The old man's eyes widened in shock. As he was about to speak, he shivered a little. A quiet uneasiness spread through the room, carried by the chimney's glow. His sharp gaze dropped onto Ana's face. With a heavy voice, weighted by years of experience, he spoke slowly:

"Tales of the Grand Era… no one dares to ask about them. You are one of the rare few who wish to know. Only the Tideborns—criminals and outcasts—search for that history… or the curious ones, like you."

He spread his arms wide, like an eagle soaring in the open air, and embraced the warmth of the pink fire. Tilting his face upward, his eyes closed, as though he was sinking into a memory—something confident, something calming.

"The Grand Era… that was the age when our great hero lived—Mahavanga. He was our savior. He protected us from the Beasts of the Third World. Those beasts carried strength unimaginable to mortals. They grew larger the higher they ascended, until only a few Alphas remained—creatures so vast they could fly beyond Earth's skies and become larger than the world itself."

Ana's eyes kept widening. She felt uneasy—discomfort spreading through her body—her head trembling as though horror itself had knocked at her door, carrying a black sword, ready to strike.

The old man smiled gently, easing her tension.

"Oh, haha… calm down. The Third World will not attack us anymore. Our great Mahavanga—and Ryuki—saved us from them. There is no need to fear. The Grand Era ended five hundred years ago. If the Third World had to return, it would have done so by now."

Silence lingered in the air, heavy and thoughtful. Ana's voice slipped out, almost without her control:

"Do you know about… Ash Phantom?"

The old man blinked, puzzled."No… who was he? I've never heard that name."

Ana leaned forward, her tone sharper now."Then… do you know of any other names from that era?"

The old man rested his hand on his chin, his eyes drifting into memory."Ryuki was imagined as the King of Winland. He commanded an army that followed him with unshaken loyalty. Mahavanga, too, held his place as a savior. But beyond them… There are other names. Names we only find scattered in old theory books: Shealzii, Malon, Aamani, Rockdon, Albat…"

He paused, his voice lowering."No one knows for certain if they all lived in the same age. It is only fragments—scraps of data collected by historians from distant cities and towns. Yet these names… they are considered the most prominent."

The old man continued, his voice heavy but steady."But as I know more… the Grand Era is a tale beyond mortals. If something on that scale truly happened, and still our world shines in beauty—doesn't that sound like a victory?"

Ana answered with a faint smile, her tone almost teasing."Sounds like a win."

The old man nodded slowly."Well… most people dismiss it. They call it myth, stories woven by authors to confuse the masses. But…" His eyes glimmered as he leaned closer, "…I consider it true. The Grand Era was real. That golden age brought forth a new dawn—the Age of Mages. The age of peace, power, and wealth."**

Ana snapped him out of his drifting thoughts, her voice cutting through."I don't know much about it. But… were there any other characters from that time? If you keep silent, I'll tell you something. Do you agree?"

The old man scratched his head, puzzled, his expression shifting as though trying to solve a riddle."How does a young girl like you even know of the Grand Era…?"

Ana's gaze sharpened."There was a name. Ash Phantom. He is sometimes called the villain of the Grand Era. Not much detail survives… but we'll find more about him soon. Maybe—" she hesitated, lowering her voice, "maybe he was the one who brought the Third World."

The old man jolted, his voice breaking in shock."Huh?? So… you know of other names too?" His lips trembled, but he forced a smile. "I will keep this name in my mind. Holy world… what a dark past."

He sighed heavily, his gaze lost in the pink flames of the chimney."We are all happy that such a person no longer exists. Imagine—if Ash Phantom still walked this earth, in a world without Ryuki and without Mahavanga… who would save us? Those two were the only ones capable of defeating the Third World. No one else."

Ana's eyes narrowed, her thoughts deep, almost trembling with the weight of her own secret. Should I tell him? she wondered. That Ash Phantom has been reborn… and if my theory is true, he might be able to revive the Third World.

