《Whispers of mercy》


 bound by dusk

    The cave was suffocating. Darkness pressed in from all sides, barely held back by the dim light flickering against the stone walls.


    Nero watched his sister¡ªcovered in blood¡ªtrying to heal the burned face of another girl.


    It¡¯s cold. Bearable¡­ but still cold.


    His gaze shifted to his friend¡ªno, Viser¡¯s son¡ªNemsus. He lay on the stone floor, breath ragged, soaked in crimson. Whispering to himself like a madman.


    "You bloody bastards... why... Hhhah, why did you do it?"


    He exhaled sharply, shoulders shaking. For a second, I thought he¡¯d hold it in. But then his eyes burned into mine, and the dam finally broke.


    "Nero, you piece of shit¡­ you accepted this¡ªhgkhhhh!"


    Nemsus laughed¡ªragged, breathless, filled with agony, rage, and something close to pity. But even as he screamed, he kept his voice low. He knew what was outside.


    He also knew we had to do it. But... he won''t admit it. Not like this. He still somehow thinks he could have saved him but, he didn''t ,he was doomed the moment he fell, the moment he...


    "Answer me, Delilah... why, why did you kill him¡ªHhhahh¡ªhhk¡ªhahh¡ª!"


    Those fucking nobles. Those damn wolves. And now¡­ these two fucking bastards.


    "AGHHHHHH!"


    Nemsus screamed again, his voice raw with pain, his agony reverberating off the jagged walls.


    Nero just stared at him, eyes dull, face blank. Tired.


    As he sat there, his mind circled back, over and over, to his choices.


    Yeah, I could have saved him. But for what? Two more minutes? And risk all our lives? No.


    My priorities were always clear.


    Delilah first. She always was. Then me. Then Nemsus.


    Nero''s gaze drifted to the girl delilah was healing.


    I don¡¯t want her to die. But if she has to¡­ it won¡¯t bother me that much.


    What a cruelty¡­ I told you, Viser. I told you that I needed you.


    Nero covered his eyes with his hand.


    remembering viser again, his mind slipped back, unbidden, to a different time¡ªbefore the cave, before the blood.


    __


    On a planet where there were no ordinary days¡ªwhere one side of the world was eternally scorched by the sun and the other trapped in unyielding darkness totally frozen¡ªthere existed a twilight zone. A narrow line encircling the planet, known as the human lands, where the temperatures were bearable enough for people to live in.


    Two kids sat atop of a slanted rooftop, their legs dangling over the edge, watching the sun¡ªa massive, unmoving orb¡ªburn red against the horizon. The sky near it was painted in deep oranges and fading golds, blending into the endless stretch of darkening blue above. Shadows stretched long across the rooftops, the world caught in an eternal dusk.


    Delilah kicked her feet idly against the tiles, tilting her head. ¡°Do you think the sun ever gets tired?¡±


    Nero, leaning back on his hands, let out a small huff. ¡°It doesn¡¯t move, so it probably doesn¡¯t have to do much.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°But it¡¯s always burning. That must be exhausting.¡±


    .....


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    I like how she keeps smilling, i love how at least when she''s with me, her brother, she can truly be the little girl i always knew, but i would really like if she can do that for the world too


    .....


    Nero glanced at her, then back at the horizon. The thought was strange, but maybe she wasn¡¯t wrong. The sun, ever-watching, never resting, casting its silent, red gaze over the world¡ªperhaps it, too, carried a weight that never lessened.


    After a moment, Delilah spoke again. ¡°Viser told me that on other planets, the sun moves, circling around them and creating what he called day and night cycles.¡±


    She paused before continuing while looking at the sun, her voice thoughtful.


    I would really like to try this night thing that he mentioned, to not have to close the windows to sleep, or like what we do here, build the rooms under the ground.


    Nero let out a quiet chuckle. ¡°you really do want a lot of things Dee.¡±


    They Laughed, then fell into a comfortable silence, Nero turned to his sister the sun casting a warm glow on Delilah¡¯s pale skin. Her jet black hair caught the light, and her golden eyes reflected the endless dusk.


    They looked almost identical, more like twins than merely brothers.


    Nero glanced at her and smirked. ¡°You¡¯ve gained some weight, Dee.¡±


    She laughed, the sound light and unbothered. ¡°Thanks to Viser. At least we don¡¯t have to steal food anymore.¡±


    "You two, get down here!" Viser''s deep voice carried through the quiet evening.


    Nero and Delilah glanced down to see him standing below, arms crossed, his broad shoulders tense. His yellow hair caught the fading light, and his piercing blue eyes held their usual mix of irritation and amusement.


    The siblings exchanged a grin before leaping from the rooftop¡ªsix meters down¡ªlanding with effortless grace, as if it were second nature.


    "What is it, old man?" Nero asked, crossing his arms. Viser smirked. "Two things. Remember that Level 2 Fire Rune I promised you? A friend of mine is bringing one."


    Nero''s eyes lit up, a grin spreading across his face.


    ....


    With that i will only need to find a second level rune of ice, and then i will be able to ascend


    ....


    Before he could say anything, nero scoffed, "Nemsus has been showing off ever since he became an Ascendant. I''m gonna kick his ass now."


    "No, you won''t." A cheering voice came from behind


    As Nero turned around, a young man stepped forward, his features a clear reflection of Viser''s-yellow hair, sharp blue eyes, and a familiar confidence. He was closing the distance between them before stopping just in front of Nero''s face .


    They locked their eyes for a moment before breaking into laughter.


    "A lot of confidence for just an ascendent, dont you think" Nero said with mockery


    "Says the mage " nemsus counterd


    Two soft thuds echoed as Viser¡¯s hands lightly tapped the tops of their heads. Nero and Nemsus both instinctively grabbed their skulls, wincing in exaggerated pain, their faces twisted in matching grimaces.


    ....


    Sometimes, I forget this man is a 90 years old Dominus, after all he looks like in his 30


    ....


    "When older people talk, you shut your mouths," Viser said with a smirk, clearly enjoying the fact that they''d given him a reason to flick their heads.


    "You said you had two things to say, old man," Nero grumbled, still holding his head.


    Viser nodded. "Yeah. A friend called from Bluecastle. He said there have been strange sounds coming from the mountains."


    ....


    The song mountens? Isn''t that ...normal!?


    ....


    Nemsus raised an eyebrow. "Isn''t that normal? they''re called the Song Mountains after all?"


    Nero looked at him with a wierd look


    But nemsus didn''t care, a smirk forming. "Even if some beasts came down, the Sage Arus is still in bluecastel."


    Viser¡¯s expression darkened slightly. "You can''t be too careful when your this close to the cold side. You¡¯d know that if you actually read the history books I gave you."


    Nemsus backed up a few steps, letting out a hesitant laugh, while the others chuckled, knowing full well he never liked to read.


    As Viser clapped his hands together, he gave the kids a brief nod. "I¡¯m heading to get some groceries for dinner. You three, go gather the other kids well meet at the orphanage." With that, he turned and walked toward the village, his steady steps echoing in the quiet streets.


    A distant bell rang, drawing their eyes to a towering structure, its reddish-brown walls standing against the twilight. At its peak, a white clock''s face displayed numbers from 1 to 23. The time read 16:00


    ....


    I really don''t like these big towers, Evrything already have a touch of reddish in them because of the sun, why do they keep painting them in that


    ....


    "It¡¯s time to sleep, fellow Mages," Nemsus said, emphasizing the title with a smirk.


    Nero and his sister exchanged knowing glances. "What do you say we try your new spells, Nemsus?" Nero asked, his voice filled with eager anticipation.


    "Yeah, right. You think you can take me on now, little Nero?"


    Nemsus teased, calling him the same way Viser used to call everyone adding the word little. His newfound confidence as an Ascendant practically radiated from him.


    ....


    Ooh, he must be very confident


    ....


    Nero raised an eyebrow, looking to his sister. "Dee?" he asked, a playful grin tugging at his lips.


    Delilah nodded with the same face as ever she never refuses her brother. Nero turned back to Nemsus, his grin widening. "Hhhh, a few more Spells and a little more mana won''t protect you from me, dont cry when two Mages kick your ass."


    Nemsus took a few steps back for the distance before drawing his sword


    Nero and Delilah did the same, Nero in front while Delilah was a few steps


    behind him.


    "Come on now we dont have a lot of time, my father will be back soon"

 The three

    The moment the fight began, Nero moved first, launching a fireball straight at Nemsus before dashing left. Delilah mirrored his movement, veering right. Their strategy was simple: force Nemsus into the middle and pressure him from both sides.


    But Nemsus only grinned.


    A flicker of light. A second figure appeared beside him, an identical copy.


    Illusions.


    The real Nemsus vanished from the fireball¡¯s path, reappearing in front of Nero in the blink of an eye. Fast. Too fast.


    At the same time, his illusion lunged at Delilah.


    She didn¡¯t flinch.


    Nero reacted instantly, swinging his sword as Nemsus closed the distance, but Nemsus caught the attack mid-air, redirecting the force with a flick of his wrist. Effortless.


    A smirk tugged at his lips. The difference is clear.


    Nero¡¯s eyes sharpened. Good. Let¡¯s see how far that gap goes.


    He struck again, same result. Nemsus blocked, then countered with a blindingly fast kick aimed at Nero¡¯s head.


    Nero barely raised his arm in time, but the impact sent him flying backward. He twisted mid-air, landing in a crouch.


    ¡°Hah,¡± Nemsus chuckled, rolling his shoulders. ¡°That all you got?¡±


    But as he turned his gaze toward Delilah, he felt it.


    A whisper of cold steel.


    His body dropped instinctively, just in time to dodge her blade as it sliced through the air where his throat had been.


    She was waiting.


    Her sword was still in motion, and he was on the ground. She spun with the momentum, launching a kick at his face.


    He caught it but too late.


    Her lips curled ever so slightly.


    A trap.


    Nero!


    Nemsus sensed him before he saw him.


    Nero was coming from behind.


    He had Two choices:


    To Defend against Nero and get slashed by Delilah or to Close the distance with Delilah to limit her swordplay.


    He chose the latter.


    He surged forward, pressing so close to Delilah that her blade became useless. Then, just as Nero¡¯s fireball came hurtling toward him, he twisted blocking it with a surge of lightning at the last second.


    The explosion sent sparks flying, but Nemsus was already moving, his palm striking Delilah¡¯s ribs, forcing her back.


    She stumbled but her stance remained steady.


    H¨¦ wasn''t able to strike correctly


    Nemsus clicked his tongue. They¡¯re not giving him any room to breathe.


    Fine.


    A burst of electricity crackled through his veins. Lightning erupted from his body, arcing across the battlefield, forcing them to retreat.


    And then he went on the offensive.


    Delilah and Nero lunged from both sides¡ªagain but this time, Nemsus moved first.


    He abandoned Delilah and shot toward Nero, creating two more illusions in the process. The clones blurred, attacking from three different angles.


    Nero played along, feigning confusion.


    The first illusion struck from the left, the second from the right. The real Nemsus advanced dead center.


    Nero barely spared the first a glance¡ªlunging straight at the second instead.


    Nemsus¡¯s eyes narrowed. He knew.


    Before he could react, Nero¡¯s form flickered. Not vanished just¡­ slipped.


    His presence wavered like a mirage.


    Nemsus gritted his teeth. That spell.


    It didn¡¯t make an opponent invisible, but it made them feel nonexistent, an unnatural absence in the battlefield, impossible to track by instinct alone.


    Nemsus reacted instantly, lunging ten meters to the left, dodging what he was sure would be a sneak attack


    only to find Delilah waiting.


    Her blade came down.


    His instincts screamed, his sword lashed out before his mind could even process it.


    He barely managed to parry, but in that brief exchange, she saw it.


    She saw his momentary panic.


    She saw through him.


    Nemsus clenched his jaw. Tch.


    He pivoted, ignoring her for half a second just enough to strike at the open space on his right.


    Nero was there.


    Their swords clashed


    And then lightning exploded.


    A sharp jolt tore through Nero¡¯s body. His muscles locked. His vision blurred.


    Nemsus grinned. ¡°You forgot something, Nero¡± he twisted his blade, sending another pulse of lightning surging through the metal, ¡°never fight a lightning user with a blade empty of mana.¡±


    Nero¡¯s eyes widened. Damn it.


    Nemsus chuckled, watching him convulse. ¡°And you know what¡¯s worse?¡± His smirk deepened. ¡°I know exactly how much mana that absence spell burns. I¡¯ve counted every second you have left.¡±


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    Nero¡¯s grip faltered. His body gave out. He collapsed.


    Nemsus barely had time to smirk before


    Shhk!


    A glint of ice.


    He twisted dodging a jagged spear of it just in time.


    His gaze snapped to Delilah, who stood poised, her hand still outstretched.


    She wasn¡¯t done.


    His foot hit the ground


    And slid.


    What!?


    Ice.


    The terrain beneath him had frozen solid.


    He barely had time to react before two more ice spears came hurtling toward him. He threw himself right to avoid them, only to halt abruptly, his breath catching.


    Delilah¡¯s blade was at his throat.


    Checkmate


    For the first time in the fight, Nemsus¡¯s smirk faded.


    Delilah, still cold and expressionless, tilted her head slightly.


    She had seen through everything from the start. Played along. Waited. Used her brother as a distraction.


    A bitter grimace crossed Nemsus¡¯s face.


    Damn it¡­


    He could¡¯ve ended this fight earlier. He could¡¯ve drowned them in illusions, used stronger spells, overwhelmed them.


    Instead, he let his pride drag it out. He wasted time trying to humiliate Nero with swordplay, flexing a half-mastered technique.


    And he forgot one undeniable truth.


    Delilah was smarter than both of them combined.


    A weak, raspy sound broke the silence.


    ¡°Hhhh.¡±


    Nero was laughing. Even with his face pressed into the dirt, body paralyzed, he was still laughing.


    Mocking him.


    Nemsus clenched his jaw. His gaze flicked to Delilah. She barely looked tired. She barely used any mana.


    And yet, she won.


    "Fuck this," he muttered, stepping back. "I¡¯ll be at the orphanage."


    Without another word, he turned and walked off.


    He couldn¡¯t face Nero like this.


    Not after that.


    ....


    Delilah knelt beside her brother. She placed a hand on his back, a soft glow spreading from her fingertips as healing energy seeped into his body.


    "Nice plan."


    Nero was still grinning. His voice was hoarse but amused.


    "After all these years of never beating me as a mage, he really thought he could win just hours after ascending?" He let out another chuckle, shaking his head. " tt tt tt, Of course he was gonna make mistakes."


    As he pushed himself up, his body still twitched slightly from the lingering effects of the lightning. He rolled his shoulders, exhaling sharply.


    "Let¡¯s go," Delilah said, offering him a hand. "The others are waiting."


    Nero took it.


    And together, they walked back home.


    ....


    As they arrived, the orphanage stood before them¡ªa sturdy, timeworn building that had seen years of laughter, struggles, and growth. Its white walls, though simple, held warmth, and the structure itself gave a sense of quiet resilience. The wooden door creaked slightly as they stepped inside, a familiar sound that welcomed them home.


    The scent of aged paper and faint traces of cooked meals lingered in the air, mingling with the crisp evening breeze that flowed through the open spaces. Despite its modest design, the orphanage was alive with quiet movement¡ªmuffled conversations, the sound of pages turning somewhere in the distance, and the faint clatter of dishes being put away.


    They walked through the halls, the floorboards creaking softly beneath their steps, until they reached the heart of the orphanage¡ªan open courtyard where life seemed to gather. Towering trees stood like silent guardians around a long wooden table, their leaves whispering in the wind. The setting sun cast golden hues over the gathered children, about eighteen in total, they were all younger then Nero, after all besides nemsus Nero and Delilah were the first children viser brought here.


    As the kids looked at them, the voices stopped. A single vase sat at the center of the table, as it always did, a small yet constant piece of their shared space.


    "You¡¯re late," a voice called out.


    "Sorry," Nero and Delilah responded in unison.


    "Take your places."


    They sat without another word. Nero¡¯s gaze found Nemsus¡¯s across the table. A knowing smirk played at his lips, but he didn¡¯t say anything. After all, here, manners came first.


    And so, they ate in silence, the rustling leaves above and the distant sounds of their home.

 Unbroken will

    I woke up staring at the ceiling, my mind still sluggish from sleep. But my body? It knew better. Before I could even think, my head turned, my eyes scanning the room¡ªchecking for movement, for anything out of place. Old habits didn¡¯t die just because life had gotten easier.


    Nothing. Just the same small, underground room. White walls. Sealed tight. No windows, just a single door. Safe by design. Or at least, that¡¯s what the humans told themselves.


    I knew why they built it this way. When you live this close to the borders, where the beasts roamed, caution wasn¡¯t a choice¡ªit was survival. But that didn¡¯t mean I trusted it. A locked door, thick walls¡­ that wasn¡¯t safety. Safety was knowing nothing could reach you.


    And I wasn¡¯t so sure about that.


    I¡¯d heard the stories. Monsters that tunneled through stone. Beasts that could sense warmth, breath, life itself, even buried deep underground. If something like that came scratching at our walls, this place wouldn¡¯t be a shelter. It¡¯d be a grave.


    My gaze landed on the second bed. Empty. Nemsus was already gone.


    I exhaled and stretched, the dull ache of yesterday¡¯s fight lingering in my muscles. The memory of it surfaced immediately. I knew from the start¡ªNemsus had been holding back.


    Viser had told us before: when an Eny advanced, when someone became an Ascendant, their mana reserves multiplied tenfold. Strength, speed, reflexes¡ªat least doubled.


    And yet, that idiot still lost.


    I smirked, rubbing the sleep from my face.


    That¡¯s what he gets for messing around with my sister.


    Behind Delilah¡¯s beautiful face was something terrifying. I¡¯d seen it before¡ªfelt it before. Even now, just thinking about it sent a chill down my spine.


    I exhaled, pushing the thought away before it dragged me somewhere I didn¡¯t want to go. The past was the past.


    My eyes flicked to my watch. 00:30.


    Late. Too late.


    I hadn¡¯t woken this late in years. Normally, I was up two hours earlier, slipping out for a run before the others even stirred. But today was different. Something felt¡­ wrong.


    It wasn¡¯t the kind of wrong you could see. It was the kind that settled deep in your chest, that made your skin itch and your muscles coil without knowing why. That instinct¡ªthe one that had kept me alive for years¡ªwas screaming at me now.


    Something was off.


    I began my day as I always did¡ªsitting cross-legged on my bed, steadying my breath, focusing inward. I reached out with my senses, gathering the mana around me, drawing it in, letting it flow through me. My concentration settled on my Eny.


    I visualized it¡ªmy heart, then deeper, until I saw it clearly. A perfect white sphere, pulsing with mana.


    Four layers, each distinct, each essential.


    The third layer¡ªthe Refiner¡ªwas nearly complete. I could feel it working, purifying the mana, pressing it into something denser, stronger. Each time the mana broke through, the layer healed itself, growing more refined with every cycle. A day or two more, and it would be perfected.


    I shifted my focus to the fourth layer¡ªwhere my runes rested.


    The Level 3 Rune of Darkness sat firm. No issues there. But my Level 1 Runes of Ice and Fire¡ªthey were differentt they were a problem.


    When I ascend¡ªmy lowest-level rune will go up by one level. Viser will bring me a Level 2 Fire Rune. That means I will still have to find a Level 2 Ice Rune.


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    I have to find one, even if that means not ascending when I can. And with that, one of them will reach Level 3.


    But no matter how many times I ran the problem in my head, the answer remained just out of reach.


    Nero openid his eyes


    But there has to be a way...


    In an open ground behind the orphanage...


    "You know, Little Dee," Viser said, glancing at Delilah as she sat catching her breath after their sparring match, her back resting against the ground.


    "You could try smiling more. Don''t you think it''s time to start smiling for others too, not just when you''re around your brother, hm?"


    Her face was still the same making Viser look at her, then at the sky, as if lost in thought. It had been nearly four years since he first found them.


    Four years ago, behind some alleys of a poor neighborhood in Ventoria¡ªa bustling city¡ªwhen Nero was ten and she was nine.


    Nero had been in a terrible state, his clothes soaking in blood, full of bruises, two broken bones, while starving to death.


    His breathing had been ragged, barely able to draw in air after being caught stealing food. They had beaten him nearly to death and left him there, discarded like trash. Beside him, a little girl knelt, crying over his battered body, helpless and afraid.


    What do I do? What do I do?


    Nero¡­ Brother¡­ You can¡¯t die. You can¡¯t leave me.


    Her hands wouldn¡¯t stop shaking. She pressed them against his chest, as if she could hold his life inside him, as if just touching him would make him wake up. But he didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t even breathe right. His chest barely rose, his face was too pale, and there was so much blood.


    Too much blood.


    Tears blurred her vision, but she didn¡¯t wipe them away. She didn¡¯t care. She couldn¡¯t care. She could only stare at the broken mess of her brother¡ªher strong, unshakable brother¡ªwho had always protected her, always smiled at her, always told her things would be okay.


    But things weren¡¯t okay.


    She wasn¡¯t strong enough to help him. She wasn¡¯t smart enough to save him.


    And if he died¡ª


    No. No, no, no, no, NO!


    She shook him, hard. "Nero, get up! Please, get up! You have to!"


    But he didn¡¯t.


    Her sobs came fast and ugly, her breath hitching in her throat as panic clawed at her chest. She didn¡¯t know what to do. She didn¡¯t know where to go. She didn¡¯t know anything.


    She just knew she couldn¡¯t lose him.


    Not him. Not Nero.


    When Viser appeared, she turned to face him. As she saw him, she reached into Nero''s pocket, grabbing something. When she turned again, her small hands were holding a dagger with all the strength she could muster.


    Her wide, golden eyes, filled with terror, held a desperate determination as she tried to shield her brother.


    I¡¯ll kill him.


    I¡¯ll kill him. I¡¯ll kill him. I¡¯ll kill him.


    It doesn¡¯t matter who he is. All humans die if you stab them enough, right?


    While Delilah was still inside her head, Viser was looking at them.


    All he saw were two starving children¡ªone hovering on the edge of death, the other teetering on the brink of collapse.


    Even in that pitiful state, Nero had forced himself to his feet, staggering in front of his sister. His body was broken, his face swollen with pain, but his eyes burned with wild defiance.


    Brother? Delilah was even more worried now


    Viser looked at Nero but he saw no child before him but a wounded beast, wild and desperate.


    The boy''s body was barely holding together. Bruises painted him in shades of blue and purple, deep gashes still oozing blood. One eye was swollen shut, yet the other wouldn''t let him go.


    He was shaking from pain, his fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms.


    Yet, despite his broken state, the boy stood his ground, his gaze filled with pure, unfiltered hatred.


    He wasn¡¯t looking at Viser as a man, no, only as a threat¡ªhe saw a monster, another predator coming to take away the only thing he had left.


    Even now, barely able to stand, he was ready to fight to the death.


    Viser sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. There was no reasoning with them. Even in their state, they wouldn¡¯t surrender. And if he left them here¡­ they¡¯d be dead by morning.


    Regret settled in his chest as he stepped forward. The girl flinched, dagger raised¡ªtoo slow. Before either could react, his hand blurred.


    Viser had no choice but to knock them both unconscious before taking them with him. He had seen the fire in the boy¡¯s eyes, the desperation in the girl¡¯s trembling hands, and he knew they would never come willingly. As he carried their frail bodies through the night, a deep sense of pity settled in his chest¡ªtwo kids, barely clinging to life, yet still fighting as if the world hadn¡¯t already tried to break them.


    He decided to raise them.


    It had taken nearly a year before they finally lowered their guards, before they stopped flinching at his presence and watching his every move like cornered animals. Even now, though Nero had learned to blend in with the other children, at least on the surface, his sister remained different. She only ever smiled when her brother was near, as if he were the only tether keeping her from drifting away.


    Viser knew she had come to care for him in her own quiet way¡ªhe saw it in the way she listened when he spoke, the way her shoulders no longer tensed when he was near. But still, that warmth never reached her smile. That was something she saved only for her brother.


    "You sure?" she asked with a forced smile. "Even if I wanted to, it''s not exactly in my control."


    Viser remained silent, debating whether to speak. His sharp gaze lingered on her before he let out a small smile. "Alright, don¡¯t bother then," he said.


    But his expression quickly turned serious. "Now¡­ about your runes."

 The blood we regect

    Viser hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I was thinking about whether to tell you or not," he admitted, his voice quieter. "But I guess you''re both old enough now."


    Viser nodded, his expression turning serious. "It¡¯s time you understand why I told you both to keep your runes a secret¡ªespecially you." His voice grew heavier. "Three runes¡­ and two of them are High Runes. That¡¯s far rarer than you realize."


    Delilah¡¯s expression shifted¡ªsomething rarely seen from her. Curiosity.


    After all, it was true. On the day Viser took a look at her and Nero''s enys, the shock on his face was undeniable. He stood in stunned silence for several minutes before finally speaking. His voice was firm, carrying an urgency they had never heard from him before.


    "Never, under any circumstances, tell anyone that you have three runes," he warned them. His tone left no room for argument. He even went so far as to forbid them from using one of their runes altogether.


    Delilah had been forced to make a choice¡ªone that weighed heavily on her. Among her high runes, she had to sacrifice one. In the end, she chose to keep her Life runes and abandon her Darkness rune, despite the power it offered. The decision was not made lightly. She had only done so because she wanted to ensure she could heal her brother if he were ever injured. That protection meant more to her than any darkness-fueled strength ever could.


    Nero, on the other hand, made a different choice. He decided to conceal his Ice rune, keeping it hidden from the world.


    Yes, Viser had allowed them to train those runes in secret. He had even gone so far as to teach them a few spells¡ªbut he never told them why to hide them.


    Viser sighed and continued, "Most people are born with only one or two runes, and in most cases, both are Low Runes. They usually are born with the same runes as their parents, though there are exceptions. But they are rare"


    He glanced .


    Take nemsus for example. I was born with Earth and Light runes,my wife had lightening and fire then my son, Nemsus, has Light and Lightning. See?


    "As you know, Light is a high rune. Most people don¡¯t have it¡ªbut I do. That¡¯s because I was born a noble. Every one of my ancestors had a Light rune before me.


