White-gold light thinned.
The world rebuilt itself around them.
First, heat.
A sharp, sun-forged heat that felt ancient.
Then sound—
distant drums, metallic roars, thousands of clashing voices.
Then the ground—
smooth obsidian beneath their boots, veined with burning red cracks.
Lucian exhaled slowly.
Kaelis stepped beside him, hand already drifting toward her blade.
"…We made it."
Lucian nodded.
But what lay before them didn't feel like a destination.
It felt like a beginning.
The **Emperor's Domain** stretched across the horizon—
a monumental city built in spirals, each ring larger and deadlier than the last.
Ash-iron towers coiled upward like blades.
Arena platforms hovered in the air, suspended by red resonance fields.
Beast cages the size of fortresses lined the outskirts, shaking with the roars of creatures not fit for any normal arena.
Kaelis scanned everything with rapid, tactical intensity.
"Lucian. Look."
She pointed to the sky.
Six massive red banners hung suspended in mid-air, each radiating Sovereign authority.
Each one bore a single message:
**UNBOUND HEART — LOCATED**
**PRIORITY HUNT STATUS: ACTIVE**
Kaelis's breath froze.
"…they're announcing it publicly."
Lucian clenched his fists.
"That means every War Guild… every Arena Clan… every Ranker…"
Kaelis finished grimly:
"…is now your enemy."
The air rumbled.
A voice echoed through the sky—
projected across the entire Domain.
**"LET THE HUNT FOR THE UNBOUND HEART BEGIN."**
Kaelis spat a curse under her breath.
"Perfect. Just perfect."
Lucian exhaled.
"I knew we'd be targeted. I didn't think they'd put it on a billboard."
Kaelis smirked tightly.
"You're trending worldwide. Congratulations."
Lucian gave her a flat look.
"Please don't ever say that again."
But the humor couldn't cut the tension.
Because now—
They were surrounded.
As Lucian and Kaelis stepped off the obsidian platform, the ground shifted beneath their feet—
activating an ancient boundary mark.
Kaelis narrowed her eyes.
"We're in the **Outer War Ring**. First district."
Lucian looked around.
Massive structures rose on all sides—
forges glowing with molten ash,
barracks carved into stone cliffs,
training pits swarming with fighters dripping in steel, flame, and runes.
Everywhere they looked—
Eyes turned toward them.
Scanning.
Calculating.
Lucian's mark pulsed faintly.
He felt their killing intent like heat on his skin.
Kaelis stepped closer to him.
"Don't engage unless we have to."
Lucian nodded.
But trouble found them before they took another step.
A War Guild patrol—six armored fighters with ash-forged halberds—blocked the path ahead.
Their leader stepped forward, helmet shaped like a roaring beast.
"Identify yourselves."
Lucian answered calmly.
"We're—"
The leader's helmet shifted slightly.
A faint red glow scanned Lucian's chest.
Then it froze.
"Unbound Heart…"
Every patrol member snapped into killing stances.
Kaelis's blade was out before they fully moved.
Lucian placed a hand on hers.
"Wait. We can—"
The leader snarled.
"CAPTURE OR KILL—HUNT ORDER 001 IS IN EFFECT!"
Kaelis drew her blade completely.
"No.
We're _done_ being polite."
Lucian sighed.
"Yeah… fair."
The patrol surged toward them.
But then—
A voice thundered across the courtyard.
"ENOUGH."
Every soldier froze.
Kaelis did not drop her guard.
Lucian's Core pulsed once, sensing something powerful approaching.
A man stepped from a nearby training structure—
tall, broad, armored in black-red ash plate that pulsed like a living furnace.
He walked with the relaxed confidence of someone who had killed thousands.
Kaelis stiffened.
"…that's a Marshal."
Lucian blinked.
"A War Guild Marshal?"
Kaelis nodded slowly.
"One of the _four_ overseers of the Outer Ring."