As they spoke, a flying, diamond-like reindeer glided past the moon, leaving trails of faint shimmer in the night sky. The once-bustling streets of Eito Town were falling quiet. Friends of the old man waved goodbye and returned to their homes, their laughter fading into the snowy air.

Now the whole street lay in silence. Every child had been pulled into the chains of drowsiness, their small bodies demanding rest after a day of wild celebration. Only the stillness remained—snowflakes glowing under lantern-light, breaths echoing faintly, and thoughts heavy with fate.

The old man exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing as though measuring the weight of his own words."What are the Tideborns searching for?" he asked, shattering the fragile silence.

Ana blinked in surprise, her heart skipping. That word… from his mouth? She adjusted her dress, her tone cautious."Why do you ask me this…?"

The old man gave a faint shake of his head, the wrinkles on his face shifting like an unreadable map."Oh, nothing. You just seem… intelligent. Mature. Someone who might already know more about this world than most."

Ana hesitated. Her thoughts wrestled for a moment before she finally spoke, her voice low:" They are searching for power. Many Tideborns live in the underworld, bound by contracts they can't escape. But among them… There are elite groups. Top-tier Tideborn clans who hunt for something else. A hidden power—one that could change everything."

The old man leaned forward, his voice dropping to a hushed rasp."Wait… how did you know about that? Which power are you speaking of?"

Ana's lips curled into a faint smirk beneath her cloak, shadows dancing across her face."No one truly knows," she whispered, her tone weaving between truth and illusion. "But they believe in it. A mythical power… hidden somewhere in this world. A force that could change the course of history itself. It could ignite another Grand Era… or give this world something it has never seen. Perhaps even the chance to create… anew. But whether it is truth or only myth—no one can say."

The old man's eyes widened, caught between fear and fascination."And you… How do you know of such things?"

Ana straightened, her cloak rustling softly in the quiet street. For the first time, her voice carried a name."Because I am not just Ana. My true name is Roma Sumi—the Geisha of Baku City. Surely… you've heard of me."

The old man suddenly burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the quiet streets."Hahaha! So the great Roma Sumi herself! You've become quite the sensation these days. I never imagined you as a… researcher." He winked, still chuckling. "Adventurer, maybe—but a scholar of myths? That's new."

Ana lowered her hood just slightly, enough for the warmth of her smile to reach her voice."Adventurer, researcher… I suppose both are true."

The old man wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still grinning. "Well then, Roma Sumi of Baku City, if you're the one searching into the Grand Era… maybe the truth isn't so far away after all."

Ana let out a fake laugh of her own. "Hahaha… by the way, very nice, very nice to meet you. Talking about the Grand Era, the Moon God, the Sun God… and—" her finger lifted toward the distant peak, glowing faintly under the moonlight. "That mountain… Anamika. I'll go there tomorrow. But for now, it's time for me to leave. Truly, it's been an honor meeting you."

The old man's face softened, a warmth in his wrinkled eyes. "Yes, the pleasure is mine. I haven't felt this interested in a conversation for ages… like an old spark reignited."

Ana smiled under her cloak, her voice calm as still water. "That means a lot."

Her body shifted slightly, the curve of her posture lifting with quiet resolve as if she were about to take flight. She rose to her feet, bowing with grace. The old man returned the bow, their shadows stretching long in the quiet firelight.

Ana now found herself on the empty streets of Eito Town. The snow crunched softly under her boots, each step echoing against the silence of sleeping houses. Lanterns flickered faintly, their dying flames bending in the night wind, as if the whole town was exhaling into dreams.

She walked slowly, but her mind was racing. Why is this world so unsolved? Why are there so many things left hidden, so many truths undiscovered?

Her gaze drifted upward to the pale moon, silver light brushing against her cloak. Her lips parted, whispering to herself as if speaking to the night.

"I will find the answers… I will ask Ash Phantom himself—straight from his soul."

A sudden chill stirred the air, though no wind had moved. For a heartbeat, it felt as though the world was listening.

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