Kai returned to the real world and immediately called for Scry and Umbra. He recounted everything: his encounter with the ancient voice, the second page of the Grimoire, and the looming threat of the Enemy. Then, with a grin, he revealed his newly reborn weapon.

  “This is the new Noxblade,” he said, handing it out.

  Umbra’s eyes widened. “That’s a nice weapon. I can feel its power.”

  As she reached for it, the blade hummed and floated around her playfully.

  “What the hell!?” she cursed, staring at the hovering sword.

  “Haha! That’s a Legendary weapon now,” Scry said, amused. “It has a weapon spirit. It’s semi-autonomous.”

  “I see… I’m not sure what to think of that,” Umbra muttered, watching the blade circle her like a curious bird.

  Kai and Scry laughed.

  “Anyway,” Scry said, “I don’t think we need to worry about the Enemy just yet. We’re still insignificant in the grand scheme of things.”

  “I agree,” Kai nodded. “With the second page, we should be fine for now.”

  Scry clapped his paws. “Let’s go outside. The party’s starting soon, you’ve been locked in here for half a day.”

  Kai nodded, and the three of them headed toward the Main Hall, leaving behind the weight of divine revelations for a night of celebration.

  ***

  Liliya sat at one of the long wooden tables, scribing into the Grimoire. Her quill paused mid-word as she caught a glimpse of Kai entering the hall. He smiled at her, but something felt… off.

  Something’s different about him. I can’t sense his power anymore. He seems less dangerous than usual… strange.

  The second page had hidden Kai’s soul and power levels perfectly, making him appear far less intimidating to others.

  Nearby, Nerva was helping villagers arrange tables when he saw Kai and approached.

  “You seem calmer than usual,” Nerva noted, watching him closely.

  “I’m good,” Kai replied with a smile. “Don’t stress it.”

  Nerva nodded, then leaned in. “Come with me. We need to talk before everyone gathers.”

  He led Kai to a quiet corner of the hall and exhaled deeply.

  “Listen… I haven’t told Lisa anything about Chimaera James yet. The king requested I keep it quiet. We’ll hold a funeral once we return. I’d appreciate it if you kept this secret for now.”

  Kai nodded solemnly. “I agree. She shouldn’t know. It would only hurt her.”

  “Thank you… truly.” Nerva’s expression darkened. “One more thing. I know this isn’t your war, but things have escalated. They hired the Voiceless League, the biggest assassin guild in Eastsun. We confirmed it while you were resting. We even found the chariot that was attacked… but no sign of Cecily’s body.”

  Kai’s eyes narrowed. “So, she might still be alive?”

  “We don’t know,” Nerva said grimly. “If they took her and she’s still breathing… she’d wish she wasn’t. They’re merciless. Torture is their art.”

  He paused, then looked Kai in the eye. “This is bigger than a border conflict. If you come with us, you’ll be part of this war.”

  Kai’s gaze turned cold. “If you’re asking whether I can kill humans… don’t worry.”

  Murderous mana pulsed from him. His eyes flickered between their usual hue and draconic red. Scenes from Florian’s memories flashed through his mind: blood, screams, torture.

  “If killing one monster saves a hundred innocents, I’ll do it without hesitation.”

  Nerva’s heart raced. This aura… It’s like Theo’s. Poor kid. To be like this at such an age.

  “You’ve changed,” he said quietly. “When we first met, you were consumed by revenge. Now… you’re cold. Calculating. That innocent need to protect your family, it’s gone.”

  Kai looked away. “I’ve learned that hesitation leads to worse outcomes. I spared a wolf beast once, and Umbra nearly died. I held back against Florian, and people paid the price. If someone threatens the innocent, I won’t falter.”

  He wasn’t sure himself where this need to protect the innocent came from, but it was something that he wanted to do, something deep within that urged him. Maybe he saw himself in the weak, in the ones who had no choice in their lives. Maybe…

  He turned back to Nerva. “Trust me. I may look young… but I’ve lived the lifetime of a god. I’ve learned patience, and when to be merciless.”

  His mana roared again, making Nerva sweat.

  What is it about him? I’m a peak Master Knight, and he still makes me sweat.

  “Okay,” Nerva said, recovering. “Decide what you’ll do once we’re back in Fallhaven. The King will brief you.”

  Kai nodded, then pulled out two spirit fruits, tossing one to Nerva. “You look pale. Eat something sweet.”

  “Hah. Thanks.” Nerva bit into the pink fruit.

  “That color suits you,” Zara said, walking up with a grin.

  “If it isn’t my daughter and her secrets,” Nerva muttered, clearly annoyed.

  Kai smiled. He changes so fast around her. Big softy.

  “What do you mean?” Zara whistled innocently.

  “See? I knew it…” Nerva frowned.

  “It was supposed to be a surprise, but fine.” She sighed. “Let me call everyone.”

