Vivi ran wild across the balcony, her royal tribal attire fluttering with the wind, her excitement rolling all over her smile. Eyes scanning fast, she spotted it—Room Number 7.

Her heart skipped. So Auren is here.

Inside, Auren was just coming back to his senses after drifting through heavy memories of his past.

Knock. Knock.

The door creaked open. Nyra stood there, towel still hanging on her shoulder, her sharp eyes catching sight of a beautiful girl at the doorway, dressed in flowing tribal silk.

Nyra blinked. "How are you?"

Vivi leaned forward with a big grin. "I'm Auren's friend. Where is he?"

Nyra's gaze narrowed, suspicion in her eyes. "Are you… Rose?"

Vivi tilted her head, confused. "Ummm… am I Rose? Rose flower?"

Nyra almost lost her balance at the door. "Whaaat? Then what's your name?"

"I'm Vivi Raman," she said proudly. "I'm Auren's friend. He's here. I want to meet him."

Nyra exhaled, shoulders dropping. "Relax. He's here." She turned inside and shouted, "Auren! Your friend Viv is here!"

Inside the room, Auren sat on Dax's bed, both of them quietly eating peas like old men trying to ignore the storm outside. Dax nudged him. "Go."

Auren nodded slowly. At the window, soft rain trickled on, cold wind tapping against the glass, echoing the silence.

Nyra leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, waiting. Finally, Auren stepped into view, his face unreadable.

Vivi's eyes lit up. She waved cheerfully. "Hey, Auren Phantom!" She paused, then her smile flipped into a pout. "You left me alone."

Her voice carried a sting of anger.

Auren walked closer to the door, his eyes calm, his expression heavy, as if he wasn't in the mood. But then, a small crack of laughter escaped. "Oh, I'm sorry. But someone did land me here from the sky." He gestured lightly. "So… Vivi of Phantom Tideborn, meet Nyra of Phantom."

Vivi's eyes widened. "What? Have you already joined a new member?"

Nyra smirked, still leaning back at the door with her sassy posture. "I joined myself. But… nice to hear you are one of us."

Vivi nodded softly, "Me too." Then, turning to Auren, she extended her hand with a curious smile."Well, Auren… I've never touched you before. Will you shake my hand?"

Auren blinked at her words, a bit unsure, but then gave a small smile."Why not?" he said, raising his hand slowly.

His fingers reached out, moving closer and closer to hers.The moment their hands met—

A spark.

A sudden shock rippled through their bodies. Their eyes widened, then fluttered closed as if they were about to lose consciousness. Their bodies tilted, locked in place, frozen yet unyielding like statues of steel.

"Vivi! Auren!" Dax shouted, rushing toward them.

Nyra grabbed their shoulders, shaking them frantically."What's happening to them?!" she cried.

Neither Auren nor Vivi responded—just standing there, hands still locked, as if some unseen force had bound their souls together.

Nyra and Dax's eyes widened in shock.

"Hey, Auren… hey, Vivi—what's this all about?" Nyra asked, her voice trembling with unease.

Dax instinctively grabbed their hands. At first, they held on, but then he gently untangled his grip, though the two still stood frozen, connected by something far stronger than touch.

Inside Vivi's mind, visions ignited like fire:—A war.—Shadows stretching endlessly.—A desperate scream: Please save us… Save our land, save our people…

The battlefield dissolved into a storm of sand, mist, winter, and fire.

From within that chaos emerged a colossal beast—a black, winged cat towering above mountains. Before him, humans were as small as ants. His tail lashed like a mountain itself, his gaze a burning brown light that tore through the clouds.

In the beast's pupils, strange structures shimmered—serpents carved into his very retina. From his back, red threads of energy whipped violently, and his roar shattered clouds, men, and stone alike.

"MEEAAA—HHHUUUU!"

The sky quaked.

Below him stood a lone woman, palms pressed together, face lifted toward the sun. Behind her, countless women gathered, chanting with voices heavy with faith and fear:

"Oh Lord, save us all…"

Their chants rose like thunder:

Ooooo God, send us your hero—Clap! Clap! Clap!Ooooo God, send us your hero—Clap! Clap! Clap!

Their voices cracked the silence, filling the battlefield with fragile hope:

"This world needs your help, O O O!This world needs your help, O O O!"