    It¡¯s common among noble families. Certain runes tend to repeat throughout their bloodlines, passed down from generation to generation. In my family, that rune has always been Light."


    His voice lowered slightly, as if weighing his words. "You don¡¯t see many High Runes in common folk. Having even one means you¡¯re exceptionally talented.


    As for the numbers of runes in total One or two runes? That¡¯s normal. Three? That¡¯s very rare actually that''s the highest possible number we''ve never seen a human with more then three and he only had one high rune.


    But three¡­ with two of them being High Runes?" He chuckled dryly, shaking his head. That¡¯s never happened, as far as I know.


    Maybe in royal families, but even then, I can¡¯t say for sure."


    He met Delilah¡¯s gaze. "And yet, here you are. Darkness and Life¡ªboth High Runes. And then Ice on top of that."


    Her brows furrowed, confusion flickering in her eyes. "What do you mean?" she asked.


    Viser exhaled slowly. "I don¡¯t know, Little Dee. But the chances are¡­ you two have noble blood in your veins, or maybe something else entirely.


    he hesitated, then shook his head, some things were better left unspoken


    "Noble blood?" Delilah let out a sharp, bitter laugh, but it was laced with something darker¡ªcontempt, revulsion. "You can''t be serious. Don''t you remember where you found us? How you found us? Did we look like nobles to you?"


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    She expected Viser to argue, to insist, but he only nodded, his expression unreadable. That only made her anger burn hotter.


    The first time Viser had told them he was a noble, she and Nero had felt nothing but hate. Not jealousy. Not bitterness. Hate. A deep, seething loathing that curdled in their stomachs like poison. He hadn¡¯t seen their faces that night. They never told him why¡ªbut he remembered. The way their bodies tensed, the way Nero¡¯s fingers twitched toward the knife he always kept hidden before choosing to reach for a sword instead. If Viser had told them a few years earlier, before he had earned their trust, before they owed him anything... Delilah wasn¡¯t sure what they would have done.


    Because they knew nobles.


    They knew what kind of people wore silk-lined coats and spoke with false politeness while their boots ground others into the dirt. They had seen what those people were capable of, what they did when no one was watching.


    And Nero¡­ Nero had killed his first man with trembling hands and a knife too dull to be quick. A noble. His first kill had been a noble that came after Delilah.


    Delilah clenched her fists, a bitter taste rising in her throat. We don¡¯t belong to them. We never did. We never will.


    And yet, here was Viser, telling her otherwise.


    She exhaled sharply, shaking her head as if that could rid her of the feeling creeping up her spine.


    "Explain," she demanded, her voice sharper than she intended.


    He nodded, but his expression darkened. "I can¡¯t say for certain. Even if you have noble blood, I don¡¯t know which family¡ªor even which empire."


    "From what I know, the emperor¡¯s bloodline carries the Gravity rune, and the low rune Fire appears often in them too. The other Nobels don''t have Darkness, not in this empire any way


    Yet, both of you awakened Darkness and Ice.


    "Not to mention¡ªblack hair and golden eyes. Not the rarest traits, but together.. still notable."


    I¡¯ve never heard of a family with both Darkness and Ice. But maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªyou could be from a fallen family. Or one of the families in the south. They¡¯re too far away for me to know much about them."


    Delilah looked at him to maybe add something but h¨¦ didn''t


    A heavy silence settled between them. Delilah¡¯s mind raced, while Viser simply watched, his face unreadable.


    "You sure your mother was just an ordinary woman?" Viser asked, his gaze steady.


    Delilah frowned, confusion flickering in her eyes. "She was just... a normal woman, wasn¡¯t she? She died of sickness when we were young. I was barely five¡ªI don¡¯t remember her at all ." She hesitated, her voice dropping to a whisper. "As far as I know, my brother was my only mother."


    Viser sighed. "It''s okay," he said, his voice softer. "Just be careful with what you show."


    "Go now and think about it "


    She stood up, a pensive look crossing her face. "I''ll take a shower first."


    He nodded, watching her go, lost in thought.


    As Nero and Nemsus made their way back from the village, their conversation had turned into a heated debate over whether the new dish they¡¯d tried was actually any good.


    "Come on, Nero, that squid thing wasn''t that bad ! Just admit it!" Nemsus argued, exasperated.


    "Good?! It was so raw I could still hear it telling SpongeBob to fuck off," Nero shot back.


    "Forget it, you wouldent understand."nemsus said while Moving his head around


    "what about your refiner close to finish renewing?"


    I can''t tell him it''s too close , h¨¦ will ask why i am not triying to ascend


    Nero opened his mouth to respond but stopped mid-sentence. A small figure was running toward them from the distance.


    "Hah! Look at that," Nero chuckled changing the conversation. "I told you she has a crush on you."


    Nemsus shot him a sarcastic look. "She¡¯s twelve."


    "I''m not saying right now, you idiot. Give it a few years, and she''ll be a stunning woman. Besides, you''re only fourteen yourself¡ªwhat, you expecting a wife already, Lord Nemsus?"


    As the girl got closer, her brown hair bounced with every step, and her bright green eyes shone with excitement. A wide, cheerful smile stretched across her face.


    "I was looking for you, big brother Nemsus!"


    Nero barely held back his laughter as Nemsus sighed.


    "Hey, lunia," Nero said. "Shouldn¡¯t you be at school with the other kids?"


    Before Lunia could answer, a faint tremor rippled through the ground beneath them. At first, it was barely noticeable¡ªa subtle shift, like a distant drumbeat. But within moments, the earth lurched violently. A deep, rumbling quake tore through the road beneath their feet, shaking the ground with unsettling force. Dust billowed in thin clouds, pebbles clattered against each other, and the distant trees swayed as if caught in the grip of something unseen.


    The tremor¡¯s source was clear¡ªit came from the west, in the direction of the orphanage.


    Nemsus didn¡¯t hesitate. He scooped Lunia up onto his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± he barked.


    With grim expressions, he and Nero sprinted toward the orphanage.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a normal earthquake,¡± Nemsus muttered, his face dark.


    ¡°We need to find the others,¡± Nero said, urgency creeping into his voice.


    As they sprinted toward the orphanage, the tremors suddenly ceased. When the white walls finally came into view, they saw three figures already there¡ªDelilah, Viser, and another kid Roan. But it wasn¡¯t just their presence that stopped them in their tracks. It was Viser¡¯s expression.


    They had never seen him look like that before¡ªhis face was pale, his jaw tight, and his sharp gaze flickered between the west and the east.


    Nemsus barely had time to catch his breath before he asked, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Viser stood rigid, eyes scanning the horizon. A tense silence followe.


    Then, finally, he spoke.


    ¡°Something is coming¡­ from both sides.¡±

 Not alone

    Something¡¯s coming from both sides?" Nero¡¯s thoughts spun into chaos. "Both sides?!" His eyes darted to the Song Mountains, but nothing was there.


    A thick forest stretched between them and the mountains, and before the first trees even began, there was a village¡ªright in the worst possible spot.


    Viser turned to Lunia, his voice tight. "Where are the other kids?


    "In the village. There''s a puppet show¡ªan old man is performing," Lunia said quickly, her words tumbling out. "It should end in about twenty minutes."


    Roan said" i''ll take a look maybe some one still in the rooms


    After roan enterd the orphanage


    Nero clenched his jaw. "What the hell are we dealing with? Beasts? People? Both!?"


    Viser exhaled sharply, his gaze flickering between the mountains and the forest. "I don¡¯t know. But whatever¡¯s coming¡­ they¡¯re strong. Stronger than anything I can fully sense. Their numbers, their speed¡ªI can¡¯t tell."


    He took a step forward. "I¡¯m getting the kids from the village. Hide in the orphanage. I¡¯ll be back soo¡ª"


    Before he could move, shadows sliced through the sky. Nine human figures shot in from the southeast, flying toward the village before halting mid-air. They didn¡¯t speak, didn¡¯t move. Just hovered, their gazes locked on the forest to the west.


    Then, the trees in the distance groaned. The ground trembled.


    Something enormous was coming.


    From the depths of the forest, two massive figures emerged, one after the other. Towering. Unnatural. Their hulking forms swallowed the light, their movements too smooth for something that size.


    Nero felt his stomach twist. Even from this distance, it was obvious¡ªthey weren¡¯t just any beasts.


    They weren¡¯t normal at all.


    The air grew heavy. Even the wind seemed to hesitate.


    Lunia¡¯s breath hitched beside him. Unlike the rest of them, she had no idea what she was looking at. But she didn¡¯t need to.


    The ground shuddered beneath their feet.


    The nine figures in the air remained still, their eyes locked on the two monstrous beasts below. At first, it seemed as if one was chasing the other¡ªuntil they noticed the humans above.


    The first beast was unlike anything natural. It had the sleek, predatory form of a panther, its fur pure white, crisscrossed with jagged black markings. Three long tails curled and flicked behind it, their movements unnervingly precise. Its ears resembled butterfly wings, delicate but unnatural, and its mouth was a jagged maw filled with too many teeth.


    A jagged, armor-like ridge lined its back, while spines curled from its skull, twitching with eerie awareness. But the most unsettling thing wasn¡¯t its appearance¡ªit was how it moved. Or rather, how it didn¡¯t.


    The earth itself seemed to shift beneath its paws, carrying it forward like a ripple in reality. It glided effortlessly, untouched by gravity, the ground warping beneath it. Wherever it passed, the forest withered¡ªtrees blackened, their leaves curling and crumbling to dust, as if time itself recoiled from its presence. The very air around it felt wrong, heavy with an unseen force unraveling the world.


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    The second beast was even larger, a towering mass of darkness shaped like a wolf, but something far more unnatural. Its fur dripped like liquid shadow, pooling into writhing tendrils that bled into the earth. It moved with a fluidity that defied its sheer size. Six glowing eyes burned in its skull, each moving separately, scanning in all directions at once.


    At first, its gaze was locked on the panther-like creature. Then, as if sensing something more important, it slowed¡ªits head tilting upward.


    Southeast. Toward the humans.


    The air grew suffocating.


    The children barely dared to breathe.


    The first monster had been running¡ªbut not on its own. The world itself carried it forward. The second, however, had no need for such tricks. It simply followed. Relentless. Inevitable.


    Even miles away, felt it¡ªchilling, undeniable.


    The beasts and the humans had sensed them.


    Just as the nine figures in the air had.


    The tension in the air was suffocating. Viser¡¯s jaw tightened, his fingers curling into fists as he calculated his options.


    If they fight here¡­ His gaze flickered to the children. The shockwaves alone could kill them.


    He exhaled slowly, forcing his breath steady, but his expression only grew darker. They¡¯re between us and the village. No one there will survive.


    His eyes sharpened as he turned toward the four children beside him. His decision was clear.


    He would protect them first.


    Then, the unexpected happened.


    The first beast¡ªthe panther¡ªspoke. Its voice was terrifying, like glass shattering.


    ¡°Humans?¡±


    Viser felt the children stiffen beside him. Their eyes widened, their breath caught in their throats.


    "They can talk!?"


    The words barely left Nemsus''s lips before Viser spoke, his voice calm but weighted.


    "After any beast becomes a Sage, it gains full consciousness. The smartest among them can speak. The rest¡­ they only gain speech when they become Sovereigns."


    That answer only made their faces pale further.


    "That beast is a Sage?" Nero asked, his voice unsteady.


    Viser shook his head, his expression dark, fear laced with something almost bitter¡ªmockery.


    "No, Nero. They are Sovereigns."


    Nero¡¯s mind reeled. His stomach dropped. A Sovereign¡­?


    "We¡¯re dead¡­ we¡¯re fucking dead," Nemsus muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief.


    The youngest of them, Lunia, turned to Viser, confusion flickering in her gaze.


    "A Sovereign? What does that mean?"


    This time, it was Delilah who answered, her voice tight, measured.


    "Both humans and beasts follow the same ranking based on their Eny level¡ªthat sphere you have in your heart. It starts with a Mage, then an Ascendant, then a Dominus¡­ then a Sage¡­ then a Sovereign¡­ and finally, a Celestial."


    Nemsus swallowed hard. "The strongest humans¡­ they''re Sovereigns too, right?"


    Viser gave a slow nod. "Yes. In this era, the mightiest humans are Sovereigns."


    Nemsus clenched his fists, his breath unsteady. "That means¡­"


    Viser¡¯s gaze darkened. "There is one in this empire... or rather, two. The current emperor, Claudius¡ª" he hesitated, his voice dropping lower, "¡ªand his father. Who I thought was dead. But it looks like he''s alive."


    The children froze.


    "What does that mean?" Nero¡¯s voice was barely a whisper.


    Viser let out a whispered curse before pointing toward the figure leading the eight others. "See that man in front? That¡¯s the previous emperor¡ªGaius Julius Imperius."


    Viser definitely wasn''t happy to see that man for some reason.


    The name alone sent a chill through them.


    Gaius Julius Imperius. The Gate of Hell.


    The man who had murdered his own weak father 400 years ago and seized the throne. A bloody monarch who forged the empire from a weak kingdom into an empire through blood and war¡ªall after becoming a Sovereign.


    A legend of history¡ªstanding right before them.


    "He''s still alive?" Nemsus asked, his voice tight.


    Viser exhaled sharply. "I thought he was dead too. No one has heard of him in the last 30 years¡­ but Sovereigns can live up to 800 years. So¡­"


    A heavy silence fell over them, thick and suffocating, pressing down like an unseen weight.


    Their eyes locked onto the old emperor¡ªa figure both stark and unshakable. His silver hair, a sharp contrast against the darkening sky, gleamed even from a distance. Dressed in pristine white, he stood suspended in the air, his hands behind his back, empty yet exuding an authority that made weapons seem redundant.


    He didn''t look as if he was preparing to fight. He was simply watching¡ªcalm, unbothered¡ªas if the two rampaging monsters before him were nothing more than a passing spectacle.


    Then¡ªa roar shattered it.


    The old empror moved.


    The ground trembled. The air cracked.


    Nero couldn¡¯t breathe.


    The sheer forc


    e of their presence was suffocating.


    Then¡ªthe world exploded into motion.

 Embers of Ruin

    As the second beast also moved, Gaius moved his hand, laughing. A big explosion tore apart the village to rubble. The wolf dodged north while the panther continued running toward the humans.


    As the battle began, Viser instinctively pushed the children back, his body moving before his mind could process. His hands lifted, mana surging through his body as he cast defensive spells in rapid succession.


    Walls of earth erupted from the ground, rising like a protective barrier. They twisted and circled around him and the children, forming a half-dome. The light vanished. Darkness swallowed them whole.


    Then, the world trembled. The shockwaves started hitting the shell. Dust rained from the ceiling, filling the air with the scent of crumbling stone and fresh destruction. The walls shuddered under the relentless assault.


    "Gather up and don''t move!" Viser''s voice rang through the darkness, sharp and commanding. His other hand moved swiftly, weaving another spell. Panels of glowing light flickered into existence, shimmering like thin sheets of glass. Through them, the battle outside was laid bare.


    The old emperor drove the panther east, locking it in a vicious clash. His movements were fluid yet ruthless, each strike delivered with the weight of centuries of mastery. Fire roared around him, a raging inferno that devoured the air with violent hunger, while bursts of gravity magic warped space itself, distorting reality around his blows.


    Each impact forced the beast further east. The ground beneath its limbs rippled unnaturally, shifting and breaking as if resisting the emperor''s will. But the panther wasn''t simply moving¡ªit was being pushed, unwillingly. Its three tails lashed wildly, its eerie, cold gaze unreadable, but one thing was clear: it did not appreciate Gaius''s relentless assault.


    Meanwhile, the other eight warriors worked to keep the wolf contained. Their combined magic illuminated the battlefield, turning the night into a chaotic storm of power. Fire, ice, wind¡ªraw elements merged into a kaleidoscope of destruction, each spell clashing and intertwining in a desperate effort to hold the beast back.


    But the wolf was relentless. It didn''t just withstand their attacks¡ªit absorbed them, its shifting form drinking in the darkness, twisting the light around it. Every step forward was an inevitability, an unyielding force pressing against the warriors with silent menace.


    The two battles had split. One raged southeast near the shell of what had once been a village. The other had drifted northwest, where the wolf remained an unstoppable shadow. And in between, untouched but precariously close, lay the orphanage.


    Viser stretched his senses to their limits, scanning the village with a desperate need for understanding. Hope clung to him like a thread¡ªone that snapped the moment the dust cleared.


    His breath hitched. His heart clenched.


    The village was gone.


    What remained was nothing but scorched ruins, the smoldering remnants of homes still glowing under the dim twilight. The air was thick with the choking stench of blood and smoke, clinging to the earth like a funeral shroud.


    Bodies littered the ground¡ªmen, women¡­ children.


    Lifeless. Broken.


    Extinguished.


    Then he found them¡ªalmost all of them.


    They were huddled where a small road used to be, hidden behind the towering clock. His children.


    At first, he didn''t recognize them. Not by their faces. There were too few of those left intact. Instead, he knew them by what remained¡ªtorn clothes, scattered toys, small limbs severed from the bodies they once belonged to.


    The ones he had raised, guided, and loved as if they were his own.


    Their tiny hands, once reaching for him with trust, now lay still.


    Their bright eyes, once filled with laughter, were empty.


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    Gone.


    Denial. Then sadness. And then¡ªrage.


    "GAIUUUUUUUUUUUS!!!"


    The scream ripped from his throat, raw, wild, shaking the very air. The children near him flinched, eyes wide with terror, but he barely registered them.


    A storm of fury crashed through him, violent and all-consuming. It wasn''t just anger¡ªit was something deeper, something primal. His breath came in ragged gasps, his chest heaving like a man drowning in fire. His vision blurred, red creeping in at the edges. His fists clenched so tightly his nails pierced his palms, blood trickling between his fingers.


    I will kill him.


    It wasn''t a thought. It was a truth. A law. A certainty as absolute as the destruction before him.


    Even if it''s the last thing I do.


    His entire body trembled¡ªnot with fear, not with grief, but with a wrath so vast it threatened to rip him apart. He needed to break something, to tear the world apart until it matched the ruin inside him.


    But there was nothing left to destroy.


    His burning gaze locked onto Lunia. Beneath the fury, sorrow lurked, cold and heavy. He didn''t need to say it.


    There was no chance. No one had survived. Not her parents. Not anyone.


    But he wouldn''t tell her that. Not now.


    Viser forced himself to breathe¡ªslow, steady. He had to calm down. He still had four children to protect. Charging out in blind fury wouldn''t change anything. He wasn''t strong enough. He was just a Dominus.


    His fists tightened at the thought, but he pushed it down. One thing at a time.


    His gaze fell on the children still with him. His son stood closest, worry etched into his face. Viser rested a hand on his head, his touch firm but gentle.


    "Don''t worry," he murmured. "We''ll be okay."


    Then he turned to Delilah and Nero.


    Even without showing them the village through the screens, they knew. He could see it in their eyes.


    But what made his breath hitch wasn''t that they understood. It was how they reacted.


    A little sadness¡ªyes. But not grief. Not devastation. It wasn''t the look of someone who had lost a family member.


    It was the look of someone who had just lost a bet. A mild disappointment, nothing more.


    A cold sadness settled deep in Viser''s gut, heavy and suffocating. Beneath it, an ugly sliver of rage twisted, clawing its way to the surface. Not the burning fury from before¡ªthis was quieter, heavier, laced with something far worse.


    After everything¡­ after all this time¡­ I still failed.


    He had thought¡ªhoped¡ªthat they had finally started to care. That they had changed.


    But no.


    They hadn''t.


    Disappointment hit harder than anger ever could. It sank into his bones, colder than the night air.


    He exhaled sharply, forcing it all down.


    Not now.


    This wasn''t the time.


    Viser turned at the first battle.


    This time, they stopped. But the world didn''t.


    The ground was in the sky, torn apart and weightless. The sky was on fire, burning in unnatural hues. And in the center of it all, Gaius and the panther stood¡ªtwo forces of destruction, unleashing everything they had against each other. Fire, explosions, rocks, trees, the air, time, gravity, raw power¡ªevery strike reshaped the battlefield, each clash sending ripples through reality itself.


    But on the other battlefield, it was different.


    The wolf didn''t move.


    It didn''t have to.


    The shadows did. His, theirs, the trees''¡ªthey twisted and stretched, shifting with a life of their own, striking, smothering, tearing. And all the while, his six glowing eyes remained still, watching. Calculating.


    The eight warriors around him were in constant motion, dodging, countering, trying to land a blow. The battlefield was an explosion of color, too bright, too fast¡ªa storm of power crashing against an enemy that never had to lift a claw.


    It was Nero who spoke. "Care to explain?"


    Viser let out a slow breath, his gaze still fixed on the flickering screens of light. "This shell will protect us¡ªfor now. As long as they don''t get too close." His voice carried the weight of experience, steady but laced with tension.


    "As for the battle¡­ those eight men out there are Sages. I can only recognize two of them. Duke Tiven of House Ronne and Duke Victry of House Mars. I fought beside them once, when I was younger."With a small movement of his hand, Viser shifted one of the screens, focusing on one of the men. An old but imposing figure came into view¡ªa tall man, his face deeply scarred, his hair pure white. Sparks of lightning crackled around him, illuminating his weathered features. Yet, despite his age, he stood like a man in his prime, his body radiating raw energy. He moved with inhuman speed, flickering across the battlefield in blinks, likely using a space rune to teleport.


    Between his sudden movements, his attacks rained down¡ªlightning bolts cutting through the night, striking the monstrous creature with relentless precision. He wasn''t trying to kill it. He was distracting it, giving the others an opening.


    Another screen shifted.


    A younger man, perhaps in his forties, came into focus. He was much smaller in build compared to the first, with brown hair and sharp, calculating eyes. His attacks were different¡ªshadows coiled around his body like living creatures, darting toward the monster in rapid bursts.


    The look in his eyes was unmistakable¡ªgreed.


    He wasn''t just fighting; he was watching, waiting, measuring¡ªlooking for an opportunity to take something for himself.


    The children watched in awe.

 The Blood and the sky

    Lunia''s eyes gleamed with hope, her breath hitching at the sight of such powerful warriors standing against the monstrous threat. Beside her, Nemsus was tense, worried. But Delilah and Nero¡­ their faces remained cold, unreadable.


    Unlike the others, they weren''t fooled.


    They had seen too much to place their trust in nobles.


    Escape was almost impossible, yet their minds refused to stop searching for a way out. Trapped, powerless, hunted¡ªfear pressed down on them, suffocating. But surrender wasn''t an option. Not yet.


    Viser exchanged a glance with both of them.


    Nero spoke again, his voice quieter this time. "What are we going to do?"


    Viser didn''t answer right away. His gaze remained locked on the battle, calculating. "I''m waiting for a chance. If they push the fight just a little farther away, I can protect us outside this shell. But for now¡­" His expression darkened. "The shockwaves alone could kill you."


    Nero clenched his jaw, feeling both embarrassed and strangely grateful. Viser could have saved himself if he had wanted to. Yet here he was.


    "Why don''t we just wait here?" Lunia asked. "They look like they''re winning."


    Nemsus nodded in agreement.


    "We can''t," Nero said firmly. His black eyes flickered to the screens, scanning the battlefield. "One mistake, one misstep¡­ if they get even a little closer, we''ll be caught in the fight."


    "But they won''t let the monster near us," Hilda argued. "They''re nobles."


    Nero''s lips curled into something between a smirk and a sneer. "Not after what happened. The vil¡ª"


    "Shut your mouth, Nero."


    Viser''s voice cut through the air like a blade, sharp and furious. His glare burned into the boy, but Nero only met his gaze with indifferent defiance.


    The room tensed.


    Nemsus frowned, confused by his father''s sudden anger. Delilah, however, merely looked at her brother and said nothing.


    Nero felt something close to satisfaction. As long as the people he truly cared about¡ªViser, Delilah, and Nemsus¡ªwere alive, nothing else mattered. He wouldn''t wish death upon the others, but if it came down to choosing¡­ his priorities were clear.


    His attention shifted back to the screen displaying the eight sages battling the black wolf.


    "They''re not fighting to win," he muttered, eyes narrowing. "They''re stalling. Buying time. Either they think the emperor will finish his fight and come help, or they''re waiting for another kind of backup." His gaze sharpened. "And there''s greed in their faces. For what? The runes?"


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    Nero exhaled sharply, shaking his head. That wasn''t the real problem.


    "That wolf¡­" His voice dropped. "He''s just walking. They haven''t even hit him properly once, and he''s not even bothering to move."


    Then it hit him.


    He remembered what Viser had said earlier. But before he could speak, Delilah beat him to it.


    "You said there were two Sovereigns," she said, her tone cold and sharp. "Where is the other one¡ªthe emperor?"


    Viser didn''t react immediately to Delilah''s question, but something flickered in his eyes¡ªsomething unreadable.


    "Probably on a political mission outside the empire," he said. "Being emperor is more than just fighting. But I''d guess he''s pushing back here right now. They wouldn''t risk missing a chance to gain level 5 runes."


    He exhaled, rubbing his forehead. "There are at least five other sages within the empire, but right now, they''re not here."


    Silence stretched for a second before he continued, this time more deliberately.


    "Some are probably with the emperor. Some didn''t make it in time. Some are guarding the borders." His voice dropped, turning grim. "And one of them is already dead."


    The shift in tone made the room even more tense. Nemsus frowned, glancing at Nero, who already looked like he had an answer.


    "Sage Arus," he said flatly. "How do you think those two beasts got here? The Blue Castle is probably rubble as we speak.


    Their heads turned toward another screen¡ªone displaying the old emperor''s fight.


    Unlike the other battle, this one looked¡­ different. The panther facing the emperor was injured but healing at the same time, its massive body trembling as if weighed down by something invisible.


    It looked like it was holding up a mountain on its back.


    A gravity spell, Nero realized.


    Meanwhile, the old emperor was a storm of fire. Everything he touched burned. Spears of flame rained from the sky, blazing with destructive force. But something was wrong.


    The fire wasn''t hitting the beast.


    The moment the attacks neared their target, they slowed¡ªlike they didn''t want to strike. Like something was resisting them.


    The beast was controlling the ground, shifting it as though it were liquid. The terrain moved beneath its feet, carrying it without requiring it to move its legs. At the same time, tendrils of stone and a strange liquid metal lashed out, hunting the emperor down like living creatures.


