Chapter 207: Nail

He took strides and walked leisurely up to the iron door.

He did not unlock it.

His body, like a pool of flowing ink, seeped straight through the crack under the door.

Inside the cell, the light was dim.

Nakamura Shinichiro was chained to the wall like a dead dog by thick iron chains.

He lowered his head, his graying hair disheveledly covering his face, making his expression indistinguishable.

The Forging Guild robe on his body, originally symbolizing glory, had long since turned into dirty tattered cloth strips hanging haphazardly on him.

Hearing the commotion, he couldn't even be bothered to raise his head.

The whole person seemed to have completely lost their Soul, leaving only a numb empty shell.

Moria walked up in front of him, looking down from above with a cold voice.

"It seems you are not doing too well."

Nakamura Shinichiro's body trembled imperceptibly.

He slowly raised his head.

That once handsome face was covered with bruised purple marks and dried bloodstains, and a pair of eyes held a numbing and hollow emptiness deep to the bone.

When he saw clearly that the person coming was that silver-haired face that was like a nightmare he would never forget in his life.

In his dead-silent eyes, there was unexpectedly not the slightest ripple.

He even twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a smile uglier than crying.

"What?"

His voice was as hoarse as two pieces of sandpaper rubbing against each other.

"Today, what new tricks do you want to change into to torture me?"

"Or are you finally tired of playing and ready to give me a quick release?"

Moria looked down at him from above, with not the slightest emotional fluctuation in those silver pupils.

On that sculpturally handsome face of his, a trace of amused smiling intent even emerged.

"Give you a quick release?"

Moria's voice, like a whisper among lovers, carried a bone-piercing chill.

"Wouldn't that be letting you off too easily?"

Hearing this, Nakamura Shinichiro's dead-silent eyes finally rippled slightly.

He raised his head and stared fixedly at Moria.

"You… what else do you want?!"

He roared, his voice turning sharp due to excitement.

"I have already told you everything I know!"

"What else do you want to get from me?!"

"Kill me! If you have the guts, kill me!"

The corners of Moria's mouth hooked into an amused arc.

"I won't kill you."

He slowly squatted down, his line of sight leveling with Nakamura Shinichiro.

"I can even… let you go."

The air instantly quieted down.

The madness on Nakamura Shinichiro's face froze.

He widened his eyes, as if hearing some Arabian Nights tale.

"Let… let me go?"

He looked at Moria's face close at hand, his eyes filled with suspicion and incomprehension.

"You… would you be so kind-hearted?"

He could not believe it.

This demon who imprisoned him here and used all kinds of means to torture him would actually show mercy and let him go?

This is impossible!

There must be some conspiracy in this!

Zhou Huai's consciousness inside Moria's body sneered in his heart.

If not forced by circumstances, he truly did not plan to let this fellow go.

But Nakamura Shinichiro's identity was far too special.

Sakura Country's contemporary Divine Craftsman's only closed-door Disciple.

His disappearance within the borders of Great Xia Country caused a storm far greater than Zhou Huai had imagined.

Just a few days ago, Mo Xuanye, the chairman of the Skyfire City Forging Guild, unexpectedly came knocking on the door himself.

This elderly man of high virtue and prestige in the forging world had a face full of exhaustion and helplessness after seeing Ou Yezi.

He did not beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

"Great Master Ou Yezi, this old man has come this time to ask for a favor."

Zhou Huai, controlling Ou Yezi, put down the tools in his hands with a calm expression.

"Chairman Mo, please speak."

Mo Xuanye sighed, his voice carrying a few points of entreaty.

"Regarding the matter of Nakamura Shinichiro's disappearance, Great Master must have also heard of it."

"Now, over at Sakura Country, two legendary-grade powerhouses have already been sent to hold down the fort in Skyfire City."

"The deadline they gave is three days."

"Within three days, if Nakamura Shinichiro is not seen, they will use this as an excuse to declare war on Great Xia Country."

Ou Yezi, controlled by Zhou Huai, slightly frowned upon hearing this.

"Declare war?"

"Just for a forger?"

Mo Xuanye smiled bitterly.

"When you want to condemn someone, you can always trump up a charge."

"These years, backed by the Free Federation, Sakura Country has constantly made petty moves along the border and repeatedly provoked."

"They have long wanted to find an excuse to start a war."

"Nakamura Shinichiro's disappearance just happened to give them a perfect excuse."

He looked at Ou Yezi, his gaze complex.

"At the Divine Smith Grand Ceremony, the only one who had friction with Nakamura Shinichiro was you, Great Master."

"Therefore…"

Mo Xuanye took a deep breath and bowed deeply towards Ou Yezi.

"If this matter was truly done by Great Master."

"This old man earnestly requests Great Master to show mercy and spare Nakamura Shinichiro."

"Today's Great Xia Country truly cannot withstand a war."

Zhou Huai, controlling Ou Yezi, quietly looked at him.

But his heart was completely clear.

Sakura Country is merely a dog raised by the Free Federation.

Now that this dog is barking frantically at Great Xia Country, there is naturally instructions from its master behind it.

Once war breaks out, what Great Xia Country will face is definitely not just a single Sakura Country.

Zhou Huai pondered for a moment and slowly shook his head.

"Chairman Mo, you have found the wrong person."

"Ever since the Divine Smith Grand Ceremony ended, I have stayed in Donghai City to concentrate on forging, and have never left for even half a step."

"As for that Nakamura Shinichiro, I haven't even met him face-to-face."

"His disappearance has nothing to do with me."

Hearing this, Mo Xuanye only sighed again, his face full of disappointment.

