Let's quickly recap what happened so far… Feel free to skip if you want.
Kai and Mei were teleported to the world of Nytherra through a mysterious website. They met Vorenhart, the president, who gave them a mission: find the missing diary, with the promise of one wish each.
At the academy, they discover their powers. Both are super rare dual-core users: Mei has — KURENAI (drawing and bringing things to life) and RAIKEN (strength and combat skills), while Kai has NOESIS (fast information processing and deduction) and KANASHI (reading emotions and minds). They meet Yuki and Kitsuna, their first real friends ever.
They uncover a secret room in the White House, go through fights and kidnappings, and Kai and Mei use their powers to capture enemies. They find Gojo, who gives them a clue to the library and a mysterious figure with a potion that leads to the dream world at Whispering Owl.
In the dream, they confront their shadows: Mei wins, and Kai signs a contract for Active Magic. At Whispering Owl, they solve puzzles from the old world and discover that the diary wasn't stolen.
Kai's body becomes possessed by a shadow, which he later frees through another contract. With Gojo's help, they found a tunnel map. After following it, they discovered an ancient box and released the Snake of Illusions, which provided them with a new clue but whose power forced them to commit suicide.
Yuki revives them with a potion, and the siblings set off to the Elf city in search of the Compass Finder, where the Snake appears again.
And that brings us to now…
"What I'm trying to say… what if this was done by—" Mei began, her voice cracking as she tried to voice her theory, but before she could finish the sentence, something sounded behind them.
The ruined houses around them seemed to shudder under an invisible breath of hell. Their hearts leapt, their hands clenched, and their breathing became rapid and shallow.
From the darkness, something appeared that had no human shape. Something born from the very heart of hell. Its presence heated the air, and the smoke emanating from it twisted around them.
"It sssssseems like we met again…" hissed the Snake of Illusions, a grotesque, wide smile on its face, as its smoky form coiled around siblings.
The last time Kai and Mei had seen the Snake, fear had paralyzed every muscle, their hearts pounding wildly, and their breaths caught in their chests. Now, however, the situation was completely different. The Snake stood coiled around them, but her presence, instead of causing panic, felt more like a boring challenge than a threat.
"You again?" Kai asked, trying to keep calm in his voice, though he still felt a slight unease.
The Snake lifted her head and made an expression more like surprise than aggression. "You're not afraid?" she hissed.
"No…" Mei answered briefly but firmly, clenching her fists and looking her straight in the eyes.
The Snake paused, clearly surprised. "This is… impossible," she thought, her tongue curling slightly. "They're NOT AFRAID? Could it be… that they already killed themselves… and came back? How is this possible?"
After a few moments of silence, the Snake decided to speak again. "I have a deal for you… If you give me that compassssss, I'll spare your friendsssssss…" Her words were whispered half-audibly, almost seductively.
Kai and Mei exchanged glances, both surprised and confused, then they started laughing.
"Friends?" they asked at the same time.
HAHAHAHAHA!
"Do whatever you want to them!" Kai shouted through laughter, tears running down his cheeks.
"We don't have friends!" added Mei, her voice full of pride. Her statement echoed in the silence, leaving the Snake shocked and unable to immediately respond.
The Snake watched them carefully, her eyes gliding over every movement, every blink. Then she slowly opened her mouth, revealing sharp, white fangs, and whispered: "Doesn't one person owe you a wish there?"
Kai and Mei's laughter abruptly died. Their earlier ease vanished in an instant, replaced by tension.
"Don't even touch him!" Kai shouted, his eyes glowing with anger as he stared at Calamity.
"Touch him and I'll kill you!" Mei yelled, trembling with adrenaline.
The Snake smiled. "Hand over the compassssss!"
"What do you even need it for?" Kai asked, trying to stay composed, but his question was simply ignored.
"Compassssss?" the Snake hissed again, frustration audible in her voice.
"Never!" the sister shouted, and without hesitation, she threw the compass to the ground, smashing it into pieces.
The Snake froze for a moment, staring at the shattered compass parts. Her confusion was evident — she hadn't expected such resistance.
"Nooooooooo!" The Snake's scream was sharp and threatening. "I'll kill Vorenhart!"
In the next moment, her body dissolved into thick smoke, twisting into the air until it completely vanished, leaving only a faint scent of coal.
Kai fell to his knees, powerless, gathering all the pieces of the broken compass into a pile. "Why did you do that?" he asked quietly, his voice full of frustration and sadness, his heart aching at the feeling of losing control over the situation.
Mei kicked him strongly to the side, and Kai fell onto the cold, earthen floor. "You act like a pig!" Mei shouted, her eyes sparkling with anger and frustration. "Get up, Kai! Now! Immediately!"
