The giant guardian had vanished.
The First Relic had merged with Yozaro.
Golden lines flickered briefly across his eyes before fading.
Everyone could feel it.
Something inside him had changed.
On the cliff above…
The Crimson Cardinal slowly drew his sword.
The blade was completely black.
Not reflecting a single ray of sunlight.
Raizen looked at it and sighed.
“So… you still carry Nightfall.”
The Cardinal smiled beneath his hood.
“And you still carry Heaven’s Edge.”
The two men stared at each other.
Neither moved.
Yet the pressure they released alone caused cracks to spread across the valley floor.
Kael swallowed nervously.
“…I can’t breathe.”
Luna’s hands trembled.
“They haven’t even attacked…”
Rex tightened his grip on his axe.
“This…”
“…is what true monsters look like.”
Even Darius stepped back.
“We’re just spectators now.”
Without warning—
Raizen disappeared.
BOOM!
The mountain behind the Cardinal exploded.
Only after the explosion did everyone hear the sound.
CLANG!!
The two legendary swords met.
A shockwave blasted through the valley.
Trees were uprooted.
Clouds split apart.
The river below changed course.
Yozaro couldn’t even follow their movements.
He saw only flashes of silver and black.
Suddenly…
The Relic inside Yozaro reacted.
His vision changed.
Golden threads appeared everywhere.
Every person…
Every tree…
Every stone…
Was connected by invisible strands.
Some threads shone brightly.
Others looked weak.
One enormous crimson thread connected the Crimson Cardinal…
To a distant location far beyond the mountains.
“What…”
Luna noticed him staring blankly. This story is hosted at g.com.
“Yozaro?”
He whispered,
“I can see…”
“…something.”
Using the Threads of Fate, Yozaro noticed something strange.
The Cardinal wasn’t alone.
Nearly a kilometer away…
Hidden on another cliff…
A hooded archer aimed directly at Raizen’s back.
“No…”
Yozaro’s eyes widened.
“Master!”
Without thinking…
Yozaro sprinted.
The battlefield became a blur.
He ignored the fighting around him.
His only goal…
Reach Raizen.
The hidden archer released the arrow.
It wasn’t an ordinary arrow.
It was black crystal.
Covered in ancient runes.
Even Raizen hadn’t noticed it.
Yozaro leaped into the air.
“Master!!”
He swung Dawnbringer with every ounce of strength he had.
CLANG!
The arrow shattered.
But the explosion sent Yozaro crashing into the rocks below.
Blood covered his forehead.
His right arm trembled violently.
Raizen landed beside him.
“…Idiot.”
Yozaro smiled weakly.
“I learned…”
“…from you.”
“A swordsman protects others.”
For the first time in years…
Raizen laughed during a battle.
The Cardinal clicked his tongue.
“So the Heir has awakened the Threads.”
“Earlier than expected.”
He raised two fingers.
The remaining Cult soldiers immediately retreated.
Varis appeared beside the Cardinal.
“We’re leaving?”
The Cardinal nodded.
“The First Relic is no longer ours to claim.”
He looked directly at Yozaro.
“But the Second…”
“…will belong to us.”
Dark mist surrounded them.
Within seconds… You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Every member of the Cult disappeared.
The battlefield finally became quiet.
Darius walked toward Team Seven.
He removed the mercenary badge from his chest.
Then dropped it onto the ground.
“I quit.”
Kael blinked.
“…That’s it?”
“I’m tired of working for people who see lives as tools.”
He looked at Yozaro.
“If you’ll have me…”
“I’d like to travel with you.”
Rex laughed.
“Anyone who can swing a sword like that is welcome.”
Mira smiled.
“Welcome to the team.”
Luna nodded politely.
Yozaro extended his hand.
“From today…”
“We’re companions.”
Darius shook it firmly.
Three days later…
The group finally reached the border of the Kingdom of Valeria.
Instead of a prosperous kingdom…
They found ruined villages.
Burned fields.
Refugees walking silently along broken roads.
A young boy tugged on Yozaro’s cloak.
“Mister…”
“Are you adventurers?”
Yozaro knelt.
“Yes.”
The boy pointed toward the distant capital.
“Please…”
“…save my sister.”
“Bad people took her.”
Yozaro’s expression hardened.
“Who?”
The boy whispered a single name.
“The Ivory Duke.”
Darius froze.
“…He’s supposed to be dead.”
Raizen’s smile vanished.
“So…”
“We’re already too late.”
Far away…
Atop the walls of Valeria’s capital…
A handsome noble with white hair watched the refugees below.
Beside him stood dozens of armored knights.
He smiled coldly.
“Welcome…”
“…Heir of Desire.”
“I’ve been waiting.”