In the heart of the capital of Azreal, where towering spires of white stone pierce the permanent shroud of clouds and conspiracies are woven in the lightless corners of power, General Akaria Valerius stood motionless. She was positioned before the grand obsidian-framed window of her luxury chambers at the Black Spear headquarters.

  ?Outside, night had draped its heavy, suffocating veil over the city. The flickering mana-lamps lining the streets were mere pinpricks of light, failing to dispel the deeper darkness settling in her chest. This was no ordinary unease; it was the primal instinct of a High Legendary warrior. It was a silent whisper in her marrow, warning her that the balance of power, which had held the Three Kingdoms in a state of rigid order for centuries, was now teetering on the edge of an unfathomable abyss.

  ?Akaria's thoughts drifted, replaying the memory of her encounter in the Arcadia arena.

  ?(Thinking...) "This is the first time in decades I have felt this kind of atmospheric pressure," she mused, her fingers nervously brushing the cold, notched hilt of her blade. "Nico Sigmund... a boy with the records of a student, yet the presence of a god. How did he dare to stand before me with such harrowing composure? My rank and power alone are enough to make the strongest generals bow in physiological fear, yet he stood there as if I were a mere passerby—or worse, as if I were the one who should be wary of him."

  ?She remembered his features vividly; they weren't the mask of a foolish braggart. Instead, they reflected a cold, ancient confidence born of a hidden strength that defied modern human measurement. Most unsettling was the dark energy she had glimpsed swirling around his hand for a fleeting moment—a frequency of mana so subtle and dense that no untrained eye could perceive it.

  ?"Who are you truly, Nico?" she whispered to the glass. "I have woven a thousand theories in my mind, and I pray with all my heart that none of them are true. Because if you are what the legends fear, I will be the one standing in your way to end the threat before it consumes the light."

  ?A sharp, rhythmic knock on the heavy oak door shattered her meditation.

  ?"Who is it?" she asked, her voice instantly regaining the sharp, crystalline authority of a commander.

  ?"It is I, General... Zorua."

  ?With a single word, she granted entry: "Enter."

  ?Zorua Machiavelli, the brilliant investigator and strategist, stepped into the room. He held an ancient, yellowed scroll in his gloved hands. The deep shadows beneath his eyes and the slight tremor in his fingers suggested he had been diving into the depths of forbidden imperial archives for many sleepless nights.

  ?"Greetings, General... I apologize for the late hour," Zorua began, adjusting his spectacles. "But the urgency of my findings outweighs the necessity of rest."

  ?Akaria turned toward him, her cape swirling like a shadow. "Speak, Zorua. What has the archive yielded?"

  ?Zorua took a deep breath, his voice dropping to a cautious whisper. "General, after conducting exhaustive research through manuscripts that have been sealed since the Great Purge, I have uncovered information that is... chilling. I have found truths regarding the Era of the Moon Queen—a ruler whose power was rumored to rival Azreal Sol himself, and perhaps, in the ancient accounts, even surpassed him."

  ?He paused to gauge her reaction, then continued: "Forbidden scrolls suggest that certain ancient artifacts—vessels of soul-energy and relics of the Void—were never truly destroyed. I suspect that Nico Sigmund is in possession of such a relic, or perhaps... he is the relic himself. If my theories regarding his 3,000-year mana frequency are correct, we are not facing a student. We are facing a catastrophe. Nico might be a figure resurrected from the Dark Age—the most powerful and blood-soaked era this world has ever known."

  ?A heavy, stifling silence filled the chamber. Akaria knew that Zorua did not deal in hyperbole. If he used the word 'catastrophe,' the world was already burning.

  ?"From what I understand, Zorua, this person could be a danger not just to the sovereignty of the Star Kingdom, but to the fabric of existence," Akaria spoke, her voice a blend of military severity and deep-seated dread. "Listen well. I grant you absolute permission to track this individual. Depart from the capital. Gather every possible piece of information regarding his movements in the neighboring kingdoms. I trust your intellect, but I fear one thing: if you feel even a glimmer of danger, withdraw immediately. Providing me with data is the priority. If necessary, I will mobilize the full force of the Black Spear to your aid. I am counting on you."

