The air around Luna churned as she sprinted toward the Blue Dragon. The beast reared back, its massive jaws opening. With a grand roar, it unleashed a torrent of blue and white flames that swallowed the entire street. Nearby ascenders hastily retreated, desperate to avoid the scorching touch of the Tyrant's fire, while those who couldn't avoid them erected magical barriers with relics.

But Luna did not falter, even when she saw the flames. Her charge remained unwavering as guided energy into the Sun Ember. It thrummed in response, one of its abilities awakening to her will.

A cold sweat broke across Luna's forehead as the flames surged toward her, devouring the street, melting tarmac, and reducing abandoned vehicles to slag.

'This better work!'

When the inferno was close enough to sear her skin, Luna swung the Sun Ember in a decisive, downward swing. The blade cut through the wall of fire, absorbing the blue flames entirely while the white flames dispersed immediately.

The ascenders hiding behind barriers stared in disbelief. The Blue Dragon's deadly breath, known for being very lethal, had been neutralized so effortlessly. What kind of sword was that? Because even Fire Users had trouble resisting this type of tyrant.

Through the shifting smoke, the mysterious ascender's cloaked form remained indistinct, but the tension was palpable.

"It's not done yet!" Her urgent voice rang out as she charged through the molten remains of the road.

The Blue Dragon reared back again. This time, a sphere of white fire was coalescing in the depths of its throat.

Boom!

When she saw the color of the flames, Luna didn't risk absorbing the white flames. She knew too well how catastrophic that would be—the first time she'd tried, the Sun Ember had failed, leaving her body horrifically burned. Without an affinity for the domain of fire, the risk was too great.

Instead, she dove into the shadows, melding with the darkness just before the flames obliterated it. She reemerged the moment the light receded, sweat streaming down her face, her heart pounding. Yet, despite the danger, Luna moved with the confidence of someone intimately familiar with the creature's vulnerabilities.

The Blue Dragon, which was intelligent and calculating, moved with startling speed. Its massive, scaled tail whipped through the air.

Luna leapt high, the tail narrowly missing her. She landed with practiced precision, immediately dashing forward toward the creature's lower body, where the scales were meant to be thinner.

The Dragon anticipated her move, flattening itself closer to the ground, leveraging its crocodilian build to guard its weak point.

'Crap!'

"Everyone! Assist that ascender!"

As she thought of a plan, an armed soldier aimed his rail gun and unleashed a barrage of energized bullets. Though the shots ricocheted harmlessly off the beast's armored hide, they served their purpose—distracting the creature just long enough for Luna to advance.

The Blue Dragon roared, heat rippling across its body as it gathered another blast of white flame. Its bothered gaze was fixed on the armed men and ascenders.

Mundane men and women were the first to run while the ascenders tried to help them retreat.

But then, just before the flames could erupt and burn everything, the air itself tore apart. And the smoke above was sliced open as a new ascender plummeted from the sky, fist drawn back like a falling meteor.

His punch struck with brutal force, forcing the Cursed Tyrant to clamp its jaws shut.

The impact drove the beast into the ground, and the small city trembled as a crater blossomed in the middle of the street.

Several buildings collapsed, while others held firm, though their windows shattered from the shockwave that followed.

When the dust settled, an odd figure stood atop the defeated Tyrant, casually rubbing his wrists while eying the creature he had just felled with a single blow.

"You... over there!" he called out, pointing at Luna. "Why are you dressed like that? What's your rank?"

Luna froze, a mix of irritation and disbelief flickering across her face. Did this guy just ruin her debut as a mysterious ascender? What was it with Ares' followers and their reckless behavior?

Grinding her teeth, she pulled back the hood covering her head. "I was just passing by. Thought I could help."

The man raised an eyebrow, giving her a puzzled look. His distinctive blue-and-black armor spoke volumes, marking him unmistakably as a Child of House Ares. His sapphire eyes and dark hair bore a striking resemblance to a certain warmonger she knew all too well.

"Help?" the man scoffed, shaking his head as if pitying the situation. "A beautiful lady like you should leave this to those with real power."

"It's Lord Adam!"

"Oh my gods, it's Lord Adam! He's here!"

'Lord Adam?' Luna furrowed her brows, surprised by the title. Was this Adam Ares?

'I guess my luck isn't as bad as I thought.' A hint of a smile tugged at Luna's lips.

"Thanks for saving us, Lord Ares, but—"

RAAAARR!