    Rocks, sharp as blades, shot through the air at terrifying speeds.


    Gaius dodged each one effortlessly. With a flick of his wrist, he grabbed them mid-air using gravity magic¡ªthen sent them hurtling back at the monster with twice the force.


    Back and forth, the exchange continued, neither side relenting. The battlefield burned, cracked, and twisted under the weight of their power.


    The two battles raged across the land. They didn''t seem to be ending anytime soon. Yet, despite all the destruction and the area they were fighting in, they never drew close to one another. It was clear¡ªthe humans were determined to keep the two beasts apart, ensuring they never converged on the same battlefield.


    Viser was waiting for them to move a little farther, just far enough for him to take the kids and run.


    As they watched, Nero felt something shift deep within his heart¡ªa sensation both powerful and strangely familiar. Instinctively, he turned his focus inward, peering into his Eny.


    And there it was.


    A slow smile spread across his face as he spoke, his voice laced with quiet satisfaction.


    "The Refiner layer has finished its evolution."


    Nero was happy. Now, he only needed to find an ice rune in level two, and he would be able to ascend.


    Viser silenced him with a sharp glance before sending a message using his willpower. "Remember, Nero. Don''t even think about ascending now. You''ll need intense concentration for that."


    Nero rolled his eyes, his smirk widening. "Don''t you think I don''t know that?"


    With that, their attention snapped back to the flickering screens. The battle hadn''t changed much¡ªboth sides were still locked in their brutal clash. But the white panther was now taking hits more frequently. Yet, each wound vanished almost instantly, its injuries healing at an unnatural speed.


    Nemsus furrowed his brows. "Do all monsters have this kind of crazy regeneration?"


    Nero and Delilah wanted to know that too. They looked at each other, then moved their heads toward Viser.


    He shook his head. "No. Haven''t you noticed how the spears slow down just before reaching it? That''s the effect of its Time Rune. The same rune is reversing the injuries, pulling them back to a previous state. But that won''t last forever. Time Runes consume far more mana than most others. At some point, the beast will be forced to stop its healing. But¡­" He paused, his expression darkening. "The same goes for the old emperor.


    Monsters usually have a larger Eny, therefore larger mana reserves than humans. This is a battle of endurance¡ªwhoever runs out of mana first loses."


    On another screen, a sudden cry of pain rang out. One of the eight nobles¡ªDuke Tiven¡ªhad lost an arm. His face twisted in agony as blood poured from the severed limb. The black monster had almost taken his head, striking with a tail of living shadow that emerged from the ground¡ªan extension of its own darkness, formed through dark matter.


    Then, something shifted on another screen.


    A streak of red shot through the sky.


    A woman.


    Her long, crimson hair was impossible to miss, even from a distance.


    Viser''s eyes narrowed. "That''s one of the emperor''s guardians¡ªdirectly under his command."


    Without hesitation, she dove straight into battle. But she wasn''t helping the other nobles.


    She was going to aid Gaius.

 Change

    As the redhead women arrived the course of the battle started changing even by just helping gaius in blocking a few attaks a launching few of her own, the beast started getting double the hits he was taking more damage then h¨¦ could head per second


    The women''s presence was like a storm. With precise, practiced movements, she launched a relentless barrage of compressed air strikes. Each attack tore through the battlefield, carving deep trenches into the ground. The beast recoiled, momentarily thrown off balance.


    The empror was happy " you took too long Lanestra " she looked at him in silence before attaking the monster again


    Sensing the shift, the beast moved, its limbs tensing before it twisted violently, attempting to move in deffrent directions.


    But the emperor didn¡¯t let it. With a flick of his wrist, the gravity doubled again.


    The air thickened, the land itself pressing down on the creature.


    It would burn through more mana, but now, with the new reinforcement, the emperor only needed one chance¡ªjust a little closer.


    Fire users were known for their devastating close-range combat.


    Now the beast was forced to defend, struggling against the crushing weight. But even at this rate, it could take hours before the battle ended. And the nobles didn¡¯t have that time they might be able to hold the wolf but there will be deaths.


    Then the emperor shifted tactics.


    His hands lifted. The battlefield fell silent.


    And then¡ª


    Everything burned.


    Not just the monster.


    The rocks. The water. The trees. The very air itself ignited.


    The children¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, their minds struggling to comprehend what they were seeing. Nero felt his heart pound. Even Delilah¡ªalways cold, always unreadable¡ªstiffened at the sight.


    Nemsus swallowed hard. ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡±


    Viser¡¯s voice was quiet but heavy. ¡°That is his most infamous spell.¡±


    He let the weight of his words settle before continuing.


    ¡°The first time he used it, 50,000 people died.¡±


    The air in the shelter grew still, the weight of that statement sinking into their bones.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Level 5 spell known as The Burden of Existence. It uses the combined concepts of fire and gravity, destruction and weight woven together with a highly complex mixture of at least three different runic languages forging the spell, it burns anything that has a phisical weight within a certain radius. They say the emperor spent fifty years perfecting it.¡±


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    The battlefield became an inferno. The monster, still struggling under the immense gravitational pull, could do nothing as the fire consumed it whole.


    It was clear now-the monster knew it wouldn''t last much longer in this battle. With a furious roar, it unleashed a domain of its own, a force that stretched across a very wide radius, reaching his two enemies ,even the act of burning slowed down.


    The empror lost his speed, The world around it twisted. Everything-alive or not, the winds,the mana the fire even the emperor and the red-haired woman-slowed to a crawl. It was as if time itself had thickened, dragging everything down except for the monster.


    The change was immediate. The creature''s tails Moving extended unnaturally, stretching like writhing serpents. Its legs blurred, moving so fast they became nothing more than flickering afterimages. The emperor''s expression darkened. His face twisted with anger, the lines of age deepening as he realized the shift in battle.


    He hadn''t expected this.


    The monster moved like a phantom, weaving between them at impossible speeds. Its tails lashed out, striking from every angle, forcing the emperor to totaly stop his devastating spell. He could no longer focus on offense. Defense was all that mattered now.


    Without hesitation, he reached into thin air, and a blade materialized in his grasp--a weapon wreathed in golden flames, humming with raw power.


    The moment it appeared, he was already moving, slashing, blocking, parrying. Sparks erupted as metal clashed against writhing darkness.


    But even as he fought, his focus wasn''t only on himself. He had to defend the red-haired Woman as well.


    She was struggling. The time distortion affected her far more than it did him. After all time and Gravity were always connected.


    The monster''s domain only slowed the empror down by a little compared to the women.


    Her movements were sluggish, her strikes delayed. It was as if she were fighting underwater while the monster danced effortlessly around her.


    Then, the beast''s mouth gaped open. a sphere of compressed fire, deep red and swirling with violent energy, formed between its fangs. It pulsed once before launching forward at an insane speed.


    Too fast.


    The emperor barely had time to react. He shifted, preparing to hurl one of his golden spears to counter it-but the fireball reached them first.


    A deafening explosion. Flames roared across the battlefield, consuming everything in a blinding inferno.


    The emperor gritted his teeth as the fire washed over him, but to his surprise, the damage was minimal. He turned, about to regroup- And then he saw her.


    The red-haired woman stood frozen in place Her blue eyes, once sharp and burning with determination, were now filled with disbelie Two of the monster''s tails had pierced through her body.


    One through the stomach. The other througt her ribs.


    Then-


    With a sickening slice- She was torn apart. Three pieces. Her body fell to the ground in slow motion, blood arcing through the air like crimson petals.


    The emperor''s heart pounded, but there was no time to grieve. No time to care. Because those same tails were whipping toward him next.


    He took a decision, he wasn''t gonna let this chance go not looking at the monster this close to him with that unhuman smile on his face.


    The emperor burned through almost a third of his mana in an instant, channeling the raw essence of one of the fire''s concepts, consumption.


    It was a reckless move, a costly one-but it was necessary. And with that sacrifice, he burned time itself.


    The effect was immediate.


    The beast hesitated, its slitted eyes flickering with confusion. The emperor was suddenly much closer than he should have been. That shouldn''t have been possible.


    That domain that slowed time was still active, yet somehow, the gap had been erased in an instant. Realizing the danger, the monster lashed out, its black tails slicing through the air with blinding speed. It maintained a small distance, wary of getting too close-but then it saw it.


    A smile.


    The emperor''s lips curled upward in a grin, sharp and knowing. He didn''t dodge. He didn''t even flinch. He let one of the beast''s tails cut clean through his left forearm, blood spraying in the air like a crimson arc, HES white shirt colored in read.


    But he didn''t care.


    The moment the tail pierced him, he used the pain, the force, and the proximity. His remaining hand snapped forward. His palm opened. A spear of pure-fire destruction, materialized in his grasp. The weapon roared with heat, its very presence distorting the air around it.


    The beast barely had a moment to react before the emperor wrenched his arm back and threw. The spear shot forward like a comet.


    The monster twisted, trying to dodge-but it was too close. The projectile struck true.


    A deafening explosion followed as the spear buried itself deep into the beast''s stomach.


    The creature''s body convulsed, its screech shaking the very ground beneath them. Half of its torso was engulfed in searing flames, spreading mercilessly.


    Its organs were burning. Its right leg crumbled into charred ash. Its very essence fought against the fire, but this was no ordinary blaze. The flames did not want to stop.


    It consumed his organs, it consumed him,to burn more and more.


    Triying to destroy what ever is left in him


    It was as if the fire had a will of its own-a hunger that refused to fade.


    The monster howled, thrashing wildly. Its tails whipped around, smashing into ruins, carving trenches into the earth. But it didn''t matter. It had only one option left.


    Run.

 Viser

    With a desperate heave, the beast used all of its remaining tails to launch itself eastward, propelling itself toward the distant mountains. Its massive body crashed through the battlefield.


    But the emperor wasn''t finished. Even with one arm barely hanging on, he continued his assault. With every flick of his wrist, fireballs erupted, streaking after the monster like falling stars. Chunks of rubble, torn from the ruins of the city, were hurled forward with terrifying speed, each one propelled by the crushing force of his Gravity Runes.


    Yet the beast, even as it burned, even as its body failed, managed to weave through the storm of destruction.


    It twisted left, then right, erratic but calculated, forcing the emperor¡¯s aim to shift with every heartbeat,he didn''t like that. The beast was still fighting, the fire wasn''t burning fast enough


    The beast was running towards the mountens to escape and the empror wasn''t able to expect him running this fast with half his organs still burning.


    The frustration in the old empror eyes deepene He needed to slow him down.


    Gaius started going through his options, his son was still a little far, he is now flying towards this battle with two other warriors with him, The nobles fighting the second monster were growing more desperate by the second. If he left them alone for too long, they would fall. He couldn''t afford to let that happen. Then-his gaze caught something.


    A structure, that was still standing


    A half-circle formation of earth in the distance, partially collapsed from the battle. Realization struck. And with it, a wild crazy smile spread across his face.


    The emperor started attacking the beast exclusively from the left, gradually shifting his direction slightly north with each strike.


    As the gaius¡¯s face appeared on the screen, Viser¡¯s expression darkened. He knew exactly what that bastard was planning.


    "Two to three minutes max. i won''t get far enough, not with four kids"


    Nero and Delilah stared in disbelief.


    "That son of a bitch," Nero spat, his voice laced with fury. He swore under his breath, pacing like a caged animal.


    Viser turned toward them, his jaw clenched. "I¡¯m going to¡ª"


    "Don¡¯t even think about it," Nero cut him off, his voice sharp with defiance. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.


    Even Nemsus, usually bad with Reading the atmosphere, seemed to understand what Viser intended. The emperor wanted to use them as bait to slow the beast¡ªand Viser was ready to play along.


    "Father¡­ there has to be another way, right?" Nemsus forced a smile, but the fear in his eyes betrayed him. His voice wavered as he turned to Delilah, silently pleading for a different answer.


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    But she remained silent. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her expression torn between guilt and desperation. She was searching for a way out¡ªjust like the rest of them.


    Viser¡¯s gaze remained firm. "He''s guiding it straight to us,"


    He said it, his tone cold and certain. "Hoping we¡¯ll slow it down, even for a few seconds."


    "Maybe¡­ maybe it won¡¯t attack," Nemsus said hesitantly. "Maybe it¡¯ll just pass through."


    Viser shook his head, his eyes steely. "A monster that desperate, that wounded¡­ it won¡¯t ignore us. It¡¯ll see us as a threat. it will attack."


    His gaze swept over them, lingering for a second longer on Nero and Delilah.


    "But if I go out first, a little farther, the empror will turn him towards me, not you i am a dominus, the beast can''t ignore me in that state after all, he''s two steps away from dying. That¡¯ll give you a chance to escape."


    Silence fell over them like a heavy shroud. The weight of his words settled deep in their chests.


    He wasn¡¯t just suggesting it.


    He had already decided.


    Wait!" Delilah¡¯s voice cracked as she clutched Viser¡¯s sleeve. "What about a clone? A copy? You¡¯re the one who gave Nemsus the Light spell, right? You could use it as a distraction!"


    Viser gave her a soft, sorrowful smile and shook his head. "It won¡¯t work. Not against a Sovereign. His mana senses are too sharp¡ªhe¡¯d see through it instantly."


    Delilah¡¯s heart pounded. She had known it was a long shot, but she had to try. She had to find a way.


    Lunia sat at the edge of the shelter, her body trembling as silent tears streamed down her face. She had been crying from the start.


    Viser turned his gaze to the children before him, they are his¡ªmaybe not by blood, but still. They were fighting so desperately to save him. It warmed his heart, even as he knew it was futile.


    Nero stood rigid, his grip on his sword so tight. His whole body trembled, his chest rising and falling with heavy, uneven breaths. His red-rimmed eyes darted between Viser and the exit he had just created, searching, calculating, desperate to stop him¡ªeven if it meant facing the monster outside himself.


    Delilah wasn¡¯t much better. Her lips quivered, her eyes glistening, struggling to hold back the inevitable flood of tears. But she knew. Deep down, she knew. There was no other way.


    Then there was Nemsus¡ªViser¡¯s real son. He had collapsed to his knees, his head bowed so low his forehead nearly touched the ground. His fingers tore through his own hair, grasping, clawing, as if he could physically rip the pain from his soul.


    Then, suddenly, he moved.


    With a strangled cry, Nemsus lunged at Viser.


    At the same time, Nero did too.


    But Viser was faster.


    With a wave of his hand, the ground beneath them liquefied, shifting like rolling tides before surging up like coiling serpents. The earth solidified in an instant, trapping them both in place. They struggled violently, their mana surging, their bodies straining against the stone¡ªbut the spell held firm.


    "I won¡¯t forgive you, Viser! I won¡¯t!" Nero¡¯s scream was raw, his voice cracking under the weight of his rage and despair. He thrashed, his body jerking as he fought against his restraints.


    Throwing your life away for me? Is this some kind of joke?! For a street rat you picked up?!. You¡¯re the noble one, not me! Nobles don¡¯t die for people like us!"


    His voice fractured, anger giving way to something even more painful.


    "I should be the one to die here!" He let out a bitter, broken laugh. "you are the one that should live to protect them!.


    Not me!.


    His breathing hitched as his eyes darkened with desperation. "Who¡¯s gonna stand with Nemsus and keep him from doing his stupid movements, huh? Your own son hm? And what about me and Delilah?" His voice wavered. "Who¡¯s gonna keep teaching us how to be humans? Dont you remember how we were the first time we got here?"


    Nero''s words started to tumble out in a chaotic mess, tears streaked his face, his shoulders shaking as grief overtook him.


    "Please, Viser¡­ don¡¯t do this. We can¡¯t lose you. I can¡¯t lose you¡­"


    Delilah turned away, her arms wrapping around herself, as if trying to hold herself together. A single sob escaped her lips, sharp and broken.


    Nemsus, who had been frozen in quiet agony, finally turned his head twords nero. He had never seen him like this¡ªnever seen him so utterly shattered, so desperate.


    Viser glanced at the glowing screen beside them, displaying the battlefield outside. The old emperor¡¯s relentless attacks were forcing the monstrous''s path more and more towards them


    He exhaled softly and stepped forward, kneeling before his son. His warm palm rested against Nemsus.


    "You," he whispered, his voice laced with love, "you are the greatest gift your mother gived me. And as I promised Evry time we talked about you ¡­ I will protect you."


    A small, peaceful smile touched his lips.


    Then he turned to Nero and Delilah. "And you two¡­ you were my children too. You may have never called me ¡®Father,¡¯ and I may have never said it aloud¡­ but it doesn¡¯t change the truth." His hand rested over his heart. "You are my son and my daughter."


    Delilah¡¯s restraint finally shattered. A sob tore through her, covoring her face with tears, she couldn''t hold the pain anymore.


    Viser turned his gaze fully on her¡ªthe only one he left free. "Take care of these two idiots for me," he murmured, forcing a small, teasing smirk. "The spell holding them will break once I¡¯m dead."

 The fool

    Nero and Nemsus scremed harder, their mana surging to its limits, their bodies straining, their voices breaking¡ªbut it was useless.


    Viser didn¡¯t wait.


    He gave them one final look before turning away.


    Then, without hesitation, he stepped through the shelter door.


    The screens flickered, still showing the chaos outside. The children watched in breathless silence as Viser broke into a full sprint, his figure darting south, moving as fast as his body would allow.


    On another screen, the Emperor¡¯s face came into view. His smirk deepened, satisfaction gleaming in his cold. He had expected this. He had wanted this.


    "Delilah!" Nero¡¯s voice was hoarse, frantic. He twisted against his restraints, his body shaking with desperation. "Attack the damn thing! Break this! We have to save him!"


    But she didn¡¯t even glance at him. Delilah just stood there, eyes locked on the screen, watching as Viser ran straight toward the beast''s path.


    Viser startid running south like telling the empror, i am here stop puching him north


    As he reached the spot , positioning himself exactly where the middle point betweenthe panter and the other battle was.


    He had calculated its path, knowing it would be too weak and disoriented to think correctly, without wasting a second, he gathered his mana and unleashed a blinding wave of compressed light, aiming straight for its damaged eyes.


    Even with The intense flare at his eyes it''s still didn''t hurt him, but it sure made him lose all kind of reason he had left.


    Blinded. Wounded. Furious.


    With a guttural roar, the monster locked onto the only thing it could see¡ªViser.


    Rooaaaar!


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    And just as he had planned, it charged straight at him.


    The Emperor¡¯s smirk widened. His amusement turned to sheer delight as he watched Viser perform even better than expected.


    The beast, already on the brink of collapse from its wounds, let out a distorted, agonized roar. Its remaining sliver of consciousness wavered, lost in a haze of fury and pain.


    Then, with a final, reckless lunge, it hurled itself straight at Viser.


    But what the Emperor didn''t expect was Viser suddenly changing course and turning around, sprinting north west twards the other battle.


    His body pulsed with light-a spell the Emperor recognized instantly. A well-known technique that transformed part of the body into light, drastically reducing weight and increasing speed. However, overuse would lead to collapse. But why would a dead men Care about his body.


    Viser, his face filled with hatred, was now moving faster than any Dominus should be capable of,he launched himself in the air, straight toward the seven men, deciding to take some with him.


    In the way he was thinking about one thing, how to take revenge for his dead children, how to kill gaius. But for now he could only attack his Nobels.


    The wounded beast directly followed, unaware of where it was being led, only focused on the blinding figure ahead, fueled by it''s rage.


    the Emperor''s face twisted-first in confusion, then horror. He realized what Viser was doing. Within only a minute, Viser has already reached the second battlefield, with the raging beast mere steps behind him.


    He didn¡¯t stop. He propelled himself straight between two nobles locked in combat. One¡ªa tall man in green¡ªturned just in time to see a blur streak past him.


    A heartbeat later, flames erupted behind him, and the monster¡¯s fangs crushed his skull, snuffing out his life instantly.


    A second noble had fallen. One of the Emperor''s seven elite men was dead, not because of a beast, but a fellow human.


    Viser barely paused. looking around for another prey but the rest of them had left a distance and they were ready to attack him too, the black monster turned towards him again.


    Then as he was looking around, he noticed gaius again, his situation slower and injured.


    Out of nowhere, He had an idea, a brilliant one, with a crazy smile on his face He pushed forward, launching himself back where he came from toward gaius with a smile


    The children watched with different expressions¡ªsome filled with awe, others with fear or confusion¡ªbut in the end, they all settled on the same look.


    Disbelief.


    "What the hell is he doing?" Nero thought, eyes narrowing as he watched Viser charge straight toward the old Emperor.


    The white beast, as if caught in an unbreakable chain, turned to follow him again. The battlefield, already in chaos, became an even greater mess. Even the second monster hesitated, momentarily confused by the abrupt shift in events.


    The seven remaining nobles were now thrown into panic. The massive wolf, undeterred, resumed its attacks. But this time, it wasn¡¯t just rampaging¡ªit was moving with purpose, subtly steering the nobles southward.


    Gaius, on the other hand, was watching Viser with a mix of hatred and confusion.


    This man¡ªthis traitor¡ªhad just killed one of his soldiers. Yet now, here he was, charging directly toward him, dragging the black beast along like some kind of offering.


    The old Emperor set aside his confusion, amusement flickering in his cold eyes.


    "Is this fool seriously coming to die by my hands?"


    A sneer curled on his lips. What did Viser think he could do? Curse him?


    Pathetic.


    A Dominus was no threat to him. He could deal with Viser later. Right now, his priority was eliminating the beast once and for all.


    Gaius lifted his hands, and just like before, a flaming spear manifested in his grip. But this time, it took everything he had left into it¡ªevery last drop of mana.


    There could be no mistakes.


    He couldn''t afford to miss.


    The monster was still charging forward. Just a little closer¡­ just a little more.


    Viser was the first to reach him, with the beast only a few steps behind.


    Gaius let out a low chuckle, already imagining the ways he would make Viser suffer for his betrayal.


    "Ha¡­ thank you, you stupid bastard."

 Hello father

    A cruel smile stretched across Gaius''s face as he hurled the blazing spear with all his strength, aiming straight for the beast¡¯s skull.


    And then¡ª


    The most unexpected thing happened.


    Viser threw himself into the fire¡¯s path.


    Viser stared at Gaius with the same wide-eyed fascination that children have when watching a monkey in a cage¡ªjust amused,, as if the old Emperor were nothing more than an oddity for his entertainment.


    Gaius, in stark contrast, went deathly pale. It was as if every last drop of blood had drained from his face.


    The children watching from a distance were frozen in total shock.


    And then, the flaming spear struck Viser head-on.


    For a fleeting moment, as the inferno consumed him, Viser had a single thought¡ª


    "Looks like the gates of hell will go to hell.


    His body began to dissolve in the blaze, yet his expression never wavered. There was no fear, no regret. Only the face of a man who had done exactly what he set out to do.


    With a final glance at the old Emperor, he smiled and said¡ª


    "Fuck you, Gaius."


    Then, he turned to dust.


    A scream tore through the battlefield.


    Nemsus and Nero''s voices rang out in anguish, raw and unrestrained. Delilah''s face was empty¡ªcompletely blank, as if her mind refused to process what had just happened. Hilda stood frozen, unable to speak, unable to even breathe.


    And then¡ª


    The spell restraining Nero and Nemsus shattered, and they collapsed to the ground, their limbs trembling as if their bodies hadn¡¯t yet realized they were free. But it wasn¡¯t just their bodies¡ªtheir minds refused to accept it too.


    They lay there, staring blankly, caught in a moment that refused to feel real.


    Denial.


    The battlefield fell eerily silent.


    Even the floating light screens that had been displaying the fight flickered out of existence¡ªafter all, they had been running on Viser¡¯s mana.


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    And Viser was gone.


    Delilah snapped out of her shock first. Her mind cleared in an instant, instincts taking over as she turned to the closest one to her, Nemsus.


    She knew what him and her brother were going to do


    So she moved fast.


    Before nemsus could take a single step toward the battlefield, she struck his neck. He crumpled instantly, unconscious on the ground.


    Then she turned to Nero.


    She reached for him, but he was already moving.


    "Nero, calm down!" she called, her voice firm but urgent as she chased after him.


    Nero didn¡¯t hear her. Or maybe he did and just didn¡¯t care. His body moved on its own, driven by something deeper than reason. He leaped out of the shelter, his breath ragged, his fists trembling at his sides.


    And then he saw him.


    Gaius.


    Standing there. Alive.


    Hatred burned through Nero¡¯s chest, so intense it made his entire body shake. Every instinct screamed at him to move¡ªto attack, to make him pay.


    But he didn¡¯t.


    He couldn''t.


    His legs felt like they were trapped in iron chains. It wasn¡¯t fear. No, it was worse than that. It was the bitter, gut-wrenching realization of how powerless he was.


    One wrong move, and they were all dead.


    A sharp crack echoed in the air.


    Delilah¡¯s slap snapped his head to the side.


    For a second, neither of them moved. They just stood there, staring at each other. Their faces were empty, their bodies frozen, but their eyes¡ªtheir eyes screamed with evrything.


    Nero swallowed hard. His fists loosened. His breathing slowed.


    Then, without another word, he turned away.


    "I want to see how this ends," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.


    Together, just a few meters beyond the shelter, they stood in silence, their breath shallow, their bodies tense. Their eyes remained locked ahead, unblinking, as the dust slowly began to settle.


    They saw his face


    For the first time in decades, the mighty gate of hell felt something he had almost forgotten.


    Fear.


    Because now, charging straight toward him, was the wounded panther¡ªits body coiled like a spring, its tail lashing, raw hatred burning in its eyes. The last remnants of its mana surged through its veins, fueling its final act of vengeance.


    And this time, h¨¦ had to face him without his powers.


    Gaius did the only thing his instincts allowed.


    He ran.


    But the beast was faster.


    With a sickening crunch, the panther¡¯s tail whipped through the air, slicing into Gaius¡¯s left leg like a blade through butter.


    The limb was gone before he even felt it.


    He collapsed, a ragged, broken scream tearing from his throat as agony consumed him. Blood poured beneath him, pooling in the dirt, soaking his robes. He tried to move, to crawl, to do anything¡ªbut his body refused.


    His mana was gone.


    His arm was missing.


    Now, his leg was gone too.


    And the beast was still coming.