"But… the compass…" Kai mumbled, trying to rise, his voice weak and trembling.
Mei had no patience. She struck him again in the stomach as he lay on the floor, and all the remaining air left his lungs. Kai shivered in pain, hunched over, as nausea and confusion battled in his mind.
"But the compass… But the compass… That's how you sound!" Mei said mockingly, imitating him. Her hand grabbed his collar in a swift motion and lifted him slightly off the ground.
"SMACK!"
She hit him hard on the cheek. He spat a bit of blood, and the pain shot through his entire face. He fell on the floor again.
Mei paused for a moment, watching him kneel, and her face softened just slightly — enough to tease him even more. She reached into her pocket and pulled out another compass, identical to the one Kai had held. She held it in front of his face, emphasizing her point: "Look!"
Kai barely lifted his gaze from the floor, eyes full of confusion and pain. His voice weakly mumbled: "Then… what is this?"
"That is the original compass. This is the second one I found," Mei explained, offering her hand to her brother with a slight smile. Her eyes glimmered as she followed every move he made.
Kai felt relief when his sister grabbed his hand and helped him stand. His body was still exhausted, and his heart was racing from the previous fall and hits. "How are we going to save Vorenhart?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
Mei stepped a little closer and carefully handed him the compass. "I didn't tell you, but the compass can also find a person," she explained.
"Really...? Then... Find Voren—" Kai began, but before he could finish the incantation, his sister quickly placed her hand over his mouth.
"Say 'Find Frieren'!" Mei ordered, in a voice that allowed no refusal, but carried a hint of gentleness.
Kai paused for a moment, unsure if he should obey, but deep down he knew he could trust her. Her words gave him confidence. "Find Frieren!" he finally shouted.
The compass spun slightly, then pointed straight ahead.
"He found it!" Kai exclaimed, his smile stretching from ear to ear, eyes full of relief and victorious sparkle.
"Let's go!" Mei shouted, her voice sharp and full of determination, immediately leading her brother forward, running.
"How do we get there on time?" Kai asked, breathing heavily.
"Maybe the Snake's power doesn't work on animals! Let's get to our carriage!" his sister shouted while running.
Very quickly, they reached the carriage. Two beautiful mustangs stood calmly, but ready for action, their coats gleaming in the moonlight.
They mounted the mustangs and quickly cut the ropes binding them to the carriage. The horses raised their heads, sniffing impatiently, then began to gallop at full speed.
They followed the compass carefully; the needle spun, pointing the right direction.
"This is just a theory, but I think that old man standing next to Vorenhart when we first came to this world is Frieren," Mei explained.
Kai just nodded. "I thought so too."
After almost two hours of nonstop galloping, their hands stiff from clutching the reins and their lungs burning from the cold air they inhaled, Kai and Mei finally arrived at their old town — the place where it had all begun.
The compass led them further, through narrow alleys, until the needle stopped in front of an unremarkable little shop. It looked completely ordinary — a stand of fruits and vegetables outside, the smell of bread drifting from within, and a wooden sign on the door creaking softly in the wind. Just another place where people bought groceries every day.
And then, the door slowly opened. An old man stepped outside, tall and thin, cloaked in black, his hood pulled low over his head.
Kai didn't waste time on explanations or hesitation. He quickly dropped the reins, reached out, and yanked the old man toward him. With surprising ease, fueled by adrenaline, he hoisted him onto the horse and settled him behind his back. The horse reared but continued its gallop.
"What is happening?" the old man asked, his voice deep and slightly hoarse as he struggled to make sense of the sudden chaos.
"Sorry, Frieren, but we need your help…" Kai said, his words both a plea and an explanation at once. He glanced back at the old man over his shoulder, hoping he would understand before it was too late.
"W-who told you?" the old man stammered.
Mei ignored his question, her jaw tightening as she shouted:
"The Snake of Illusions is free!"
The old man's face twisted instantly — his wrinkles deepened, and hatred flared in his eyes. "Faster!" he barked.
Kai and Mei looked at each other for a brief moment and, despite the dire situation, exchanged a smile. In perfect sync, they jerked the reins, and the mustangs surged forward with renewed speed.
After only a few minutes, which felt like an eternity, the White House loomed ahead. Its pale walls gleamed under the moonlight, but the atmosphere around it was chillingly eerie.
The old man didn't hesitate for a second. As soon as the horses halted, he leapt down from the saddle and threw the massive doors open with all his strength, the hinges rattling from the impact.
At the very center of the long hallway knelt Vorenhart. His hands trembled, and his eyes were wide with fear.
Before him stood the Snake, her smoky body spreading through the air.
When she noticed their arrival, a terrifying, drawn-out whisper slipped from her mouth — a hiss that seemed to pierce straight to the bone:
"It's been a long time..."