In another place in the Great Fire Kingdom, Yui was sweating intensely while she was asleep...
Inside her dream.
Yui was a four-year-old child living a happy life in the Kingdom of Valorie. She feared nothing, and they had a just and kind king.
It was a prosperous kingdom, known as an example of comfort and beauty.
But one day, everything changed. When Yui turned seven, a massive revolution occurred against the king, and he ultimately fell.
Another king took his throne—one who was extremely evil.
He enslaved children, raped them, tortured them, and hid it all under the banner of "purification for children."
Yui's turn came. She was taken from her home, away from her parents, to live in what she thought was paradise—but it was hell.
She said goodbye to them with a wide smile.
But the moment she stepped into the royal palace, that smile vanished, turning into misery and despair. Her eyes darkened.
The king enslaved her and forced her to obey every command. If she disobeyed, he would torture her by repeatedly whipping her with a rubber whip.
After he was done with her, she went to her room to rest.
That day, Yui entered her room and found a plate. She opened it.
Yui (fell to the ground, crawling backward and crying): "Da... Dad!!" She screamed with all her strength—her father's head was inside the plate.
Decorated as if the king was presenting it to her as dinner.
Yui went to the king in anger and screamed, asking why he did that. He answered coldly that he did it because she disobeyed his orders. She screamed at him with all her strength.
She began to scold him.
She was just a child—quick to anger and quick to sadness.
And her impulsiveness led to her destruction.
The king became enraged and ordered her family to be brought in. He hung their bodies on the walls and began shooting arrows at them, laughing as if it were a game. In the end, he cut off their heads and threw their bodies to the dogs.
From the shock, Yui forgot how to react. She fell to her knees in grief, with no response at all. Then she started laughing hysterically before breaking down in tears. "Hahaha!!!"
The king did not like that. He wanted to see her cry and scream—not laugh.
So he ordered her to be taken away and tortured her with a torment worse than death, until she turned eight. Then he ordered it to stop.
She was rejected, oppressed, betrayed, and deceived. She lost everything. She became ill. No one stood by her. She fell into a whirlpool of suppressed, accumulated rage.
She managed to escape from the palace, but she kept running for the rest of her life, because the king's followers kept chasing her. She ran everywhere, but eventually returned to the same place again, because she had nowhere else to go—especially since no kingdom accepted her as she was wanted.
She returned to the royal palace and stood before the king, looking at him sharply and mockingly. She bowed to him with exaggerated respect, filled with sarcasm: "Your Majesty."
The king understood she was mocking him and became furious, expressing his anger.
But Yui did not move or show any reaction. She just stared directly into his eyes without ever looking away.
The king was afraid of her gaze.
Yui turned her back on him and left the hall calmly.
She walked through the crowd with confidence, and before she exited the door, she turned to the king and said: "A day will come when you and your kingdom will fall. I promise you that!"
Yui woke up from the dream crying and said in a sorrowful tone: "Why does this dream keep repeating? I don't want my past to be shown again!"
Rin woke up to the sound of crying.
Rin (sleepy, looking at Yui): "What's wrong, Yui?"
Yui (quickly wiping her tears and smiling): "Don't worry, it's nothing. Just a stomach ache. I'll go buy some medicine now... go back to sleep, Rin. Sweet dreams."
Rin went back to sleep because he didn't understand anything anyway, especially since his vision was blurry and his hearing wasn't good. But he felt that something was wrong—he felt a deep sadness coming from Yui.
Yui left the inn and went down to the empty street.
Yui (firm and strict tone, slapping herself): "Yui, you are in the future now. You must not look at the past. Just move forward."
Yui went to a secluded place and sat there.
"Sun Swords."
Ten swords appeared, spinning around her at incredible speed.
They defended her and attacked at the same time. The heat of each sword exceeded 6000, but Yui reduced their temperature, and the swords were covered with an electric layer, surrounded by lightning.
Yui: "I must develop this technique. It's the strongest thing I have. My stamina and energy are very weak. If I use it, I'll faint for an entire day!... I must become stronger and stand with them. I don't want to be a burden."
Yui (felt someone watching her, turned and shouted): "Who's there?!"
Infernus appeared.
Infernus (descending from the sky and sitting beside Yui): "Yui, you are not a burden to us. You are very strong, and I admit that!... But your problem is that your energy and stamina are very weak."
Yui (looking at Infernus, then down at the ground in despair): "Yes... I know. I'm very weak. In your fight against Rio, your battle was so intense that even your punches created tremors across the kingdom!"
Infernus (looking at Yui in surprise, blinking twice): "Really? Was my fight with Rio that strong? I didn't feel anything."
Yui (waving her hand as if saying no): "It was extremely strong. Didn't you feel anything at all? Me and Rin were literally being thrown through the air repeatedly. Your kingdom was about to be destroyed—how did you not feel anything?"
Infernus (with shock and confusion): "...Was it really like that?! I didn't feel anything."
Yui was confused but didn't care much. Suddenly, she collapsed to the ground.
