The hunt for the staff

It had been a few weeks since Shu's battle with Mosiac. The villagers had finished repairing their homes, though the scars of destruction remained visible on several structures. The official explanation circulating among the populace was convenient and vague: a government experiment gone wrong. It was far easier for people to accept that lie than the truth—that a child had single-handedly devastated their village in combat.

Meanwhile, deep in the heart of the capital, a meeting was underway in the administrative estate—a sprawling compound where the richest and most powerful gathered to discuss anything, or anyone, that might threaten their position.

The estate was lined with elegant row houses on both sides, but all eyes were on the towering white building at the center. It was within those walls that today's meeting was taking place—a closed-door assembly of generals, nobles, and advisors.

"**HOW?!**" roared the general, slamming his fist onto the polished table with enough force that the sound echoed through the entire chamber. He was a towering man with dark skin, a dense afro, and a hardened expression that brooked no nonsense. His uniform strained against powerful muscles—symbols of both rank and raw physical strength earned through years of combat.

He rose from his seat, his voice thundering across the room.

"A child. A *child* wielding that staff destroyed a demon that required an entire unit of trained soldiers to subdue months ago. And not only that—he did it *alone*, in minutes!"

Across the table, a younger man lounged with his feet propped casually on the polished wood. Clad in rich crimson robes, he bore the insignia of one of the noble clans—one of the families that had come to power in the vacuum left by the Celestials' absence. He was lean and sharp-featured, with the kind of smug confidence that came from never having faced real consequences.

"Relax, General," he drawled, examining his nails with deliberate disinterest. "We've evolved far beyond needing ancient relics like that staff. With our mastery of life force energy—true divine power—we can defeat anyone, with or without some enchanted stick."

His words ignited a storm of debate. The elite began to argue amongst themselves, some dismissing the staff as a relic of a bygone era, others warning that its threat potential should not be underestimated. The general's fists clenched tighter as the voices rose, talking over one another in a cacophony of self-interest and denial.

"**How are we even debating this?!**" the general barked, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. "That staff—placed in the hands of someone who can't even manipulate life force energy—still made him powerful enough to rival one of the Dragon Sages. One of them! Do you understand what that means? If this boy continues to evolve, if he masters that weapon... he could challenge the **Dragon King** himself!"

That name silenced some of the voices. The Dragon King was not a title to be spoken lightly. But others still scoffed, unwilling to acknowledge the threat, reigniting the arguments—until a **voice** cut through the chamber like thunder.

"**SILENCE!**"

Every head snapped toward the end of the table.

A **massive man** now stood at the head of the assembly. Brown-skinned and crowned, his beard was thick and perfectly groomed, streaked with silver. His eyes blazed with an authority that seemed to physically compress the air around him. He wore robes of deep purple and gold—the colors of the highest office.

The chamber itself seemed to hold its breath.

When he spoke, his voice carried the weight of absolute command.

"We will recover the staff."

He paused, letting the statement settle.

"As for its wielder..." His eyes swept across the room, cold and decisive. "He shall be executed."

No one dared question him. No one dared even breathe too loudly.

The meeting was effectively over.

Silently and with practiced efficiency, every official rose from their seat and filed toward the exits. There was no discussion, no dissent. Just obedience. Already, minds were calculating—strategies forming, contingencies planning themselves. Orders would be dispatched within the hour. Assassins would be mobilized. Bounties would be placed.

The hunt for Shu had begun, and this time, it would not be led by demons.

It would be led by the most powerful nation on the continent.