The cave was silent except for the steady rhythm of Akihiro's breathing. He sat cross-legged beside Cai Lin's sleeping form, his posture steady, his eyes closed. The faint pulse of energy inside the Mirror World swirled into him, threads of light and shadow feeding into his body.
At first it was calm. Gentle.
Then it surged.
His Tsukihara bloodline awakened violently, pulling the Mirror World's energy into him like a vortex. His aura flared, shaking the cave, cracks spreading across the walls as his strength skyrocketed.
He broke through Energy Building in moments. Then Foundation. Then Core Building — his body blazing with light as if it couldn't contain the power flooding through him.
Akihiro's chest tightened. Pain spread through his veins like fire. His breaths turned ragged as his own energy began to tear him apart.
"Too fast…" he gasped, clutching his chest. "I can't… hold it—"
The air rippled. Cai Lin stirred. Her eyes snapped open, glowing violet-gold even through her exhaustion.
In a heartbeat, she was at his side, her hand pressing against his chest.
"Foolish boy," she whispered, her voice soft but trembling with urgency. "Don't burn yourself out before destiny even claims you."
Her aura erupted — violet fire and golden light coiling together, wrapping around Akihiro like chains of silk. The storm inside him thrashed, but her power pressed it down, sealing it deep into his core.
Akihiro gasped as the agony faded, his body stabilizing. His aura dimmed to a steady flicker.
But Cai Lin's face went pale. Her hand trembled as she withdrew, her body collapsing against his shoulder.
"No… Cai Lin—"
Her lips curved faintly, her voice a whisper. "Even queens… need rest."
Then her eyes fluttered shut, her body falling into a deep sleep.
Akihiro caught her, his arms tightening around her trembling frame. His throat burned as he lowered her gently against the wall, brushing a strand of silver-white hair from her face.
"You saved me," he muttered, his voice breaking. "Now… I'll protect you."
Hours passed.
Cai Lin slept silently, her breathing shallow but steady. Akihiro's stomach twisted with hunger, his mouth dry. He couldn't wait — he needed food, water, anything to keep himself alive long enough to guard her.
He stepped out of the cave into the wasteland, the fractured sky looming overhead. The air tasted of ash. He searched through the dead trees and shattered stones, his senses sharp.
That was when he heard it.
A whisper.
"…Akihiro…"
He froze.
The voice was faint, carried on the wind like a sigh.
"…my son… save me…"
His heart stopped. That voice — fragile, soft, but achingly familiar.
"…Mother?"
He stumbled forward, following the sound. The whispers guided him across the wasteland until he reached a ruin of black stone. At its center floated a shard of glowing glass, suspended in the air like a heartbeat frozen in time.
Inside the shard shimmered the outline of a woman — long dark hair, violet eyes glowing faintly, her form transparent and flickering like a candle.
"Muwan Tsukihara…" Akihiro whispered, tears stinging his eyes. "Mother…"
Her soul turned toward him, her voice breaking.
"Akihiro… my child. I could not save our clan. My body was destroyed… but my soul lingers here, bound to this mirror. I have waited so long… for you."
Akihiro's legs shook. He reached toward the shard, his hand trembling.
"I'm here, Mother. I'll save you. I swear it."
The shard pulsed with light — but the ground beneath him trembled. From the shadows of the ruin, something stirred, drawn by the glow of her soul.
Dark figures crept closer, claws gleaming, their voices whispering in hunger.
Akihiro clenched his fists, his body still fragile from Cai Lin's sealing. His mother's soul flickered desperately.
"Save me… before it's too late."
The chapter closed on Akihiro, caught between his mother's fading soul and the encroaching darkness, his heart pounding with fear and resolve.