  ***

  After a while, everyone from their group had gathered, and even Harrietta and her family had joined the celebration.

  Zara stood up, clearing her throat. Xarion stood nervously behind her, avoiding eye contact with Nerva.

  “Okay, everyone… we have an announcement,” Zara said, her voice slightly shaky. “I’m pregnant. It’s still early, and children of the Dracorious kind take two years to be born, so I’m not sure how this will go… but now you know.” She blurted it out, and Xarion gently placed his hand over hers in support.

  Silence fell over the room. All eyes turned to Nerva, who sat frozen, mouth agape.

  Then, after a long moment, he cleared his throat and clapped loudly. “This is wonderful! Congratulations, Zara!” He leaped forward to hug her. “I’ll help however I can. I’ve already looked into everything. I’ve been preparing for this moment.”

  Everyone burst into laughter.

  “Well, that went better than expected,” Liliya sighed with a smile.

  Nerva turned to Xarion and slapped him on the back. “You’re going to be a father now. No more crazy missions, you hear?”

  Xarion gave a sheepish smile. “I know. Don’t worry.” He added, “We’ll also need to visit my tribe. They’ll bless Zara to help with the child. It’s never easy for humans to bear children of our kind.”

  “We’ll all go,” Nerva said firmly. “You’re not doing this alone.”

  Xarion nodded, grateful.

  Harrietta raised a mug of ale she’d pulled from her storage. “Now we have even more to celebrate!”

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

  “Why is she carrying ale with her?” Eira whispered to Kran.

  Kran shrugged. “She’s weird like that.”

  With the good news spreading, everyone came to congratulate Zara, offering small gifts, a tradition in the Frontier.

  As night fell, the celebration continued. Food and drink flowed freely, and laughter filled the hall. Kai sat quietly for a moment, enjoying the peace, far from divine threats and cosmic enemies.

  Later, he pulled Eira and Kran aside.

  “You two staying here?” he asked.

  Eira nodded. “Yes. I’ll train him, and I could use the peace for now.”

  “Good,” Kai said. “I’m not sure how bad things are in Fallhaven. No need to risk your lives. Stay here, grow stronger, protect yourselves.”

  “I’ll see you in two months anyway,” Kran said with a grin.

  Kai raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

  “I’m entering the tournament. This new body’s itching for a fight. I’ll compete in the Knight group.”

  Kai chuckled. “Umbra’s competing too, you know.”

  Kran paled.

  Eira smiled. “I’ll prepare him. Don’t worry.”

  Kai nodded. “And you two? How’s that going?”

  “It’s good,” Eira said, blushing. “He can be a fool, but he loves me.”

  Kran stayed quiet, but his two tails wagged happily.

  “I’m glad,” Kai said warmly. “You deserve it.” He hugged Eira.

  “What about me?” Kran asked.

  Kai smirked. “No hugs for you.”

  He turned and walked back to his table, laughter trailing behind him.

  And so, the last night in the Frontier passed, filled with joy, warmth, and quiet resolve. At dawn, they would leave for Fallhaven.

  ***

  Westland Continent – Somewhere in the Crimson Wastes

  In a caged arena surrounded by jagged stone and rusted iron, a young, tall, burly, blue-skinned demon faced off against a monstrous fifteen-meter-long Soundless Cobra, a creature known for its lightning-fast, lethal strikes.

  The demon stood firm, blocking each vicious lash of the cobra’s tail, which cracked the ground with every impact. Dust and debris flew as the serpent hissed and coiled, launching itself toward him with its mouth agape, ready to swallow him whole and dissolve his body in its acidic belly.

  But the demon smirked.

  With a burst of speed, his black demonic tattoos flared across his body. He leaped forward, meeting the cobra head-on, and slammed his fist into its jaw. Twisting mid-air, he wrapped his arms around its neck and held tight.

  From the stands, an old demon chuckled. “A smooth transition.”

  The blue demon’s muscles bulged as his tattoos glowed brighter. With a roar, he crushed the cobra’s neck, snapping it with brutal force and decapitating it in one motion.

  Green blood sprayed across the arena as he laughed victoriously. He landed with a thud, then plunged his arm into the serpent’s corpse, pulling out a large silver core. Grinning, he bit into it like fruit, devouring it in a few bites.

  Applause echoed from the stands as the massive, barbed gates creaked open, dragged upward by a crude mechanism.

  An old demon warlock twisted his long beard and laughed. “Well done, Azagath! And that was only your raw strength. If you’d used your totems, it would’ve been over in seconds.”

  Azagath shrugged with a grin. “Master, where’s the fun in that?”

  Laughter rippled through the crowd.

  “The Warchief will be thrilled,” the warlock said, eyes gleaming. “That makes five of you eligible for the Master Knight group. With the other nine Warchiefs, we’ll have more than enough demons to win this time.”