    Gaius lay there, gasping, his vision blurring as he watched death march toward him, slow and deliberate.


    There was no escape.


    No power left to save him.


    No tricks.


    No hope.


    He was out of time, out of options.


    The panther reared back, muscles coiling for the final strike¡ª


    And then, a sound.


    A vibration, deep in his skull.


    A message.


    Gaius smiled.


    A weak, breathless chuckle escaped him. Then another. And another.


    Until it twisted into full, unhinged laughter.


    "Too late..." He wheezed between breaths, his voice rasping, his lips pulling into a bloody grin. "Hhh¡­ Too late."


    A chill crawled up the kids¡¯ spines.


    Watching from a distance, Nero felt his stomach drop. His grip tightened on the rubble beside him.


    "Why the hell is he laughing?" he muttered.


    Then, they saw him.


    A lone figure hovered in the sky, looking down at the broken Emperor¡ªnot with anger, nor with pity, but with a strange mix of concern and relief.


    And with a simple wave of his hand, the panther¡¯s body crumpled.


    An invisible force crushed it from all sides, folding it in on itself a thousand times over. The beast thrashed, tried to rise¡ªbut this time, unlike before, it had nothing left.


    Slowly, the man descended.


    Each step was calm. Deliberate.


    He approached the dying creature, raising his hand as a familiar weapon took shape¡ª


    A spear wreathed in crimson flames.


    An exact replica of the one Gaius had wielded.


    The beast, driven by sheer instinct, lunged one last time.


    The man sidestepped effortlessly.


    And then¡ª


    Before the spear even struck, before the final blow was dealt¡ª


    The flames on the panther¡¯s body flickered¡­ and died.


    A moment later, so did its eyes.


    The monster collapsed.


    After all its desperate attempts to cling to life¡ªafter all the pain, the rage, the struggle¡ª


    It simply wasn¡¯t enough.


    Even in that ruined state, the man still walked toward the lifeless body.


    Without hesitation, he raised the spear¡ªand with one swift motion, he drove it straight through the panther¡¯s skull.


    Only then did he allow himself to believe it was truly dead.


    Silence.


    The battlefield, once filled with screams and chaos, had gone completely still.


    Then, slowly, the man turned his gaze toward the Emperor.


    Gaius, gasping for breath, looked up¡ªhis blurred vision settling on the figure before him.


    A tall man.


    Short, graying hair.


    A face he knew all too well.


    And then, the man spoke.


    "Hello, Father."

 I am sorry

    Gaius finally allowed himself to rest. His body sagged against the blood-soaked ground, and with a faint, weary smile, he tried to speak.


    "The other battle¡ª"


    Octavian didn¡¯t let him finish.


    "Flavia and Marcus went there."


    He paused, his expression shifting¡ªjust for a brief moment¡ªbefore continuing.


    "I¡¯ll take care of the enemy first, then I¡¯ll heal you. After that, I¡¯ll finish off the second beast."


    Gaius exhaled, his vision swimming. Luck.


    For once, he really felt like a lucky man.


    If Octavian had arrived just two seconds later¡ª


    He would have been dead.


    Nero was on his knees, his fists slamming into the ground over and over. His eyes burned red with rage, his breath ragged.


    "That son of a bitch¡ª!"


    He barely noticed Delilah until she grabbed him, yanking him up with force. Before he could react, she was already running¡ªdragging him back toward the shelter.


    Nero blinked, confused, his body still shaking with anger.


    Then he saw her face.


    She wasn¡¯t looking at him.


    Her eyes were locked westward.


    And the moment he looked too¡ª


    He understood.


    He finally understood.


    The reason why the wolf had been holding back.


    Nero¡¯s lips curled into a grin as he turned his gaze toward the woods.


    Another one.


    Another massive blur of muscle and fur had just emerged, sprinting straight for Gaius and Octavian.


    And the best part?


    They didn¡¯t even seem to notice.


    It was only when it was a mile away that Gaius noticed him. But it was too late¡ªa hit landed on Octavian, nearly cutting him in half. If not for his insane reflexes, he would have been dead.


    He barely managed to block with his sword, but the impact sent him flying, leaving him injured.


    Gaius was left facing the new wolf alone, completely drained of mana.


    "Fuck!"


    After all these years, that¡¯s how he died¡ªagainst a beast he hadn¡¯t even had the chance to fight.


    Octavian launched himself back toward the battle, moving as fast as his body would allow, desperate to reach his father in time.


    But he was still a few steps too far.


    Before he could close the distance, the shadows beneath Gaius shifted.


    Then¡ªthey exploded upward.


    Crashing into him¡ªinto a bloody mess of flesh and bone.


    Delilah and Nero had already made it back to the shelter¡ªjust in time.


    Because if they¡¯d still been outside when the attack landed on Octavian, they wouldn¡¯t have even needed to be hit.


    The shockwave alone would have killed them.


    Even inside the shelter, the walls shook violently, the force rattling through their bones. Without Viser¡¯s mana constantly regenerating it, the shelter was barely holding together.


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    And yet¡ª


    Nero lay on the ground, laughing.


    His shoulders shook as he let out ragged chuckles, stealing a few glances outside before quickly ducking back into cover.


    ¡°Hhh¡­¡± he wheezed, still grinning.


    ¡°Not lucky enough after all.¡±


    The first wolf had been holding back for a reason.


    If it had killed those eight men too quickly or pushed south to join the battle, Gaius would have run.


    And if Gaius had run¡ªno one would have stopped the panther.


    But the wolf wasn¡¯t alone.


    It had a partner.


    A second wolf, waiting just beyond the battlefield, ready to strike once one of them fell¡ªor once both were weakened enough.


    But then¡ªOctavian arrived.


    And the plan changed.


    If the second wolf had waited any longer, Octavian would have stolen the panther¡¯s eny for himself.


    So it took its chance.


    It lunged¡ªnot just to eliminate the weaker one, but to steal both its prey.


    Unfortunately, it succeeded in the first¡­ but not the second.


    Just as the second wolf was close to grabbing Gaius''s body, a thunderous explosion ripped through the battlefield.


    Octavian was back.


    And he was faster than expected.


    A massive shockwave shattered the ground, followed by a barrage of lightning attacks, striking everything in front of him.


    The new wolf had no choice but to defend¡ªbut even that wasn¡¯t enough.


    As Octavian¡¯s attack landed, the beast was forced back, its claws scraping against the dirt as it struggled to hold its ground.


    Octavian didn¡¯t waste a second.


    He pushed forward, his breath heavy, his hands shaking¡ªbut his steps never faltered.


    Then, he reached down, fingers stretching toward Gaius.


    And he grabbed it.


    His father¡¯s eny.


    The empire had just lost one of its Sovereigns, and Octavian had to ensure that another one would replace him. That was only possible with a level 5 rune in hand.


    For a moment, relief almost set in.


    But then¡ª


    Movement.


    The wolf.


    It was already sprinting toward the panther¡¯s body.


    Octavian¡¯s mind raced.


    He couldn¡¯t let the wolf have it.


    But he couldn¡¯t take it for himself, either.


    And worse¡ªhe couldn¡¯t fight it here.


    Not so close to the dead panther¡¯s body.


    The beast wielded shadows, and if it got too close, it wouldn¡¯t just fight for the prize¡ªit would steal it.


    This wasn¡¯t the place for a battle over the corpse.


    So he made a decision.


    He attacked.


    Lightning crackled around him as he lunged, driving the wolf back¡ªdragging it as far away as possible.


    The monster snarled in frustration, its teeth bared, its muscles tense.


    But neither of them moved closer to the body.


    Because they both knew¡ª


    If either of them made a move toward it, the other would strike.


    And just like that¡ª


    The fight started going south again.


    Farther north, the first wolf was finally fighting seriously.


    But despite its increased aggression, the battle still followed its old rhythm.


    Normally, nine Sages wouldn¡¯t be enough to hold back a Sovereign.


    But one of them¡ªa man with gray hair¡ªwas different.


    He alone was as strong as three Sages.


    Not just that¡ªhe was also healing them.


    There had been a healer among the original eight, but not like this one. He was just better.


    His strikes also managed to actually injure it.


    Not by much, but with eight more Sages targeting the same weak points, it was enough to make the beast wary.


    With Flavia and Marcus here, the nobles were finally able to hold the wolf back correctly.


    But Marcus was burning through his mana fast.


    Healing eight people while fighting at the same time wasn¡¯t easy, and he could already feel the strain setting in.


    His gaze scanned the battlefield¡ªonly to land on one of them.


    ¡°Come on, Victry. You call that healing?¡± Marcus sneered. ¡°I was gone for two hours, and you¡¯ve already left one of them to die.¡±


    The tension between them was palpable.


    These two had hated each other for a long time.


    After all, Victry had backed Octavian for the throne¡ªafter promising Marcus the opposite.


    Only to betray him later.


    ¡°Sorry, Your Highness,¡± Victry replied mockingly. ¡°I can¡¯t be as good as a prince. After all, I don¡¯t have a Sovereign as my father.¡±


    He pressed on the word prince, just to make Marcus even angrier.


    Marcus smirked.


    ¡°Yeah, but not as hard as pushing your own daughter to seduce someone¡­ only for him to throw her away.¡±


    Victry¡¯s veins bulged.


    So did Flavia¡¯s.


    But neither of them responded.


    Because, no matter how much they hated each other¡ª


    They were still in the middle of a fight.


    In the shelter that was barely holding together, dust drifted slowly from the ceiling with each tremor.


    The vibrations were fading, growing more distant.


    Nemsus had just woken up.


    His body felt heavy, his neck burning from where Delilah had struck him.


    He blinked, his gaze fixed on the cracked ceiling, his mind still sluggish.


    Then, he turned his head toward the light.


    There¡ª


    The only hole in the shelter.


    The one Viser had left through.


    The one he never came back from.


    Nero was talking to Delilah.


    Meanwhile, luniaa was listening.


    Her eyes were still red and swollen, but the tears had finally stopped.


    Not because she was fine¡ª


    But because she had no more left to cry.


    "Do you think we should run?" Nero asked, his voice quieter than usual.


    Delilah nodded. ¡°Where?¡±


    Nero was silent for a few seconds before exhaling sharply. "We can''t just wait here, can we?"


    Before Delilah could respond, they both noticed Nemsus.


    He was awake now, staring at them.


    Their faces shifted¡ªjust for a second¡ªinto something close to pity.


    They tried to hide it.


    But he saw it.


    His throat tightened. ¡°¡­He died, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Their silence was answer enough.


    Nemsus pushed himself up from the ground, his limbs shaky but determined. His eyes locked onto Nero. "How?"


    Nero hesitated, then sighed. "He sacrificed himself to kill Gaius¡­ and he succeeded."


    Nemsus clenched his teeth, his fists trembling at his sides. His breath was uneven, his shoulders shaking¡ªhe was fighting it, holding it in.


    "A body¡­ did they leave anything to bury him?"


    Nero¡¯s gaze dropped.


    "He vanished completely."


    Nero placed a hand on Nemsus''s shoulder, his grip firm but unsure.


    "I''m sorry."

 Trust

    As they had moved far enough south, Octavian stopped dragging the fight.


    And he was sure of one thing¡ª


    This battle wasn¡¯t ending anytime soon.


    This beast was too complete.


    It was fast.


    It was strong.


    Its defenses were solid.


    Even when injured, it could just retreat, recover, and return.


    And worst of all¡ª


    The northern battle would be over before he could even kill this thing.


    He had to make a decision.


    Call for the sages at the borders?


    No. Sage Arus was in Blue Castle for a reason. If even one of the border sages left their post, other monsters would flood the empire.


    With no one to stop them, they would destroy everything.


    Run?


    Not an option.


    Ask for outside help?


    But from who?


    His father was gone. The other sages were already locked in battle.


    They were too vulnerable.


    And worst of all¡ª


    If he called for help, whoever came might just steal the panther¡¯s body instead.


    Octavian¡¯s mind raced, weighing his options¡ªall while dodging the wolf¡¯s relentless attacks.


    After all that thinking, he was left with one option.


    Ask for help¡ª but only from one person.


    And bind him with a mana contract.


    That way, betrayal would be impossible, and what was happening inside the empire would stay a secret.


    A sage? No.


    Too weak to make a difference.


    Someone from another empire? Absolutely not.


    He ran through names in his head.


    Nihili? Too far.


    Ombra? That son of a bitch can¡¯t be trusted.


    That left only one choice.


    Sylvester.


    Last he heard, the man was in the Dead Sea.


    Octavian pressed his fingers against his ring, channeling his will through the intricate marks etched into it. His consciousness flickered through the many personal will marks he had placed over the years¡ªuntil he found the one he was looking for.


    Sylvester.


    A fellow Sovereign. A wildcard. And, more importantly, someone who wasn¡¯t tied to any empire.


    He focused, sending a simple message through the connection:


    "Care for a deal?"


    Minutes passed. Octavian frowned. Had Sylvester wandered too far? There were places in this world where messages like these couldn¡¯t reach


    Just as he was about to curse his luck, the ring vibrated. A voice, casual and laced with amusement, echoed in his mind.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Well, well. To what do I owe this pleasure? The mighty Octavian, reaching out to little old me?"


    Octavian exhaled sharply. Sylvester¡¯s way of speaking had always been¡­ irritating.


    "I need to make a deal," he said bluntly.


    "Oh? And what exactly are you offering?"


    "A Level 5 Earth Rune."


    Silence.


    Then, after a few seconds, Sylvester spoke again¡ªthis time, his voice carried a note of disbelie


    "A Level 5 Earth Rune!!!? Is this a joke?."


    "A mana contract," Octavian clarified. "Do you accept or not?"


    More silence.


    Then: "For what?"


    Octavian didn¡¯t hesitate. His tone was sharp, firm.


    "First, you accept this contract. No information about our conversation will be shared with anyone not even a hint. If you refuse, you are forbidden from approaching this empire in your current condition. If you do, your will rune will be destroyed."


    He placed his hand over the ring and spoke the final words of binding.


    "I, Octavian Julius Imperius, offer this contract, with the will of the world as my witness."


    The ring pulsed. The contract formed.


    A long pause.


    Then, finally, Sylvester let out a low chuckle.


    "Hah¡­ You must be desperate."


    Another brief pause.


    "Fine. I accept."


    The ring glowed once more, sealing the deal.


    Then, Sylvester¡¯s voice came through again, dripping with curiosity.


    "Now, tell me, Octavian¡ªwhat kind of mess have you dragged me into this time?"


    "There are two Sovereign Beasts in the empire right now. I need your help to kill them."


    A loud chuckle echoed through the ring.


    "Hah! And you¡¯re only offering one Level 5 Rune?"


    "Make it two," Sylvester added, his tone playful but firm.


    "Fuck off."


    "Come on, Octavian. That¡¯s at least four Runes¡¯ worth of trouble."


    Octavian clenched his jaw. He didn¡¯t have time for this.


    Sylvester hummed. "Tell you what¡ªI''ll choose one of them. But only after you pick first. Deal?"


    Octavian exhaled sharply, thinking for a moment. Then, without another word, he created a second contract and sent it through the ring.


    A few seconds later, the connection pulsed. Sylvester had accepted.


    "Alright, alright. Now we''re talking. So, how long do I have?"


    "How fast can you get here?"


    "Three to four hours."


    "Good. Sending you the exact location now."


    Octavian focused, channeling the coordinates through the ring. But before he cut the connection, he switched his focus to another mark¡ªhis brother¡¯s.


    Marcus.


    Farther north, Marcus received the message Octavian had sent.


    "So that old bastard finally died, huh?" he muttered under his breath.


    For a brief moment, a flicker of sorrow passed through his eyes, but it didn''t last. He turned toward the others, relaying the information.


    The reactions varied¡ªshock, anger, disbelief. But mostly, rage.


    Then, Victry spoke, his voice laced with frustration. "You offered a Level 5 Rune to Sylvester?"


    Marcus didn¡¯t even bother to look at him. "That¡¯s none of your business."


    But Victry wasn¡¯t letting it go. "Your father promised us one of those Runes. If Sylvester gets here and fails to kill one of the wolves, we¡¯ll be left with only two runes belonging to the panther. One for them, going to your brother and one for sylvester. And what the hell are we supposed to get out of this, huh?"


    Marcus¡¯s patience snapped. He turned, his voice rising. "And what do you expect me to do, you old bastard? If he doesn¡¯t get here, we¡¯re all going to die! And then¡ª"


    A shadow flickered.


    Marcus barely managed to dodge as a dark tendril slashed past him, nearly slicing him in half.


    His heart pounded.


    The damn monster.


    He forgot h¨¦ could understand them .


    And now, it was pushing harder.


    Victry swallowed his anger, forcing himself to think. There had to be another way to turn this situation in his favor.


    Then, he remembered something.


    Marcus had mentioned that the Emperor¡¯s fight was far to the south¡ªfar enough that it would take him a long time to return here.


    A slow, dirty smile crept onto Victry¡¯s face.


    Without speaking a word, Victry turned his gaze to his daughter, Flavia, and sent a will message directly into her mind.


    "My dear Flavia."


    "What do you want?" she snapped, her tone sharp, even in thought.


    "How would you like the chance to gain a Level 5 will rune?"


    He knew his daughter well. Her ambition, her greed¡ªand her hate.


    And then she responded.


    He felt the brief hesitation in her mind. Interest. Ambition. And under it all, that burning resentment she carried so well.


    "And how exactly do you suggest we do that?" she asked, barely sparing him a thought as she twisted away from a claw strike, her blade flashing against the beast¡¯s hide. "We¡¯re barely keeping ourselves alive here."


    Victry¡¯s smirk was almost tangible through the link. "Exactly."


    She blocked another attack, but she could feel it now¡ªthe satisfaction bleeding from his mind into hers.


    "The Emperor is far south," he continued. "He can¡¯t turn back, not with the other wolf keeping him there. And as for the others?" A pause, a sense of cruel amusement. "They¡¯ll have to manage. Marcus is here, after all."


    Flavia finally turned her gaze to him, her expression unreadable.


    "That monster was a Sovereign. Its Will Rune is at Level 5. How do you expect to break through it?"


    Victry let out a low chuckle. "Smart girl. But he was a new Sovereign, remember?" His tone was smooth, coaxing. "And of course, that¡¯s the tricky part. But tell me¡ªwhat is our family known for?"


    She didn¡¯t answer, but she didn¡¯t have to.


    "The Will Spell," he continued, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "My Will Rune is almost at Level 5. And with yours?" He hummed in thought, as if calculating. "Together¡­ our chances? Around fifty percent."


    He let that sink in before pressing further.


    "It¡¯s a risk, but one worth taking. If I win that Will Battle, my Will Rune will evolve. That¡¯s all I need. And once I have that¡ªalong with the Level 5 Earth Rune¡­" He leaned in slightly, his mental voice lowering into a hushed promise. "I will become a Sovereign myself. No one will be able to stop us."


    Flavia remained silent, her blade spinning in her grip, her mind working through the possibilities. Then, after a long moment, she gave a slow nod.


    "Fine. But I¡¯m taking the other rune."


    Victry chuckled, smug and indulgent. "Hhh, of course."

 Trap?

    As the nine nobles continued their desperate battle against the wolf, Flavia and Victry watched, waiting for their moment to slip away.


    "Are you sure they can hold it back?" Flavia asked, her voice sharp but hushed.


    Victry smirked. "Not entirely. The beast will probably start dragging them south soon¡­ but it¡¯ll take time."


    They kept fighting alongside the others, masking their intentions. Every strike, every movement was calculated¡ªuntil the opportunity arrived.


    The moment Marcus stepped close enough, Victry struck.


    Lightning crackled as it surged through Marcus¡¯s body, paralyzing him for a few seconds.


    The wolf didn¡¯t hesitate. Seeing the sudden weakness, it lunged at Marcus¡ªbut two other nobles reacted in time, barely managing to save him.


    "VICTRY!!" Marcus roared, rage and confusion flooding his voice. "What the fuck are you doing?!"


    But as he turned, they were already gone.


    Flavia and Victry were flying south, racing toward their true target.


    It took Marcus only seconds to put the pieces together. His mind reeled, but the realization hit like a hammer.


    They were after the dead beast¡¯s body.


    "Those damn bastards¡ª!"


    The other nobles were furious, their expressions dark with betrayal. One of them even tried to break formation to chase after them, but Marcus held him back.


    "No! We¡¯re already barely holding on!"


    And he was right.


    With only seven of them left, the wolf began pushing harder.


    The temperature plummeted, dropping hundreds of degrees below zero in an instant.


    Frost spread like a living thing, coating the battlefield in thick layers of ice. The air itself became razor-sharp, every breath burning their lungs with cold.


    It was no longer just an attack.


    The beast showed his other rune in level 5.


    An Ice Rune¡ª


    The nobles struggled to move, their limbs stiffening as the frost crept up their bodies. Dodging was becoming nearly impossible. Their movements slowed, their attacks sluggish.


    And the wolf?


    It was faster than ever.


    Marcus send a message to his brother asking him to do something


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Octavian¡¯s fury burned hotter than his lightning, but he had no time to dwell on it.


    In that split second of distraction, the wolf¡¯s claws tore through him.


    Pain exploded through his body as his vision blurred.


    His hand¡ªgone.


    ¡°Aghhh!!¡±


    Gritting his teeth, he forced distance between them, retaliating with a burst of fire and lightning. The beast recoiled, snarling, but Octavian knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    Without hesitation, he poured nearly 20% of his mana into his Life Rune, triggering a regeneration spell. Flesh knit itself together at an unnatural speed, bone reforming, muscle reconnecting. The pain was unbearable, but he endured it.


    The battle resumed, but this time, Octavian was more careful.


    He couldn''t afford another mistake.


    His mind raced as he sent another urgent message to Sylvester. ¡°Silvestre, get here. Now.".¡±


    For a brief moment, he even considered breaking away, trying to return north¡ªbut the wolf didn¡¯t allow it.


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    It blocked his every move, matching him step for step, forcing him to stay in this frozen battlefield.


    And then it hit him.


    Why?


    He had been the one dragging the beast south¡ªso why was octavian so determined to go back north now ?


    Whatever was happening up north, the wolf thaught that it won''t b¨¦ a good thing for him.


    Nemsus, Nero, and Delilah sat in silence, their eyes locked on each other.


    Nemsus finally broke it, his voice low but firm. "Guys, we have to move. There hasn''t been a sound from outside for almost half an hour now."


    Nero exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah¡­ I was thinking the same thing."


    Delilah didn¡¯t speak right away. She just looked at both of them, her fingers gripping the fabric of her clothes. "And if it''s worse out there than we think?"


    Nemsus shook his head. "Then waiting here won¡¯t make it any better."


    Ok then let''s move Nero responded


    Nemsus took lunia on his shoulder and started moving east with Nero and delilah


    As they steped a few steps, leaving the shelter behind, the ruins of the orphanage came into view. The sight was grim¡ªcollapsed walls, shattered wood, and the faint smell of smoke lingering in the air.


    Nemsus took a step forward, but then he froze.


    A sound.


    Faint, muffled, coming from beneath the rubble. A voice¡ªhoarse, weak, but unmistakably human.


    ¡°Help¡­!¡±


    The others heard it too. Delilah¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Roan¡­?¡±


    Nero turned to her in shock. ¡°He¡¯s still alive?¡±


    ¡°I thought he was dead after Gaius and the wolf started fighting¡­¡± Delilah admitted, a mix of curiosity and disbelief in her voice.


    Nero let out a breath, shaking his head. ¡°Honestly¡­ I forgot about him too.¡±


    Nemsus didn¡¯t wait for more discussion. He rushed forward, pushing aside broken beams and stone. His hands bled from the sharp edges, but he didn¡¯t stop. As he cleared away more debris, the source of the voice became clear¡ªa pocket of space beneath the wreckage, the remnants of an underground room.


    The walls had barely held up, supported by a thick chunk of ice that had frozen over a collapsed section, keeping it from caving in completely. In the middle of that space was Roan¡ªpale, terrified, but alive.


    As soon as Roan saw them, a weak, breathless laugh escaped his lips. ¡°You¡­ bastards¡­ hhhh¡­ You really forgot about me?¡±


    Nero was still staring in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re alive¡­?¡±


    Roan scoffed, still catching his breath. ¡°You bastards¡­ hhhh¡­ You really forgot about me?¡± His voice was weak, but the smirk on his face showed he wasn¡¯t entirely upset¡ªjust exhausted.


    Nemsus looked away, ashamed. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    Roan sighed, leaning against the rubble. ¡°Well, lucky for me, the underground walls held up for a while. And when they started collapsing, I used ice to hold them¡­ but my mana was running low. If you guys had shown up two minutes later¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish the sentence, but they all understood.


    Nero thought about how much Roan was talking¡ªmore than usual. Almost dying must make even someone like him open up.


    After all, he wasn''t really a man that talks much even Viser had forgotten about him.


    As they helped Roan out of the rubble, a heavy silence settled between them. No one really knew what to say.


    Finally, Nero broke it. ¡°We need to move. Now.¡±


    Nemsus adjusted Lunia on his back, Roan pushed himself upright despite his exhaustion, and the group, now whole again, prepared to leave.


    ¡°Wait¡­ do you see that?¡± roan muttered.


    Delilah followed his gaze, her eyes widening as two figures appeared in the sky. The first was unmistakable¡ªDuke Victry. But the woman beside him? She was unfamiliar.


    Nemsus tensed. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡±


    Without another word, they rushed back inside the shel, keeping low. Their hearts pounded as they watched from the shadows, unsure if they¡¯d been spotted.


    Meanwhile, high above, Flavia¡¯s eyes flicked toward the distant figures. ¡°Kids?¡± she mused, barely interested.


    Victry, however, didn¡¯t even spare them a glance. ¡°They can wait. We have more important things to do.¡±


    Victry and Flavia stood over the dead beast¡¯s body, their eyes gleaming with greed.


    Without hesitation, Victry reached into his ring, pulling out a sword.


    As he stepped forward, his movements deliberate, almost reverent.


    Then, with a few strikes , he sliced open the creature¡¯s chest.


    Blood spilled onto the ground as he reached inside, fingers closing around the Eny nestled within its heart.


    A white, glowing sphere. The monster''s Eny. A triumphant laugh escaped his lips.