Her words were drowned out by the Blue Dragon's roar as it snapped its eyes open.

Adam leaped from the creature's head, landing with effortless grace. As he opened his second gate, his body produced a fierce red glow, and both his form and armor expanded instantly to match the Tyrant's colossal size.

The weakened dragon gathered its flames, ready to unleash destruction, but Adam seized its jaws with both giant hands. Heat radiated from the beast, scorching his skin until his hands sizzled, yet he didn't flinch.

A bluish aura enveloped him, and with a swift, devastating motion, he drove his armored elbow into the Tyrant's skull. The impact sounded like a thunderclap, shattering the creature's head and killing it instantly.

With that taken care of, Adam lifted the massive corpse off the ground and tossed it aside as if it weighed nothing.

"All ascenders—block this gateway immediately!"

A blue energy pulsed around his large hands, coalescing into a blast that formed a translucent, glass-like barrier over the rift.

More ascenders rushed in, combining their zenshi with Adam's to solidify the barrier, sealing the gateway to prevent more creatures from breaking through.

Once they were done, additional ascenders and mundane soldiers hurried to the rift, deploying gateway containment units that encased it within a miniature dome to conceal its effects on the world.

This was part of the new technology developed to support ascenders worldwide.

"Pretty neat," Luna muttered, clicking her tongue at the sight of the barrier containment system.

It was hard to believe humans had created something like that in just two years. Yet again, humanity thrived in tough times, especially when faced with the threat of extinction.

Seeing her mission here had failed, Luna pulled her hood back on.

She was about to slip into the shadows when Lord Adam's voice cut through the noise.

"You there. Are you a First Gate ascender?" he called out, having returned to his original size. "I can barely sense your energy."

Luna halted, slowly turning around before dipping her head in a bow.

"Yes, sir. I'm a local."

Adam narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her. "Hmm… No wonder you seemed confident. Since you're a local, join me in assisting the groups ahead. There are still monsters on the move and civilians who need help. I'm not familiar with Rosewind like you are."

Luna inwardly cursed. This wasn't how she had envisioned things going. She had hoped her debut as a mysterious ascender would make the news and attract the attention of the Ascender Organization of this continent.

But instead, this happened, and now she needed to adapt and come up with something else.

Masking her frustration with a cold expression, Luna nodded.

"I have no problem with that, Lord Adam."

She considered diving into the shadows and disappearing after revealing her name, but that might squander the opportunity that might've presented itself.

Adam gave a satisfied nod before turning his gaze toward the city. His bright blue eyes fixed on the distant battle, where the ascenders of House Ares had contained the threat within a dome. However, since the second gate had appeared many hours ago, the cursed creatures swarming the small city were still too many.

Quickly, his strategic mind took over.

"All ascender units, march forward! Your mission is to kill any infected and cursed creatures. Remember, infected humans are no longer human. Don't you dare show any sympathy, or else you want to die."

"Yes, sir!"

The ascenders responded in unison, regrouping as the healers did their work. In under three minutes, most were ready to move again.

"And you…" Adam's eyes landed on Luna. "You'll accompany me to evacuate survivors. I've already secured the main city center, so we can focus on the outer zones."

Luna couldn't help but nod, though inwardly she felt uneasy. She didn't know Rosewind well enough to guide anyone. If Adam realized that, he wouldn't hesitate to turn hostile or suspicious.

Adam was the youngest of Lord Ares's children—and the strongest. No ordinary ascender could take down a Cursed Tyrant so effortlessly.

Many would write down and say that he just trained hard. But Luna knew it was the work of the Divine Inheritance Bloodline, or as they called Generational Inheritance. Like Luna, it blessed him with Talent and strength, letting him stand above most second gate users in this world.

Following Adam's orders, the ascenders and mundane soldiers formed squads of five—two ascenders and three soldiers each—then dispersed through the city to conduct rescue missions.

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Though the city wasn't large, their numbers were stretched thin, leaving gaps in coverage. The rescue teams had no other choice but to focus on densely populated parts.

Meanwhile, Luna ran alongside the ever-confident Adam as they headed to the first area to check. Along the way, they encountered a few cursed creatures, but Adam dealt with them swiftly, his size-shifting ability proving just how good his skills were.

The first area Adam had chosen to check was the underground railway system, which was the most common mode of transportation here Rosewind. It was a research city, and therefore most scientists preferred this for travel.