  He leaned forward, voice thick with greed. “This time, the Undying Flame will belong to the demons. Warchief Uro’gath will finally ascend to the Seraph level. Then… Eastsun will be ours.”

  The crowd roared in agreement.

  It seemed there was another reward for the winner of the Master-level tournament, one Kai hadn’t been told about.

  ***

  Northern Solkara Continent – The Thaldrin Steppe

  On a frozen lake deep within the Thaldrin Steppe, a bare-chested Nord warrior sat cross-legged in the snow. His red hair was braided and fell down his back, frost clinging to the strands. Snow blanketed his half-naked body, yet he remained still, unbothered by the cold.

  Beside him, a massive white leopard slept soundly, its breath misting in the air. Cold, untamed mana radiated from its body, forming a shimmering aura around it.

  Suddenly, the man opened his eyes and smiled.

  A silver, four-winged owl descended from the sky, its feathers glinting in the pale light. As it landed, it transformed into a young woman with long white hair. A layer of fur armor materialized around her instantly, shielding her from the biting wind.

  “You crazy maniac,” she said, shivering. “What are you still doing out here?”

  The Nord chuckled. “For a Divine Beast, you really do hate the cold.”

  “Not everyone’s built like you,” she muttered. “I hate it. And winter’s almost over, you’ll have to move further north if you want more of this madness.”

  He sighed. “I know. Shame, really. I love the cold.”

  “You can’t go further north,” she said, stepping closer. “Elder Cho sent for you. The tournament starts soon, just over two months left.”

  The man grunted. The leopard stirred, opening one sleepy eye.

  “I’ll come in a month,” he said calmly. “I’m close to mastering the cold.”

  The woman sighed, her breath forming clouds in the air. Without another word, she shifted back into her owl form and flew off into the sky, leaving the warrior and his beast alone once more on the frozen lake.

  ***

  Eastsun Continent – The Seven Towers

  Inside the radiant Golden Tower, hidden within a pocket realm, five figures sat around a round obsidian table. The air shimmered with arcane energy, and the walls pulsed with ancient runes.

  “The demons are stirring again,” said a green-haired man clad in radiant white plate armor, etched with glowing runes. Though he looked no older than thirty, his eyes held centuries of wisdom. “They’re planning something nasty.”

  “They can try,” scoffed a red-haired middle-aged woman, arcs of lightning dancing across her fingertips as she tapped the table. “They’ll fail, like always.”

  A small, robed woman sighed, her coiled Eastern-style dragon spirit hovering protectively around her. “Always something. I’ve got enough on my plate with research. And now the tournament again? What’s the point? I never find anyone suitable anyway.”

  “You know why it matters,” said a hardened old man in black armor, his voice like gravel. “If we win again, we gain another card up our sleeve.” He paused, then chuckled darkly. “But you also remember how the last one ended. Some aren’t meant to host the Undying Flame.”

  “Enough,” snapped the ancient mage in crimson robes, slamming his staff against the stone floor. “What happened last time was our fault. This time, we won’t rush. If we win, we store the Flame for someone truly worthy.”

  He sighed. “Hopefully, we find one within a hundred years.”

  “Don’t forget,” he added, “the demons aren’t our only problem. The Eldari won’t accept another loss. Their pride won’t allow it.”

  “Let’s change the topic,” the red-haired woman said, leaning forward. “Has anyone figured out who the Nameless is?”

  The black-armored man shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. We don’t know where he took the trial. After that, nothing. Like he vanished in thin air.”

  “Or she,” the small woman added with a sly smile.

  “Right. If we could find them, we could boost them to Knight level quickly. At least they’d win that group.”

  “Would be trivial,” the old mage muttered. “But alas, we don’t know who they are, or where they are.”

  “I have something to report before we adjourn,” said the green-haired man.

  “What is it?” asked the mage.

  “The Realm of Remains is destabilizing. The realm gate should open within a year, maybe sooner. We’re guarding our entrance, but there’s one on Ilun, and another with the demons.”

  “Hmm. That might actually be useful,” the red-haired woman mused.

  “Indeed,” the black-armored man said with a grin. “Whoever survives the tournament and ranks high enough, we send them in. Let them have some fun. Maybe kill a demon or two.”

  “Agreed,” the mage said. “We have much to prepare. I will consult with the fates; something is suspicious here. I feel that something stirs in the realms...”

  He tapped his staff again, and glowing portals opened behind each figure.

  “Go. Prepare your disciples. And if you find the Nameless, send them to me immediately.”

  One by one, the figures stepped into their portals and vanished.

  Only the small woman remained. She smirked. “I’ll take care of the towers. You do what you must, old bag of bones.”

  With a chuckle, she vanished into her portal.

  The old mage stood alone, staring out the window into the void beyond the realm, watching, waiting.?

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