  ?Zorua bowed respectfully. "Certainly, General. I will carry out this mission with the discretion it requires. By your leave."

  ?After he departed, Akaria stared at the pale moon struggling behind the clouds. "Nico Sigmund... it seems you hide a secret so vast that discovering it is like trying to descend into a hole with no bottom."

  ?[Five Months Later...]

  ?The features of the world had shifted slightly during these months. Tensions between the races were rising, and the shadow of the Arcadia collapse still loomed over the political landscape. Yet, inside the crowded, sweat-and-steel atmosphere of the Adventurers' Guild, the frantic pace of profit remained unchanged.

  ?Inside the sprawling hall of the Celestial Star Kingdom's central guild, a young girl named Mirana Grechel stood before the massive reception desk. She wore simple, tattered clothes that bore the undeniable marks of rural poverty.

  ?"Hello, ma'am..." Mirana began, her voice faint and hesitant. "Could I... could I hire an adventurer to accompany me on a mission? I am looking for a beginner. Someone of Copper rank, if possible... to fit my budget."

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  ?The receptionist looked at Mirana with a cold, professional indifference. Her voice was dry and dismissive. "I apologize, miss. As per the new security mandates following the Arcadia incident, beginners are barred from any missions outside the kingdom's borders. You must hire an adventurer of at least Platinum Rank or a high-tier Copper with a specialized combat record. Anything less is a violation of guild safety protocols."

  ?Mirana's face fell, her shoulders slumping. "Oh... I see. I'm sorry to have wasted your time. I'll leave now and try to save more for next season."

  ?As she turned to leave, whispers of mockery and sharp sneers erupted from the groups of adventurers drinking at the nearby tables.

  ?"Look at that beggar! She thinks our lives are so cheap they can be bought for the few coppers she found in the dirt," one warrior said with a biting laugh.

  ?"Useless peasants," another added, shaking his head. "They think a sword is a toy. Why did she even dare come here? Hiring a beginner for an escort is just a slow way to commit suicide."

  ?Mirana lowered her head, hot tears threatening to spill as she felt the weight of their humiliating gazes. But suddenly, a calm, resonant voice cut through the noise of the tavern like a silver blade.

  ?"Wait... Hold your step, young lady. Did you just say you required an adventurer for a journey?"

  ?The room went silent instantly. The laughter died in the throats of the mercenaries. All eyes turned toward the corner of the hall where a female warrior stood. She possessed a dominant, imposing presence that seemed to command the very air in the room.

  ?"No way..." someone whispered. "Is that... the Rank 19 hero?"

  ?"Yes! It's Athena Seraph from the Red Scythe Alliance! I heard she is on the verge of reaching the Legendary Rank!"

  ?"Impossible... why would she speak to a peasant? Surely she's just going to deliver a harsher lesson."

  ?Athena stepped forward with a confident, fluid grace toward the stunned Mirana. She was dressed in high-grade magical light armor, and the mana radiating from her was pure and stable.

  ?"Excuse me, great adventurer... are you speaking to me?" Mirana asked, her voice trembling in disbelief.

  ?"I am," Athena replied, offering a reassuring, calm smile. "I am Athena Seraph of the Red Scythe. I can accompany you on your mission, if you will have me."

  ?The surrounding adventurers trembled. The Red Scythe was not just a team; it was the strongest rising alliance in the kingdom. Hiring someone of Athena's stature usually required a king's ransom, not copper coins.

  ?"W-what?" Mirana stammered. "I am Mirana... but Lady Athena, I cannot afford even a fraction of your fee. My situation is... poor. And the mission is so simple. It is just a walk to the neighboring village to deliver medicine."

  ?Athena's expression remained gentle. "Mirana, listen to me. First of all, I do not care for your gold. As long as you can pay the guild's symbolic processing fee to document the contract, that is enough for me. Secondly," her voice turned serious, "there is no such thing as a 'simple' mission in these times. Even a walk to a neighboring village can end in tragedy if you encounter high-level hybrids. So, what do you say? Shall we depart?"

  ?Mirana couldn't believe her luck. "Yes! I accept! I don't know how to thank you... I never expected someone so powerful to be so kind."