"So, what's your name?" His voice echoed through the tunnels, now bathed in the eerie glow of red emergency lights.

"Lara," Luna replied.

"Lara. Do you belong to a house or a clan?" He noticed she had no second name.

Luna shook her head. "I belong nowhere, unfortunately. I was hoping to join one, but as you can see, my talents are below average."

Adam nodded thoughtfully. "I see. That's unfortunate. But the world is changing—ascenders like you now have a place in the advancement of humanity. Even House Ares has people like you working as support ascenders."

"Really?" Luna's expression softened, her cold demeanor giving way to a hopeful look that seemed to catch Adam off guard.

"Of course. In fact, I can take you to Redspire, where you can join the Guild with our backing."

Bingo!

As expected, Adam Ares hadn't changed—still easily swayed by a pretty face. Luna couldn't help but recall their younger days, when Adam had been infatuated with every girl he met. Watching him get rejected by Lena time and time again was a memory too amusing to forget.

She had purposely lowered her hood earlier to catch his attention.

'Hehe… What's the point of being beautiful if I can't use a little charm?' Luna smirked inwardly.

"Thank you for your generosity, Lord Ares. I would be more than happy to go with you."

Adam's smile grew at the sight of the more sincere-looking Luna. "You will?"

Before Luna could answer, her pace slowed down when they finally reached the train they had been searching for.

The entire area was bathed in a crimson glow, creating an eerie, surreal scene. The train's body was wrapped in thick, writhing vines that constricted the metallic structure like a python crushing its prey.

"There are people inside. I can feel their Qi."

Adam glanced at her, surprised. "You can sense their Qi from here?"

Luna nodded calmly. "Of course. I'm also familiar with this creature—it's a Green Warden. I remember the textbooks mentioning it."

That was a lie. Luna had come across a Green Warden once when they were searching for two-way gateways in the mortal realm. They had only started to appear after the emergence of more Dungeons. And therefore, very little was known about them.

This one had been here for some time and had only grown after the first gateway appeared.

Adam grinned, stepping forward confidently. "Hmm... I'll take care of it." He summoned his zenshi flames, their intense heat aiming to scorch the vines.

Rumble!

The station trembled as the Warden reacted. Vines burst from the walls, surging toward them like living spears.

What Luna had neglected to mention was that the Green Warden was hypersensitive to any form of energy.

The agile vines ignored her entirely, focusing on Adam. Though caught off guard, Adam's zenshi flames cleaved through the attacking tendrils with ease.

"I'll go help the survivors." Luna seized the distraction and dashed toward the train.

She channeled the Sun Ember's fire attribute, slicing through the dense vines obstructing her path while carefully maneuvering across the tangled floor.

They did not attack!

As the battle between Adam and the Warden grew fiercer, the vines around Luna became less aggressive. She reached the train and dismissed the Sun Ember before delivering a powerful kick to the metallic doors.

Clank!

The doors fell away, and vines surged at her after noticing the sound. Luna dodged with agile precision, cutting a few tendrils with her sword as she moved through the dark, vine-infested train.

She made her way to the end of the first car, still finding no sign of life here.

'This brings back memories,' she thought, eyeing the steel doors leading to the next car. She still had nightmares about Raphael's power. And because of those nightmares, Luna feared trains.

Using her strength, she forced the metal doors to open.

Pew!

Something shot toward her as the doors opened wide. Instinctively, Luna's hand shot out, catching the projectile before it could hit her face.

Her golden essence flared, dissolving the zenshi arrow in her grasp.

"Oh my gods, I'm so sorry!" A young boy, no older than eight, stepped into the dim light, his hands still glowing faintly with weak zenshi flames.

'Did he just...'

Her thoughts were cut off as the train's windows shattered when more vines slithered in, drawn by the boy's residual energy.

Luna moved fast, countering the incoming tendrils. They struck with blinding speed, triggered by her intent, but they weren't faster than Luna. Her sword moved in clean slashes that struck each vine that tried to attack her.

In a minute, all the vines in this part of the train were dead and already withering away.

"That was a close one," she said to the boy. She made sure to use to warm and low tone while talking.

Luna first dismissed the sun ember and slowly walked to him. He was still in shock. His small, pale face glistened with sweat, his energy spent from the unexpected attack.

His sudden awakening had drained him because his body was unprepared to handle the surge.

Still, it was remarkable that he had managed to form a pure energy arrow on his first attempt.

