The scene shifted.
Arvaris stood on a high balcony, his sharp eyes fixed on the arena below where duos clashed fiercely. Dust rose, blades clanged, and a few scattered nobles cheered from shaded seats. His expression was unreadable, though his fingers tapped the railing slowly, as if weighing something heavier than the battles below.
A knight approached and bowed.
"Sir Arvaris… the King requests your presence."
Arvaris exhaled through his nose, turning. "...Fine."
As he walked through the long, torchlit corridors toward the throne room, his thoughts soured. What now? What does that foolish King want this time?
The grand doors opened with a heavy groan. Inside, the King stood—not seated, but waiting. His presence filled the room with uneasy weight.
Arvaris bowed low. "Yes, my lord?"
The King stepped down from the dais, closer, his voice calm but carrying authority.
"I want to meet Leo."
Arvaris froze, then slowly lifted his head, eyes narrowing. "No… you can't."
The King tilted his head. "And why is that?"
For the first time, Arvaris faltered. Words caught in his throat. He couldn't give the truth—not yet.
The King placed a hand on Arvaris's shoulder, smiling faintly.
"I know why you're stopping me."
Arvaris's eyes widened. What?
But then the King continued softly, "It's because you care for me. You fear that if you bring Leo before me… he might harm me, isn't that right?"
Relief washed over Arvaris like cool water. That was close.
He straightened, nodding. "Yes, my King. That is… exactly it. But—"
The King waved his words away. "It's fine. I'll go myself. It won't take long."
As the King began to step past, Arvaris's voice rang sharply:
"Your Majesty, one last time… stay here. I will bring him to you. No matter what I have to do, I'll ensure he comes before you. So please—don't go yourself. It is my wish."
The King paused, studying him, then sighed. "Very well. But only this once."
Arvaris bowed again. "Thank you, my lord. Why not watch the new combatants in the tournament while you wait? It might ease your boredom."
The King chuckled, turning toward the exit. "Hmm… I truly have nothing else to do, so yes, I'll watch. Arvaris—best of luck."
"Thank you, my King."
The doors closed behind the King.
Silence.
And then… the mask slipped.
Arvaris's lips curled into a slow, venomous smirk, spreading wider as he stepped into the sunlight beyond the castle gates. His eyes gleamed with malice, every trace of loyalty gone. The smirk became something darker—something that showed his true nature at last.
Scene shifted to Leo's village.
The villagers were bustling happily, carrying fruit baskets and setting up stalls. Balzock strolled among them with a rare, gentle smile.
Then—BOOM!
Something massive crashed down from the sky. A house exploded into rubble. Dust and smoke filled the air. Balzock spun around, eyes wide in shock. From the swirling smoke… a shadowy figure emerged.
(Who this figure is remains hidden for now.)
Zack grunted as he pumped out push-ups, sweat dripping down his arms. Sara sat lazily on a boulder, watching some goblins argue and claw at each other over scraps of food.
"Hey! Stop fighting over that food and get over here!" Zack barked.
Two of the goblins hesitated, then shuffled over. Zack smirked and pointed at his back."Alright. Sit on me. Let's turn this into training weight."
The goblins clambered onto him. Zack lowered himself to the ground.
BOOM!
The cave shook. Zack froze mid-push-up, eyes snapping up."What was that sound?!"
Sara jumped to her feet."It came from the direction of our village!"
Zack's blood ran cold. He tossed the goblins aside and bolted toward the cave entrance."Hey! Witch! Lili! You there?! We're in trouble!"
Silence.
Zack clicked his tongue. Tch…No answer.
He turned back to Sara, urgency blazing in his eyes."Sara, you and the goblins stay here. Try to reach Lili if you can. I'll go check the village."
Sara nodded firmly."Got it. Be careful."
Zack crouched low, his stance almost animalistic, palms brushing the ground like a prowling beast. Then, with explosive force, he launched forward, sprinting toward the village.
In his mind, one thought roared above all others:I'm coming, Chief… Sheron… hold on.
Dust clouded the air, screams echoing through the village. Some people cried in pain, others scrambled away in terror. Zack pushed forward, eyes darting through the chaos.
Then his heart froze.
"Chief!!" he shouted.
Balzock lay crumpled on the ground, blood soaking into the dirt. Not far from him, Sheron was barely standing, his body battered and trembling, yet his grip on his weapon unbroken.
Zack clenched his fists—then stopped.
Right in front of him stood a man, his back turned. Slowly, the stranger turned around, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.
It was none other than Arvaris.
But Zack had never seen him before.
"Who the hell are you?" Zack demanded, his voice shaking with fury. "What do you want!?"
Arvaris smiled coldly, tilting his head.
"Where is Leo Vallis?"
Far away, inside the cave—
Lili floated in midair, her eyes closed, lips moving in a hurried chant. A portal shimmered before her, unstable and dangerous. Her expression was tense, sweat trailing down her forehead. It was clear—whatever she was seeing was something terrifying.
Outside the cave—
"Lili! Lili! Where are you!? We need your help!!" Sara shouted desperately.
One of the goblins tugged her sleeve. "Why don't you just go inside?"
"I would if I could!" Sara snapped, eyes locked on the glowing cave entrance. "But the energy in there is… too much for me."
She bit her lip, then straightened. "Wait… actually… I can try something."
She drew an arrow, murmured a spell, and ignited it with fire. "Sorry, Lili… if this interrupts you… but it's important!"
She released.
The flaming arrow shot into the cave, sparking against the rocks with a sharp clink.
Lili's eyes snapped open. She gasped, faltered, and fell to the ground, coughing.
"I… I have to tell this to Leo… as soon as possible…" She blinked, then frowned, noticing the still-burning arrow near her. "Wait… this is Sara's arrow but…"
Before she could finish, a familiar voice echoed faintly.
"Lili! Did you wake up? Can you hear me? We need your help!"
Lili's face hardened, determination burning in her eyes. She floated back into the air, her body glowing faintly with magic as she rushed toward the cave's exit.
As Lili floated toward the cave's exit, her face pale and her breath uneasy, her thoughts twisted with urgency.
"Oh my God… we're in serious trouble."
She froze mid-air for a moment, clutching her chest as her senses trembled under the overwhelming energy she had just seen. But then her eyes widened further, her voice trembling in her own head—
"No… it's not us. Leo… Leo is in trouble."
Her body flared with magic, aura pulsing violently as she pushed herself faster toward the outside.