Infernus (rushing to her in panic): "Yui, what's wrong?!"
Yui (tired tone): "Idiot, don't worry. I'll just faint for a day."
Infernus carried her back to their inn and placed her there.
After a full day passed.
Yui woke up. No one was around.
Yui (standing and walking, searching): "Rin... Rio... Infernus."
Rio (opening the door, grabbing Yui forcefully with a serious tone): "Yui, come with me."
They arrived at the royal palace. They entered, and Rin was sitting there and welcomed them.
Infernus (with concern): "It seems the enemy has begun moving. You must leave now."
Rin (firm tone): "Infernus, you are our friend, and we will help you with all our strength. Why should we leave while our friend is under attack?!"
Rio: "Infernus... Rin is right. We must support each other."
Yui (not understanding anything, only thinking about sleep): "Alright... alright. What is going on? Can someone explain?"
Infernus began explaining that there were monsters coming toward the kingdom in massive numbers, like waves, from all directions—east, west, north, and south.
The kingdom's army was not enough to face them, so they wanted an idea from Yui, as she was considered the strategist of the team.
Yui (understood the situation and began thinking, placing a map on the table, acting like a true war leader): "Listen carefully. This is war, not a game.
First, regarding the army: we must define strategic defense points within the kingdom—such as strong buildings, fortresses, and narrow paths.
We make the army move between these points skillfully to avoid exposure and direct attacks.
We use terrain and structures to reduce the monsters' numerical advantage.
This way, the army can move freely, either avoiding attacks or launching stealth attacks.
Second part—your role, Rio: you will create small prisons scattered across monster gathering points inside the kingdom.
Then you trap groups of monsters inside them to divide their strength and reduce their aggression.
This also gives our army a chance to focus attacks more effectively.
Third part—your role, Rin: you will spread chaos and disorder among the monsters by deceiving them—manipulating their leaders and using illusions.
Create the impression of additional forces.
Lead them into empty zones or traps.
This will cause fragmentation or even minor internal conflict, giving our army an advantage.
Fourth part—your role, Infernus: you will summon massive flames to protect vital areas—city gates, defensive centers, and populated zones.
You will also launch organized fire attacks on monster clusters, especially when they are trapped in Rio's prisons.
And create intermittent fire lines to block their advance.
This will reduce the kingdom's destruction and casualties.
Fifth part—my role:
In the west, there is a forest—the place with the highest concentration of monsters.
Since it's a forest, the monsters will struggle to move freely.
Especially since there are carnivorous plants there.
They will help us a lot.
I will go alone and attack the forest. Since I know it well, fighting there will be easier for me.
Avoiding those plants will give me an advantage and create a difficult environment for the monsters.
But I will perform a suicidal move... I will burn the entire forest."
Infernus (shocked, shouting): "Have you lost your mind?! Do you know what burning a forest means? What if the fire spreads here?! What will we do?!"
Yui (hesitant tone): "Infernus, please don't worry. Trust me as the leader of your army. If anything happens to your kingdom, I promise I will offer my head myself."
Infernus (looking at her with hesitation, then calming down and placing his hand on her shoulder): "I trust you, Yui. Don't disappoint me."
Rin stepped in: "But what technique will you use to burn an entire forest?! Is it the Sun Swords? Will you release the full version?"
Yui (lowering her head slightly, murmuring): "Yes... I will release the full version, even if it costs me my life."
Rin (shouting): "Have you gone insane?! That technique alone nearly kills you in a single fight! Let alone using it to burn an entire forest?! That's suicide, Yui!!
Your body still can't handle that power!"
Infernus (stepping forward, conflicted between concern and admiration): "You're serious... truly ready to die for the kingdom?"
Yui (looking at them all, her eyes filled with sadness and determination): "I have nothing left... no family, no homeland... but you—you have become everything to me. I won't let any of you lose what I lost."
Silence filled the room.
Rio (clenching his fist): "No... we won't let you go alone. I'll come with you—even if I have to carry your burning body."
Rin (smiling sadly): "And I'll create a massive illusion in the sky that makes the monsters think the sky itself has fallen on them. We won't leave you alone, Yui."
Infernus (turning toward the door): "If we are going to burn... then we burn together. But in return, we will rebuild this world from the ashes.
The world can be replaced—but a friend cannot."
Yui (smiling with tears falling): "Thank you... this is the first time I feel I'm not alone. But you must not come with me—you will ruin the plan."
They all stood in silence.
Infernus (serious tone): "It doesn't matter. A kingdom can be rebuilt, but a soul cannot."
Yui (with a sad smile and firm determination): "Thank you... but please let me go. I promise I will return victorious. I will never fall!
I will raise the banner of victory and destroy evil. I will not allow any child to scream or be enslaved. I will not allow anyone to live in war.
That pain is unbearable. I will stand with good for the rest of my life. I will fight as a leader—not as a girl."
Infernus trusted her and ordered everyone to go to their positions. He left without looking back or saying goodbye, because he was certain she would return victorious.
Yui set off alone toward the forest...
To be continued...