Chapter 1987: Setting the Stage
Having received the report related to the incident at the Gateport, Arie Hon, accompanied by two of his Family's three Sword Saints, casually made his way to the most important destination in the entire Arie Family, the Sword Altar. There, floating in the sky above a multi-tiered palatial construct, a pale-blue sword constructed of pure Sword Intent, more than a kilometer in length, could be seen quivering in expectation as thousands of smaller swords danced around it.
Noticing this, the older of the two Sword Saints, Ari Wan, imperceptibly raised his brows, as, despite the perenially calm appearance of his elder brother, the state of the massive sword revealed his true feelings. It was directly linked to his ability to gather the Sword Intent of others, so, by scrutinizing the sword, it was possible to directly ascertain Hon's mental state.
Adopting the slightest of smiles, Wan earned a curious glance from the bandage-covered giant at his side, the youngest of the three Sword Saints, as he remarked, "It's rare to see you so excited. Is this 'Sage Dragon Emperor' really as skilled as they attest?"
Though he would normally never entertain such idle discussion, Hon's pace gradually slowed until he finally turned around, his expression a perfect mask of apathy as he answered, "Indeed..." before surprising both men as he added, "This is meant to be kept a secret, but, according to the King, the Sage Dragon Emperor is currently the most powerful creature in the entire Tower...how can I not be, at least a little, excited?"
As one of the most loyal followers of Jahad, neither of the Sword Saints expected their elder brother to reveal such a controversial secret without regard for propriety or consequence. It was completely out of character, as, even more than Jahad himself, Hon had always placed a tremendous amount of importance on preserving the honor and integrity of the Empire.
With Wan unsure of how to respond, it was left to the inordinately tall man wrapped in bandages, Arie Kudo, to ask, "Why are you-"
Before he could even finish speaking, an indescribable pain transmitted through Kudo's entire body, radiating from his head to his groin. At the exact same moment, Wan leaped backward, but, despite his nigh-instantaneous response, his point of view never changed. Instead, his head remained at the same spot, resting on the flat of Hon's immaculate white sword...
Without so much as a twitched of the brows, Hon continued balancing his younger brother's head on the tip of his sword as he calmly revealed, "I have turned a blind eye to your actions these past ten thousand years out of consideration for our parents. Now, judgment has come for all who call the Tower home. Don't worry. You can contribute more to our family with your death than you ever contributed with your life..."
Finished speaking, a pale-blue aura flowed from Wan's resent-filled eyes, flowing into Hon's pristine white sword. Then, without sparing his brothers a second glance, Hon shifted his gaze to a shivering servant woman, his expression as placid as a subterranean lake as he said, "Gather the remains and have them cremated..." before continuing on the path towards the Sword Altar...
---
Hearing the sound of footfalls, Vahn shifted his attention away from the surprisingly complex magic circle to the entrance of the massive, circular, chamber. There, an inordinately handsome man with pristine white hair, silvery-white eyes, and predominately white clothing could be seen staring back at him. He also had two swords fastened to his hip, but, compared to the man himself, they gave off a purely decorative feeling.
Raising his brows ever-so-slightly, Vahn couldn't help remarking, "Not half bad..." before following it with a frown and adding, "Unfortunately, the method you used to obtain such intent leaves a lot to be desired...how can you expect to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship with power borrowed from others?"
Closing his eyes in response to Vahn's words, Hon appeared absolutely calm as he answered, "My method is certainly more direct, but, in the grand scheme of things, mastery and enlightenment are things we obtain from observing, interacting with, and stealing from others. My method is just...less wasteful. Had I not absorbed their power and potential, do you have any idea how many techniques would have been lost to time? Now, their combined abilities have come together to form one of the most comprehensive sword legacies that have ever existed. Would you rather they fade into history, completely forgotten?"
Deciding it was a waste of time to argue semantics with someone who literally created a family with the end goal of harvesting their potential, Vahn shook his head, saying, "I didn't come here to listen to your excuses. At this point, you have two options to choose from. You can willingly abdicate from your position as Leader of the Arie Family or you can resist and be unceremoniously deposed. Either way, your family will need to undergo an audit to determine who should be held answerable for the countless crimes that have been committed these past ten-thousand-years."
Rather than making any effort to challenge Vahn's words, Hon simply nodded his head, answering, "Very well. I do not wish to see my family annihilated, so, if it will pacify your anger, I am willing to abdicate from my position as Leader of the Arie Family. Before that, however, I would be honored if you would afford me the privilege of facing you in battle. You are undoubtedly aware of this, but, at the beginning of our journey, my only goal was to pit my skills against the Gods rumored to exist at the top of the Tower. Thus, even if it ultimately leads to my demise, I would willingly embrace death if it meant ascertaining just how close I came to reaching the level of you and your kin..."
Since he would have been severely disappointed if Hon had peacefully acquiesced to his demands, Vahn didn't hesitate to nod in the affirmative, saying, "So be it. I will afford you twenty-four hours to make the necessary preparations. So long as it isn't something completely asinine, I am prepared to accept any and all challenges. You can even petition the other Family Leaders to provide support. In the end, no matter what you decide, I will emerge victoriously..."