'He must have been cultivating energy to feed his divine spark. Probably from an academy,' Luna reasoned, noting the boy's inherent talent despite his exhaustion.

Behind the boy lay a gravely injured man and woman sprawled on the train floor, their faces contorted in pain as cracks spread across their skin. Though their eyes were closed, their gritted teeth betrayed the agony coursing through them. They, along with every other person left on the train, were all undergoing the same harrowing transformation.

Everyone—except the awakened boy—had been infected by the black ether saturating the area. The ether here was weak enough for Luna to resist, but the same couldn't be said for these people.

Clenching her fists, Luna ground her teeth. "We have to get them off this train." She turned to the boy, her tone firm yet comforting. "There's still hope if we can get them to the soldiers on the surface."

A thought flickered in her mind. 'I'm sure they have synthetic blood at the Green Zone.'

The boy's voice wavered, his eyes fixed on his parents. "I... I don't know what to do. My parents..." Tears welled up as his small frame trembled, unable to look away from the two people he held closest.

Luna forced a reassuring smile, even as the truth weighed on her conscience. "They'll be fine. Trust me." She lied.

Reality was far crueler—mundane humans didn't usually have the strength to fight against corruption. They were naturally inferior in a world that had turned against them. This boy would survive because he had awakened, choosing superiority over frailty. But for the others... they could only fight back with what little remained of their mortal strength.

"Wait here," she instructed.

She bolted out of the train, searching for Adam. As expected, he was holding his ground against the warden, hacking away at the writhing mass of vines.

"There are survivors—about fifteen," Luna shouted over the chaos. "One awakened, the rest infected, but not critical yet!" She risked exposure because she knew time wasn't on their side.

Adam, who was still engaged with the creeping tendrils, nodded and tapped a device on his collar. A transparent, glowing screen appeared in the air.

"This is Lord Adam Ares," he reported. "Sending my coordinates now. We need an extraction…medics required. At least fifteen are infected, but none are critical."

He swung his blade, slicing through more vines while triggering a surge of twisted blue flames. The fire sharpened into ethereal blades, slicing through the green vines with ruthless precision. The real problem with warden's vines was their elusiveness—the main body always remained hidden while the vines spread out to feed and defend.

A voice crackled through his device.

"Coordinates received. Are there any threats nearby?"

Adam let out a breath of relief, though his focus never wavered. "Yes, a Green Warden, rank unknown. The main body is still MIA. Request help from Diviners."

The response was immediate. "Copy that. Extraction team ETA—three minutes."

"Make it quick," Adam barked. "These people don't have much time."

He leapt into the air, narrowly dodging a vine that struck where he'd just stood. Twisting midair, he unleashed another burst of blue flame, carving a path through the encroaching tendrils.

Just as he landed, Adam was blindsided and a thicker vine smashed him against the tunnel wall, the impact fracturing the concrete. He tumbled into an adjacent passage, gasping as the vine shot toward him again.

At the last second, a shimmering zenshi barrier erupted in front of him, absorbing the brunt of the strike. The barrier cracked, but held firm.

Gritting his teeth, Adam steadied himself. "Three minutes. Just hold out for three minutes," he muttered, tightening his grip on his weapon as the writhing mass closed in.

Once Adam brought down his energy barrier, he slid beneath the massive vine and, with a fluid motion, severed it at the midpoint using his zenshi sword. The cut portion instantly withered, disintegrating into green ash that scattered in the air.

Luna watched the battle from the train car, her expression calm and calculated. She had no intention of intervening since Adam appeared to have things under control.

Technically, she could assist by searching for the main body, but that would involve physically touching a living vine—an unnecessary risk given her desire to stay hidden.

'I don't want to expose myself here. I already slipped up when I mentioned sensing qi,' she reminded herself.

For now, Luna remained a silent observer as Adam continued his fight against the serpent-like plant. His goal wasn't to defeat it but to buy time until the extraction team arrived.

Two minutes passed before the tense atmosphere was shattered—literally—by a loud crash from above.

A gigantic spider creature broke through the roof and landed atop the train car.

At first glance, Luna thought it was a typical arachnid machine, but a closer look revealed something far more unnerving. Its legs weren't metallic or rigid but black, hairy, and disturbingly flexible.

When the green warden's vines attempted to ensnare it, they simply passed through the spider's body as if it were a phantom.

Luna narrowed her eyes. "A Phantom Spider." She immediately recognized the beast—a fearsome creature known for its intangible form.