  ?As they walked along the sun-dappled forest path, Mirana remained in awe of her protector. The girl looked at Athena as if she were a goddess descended to earth.

  ?"It's no problem, Mirana," Athena said, her eyes constantly scanning the treeline. "In the end, our priority is the protection of life. Some think sacrificing their time requires a mountain of gold, while others understand that strength is meant to be a shield, not a source of profit. Everyone has their own path, but I follow the one set by my leader."

  ?"How did you gain such a perspective, Lady Athena? Was it your dream since you were a child?"

  ?Athena sighed, a loyal, nostalgic smile touching her lips. "Actually, I was a different person in the past. I was cast out, lacking any confidence or direction. I was a leaf in a storm. But then He appeared in my life. He was my savior, my teacher, and my leader. He saw potential in us that we didn't know existed. He made us rise through the ranks in record time and turned our alliance into a power that even the Generals respect."

  ?"Wow... your leader must be a truly legendary person."

  ?"Legendary doesn't even begin to cover it," Athena replied enthusiastically. "He reached the Second Legendary Rank in a matter of months. His vision for the world is different from any king or sovereign. He taught us to look for the weak, for it is in their survival that the world finds its true correction."

  ?Suddenly, Athena stopped mid-stride. She reached out and placed a firm hand on Mirana's shoulder. "Wait, Mirana. Stay behind me."

  ?"What is it, Lady Athena?" Mirana asked, her voice cracking with fear.

  ?"A pack of Hybrid Beasts has entered the perimeter," Athena said, her hand moving toward her waist. "As I told you, high-level monsters don't care about the simplicity of your mission. If a beginner had been with you, this path would have been your grave."

  ?"Are we going to die?" Mirana cried, clutching Athena's cloak.

  ?"Certainly not. To me, these are mere insects," Athena said, stepping forward with absolute confidence.

  ?From the shadows of the trees, five distorted hybrids—half-wolf, half-reptile—emerged, their eyes glowing with a hungry yellow light. They lunged simultaneously, their claws tearing through the air.

  ?"Step back, Mirana. Water Blades... Summon!"

  ?In the blink of an eye, blades of pressurized water, sharp as diamond and fast as lightning, shot forth from the air around Athena. They pierced through the thick hides of the hybrids with surgical precision. Within seconds, the beasts dropped to the forest floor, their lives snuffed out before they could even bark.

  ?"Waaaaow! You didn't even use a sword!" Mirana shouted in pure awe.

  ?"Magic is the only sword I need," Athena said with a light, graceful smile. "Come, the village is just beyond this ridge."

  ?They continued until a beautiful village appeared amidst rolling green fields. The villagers, recognizing the crest of the Red Scythe, welcomed them with immense hospitality. A feast was prepared to celebrate Mirana's return and the presence of the legendary adventurer. Athena spent the evening telling the children about the alliance's ideals, her presence a beacon of hope in a world that often forgot the small.

  ?And on that same night, thousands of miles away from the warmth and celebrations of the village...

  ?There was another world—a world wrapped in an absolute, heavy blackness.

  ?Atop a high, jagged mountain peak where the winds howled with the madness of a thousand trapped souls, thunder struck the earth with a force that seemed to tear the very fabric of the sky. The heavens above were not black or blue; they were stained a terrifying, bruised crimson red.

  ?The darkness was absolute, broken only by the violent flashes of lightning that revealed a bone-chilling scene. On the edge of a precipice, a lone figure stood, looking down with a cold, terrifying indifference.

  ?His eyes reflected a sinister red light emanating from a massive, imposing castle built into the mountainside. It was a fortress of nightmares, surrounded by the rotting remains of colossal beasts and the shattered armor of fallen men. It sat over a swamp of boiling blood and thick, suffocating steam, with a broken stone bridge connecting the world of the living to a gateway of nothingness.

  ?Nico Sigmund stood there, his long dark hair whipping in the storm. He looked at the horrific landscape with features that had lost all trace of human warmth. In a voice that was barely more than a whisper, yet carried over the roar of the thunder, he uttered a single phrase:

  ?"This... is magnificent."

  ?

  [End of Chapter 14]