"You old shit head, coming to my territory to cause trouble? Where's your face as a minister?"A man with brown hair and a tailored noble's suit strode down the hill's slope, his shoes crunching against stone as he stopped before the steel carriage.

His expression was sharp and irritated, yet the edge of mockery in his voice made it clear he was enjoying himself.Anger was there, but it was the kind worn lightly, like a familiar mask.

Clearly, he was just busting the minister's balls.

"Oh sure," the minister shot back from inside the carriage, voice dripping with disdain, "but then again, what kind of noble shoots at travelers? Is it safe here, or is Her Royal Highness training wild dogs again?"

The air between them tightened for a heartbeat.Then, almost in sync, both men broke into loud, unrestrained laughter.

The count waved his hand and fell into step beside the carriage, guiding it forward as the gates to his territory slowly creaked open.Steel and stone parted, revealing the heart of his land.

At first glance, Enzo was reminded of the old school buildings from the old world on Earth.Simple structures, worn by time, their surfaces dulled and scarred as though history itself had dragged its fingers across them.

They lacked the aggressive shine of modern technology.No towering screens, no blatant machinery, nothing screaming progress.

Yet the longer Enzo looked, the more something felt off.

Light panels were hidden in plain sight, seamlessly embedded into walls and rooftops.Automated wind turbines spun quietly above, their movement almost graceful, while subtle wiring traced along corners with deliberate care.

Everything was there.It was just pretending not to be.

"That's something," Enzo muttered under his breath, eyes lingering on the blend of past and present.

The more humanity evolved, the stronger the urge to return to simplicity became.Not to abandon advancement, but to bury it beneath familiarity.

These buildings were proof of that desire.A quiet declaration that progress did not need to be loud to exist.

""Those are the creation gods' representatives?"As they walked deeper into the fortress, the count glanced at Enzo from the corner of his eye, his gaze sharp but curious.

The creation domain barely had any gods to begin with.In that regard, Inkous was an anomaly, a rare existence whose name had begun to echo across the universe.

"Yes," Fin replied without hesitation, his voice loud and unapologetic."The one that attacked you in particular is my favorite."

He did not bother lowering his tone, despite the two figures being visibly present.It was said casually, almost proudly.

It felt like two masters commenting on a newcomer they were watching from afar.Judging, debating, and quietly rooting all at once.

Of course, Enzo had no way of knowing what kind of monsters he would soon be facing.The hunter games had not even truly begun.

"Ahh, your favorite?"The count chuckled softly as he continued walking. "We'll see if he deserves that title."

Ahead of them, the castle stood at the center of the fortress, tall and imposing.Its presence pressed down on the surroundings like a silent ruler.

Before they could step inside, Enzo, Zeke, and Titus were stopped.Several guards moved in, blocking their path with calm efficiency.

"The bosses are going to catch up," one of them said."Why don't you come with me in the meantime?"

She had a buzz cut and an easy smile.The kind that made it very clear they were outsiders.

"Oh, it has been a long journey," Enzo replied with a small nod.His body welcomed the pause more than he let on.

"No need to be formal," she said, already turning."Let's walk together. I'll show you where you'll be staying."

She led them through the streets of the fortress at an unhurried pace.Stone paths stretched endlessly, lined with buildings that breathed quiet authority.

Enzo's eyes drifted, taking everything in.Something about the place felt heavier than it should have.

'The Ice Kingdom is pretty high level,' he thought.'How is a common guard already sanctified?'

His steps slowed for half a heartbeat.'Are we biting off more than we can chew here?'

Naturally, the closer one drew to true power, the more out of place they were bound to feel.It was an instinct carved deep into existence itself, a quiet pressure that weighed heavier with every step forward.

"You aren't a guard, are you?"Zeke suddenly spoke, his eyes locking onto the girl leading them through the streets.

She slowed just a fraction, not enough for most to notice.Maybe she could fool others, but not him.

Forget her rank.The way she moved through the fortress told a different story.

Her stride was unhurried, confident.The guards they passed subtly shifted to make way, not out of duty, but habit.

"Ah?" she tilted her head slightly. "A guard?""What gave you that impression?"

She smiled as she spoke, then finally turned to face them while still walking forward."My name is Liana Wikia. Daughter of Jake Wikia, Count of the Frost Born Terft."