The spider let out a shrill, piercing screech and retaliated against the vines that tried to wrap around it.

Standing atop the creature was a man dressed in a royal blue robe, his appearance both regal and intimidating. The robe itself was intricately designed, merging with leather armor around his chest and arms for added protection. He had short, ashen-grey hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to glow with an ethereal light.

In one hand, he gripped a short jade sword, its blade radiating a foggy, blue hue.

Their eyes met for a brief moment, and the man gave Luna a slight nod, wordlessly assuring her of her safety.

Then he commanded the Phantom Spider to leap off the train car. The green vines lashed out, desperate to destroy the spider. But the creature's muscular, spindly legs effortlessly tore through them.

The spider landed in front of Luna, and the man stepped down with an air of calm authority.

"I am a healer. Please, take me to the injured," he said composedly.

Luna nodded and led him inside the train car. The dim red emergency lights still blinked, casting long shadows across the cramped space. Fragments of dried vines that Luna had severed earlier littered the floor.

Near the back, the small boy was still standing beside his parents, his exhausted gaze fixed on them. His body was visibly trembling as it continued to adapt to the newly awakened Soul Gate that was now pumping pure zenshi into his veins and muscles.

Under normal circumstances, such an awakening would have been fatal, but somehow the boy had endured. He was not just surviving—he was evolving.

The healer paused, eyes widening slightly at the sight. A faint smile tugged at his lips. "I suppose evolution truly is upon us…" he murmured, impressed.

Without further delay, he approached the infected survivors, forming a shimmering zenshi bubble around each of them to slow the spread of corruption. After carefully assessing their conditions, he released a deep breath and opened his second gate.

A radiant, healing aura spread out, bathing the injured in a warm, calming light.

Immediately, Luna started smelling a sweet nature scent in the air once the man started using his ability to treat the mundane humans. This was the smell of nature, and small green orbs of light appeared around him and floated towards his patients. Each orb picked a human and entered their bodies to begin their treatment.

"What is that?"

"Worm Treatment. It's a special enchantment that goes well with my Aura, the Evergreen." The ascender sighed and stood up after making sure that all his patients were stable. "This is the only way I can keep conditions stable until the medics arrive."

"Will they live?"

"Of course. There will be some mild side effects, like body weakness and nausea. But the worms are completely harmless, and they will destroy the black ether…"

Luna sighed with relief. She spared another glance at the bodies and confirmed that he was indeed telling the truth. The worms were destroying the black ether corrupting the life essence in their systems. The process was a slow one indeed, but its effects were close to perfect.

After ensuring that the ascender was tending to the injured, Luna stepped out of the train car and approached the group waiting outside.

The number of writhing green vines had noticeably decreased, a clear sign that the creature was likely focusing its defenses around its main body.

She cupped her hands respectfully and bowed to Adam. "Thank you for saving these people, Lord Adam."

Adam's face turned a shade redder as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "I was just doing my duty as an ascender. Besides, Rosewind and its people are too important to leave behind. The researchers here are vital to humanity's progress."

Luna gave a subtle nod, her thoughts racing. 'I understand,' she mused inwardly.

Suddenly, a realization struck her like a cold wave. The boy inside the train was undoubtedly Sonia's little brother, from the description. They even had the same hair color.

They must have evacuated to the underground tunnels when the threat first appeared. However, something must have gone horribly wrong when the warden detected their presence and began hunting them down one by one.

The small group had likely found temporary refuge within the train car, but they had stayed too long, succumbing to the black ether permeating the area. It was a grim reminder that even in this technologically advanced age, mundane humans remained vulnerable—pushed to the margins by a world increasingly shaped by divine power.

A pang of guilt stabbed at Luna's heart. The world's evolution was leaving too many behind, and it was hard not to feel the weight of that reality. 'Something has to change. The divine realm's influence has to be pushed back…somehow.'

Adam's voice pulled her back to the present. "The situation in Rosewind has been contained. Miss Lara, you can come with us to Sector 1."

Luna glanced back at the train car, where the healer's soft, glowing aura was still visible through the cracked windows. The boy's quiet resolve, despite his fear, lingered in her mind. 'He survived, just like Sonia. She deserves to know.'

Turning back to Adam, she gave a quick nod. "Thank you, Lord Adam. I'll follow your lead."

Unfortunately, she could not go back to the Green Zone.

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