Eirian let go of the strange feeling and pulled the Cryonix's Veinroot from his pocket. He extended it toward Selenia. "Here. Your share take it."
Selenia didn't say a word. She simply took the core and placed it into a small pouch at her waist. A few moments passed in silence before she finally asked, "Which direction should we head now?"
Eirian glanced around, narrowing his eyes as he sensed the flow of the mist.
"The mist here is thin... but I can feel it growing denser ahead. It's spreading from the east," he explained. "Let's head north instead."
She gave a nod. "Alright. Let's go."
But behind her calm response, she was still quietly planning to teach Eirian a lesson for their earlier confrontation.
The two of them moved silently, heading north. Their silhouettes soon vanished into the drifting fog.
Moments later...
When their presence had fully faded, two shadowy figures emerged at the very spot where the Demon Wolf had fallen. Both wore dark cloaks and bone-white masks that concealed their identities.
The taller one spoke first, his voice low but curious. "Did you notice the flame that boy used? That wasn't ordinary fire."
The second figure responded coldly, "That boy's flame holds a deep secret. Veilborn you fought him before, didn't you? Back then, you said he was only at the peak of the Emberflesh Realm."
His voice turned sharp.
"So how is he now at the Fourth Star of the Soulspark Realm? Did you lie?"
The taller figure flinched slightly, his gaze fixed on the scorched battlefield. It was indeed the Veilborn Spirit—Eirian's old foe, the one who had taken his arm during their brief clash in the Valley of Whispers.
"I wasn't lying," Veilborn said, voice heavy with disbelief. "That boy… he's hiding something. No ordinary cultivator could rise so fast in under a month."
The second figure's voice was like ice.
"We continue watching. The Master ordered us not to act yet. We move only when instructed."
Their words were exchanged telepathically—mere seconds of mental conversation.
Without another sound, both vanished into the fog—like ghosts chasing shadows.
Miles to the North...
Two figures could be seen engaged in battle against five strange beasts. It was none other than Orven and his teammate.
The creatures resembled goblins—twisted, hunched forms covered in shaggy black fur, their hideous green faces warped with malice. Despite their crude appearance, their humanoid shapes moved with unnerving speed and coordination.
Though both boys were skilled, the odds weren't in their favor. Five against two.
The goblins weren't individually strong—hovering around the 3-star Soulspark Realm but they fought as a unit, coordinating from five different directions, making it difficult to end the fight quickly.
Orven, now at the 5-star Soulspark Realm, clenched his blade tighter. His sword, a refined mid-tier Soulspark weapon, shimmered with flowing starforce.
"Sea Wave Bleeding! he shouted.
A radiant wave of azure energy burst from his sword, surging like a roaring tide. The sea-like arc crashed toward the goblins, ready to swallow them whole.
Beside him, his companion—at the 4-star Soulspark Realm, the same as Eirian—let out a fierce yell.
"Wind Bloom..!!" A sharp burst of grey light exploded from his saber, twisting through the air like a shooting star. The technique carried a razor-sharp pressure—so swift and focused it seemed capable of slicing through the wind itself.
Both attacks collided with the group of beasts.
The goblins let out piercing, soul-jarring screams. Their howls echoed across the misty land, sharp enough to render a weak-willed cultivator unconscious.
BOOM!
Dust and debris exploded from the impact. The shockwaves carved two massive craters into the earth. Orven and his teammate stumbled back slightly, breathing heavily.
Their starforce reserves were nearly drained—more than 70% spent in that last assault.
"Orven… do you think they're dead?" the boy asked between gasps.
Orven's expression remained calm, though his chest rose and fell with exhaustion. "Let's wait and see. The mist is too thick—I can't see clearly."
As the dust settled, the battlefield became visible once more.
Four goblins lay dead, bodies broken and lifeless. The fifth was barely alive, twitching and gasping for breath.
"GRAWWW…!"
Without hesitation, Orven stepped forward and raised his blade. A clean slash.
The final goblin's head hit the ground.
"Quick, take their Veinroots," he ordered. "The commotion might attract other beasts, and we're already low on energy. We need to find shelter and recover before we get surrounded."
Without delay, the other boy moved to the corpses, slicing open their chests and retrieving the Veinroots—small, glowing cores of red soulforce. He placed them into his bag and nodded.
"Let's move. We need to find a safe place before nightfall."
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Mist drifted like ghosts through the forest.
Farther north, near a rocky hillside where a narrow clear waterfall cascaded down moss-covered stone, the air was calm. The sky was tinged with hues of amber and violet as evening settled in. Crickets and insects chirped faintly in the background.
