For a moment after Raven had raised the question, Kivic could not help but lift his gaze toward the towering cyan flames. The question itself lingered in his mind, fascinating him almost as much as the flames before him. He stood roughly fifty steps away from them, yet they loomed immensely, rising like pillars that sought to pierce the heavens. Under normal circumstances, flames of such a sacred nature—burning tens of times hotter than ordinary fire—would render even that distance a forbidden zone, a place where life could not endure. And yet, strangely, these flames did not behave as expected. The heat that reached him was intense, yes, but still bearable. It did not scorch his flesh or devour the air from his lungs. Instead, what emanated from them was something deeper, something more commanding—a presence. It was as if the flames themselves were issuing a silent decree, warning all who beheld them not to step any closer beyond a certain unseen boundary. It was not merely heat

Hudo and Raven’s eyes widened as they struggled to digest what they were being told by Kivic. The weight of his words pressed down on them far heavier than the oppressive aura that lingered in the air.Though everything he said could have easily been dismissed as nothing more than an elaborate story, there was something about the way he spoke—calm, unembellished, and almost indifferent—that made it feel far more truthful than the glorified tales they had grown up hearing from their elders and parents, stories polished and beautified to inspire rather than to reveal the harshness of reality.For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Their thoughts churned, tangled between disbelief and reluctant acceptance, yet no words came out.Even the night itself seemed to quiet in response, as if the forest around them understood the gravity of what had just been revealed. Kivic noticed their silence immediately.He had seen that look before—on countless faces, across countless years—and without

After dozens of minutes elsewhere in the west, where Vesta and Du Shiye had ventured, the two had long been traversing the vast plains of tall, thick grass.The endless sea of swaying green brushed against their bodies with every step, whispering under the breath of the night wind.Along their path, they had encountered more of the Thunder Gathering Wolves, yet none posed any real challenge. Each beast that emerged from the darkness met the same fate—swift, silent, and absolute.Even though Shiye had previously stated that he would refrain from using poison so that they could preserve the meat, habit proved stronger than intention.One after another, every wolf was dispatched in the same precise manner as before—senbons piercing vital points, venom coursing instantly through their systems.Not a single beast was spared that silent execution. And as a result, Vesta once again found himself deprived of the meat he so eagerly craved.Whenever Vesta complained, his tone laced with frustra

Morning came the next day, and with it came a transformation that made the entirety of Nodoka village feel like a living, breathing entity awakening from slumber. The sun, though meant to illuminate the land in full brilliance, could not be directly seen from within the village itself.Perched high upon the mountain’s crown, the village was cradled by towering cliffs and jagged elevations that obstructed the horizon. One would have to walk all the way to the edges of those cliffs, where the world seemed to fall away into endless depth, to truly behold the rising sun.And yet, despite its hidden presence, the light of morning spread everywhere, soft yet undeniable, bathing rooftops, pathways, and faces alike in a gentle golden hue that spoke of a new beginning.Life surged through the village in waves.Noises erupted throughout Nodoka as its people returned to motion. The once-quiet streets now hummed with activity—footsteps, chatter, distant laughter, and the unmistakable sounds of da

Before the first notes from the flute could even begin to flow and dance into the air, before the melody had the chance to take form, Vesta had already moved.Once again, he appeared directly before Hayate—his small frame cutting through the space between them with terrifying precision—his lips curled into that same confident smirk. This time, however, his attack was different.His palm extended forward, aimed directly at Hayate’s chest, carrying with it a silent yet overwhelming intent.Then it happened.Under a single breath, so faint it almost blended into the wind itself—“Gale Step.”Hayate’s voice barely existed, yet his body responded instantly, his figure blurred.His body shifted with the wind itself, leaving behind nothing but a fading afterimage—the illusion of where he once stood.Vesta’s palm struck forward, but instead of flesh, it collided with emptiness, dispersing the lingering image like mist under pressure.And within that same fluid motion, Hayate did not pause.He