The Marshal approached calmly, studying Lucian like one might study a newly discovered weapon.
His voice rumbled:
"You. Unbound Heart. Tell me your name."
Lucian met his gaze.
"Lucian."
The Marshal's eyes narrowed.
"You destroyed a Sentinel."
Lucian felt Kaelis tense behind him.
He answered anyway.
"Yes."
The Marshal stepped closer.
So close Lucian could see molten embers drifting inside the man's armor.
Then—
The Marshal grinned.
A slow, dangerous, impressed grin.
"Good."
Kaelis blinked.
"…what?"
The Marshal gestured for the patrol to lower their weapons.
They obeyed instantly.
Lucian frowned.
"You're… not here to kill me?"
The Marshal scoffed.
"If I wanted you dead, you'd be ash on my boots."
Kaelis muttered:
"Confident, aren't we…"
The Marshal ignored her.
"You two. Follow me."
Lucian narrowed his eyes.
"And if we don't?"
The Marshal shrugged.
"Then every Guild here will come hunt you within the hour."
Kaelis stepped slightly in front of Lucian.
"Give us a reason to trust you."
He looked at her.
Not at Lucian—
Kaelis.
"Girl. You're no Anchor. You're a warrior. You should know better. In a place like this—trust isn't given."
He turned his gaze back to Lucian, embers flickering in his irises.
"It's _earned._
So come. Earn it."
Lucian hesitated.
Kaelis whispered:
"This could be a trap."
Lucian nodded.
"It probably is."
Kaelis smirked.
"But we're out of options."
Lucian gave her a small grateful smile.
The Marshal began walking.
Lucian and Kaelis followed.
And as they stepped deeper into the War Guild district, Kaelis leaned close and whispered:
"Lucian… if this is a trap…"
"…then we break the trap," Lucian answered quietly.
Kaelis smiled.
"Good. Because I'm not losing you in chapter nineteen."
The Marshal led Lucian and Kaelis through the War Ring's inner streets—
wide battleground avenues paved with scorched obsidian and lined with training pits.
Warriors sparred with molten halberds.
Others wrestled ash beasts into submission.
Arena-clanners shouted bets from the rooftops.
Kaelis stayed close to Lucian, blade-hand always half-tensed.
"This place reeks of ambush."
Lucian scanned the streets.
"It reeks of everything."
Kaelis snorted softly.
"Accurate."
The Marshal spoke without looking back.
"You two whisper like thieves."
Kaelis snapped:
"We whisper because you haven't bothered telling us where you're taking us."
The Marshal didn't slow.
"To the Testing Hall."
Lucian blinked.
"…testing what?"
"You."
Kaelis bristled.
"For what purpose?"
"To see whether you die in the Outer Ring or survive long enough to reach the Emperor's Arena."
Lucian exchanged a glance with Kaelis.
"Sounds fun."
"Lucian," Kaelis muttered, "I swear—"
But the Marshal had already reached a vast circular stone structure.
It towered above the War Ring like a dormant volcano, its walls carved with hundreds of battle seals and names of fallen champions.
He gestured.
"Inside."
Lucian stepped forward.
Kaelis grabbed his arm.
"Lucian. Caution."
He covered her hand with his.
"When am I not careful?"
Kaelis gave him the flattest stare imaginable.
"…should I list the examples?"
Lucian raised both hands.
"Okay, fair."
The Marshal cleared his throat loudly.
"You two done flirting?"
Kaelis turned crimson.
Lucian turned to stone.
The Marshal smirked.
"Good. Then step in, Unbound Heart."
Lucian took a breath and walked inside.
Kaelis followed close behind.
The interior of the Testing Hall was a massive arena dome—
wide enough to fit a dozen Sentinel battles.
The ground was smooth ash-steel, humming with residual energy.
Kaelis's eyes narrowed.
"This floor… it's a resonance amplifier."
Lucian nodded.
"Meaning whatever happens here is going to hit harder."