The words had barely settled before Enzo reacted.

He grabbed Zeke and Titus by the arms and yanked them back without warning, forcing distance between their group and Liana.Stone scraped loudly beneath their boots as they staggered into a wider formation, instincts flaring all at once.

Earlier, inside the carriage, Fin had given them a warning.Jake was a troublemaker, a man who thrived in disorder and provocation.

But Fin had been very clear about one thing.His children were far worse.

So Enzo did not hesitate.Space was created immediately, clean and deliberate.

Even then, it was not enough.

Shadows shifted along rooftops and narrow alley corners.One presence became two, then three, then far too many to count.

Figures peeled away from walls and towers as if they had always been there.Their movements were fluid, playful, almost mocking.

They were not attacking.That much was obvious.

They were chasing.

Bootsteps echoed, light and fast, weaving through the streets with practiced ease.Soft laughter drifted through the air, faint but unmistakable, closing in from every direction.

Meanwhile.

High above, within the castle walls, Count Jake leaned casually against a stone balcony railing.The cold wind brushed past him as he looked down at the unfolding chaos with lazy amusement.

"Don't look at me like that," he said, shrugging as he glanced sideways."You knew this was going to happen."

His eyes followed the shadows darting through the fortress streets below.Quick. Clever. Relentless.

His children were pranksters to the core.Being part of the Lokian faction, deception and misdirection were not learned skills but instincts etched into their blood.

"Ehnn," Jake waved a hand dismissively, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth."Take it as an initiation."

He turned his gaze toward Fin, clearly entertained by the spectacle.After all, what better welcome was there than a little chaos.

"Imitation?" Fin scoffed softly, shaking his head."You're still living in the fantasy of the old days, old man. It's best we keep our heads down and follow the rules."

There was no anger in his voice.Only weariness.

The kind that came from understanding how the world truly worked now.And how unforgiving it had become.

Fin and Jake came from a faction with a long and storied history on Gaia.So old that most modern records barely mentioned them anymore.

They had once walked close to divinity itself.Close enough to earn the favor of the High God.

For a brief era, they were untouchable.Their words carried weight. Their actions shaped eras.

But chaos had always followed them.Where they went, order bent, strained, and eventually cracked.

In the end, they were sidelined.Not erased, but quietly removed from the center of power.

Their line was cut short by decree.No one beyond their children and descendants was allowed to step into divine lineage.

A bloodline capped by law.Potential sealed behind rules that could not be argued with.

"Relax," Jake said lightly, waving a hand as if brushing away dust."It's a joke."

"They aren't even sanctified yet," he added, lips curling into something that resembled a smile.But it never quite reached his eyes.

If Fin pressed the issue, Jake would stop it.That much was true.

Still, his gaze drifted back to the fortress streets below.Back to Enzo.

Jake's interest sharpened.Curiosity edged with something far more dangerous.

He wanted to see Enzo's limits.To know whether the boy relied on his divine treasure like a crutch, or if that strength was merely an extension of himself.

Appearances could deceive.Potential never did.

"By the way," Jake said suddenly, his tone shifting as if none of this mattered."The new X900 is out."

He glanced at Fin, eyes gleaming with competitive intent."Are we getting a new scenario?"

A grin finally broke through, sharp and eager."I wouldn't mind beating you in a planet dive."

""Hmp. You wish, old bastard," Fin snorted, lips curling as his eyes sharpened."The last time I lost a dive was thirty years…"

He stopped mid sentence.His jaw tightened, and he waved it off like the memory was not worth finishing.

"Never mind," he said flatly."Place your castle rights on the line."

Just like that, everything else was forgotten.The chase below, the rules, the risks, all of it faded into the background.

Fin leaned forward slightly, posture shifting from caution to challenge.His attention locked fully onto Jake.

It was not just rivalry that fueled that look.It was history.

Their relationship had long since surpassed petty competition.What stood between them was a feud carved over a century of clashes, victories, and grudges that never quite died.

They had fought across scenarios, domains, and eras.Won from each other. Lost to each other. Ruined plans and stolen glory without apology.

Insults were tradition.Provocation was ritual.

Jake's castle was not just property.It was pride, legacy, and proof of dominance.

And Fin knew exactly where to strike.

The corner of Jake's mouth twitched.Because no matter how old they were, some challenges could never be ignored.

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