With that said, Vahn lifted his right hand, smiling as he pressed his middle finger and thumb against each other as a prelude to a snap. This caused Hon's pupils to dilate ever-so-slightly, but, before he could protest, a sound akin to glass shattering echoed through the Palace of Swords, as, high in the sky above the Sword Altar, the sword they had supplied for generations shattered into innumerable pieces...
---
Though Hon had ordered the members of his family to keep quiet regarding the matters, it didn't take long for rumors regarding the deaths of two Sword Saints, the destruction of the Aire Family's ancestral sword, and the imminent battle between two of the greatest swordsmen to circulate. This caused tensions on the 100th Floor to increase to levels that had never been observed at any point in the Tower's history, and, as a result, millions were fleeing from the Floor as quickly as they could.
Fortunately, while the various Gateports were experiencing a tremendous amount of traffic, it didn't affect the Jahad Army's ability to mobilize their forces. As a result, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Army Corps had been mobilized alongside numerous High and Advanced Rankers belonging to the Jahad, Arie, Ari, Khun, and Yeon Families. This included a number of Blue Holes, powerful High Rankers who had basically gone into retirement, but, compared to the trio they were accompanying, they may as well have been part of the background...
The first to arrive, largely due to his daughter's request, was a youthful-looking man with golden-blond hair fashioned into a loose ponytail. At a glance, he appeared no older than sixteen years of age, but, the moment most people met his gentle green eyes, they would find themselves in awe of the wisdom contained within. This actually distracted most people from the two rapier-like Needles at his waist, remarkable weapons that were graded among the hundred most powerful in the entire Tower.
In spite of his youthful appearance, this golden-haired individual was none other than Ari Han, the Leader of the Ari Family. His appearance was one of the many reasons for the separation between the Arie and Ari Families, and, while it wasn't particularly well known, it was also the reason why Ha Yurin had taken an interest in him. She, like Yuri, had always had a soft spot for youthful-looking yet powerful individuals, so, from the moment Han's boyish appearance became perpetual, she wasted no effort in laying her claim.
Fortunately, Yurin wasn't one of the Family Leaders who had descended to the 100th Floor, so, at least for the time being, Han could breathe easily. Had she been present, he wouldn't have been able to make an appearance, as, despite their breakup, there was always a tremendous amount of sexual tension between him and the raven-haired beauty. It wasn't without reason that she was the mother of each of his children, and, were it not for her sadistic tendencies, the Ha and Ari Families might have merged long ago...
Appearing markedly older than his contemporary, an inordinately tall man with pale-blue hair and electric-blue eyes was the second to arrive on the 100th Floor. Accompanying him was a veritable horde of remarkably similar women, but, despite being surrounded by numerous beauties, the look on the man's face demonstrated an apathy that even members of the Arie Family would struggle to emulate. There was a completely unfocused look in his half-lidded eyes, and, were it not for the two women guiding him forward, it wasn't difficult to imagine him simply standing in place.
With an appearance that could humble all but a few of the Tower's residents, women included, it was impossible to mistake the man as anyone other than Khun Eduan. Compared to his Data self, however, there was a certain 'tiredness' that radiated from every fiber of his being. He had the look of a man who had experienced everything the world had to offer, yet, once everything was said and done, it hadn't even come close to filling the hole produced as a result of his abandoned ambition.
Unfortunately for the women around him, Eduan had ignored their attempts to dissuade him from descending to the 100th Floor. There was a part of him, locked deep within his subconscious mind, that made it impossible for him to completely abandon hope. Thus, whenever he heard something interesting, he invariably found himself drawn to it. This was a problem for both his harem and the Khun Family, as, if it came down to it, Eduan wouldn't hesitate to abandon both if it meant he could experience the stimulus his soul so desperately craved...
Rounding out the trio of Family Leaders, standing out even amongst an assembly of remarkable beauties, was a woman, who, unlike everyone surrounding her, possessed red, rather than raven-black, hair. This, combined with her incomparable beauty, allowed her to stand out like a refined ruby among crudely polished onyx, and, though she currently had a wrathful glower on her face, it didn't detract from her appearance in the slightest. Rather, the moment he laid eyes on her, a slight glimmer returned to Eduan's eyes as he remarked, "Hana...it is good to see you..."
Though his appearance could easily touch the heart of other women, members of the Yeon Family included, Hana simply harumphed in response to Eduan's remark. She had made a contract with a Guardian to suppress feelings of love towards the opposite sex, so, ever since the Age of Ascension, she had transitioned from being the kindest among the Great Warriors to a woman who could only show affection to members of her family. For their sake, she was even willing to raze an entire Floor, so, after Ilarde informed her that Vahn wreaking havoc on the Arie Family, she immediately donned her long-retired battle raiment with the intent of settling their grievances once and for all...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Arie Family Rule #1: Swords do not require emotions...','Vahn channeling his inner Thanos...','This is not your average shit...')