    A deep, satisfied laugh rumbled from his throat. ¡°Finally.¡±


    Flavia, standing beside him, narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you sure our chances are 50%?¡±


    Victry smirked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t.


    In reality, their chances were closer to 20%. But there was no way he was telling her that.


    He was at the end of his prime¡ªten years left, at best. This was his only chance.


    If he became a sovereing he will get a few more hindred years


    The truth was, he had lied about becoming a Sovereign immediately. It wasn¡¯t that simple.


    He still lacked one final requirement.


    But with the Level 5 Earth Rune¡ªthe rarest and most difficult to obtain¡ªeverything else could be figured out later.


    "Go on, then," flavia said, her voice practically dripping with excitement. Victry wasted no time.


    You know how the spell works right ?


    Yeah i used it before when i was younger she replaid


    "Hhhhhh." Raising his hand, he started weaving a spell. "Come, flavia."


    The two of themn knelt beside the Eny, their postures shifting into a meditative stance. Each grasped one of the other''s hands, while their free hands pressed firmly against the sphere.


    "Remember," Victry muttered, his voice tense. "Push as hard as you can. Even if the beasts have weaker wills than humans, this one was still a level above us."


    From their hiding spot, Nero and the others watched as two persons appeard and stopped over the dead monster''s body


    They kept watching as they took a meditave posture .


    Then they stopped taking


    "What are they doing?" Nemsus asked, his voice low with unease.


    Nero stared at Victry and Flavia, his eyes narrowing as he tried to make sense of it.


    "They¡­ They¡¯re trying to break the Will that stayed in the Eny," he said slowly.


    It was a guess. But it was the only thing that made sense.


    He had never heard of two people attacking a Will Rune inside an Eny together. It was always an individual battle of Willpower.


    But there was no other explanation.


    For a few minutes nothing happened. Then


    the expressions on Victry and Flavia''s faces twisted into something unnatural. Their skin turned deathly pale.

 A will battle

    They lost? Nero thought, his heart pounding.


    But he quickly dismissed the idea.


    If they had lost, they would be dead.


    Another minute passed-then a sudden, horrific scream.


    Both of them collapsed. Victry lay motionless, his body unnervingly still.


    Flavia gasped for air, her limbs trembling, barely clinging to consciousness.


    Nemsus turned to Nero. "What happened?"


    Nero''s eyes were locked onto the fallen pair, emotions flickering across his face-anger, satisfaction, and hesitation.


    "I think they lost a Will Battle while trying to consume the beast''s Eny."


    His mind raced through the possibilities. The Will Rune was the core of a being''s consciousness-its thoughts, its memories, its will. It was also the key to controlling mana. If shattered completely, death was inevitable.


    He had never heard of two people attempting a Will Battle together, but he remembered Viser mentioning that man-Duke Victry. He was just a Sage. Which meant...


    "He actually tried to consume the Eny of a Sovereign''s eny with the will still in it while still a Sage?" Nero scoffed, shaking his head.


    "Idiot."


    His gaze shifted to flavia.


    He hadn¡¯t seen her before, but he doubted she was a Sovereing, after all sovereings don''t grow on trees


    She was barely moving


    She looked alive, but broken. A Will Battle always ended with one Will Rune being destroyed. That meant one of three things:


    1. The monster''s will won, which was impossible since Flavia was still breathing.


    2. They somehow won, but both were gravely injured.but again victry wasn''t moving at all


    3. Victry died, and the women survived, barely


    Nero''s eyes narrowed, realization clicking into place. They must have won. The monster''s Will Rune is gone. But they were at least both enjured


    If one of them was dead, then even if the other survived, his Will Rune was probably damaged.


    This was a chance.


    A rescky one


    A chance to get three enys with at least one in level five


    The greed started rising in Nero that was to much to mess


    He glanced at Delilah. She met his gaze and nodded. She had reached the same conclusion.


    Without hesitation, the two of them launched themselves toward the fallen bodies.


    "Come on, Nemsus. Bring Lunia and follow me," Nero said, his voice tense as he moved as fast as he can


    Nemsus didn¡¯t fully understand what was happening, but he didn¡¯t waste time asking questions. He lifted Lunia onto his shoulders, adjusting her weight carefully before following Nero and Delilah. Roan trailed behind him, his steps cautious but steady.


    Nero where are you going ?


    Nero didn''t under h¨¦ just kept running


    As they approached, the scene became clearer.


    Victry was on his back, blood streaming from his eyes, ears, and mouth. His body wasn''t moving. Nearby, the woman struggled to rise, but her limbs refused to obey her.


    A wild grin spread across Nero¡¯s face.


    It couldn¡¯t have turned out any better


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    Only one dee? Nero said while Looking towards victry


    Flavia was still holding her head triying to figure out what what just happend


    She started remembering the moment they arrived here


    She grabbed her father¡¯s hand, then reached out with her other to touch the monster¡¯s Eny.


    For a moment, she hesitated. A shared Will Battle? The spell worked on lower-level Enys, but she had never heard of anyone attempting it against a Sovereign.


    But the reward was too great to ignore.


    A Level 5 Rune¡­ a path to becoming a Sovereign.


    Her greed outweighed her doubts.


    Failure meant death. Even if they succeeded, they would only have one new sovereing and a sage.


    With Sylvestre, octavian and the other sages as enemies, their survival was far from guaranteed. They had to win the Will Battle fast¡ªthen escape.


    Her plan was simple. Once she was free, she would seek out another Sovereign and trade the Time Rune for a Level 5 Rune that matched one of her own.


    With that, she could evolve one of her Level 4 Runes to Level 5.


    If she was unlucky, she might end up with a low rune¡ªbut in that case, she could demand extra benefits to make up for it.


    Or, if fortune favored her, she might find a soverieng that posess a high rune. After all, she was about to extract a Time Rune¡ªone of the rarest Runes in existence.


    She was going to become a Sovereign.


    She would finally take her revenge on Octavian¡ªthe bastard who had chosen another woman over her.


    After he had promised to marry her.


    And after that, she would kill her father. After everything he had put her through, he didn''t deserve to live.


    This was her chance. She had to take it.


    The Will Battle began.


    She felt it immediately.


    Her Will merging with her father''s, forging something stronger, something unified. A will that can almoust reach a the next level


    It worked !!! She smiled


    A surge of confidence filled her, the weight of their combined power intoxicating.


    They were stronger together, their Wills synchronized in perfect harmony.


    Their Wills were similar, making the fusion smoother¡ªan advantage in battle.


    But it wasn¡¯t exactly a comforting thought.


    After all, she hated him.


    They attacked. Their joined Will crashed against the beast''s, pressing forward, trying to tear it apart. But something was wrong. The monster''s Will. it was stronger than expected.


    A chill ran down Flavia''s spine as their momentum faltered. Their faces paled.


    The Will shouldn''t have been this powerful.


    Or maybe¡­ they had underestimated what it truly meant to be a Sovereign.


    Beast Wills were usually weaker than a human''s, and a dead Will was supposed to be even more fragile. But that only applied when fighting something of equal level.


    This was different.


    Yet, they were holding on.


    The battle turned brutal. Their Wills clashed, pushing, striking, trying to tear each other apart. The beast¡¯s resistance was relentless¡ªevery attack they landed was met with an equally vicious counter.


    And through it all, they could feel it.


    Fragments of its memories.


    Echoes of its rage.


    The sheer hatred that had burned within the beast in life still lingered, refusing to fade, refusing to surrender.


    They fought relentlessly, their Wills clashing over and over, neither side gaining the upper hand. Minutes stretched on in a brutal deadlock, but then¡ªit happened.


    The beast¡¯s Will began to fracture.


    Cracks spread through its essence like splintering glass, its once-unyielding presence starting to unravel. It was weakening. They were winning.


    But just as it was about to shatter completely, something changed.


    The beast¡¯s Will twisted, its essence surging with a final, desperate decision. It wasn¡¯t going to fade quietly¡ªit was going to explode.


    A violent force swelled from within, its Will raging and expanding, ready to consume everything in its wake. They felt it¡ªthe raw, unrelenting hatred, the final moments of the beast¡¯s life flashing through their minds. Its battle with Gaius, its refusal to die alone.


    This wasn¡¯t just resistance.


    It was a suicidal Will, determined to take them with it.


    A surge of sheer destruction pulsed through its breaking Will, ready to detonate and take them down with it.


    That¡¯s why understanding how an Eny¡¯s owner died was crucial¡ªtheir final emotions could shape the very nature of what you¡¯d face.


    If their Will Runes had been strong enough, they could have ignored it. But they weren¡¯t. They were just two Level 4 Wills forced together, and now, with the beast¡¯s Will on the verge of detonation, their chances of survival had dropped to barely 1 or 2%.


    And even if they survived¡­ their Wills would be damaged.


    Flavia''s heart pounded. She would not die here. Not after Evry thing she went through


    In a split second, she made her choice. She ripped herself away, severing the link between her and her father''s Will.


    "What the hell are you doing?!" Victry screamed, hir voice raw with desperation.


    "We might die," she heard him say , his tone steady despite the chaos. ", but together, we have a better chance."


    The battlefield was closing in around them. The two Wills were too close almost locked in a fight that wouldn¡¯t end until one of them fell. But Flavia, determined to push her father¡¯s will further, to protect her self and gain a better chance to survive, made a desperate move.to break the link and hide using her father''s will as a shield


    Victry''s will faught hard to do something to run to emerge again but failed as the other will was faiting it back


    but it was too late


    The beast¡¯s Will Rune exploded. A surge of power ripped through the air, shattering everything in its path. Victry¡¯s own Will Rune was obliterated completely. Even though Flavia took the brunt of the blast, her Will Rune wasn¡¯t spared¡ªit cracked, splintering into a fractured, unstable mess.


    When Flavia regained consciousness, the world around her was distorted. Her vision swam, her head throbbed like it was being split open. The pain was unbearable. Worse, with her Will Rune almost destroyed, she couldn¡¯t even move, let alone control her mana.


    She forced herself to stay calm. It wouldn¡¯t take long before her Will Rune started to recover¡ªnot fully, but enough for her to take the enys and run. She just had to endure.


    Then, as she forced her blurry eyes open, she saw a shadow¡ªa figure rushing toward her, getting closer and closer.

 Nero!

    Flavia¡¯s heart pounded violently as a chilling realization struck her¡ªthe children hiding nearby.


    No, no. Calm yourself. They¡¯re just mages. They can¡¯t hurt me.


    She tried to move again, but her body refused to respond. No matter how much she willed it, neither her limbs nor her mana obeyed.


    Nero and Delilah approached cautiously, their eyes scanning the surroundings for anything they could use to finish the job. And then they saw it.


    A sword¡ªVictry¡¯s sword, the one he had used to carve open the beast¡¯s heart. Nearby, one of the beast¡¯s massive teeth lay among the rubble.


    Delilah stepped forward without hesitation, gripping the sword before turning toward the women''s unmoving form.


    But Nero stopped her


    "You take him," Nero said, pointing toward Victry''s lifeless body.


    Delilah was silent for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, without a word, she turned toward the corpse, her steps slow and deliberate.


    Nero, however, turned to Nemsus. His voice was steady but firm.


    ¡°Cover her eyes.¡±


    He was referring to lunia.


    Grabbing a jagged beast tooth, Nero walked toward Flavia.


    The Duke was already dead¡ªnot worth his hatred. Delilah could handle that. But Flavia? She was still alive.


    Barely.


    Her body lay limp, unresponsive, her mana in complete disarray. She could feel almost nothing, control nothing.


    Her vision was blurred, her hearing distant, but then, through the fog of her fading mind, she saw the shadow approaching.


    The boy.


    For a fleeting moment, lost in the haze of her fading thoughts.


    A surge of bitter amusement filled her. She knew exactly what had happened here.


    But as the shadow stepped closer, as his vision sharpened just enough, the realization flooded his mind: She recognized what he was holding.


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    In an instant, her amusement twisted into sheer terror.


    She understood what was comming.


    Her breath hitched even more as she struggled, desperately willing her limbs to move. But they refused to obey.


    Nero¡¯s face twisted into a terrifying grin.


    It wasn¡¯t just about gaining three Enys to make himself stronger. No, the real prize was vengeance.


    Viser''s.


    She wasn¡¯t the one who had killed him, but she had stood with those who did. Gaius was already dead¡ªout of his reach. But Flavia? She was right here. Helpless.


    She would pay in his place.


    Nero leaped onto her, his hands trembling with rage, his breath ragged.


    Flavia tried to scream, but she couldn¡¯t. She watched in Terror as the stabbing began.


    The jagged tooth pierced her stomach, then her chest.


    The son of a bitch was enjoying it.


    Once.


    Twice.


    Again. And again. And again.


    Flavia could feel the deep, sickening pain blooming in her gut, but she couldn¡¯t even cry out.


    Her mana was shattered, her nerves failing, her thoughts scattered.


    She wanted to fight back, but she couldn¡¯t. She wanted to beg, but he couldn¡¯t. All she could do was feel it.


    The tooth sinking deeper and deeper into her flesh reaching her heart.


    Then the stabbing stopped. Nero dropped the tooth and instead pushed his hands into the wound, searching for something.


    He dug into the torn flesh, pressing deeper and deeper.


    Flavia felt it all¡ªher shattered heart being pulled out of her chest.


    And then the tug, the terrible, sickening pull.


    She watched helplessly as her own Eny was ripped from her body, her existence erased in the hands of a child fueled by nothing but hatred.


    And then¡ªnothing.


    She died.


    Even through the weight of his sorrow, a dark thrill coursed through him.


    It had been years since he last killed. Too long. And despite everything¡­ it felt good.


    He had stopped for Viser.


    He didn¡¯t need to. He didn¡¯t want to.


    But now that Viser was gone¡­ who was left to hold him back?


    Why shouldn¡¯t he kill them all?


    Every bastard who had a hand in this¡ªhe would hunt them down. One by one.


    As he turned to his sister, he found her in the same blood-soaked state as him.


    Victry¡¯s lifeless body lay beneath her knees, motionless. In one hand, she gripped a sword; in the other, a white sphere, its blade gleaming in the dim light.


    Even drenched in blood, she was as beautiful as ever.


    With a smile that mirrored his, she turned towards him.


    But just as quickly as it appeared, the smile vanished, her face returning to its usual, unreadable calm.


    Then he turned towards Nemsus and roan, as they were standing behind him.


    He found them frozen in shock, eyes wide at the sight before them.


    Was that fear,


    But why?


    Nero instinctively touched his own face¡ªonly to realize he had been smiling. He quickly erased it.


    He was too much focused on the dead women, he totaly forgot about them


    Delilah stepped forward, silently placing two Enys in Nero¡¯s hands¡ªthe beast¡¯s and Victry¡¯s.


    Without a word, he took a part of his shirt and wrapped them there in, his grip tightening around the fabric. Then, he looked up at Delilah, his voice low and steady.


    "What now?" Nero asked, his voice cold.


    "They''re going to hunt us down," Delilah said. "We need to run."


    Nemsus hesitated, his expression tense, as if about to ask something. But Delilah had already turned, her gaze fixed on the distant mountains.


    "Somewhere they¡¯ll never find us."


    She looked at her brother waiting for him to say something witch he did


    Looking at nemsus and roan he said


    We do not have an option not after what i did , and we better start Moving soon


    They wanted to say something but didn''t


    Delilah understood what Nero wanted to say and then she started Moving

 Five of them

    Five kids sprinted toward the mountains, like their lives depended on it.


    Because it was.


    After some minutes they were passing through the ruings of the village


    "Was that really necessary?" Rolan huffed, glancing back. "We could''ve just run. Those battles were far enough!"


    "And let those bastards escape?" Nero shot back, his voice sharp. "Not a chance."


    "Look around you."


    They did.


    Everywhere, the buildings were destroyed some of the places were still burning


    the ground was littered with bodies¡ªmen, women,children. The scent of blood hung thick in the air. The world they once knew was gone.


    Lunia thrashed against Nemsus, trying to break free. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled, her gaze locked onto her mother¡¯s lifeless body or at least a part of it.


    "Let me go!" she screamed. "Let me down!"


    But Nemsus held on, his grip firm. His face was tight with frustration


    "What do you think is gonna happen when they find us, huh?" Nero snapped, his voice trembling. "You want to die here too?"


    Roan didn¡¯t answer. He just kept his silence.


    Then Nero spoke again, his voice calm¡ªtoo calm.


    "Let me tell you what happened here."


    Something in the way he said it sent a shiver down Roan¡¯s spine. It wasn¡¯t just the words. It was the weight behind them, the certainty of someone who had already made peace with a terrible truth.


    "Three Sovereign Beasts attacked the empire," Nero continued, his voice steady, but underneath, something sharp, something bitter, bled through every word. "The great and courageous Sage Arus sacrificed his life to hold them back for as long as he could, buying time for the old emperor and his son to arrive."


    He paused, his gaze sweeping over the ruined village. Smoke still curled into the sky, thick and acrid, carrying the scent of charred wood and death. The echoes of screams still seemed to linger in the air, though the voices had long since been silenced.


    "And when they got here," Nero went on, his tone hollow, "they found nothing but destruction."


    A dark smirk tugged at his lips, but there was no amusement in it. Only something cold. Something dead.


    "Fueled by rage, they fought bravely. They struck down one of the monsters. And the old emperor¡ªoh, the noble, selfless ruler¡ªsacrificed his life to avenge his beloved people. Even against three Sovereign Beasts, he stood his ground, knowing he would not leave that battlefield alive."


    Nero let out a slow breath, his expression unreadable. His voice, however, carried no admiration. Only quiet, simmering contempt.


    "And even then," he continued, "his son, the new emperor, despite knowing of his father¡¯s death, still fought on. Still endured. Still won. He saved the empire."


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    He paused, glancing at the others, watching the way their faces tightened, the way their silence deepened.


    "There will be ceremonies," he went on, his tone growing colder. "Grand, opulent ceremonies, singing the praises of the glorious Gaius Julius Imperius. His name will be etched into history. Statues will be raised. Songs will be written. And his son, the emperor, will stand before his people and deliver a solemn speech. A tragedy, truly."


    The words dripped with something bitter¡ªsomething cruel.


    "He¡¯ll speak of sacrifice. Of duty. He¡¯ll thank his father for giving his life to protect the empire. The people will mourn. They will bow their heads, weep for their fallen hero."


    His jaw tightened.


    "They will remember him."


    A heavy silence followed. The kind that pressed down on the soul, leaving no room to breathe.


    But not us, Nero thought.


    Not Viser.


    Not the nameless, forgotten dead who had bled for his children.


    Or maybe not


    His voice dipped lower, words slow and deliberate.


    "And us?"


    Nero turned his head slightly, glancing at them from the corner of his eye. His expression was unreadable, but his gaze burned with cold fury.


    "We won¡¯t even be mentioned. Why?"


    Silence. No one answered.


    "Because we¡¯re just numbers," Nero finally said, his voice like a blade. "Casualties to make those damn nobles seem braver."


    The words hit like a blow. No one argued. No one tried to deny it.


    "And that¡¯s after they kill us, of course."


    The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating. Even as they ran, the truth of his words wrapped around their throats like a noose.


    Nero clenched his fists. Those damn bastards would probably twist Viser¡¯s name too. Make him out to be a traitor. Say he had aided the beasts, had turned against his own people.


    A man who had given everything¡ªhis name, his home, his life¡ªreduced to nothing more than a scapegoat.


    But Nero held his tongue.


    For Nemsus.


    He didn¡¯t need to hear that.


    As they passed the village they enterd a small forest thiere gaze still mocking at the montens or more spessifcly a cole


    The only passage for miles lay where two towering peaks of the Song Mountains flanked a narrow gap¡ªthe lowest point in the range. It was still steep enough to require a climb, but it was their best chance to cross quickly before their pursuers caught up.


    Delilah was the one leading them toward the col. Nero trusted her with that¡ªshe had always been fascinated by geography, and if anyone knew where they were going, it was her.


    Roan, breathless but still wary, finally spoke. "And once we pass that point? Where do we go then?"


    Delilah glanced back briefly before turning her focus forward again. "We''ll end up in the Murkmire Woods. After that¡­ we''ll see. But remember that''s a red zone we could meet ascendant beasts so stay calm and keep Moving beside the montens towards the south were gonna look for a Shelter to rest"


    They kept moving, their pace urgent, pushing forward toward whatever lay ahead. But as they reached what remained of Bluecastle¡ªor at least, what little was left of it¡ªan eerie silence settled over them.


    Bodies Everywhere.


    It was as if they had stepped back into the ruins of the village, the same devastation, the same overwhelming stench of death. They kept running, but Nero¡¯s eyes darted around, scanning the wreckage. He had a feeling¡­ and he was right.


    A few bodies looked stronger then the other''s h¨¦ collected some Enys.


    He stopped for half a minute, just long enough to collect three of them.


    He wanted to search for Sage Arus¡¯s body too, to see if anything remained of the man who had held back the Sovereign Beasts. But there was no time. If the fight ended before they got far enough, someone else would come looking for them.


    For now, they just had to survive.


    The landscape grew harsher as they neared the pass but the twilight sky above provided little warmth, and the wind howled through the rocky crevices, carrying the scent of damp earth and distant greenery.


    As they moved farther from the heart of the twilight zone, the temperature began to drop. The once-balanced warmth faded, replaced by a creeping cold that seeped into their bones. The further they''re gone, the dim twilight above struggled to reach them, its light swallowed by the towering cliffs and thickening mist.


    As they reached the top they looked down from the col, the forest stretched endlessly, its dense canopy forming a tangled roof overhead. Dark, twisted trees stood like silent sentinels, their roots gripping the earth like claws. Shadows pooled between their gnarled trunks, and the deeper one looked, the more the world seemed to vanish into darkness¡ªas i


    f the forest itself was devouring the last remnants of light.

 Ascendants

    As they made their way down the col, their steps grew more cautious. The path was treacherous¡ªsteep, uneven, and riddled with loose stones that shifted unpredictably beneath their feet. Every step sent small cascades of gravel tumbling down, the sound barely audible over the howling wind.


    The descent was slow and tense, every movement deliberate. Nearly half an hour passed before they were close to level ground again. Just twenty meters more. Almost there.


    Then it happened.


    Roan misstepped. His boot landed on a slick patch of rock, and before he could react, his footing gave way. His body lurched forward, arms flailing wildly as he lost control. The jagged ground rushed up to meet him.


    A sickening crack split the air.


    A scream followed¡ªsharp, raw, filled with agony.


    The others froze. Their instincts screamed at them to turn back, to check on him. But they couldn¡¯t see him from where they were, and the path was too unstable to rush down recklessly.


    So they kept moving, forcing themselves to keep descending. They had no choice.


    Nemsus was the first to reach him, his eyes wide with alarm as he dropped to his knees beside Roan. The boy lay sprawled on the rocky ground, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his face twisted in sheer agony.


    Blood soaked his sleeve, dark and glistening under the moonlight. The cause was clear¡ªbone jutted through torn flesh, stark white against the crimson that pooled over his arm. It wasn¡¯t just a break. It was a brutal, jagged fracture, the kind that made Nemsus¡¯s stomach twist at the sight.


    ¡°Shit¡ª¡± Nemsus muttered, reaching out instinctively before hesitating. Roan clenched his teeth, his whole body trembling as he cradled his ruined arm. The wound was bad. Too much blood. Too much exposed bone.


    Delilah arrived just behind Nemsus, but the moment her eyes landed on Roan¡¯s arm, her expression darkened. That kind of injury¡­ it wasn¡¯t something a simple healing spell could fix. No mage could just mend shattered bone like that.


    But she didn¡¯t hesitate. She knelt beside him, pressing her lips into a thin line before gripping his arm firmly. ¡°Hold still,¡± she warned.


    Then, without waiting, she forced the broken bone back into place.


    Roan screamed. His whole body convulsed from the sheer agony, but Delilah didn¡¯t let go. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she pushed her magic into him, trying to mend what she could. It wouldn¡¯t be perfect¡ªnowhere near¡ªbut at least she could slow the bleeding, keep him from slipping too close to death.


    When she finally pulled her hands away, the wound looked better, but only slightly. His skin was still torn, his arm still mangled, but the bleeding had lessened. Roan¡¯s face was ghostly pale, his breath shallow from the blood loss.


    ¡°It¡¯s the best I can do,¡± Delilah said, her voice tight. ¡°If we don¡¯t find real treatment soon¡­ he¡¯s going to lose that arm.¡±


    Roan¡¯s face somehow grew even paler at Delilah¡¯s words. His breathing was uneven, his body trembling from the pain and blood loss.


    Nero didn¡¯t let him dwell on it. ¡°We have to move,¡± he said sharply, his voice cutting through the tension. ¡°Do you remember where we are?¡±


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    No one argued. They couldn¡¯t afford to.


    Without waiting, Nero bent down, pulling Roan up to his feet. The boy staggered, barely managing to stand, but Nero held him steady. Then, without a word, he reached for Roan¡¯s injured arm.


    Darkness flickered around Nero¡¯s fingers, cold and consuming. He didn¡¯t have a spell to mask the scent of blood, but pure Darkness mana would do the same. The thick, metallic smell vanished almost instantly.


    ¡°That should keep them off our trail,¡± Nero muttered, watching as the tendrils of magic faded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Nero¡¯s voice was cold.


    Delilah had already turned her gaze back to the forest below, her grip tightening on her sword the one belonging to victry that she took.


    They couldn¡¯t afford to stop.


    Roan was shaking, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cold. Every movement sent fresh pain surging through him, but he gritted his teeth and stumbled forward. The others moved slower now, their steps more deliberate as Roan¡¯s strained breaths and occasional whimpers filled the silence.


    By the time they reached the tree line, the cold was unbearable. The twilight¡¯s last light barely touched the towering trees, their gnarled trunks swallowing what little warmth remained.


    Lunia¡¯s breaths were growing weaker.


    It was fresing below z¨¦ro in this Forst the light pretty dim and She was just a child, just a human¡ªwrapped in nothing but a thin, tattered shirt. Her small fingers had gone pale, her lips turning blue.


    Nemsus held her tighter. ¡°She¡¯s freezing.¡±


    They had to move faster


    But they stopped again.


