The main military headquarters of the nation of Epora, a towering fortress in the heart of the capital, looked unshakable from the outside. But within, the atmosphere was far from stable.In the underground war room, where the nation’s top brass had gathered, heated arguments filled the air. Even the soundproofed walls could barely contain the rising spiritual pressure and boiling emotions.Footage from the incident replayed on the central holographic display: Vincent and Scarlett's shattered bodies, elite soldiers lying motionless, and at the center of the ruins—Hansen, standing with flames at his back, carrying Kira in his arms.General Magnus Craile, head of Epora’s spiritual forces, clenched his fist. “Two Golden Core Masters taken down... without so much as a scratch on him! This is no ordinary case!”“I agree,” said Senator Belgrave, a representative of the World Energy Council’s Epora branch, his voice sharp. “Hansen isn’t just a military threat. He’s a flaw in our global syste

The ringtone echoed in the stillness of the night. Hansen opened his eyes. Just a step away from his seated position, the old phone vibrated on the wooden table. He answered without a word—only listening.The voice on the other end was hoarse and hurried. Laotaro.“Hansen… Alyssa… she’s been taken... I... I tried to stop them... but—”“What happened?”“She... she was taken from her room. I fought back. But that person... was no ordinary man. His technique felt like it sliced through wind. One strike—it felt like it pierced my soul…”Laotaro’s voice trembled. In the background, the sound of cracking wood and labored breathing filled the call.Hansen exhaled. “How many were there?”“One. But that was enough to beat this old body to a pulp. I’m sorry... I failed to protect her.”Hansen glanced toward Kira’s room. The woman sat cross-legged on the floor, in a peaceful meditative state. Around her, faintly glowing hexagonal spiritual lines marked an active protective formation.He raised h

Footsteps echoed clearly, resonating between the mist and sharp rocks that surrounded the slopes of Frozen Mountain. The scent of scorched iron gradually replaced the cold air, and a subtle rumble—almost like the heartbeat of the world—shook the spiritual formations protecting the Black Wind Sect’s headquarters.Hansen had arrived.Beyond the line of armed guards and layers of energy seals, the man stood alone, cloaked in a tattered black coat. His eyes stared forward—unhurried, yet giving no room for challenge.Inside the sect’s main hall, someone rose from the obsidian stone throne.Fandy Gilga, leader of the Black Wind Sect, sensed the approaching aura even before Hansen stepped in. His face remained calm, though his fingers subtly moved—forming wind sigils in response to the invisible pressure.“He’s here,” he muttered to Giblo, who stood beside him, restlessly twirling his slender blade.“Good. I like a challenge,” Giblo replied. “Let him see who rules the skies today. I was almo

The evening sky hung over South City, painting the horizon in hues of red and gold. The black car carrying Hansen and Alyssa slowly pulled up in front of Laotaro’s residence—a classic three-story building with a front yard now cloaked in the shadows of dusk.Laotaro was already waiting on the porch, one arm still bandaged, though his expression was calmer now. He stepped forward the moment he saw the two exit the car.Alyssa, her hair disheveled and faint bruises visible on her wrists, walked slowly, guided by Hansen. She looked at Laotaro, and for the first time—she didn’t speak immediately. Instead, she embraced her adoptive father in silence.Laotaro held her tightly. No need for words. No need for explanation.“I’m sorry,” he whispered.Alyssa simply shook her head.Hansen stood beside them, his gaze sweeping across the yard. He sensed no scouts, no trace of enemy aura. Yet something in his instincts whispered that this peace was too quiet.The three of them entered the living roo

The Old City of Arkalem was a place long forgotten. Once, it had been the largest source of earth energy in the western region. But since the spiritual war four decades ago, it had become a giant graveyard—filled with ruins, remnants of magical battlefields, and underground corridors lost to time.Now, the sky above Arkalem was blanketed in unmoving dark clouds. The wind didn’t blow. The air felt rigid, as if the entire space was holding its breath.At the center of the ruined city, Hansen stood atop a pile of rubble, his black cloak billowing slightly. Behind him, Kira stood in a light robe, her eyes glowing faintly with newly awakened spiritual energy. The protective formation she had built surrounded them, thin as glass, yet pulsing with ancient life.From the west, black mist surged forward like a river defying gravity. Within it, a low rumble could be heard—like the breath of a creature that should not exist in this world.Then they appeared.Rhenzo Vark stepped out of the black