Above them, the demon tore the sky apart, his stench making the very winds cry. Hope flickered, burning against despair as the chant rose again:

"Hero from the age of Grand,Hero from the age of Grand—Oooooo God, send us your hero!"

***********

Inside Auren's mind, a vision unfolded.

A lone man knelt within an ancient temple, his body trembling as he pressed his forehead to the cold stone floor. The temple was built of black stone, its walls cracked with age. Only a thin shaft of light slipped through a broken gap in the ceiling, cutting across the darkness like a blade.

At the center stood a deity, carved from stone, seated on a pedestal. Four pillars surrounded the statue, their surfaces scarred by time. The deity had four arms—one held a sword, another a flower, the third a book, and the last a perfect stone sphere. Its eyes were closed, lips curled into a serene, eternal smile.

The statue was draped in offerings: garlands of flowers, tangled leaves, and even coral-like branches that clung to its form. Scattered across its body, faintly glowing stones pulsed with a soft, otherworldly light. Around the pedestal, water slowly circled in an endless loop, reflecting the deity's faint radiance.

From the ceiling, drops of water fell at steady intervals, landing upon the deity's head. Each drop echoed in the silence, a soft tapping that sounded almost like a heartbeat.

But in front of this divine image, the man wept. His tears mixed with the water beneath him. His voice trembled as he whispered, almost choking on the words.

"I failed… I was stabbed so many times… Oh, my lord. I could not carry out your work. Tell me—how could I fail? Tell me, if you truly exist. Have you ever listened to me? Answer me!"

His voice cracked, breaking into sobs. He pressed his fists against the stone floor, his shoulders shaking.

"I never wavered in my faith, but now… now I hesitate. Was I praising a false lord all this time? Is this all just a cruel play?"

The smile of the stone deity never wavered. The water continued circling, the drops falling in rhythm. The temple remained silent.

He looked up, his eyes burning red, and screamed into the emptiness."Why do I hear the voices of crying people? Voices of those dying… countless souls fading away?"

His chest trembled with each word.

"I never cried in my life… but seeing this, I can't stop.

What kind of cruel play is this? As I speak, millions are already gone!"

His head shook violently, rage filling his veins. His voice cracked, but remained fierce."Tell me! Do you have any answers?!"

For a moment, silence stretched. The air itself seemed heavy, pressing against him. Then he lowered his gaze, breathing hard, and muttered through clenched teeth,"…It doesn't matter if you exist or not. I won't stop fighting. That's not my way."

He stood up sharply, fists tightening, his back straight with defiance. Turning away, he took his first step, the sound echoing against the hollow air.

Suddenly, a wave of wind rushed through the place. The rippling gust made drops of water drift forward. One single droplet floated, swaying, before landing gently on the deity's cheek—like a tear.

The silent figure looked as if it wept.

********

Inside room

Dax and Nyra shook Auren and Vivi gently, trying to bring them back to their senses.Dax narrowed his eyes, voice low with unease.Dax – "I think… they're connected somehow. Not just now… from another life maybe. I don't know what it means, but it's not ordinary."

Nyra's face tensed with worry, her gaze lingering on the two as if afraid of what might awaken.

Meanwhile

Far away inside the dim geisha house, Ana sat alone in a silent room. Aazin and Ryzin sat cross-legged near her, the sliding door shut tight, their usual casualness stripped away.

Aazin leaned forward, his tone heavy.Aazin – "I tried to track down Auren Ryuki. Even planted an insider. But he escaped… slipped through, maybe toward Hollow Mountain. The last royal cart went in that direction."

He clenched his fist, frustration etched on his face.Aazin – "We need time to finish Auren Ryuki. Until then… our focus should shift to another target. Ash Phantom can wait."

A silence followed before he revealed the name.Aazin – "Our next target is Nova Makai. Seventeen years old. Famous for his art. He'll be in Eito Town… in the Land of Snow."

Nova Makai, seventeen, stood out in the snow-laden streets of Eito Town.

His long hair was tied back, green eyes sharp against the frost.

A worn brown cotton jacket clung to him, loose jeans brushing the snow, and a gun rested casually at his belt.

Known for his art, he looked more like a wandering soul than a fighter—but the air around him carried weight, as if fate had already marked him.

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