    The sharp scent of blood hit the air as fresh crimson poured from Roan¡¯s arm, seeping through the hastily mended wound. Nero cursed under his breath and wiped the scent away again with dark mana, but it was clear¡ªthe injury was worse than they thought.


    Nemsus swallowed hard, his grip tightening around Hilda. "Keep moving." His voice was firm, but tension weighed heavy in his tone.


    Delilah said nothing. She just turned and stepped forward, her expression unreadable. The others followed, their movements stiff with exhaustion and unease. Their eyes flickered between the trees, scanning the shifting shadows stretching across the forest floor.


    They hugged the mountain¡¯s edge, the uneven terrain forcing them to tread carefully. Loose stones slid beneath their feet, and the cold gnawed at their skin. Hilda¡¯s shallow breaths against Nemsus¡¯ shoulder grew fainter with each step, her small frame unnervingly light in his grasp.


    Roan¡¯s arm¡­ it was turning a deep, ugly shade¡ªblack, blue, something in between. He was barely holding himself together, his breaths coming ragged and uneven.


    Nero moved to help him again.


    But before he could¡ª


    A rustle. A blur of movement.


    Then a snarl, low and guttural.


    And the sharp, snapping jaws of something lunging straight for Nemsus.


    Nemsus twisted at the last second, barely dodging the beast¡¯s strike. But Lunia¡ªstrapped to his back¡ªwasn¡¯t so lucky.


    Claws tore through the air, raking across her face. Her scream ripped through the night, sharp and agonized. Warm blood splattered against Nemsus¡¯ shoulder.


    Her left eye was gone.


    Nero was the first to respond. He moved fast, launching a fireball that slammed into the wolf¡¯s side, but the beast barely flinched. Snarling, it turned on Nemsus again.


    But Nemsus was already moving. Fueled by fury, he struck, forcing the creature back a step. For a split second, the wolf hesitated, its bloodied maw twisting as it adjusted¡ª


    Only to turn straight into Delilah.


    Her blade cut through it like butter. Clean. Effortless.


    The wolf barely had time to react before it collapsed, twitching, its lifeblood pooling beneath it.


    After all, the sword she wielded belonged to a Sage.


    Their expressions darkened. Nemsus tightened his grip on Lunia, hoisting her up again before breaking into a sprint. This time, his right arm clamped over her mouth, muffling her screams.


    The others followed, feet pounding against the rocky ground.


    Then¡ªmovement.


    Two more wolves burst from the trees, sprinting toward them.


    Nero¡¯s expression twisted, his mind racing. The scent of blood was drawing them in. Lunia¡¯s muffled screams weren¡¯t helping either.


    ¡°Tell her to shut the fuck up!¡± he shouted at Nemsus, who kept running.


    Nero¡¯s eyes locked onto the approaching wolves. He took them in properly this time¡ª


    Each one stood nearly three meters tall, their thick gray fur bristling under the moonlight. Long tails flicked behind them. Their piercing blue eyes gleamed with hunger, their jaws dripping with saliva.


    And the worst part?


    If the fire spells barely hurt th


    em¡­


    Then these weren¡¯t just wolves.


    They were Ascendants.

 I’m sorry.

    More wolves poured from the trees¡ªaround seven, maybe more. Their glowing eyes cut through the darkness, fixed on their prey. They were fast, too fast. Ascendants.


    The situation was getting worst


    Nemsus gritted his teeth, tightening his hold on lunia. She was making it harder to move, her weight dragging against his exhausted body not just that h¨¦ was holding back Moving too fast in this cold can hert her, her face was a mess, she was Stell bleeding.


    But he was still ahead¡ªstill leading the charge. He was an Ascendant too, after all.


    Delilah and Nero were behind him, throwing whatever they can at the wolfs


    Roan, however, was barely keeping up.


    He lagged behind, every step a struggle. His injuries from the fall had already drained him, and now, with the wolves closing in, survival was slipping further from his grasp.


    Nero didn¡¯t waste time. He hurled fireballs back at them, one after another. The flames flared bright against the night, forcing the wolves to halt.


    But this was taking his mana down in a fast rate


    They snarled, hesitating, Afraid.


    That was good. They¡¯d probably never encountered fire before. But it wouldn¡¯t last.


    They would figure it out soon. The moment they realized it couldn¡¯t truly hurt them.


    ¡°We won¡¯t make it,¡± Nero thought, his mind racing. His eyes darted in every direction, searching for a solution, but nothing¡ªnothing¡ªwould save them in time. The wolves were closing in.


    Soon, they would be upon them, and then¡­ it would be over.


    His gaze flicked to his sister. Delilah wasn¡¯t looking at him¡ªshe was watching Roan, struggling at the back of the group, barely keeping up. Then, slowly, she turned toward Nero.


    He reconized that expression


    He understood what she wanted to say


    No words were needed.


    He looked away from her and toward Nemsus, who was still leading the way, pushing forward.


    Nero exhaled sharply and turned back to Delilah again. ¡°Should I do it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said without hesitation. ¡°I will.¡±


    He clenched his jaw but nodded. ¡°then Wait,¡± he told her, then turned his focus to Nemsus.


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    ¡°Nemsus! Slow down!¡±


    Nemsus didn¡¯t argue. He only slowed his pace, his steps growing hesitant as he fell back slightly. His breath was heavy, his muscles screaming from exhaustion, but he still turned to Nero when he spoke.


    "Give her to me."


    Nemsus hesitated. Confusion flickered in his eyes


    why?


    Just do it whould you


    Nemsus was confused about what Nero exactly wanted to do but he still gived him the girl


    Lunia whimpered, her tiny fingers clutching at Nemsus¡¯ clothes even as she was pulled away. She was shaking¡ªwhether from pain, fear, or the bitter cold, he couldn¡¯t tell.


    Her face was pale, her breaths shallow, her face still bleeding, her body limp in Nero¡¯s arms who catched her


    Nero adjusted his hold, cradling her with one arm, his grip unyielding but steady. His gaze locked onto hers, dark and unwavering.


    "Endure this."


    His voice was low, steady¡ªan order, not a comfort.


    With his free hand, Nero pressed a flame against lunia''s wounded eye. Her skin blistered instantly. A piercing scream tore through the forest, raw and agonized.


    "What the hell are you doing?!" Nemsus shouted, his voice shaking with panic.


    "Stopping the bleeding, can''t you see?"


    "You could''ve just given her to Delilah!"


    "Delilah is a mage, Nemsus, not a miracle maker. We don¡¯t have that time!"


    Nemsus started cursing but h¨¦ didn''t pull her from him


    Delilah was in the back hurling shards of ice at the wolves, sharp as daggers, forcing them back with each strike. They were almost there triying to reach roan.


    Meanwhile, Nero pressed his hand against Lunia¡¯s ruined face, fire searing into her flesh.


    Her screams tore through the night, raw and agonized, each wail like a dagger to the ears.


    Too loud h¨¦ thaught


    She thrashed weakly, her body instinctively trying to push away from the source of the pain, but Nero held her firm. His jaw clenched, his mind focused on one thing¡ªstopping the bleeding.


    The acrid scent of burnt flesh filled the air, thick and suffocating. Nero grimaced and quickly channeled his Darkness mana, smothering the scent before it could spread. The last thing they needed was for the wolves to pick up the stench and grow more frenzied.


    Finally, he pulled back, his breathing heavy. He looked at the wound. It was an ugly sight¡ªtwisted, blackened skin where her left eye used to be. But it was done. The bleeding had stopped.


    Lunia''s body went limp. She had fainted.


    Nero exhaled sharply before turning to Nemsus, his expression unreadable.


    "This should be enough," he said, his voice flat, emotionless. "It''ll keep her alive for now."


    Without another word, he handed the girl back.


    Then he glanced back at Roan, a flicker of something almost like pity in his eyes before he turned away, hurling another volley of fireballs to keep the wolves at bay.


    That would give Delilah the time she needed to do what had to be done.


    Their breaths were growing heavier, exhaustion clawing at their bodies. They had been running for too long¡ªfleeing from the village, scaling the mountains, descending into the depths of unfamiliar terrain. And now, ascendant beasts were hunting them down, relentless and unyielding.


    They weren¡¯t in good shape mentally either. Ever since the day began, they had been in constant danger, barely given a moment to breathe.


    Nero¡¯s gaze shifted to Delilah. She met his eyes and understood immediately.


    They were running out of time.


    She had to do it now


    Her attention turned to the weakest among them¡ªRoan. He was barely keeping up, his steps sluggish, his face ghostly pale from blood loss. Every movement was a battle, every breath labored.


    She remembered him¡ªremembered the day Viser brought him along. Roan had been the first kid to join them after her and Nero. A quiet boy, always keeping to himself. Viser never told them where he had found him, only that he was part of the family now.


    Delilah exhaled, steadying herself.


    She threw her sword at him¡ªnot the one she took from Victry, but her own.


    Roan caught it midair, his grip unsteady, confusion flashing across his face. Then, he


    met her eyes.


    Then, in a quiet voice, she said


    I¡¯m sorry.

 Worth it?

    As Roan lifted his head to meet her eyes, Delilah hurled a jagged shard of ice. It struck his leg with a sickening crack, shattering bone.


    Roan collapsed with a strangled cry, his hands clawing at the dirt as agony tore through him. His breath hitched, his body trembling. Then, as he lifted his head again, his tear-filled eyes locked onto hers.


    "Why¡­?" His voice was raw, shaking. "Why?"


    Delilah didn¡¯t flinch. She didn¡¯t look away. There was no anger in her expression, no hatred¡ªonly something quieter, heavier. Regret.


    "For the rest of us, Roan," she murmured. "For the rest of us."


    Nemsus¡¯ breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened, flicking between Roan and Delilah as disbelief set in. Then, suddenly, he moved¡ªhis body acting before his mind could catch up.


    But before he could take another step, a hand grabbed his arm. Nero.


    Nemsus turned to him, furious, his body tense, ready to rip away from his grip. But Nero didn¡¯t meet his eyes. His jaw was tight, his face unreadable. And when he finally spoke, his voice was quiet.


    "You''re carrying Lunia," he said. "Remember that."


    "You son of a bitch, you were in on this too!"


    Nemsus¡¯ fist connected with Nero¡¯s jaw, the force snapping his head to the side. A sharp crack echoed through the night.


    Nero didn¡¯t dodge. He barely even reacted. Blood dripped from his split lip as he wiped it away with the back of his hand. Then, slowly, he lifted his gaze, locking eyes with Nemsus.


    "Move," Nero said, his voice steady. "You¡¯re not just protecting your own life here."


    Nemsus¡¯ chest heaved, his veins bulging against his skin, fury twisting his face. He turned his head slightly, just enough to glance at Lunia. She was still unconscious, her tiny body limp against his shoulder.


    His jaw clenched. His fists trembled.


    Then, with a raw, guttural scream, he turned away from them and ran.


    He bit down hard on his lip, his breath ragged, his muscles burning. He didn¡¯t look back.


    Nero and Delilah followed close behind, their footsteps pounding against the earth. From time to time, they stole glances over their shoulders


    Behind them, the wolves closed in.


    The wolves lunged at Roan. He swung the sword with shaky hands, slashing wildly, desperation fueling his strikes. Ice shards shot from his fingertips, blades of compressed air whistling through the dark.


    For a moment, he held them back.


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    But it didn¡¯t last long.


    One of the wolves dodged his attack and clamped its jaws around his injured arm. Roan screamed, the sword slipping from his grip as blood splattered across the ground. Another wolf barreled into him, knocking him flat. Claws tore into his flesh, fangs sinking deep.


    His screams turned to ragged gasps.


    He kept fighting, even as his strength faded, even as his vision blurred.


    But the wolves were relentless.


    Nemsus turned away, his stomach twisting, but no matter how hard he tried to shut it out, he could still hear everything.


    Nero barely spared him a glance as he hurled fire at the trees around them, setting them ablaze. The thick smoke curled into the air, masking their scent¡ªnot just the blood, but everything that could give them away.


    Their lungs burned, legs aching with every step, but they didn¡¯t stop. They couldn¡¯t. If the wolves caught even a glimpse of them, if they picked up their scent again¡ªthen it whould have all been for nothing


    Nemsus hadn¡¯t spoken a word since what happend. He just kept running, Lunia still limp on his shoulder, her shallow breaths the only sign she was still alive.


    Nero and Delilah were drained. Their mana reserves were nearly empty, spent on concealing their scent, forcing their bodies to keep moving. It was taking everything they had left just to put one foot in front of the other.


    Then, at last, they saw it.


    A cave.


    Nestled between a cluster of trees, hidden where the land began to rise toward the mountain¡¯s peak. It wasn¡¯t much, but right now, it was enough. Shelter. Safety¡ªat least for now.


    They didn¡¯t hesitate. They forced their battered bodies forward, pushing past exhaustion, fear, and grief until they stumbled inside.


    The moment they crossed the threshold, Nemsus all but dropped Lunia onto the ground. Not roughly, but not gently either. His body trembled as he turned away, fists clenching at his sides.


    Then, without warning, he started punching the cave wall.


    Over and over.


    Flesh meeting stone with sickening cracks, but he didn¡¯t stop. His knuckles split open, blood smearing against the cold rock. His breaths came in ragged gasps, but the rage didn¡¯t leave his eyes.


    Five minutes.


    Five minutes of relentless, mindless fury before he finally stopped, collapsing to the ground, chest heaving. He lay there, staring at the cave ceiling, his expression empty.


    Delilah knelt beside Lunia, hands glowing faintly as she worked on what was left of the girl¡¯s face. The wound was sealed now, the bleeding stopped, but she couldn¡¯t heal what had already been taken. The eye was gone, and her face still burned


    Nero sat on a rock nearby, watching them in silence


    Back in the present¡ª


    His gaze shifted to Nemsus. He lay on the stone floor, breath ragged, soaked in crimson. Whispering to himself like a madman.


    "You bloody bastards... why... Hhhah, why did you do it?"


    He exhaled sharply, shoulders shaking. For a second, I thought he¡¯d hold it in. But then his eyes burned into mine, and the dam finally broke.


    "Nero, you piece of shit¡­ you accepted this¡ªhgkhhhh!"


    Nemsus laughed¡ªragged, breathless, filled with agony, rage, and something close to pity. But even as he screamed, he kept his voice low. He knew what was outside.


    He also knew we had to do it. But... he won''t admit it. Not like this. He still somehow thinks he could have saved him but, he didn''t ,he was doomed the moment he fell, the moment he...


    "Answer me, Delilah... why, why did you kill him¡ªHhhahh¡ªhhk¡ªhahh¡ª!"


    Those fucking nobles. Those damn wolves. And now¡­ these two fucking bastards.


    "AGHHHHHH!"


    Nemsus screamed again, his voice raw with pain, his agony reverberating off the jagged walls.


    Nero just stared at him, eyes dull, face blank. Tired.


    As he sat there, his mind circled back, over and over, to his choices.


    Yeah, I could have saved him. But for what? Two more minutes? And risk all our lives? No.


    My priorities were always clear.


    Delilah first. She always was. Then me. Then Nemsus.


    Nero''s gaze drifted to the girl delilah was healing.


    I don¡¯t want her to die. But if she has to¡­ it won¡¯t bother me that much.


    What a cruelty¡­ I told you, Viser. I told you that I needed you.


    Nero covered his eyes with his hand, Remembering how they got here, before cast


    ing his mana around to keep the smell from going out from the cave

 Break down

    Nemsus was still on the ground angry and frustrated Delilah was healing lunia.


    Nero watched them, silent, but his mind wouldn¡¯t settle.


    Why her? Why not Roan?


    It wasn¡¯t guilt¡ªhe wasn¡¯t sure he even had that in him¡ªbut curiosity gnawed at him.


    Roan was stronger. Logically, he should¡¯ve survived instead. But logic had nothing to do with it, did it?


    Maybe he and Delilah had simply grown a little attached to the girl after all this time. The thought unsettled him. Attachments were dangerous.


    He exhaled sharply and turned toward the cave entrance. There was barely any light outside, the sky a void of endless night. It didn¡¯t bother him or Delilah¡ªtheir Darkness Runes let them see perfectly in the gloom. Nemsus, with Light Rune, could still detect faint traces of light. Lunia, however, would be helpless in the dark¡ªat least until she awakened her Eny.


    His thoughts shifted to his own abilities.


    High Runes only existed at Level 3 and beyond. Nero was still a Mage, and using even a single Level 3 spell took everything he had¡ªfor a few fleeting seconds. The smell-erasing effect wasn¡¯t even a proper spell, just a side effect of manipulating Darkness mana. His Fire Spells were useless against Ascendants, barely making them hesitate. His Ice Spells weren¡¯t faring much better.


    Weak. The thought was bitter. Not enough.


    A faint movement pulled him from his thoughts.


    Lunia stirred.


    Her eyes fluttered open, hazy with exhaustion. The first thing she saw was Delilah, hands still glowing faintly with healing magic. She blinked, disoriented, then slowly turned her head, scanning the dimly lit cave.


    Her gaze landed on Nero.


    For a brief moment, fear flickered in her eyes. She hid it quickly¡ªbut he saw it. It lingered beneath the surface, a shadow of something she didn¡¯t want to show.


    Her hand trembled as she reached up, fingertips brushing the ruined skin of her face. The rough, uneven texture made her flinch, but she didn¡¯t pull away.Her jaw tightened as her breath came in uneven, shaky bursts.


    Delilah saw.


    She had been focused on healing, on survival, but seeing Lunia¡¯s reaction .....


    "If I ever find a Level 4 Life Rune with a matching spell," she murmured, voice soft, "I might be able to heal your eye."


    Lunia didn¡¯t react at first. Her fingers still rested on the ruined side of her face, her breathing uneven. Then, when Delilah''s words sank in, her shoulders trembled.


    The first sob was quiet, barely a sound at all.


    Then another.


    Tears welled up, spilling down her unscarred cheek. She pressed her lips together, trying to stop it, but her small body shook.


    Delilah hesitated, watching her, and for the first time in all of this¡ªshe remembered.


    Lunia wasn¡¯t a soldier. She wasn¡¯t another survivor hardened by the cruelty of their world.


    She was just a child.


    And she had lost everything.


    Delilah reached out, hesitated for a second, then placed a hand on the girl¡¯s shoulder. A silent reassurance.


    She couldn¡¯t promise things would be okay.


    But for now, she could at least be here.


    After a few minutes, Lunia¡¯s sobs faded into quiet sniffles. She wiped at her face, her fingers shaking, then looked around the cave again. The flickering shadows on the walls, the quiet hum of Delilah¡¯s magic¡ªeverything was the same as before.


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    Except something was missing.


    Someone was missing.


    Her chest tightened.


    Her voice was small when she spoke, but it cut through the heavy silence like a blade.


    "Where¡¯s Roan?"


    No one answered.


    The air in the cave turned thick, suffocating. The flickering light from the mana lamps did nothing to warm the cold pressing against her skin.


    Nemsus moved.


    It wasn¡¯t a conscious decision¡ªmore like a desperate attempt to push back the thoughts clawing at his mind, the sounds that kept replaying in his head. The tearing, the screaming.


    He stepped toward her, slow and deliberate, until he was close enough that she couldn¡¯t look away.


    His eyes were hollow.


    "We had to wake you up, Lunia." His voice was rough, edged with exhaustion. "Nero barely kept you alive by warming you with his Fire Rune whenever your body got too cold."


    His jaw clenched as he said Nero¡¯s name, something flickering behind his eyes. Anger. It was there, raw and unspoken, but he forced himself to swallow it down.


    Lunia hesitated. Why is he changing the subject? But she decided to let it go for now.


    As She knew what he wanted from her


    Nemsus crouched in front of her, his voice quieter now. "It won¡¯t hurt," he said, though there was something tired in the way he spoke. "Actually¡­ everyone in this cave awakened their Eny before your current age."


    Lunia''s brows furrowed slightly, uncertainty flickering across her face. She glanced at Delilah, then at Nero, as if searching for reassurance. Neither of them spoke. Delilah¡¯s expression was unreadable, and Nero only stared at the cave wall, his fingers absentmindedly tapping against the stone.


    Nemsus exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair before meeting Lunia¡¯s gaze again. "You don¡¯t have a choice, Lunia," he said, firmer this time. "You either awaken now, or you won¡¯t survive the next time something like this happens."


    "How?" she asked, her voice quiet but steady.


    "I''ll just move some mana toward your Eny, that''s all," Nemsus said.


    Lunia hesitated, then gave a small nod.


    Nemsus glanced at Delilah, who stepped forward without a word. She placed a hand on Lunia¡¯s back, her touch firm but careful. A slow pulse of mana flowed from her fingertips.


    "Don¡¯t move," Delilah murmured.


    Minutes passed in silence, the cave heavy with tension. Lunia sat still, her hands clenched into fists as warmth spread through her body. Then¡ªshe felt it.


    A spark.


    It wasn¡¯t a sudden burst, nor was it overwhelming, but deep in her mind, something stirred. The Will Rune. It was faint, like a whisper beneath her skin, but it was there.


    The mana within her Eny responded, shifting and gathering. The cold that had gripped her body didn¡¯t vanish entirely, but it lessened. Even just a little¡­ her body was growing stronger.


    She exhaled, a shaky breath escaping her lips as she felt the change settle within her.


    When she opened her eyes, the world looked different. Clearer. It wasn¡¯t just her vision¡ªall her senses had sharpened. Especially the sounds. She could hear almost everything: Nero¡¯s steady breathing from across the cave, the faint stir of air moving through the tunnels, the distant rustling of trees outside. It was overwhelming, yet somehow¡­ grounding. She was aware of it all, and for the first time, she felt truly awake.


    Nemsus knelt beside her, his voice calm yet encouraging. " Now close your eyes and try to sense your Will Rune. Use it to look inside your Eny. You''ll notice strange symbols¡ªthose are your runes. When you see them, try to replicate them on the ground.


    He watched her closely, waiting to see if she understood.


    Lunia took a deep breath and concentrated. At first, she struggled, but after several attempts, she finally connected with her Eny. A small flicker of satisfaction crossed her face as she traced two runes into the dirt.


    Delilah and Nero exchanged glances.


    Nero scratched his head.


    Sound and Earth? Tch¡­ Useless to us. We don¡¯t have those spells.


    Nero spoke what was on his mind without noticing


    "That''s what you got to say?" Nemsus was looking at him with disbelief and the anger started rising again.


    The girl looked a little frightened.


    Nero turned to Nemsus, who seemed to find a problem with him at every chance since Roan died.


    "You¡¯re still looking at me with anger," Nero muttered. "I know it wasn¡¯t right, but we did what we had to do to survive."


    Nemsus hadn¡¯t moved, but his hands were shaking. His nails dug into his palms so hard his knuckles turned white. For a long moment, he just stared at Nero, something unreadable in his expression¡ªgrief, disgust, maybe even hate. Then, his lips curled. A bitter, humorless laugh left him.


    "Three years," he muttered, voice dangerously quiet. "Three years, and you two just killed him like that."


    He let out a slow breath through gritted teeth, his gaze locked onto Nero. His voice, when he spoke, was quieter¡ªtoo quiet.


    "You didn¡¯t even hesitate, did you?"


    His shoulders rose and fell with uneven breaths.


    "How many more times, Nero?" His voice cracked, and something inside him snapped. His hands shook at his sides. His lips curled into a bitter, humorless smile. "Tell me¡ªwhat¡¯s next?"


    A hollow laugh escaped him, sharp and edged with something dangerously close to hate.


    "Are you gonna kill me too when it¡¯s convenient?"


    As the words left Nemsus'' mouth, Lunia¡¯s eyes flickered with confusion and denial.


    "Where¡¯s Roan?"


    Her voice was barely a whisper, fragile, like it might shatter if she spoke any louder.


    A cold, hollow feeling settled deep in her chest.


    Nero met her gaze, his expression unreadable. Then, without hesitation, he said it.


    "I killed him."


    The world around her shrank.


    Lunia''s breath hitched, her chest tightening as panic gripped her. The shadows in the cave felt darker, pressing in on her. Her body trembled violently, her legs barely strong enough to keep her upright.


    Her vision blurred.


    For a moment, she didn¡¯t see Nero¡ªshe saw a monster.


    A nightmare in human form.


    She gasped, choking on the air, her hands clawing for something¡ªanything¡ªto hold onto. A sob tore from her throat as she stumbled back, blindly reaching for Nemsus. She gripped the fabric of his cloak with shaking fingers, her small frame curling behind him, desperate for protection.


    "Why? Why did you do it?" Her voice cracked, raw with terror.


    Nero¡¯s gaze was empty, void of anything human. His voice, when it came, was cold.


    "What did you think happened?" He let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "You thought we won?"


    Lunia flinched.


    "Don''t be stupid," he spat, voice growing sharper, angrier. "There were at least ten of them. All Ascendants."


    His jaw tightened, the rage bubbling beneath his skin.


    "Nemsus couldn¡¯t even fight¡ªhe was holding you. Delilah and I ran out of mana. And Roan?" Nero let out a bitter breath, his lips curling slightly. "Roan was already half-dead. Bleeding out because of his fucking arm."


    His voice rose, the fire in his words burning hotter.


    "We were all going to die. One of us had to. I made the decision. I chose Nemsus."


    Lunia¡¯s breath came in rapid, uneven bursts.


    "Be thankful."


    Then his voice hardened, sharper than a blade.


    "Because it could¡¯ve been you."


    Silence.


    The words hung in the air, suffocating.


    And then¡ª


    A crack.


    A sharp sound as Nemsus'' fist clenched so hard his knuckles popped. His entire body trembled, veins bulging beneath his skin. His breaths came fast and ragged, a storm brewing behind his eyes.


    Red.


    His vision blurred with it.


    "You¡ª" His voice was


    barely human, just a growl of fury before it erupted.


    Nemsus lunged.


    "You piece of shit!"


    The force of his charge shook the cave walls as he crashed into Nero, fists swinging, raw hatred pouring from every strike.

 Fists, Blades, and Betrayal

    Nemsus lunged.


    But Nero was already moving.


    No hesitation¡ªhis body reacted before his mind even caught up. His hand shot forward, fingers twisting as shadows warped around him.


    "Absence."


    For a split second, Nemsus'' fist hit nothing but air.


    Then¡ª


    Crack!


    A fist slammed into his face, snapping his head sideways.