The Marshal stepped across the arena.
He didn't draw a weapon.
He didn't change his stance.
He simply said:
"Hit me."
Lucian blinked.
"…what?"
Kaelis stepped forward.
"You can't be serious."
The Marshal pointed at Lucian.
"Unbound Heart. Show me your flame."
Lucian frowned.
"I don't want to hurt you."
Kaelis added sharply:
"Or get crushed by you."
The Marshal cracked his knuckles.
"If you can hurt me, you pass.
If not, you die in this Ring before the Sovereign even bothers sending another Sentinel."
Lucian inhaled.
Kaelis whispered urgently:
"This is stupid—don't do it—"
Lucian shook his head.
"No. I have to."
Kaelis's jaw tightened.
Then she stepped back, expression sour but trusting.
"Fine. But if he breaks you, I'm cutting off his head."
The Marshal grinned.
"I look forward to seeing you try."
Kaelis nearly lunged at him right then.
Lucian stepped between them.
"Please don't kill the judge."
"No promises."
Lucian sighed.
Then his flame ignited.
Hybrid white-gold-green energy spiraled around his arms.
The Marshal raised a single hand.
"Come."
Lucian exhaled once—
Then charged.
Lucian swung.
A full-powered hybrid strike—
the same one that shattered the Sentinel's chest.
It collided with the Marshal's open palm.
And—
It stopped.
Dead.
Lucian's eyes widened.
The Marshal didn't budge.
Not an inch.
Kaelis's jaw dropped.
"You're kidding—"
The Marshal looked almost disappointed.
"That all?"
Lucian grit his teeth and unleashed a second strike—
this time augmented by Heartflare Pulse.
"HEARTFLARE—PULSE!"
A shockwave rippled through the arena—
Warriors outside the hall stumbled as resonance spilled into the air.
The Marshal's body pushed back a single step.
Just one.
He raised his brows.
"Better."
Kaelis stared.
"He tanked that?!"
Lucian stumbled back, panting.
The Marshal rolled his shoulders.
"Again."
Lucian tightened his fists.
"No. You're testing me, not trying to kill me."
"Oh?"
The Marshal tilted his head.
"And what makes you think I need to try to kill you?"
Kaelis's sword was halfway drawn.
Lucian held out a hand.
"Kaelis—wait."
She snapped:
"He's provoking you! And me!"
Lucian swallowed.
But he stepped forward again.
"Fine. One more."
He closed his eyes.
Let Dual-Core Flow steady him.
Let his resonance align.
Kaelis stepped beside him without being asked.
Their flames synchronized.
Her voice whispered:
"Don't let him get to your head."
Lucian nodded.
He stepped forward.
The Marshal braced casually.
Lucian unleashed a third strike—
But before it landed, the entire hall shook with a deafening roar.
The Marshal's expression changed instantly.
"…damn it."
Kaelis scanned the ceiling.
"What now—?"
The roar came again—
louder, deeper, shaking dust loose from the dome.
Lucian's heart dropped.
"That's not a beast."
Kaelis's blade lit.
"Lucian—look!"
A massive shadow slammed into the wall—
splintering ash-steel like fragile glass.
The Marshal hissed:
"MOVE!"
The wall collapsed inward.
And through it crawled a creature the size of a small fortress—
A **Titan-Class Ash Beast**, rarely seen outside deep underground.
Lucian staggered back.
Kaelis's eyes widened.
"That thing shouldn't be anywhere near the War Ring!"
The beast roared—
a trembling shockwave that shook the entire city.
The Marshal's armor snapped into combat mode.
He shouted at Lucian:
"Unbound Heart! This beast was driven here by the Sovereign's Mark—IT'S HUNTING YOU!"
Lucian's Core throbbed.
Kaelis grabbed his arm.
"You can't run. It will kill civilians."
Lucian nodded.
"I know."
The ash beast lifted one titanic claw—
dense enough to crush buildings.
