“Runes and formations, huh…” Vesta said, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he were staring at something far beyond the present—something only he could perceive.For a brief moment, the usual playfulness in his expression faded, replaced by something quieter… more conflicted.“For some reason…” he continued, exhaling slowly, “…I can’t.”Silence followed his words.“It’s not that I don’t have the knowledge. That’s the strange part.”He lifted his hand, fingers curling gently as faint wisps of cyan energy flickered into existence around them. The flames did not roar—they whispered, controlled to an almost unnatural degree.Each strand of energy bent perfectly to his will, flowing like silk threads woven through the air.“I can recall Father's battles… his techniques… his spells… even the way his energy flows when he fights.”His voice softened slightly, almost reflective.“Those things… they come naturally to me. Like instinct. Like they were always mine—even though I can’t fully replica

Inside the Thirsty Bramble Fold’s hideoutThe atmosphere was nothing like the wild, oppressive forest that surrounded it. The interior space was vast—far larger than one would ever expect from the hollowed trunk of a single tree.It stretched outward and downward in layered sections, almost like a small underground town carved into living wood and reinforced by time, survival, and ruthless ingenuity.Pathways wound between carved-out chambers, platforms, and open spaces where people moved about their business—some sharpening weapons, others tending to beasts, and a few simply watching, their eyes always alert, always wary.At the very heart of the hideout, a massive water mana stone veil hovered in place, suspended by unseen forces. Its translucent, fluid-like surface rippled endlessly, casting a cool, shifting glow that illuminated the entire central space.The light refracted like water under moonlight, washing over everything in hues of deep blue and soft cyan. It was clear that th

“So, Hudo… I hear what you’re saying,” Raven finally said after listening to him without interruption, her voice calm yet carrying a subtle weight of thought.She turned her gaze slightly toward the distant horizon, where that unnatural cyan glow still pulsed through the night.“But how do you explain that?” she continued, her tone sharpening just a little. “Those flames—we can all see them. And none of us has ever seen anything like them before.”Hudo clicked his tongue softly, folding his arms again, though his eyes also drifted toward the glow.“Even so,” he began, “even if we assume Elysiome does exist—and someone can cross over from there to our side—we still don’t know anything about it. It’s all just myth.”He shifted his stance, voice gaining momentum.“They say it’s a land filled with vitality mana… that there’s some miracle elixir capable of healing all injuries and extending life indefinitely.”He scoffed.“But do we really need something like that?”His lips curled faintly

The moment the words left Kivic’s mouth, Mehran and his brothers felt it—something unseen yet undeniable shifting in the atmosphere around them. The air grew dense, heavy, pressing down on their shoulders as if the forest itself had decided to weigh them.Their thoughts rippled in unison, instinct screaming danger as their grips tightened around their blades, knuckles whitening.Their auras flared more intensely, swirling around their frames in unstable currents, teeth gritted hard enough to ache as sweat began to bead along their temples.To them, Kivic was not just a man—he was the Callous Demon. A name spoken in warnings, in hushed tones by elders and higher-ups within their sect. A name tied to blood, to death, to stories that disciples were never meant to experience firsthand.And now, standing before him, they understood something with terrifying clarity.This… was a death sentence.At that moment, one truth settled deep within their bones—escape had never been an option. Not fro

At the same time when Raven and Hudo were heading toward Kivic, elsewhere within Elysiome along the western border, a powerful gust of wind swept across the vast plains as a massive shadow descended from the sky.Vesta landed gracefully, his enormous eagle form folding its wings with controlled precision as his talons touched the earth without so much as disturbing the grass beneath him more than necessary.His cyan aura shimmered faintly around his colossal body, casting an ethereal glow that illuminated the surrounding plains under the deepening night.Perched upon his back were his companions—Venak, Daku, Shiye, and Delvan—steady despite the tremendous speed at which they had traveled.It was clear he had chosen this form deliberately. Traversing on foot had proven inefficient, especially considering Delvan’s pace, and so Vesta had taken it upon himself to bear them all.Within Elysiome, there was little threat to warrant caution—no roaming mystic beasts, no hostile factions—only t