The chamber was quiet.
Its vast black walls shimmered faintly under drifting blue flames that floated like ghostly lanterns. A single, immense window dominated the far side of the room, and through it, endless floating mountains drifted across a dark sky—silent, ancient, unreachable.
At the center of the chamber rested a long stone table, and carved into its surface was the stern face of a goat, its hollow eyes staring upward.
Ten hooded figures sat around the table. Each wore a robe marked with the symbol of an eye, and behind each figure rose wings—different in number, each pair as dark as the void outside.
At the head of the table sat the most imposing among them.
A figure with ten wings unfurled behind his back like a throne of shadows.
The silence broke when one hooded figure stood.
He bore four wings—the same watcher who had observed Kairo since the first day he woke in this world.
His voice was sharp and unwavering.
"The Seeker. He has risen to Tier 3."
A feminine voice followed, the owner bearing five wings.
"Quite fast for a mortal…"
Another, carrying three wings, spoke with a brutish rumble.
"Indeed. But still too weak for his true purpose."
The four-winged watcher continued.
"You are correct. However… he has made contact withhim."
The chamber fell deathly still.
Then an energetic voice—two wings—laughed.
"That's not a problem! He doesn't even know whohe is. Why worry?"
"You idiot!" the three-winged angel snapped. "If he has spoken, then it has begun again!"
"So what?" the two-winged one shot back. "We all know how it will end anyway!"
The three-winged angel growled, "You little—!" but before he could lunge forward, a voice vibrated through the chamber.
"Enough."
The ten-winged figure's voice cut through the chamber like a blade, and both fell silent instantly.
The five-winged angel sighed. "These two…"
The ten-winged leader turned toward the four-winged watcher.
"For now, continue observing the Seeker. Aid him from the shadows when needed. But under no circumstances reveal yourself until the destined moment."
The four-winged figure bowed deeply.
"I will not fail you."
He turned and left the chamber, fully aware of the weight of his mission.
Unaware of the celestial eyes watching him, Kairo's territory bustled softly beneath the late morning sun. The wooden walls stood silent, but inside the small tier-1 house, the sound of Shiri's frustrated shouting rattled the air.
After finally calming down, the naga slumped into a chair, rubbing his temples.
"Tell me I'm seeing things…" he muttered.
Kairo shook his head. "Nope. Completely real."
Shiri let out a long, suffering sigh. "Great. So I guess there's no such thing as a quiet day with you." He pointed at the glowing panels floating beside Kairo. "And this—this is what you've been staring into all this time? I thought you were just… staring at nothing. But you were looking into this blue window thing?"
"This isn't just some window," Kairo replied. "This is the thing that's helped me through everything."
Theo tilted his head. "But how come we're only seeing it now?"
"Good question," Kairo said. "Looks like I activated a new ability. Now you two can also see the nexus."
"Nexus?" Shiri repeated. "So that's what it's called?"
"Yeah, but its full name is the Co—"
Kairo froze.
The word refused to leave his mouth.
He blinked, confused.
(What? Why can't I say it? I've said it before… Why not now?)
Shiri leaned forward. "Hey, something wrong?"
"No… nothing." Kairo lied, forcing himself to focus.
He grabbed the mana stone and lifted it. "Let's look at this for now."
He activated the command nexus, guiding the others to the mana stone's information page. Theo leaned in with shining eyes. Shiri's jaw tightened.
A panel appeared:
Mana Gem (Red Variant)
Tier: 4
Effect: Imbued with Slave Crest
Description:A crystal engraved with binding magic. Upon activation, the target becomes subject to obedience compulsion.
Shiri's expression darkened immediately.
Kairo's own face hardened.
"This… is very bad."
Shiri exhaled shakily, his fingers tapping the table. "This thing… it's tier 4."
"What in the world are they so excited about…?" Lilian muttered, completely puzzled by them.
Kairo stiffened. "Tier 4? Then where's the monster's corpse?"
Shiri scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah… about that. Onyx didn't bring it back. He only brought the stone, a broken chain, and—" he paused, his expression sinking, "—something else."
He slipped outside for a moment. When he returned, he carried a wrapped bundle. He placed it on the table with a dull thud.
Lilian recoiled instantly. "Wh—what is that?!"
Theo leaned forward nervously. "Is that… a head?"
Shiri unwrapped the cloth.
A wolf-like head rolled slightly, but it was far from normal. Its fur was pale, matted with dried blood. Two additional red eyes sat above the first pair, glowing faintly even in death. Strange black markings crawled along its snout like burned-in chains.
Shiri sighed. "Onyx didn't drag back the whole corpse. But for whatever reason…" He eyed the skeletal warrior. "He made sure to bring back this."
Kairo slowly turned to Onyx.
The skeletal guardian stood proudly, chest slightly puffed, as if he expected praise.
Kairo forced a crooked smile. "Looks like you love collecting trophies, huh?"
Onyx lowered his head in embarrassed pride.
"Well… this should be enough." Kairo placed his hand over the severed head and activated the command nexus.
A panel flickered into existence:
Name: Shackle Hound
Tier: 3
Status: Deceased
Affliction: Slave Crest (Active prior to death)
Skills: Chain Bite, Fear Howl, Bind Step, Red-Eye Tracking
Description:A hound bound by sorcery, controlled through carved chains of mana. Used in pack formations.
Everyone's expressions darkened.
Shiri's tail thumped the floor angrily. "For someone to use this kind of magic on helpless beasts… disgusting."
Kairo's face tightened.
(Tier 3… just one rank lower than the Pale Crown. Same rabk as Flint, And Onyx killed it easily.)
But if this hound belonged to the beast horde Lilian encountered…
Then this wasn't an isolated threat.
This was a warning.
Kairo tightened his grip around the mana stone, knuckles whitening as the tension in the room thickened. Shiri noticed immediately.
"Kairo…" his voice trembled. "This is bad. If there are more of them out there… with our resources and troops, we might stand a chance, but—"
"But," Kairo finished quietly, "there's a chance we might be outmatched."
Theo swallowed hard, his throat clicking audibly in the silence. Even Lilian—who didn't yet understand everything—felt the weight of what they were discussing. Confusion faded from her face, replaced by a cold understanding of the danger closing in.
Shiri inhaled deeply, steadying himself, then spoke with a firm, almost reluctant resolve.
"Kairo… we've done well so far. Far better than we should have. But this?" He tapped the table, the sound sharp in the tense room. "This is beyond us. We need help."
Kairo didn't answer at first. Instead, he slowly reached into his torn coat. His hand emerged holding a small blue sphere—the gift from Lyra and the other Lords. The communication orb. Its surface shimmered faintly, reflecting their anxious faces back at them.
He stared into it, jaw tight, clearly unwilling to rely on it… yet knowing he had no choice.
Finally, he inhaled, slow and steady.
"You're right," he said at last.
He lowered the mana stone and lifted the orb, turning it gently in his hand. Everyone watched him—Shiri holding his breath, Theo standing straighter, Lilian adjusting her hat nervously, and Onyx gripping his black lance so tightly it trembled. All of them ready to fight to the end for Kairo.
"This is too much for us alone," Kairo said, the orb's glow intensifying. "We need allies. And if we don't reach out now… we might not get another chance."
Shiri nodded. Theo braced himself. Lilian's eyes hardened. Onyx stepped forward protectively.
Kairo raised the orb.
"Then it's decided," he said softly.
Blue light washed over the room.
"We need help."
Volume 3 ends....to be continued...