Kaelis whispered urgently:
"Lucian. You need to use Heartflare—_NOW_—"
Lucian nodded.
But as he prepared to ignite it—
Something changed.
His flame twisted.
New glyphs appeared in his mind.
A system message flared across his vision:
### **HEARTFLARE PULSE — EVOLUTION UNLOCKED**
**Heartflare Pulse II: Resonant Disruption**
Unleashes a wide-area hybrid wave that destabilizes enemy Core channels and weakens mutation states for 5 seconds.
Scales with Heart-Anchor synchronization level.
Lucian's breath caught.
Kaelis grinned fiercely.
"Good timing."
Lucian stepped forward, flame spiraling into a white-gold sphere.
The ash beast roared—
Kaelis braced beside him.
Lucian ignited his evolution.
"HEARTFLARE PULSE—
SECOND FORM!"
Hybrid resonance erupted from him like a tidal wave.
The ash beast staggered—
Core flickering, limbs weakening, mutation destabilizing.
The Marshal stared in shock.
"Impossible…"
Kaelis smirked.
"Welcome to our life."
Lucian raised his fists—
Kaelis lifted her blade—
Dual-Core Flow activated—
And together they charged the weakened titan.
The Titan Ash Beast lurched forward, its massive forelimbs cracking the arena stones like brittle plates.
Lucian and Kaelis sprinted toward it—
in absolute synchronization.
Kaelis shouted over the roaring wind:
"Lucian! Aim for the left forejoint! It's the weakest mutation plate!"
Lucian nodded, jumping onto a fallen pillar as the beast slammed its claw down.
The impact shook the entire Testing Hall—
dust pouring from the ceiling.
Warriors outside screamed in alarm.
The Marshal barked orders to evacuate the surrounding trainees, but his eyes never left Lucian and Kaelis.
Lucian leapt, hybrid flame flaring across his limbs.
Kaelis launched herself from a collapsing slab beside him, blade drawn into a reverse grip.
Their movements mirrored each other so perfectly that the Marshal muttered:
"…Shared Rhythm. I haven't seen that level in decades."
Lucian reached the Titan's forelimb first.
He slammed both fists into the mutation joint, cracking the ash-iron plating.
Kaelis followed—
Her blade flashing white as it tore through the weakened seam.
The Titan screamed—
the sound vibrating through Lucian's bones.
Its massive paw swung sideways, faster than it had any right to.
Lucian's eyes widened.
"Kaelis!"
She had no footing—
no time to dodge—
no leverage.
Lucian moved instinctively.
Dual-Core Flow surged, activating without command.
His flame wrapped around him and he **threw** himself into the strike.
Kaelis blinked—
"Lucian—NO—"
The paw hit him like a collapsing mountain.
Stone shattered.
Lucian was sent flying across the arena—
slamming into a reinforced pillar.
Kaelis screamed:
"LUCIAN!"
The Marshal grunted.
"That should've killed him."
Kaelis spun toward him, eyes bloodshot with fury.
"It didn't."
Lucian lay sprawled across cracked stone, breath ragged.
His ribs were shattered.
Left arm numb.
Vision doubled.
But his Core—
the Unbound Heart—
pulsed in defiance.
White-gold-green flame crawled across his wounds.
Kaelis sprinted toward him just as he pushed himself upright.
"Lucian—Lucian—talk to me—"
He coughed once.
"I'm—fine—"
"You're NOT fine! That thing hit you into a wall!"
Lucian forced a grin.
"I've had worse."
Kaelis glared.
"When?!"
He coughed again.
"…okay maybe not worse. Comparable."
Her face twisted between relief and outrage.
"I swear, if you die I'm dragging your soul back and hitting you with a sword."
Lucian's heart flickered with warmth.
She was shaking.
Kaelis was never shaken.
He reached up and brushed her shoulder lightly.
"I'm here."
She exhaled sharply.
"Don't leave. Not even for a second. Understood?"