Inside a small cave nestled between stone outcroppings, Eirian and Selenia sat cross-legged. Both were covered in bruises, their clothing torn in several places. Their bodies were still recovering from serious injuries.
The day before, their beast hunt had been going smoothly.
They had successfully downed several creatures, collecting Veinroots with precision. But just as they were finishing off their final target, an earth-shattering roar had shaken the trees.
A beast far beyond their level had appeared—wild, aggressive, and overwhelming.
Selenia had used a precious protective talisman, sacrificing it to create a temporary barrier. That brief window allowed them to escape.
They had run more than 300 miles, nearly collapsing from exhaustion, before finding this hidden cave to heal.
Selenia was the first to open her eyes. Though slightly better, her wounds still ached. Her breathing was shallow, and her robes were ripped at the shoulder.
She glared at Eirian and snapped, "This was your fault! I told you we needed to rest, but you were too excited to stop. And because of that, we nearly died!"
Eirian stirred after a few moments, eyes slowly opening. A look of quiet embarrassment crossed his face, but his tone remained calm.
"I didn't know something like that would show up," he replied, rubbing his shoulder. "How was I supposed to expect a crazy monster to appear out of nowhere?"
Selenia clenched her fist. She wanted to punch this boy's annoying face—but held back.
Then Eirian added casually, "You should change your clothes. They're torn in several places."
Selenia almost couldn't control herself any longer. She wanted to stay calm, but deep down she was just scared. They had almost died.
She launched at him and punched his face hard with her full strength, sending Eirian flying out of the cave.
"Idiot! Don't even dare come back inside while I'm changing!"
Eirian hadn't expected the punch. He crashed into a large stone outside the cave, groaning in pain.
He muttered, "Are girls really so unpredictable..? No one can predict when they get angry. Why did she throw me out? I haven't even did anything!"
Inside the cave, Selenia stomped the ground in frustration.
"This idiot doesn't even understand how to talk to a girl," she murmured.
She was a little embarrassed when he told her to change. Why would she listen to him? And on top of that, they were in this injured situation because of him.
She sighed, trying to calm herself. Opening her bag, she pulled out her last spare dress.
"This is my last one... If it gets torn, I'll be in serious trouble," she muttered to herself.
Outside, Eirian walked toward the waterfall to wash up. He didn't take the punch personally. In his mind, Selenia had simply gone crazy.
As he arrived at the waterfall and listened to its sound, he felt something calm deep within his soul.
And suddenly—A memory flashed in his mind.
He was standing by a waterfall with a girl.
It was none other than Selia, his sister.
They were both in the water, laughing as they splashed each other.
"Brother, why do you always act like a kid with me~?" Selia asked teasingly.
Eirian smirked, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered softly, "Whenever I'm with you, it feels like time stands still. I want to savor every moment... who knows if I'll ever get this chance ever again in future?"
The girl blushed in embarrassment and, with playful annoyance, grabbed Eirian by the head and tossed him away with her strength.
"You're really annoying!" she shouted.
The memory shattered.
Eirian came back to his senses, touching his hair where he'd felt her pull it, a tingling sensation still lingering.
He whispered softly, Selia…
He hadn't even noticed the tears streaming down his face, his eyes now red.
As he looked at his reflection in the water, he saw himself crying.
He touched his cheek softly and murmured, "Was I… shedding tears?"
Suddenly, his heartbeat quickened. A sharp pain struck his chest.
He clutched it with his left hand, staring at his reflection.
"Selia… you will open your eyes again. I want to see your smile once more. I'll sacrifice everything—reach unimaginable heights to bring you back. I don't care if I have to fight hell itself or the entire universe."
His eyes burned with resolve.
The phoenix mark on his forehead shimmered again—faint at first, but growing brighter, as if awakening to his determination.
His Soulbrand stirred in response. A gentle pulse echoed through his veins—not painful, not urgent, but alive. It was as if it had heard him… and was answering in kind.
Then, just for a moment, the mist around him shifted unnaturally.
The air grew still.
Deep within his consciousness, the Soulflame sensed the change stirring within him silently.
Eirian didn't notice it too lost in memory, pain, and purpose—but in the reflection of the water, his eyes gleamed with a fleeting crimson glow.
From deep within him his Soulbrand, a presence stirred. Dormant until now, it quivered faintly—as if some ancient fragment had been touched. As if his vow had reached across the veil between worlds.
Unseen by him, the mark on his back also faintly lit up, forming lines he had never noticed before—ancient runes trailing downward like burning veins beneath the skin.