"I will execute a plan to uncover this weapons logistics problem, Aaman. I will need your help after this."

Aji whispered again, this was important, but he pretended to be eating leisurely, so as not to arouse any suspicion from those eating. He truly was a master of concealment. Better than anyone in defense intelligence, whose job was to seek out hidden information and evidence perpetrated by corrupt individuals and Mondu.

"I will do whatever I can, Aji. For the future of the world and against the threat of the Demon Lord."

They shared the same mission of peace in the martial world. The threat of the dark forces and the warriors affiliated with them was quite troublesome to uncover.

This time, if what Aji said was true, then the Golden Crane sect could be supporting the dark forces' preparations to conquer the world. It seemed they already had a 50% chance of victory before the battle even began.

Why?

Since they controlled weapons, it would be dire if the White Faction lost its supply and the Dark Forces seized control of the entire supply. The war would be a complete slog. Before the forces of righteousness could reach the Dark Forces, they would be crushed from afar.

Aaman had to uncover this; the destruction of the world awaited, and the Demon Lord's forces were surely preparing themselves as best they could.

They finished their meal and parted ways. Before parting, Aaman asked about Barsha. Aji simply smiled, remembering Barsha's attitude of always wanting to be an independent woman and appearing very strong.

This made Aaman realize that this was indeed his cousin's nature; she was always praised and trained to be number one.

"Aaman, you are my first friend since I disappeared for twenty years. This fight will be very tough. I brought something for you," Aji noted Aaman's potential. The sword he carried possessed the power of a high-ranking artifact, judging by the depth of Aaman's energy.

He was at least rank 8 for a swordsman.

Aaman himself was surprised to hear that Aji wanted to give him something. Would it be an artifact or a weapon?

"What do you mean, Aji? I've already gained a lot of important information from you."

Aji took something out of his outer garment. It was a scroll.

"You must study this. This is your chance to become a new hero for this world. This is the ultimate secret of swordsmanship. I've added magic that can go hand in hand with swordplay."

Aji handed the scroll to Aaman, "Remember, study it thoroughly. You'll be a great asset when the next great war breaks out. I fear I won't be able to help you enough in the next great war."

Aaman grew increasingly confused, but he accepted the scroll. This time, Aji said goodbye. Aaman connected his and Aji's communication devices to their artifact rings. Once connected, they could send signals and determine who was sending them.

In this world, everyone knew that signals could be sent through artifacts and that concentration was needed to channel energy into an artifact. Most warriors chose rings as their means of channeling this energy. This was because it was easy to store, and it was also easy to detect a message signal from whoever it was addressed to.

They left the restaurant and parted ways in the courtyard. Aji left and returned to the Heavenly Troops office to prepare to uncover the case for the Golden Crane sect.

In the past, the leader of the Golden Crane was one of the hidden disciples of the Demon Lord, Shura Drakos. Aji remembered that Drakos, when a great war was about to break out, had advanced alone with the three legends. He was the one who prepared well for the attack by the Demon Lord's forces.

The last information from Saint Yonan during the attack of the three legends stated that if they survived, they would bring Drakos to justice. At that time, Drakos was among the Demon Lord's forces, disguised as himself.

However, Yonan sensed Drakos's energy and caught them fighting. Unfortunately, Shura protected him. They later learned that Drakos was Shura's secret disciple. Drakos was being groomed to become an important figure in the martial arts world, making their path easier.

Twenty years later, Aji sensed that war was about to recur. Joining the Heavenly Army was one way to stop the powerful webs the Dark Army had formed. This time, Aji's goal was to uncover the Golden Crane's ploy. If true, they were preparing a special weapon for world conquest and ensuring an easy victory for the Demon Lord.

This time, Aji had to assist all the forces of righteousness. He had to prepare well for the great war, and he felt he had to be useful so that his life could be spared. His two best friends entrusted him with the responsibility. This time, his second chance was to stop the Demon Lord, for the good of the entire continent. This was his duty; there was no other.

***

Aaman searched for a training ground in Dompai. He immediately rented a special training room. In Dompai itself, there was a large sparring room. This room was the one Aji and the warrior Jiro used for their sparring.

Besides this private room, there were other rooms specifically designated for private training. These rooms were usually used for meditation or special training, so as not to be known by others as isolated training rooms.

Aaman applied for permission using his defense intelligence license, and he easily found the private room. He passed the large public training room. Many people were training there, both sparring with fellow practitioners and sparring with others.

Aaman passed them all and entered the private room he had reserved. Upon entering, Aaman locked the door. He was curious about the scroll Aji had given him. There was a seal on the scroll, and Aaman opened it with his energy.

The scroll unfolded, and a light energy seemed to complement the words within. This scroll had just been created, and it used magical writing. From within emerged a human hologram, one-quarter the size of a normal human.

It was truly a teaching that only a high-level master could perform. Aaman was increasingly convinced that Aji was the Lightning Striker; this was clear evidence of his legendary status. The hologram moved, and Aaman watched intently. It was a swordsmanship technique, one Aaman had never seen before.

Aaman felt fortunate to receive such direct instruction from the scroll. This was a highly refined, powerful, and advanced technique within swordsmanship. It had never existed on this continent before.

Aji had perfected it through his special training observations.