The invisible diaphragm in the air felt like a dividing line, cutting the entire world in half.
Senju Yukika sat calmly on one side. On the other side, the five savage beasts thrashed about in the air, unable to move forward.
The beasts were giving everything they had—snarling, roaring, their bodies convulsing in sheer desperation—but no matter what they tried, they simply could not advance a single inch. It was as if some mysterious force had pinned them midair.
Anyone looking at them would be able to sense the agony they were enduring, their terrifying appearance only emphasizing how much pain they were in.
At that moment, Stonehold's Governor and the two sect leaders beside him were utterly dumbfounded, too shocked even to speak.
Even the usually composed Lord of Stonehold had his jaw wide open in disbelief.
He knew exactly how powerful these five beasts were. They were no ordinary threats. Compared to the earlier tiger, these were on a completely different level—each one a legendary creature ranked among the ancestral-level beasts of the Zero-Three Realms.
Even he, the governor of Stonehold and a top-tier powerhouse in his own right, would have needed all his strength—and then some—just to take on one of them. Facing five simultaneously? Nearly impossible.
And yet the man named Senju Yukika hadn't even moved. He'd simply sat there, calm and unmoved. With just a glance, the whole battlefield shifted. How could anyone witness this and not be completely shaken?
Behind Yukika, Shangguan was trembling with excitement.
"I knew it… I knew it!" he whispered to himself. "This man's strength… it's beyond comprehension!"
To Shangguan, the aura radiating from each of the five beasts was vast and overwhelming, like towering mountains pressing down. If it were him fighting even one, it would be a brutal struggle. But these five—combined—weren't even worthy of being called Yukika's opponents. The gap between them was like the difference between ants and giants.
As the beasts snarled and lunged toward Yukika, his brow furrowed ever so slightly. Then he muttered a single word under his breath:
"Damn."
He didn't shout, but that word hit like thunder in everyone's ears.
The five beasts immediately let out anguished howls, as if a divine punishment had struck them from above. Veins of bloodlight erupted across their bodies as they were thrown backward through the air.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
One after another, they crashed violently into the edges of the arena. The force shattered bones; they lay on the ground, twitching, broken, completely unable to move.
But what was even more terrifying wasn't the physical injury—it was the trauma etched deep into their very souls. They now realized, with primal fear, that they had provoked a being far beyond their understanding. Trembling violently, they lay flat against the earth, their eyes wide with terror.
Only now did the Governor of Stonehold snap out of it. Swallowing hard, he stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Brother Yukika, I must apologize," he said sincerely. "It was my oversight. I didn't mean to startle you."
Senju Yukika cast a glance his way, his gaze neutral and calm. But even in its tranquility, there was a depth that pierced the governor's heart like a blade, stirring deep anxiety.
Did he realize I was behind it? the governor wondered with unease.
Yukika finally got to the point. "Governor Stonehold, I've come today to request your assistance with something."
The governor didn't hesitate. "Of course! If there's anything I can help with, please say the word. Come, let's continue this inside."
With that, the group left the arena and entered the great hall. The governor had already prepared an elaborate banquet, a feast that rivaled royal banquets.
On the table lay a spread of exotic delicacies—bear paws, deer antlers, shark fins—rare ingredients sourced from some of the most dangerous beasts in the wild.
It was clear the Lord of Stonehold enjoyed a very lavish lifestyle.
Shangguan's eyes widened. Even as a disciple of the Sword Palace, he had rarely seen such extravagance. These were sacred beasts to many, difficult and dangerous to hunt, yet here they were—served up as lunch!
The governor poured Yukika a glass of wine and asked with a smile, "Brother Yukika, what might you need help with?"
Yukika responded plainly, "I want to take a look at the Stonewall Projection."
At those words, the Governor and the two sect leaders exchanged looks, their eyes full of subtle suspicion and speculation.
When the governor didn't respond right away, Yukika frowned slightly. "Is this request too embarrassing for you?"
Startled by the tone, the governor quickly waved his hands. "No, no, of course not! Since you've asked personally, how could I refuse?"
He motioned to his attendants. Moments later, several guards carefully carried in a massive slab of stone.
The surface of the boulder was perfectly smooth—almost like glass. This was the so-called Stonewall Projection, a magical tool capable of replaying visual records from a given period of time.
Yukika had never seen anything like it back on Earth. Intrigued, he examined it closely.
The governor activated the device, and beams of light suddenly lit up the stone's surface, projecting a screen into midair.
At first, the images were blurry, but then they slowly came into focus, and human silhouettes began to appear one after another.
Everyone held their breath.
The projection began showing a sequence of recordings—people walking past the city's gates, coming and going. For a while, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Suddenly, Shangguan gasped, pointing at the screen. "It's him!"
On the projection was a figure walking away—just a silhouette, back turned. But Shangguan recognized that figure instantly. He'd encountered him more than once and could never forget his presence.
The moment he spoke, the governor waved his hand, and the projection froze on the figure.
The image slowed down and began to replay: the man walked out through the West Gate and slowly disappeared into the wilderness beyond the city.
And just like that, the trail ended. The Stonewall Projection showed no further clues.
Shangguan felt a pang of disappointment.
The governor turned to Yukika. "Is this the person you're looking for?"
Yukika nodded. "Yes. Is there any way to track him?"
The governor paused, considering. Then, with a tinge of regret, he said, "The Stonewall Projection can record appearances, but it can't capture a person's aura or technique."
In other words, they couldn't identify the man's origins or power based on the recording alone.