Lucian nodded, Core stabilizing.
"Understood."
Behind them, the Titan roared again—
its mutation channels now destabilizing from Heartflare Pulse II.
Kaelis rose.
Lucian rose with her, pain fading as new flames reinforced his injuries.
The Marshal watched with an expression he had not worn in years.
Awe.
"They fight as one…
Impossible…"
The Titan reared back, Core glowing red-black with unstable mutation.
Lucian inhaled.
Kaelis lifted her blade.
Their steps aligned.
Their flames intertwined.
Dual-Core Flow pulsed brighter than ever.
Lucian whispered:
"Ready?"
Kaelis whispered:
"Don't ask stupid questions."
They sprinted.
The Titan slammed its claws down—
sending shockwaves across the hall.
Lucian leapt.
Kaelis leapt beside him.
Hybrid flame carved a spiral beneath Lucian's feet, launching him higher.
Kaelis used his momentum—
running up the spiral like a ramp.
She drove her blade toward the Titan's head—
Lucian shot beneath her, punching into the creature's neck—
And the Hybrid-Core flame ignited.
White-gold-green erupted.
Kaelis struck simultaneously, driving her blade into the exposed flesh.
The Titan's eyes widened—
It convulsed—
And its Core shattered.
**BOOOOOM—!!**
Ash and molten stone burst outward in a shockwave that shook the entire Outer Ring.
Lucian caught Kaelis mid-fall, landing hard but standing.
Kaelis looked up at him, breathless.
"Showoff."
Lucian smirked weakly.
"You like it."
Her cheeks warmed.
"No comment."
The Marshal approached them slowly.
Silence stretched.
Lucian straightened, weary but steady.
Kaelis kept her blade drawn.
The Marshal looked between the two of them—
the synchronized posture,
the shared flame,
the mutual resonance.
Then he said:
"I know what you are."
Lucian tensed.
Kaelis stepped closer to him.
The Marshal continued, voice quieter:
"You two…
aren't a Heart and Anchor."
Lucian swallowed.
Kaelis's grip tightened.
The Marshal's eyes widened with realization.
"You're a bonded Ascendant Pair."
Lucian blinked.
Kaelis froze.
"What?" they said in unison.
The Marshal nodded slowly.
"It's a forbidden evolution.
One that predates the Sovereign's reforms.
A Heart and an Anchor who grow together—
equal, synchronized, indivisible."
Kaelis frowned.
"That… sounds like a myth."
The Marshal shook his head.
"No.
A threat."
Lucian inhaled sharply.
Kaelis lowered her voice.
"A threat to who?"
The Marshal's answer was simple.
"To the Sovereign."
Lucian clenched his fists.
"So he wasn't just marking me.
He was warning the world."
The Marshal nodded.
"You aren't being hunted because you're strong.
You're being hunted because your existence proves the Sovereign can be defied."
Kaelis stepped forward, defiance burning in her eyes.
"Good.
Let him feel threatened."
Lucian felt his Core pulse in agreement.
But before the Marshal could continue—
The ground trembled violently.
A shadow fell across the Testing Hall.
The Marshal looked up sharply.
"…no.
Already?"
Lucian and Kaelis turned.
A massive projection appeared above the War Ring—
broadcast from the Emperor's Spire.
An armored figure stood at its peak.
The Emperor.
And behind him—
six crimson arrays spinning like halos.
The Emperor's voice echoed across the entire city.
**"UNBOUND HEART.
ANCHOR OF RESONANCE.
YOU HAVE ENTERED MY DOMAIN."**
Kaelis grabbed Lucian's arm.
Lucian's breath caught.
The voice continued:
**"COME TO ME.
OR BE HUNTED TO EXTINCTION."**
Kaelis whispered:
"…Lucian."
Lucian swallowed.
The Emperor's final words cracked the sky:
**"THE WAR OF ASCENSION BEGINS NOW."**