Once the dust finally settled from the explosion, the only things left behind were a golden key and a large black Soul Orb. Grim wasted no time making his way toward the key and the orb, a grin spreading across his face as Reyes and Leezy watched on with scowls.
"At last, I will be able to ascend!"
Taking the key for himself and putting it away, he reached for the Soul Orb, only to be interrupted when Leezy grabbed his arm and locked eyes with him.
"So you mean to tell me you get to reap all the rewards like my brother and I didn't just do most of the work?"
"I would have been able to handle the entire situation myself had you two not gotten in my way. As a matter of fact, your brother was the main reason my power was exhausted in the first place…"
"You say that, and yet your ass barely managed to leave a scratch on the Hydra's scales before Reyes used those fancy gauntlets of his."
Grim could only respond with a cough followed by silence, knowing Leezy had a valid point.
Stepping between the two, Reyes karate-chopped his brother's wrist, forcing him to let go before turning toward Grim.
"I believe you owe us a trip—and a bit extra on the side—after what we had to deal with, if you ask me. What do you think, Leezy?"
"I think we should give him one of those personalized old-school ass whoppings. I'm talking about the kind that would make Solomon come out of retirement just to join in."
Leezy cracked his neck loudly while sizing Grim up, prompting Grim to shake his head.
"Fine… I'll go back with both of you now that I have what I need."
Pulling out a mana-drenched scroll, Grim unfurled it and placed it on the ground in front of them. The parchment was lined with Japanese katakana, leaving the brothers completely stumped, as neither of them had any experience with the language.
Being around such ignorant people annoyed him, but rather than say anything, he simply sighed and motioned for the pair to come closer.
With the brothers at his side, Grim uttered a subtle chant. A circle of mana formed on the ground beneath them, glowing katakana dancing in the air above it. A bright flash followed, and a moment later, they found themselves standing in the lobby of Thousand Eyes HQ.
…
Loud clangs echoed through the training yard as a group of recruits sparred in the field under the watchful eyes of Horus and the other captains, preparing for the coming attack.
A week and a half had passed since Horus had sent Leezy and Reyes out to find Grim. Lost in thought over how their search was progressing, he failed to hear one of his captains calling out to him.
"Boss? Boss!!"
"Oh—yes, sorry. What were you saying?"
"I asked if you think the training we've been putting the new recruits through over the past week will suffice, sir."
"It's better than doing nothing," Horus replied.
"Although I doubt anything will truly prepare these men for the horrors they'll face once Azel reaches the city."
"I've heard tales about how strong that dragon is… Is there any chance those stories were exaggerated?"
"I can tell you right now that they aren't," Horus said grimly.
"My great-grandfather witnessed the sealing himself. Hundreds of heroes died just to weaken Azel enough for it to be sealed."
The captain swallowed hard. Most of the stories he'd heard as a child, he had assumed, were embellished. He had joined Thousand Eyes searching for the truth behind those legends, but never had he imagined he would be preparing to fight a creature straight out of myth.
Just how powerful is this thing?
As if reading his thoughts, Horus continued.
"As you know, all dragons grow stronger with age. We have no way of knowing how old Azel truly is. Rumor has it he fought alongside the old gods. The most frightening thing about him isn't just the elemental flames he breathes or his raw strength—it's his innate mastery over all primary elements, along with summoning magic."
"So you mean…"
"Yes. This thing can manipulate water, earth, air, and fire as easily as we breathe—and it can summon a variety of creatures during battle."
A visible shudder ran through every captain within earshot.
Most dragons were born with a single elemental affinity, while rarer ones possessed multiple elements, only gaining access to them once fully grown. Adult dragons could become Elder Dragons if they either devoured enough hearts of their own kind or managed to survive long enough as dragons grow stronger naturally through the passage of time.
Once an Elder Dragon, growth was then determined by the difficulty of its battles and the quality along with the quantity of prey it consumed, granting access to new abilities and powers.
For a long time, Elder Dragons were believed to be the highest form a dragon could achieve—until the discovery of Primordial Dragons, a special grade of Elder Dragon attained through methods unknown.
Once discovered, the gods enacted a universal law requiring every Primordial Dragon to be documented due to the catastrophic threat they posed not only to humankind, but also to the gods themselves.
The limited research compiled under this law ultimately propelled the Thousand Eyes faction into what it had become in the present day.
It became common knowledge that Primordial Dragons could actually speak verbally, granting them the ability to cast spells. They also passively absorb mana and had the innate ability to negate spiritual-based attacks, rendering such assaults virtually useless.
While each Primordial Dragon differed in abilities and raw power, they all commonly shared one terrifying unique trait: the ability to freely switch between their true dragon form and a humanoid form at will.
The soldiers nearby trembled, but before anyone could speak further, three familiar figures stepped into the training grounds.
"Well, I'll be damned…" someone muttered.
"General Grim!"
The excitement spreading through the soldiers only subsided when Horus approached and pulled Grim into a firm embrace.
"It's good to see you, my friend."
"As it is good to see you."
"Have you succeeded?"
Grim nodded, smiling as he shook Horus's hand.
"I see you haven't wasted any time training the new blood. They'll need it for what's to come."
"Aye. If you have the time, could you help train them now that you've returned?"
"Of course."
A low cough interrupted their reunion.
"And what about that reward you promised us?" Reyes asked.
Stepping aside, Horus approached him and extended his hand. Reyes shook it, smiling as Horus thanked him for bringing Grim back as promised.
"Come," Horus said.
"Follow me to the archives…"