    "When the hell are you going to grow up, you little bastard?!" Nero''s voice was raw, a snarl ripped straight from his throat. Another punch came, harder this time, and he screamed as it landed. "We''re in the middle of nowhere¡ªeverything out there wants to kill us, and here you are, throwing a tantrum because I saved your pathetic life!"


    His knuckles burned from the impact. His breathing was ragged, fury pulsing through his veins like fire. He pulled back to hit again¡ª


    But something was wrong.


    Nemsus barely flinched.


    The first punch? Nothing. The second? Even less.


    Nero was a Mage. Nemsus was an Ascendant.


    And Nero had forgotten.


    A cold realization hit as Nemsus'' hand shot out like a viper, gripping Nero¡¯s cloak in an iron grip.


    Before Nero could react, the other arm caught him too.


    Then¡ª


    Nemsus turned, slamming Nero into the ground with crushing force.


    The impact rattled his bones, knocking the air from his lungs. He gasped, choking.


    But it wasn¡¯t over.


    Nemsus moved like a beast unleashed.


    He dropped onto Nero, a knee pinning him down. His fists hammered down¡ªagain, again, again.


    The world blurred.


    "I''m going to kill you!"


    Nero tasted blood. His vision flickered¡ªwhite, then red, then nothing.


    Seconds.


    That¡¯s all it took.


    And just as Nemsus pulled back, ready to strike again¡ª


    Shhhk.


    A blade.


    Cold steel kissed his throat. A thin line of blood bloomed where the sword pressed against his skin.


    "Touch him one more time¡ª"


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    Delilah¡¯s voice was like death.


    "¡ªand you''ll lose your head."


    Silence.


    Nemsus¡¯ breath hitched. Slowly, he turned his head.


    And then¡ªhe froze.


    Her eyes.


    It wasn¡¯t anger. It wasn¡¯t even fury.


    It was something worse.


    Her gaze was cold. Still. Completely unreadable. But there was something behind it¡ªsomething terrifying, something so absolute that a chill ran down Nemsus'' spine.


    She was waiting.


    Waiting for the smallest excuse.


    The smallest twitch.


    The smallest reason¡ª


    To cut.


    His.


    Head.


    Off.


    Nemsus swallowed. His fists stayed clenched, his whole body thrumming with rage and adrenaline.


    Then¡ªhe exhaled sharply and let go of Nero.


    The second he moved away, Delilah didn¡¯t lower her sword.


    Not yet.


    Nearby, Lunia sat curled up against the cave wall, arms wrapped tightly around herself, trembling violently. Her wide, terrified eyes darted between them, her body shuddering with every breath.


    And then, finally¡ªNemsus looked at Nero again.


    Blood dripped from his lips. His mouth was torn, split open. His face was swollen and battered.


    But his eyes¡ªhis damn eyes¡ªwere still open.


    Empty.


    But Awake.


    He closed them


    He didn¡¯t speak.


    Didn¡¯t fight back.


    Just¡­ silent.


    Something twisted in Nemsus¡¯ chest.


    He turned away.


    Without another word, he walked toward Lunia, sat beside her, and buried his face in his hands.


    No sound.


    No movement.


    Just silence.


    Delilah''s breath hitched as she looked at her brother.


    Her hands trembled slightly, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. The rage she had wielded like a blade moments ago was gone¡ªreplaced by something raw, something she couldn¡¯t quite hold back.


    Her eyes glistened.


    Nero she whisperd


    She reached out, her fingers gently brushing against his broken face. A faint glow of mana spread from her palm¡ªsoft, warm¡ªas she tried to heal him.


    "don¡¯t move." Her voice was barely above a whisper, thick with worry.


    But as she worked, Nero¡¯s eyes snapped open.


    Sharp. Focused. Colder than steel.


    His jaw clenched. He took a slow, shuddering breath, and when he spoke, it hurt.


    Every word felt like knives dragging through his torn lips, like fire spreading through his ribs.


    "I had to do it." His voice was cold. Steady. Unshaken despite the pain.


    "If it wasn¡¯t him, it would¡¯ve been all of us."


    A sharp breath. His lungs protested. His mouth burned. But he kept going.


    "I don¡¯t give a shit about your morals."


    He exhaled slowly, his vision flickering as pain throbbed through his skull. But his gaze never wavered from Nemsus.


    "If you they ever put me or Delilah in danger again..."


    His bloodied lips curled slightly. Something bitter. Something almost sad beneath the ice in his voice.


    "I¡¯ll kill you too."


    Another breath. He swallowed back the pain.


    "Stop your stupid anger, or you two are on your own."


    Silence.


    "You have until tomorrow."


    Delilah¡¯s hands had frozen in place. Her face¡ªonce controlled, once hardened¡ªshifted completely.


    Her eyes widened.


    She knew what Nemsus meant to him.


    His only friend.


    This wasn¡¯t just Nero speaking.


    This was final.


    Her fingers curled against his cheek, the warmth of her healing still lingering. But the tightness in her throat wouldn¡¯t go away.


    Nemsus didn¡¯t speak.


    Didn¡¯t move.


    He had a choice to make.


    If he took Nero¡¯s hand, everything would go back to normal.


    If he didn¡¯t¡­


    He looked down at Lunia, still clinging to his clothes.


    They couldn¡¯t survive alone¡ªnot here, not in a Red Zone.


    No supplies. No knowledge. Nothing.


    As his breathing steadied and the haze of rage faded, he forced himself to think. To go through everything that had happened.


    And he understood.


    He hated it.


    But he understood.


    Nero had done what needed to be done. Nemsus didn¡¯t like it¡ªdidn¡¯t want to accept it¡ªbut his anger had nearly cost him everything. If he had killed Nero just now, he wouldn¡¯t be sitting here.


    Delilah would have cut his head off.


    Unlike Nero, she didn¡¯t give a damn about him. Or anyone else. Not anymore.


    Not since Viser died.


    She was back to caring about one thing: her brother.


    Nemsus slowly lifted his head, looking at her again.


    She was still healing Nero, her mana working fast¡ªhis face was already beginning to return to normal. Her expression was tense, filled with worry as she focused on her brother.


    But then¡ª


    She looked at him.


    And everything changed.


    Her eyes sharpened. Cold.


    Like she was still ready to cut him in half.


    Nemsus swallowed, lowering his gaze again.


    He had no choice.


    Like it or not, things had to go back to normal.


    Nero was still his friend.


    And without him¡ªwithout her¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t survive.


    Neither would Lunia.


    He exhaled slowly, letting out a quiet breath through his mouth, and waited for them to finish the healing.

 Choice

    As Delilah healed him, Nero was lost in thought.He meant what he said to Nemsus, but deep down, he wished Nemsus would choose to stay.If he leaves¡­Nero¡¯s mind drifted to the three Enys he had stolen from the castle. "I¡¯ll have to ascend using one of them"He exhaled slowly. "It would be easier if an Ascendant was with me."When Delilah finished, Nero pushed himself up, shifting to sit instead of lying on the cold ground. He glanced at her, then met her gaze directly."Don¡¯t think about killing him, Dee."She didn¡¯t react at first, but he held her stare, making sure she understood he was serious."Even if not for me¡ª" his voice was quieter now, steadier, "¡ªdo it for Viser."A flicker of something passed through her eyes. Silence stretched between them before she finally gave a small nod. A sign of acceptance.That confirmed it¡ªshe had been considering it.Nero knew his sister well. She looked cold, controlled. But inside? She was a mess. Especially after Viser¡¯s death, they all wereWith a sigh, he lifted a hand to his face. Still sore, not fully healed, but good enough.Then, he simply waited.Delilah watched him for a moment, then spoke.We need to wash the clothes.Turn around.Nero looked at them one by one they were all coverd in blood Delilah was the one still using her Darkness mana to ecrase the smell"Yeah" he respondedDelilah gave him a deadpan look.She was already forming a bowl of ice in her hands, breaking it into smaller shards before passing them to Nero. He sighed, but with a flick of his fingers, he melted them into water.Without further argument, he and Nemsus turned their backs.Delilah and Lunia scrubbed their clothes as best they could, washing away dried blood and grime. Once finished, they handed the damp fabric to Nero, who carefully dried them with controlled heat.Then, the process repeated for him and Nemsus.¡°I¡¯ll take the first shift,¡± Nero said once they were done.Without a word, the others lay down, exhaustion dragging them into sleep.Four hours passed in silence before Delilah woke and took over for him. The cave remained still, save for the quiet breathing of their worn-out group.But in the second hour of her watch, she shook Nero awake."What¡ª" he started, but Delilah cut him off with a hand over his mouth. Her other hand pointed toward the cave entrance.A deep, rhythmic thudding echoed through the night. Heavy footsteps.Nero tensed, carefully shifting to get a better look.Two wolves.Not the ones that had chased them before¡ªthese were Sovereigns.Far in the distance, they ran east, toward the frozen lands. One of them limped, its body torn and bleeding, barely keeping pace with the other.Nero narrowed his eyes.They lost?Before he could process it further, a deafening scream ripped through the night. A monstrous, unnatural wail that echoed across the human lands.They found out, Nero thought.Without hesitation, he expanded his Darkness spell, Absence, covering all four of them in its void-like embrace.He was lucky to have reacted so fast.A split second later, a vast wave of mana surged across the land¡ªa massive Mana Sense, scanning hundreds of miles in an instant.They froze. No one dared to breathe.Nero''s mana ran dry, his spell vanishing just as Delilah cast the same one. Hers barely held for a few seconds before flickering out.The Mana Sense passed.Silence.Had Nero been a second slower¡­ had whoever cast that search been just a little closer¡­They¡¯d be dead.Cold sweat ran down their backs. No one moved. No one spoke.They had just brushed against something far beyond them.After moments of silence it was nemsus''s voice who braught their attention How the hell did those two beasts lose?¡± Nemsus muttered, more to himself than anyone else.¡°Probably had help,¡± Nero replied, his voice low. ¡°Octavian alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to take on both of them.¡±Nemsus clenched his fists slightly, frustration simmering beneath the surface. But in the end, the decision was madeWith a sharp exhale, he ran a hand through his hair before turning to Delilah. ¡°What was that?¡±Delilah frowned. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±Nemsus¡¯ eyes darkened. ¡°Do I look stupid to you?¡± His voice was edged with frustration.Nero glanced at him, and for a brief moment, their gazes locked. He said " you had your time"Then, without a word, Nemsus extended his hand.A genuine smile broke across Nero¡¯s face as he grasped it. ¡°I knew you¡¯d make the right decision.¡±The happiness in his expression was undeniable.Lunia remained silent, and Delilah simply watched, her face unreadable.¡°If we want to survive, we need to know everything about everyone here,¡± Nemsus said, his words directed at Delilah.Her lips pressed into a thin line. She clearly didn¡¯t like it. Her eyes flicked to her brother, searching for support.Nero met her gaze and gave a firm nod. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡±Delilah inhaled slowly before turning back to Nemsus.His expression was unreadable.¡°Runes, spells¡ªeverything. That¡¯s my decision.¡±I''ll startNemsus listed his abilities without hesitation.Level 3 Light Rune.Level 3 Lightning Rune.Level 1 Sword Artifice.A few basic attack spells with lightning¡ªone at Level 2. One movement spell.No defensive spells.I also have a blinding spell and two illusion spells¡ªone for hiding, one for duplication. They all use Light as a base.¡±He crossed his arms. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±Lunia sat quietly on the side, watching but not fully understanding what was being discussed. The tension in the cave was thick, but she could only grasp fragments of it.Nero was the next to speak.Level 3 Darkness Rune.Level 1 Ice Rune.Level 1 Fire Rune.A Level 1 Sword Artifact.Basic attack spells with both Ice and Fire.One defensive and one attack spell using Ice.And, of course, my Absence spell Using darkness"Nemsus¡¯s expression shifted to shock. "Ice? You have three runes?"Nero didn¡¯t reply. He simply held Nemsus¡¯s gaze, letting the realization settle. It was clear now for Nemsus that he didn¡¯t know him as well as he thought, maybe not at all.Delilah¡¯s voice came next, steady and matter-of-fact.Level 3 Life Rune.Level 3 Darkness Rune.Level 1 Ice Rune.Same basic attack and deffence spells as Nero, except  Fire. I also have two healing spells¡ªone for simple wounds, the other for minor diseases, and the absence spellAnd, of course, Victry¡¯s sword. I think it¡¯s at Level 3."**Nemsus''s mouth was wide open his hand on his head "Two High Runes? Hah! What the hell¡ªare you some kind of abandoned princess?"Nemsus let out a short, disbelieving laugh, shaking his head. He couldn¡¯t believe it. Yeah, he had suspected something was off about them¡ªespecially after Delilah somehow mimicked Nero''s Absence spell¡ªbut he had dismissed it.Because, honestly, who the hell would believe something like this?"Not just that¡ªbut three runes? Do you know how rare that is?" Nemsus'' voice was sharp, edged with something between disbelief and betrayal.His gaze locked onto Nero, searching for answers, for an explanation that would make this all make sense. But Nero didn''t flinch. His voice was steady, almost detached."It was Viser," he said simply. "He told us not to tell anyone."The moment the name left Nero¡¯s lips, Nemsus¡¯ expression shifted. The anger in his eyes flickered, giving way to something else¡ªsomething heavier. Sadness.Nero had chosen that moment carefully. He knew exactly what he was doing.But still, Nemsus turned toward Nero, suspicion darkening his gaze."Who are you?" His voice was low, edged with doubt.Nero met his eyes without hesitation. "I am Nero. The same one you''ve always known." He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "I get it. After everything that just happened, you don¡¯t fully believe me. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t either if I were you." His voice was steady, firm. "But I swear to you¡ªthat¡¯s all I know."Nemsus studied him for a long moment, searching for any cracks in his words, any sign of dishonesty. But Nero''s face remained unreadable.The anger in him started vanishing, not that he forgive them but after all this They just have two survive firstIt was Lunia who spoke next.She grabbed Nemsus by his clothes, her small hands trembling slightly. Only then did he remember¡ªjust days ago, she had been nothing more than a normal girl, unaware of any of this.He took a deep breath, steadying himself.He knew what she wanted to ask"I''ll tell you everything you need to know now," he said, his voice firm. "But you have to listen carefully. You need to understand every word I say, okay?"Lunia met his eyes and gave a small nod.Nero and Delilah watched in silence. They knew this moment was necessary. She had to understand if she was going to survive. "First, let''s talk about the Eny," Nemsus began, his tone steady but firm.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

 Basics 1

    He knelt down, drawing a rough diagram in the dirt to help Lunia visualize. "Think of it as a sphere, made up of four layers, each stacked on top of the other. The first and deepest part is the core, and the other layers surround it like shells."


    He pointed to the innermost circle. "The core is the foundation. Its job is simple¡ªit stores mana in its pure form."


    Next, he traced the second layer. "This is the Attracter. It pulls mana from the surrounding environment into your body."


    Moving outward, he tapped the third layer. "The Refiner. The mana you absorb from the outside world is too thin. The Refiner compresses it, making it more usable.


    The level of your Refiner determines the purity of your mana. For example, if you''re an Ascendant, your mana will be at Level 2 purity or you can also call it ascendant mana "


    "What does that mean exactly?" Lunia asked again.


    This time, Nero was the one to explain. "When you ascend, your Eny doesn¡¯t grow bigger, but the mana inside it becomes about ten times more compressed. That way, your Eny can hold much more mana without increasing in size."


    "Ooh!" Lunia''s eyes lit up with understanding.


    Nero then turned back to Nemsus.


    Finally, he gestured to the outermost layer. "And this is the Definer. It holds your runes.


    Lunia¡¯s eyes followed his every movement, her face scrunched in concentration. She was trying to absorb it all, trying to understand.


    "This is the foundation of everything," Nemsus said. "You need to know this before we move on."


    "I know about the runes" she said


    "Still better hear it again" he continued


    The Runes allow you to control their respective elements, but more than that, they also convert mana¡ªswitching between normal, or let''s call it unelemental mana for now, and elemental mana.


    That means if you have a Fire Rune, you can absorb fire mana from the air, convert it into unelemental mana, and store it in your Core for later use. Remember, your Core can only store unelemental mana."


    He gave her a moment to process. "Makes sense?"


    She nodded again.


    Nemsus continued. "Next, you need to understand the runes. There are 17 in total¡ª8 Low Runes, 8 High Runes, and the Will Rune."


    "The Will Rune is unique. It¡¯s you¡ªyour thoughts, your personality. But more importantly, it¡¯s the one responsible for controlling mana. Unlike the others, it isn¡¯t in your Eny¡ªit¡¯s in your brain. That¡¯s why it''s the key to refining your control and advancing in power. Its level ranges from 1 to 6, and the stronger it is, the more precise and powerful your mana manipulation becomes."


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    "Then, there are the Low Runes: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Ice, Wood, Sound, and Lightning. These are the fundamental elements, and like the Will Rune, they also range from Level 1 to 6."


    "But the High Runes¡ªTime, Gravity, Space, Light, Shadow, Darkness, Life, and Death¡ªare different. They don¡¯t exist below Level 3. That means only lucky and tallented people can wield them, and mastering them is much harder than the Low Runes."


    He paused, making sure she was keeping up. "Got it?"


    "So, if someone is born with a High Rune, does that mean the rune starts directly at Level 3?"


    "Exactly." Nemsus nodded.


    But lunia wasn¡¯t done. "What about the Will Rune? What if I don¡¯t have one?"


    Nero and Nemsus burst into laughter.


    "Don''t worry," Nero said, still grinning. "Everyone has a Will Rune¡ªeven normal humans, animals, and beasts. Everyone."


    She nodded again, but this time, there was hesitation in her eyes.


    "Look, lunia," Nemsus said, his tone gentler now. "I know this is a lot to take in all at once, but you have to. Considering the situation we''re in, you don¡¯t exactly have a choice."


    The little girl bit her lip, her hands trembling slightly. She wanted to cry, to say it was too much¡ªbut she had no other choice. All she could do was push forward and do her best.


    "Okay," Nemsus said. "The spells."


    He met Hilda''s eyes, making sure she was still following.


    "Spells are the main tools we use to fight¡ªwhether it''s for attack, defense, movement, or something else. They''re magical constructs formed from Vey Runes and Runic Language, and they¡¯re fueled by mana."


    He paused for a moment before continuing.


    "Like everything else, spells are ranked. There are six levels, and the highest rune used in a spell determines its level. The stronger the rune, the more powerful the spell."


    He exhaled, watching her carefully.


    "The Runic Language is simply a set of words that can interact with mana, shaping and directing it. Vey Runes, on the other hand, are copies of the real runes. They don¡¯t exist in your Eny but in your brain, formed through sheer willpower."


    He gave her a moment to process before adding, "Without Vey Runes, you can''t cast spells. They''re the bridge between your runes and the mana around you."


    "I''ll give you an example¡ªtake Nero''s Fireball spell," he began. "It''s one of the simplest spells you can use."


    He knelt down and used his hand to draw a rough circle on the ground. "The spell itself is in the form of a circle, like this."


    In the center, he marked a rune. "Here, see this Fire Rune?


    That''s actually a Vey Rune since you can''t take your real rune out of your chest. That''s why we use Vey Runes¡ªthey''re copies.


    Because they only consume willpower, they are immediately replaced by another copy. This determines the spell''s element."


    Then, he started adding strange, curved symbols around the inside of the circle, following its curvature. "These symbols are form the Vivanic luanguige, the runic language we mostly use for low-level spells in this empire."


    He gestured to different parts of the diagram as he continued. "This controls the spell¡¯s shape¡ªa sphere, in this case. This part determines how much mana will be used. This section controls the spell¡¯s direction, and this one affects its purity. This here keeps it from exploding on release, and this helps with aiming..."


    He kept pointing at various sections, listing their functions one by one. Lunia didn¡¯t really understand much, but she kept listening, her eyes following his hand as he traced each symbol. Even if the details were beyond her, she could tell the importance of such knowledge.


    "And this is how you form a fire ball"


    "One last thing to know is about Vey Runes," he continued. "The moment you acquire a rune in your Eny, a copy of it¡ªa Vey Rune¡ªappears in your brain.


    "So, you consume willpower when you cast a spells?" Lunia asked.


    "Of course," he nodded. "The same applies to Will Battles or controlling any kind of mana."


    "Oh..!! Okay"

 Basics 2

    Now that their conversation had ended, Nero crossed his arms and said, ¡°Alright, I think it¡¯s time to consume those Enys.¡±


    ¡°Consume the Enys?¡± Lunia asked, frowning.


    Nemsus turned to her, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Wait¡­ You said you knew about runes.¡±


    ¡°I do!¡± she defended. ¡°I mean, I know what they are. Everyone does.¡±


    Nemsus sighed, rubbing his temple. ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s go over how they evolve since that¡¯s what you really want to know.¡±


    He straightened up and began explaining.


    ¡°There are two ways to evolve your runes. The first is the natural way. Every time you level up, one of your runes will evolve with you. But there¡¯s a rule¡ªit must be lower than the level you''re advancing to. If all your runes are already at or above your new level, then the lowest one will evolve instead.¡±


    He glanced at Lunia, making sure she was following before continuing.


    ¡°For example, let¡¯s say I have a Level 1 Fire Rune and a Level 2 Ice Rune. When I ascend to Level 2, my Fire Rune will evolve because it¡¯s the only one below my new level. I can¡¯t choose Ice since it¡¯s already at the level I¡¯m reaching.¡±


    Nemsus paused for a moment, looking at Lunia.


    ¡°But if both my runes were already Level 2 or higher¡ªlike a Level 2 Ice Rune and a Level 3 Fire Rune¡ªthen the Ice Rune would evolve to Level 3 since it¡¯s the lowest one.¡±


    Lunia nodded slowly, her brows furrowing in thought.


    ¡°The second way to evolve runes,¡± Nemsus continued, ¡°is by consuming them directly from an Eny. But there¡¯s a catch¡ªyou can only absorb runes that match ones you already have. If the rune inside the Eny is the same type as yours and at a higher level, your rune will instantly match its level.¡±


    He gave her a moment to process before giving an example.


    ¡°Say I have a Level 1 Fire Rune and a Level 2 Ice Rune. Then I find an Eny that contains a Level 1 Fire Rune, a Level 4 Ice Rune, and a Level 3 Water Rune. What do you think happens?¡±


    Lunia hesitated. ¡°Uh¡­ You absorb the Fire Rune?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Nemsus shook his head. ¡°The Fire Rune is the same level as mine, so it wouldn¡¯t change anything. And I don¡¯t have a Water Rune, so I can¡¯t absorb it. The only rune I can take is the Ice Rune because it¡¯s a higher level than mine and matches one I already have. My Ice Rune would instantly become Level 4.¡±


    Lunia¡¯s expression shifted as she pieced everything together.


    ¡°You get it now?¡± Nemsus asked.


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­ That actually makes sense.¡±


    Lunia nodded, but her frown remained. ¡°But what if none of the Enys in Nero¡¯s hands have runes that match ours? What do we do then?¡±


    Nemsus smirked. ¡°That¡¯s where extraction comes in.¡±


    ¡°Extraction?¡± Lunia echoed, tilting her head.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Nemsus leaned in slightly, his voice carrying a hint of excitement. ¡°Once¡ªjust once¡ªin a human¡¯s life, you get to steal a rune from an Eny, even if you don¡¯t already have it. Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s high-level or something you¡¯d never normally be able to use. You can take it and make it yours.¡±


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    Lunia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Just once?¡±


    ¡°Just once,¡± Nemsus confirmed. ¡°And if none of these runes match us, that¡¯s exactly what we¡¯re gonna do.¡±


    Lunia hesitated, curiosity flickering in her gaze. ¡°So¡­ is that the only way to get a new rune besides the ones we¡¯re born with?¡±


    Nemsus exhaled, rubbing his chin. ¡°There¡¯s one more way, actually. But we can¡¯t use it yet.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°When you become a Dominus, you gain a new rune. No one really knows how it works¡ªthey just say the ¡®Will of the World¡¯ grants you one. If it¡¯s a High Rune, it starts at Level 3. If it¡¯s a Low Rune, Level 2.¡±


    Lunia¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Any other way?¡±


    Nemsus blinked. This girl¡¯s greedy, he thought.


    ¡°No,¡± he said flatly. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    Lunia still looked a little thrilled by all this new information. Even with her tired, dirt-smeared face, her excitement made her smile shine. Nemsus noticed how she used her hair to hide the scar on her face. His chest tightened.


    He felt sorry for her.


    But there was nothing he could do.


    Not until one of them became a Dominus, at least.


    "You done?" Nero asked, his gaze fixed on Nemsus.


    Nemsus turned to him and nodded. "Yeah. Now, why don¡¯t you tell us what runes are in those two Enys?"


    He couldn¡¯t help but notice the stupid smile on Nero¡¯s face.


    Nero looked down at the glowing Enys in his hands, his grin widening.


    ¡°The beast had:


    Level 5 Earth Rune


    Level 5 Time Rune


    Level 3 Fire Rune


    Level 3 Ice Rune


    And the duke¡¯s Eny has:


    Level 4 Space Rune


    Level 4 Life Rune


    Level 4 Lightning Rune


    Level 3 Earth Rune.¡±


    Nemsus let out a low whistle, shaking his head. ¡°Damn, we¡¯re really some lucky bastards.¡±


    He turned to Nero. ¡°So, what are you taking?¡±


    Nero didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Time, Ice, and Fire. Delilah¡¯s still a bit far from ascending, and with these, when I do ascend, my lowest rune will already be at Level 3. Then I can push my Darkness Rune to Level 4 and have a Level 5 Time Rune.¡±


    He was laughing as he spoke, his excitement barely contained.


    Delilah smiled slightly, relieved to see things slowly returning to normal. Lunia¡¯s fear was fading, and even Nemsus¡¯s anger was starting to disappear.


    Finally, Nemsus scoffed and crossed his arms. ¡°You lucky son of a bitch.¡±


    Nero blinked, momentarily surprised. It had been a while since Nemsus cursed as a joke. That was a good sign.


    Nemsus said, ¡°What about the other three you stole?¡±


    Nero responded, telling him that they still had their Will Runes.


    Nero¡¯s heart pounded with greed. A Level 5 rune and two Level 3 runes¡ªhhhhhh. He laughed again, unable to believe his luck.


