Antique Wood VillageKevin parked his car on the side of the main road, if a dirt path two meters wide could be called a main road, and got out to look around. The air here was very different from the city air; it was cold, fresh, and carried the scent of wet soil and decaying leaves.Several villagers sitting on the terraces of their houses stared at Kevin with curiosity and wariness. The arrival of a stranger in a remote village like this was clearly not an ordinary occurrence.An old man with a white beard and a wooden cane walked toward Kevin. Even though he was already advanced in age, his eyes were still sharp and his steps were still steady."Good evening, young man," the old man greeted. "Who are you and what brings you to our village?"Kevin bowed politely. "Good evening, sir. My name is Kevin. I came from Delta City to search for something.""Searching for something?" The old man raised his eyebrows. "What could be searched for in a remote place like this?""I am searching f

The figure bowed, a gesture of respect."It has been a very long time since anyone answered my three questions with understanding like this," the voice echoed in a tone that seemed... impressed. "Most answer with fear, with confusion, or with arrogance that masks ignorance. But you... you answer with a wisdom I rarely encounter."The figure raised its hand, and the mist behind it began to part, revealing a path that had not been visible before."Your path is open, Seeker. Continue your journey."Kevin bowed politely to the figure. "Thank you."He walked past the figure, entering the newly opened path. Behind him, the figure slowly dissolved back into mist, vanishing as if it had never been there.---The opened path led Kevin to a different area.Here, the black mist was gone. Instead, Kevin found himself standing in a vast meadow under a star filled night sky. A gentle breeze blew, carrying the sweet scent of wildflowers.But Kevin knew that this beautiful scenery was an illusion. Or

Before him, the golden door stood majestically, three meters high and two meters wide, with carvings of a dragon and a phoenix entwined on its surface. There was no handle or grip visible.Kevin stood and approached the door. As soon as he stood before it, the carvings began to move.The dragon and phoenix, which had been still, now seemed alive, spinning and dancing on the door's surface. Their eyes, red gems for the dragon and blue gems for the phoenix, flashed with a supernatural light.And then, a voice echoed."Seeker who has passed three tests. You have answered the questions of wisdom. You have faced the shadows of your past. You have endured physical and spiritual attacks. But there is one final test before you may enter this sacred place."Kevin nodded. "What is the final test?""The test of sacrifice."The golden door shone brighter, and from its light emerged three very familiar figures.Windy. Nayla. Findra.Kevin felt his heart stop beating for a moment.His three fiancée

The Pinasungkulan mountains stretched wide across the western part of the nation of Tanawangko, a range of towering volcanoes with peaks cloaked in clouds and slopes covered in dense forests. Among those mountains, thousands of unexplored caves lay hidden, dark places where ancient secrets were kept.In one of those caves, deep within the belly of Mount Agung, the highest mountain in the Pinasungkulan range, an ancient sealing formation pulsed with increasingly weakening energy.The formation was a giant circle with a diameter of more than fifty meters, consisting of thousands of symbols carved into the floor, walls, and ceiling of the cave. The symbols glowed with a dim golden color, far dimmer than a hundred years ago when this formation was first created.In the center of the formation lay a figure that looked like a human but was clearly not human.Its body was thin like a skull wrapped in skin, with fingers that were too long and nails as sharp as claws. Its skin was pale gray, a

The sun had already set when they arrived in Delta City. The city lights were on, illuminating the streets bustling with nighttime activity.Edmund directed his car toward the Suwandi family residence, a luxurious mansion in the elite district of the city. This place was the main home of the Suwandi family, where Chairman Suwandi, Edmund's father, lived with his wife and servants."We have arrived, Your Majesty," Edmund announced as the car stopped in front of the mansion gate. "This is my family's residence. You can rest and recover your strength here."The Bat King got out of the car and stared at the mansion before him with an unreadable expression. His eyes swept over the entire building, the high walls, the glowing windows, the well maintained garden.And then, his eyes fell upon something else.People.Inside the mansion, the Bat King could sense the presence of dozens of people, servants, guards, family members. Their hearts were beating, blood flowing in their veins, their sou