After a week – March 11th
In the Samurai Headquarters
The samurai returned from the borders of the Ancient Kingdom after witnessing the terrifying explosion.
They saw something unforgettable.
As they arrived, the weather turned gloomy.
The expedition entered the headquarters in a state of shock.
They went up to the third floor and found Commander Ryota sitting in his chair, gazing at them with sharp eyes. Beside him stood Commander Takeiru.
Takeiru spoke with a deep, anxious voice:
"What's with those expressions? And why haven't Commander Roko and his deputy Seiji returned with you?"
The expedition leader lowered his head and replied,
"Commander Roko and his deputy Seiji… are no longer with us."
At that moment, Commander Ryota couldn't comprehend their words.
Takeiru stepped forward, grabbed the expedition leader's shoulders tightly, and shouted furiously in his face,
"What do you mean by saying they're no longer with us?!"
"Enough. Let them go, Takeiru."
Ryota looked at them sharply and spoke with a calm yet cutting tone — one that carried a suppressed rage within.
"Can you explain to me what exactly happened?"
The expedition leader's body trembled with fear. He didn't know how to explain it to the two furious commanders standing before him.
"When we reached the border, an explosion occurred out of nowhere. It was a devastating, horrifying blast that reached the skies. Its color wasn't like any normal explosion — it was blue. Because of its power, we believe Commander Roko has perished."
"But you didn't even go to investigate the explosion?!" shouted Takeiru.
If not for Commander Ryota's intervention, Takeiru would have torn the man apart. Takeiru had always considered Roko as his own son and had once wanted to adopt him, but Roko refused. His death now felt like a sword driven through his heart.
Ryota pressed his hand to his forehead, feeling deep sorrow.
"The Blue Fire…"
Ryota's anger and anxiety grew stronger.
"The Ancient Kingdom has broken the pact."
Takeiru looked shocked.
"The Blue Fire?"
Ryota answered,
"Since the reign of its first king, the Ancient Kingdom possessed a destructive blue flame, unlike that of other kingdoms. They became greedy enough to try and conquer the Fifth Kingdom to claim dominance over it — but they failed, and their most noble families' heirs were captured. The Ancient Kingdom sent an envoy to the Fifth Kingdom to request the hostages' return. The response came two days later — the envoy and the messengers returned with their heads severed.
That night, under a full moon, the people awoke to find barrels marked with the words 'Blue Fire'. In an instant, the First City was erased from existence, and a hundred thousand people were killed. After that incident, the Ancient Kingdom returned the hostages. The First King, traumatized by the fire's power, forbade its use ever again, realizing it could unite all the kingdoms against them and destroy them.
Later, during the Hundred-Year War, the Blue Fire was used a second time — to destroy the monsters. When the war ended, the empires of Kagutsuchi and the Magi pressured the young ruler of the Ancient Kingdom, Eldran III, to eliminate it. He signed a pact with them. But now… it seems they've broken that pact."
"I will go report this to the Emperor. The Blue Fire still exists. And since the Ancient Kingdom has now been annihilated, we don't know what will happen next."
Ryota rose from his chair and left the headquarters, heading straight toward the Imperial Palace.
In the Ancient Kingdom
Nothing remained of Nimoria but charred wooden debris and ashes. Even the blood and water had evaporated, turning the sky dark ever since the explosion began. Amid the ruins, everything that once spoke of beauty was gone — even the buried corpses had vanished. Nimoria was destroyed, and its secrets died with it. What remained was a massive crater — once a beautiful city.
Among the burning wreckage lay Roko's body. Both his arms were scorched, his body deformed. He had slept for a week — asleep in his own blood — and miraculously survived after the Blue Fire had nearly consumed him.
After this deep sleep, Roko awoke.
Roko's Perspective
I felt darkness and a splitting headache the moment I woke up.
When I opened my eyes, countless questions flooded my mind:
"Why am I lying in this deep pit? Why does my body ache so badly? Where's Seiji? Did something happen that made me lose consciousness?"
Ah… that's right. I remember now — the explosion. That was what knocked me out.
But what happened to Seiji? I didn't hear his voice. I couldn't find him. A sense of dread crept in. Despite the searing pain piercing through my body, I stood up, trying to look for him. My arms hurt, and my legs refused to move.
I fought against the pain and managed to stand — only to collapse again.
"I can't even stay on my feet for a second… I'm useless."
It's the second time in my life I've felt this kind of agony.
Bleeding, I grabbed the damp soil and began to crawl forward.
"Why? Why can't I find him?"
Even with the stench filling the air, my blurry vision, and the pain intensifying — I kept going.
I couldn't use my power. I didn't even understand what my injuries were. I felt like I was searching for nothing.
I screamed loudly,
"Seiji! Are you joking with me? This isn't the time for pranks! Show yourself!"
Then came the pain — sharp and overwhelming — like being stabbed multiple times at once: in my throat, my stomach, my legs, and all over my body.
Before I closed my eyes again, I caught sight of a figure standing in the distance.
I crawled toward it as fast as I could.
When I reached it…
The sky seemed to mock me.
It was an illusion.
What lay before me was a burnt body — or half of one, since the other half had turned to ash.
That body wasn't unfamiliar to me.
It was Seiji's.
I hadn't just lost a friend — I had lost a brother.
Memories rushed through my mind:
When I was appointed commander and Seiji as my vice, he knelt and swore with a grin:
"I swear to be your right arm, you stupid commander."
"Who are you calling stupid?"
Or the time I laughed in front of the Emperor and he glared at me, and Seiji quickly said,
"Please forgive him, Your Majesty. Even though he's a commander, his mental age is still twelve."
"What do you mean? I'm seventeen!"
"Enough, both of you. Stop bickering."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Or when I mocked his deductions in Valimir, and he yelled at me furiously:
"You idiot! I just want to know who appointed you commander — and was he drunk when he did it?!"
"The Emperor appointed me. Are you questioning His Majesty's judgment now? I didn't think my deputy would be a rebel. What a shame."
"Just shut up already."
After remembering all of that, I looked up at the sky.
Winter had arrived, and snow began to fall.
And then… I laughed.
"Ha… hahaha!"
I laughed and cried at the same time.
I laughed at my fate — for living a life I didn't deserve —
and cried for the one who deserved this life…
but died in my place.