    And it wasn¡¯t just that. One of the panther¡¯s runes was Time¡ªeven among High Runes, that was rare.


    The Eny also had Fire and Ice runes, the most common runes in the world, present even among Low Runes. But that didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was that he had them in his Eny. That meant he could consume them now and still have the chance to extract the Time Rune for himself. His strength would skyrocket¡ªnot only that, but he would ascend as well.


    Ouf. He let out a breath, steadying himself.


    Gripping the Enys, he focused, channeling his mana to forge a connection between his Eny and the runes he had chosen. The process took time, but there was no risk¡ªonly power waiting to be claimed. His Eny trembled as it absorbed the higher-level runes, the energy swirling within him.


    When it was over, his runes had transformed:


    Level 5 Time Rune


    Level 4 Darkness Rune


    Level 3 Fire Rune


    Level 3 Ice Rune


    Nero exhaled, feeling the change settle deep within him.


    The first thing he noticed was the sheer quantity of mana he could now gather¡ªit was massive. Of course, that made sense. It wasn''t just the Eny that was responsible for gathering the mana; the runes did the same. The more runes you had and the higher their levels were, the more mana your Eny could absorb. Simple.


    Then he noticed something else. The cold¡­ was gone.


    He wasn¡¯t just resisting it¡ªhe didn¡¯t feel it at all. It was as if he were standing in a normal room, not a freezing cave on the cold side of the planet. That had to be the effect of his new Fire and Ice Runes working together.


    He exhaled sharply, testing the power thrumming inside him. Then he laughed¡ªa real, full-bodied laugh.


    He had a sage arsenal now.


    Turning to the others, his grin widened.


    ¡°Alright¡­ who¡¯s next?¡±


    Nemsus spoke. "It¡¯s you and Delilah who got the Eny, so..." He looked at Delilah.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking the Space and Life Runes,¡± she said, stepping forward without hesitation.


    Nero stopped her. "You sure, Dee? The Earth Rune is a Level 5."


    She nodded her head. "As we got Lunia with us now, she has to make herself useful."


    Nero didn''t say it, but it seemed like a waste. A Level 5 rune¡ªempires might go to war for that. Even Gaius risked his life for two runes at Level 5. But a Level 4 Space Rune was also good. After all, it was a High Rune.


    Lunia felt a little warmth inside her heart.


    "Thank you."


    Delilah nodded before repeating the same process, her Eny glowing as it integrated the new runes. When it was over, her runes had become:


    Level 4 Space Rune


    Level 4 Life Rune


    Level 3 Darkness Rune


    Level 1 Ice Rune

 The bastard ascends

    They were left with:


    Level 5 Earth Rune


    Level 4 Lightning Rune


    Level 3 Earth Rune


    Nero glanced at Nemsus. "Looks like both of you will be keeping your one chance for later."


    Nemsus nodded before consuming the Lightning Rune, his body shuddering slightly as the power settled within him. Then, he turned to lunia, guiding her through the process as she absorbed the Level 5 Earth Rune.


    Now, they were left with one empty Eny¡ªone with a Level 3 earth rune and a 4 Enys that still had their Will Runes one of them belongs to a sage.


    The group stood up, laughter breaking the tension that had lingered between them. The weight of exhaustion still clung to their bodies, but for the first time in a while, they felt lighter¡ªstronger.


    Nemsus has now


    Lvl 4 lightening rune


    lvl 3 light rune


    Luniaa has a


    lvl 5 earth rune


    level 1 sound rune


    ¡°With this, our path to power just got a whole lot easier,¡± Nemsus said, flexing his fingers as if feeling the surge of new strength. His grin faded slightly, his voice lowering into something more serious. ¡°When we get back¡­ I swear, I¡¯m going to kill all of them with my own hands.¡±


    They all felt the same. The fire of vengeance burned in each of them, unspoken but understood.


    Nero turned to Delilah. "Did you notice?"


    She gave a small nod.


    Nemsus frowned. "What are you two whispering about?"


    Nero exhaled, his voice calm but firm. "I figured out why those three monsters were at the village."


    Nemsus¡¯s eyes widened. "What? How?"


    Nero crossed his arms. "That panther¡­ he was newly a sovereing.so It must¡¯ve been a territory battle between him and the wolf couple after all the first time h¨¦ arrived one of them was folowing him.


    And he lost, Badly.


    So He ran and ended up near the village."


    Nemsus blinked, piecing it together. "So the wolves were just hunting him down?"


    "Exactly," Nero said. "We got caught in the middle of their fight."


    "But how did you figure this out?" Nemsus pressed.


    Nero smirked. "


    ¡°A Sovereign with two Level 5 and two Level 3 runes? If he had time, he could¡¯ve just killed some sages and raised his two level 3 runes to Level 4. But he didn¡¯t. That means¡ª¡±


    Nemsus let that sink in, then let out a low whistle. "Now that you put it that way¡­ damn."


    ''Wait hear this" Nero raised his handswhile screming


    The bastard survived !!!


    Nemsus''s face was waiting Evry time Nero does this it end up with him Laughing


    He raised his first finger and said, "That bastard was lucky enough to find the dead body of a Sovereign."


    After all to go to a level, you must first have a rune of that level


    He raised his second finger. "That corpse the bastard found likely contained a Level 5 Time or Earth rune which matched one of the beast¡¯s own runes."


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    He raised his third finger. "By consuming it, the bastard became a Sovereign, even though its Will Rune was only at Level 4.


    There¡¯s no other explanation for how those two idiots, Victry and that woman, managed to break its will. It must have been a newly-formed Level 5 Will Rune a weak, unstable one. I refuse to believe that Victry had a Level 5 Will Rune. He was too stupid for that."


    Nero raised his fourth finger. "Somehow, that lucky bastard actually succeeded in becoming a Sovereign, with his Will Rune reaching Level 5 in the process."


    He raised his fifth finger. "Then, the bastard fought two other Sovereigns¡ªand somehow the bastard survived."


    Nero raised his sixth finger. "He ran into Gaius¡ªand the bastard survived again.


    Then, finally, the bastard was killed by octavian."


    He raised his seventh finger. "Even in death, the bastard managed to take Victry down and injure that stupid woman."


    Nero raised his eighth finger. "Then the bastard died again hhhhh."


    Finally, he raised his ninth finger with a smirk. "And after all that¡­ I stole the Eny of the basterd."


    Nemsus and Nero exchanged smiles before bursting into laughter, completely losing themselves in the moment. Meanwhile, Delilah and lunia just stared at them like they were mentally retarded, their expressions caught somewhere between confusion and mild concern.


    ....After a few minutes.....


    Nero looked at Nemsus, his expression serious. "It¡¯s time. I need your help to ascend."


    Nemsus was silent for a moment, then nodded." remember once you started all the layers must Evolves to level 2, if you stop the ascendent mana will break you layers this and the pain, i assure it''s really painfull


    Nero responded "don''t worry"


    Do you have everything you need?"


    "Yeah," Nero confirmed. "A Level 2 Will Rune, at least one other rune at Level 2, and my Refiner layer has fully renewed itself."


    Fully renewed? Lunia asked


    "Every time mana passes through the Refiner, it breaks and heals," Nero explained. "When every piece of it is reborn, it''s technically at Level 1+, just waiting. The moment it comes into contact with Level 2 mana, it¡¯ll ascend instantly."


    Nero sat down, settling into a meditative posture, his breathing steadying. Nemsus did the same beside him, placing one hand firmly on Nero¡¯s back, ready to guide the mana flow.


    "Ready?"


    "Go."


    Nemsus pressed his palm firmly against Nero¡¯s back, channeling a surge of Level 2 mana into his Eny. As soon as the energy made contact, he pulled his hand away¡ªNero was on his own now.


    The moment the Level 2 mana touched his Eny, Nero''s Refiner layer reacted, shattering and healing instantly. The old layer renewed itself, fully evolving into Level 2.


    But this was just the beginning.


    Now, Nero guided his own mana that was in the core from the level 2 Refiner, letting it b¨¦ changed and compresses into a lvl 2 mana before forcing it back into the Core.


    The problem? A Level 1 Core couldn''t handle Level 2 mana. The moment the energy hit, cracks webbed across its surface, deep and agonizing. Pain tore through Nero''s body, white-hot and consuming.


    This was where the Will Rune came in¡ªwithout it, controlling the mana wouldn''t be fast enough.


    Because the next step should be very quick


    As the Core''s walls shattered, turning into a gas-like state, Nero clenched his teeth and used his Will Rune to compress and fuse his level 2 mana and the gas together. pressing into the original shape of the walls. The agony stretched on for minutes that felt like hours, but eventually, the fusion completed. The Core had fully evolved.


    But he still wasn¡¯t done.


    Now, the Attracter.


    The Attracter was between the Refiner and the Core, so the process was different here.


    Ignoring his trembling limbs, Nero remained seated, steadying his breath. His Core was empty now¡ªhe needed to fill it again. Slowly, he began drawing in mana from the surrounding environment, compressing it into Level 2 mana in his Refiner before pushing it quickly through the Attracter to his Core.


    Each time, he had to wait for the Attracter to heal first.


    Every time Level 2 mana passed through, it cracked a little.


    He gave it time to heal¡ªeach time a broken piece finished healing, it returned as a Level 2 fragment.


    But he couldn''t just push a large amount of Level 2 mana through at once; that would damage too many pieces at the same time, making it impossible to heal properly.


    As every part of the Attracter renewed itself, it automatically became Level 2.


    Now came the final and fourth layer¡ªThe Definer, where his runes were.


    Nero started gathering mana from the surroundings, this time in a meditative posture. With the Attracter at Level 2 and, on top of that, three runes at Level 3 and one at Level 5, his speed in gathering mana was like that of a Dominus.


    It only took three hours before the Core was full of Level 2 mana.


    Guiding the Level 2 mana toward the Definer, Nero forced it to spin violently in a circular motion, matching the natural shape of the layer. The pressure made the layer crack, shatter, and heal repeatedly.


    This layer was different from the others¡ªno matter how much damage it took, it could always heal.


    The pain was intense, but he endured it. Ten minutes later, the Definer had fully evolved.


    Still, Nero didn¡¯t rise.


    Because he felt it¡ªa power from nowhere, urging him to choose a rune to evolve.


    Without hesitation, Nero chose the Darkness Rune, pushing it to Level 4.


    He exhaled slowly, his body drenched in sweat. The process was finally complete.


    Some might ask why not just use someone else¡¯s mana to advance this layer instead of going through all this.


    The answer was simple.


    Except for the Refiner, which didn¡¯t care who the mana belonged to, the other layers couldn¡¯t heal unless the mana was a perfect match.


    It was as if every person¡¯s mana was unique.


    The mana had to go through the Refiner first¡ªonly then was it considered his own. If the mana didn¡¯t match, the layers wouldn¡¯t heal. If Nero had used Nemsus¡¯s mana, his layers wouldn¡¯t heal, and he would have lost his Eny forever.


    Nero opened his eyes¡­ to find Delilah staring at him, concer


    n in her eyes.


    He turned to Nemsus, who simply smirked and said,


    "The bastard ascends."

 The new

    Nero''s body was different. He could feel it¡ªhe was much stronger, much faster.


    The cave was completely clear. He could see everything.


    He didn¡¯t need light anymore to see.


    That was probably because his Darkness Rune was at Level 4 now.


    But all this could wait¡ªhe was hungrier than ever.


    It had taken a massive amount of energy for him to ascend, and more than 30 hours had passed.


    As he lifted his head, he found Nemsus handing him a piece of meat.


    "Where did you get that?" Nero asked.


    Nemsus replied, "Hunting. I found a mage bear outside, and Delilah cooked it."


    "You went outside?"


    "I was careful and discreet."


    Nero didn¡¯t ask any more questions. Hunger took over. He tore into the meat, barely chewing before swallowing. Every bite felt like a feast, rich and satisfying."


    It reminded him of another time¡ªback when he and Delilah had nothing.


    He still remembered the cold cobblestones beneath him, the hunger twisting in his gut. That night, he had scrounged through garbage for scraps. A single stolen potato¡ªthat was all he had.


    When he handed it to Delilah, she sighed and shook her head.


    But she still got to work.


    Using an old, dented pot they had stolen a few days ago, she boiled some water over a small fire in a hidden alley. She mashed the scraps together, added the potato, and somehow¡­ it became soup.


    Warm. Filling.


    It had no business tasting as good as it did, but Delilah had a way of turning nothing into something.


    Just like now.


    Nero took another bite of the meat, swallowing hard as the warmth spread through him. Delilah had always found a way to make things better, even when the world had given them nothing.


    As Nero lifted his head, he found Delilah watching him, concern still etched across her face.


    "I''m okay, Dee," he assured her.


    She gave a small nod, the tension in her shoulders finally easing.


    Now that he looked at her properly, she seemed exhausted. Dark shadows sat under her eyes, proof that she hadn¡¯t slept in days. She had been awake the entire time, watching over him as he ascended, worrying.


    But now that he was fine, she finally allowed herself to rest.


    As Delilah closed her eyes and drifted into sleep, Nero did the same. He was exhausted.


    ....


    "So, Nero, how does it feel to have a level five rune?" he asked, eyes gleaming with interest. "Any new sensations? Abilities? Maybe an enhanced sense?"


    Nero was just as curious as Nemsus, but despite his anticipation, nothing felt noticeably different. He focused, trying to manipulate time or create some sort of effect¡ªbut nothing happened. Maybe his mana was still too low, or perhaps his abilities required something more. Unlike a fire rune, which naturally enhanced the body, the Will rune¡¯s effects were a mystery.


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    He sighed. "I have no idea," he admitted.


    Both he and Nemsus turned toward Delilah, eyes full of curiosity. She had received two level-four runes¡ªLife and Space¡ªand they were eager to see what she had gained.


    Delilah said nothing at first. Instead, she unsheathed her sword and made a small cut on her finger. Almost instantly, the wound sealed itself, leaving nothing behind.


    Nemsus whistled in admiration. "Wow, that¡¯s actually amazing." A hint of greed flickered in his expression before he quickly masked it. "What about the Space rune? What can it do?"


    Delilah shook her head. "I... don¡¯t know yet. Same as Nero. I don¡¯t feel anything different."


    They turned to Nemsus next. Nero raised an eyebrow. "And you?"


    A smirk crossed Nemsus¡¯ lips. "My electricity is stronger, and I can use more of it with less mana."


    Finally, they all looked at Lunia. She seemed hesitant, as if she wasn¡¯t sure how to explain what she felt.


    "I think¡­ I can feel the ground," she said slowly.


    Nemsus frowned. "Feel the ground?"


    Lunia nodded. "Yeah. As long as someone is touching the ground, I can sense exactly where they are or when they move."


    A grin spread across Nero¡¯s face, and Nemsus chuckled.


    "That¡¯s actually really useful," Nero said.


    "Yeah," Nemsus agreed. "We¡¯ll always know if something¡ªor someone¡ªis sneaking up on us."


    The realization made them all feel a little more secure. They still had a lot to figure out, but their runes were already proving valuable.


    Nero exhaled, steadying himself. They had lingered too long. The weight of unseen eyes pressed against his skin. Something¡ªor someone¡ªwould find them soon.


    ''We need to move,'' he said, voice firm.


    He turned to Delilah. They had followed her lead up to this point, but none of them truly knew where they were going.


    Nemsus clenched his fists, frustration simmering beneath his skin. ¡°Move where? The whole Empire wants us dead. Where the hell are we supposed to go!?¡±


    Nero exhaled slowly. He didn¡¯t like the words forming in his mind, but there wasn¡¯t a better option. "We go around the Song Mountains."


    Nemsus narrowed his eyes. "And then?"


    "Then¡­" Nero ran a hand through his hair. "Then we push south. Cross into the next human land." His throat felt tight. "And after that? We figure it out."


    Lunia tensed. ¡°You mean through the woods again?!¡±


    Nero shot her a pointed look. ¡°Unless you¡¯ve got a better idea.¡± His voice carried a hint of mockery, but there was an edge to it¡ªhe wasn¡¯t in the mood for complaints.


    He turned back to Delilah. ¡°Dee, you¡¯re the one who knows the terrain best. What¡¯s the plan? I need specifics.¡±


    We¡¯re in the Murkmire Woods, northeast of the Ironclad Empire," Delilah said, rubbing her temples. "Behind the Song Mountains." She exhaled. "If we follow the range south, we¡¯ll hit five¡ªmaybe six¡ªred zones. Possibly a grey one."


    Nemsus groaned. "How far?"


    Delilah hesitated. "Six thousand miles."


    Silence.


    "That¡¯s a joke, right?" Nemsus said, voice tight.


    No one answered.


    "Oh Fuck"


    The words settled like a stone in their stomach.


    That wasn¡¯t just far¡ªit was madness. Months of running. No food. No safety. No way back. Just six thousand miles of death waiting in the dark.


    She glanced toward the horizon, a faint unease flickering in her eyes. ¡°The mountains bend east-southeast at first, then shift west-south. The further east we go, the colder and darker it¡¯ll get. If we survive that well reach the arcane empire¡±


    No one spoke. This was beyond Nero''s first expectations. Six thousand miles of darkness. Six thousand miles of creatures waiting in the gloom. Six thousand miles where one mistake meant death.


    Nero took a slow breath, forcing the weight of reality down. West was their best option¡ªbut even that was a gamble.


    ''Then we keep west as much as possible,'' he said, voice low.


    "And how much time until we¡¯re out of the Murkmire Woods and into the next red zone?."


    Delilah thought for a moment before answering. "If we keep moving in shifts of six to eight hours, we should be able to clear the woods in about ten to twelve days."


    Nero gave a small nod. "What kind of beasts are we dealing with here?"


    Delilah folded her arms. ''This is a red zone. The biggest threat? Ascendant Wolves. They hunt in packs, usually ten to twenty.''"


    Silence fell over them.


    Nemsus clenched his fists. Nero didn''t say anything and Lunia looked away, swallowing hard. They all remembered. The snarls in the dark. The blood. The screams of roan *


    Delilah continued, her voice steady but firm. "Some of the trees might attack, too. So don¡¯t get too close unless you''re sure they¡¯re normal."


    She hesitated, then added, "In rare cases, we might run into other Ascendant creatures, but that¡¯s unlikely. Most of what lurks here are mages."


    Nero¡¯s gaze sharpened. Mage beasts¡ªthey could handle that. But the Ascendants¡­ that was another matter entirely.


    With him and Nemsus now Ascendants themselves, they had a fighting chance. They could probably take on four¡ªmaybe five if they pushed themselves. But anything beyond that? It would be suicide.


    They needed to be careful. Keep their distance. Avoid unnecessary fights. If t


    hey drew the attention of a full pack again, their journey would end here.

 Hell no

    There are three problems," Nero said. "How are we going to fight? What are we going to eat? And where are we going to hide? If we can figure this out, we move."


    Nemsus responded without hesitation. "For food, we eat what we hunt. There''s no other choice. As for fighting, I say I take the lead while you just behind. Every few miles, we switch." He paused, then frowned. "But for resting..."


    Nero had thought the same thing. If they were going to spend most of their days fighting and running, they couldn¡¯t afford to stay fully alert at night. They needed a solution¡ªeither a way to find shelter, like the cave they were in now, or a way to create one. But how?


    Delilah, who had been silent until now, turned to Lunia. "Try to move the ground."


    "What?" Lunia blinked in confusion.


    "Move the ground."


    Nero¡¯s eyes lit up as he caught on. "Yes! That¡¯s it!"


    But Lunia still looked lost. "I don¡¯t know any spells," she admitted.


    "You don¡¯t need a spell," Nero said. "Your rune level is high enough."


    He raised his right hand, and a small flame flickered to life above his palm. Turning to Lunia, he continued, "Watch this."


    The fire hovered in place before shifting and twisting around his fingers, obeying his will.


    "This is just basic control," he explained. "I pushed a bit of fire mana from my core into my hand, then pulled it out and shaped it with my will rune." The flame coiled and flickered, dancing between his fingers.


    "You don¡¯t need to control the mana itself," he said. "Just let it flow and focus on controlling the ground instead. Try it¡ªput your hand down, guide the mana toward it, and use your will to command the earth."


    Lunia placed both hands on the ground and pushed her mana forward. She could feel it now¡ªher influence spreading through the earth, connecting to the piece of ground her mana had reached.


    "What now?" she asked.


    Nero scanned the cave, his gaze settling on the entrance. "Try to close it," he said.


    Lunia shifted her focus, directing her mana toward the ground near the cave''s entrance. She concentrated, willing the earth to rise. At first, it moved slowly, but then it gained momentum, lifting faster and faster until the entrance was completely sealed.


    A bright smile spread across her face. She had done it.


    Nemsus looked at her with something close to pride, and Nero let out a breath of relief.


    It was Delilah who broke the silence. "How much mana do you have left?"


    Lunia closed her eyes for a moment, sensing her reserves. "Around two-thirds," she replied.


    Nero started calculating. The cave entrance had been about two meters wide. That meant Lunia could probably create a hole big enough for all four of them to shelter inside¡ªbut only once. Once they were in, they wouldn¡¯t be able to leave until they decided to move again.


    His eyes shifted to the newly formed wall blocking the entrance. It wasn¡¯t thick, nor did it seem particularly solid. It wouldn¡¯t hold against a strong enough force.


    "Hmm..." He turned to Lunia. "Lower the walls again. Once you''re done, start practicing¡ªmove small pieces of the ground, shape them however you want. It¡¯ll help you control it better."


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    As Lunia got to work, Nero turned to Nemsus, then to Delilah. His gaze landed on her sword.


    "What kind of mana does your sword allow you to channel?" he asked.


    Most weapon artifacts were made by fusing mana metal and beast bones with a rune. That rune determined what type of mana could flow through the weapon properly, enhancing it and giving it certain characteristics.


    "Not any of my own," Delilah said, then handed him the sword.


    The sword had originally belonged to Victry, meaning its rune would likely match one of his affinities. Nero tested it first, channeling Darkness, Fire, and Time mana through the blade, but nothing happened. He frowned and handed it to Nemsus, who did the same.


    The sword began to glow.


    "It''s lightning," Nemsus said.


    That made sense. Victry had a lightning rune.


    Nero turned to Delilah. She took a last look at sword and then gave him a small nod, already understanding what that meant.


    He looked back at Nemsus. "You''ll use that sword from now on."


    Nemsus took a look at the sword. There was a significant difference between wielding an ordinary blade and one charged with mana. At the very least, the sword¡¯s sharpness would be greatly enhanced.


    H¨¦


    He accepted it " thanks"


    The three of them began discussing different formations they could use while moving.


    Nemsus frowned. "If we get into a fight, Lunia could¡ª"


    "No," Nero cut in. "She stays out of it."


    "She¡¯s got mana," Nemsus argued. "We¡¯re low on numbers. She can learn."


    "She has no experience," Nero said. "If she panics, she¡¯s dead. And if she dies, we¡¯re dead."


    Silence followed. Nemsus exhaled sharply, then finally nodded. "Fine."


    After some debate, they finally settled on one.


    Nemsus would take the lead, with Nero directly behind him, using his mana from time to time to erase their tracks.


    Delilah and Lunia would stay close behind Nero, as they were the weakest in direct combat.


    Lunia would focus on the ground, keeping watch for anything approaching them.


    If they encountered an enemy, Nemsus will and Nero would engage, keeping their opponents in the center. Delilah would stay at a short distance, ready to move in when needed. If anyone was injured, she would step in to heal them.


    Lunia had no experience, no spells, and no weapon. If they needed to flee, Nero would throw fireballs behind them to create obstacles. Nemsus would stay behind him, dealing with anything that got too close. Delilah would stay with Lunia, who would track enemy movements to prevent them from running into another group."


    Nemsus glanced at Lunia, who was still focused on improving her control over the ground. He walked over and crouched beside her.


    "Listen, Lunia," he said. "Your role is important¡ªmaybe the most important. The less we fight, the better, and with your sensing ability, we can avoid danger before it finds us."


    She looked up at him, listening carefully.


    "We¡¯ll only stop to hunt when necessary," he continued. "But you need to keep your mana as full as possible at all times. If something goes wrong, we¡¯ll be relying on you."


    Lunia nodded, determination flashing in her eyes.


    Nero exhaled, glancing at Lunia. Giving such an important role to a little girl still didn¡¯t sit right with him. But what choice did they have? If she failed, they could all die. If she succeeded¡­ it would be because she had no other option.


    With a quiet sigh, he gathered the dried meat and the enys, wrapping them in his shirt before tying it into a makeshift pack.


    It wasn¡¯t comfortable walking without a shirt in the cold, but they couldn¡¯t afford to leave anything behind.


    Lunia pushed herself up, dusting off her hands, while Delilah stood beside her just waiting.


    Nemsus tightened his grip on his sword, glancing at the others.


    "Let¡¯s go."


    As they stepped out of the cave, the cold wind hit their skin again¡ªsharp and biting, but not as harsh as when they first arrived.


    Nero looked down at the vast expanse before them. Towering trees stretched endlessly into the distance¡ªancient, gnarled, and dark. The forest was a sea of shadows, barely touched by light. The sun was nowhere to be seen.


    Turning west toward the mountains, he spotted faint traces of light filtering down from the peaks, casting a pale glow against the sky. But as his gaze followed the horizon eastward, the light faded. The further east he looked, the darker it became¡ªuntil the sky was swallowed by pure blackness.


    He shifted his focus back to their position. The cave followed the mountain¡¯s curve, leaving them perched on a sloping cliff about twenty meters above the forest floor. It wasn¡¯t a sheer drop, but climbing down wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Nero exhaled, steadying himself. Then he turned to the others.


    Delilah, as usual, showed no emotion. Nemsus rolled his shoulders, cracking his knuckles, already preparing to move. Lunia, however, was different. Her expression twisted in fear, her wide eyes locked on the forest ahead.


    As they looked at her they saw her breathing quickened. Her hands clenched into fists, her whole body tensing like a cornered animal. Her gaze was locked on the forest ahead¡ªwide-eyed, unblinking. Whatever she sensed, it was getting closer.


    Nemsus followed her gaze, watching as the color drained from her face. He knew exactly what that meant.


    "Oh, for god¡¯s sake¡ªreally!?" he muttered, cursing in disbelief.