He didn't say much more, just gave another salute and left desolately with his people.

Thoughts returned to the present.

Zhou Huai looked at Nakamura Shinichiro before him whose eyes were shifting uncertainly, knowing it was time to throw this hot potato back.

However, letting him go just like that for nothing was not his style.

He wanted to make this Nakamura Shinichiro a nail planted by himself inside Sakura Country.

On Moria's face, a demonic smile appeared.

"I can indeed let you go."

"However, I have one condition."

Nakamura Shinichiro's dead-silent heart beat wildly at this moment.

Hope!

He saw hope for survival!

Without even thinking, he nodded repeatedly, just like a chick pecking at rice.

"I agree! I will agree to anything you want!"

He struggled to move his body forward, wanting to get closer to this demon who could determine his life and death.

"As long as you are willing to let me go! No matter what condition, I agree!"

The smile on Moria's face grew even thicker.

"My condition is very simple."

He extended a finger and shook it gently.

"I need you to truly and sincerely submit to me."

Submission?

Nakamura Shinichiro was stunned for a moment.

It's that simple?

He originally thought the other party would put forward harsh conditions such as blackmailing money or demanding a Divine Artifact.

Unexpectedly, it was merely verbal submission.

This was simply a free path to survival!

His brain spun rapidly.

First feign agreement, and when he safely leaves this place and returns to Sakura Country, the sky is high and the ocean is wide!

At that time, he would return the humiliation he suffered here a hundredfold or a thousandfold!

Thinking of this, a trace of imperceptible malice flashed in Nakamura Shinichiro's eyes.

He immediately put on an incomparably respectful and pious posture.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Towards Moria, he began to kowtow frantically, his forehead striking the ground and making a dull sound.

"Master! From now on, you are my master!"

"I, Nakamura Shinichiro, swear to the heavens! From now on, I will definitely be loyal and devoted to you, Master, and never betray!"

"If I violate this oath, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

Moria watched his humble-as-a-dog appearance and only smiled while shaking his head.

He slowly approached, extended his hand, and gently patted Nakamura Shinichiro's cheek.

"I certainly don't believe your verbal oath."

Moria's voice was soft and full of mockery.

"You people of Sakura Country have always been accustomed to breaking your promises."

"What difference is there between believing your words and believing a stray dog on the roadside?"

The expression on Nakamura Shinichiro's face instantly froze.

Moria's hand slowly moved upward.

Finally, it landed on top of his head.

A bone-chilling coldness traveled along his scalp and instantly spread throughout Nakamura Shinichiro's entire body.

Boundless fear completely swallowed him up.

He thought that the other party was going to kill him after all.

"Mas… Master! You… what are you doing?!"

His voice trembled with a heavy crying tone.

"I beg you! Don't kill me! Everything I said is true! I am truly willing to submit to you!"

Moria did not answer.

He only leaned down, and within those silver pupils, a bizarre light flickered.

He gently said in Nakamura Shinichiro's ear with a bewitching voice, like a devil's whisper.

"Now, do not resist."

"Close your eyes and empty your Soul."

"If you truly want to survive."

"Then willingly sign this contract…"

A pure and evil Devilish Qi surged out from Moria's palm.

Following Nakamura Shinichiro's head, it slowly seeped into the depths of his Soul.

Three days later.

Skyfire City.

A luxurious airship flying the flag of Sakura Country slowly landed in the square in front of the City Lord's Mansion.

The cabin door opened.

Two elderly men wearing traditional samurai outfits and possessing imposing and steady auras stepped down first.

They were the two legendary-grade powerhouses sent by Sakura Country, Sword Saint Miyamoto, and Onmyoji Abe.

The figure in front of them…

Was precisely the long-missing Nakamura Shinichiro.

At this moment, he had already changed into a clean and neat forging master's robe.

Aside from his face being a bit emaciated and his eyes looking slightly fatigued, there seemed to be no other abnormalities.

Skyfire City Lord Mo Bai, who had been waiting here for a long time, and Forging Guild Chairman Mo Xuanye, seeing this, hurriedly hurried up to greet them.

"Master Nakamura, you have finally returned!"

Mo Bai let out a long sigh of relief, and the heart that had been hanging for a long time finally settled down.

Nakamura Shinichiro slightly bowed toward the two of them, a trace of apology on his face.

"Made the two of you worry."

Sword Saint Miyamoto at the side had a gaze like lightning, looking Nakamura Shinichiro up and down.

He asked in a deep voice.

"Shinichiro, during this period of time, where on earth did you go?"

"Could it be that you fell victim to someone's malicious hands?"

Hearing this, Nakamura Shinichiro only smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"Senior Miyamoto thinks too much."

"This Junior simply because of narrowly losing to Great Master Ou Yezi at the Divine Smith Grand Ceremony received a heavy blow to self-confidence for a moment."

"Therefore, I alone found a quiet place to seclude and relax, wanting to seek the opportunity for a Breakthrough."

He paused, a trace of a relieved smile appearing on his face.

"I never expected to make everyone so worried, it is truly a sin."

Sword Saint Miyamoto and Onmyoji Abe exchanged glances.

They meticulously inspected him, confirming that there were indeed no abnormalities on Nakamura Shinichiro's body.

Only then did they completely set their minds at ease.

"Since the person has already been found, we will not stay long."

Sword Saint Miyamoto let out a cold snort toward Mo Bai and Mo Xuanye, his attitude haughty.

"Farewell."

Having finished speaking, he took Nakamura Shinichiro and turned to walk onto the airship.

Soon that luxurious airship ascended into the sky once again, turning into a black dot and disappearing into the horizon.