Man In The Void

A lean, muscular woman stood alone atop the highest tower of the floating city. From this height, she could see everything, every street, every disciple's sparring session, every new arrival. Her folded arms rested atop her chest, posture calm yet strained, like someone holding back an ocean of guilt.

Kaori Yensheng better known as the Martial Saint, sighed.

Another teleportation circle flared to life below. Another group had arrived.

She pitied them. She truly did.

Two weeks ago, the land bridge connecting the continents of Yulan and Setari had been obliterated by unknown forces. Mikana—normally a peaceful city drifting between them like a spiritual ark—had suddenly become a vital transit hub.

That wasn’t the problem.

Three days after the bridge’s destruction, Kaori received a letter. No seal. No signature. But the words inside were as cold as death.

It was from the Immortal Dragon’s Kingdom.

More ultimatum than a message, it claimed there were spies already embedded within Mikana, watching her every move. Worse, they’d planted volatile magic spells across the city—under its foundation, within its towers. If anyone tried to escape, the entire floating city would be reduced to falling embers.

Then came the demands.

One man to be executed per day. One woman to be detained. Every single day. Until further notice.

She hadn't wanted to believe it.

But then one of the spies visited her directly. A polite conversation. A casual demonstration—just a small building vaporized in an instant.

After that, she believed.

Seven men. Seven women. All chosen from those who wanted to leave the city. It was sad , they wanted to leave and go to their homes, but Kaori knows they never will.

Kaori turned her eyes back to the new arrivals and muttered under her breath, “Hopefully, they don’t try to leave too soon. They might survive a few more days.”

Down below, the newly arrived party stepped off the glowing circle, eyes wide.

Toma gawked.

"This," he whispered, "is way too good. Like… am I even dreaming anymore or did I transmigrate into a cultivation manhua?"

Everything screamed aesthetic fantasy. Waterfalls flowed from impossible places. Cloud bridges hung like ribbons in the sky. Disciples in jade-colored robes floated on swords, or meditated mid-air. Whole streets hummed with spiritual energy. He half-expected someone to throw a pill at him and call him a trash mortal.

Even Kaien seemed impressed. “...Expensive,” he muttered, glancing back at the teleportation array. “Too expensive.”

Toma groaned. “Don’t get me started. That price was robbery.”

“It was expensive,” Shizuka agreed, brushing her hair back, “but understandable. This is a flying city.”

As they wandered further into the city, a young man approached them. Early twenties, ponytail, plain brown robe.

“First time in Mikana?” the man asked, hands behind his back in that classic sage pose.

Toma nodded slowly. “Yeah… how did you—”

“You’ve got that look,” he said sagely. “The wonder in the eyes. Classic signs.”

Kaien snorted.

“I’m Li En,” the man said. “Disciple and resident of Mikana. You looking for a lodge?”

“We are,” Shizuka said. “Preferably something quiet.”

Li En nodded. “I’ll take you to the Swan’s Rest. Mid-tier lodging, decent food, fair prices.”

As they walked through the city, Li En began his monologue, half guide, half cult classic info dump.

“Mikana was founded over two centuries ago by the Martial Saint herself. Kaori Yensheng—greatest hand-to-hand fighter the world has seen. She created this city as a place of peace, discipline, and skyward ambition. Only the worthy train here.”

He pointed to the colossal tower in the distance. “That’s her residence. Only inner disciples are allowed in it.”

Toma blinked at the sheer height. “That tower’s like… ten floors too high.”

Li En gave a wistful smile. “One day, I’ll be accepted into the inner ranks. I’ll live there. I’ll sit beneath her lectures. Maybe even… learn from the Martial Saint directly.”

Toma raised a brow. “You mean she still teaches?”

“On rare occasions,” Li En said, his tone almost reverent. “She’s a living legend. Just seeing her descend from that tower is considered a divine event.”

Toma chuckled. “Yeah. A divine event. Totally normal dream behavior.

The bustling main street of Mikana shimmered under the high sun, lined with floating paper lanterns and statues of men in meditation poses. Robed individuals gracefully glided past the group, some on flying swords, others on floating pebbles that seemed to hum with energy.

Toma scoffed. “Seriously? Floating rocks?"

They reached a modest building tucked between a dumpling stall and a scroll shop. A wooden sign swayed above the entrance: Swan’s Rest – Lodging for Body and Spirit.

Inside, it smelled like sage, sweat, and superiority.

A bald man behind the counter looked up from a glowing ledger. He had three wispy strands of beard, a calm face, and absolutely no idea who he was about to deal with.

“Welcome to Swan’s Rest. Name for the register, traveler?”

Toma paused. The weight of that question hung heavy.

His real name?

That name belonged to a nobody. A guy who was called ugly in middle school, invisible in high school, and a failure by his own standards. No way he was bringing himself into this world.

“…Toma,” he said. Then, after a breath, “Toma Enshin.”

Shizuka glanced at him curiously. Kaien blinked, but said nothing.

The innkeeper tilted his head, his hand hovering above the ledger’s rune-glowing page. “Toma… Enshin?” he repeated slowly, then nodded and inscribed it. The pen shimmered briefly.

Room keys were handed over. They headed up the creaky stairs to the second floor.

...

..

.

The room was simple, tatami mats, a sliding paper window with a view of the sky, and one framed quote on the wall: “Enlightenment is found in falling off the roof and surviving.”

Toma dropped onto the floor like a sack of laundry. “We paid how much to get here again?”

Kaien, even with his eternal poker face, scratched the back of his head. “It was… excessive.”

Shizuka nodded. “But fair. Everyone wants to ride a floating city.”

Kaien chuckled softly, surprising no one more than himself.

As they all prepared to settle in for the night, Toma looked at his reflection in a polished bronze basin.

Toma Enshin.

It didn’t mean anything. It wasn’t some grand title or destiny-ordained label. But it was his.

Not the name people mocked.

Not the name teachers ignored.

Not the name that got left out of group chats.

Just him, here, now, finally feeling like something else.

He smirked. “Toma Enshin… has a nice ring to it.”

{SOMEWHERE IN A VOID}

“Still running, aren’t you?”

“Still pretending you belong in a world that was never yours.”

“A world built from scraps of power fantasy and broken wishes.”

“You don’t even ask how you got there anymore. You’ve stopped caring. That’s how deep the delusion runs.”

“You think because they cheer your name, because you hold a sword, because someone finally sees you…”

“…you’ve become someone worth seeing.”

“But I see you.”

“The boy beneath it all. The one who woke up every morning wondering if anyone would even notice if he didn’t show up.”

“The one who practiced smiling in the mirror and still got it wrong.”

“The one who stopped believing the world owed him anything, because it never gave him a damn thing to begin with.”

“You buried that boy, didn’t you?”

“Stuffed him deep beneath golden armor and glowing eyes.”

“But you didn’t kill him.”

“You couldn’t.”

“Because I’m still here.”