyo could feel the tension in her stance.
"You knew about the Third Blade," he said finally.
Ojiro closed her eyes for a moment, then turned to him.
"I did," she admitted. "But I had hoped you wouldn't hear it so soon."
Raiyo's fingers tightened around his sword hilt. "Then tell me what I'm dealing with."
Ojiro was silent for a long time. Then, she finally spoke.
"Kurosei no Tsugunai was not meant for this world."
Raiyo frowned.
"What do you mean?"
She took a deep breath.
"The other two blades Murakumo no Yoru and Shintei no Kiba were forged in the hands of legendary swordsmiths. But Kurosei no Tsugunai…" She hesitated. "It was never made. It was discovered."
Raiyo stiffened.
"Discovered?"
Ojiro's expression darkened. "Long before the rise of kingdoms, before men learned to wield steel, there existed a fracture in the fabric of our world. A place where reality bled into something else."
She looked him in the eyes.
"And within that place, the Third Blade was found—sealed within the void itself."
The words struck something deep in Raiyo's core.
Sealed.
He thought back to the voice in the void, the presence that had whispered to him. Was that the blade itself?
Ojiro continued.
"The one who drew Kurosei no Tsugunai the first time…" She exhaled sharply. "He did not live long enough to tell the tale. The blade devoured his existence—as if he had never been. His name was erased, his legacy lost. Only the knowledge that the blade should never be drawn remained."
Raiyo's grip tightened.
"But if that's true…" He exhaled. "Why does it call to me?"
Ojiro hesitated. She knew the answer. But speaking it aloud…
"Because you are the Blind Vex Lord."
The Mark of the Blind Vex Lord
Raiyo clenched his fists.
This title—the Blind Vex Lord—had always been shrouded in mystery. He had assumed it was tied to his abilities, to his unique connection with the Vexum.
But now, it seemed to be something more.
Ojiro's voice was grave.
"Your fate is tied to the Three Final Blades. The Kageren knew this, which is why they sought to keep the Third Blade hidden. But fate does not care for mortal fears."
She turned to him.
"The moment you heard Kurosei no Tsugunai's voice, the seal began to weaken."
Raiyo's heartbeat quickened.
"So what happens now?"
Ojiro was quiet for a long time. Then, with slow determination, she reached for her sword.
"You have two choices," she said. "You resist the blade's call and attempt to change your fate…"
She unsheathed her weapon, the steel glinting in the firelight.
"Or you embrace what you were meant to become."
She shifted into a stance.
"But if you choose the latter… you must be strong enough to wield what comes next."
Raiyo recognized the unspoken words.
This was a test.
Ojiro Tenma was about to fight him in full force.
And if he failed—if he was not strong enough—he would never survive the path ahead.
The fire crackled between them.
Raiyo inhaled slowly, centering himself.
His path had never been clear. His fate had always been uncertain.
But tonight, one thing was certain.
If he wanted to uncover the truth of the Third Blade…
He would have to prove he was worthy of it.