"Have you ever heard of the Monks of Mumhai, on the planet Chy-Phej?"

"No". Finde replied.

"Once, I met a white who could master Ori.
Only at minimal levels, like you.
He said the Mumhai Monks guard secret arts that allow them to absorb the life energy of living beings.
According to him, thanks to that, it was possible to strengthen the body's cells
and channel Ori at levels equal to those of the legendary warriors."

Finde's eyes widened.
He grabbed the Kimono Man by the shoulders, bringing his face close to the mask.

"Really?
Is that actually possible?!"

"Easy." The Kimono Man raised one hand.
"I don't know for sure.
I've never been to Chy-Phej.
I don't even know if those monks really exist.
But that man said he was rejected every time he tried to be accepted as one of their disciples."

Finde calmed down a little.
"Well... thank you.
At least you've given me a glimmer of hope.
That means a lot to me."

"If you get me out of here, it'll mean a lot more to me"
replied the Kimono Man.

A tremor ran through the floor beneath them.

"We've arrived."

The door slid from left to right,
opening a passage in the wall.

Finde stepped out and turned toward the Kimono Man.
"You go back upstairs.
Gather as many prisoners as you can and bring them here.
I'll beat the hell out of those bastards, get my sword back, and then we'll find a way to escape."

The Kimono Man stared at him for a moment.
"If I had become a warrior, I would've wanted to be like you."

Those words struck Finde straight in the chest.
Before he could answer, the gravity lift door closed again.

A long corridor awaited him.
crates stacked here and there along the passageway,
some of them open.
Inside were all kinds of objects: liquor bottles, weapons, vases, jewelry.

The Black Sword could be here... Finde thought.

He reached the end of the corridor.
A door.
Beyond it lay a vast open space.

A flower-covered portico.
A gazebo.
A table overflowing with every delicacy imaginable.

And above all...
a breathtaking view of a seaside promenade.

A blue ocean stretching endlessly toward the horizon.
The sea breeze brushed against his skin.
The salty scent filled his nostrils.

Finde's mouth fell open.
What the hell... We're underground.

"Come on, don't be shy!"

A familiar voice came from the gazebo.
Seated at the table were Javier...
and the Ghost of Nefextus.

"I know, the first time is quite unsettling"
Javier said with a laugh.
"But you get used to it pretty quickly."

"How is this possible?"
Finde asked.

"The work of a special projector"
a metallic voice replied.

Her.
Rebel Mitaris.

She picked up a small device,
she pointed it toward an unspecified spot behind her head,
and pressed a button.

The sea vanished.
The breeze disappeared.
The smell faded as well.

In their place stood a vast stone apse.
At its center, a horizontal tunnel carved into the rock, with a railway disappearing into the depths.

"Where does that tunnel lead?"
Finde asked.

"To Gilaris"
Javier replied through a mouthful of food.
He was stuffing himself.

Rebel Mitaris, on the other hand, leaned back in her chair,
her boots crossed and resting on the table.
Arms crossed over the chest, her cold gaze fixed on Finde.

A black mask covered her nose and mouth.
Only her eyes were visible:
purple irises, ocher-yellow pupils.

Curly black hair tied into a ponytail.
Dark skin covered in white tribal tattoos.

A dark green tank top revealing muscular arms.
Gray cargo pants.
Black boots.
Dark gloves.

"You said you'd taken care of him"
she said, annoyed.
Her metallic voice echoed through the chamber.

"Let me finish eating.
He can't escape anyway".
Javier replied, biting into a roasted drumstick.

Finde stepped forward.
"I want my sword back... Now!"

"That sword deserves someone better than a fool like you"
Rebel Mitaris shot back.
"You don't even know what you were carrying."

"Like hell.
I earned it on Erevos.
I risked my life for it."

"Don't tell me you're actually going to claim that legendary sword 'chose' you!"
She said sarcastically.

"It did.
It chose me.
So give it back."

Silence.

Only Javier's jaws could be heard grinding through food.

"I'm sorry, but it'll be worth a fortune on the black market"
Rebel said.
"It's a cursed Kitetsu sword of the highest grade.
There are only a handful of others of equal quality in the entire universe."

"Bullshit.
It was wrapped in cloth.
You couldn't have seen it before stealing it."

"You're an incompetent idiot"
she replied coldly, covering her face with a gloved hand.
"I sensed its black aura from ten kilometers away.
Just from the way you talk about it,
I can tell you're not even capable of using one percent of its power."

Javier threw his napkin onto the table.
A long, thunderous burp echoed through the chamber.

"You're disgusting,"
Rebel commented without moving a single muscle in her face.

Javier stood up.
Took off his jacket.
Rolled up his sleeves to his elbows.
Walked toward Finde.

A sadistic smile twisted his face.

"Good.
Now that my stomach's full,
I can grind you to pieces with my own hands."

He took his stance.

His forearms and hands began to be covered in rock,
as though the stone itself were growing over his body.

"That sword will be the least of your problems, runt.
You should've thought twice before sticking your nose into business that doesn't concern you."

The moment he finished speaking...
he charged.