Michi stood frozen before the gravestones, the weight of grief anchoring him to the ground. His breath came uneven, but he could not lift his head, could not trust his voice to answer the sound that still echoed in his ears.
"Michi Onii-chan?"
The voice came again, trembling but steady enough to pierce through the silence.
Michi didn't move. His fists tightened. He couldn't—he didn't dare believe it.
The voice grew softer, warmer.
"Michi Onii-chan… don't worry. I remember you. I am your brother, after all. It's me—Henu. Don't worry, I know what's going on… but it's okay. I've kept it a secret from everyone else."
The words struck Michi's chest harder than any blade could. His body finally gave in, trembling as he turned slowly. And then—he saw him.
Henu. His little brother.
Michi's composure shattered. He surged forward, closing the distance between them in an instant, arms wrapping around Henu in a fierce embrace. His throat burned as tears spilled freely down his face. "Henu…!" His voice broke. "Henu… you're alive… you remember me…"
Henu's arms closed tightly around his brother in return. He pressed his forehead to Michi's shoulder, and for the first time in so long, he allowed himself to cry as well. Their tears mingled as they clung to each other, the reunion heavy with years of absence and pain.
For a long moment, neither spoke—only their ragged breaths filled the silence.
Finally, Michi pulled back slightly, his eyes swollen and wet. "How… how do you still know everything, Henu? Or should I call you King Henu now?"
Henu let out a laugh through his tears, rough but genuine. "Haha… you moron, big brother. You left all your duties to me and ran off to chase adventure, didn't you?" He gave Michi a playful shove before wiping his own eyes. "Actually… we dragons are different. We are a long-aged, ancient species of this planet. Some stupid being's manipulation can't touch our memories."
Michi nodded slowly, trying to swallow his emotions. "I see… that explains it."
Henu's smile softened. "I also know what you've been doing, Onii-chan. The battles you've fought, the weight you've carried. And I think… your next destination should be none other than the nation of dragons—Qanbarash."
Michi's brows furrowed. "Qanbarash… then can I… can I finally get some answers there? About all of this?"
Henu nodded firmly. "Yes. The dragons can tell you much. But beware…" His voice dropped lower. "According to the reports I've received, a dark guild has risen there, spreading chaos. And… you may see some old familiar faces."
Michi stiffened. "…Who?"
Henu's expression darkened. "That wolf. And that beast of Euromia."
The color drained from Michi's face. "What?! How… how is that possible…? No… it must be the space itself… it's being manipulated again." His voice cracked with frustration, memories of past enemies clawing their way back into his mind.
But before he could ask more, a chill swept through the cemetery. Michi felt it first—a strange, unsettling aura radiating from the ground before him. His eyes shifted back to the gravestone of Tadashi Ken.
"…Something's wrong," Michi whispered.
Henu followed his gaze, his sharp instincts immediately flaring. "You feel it too." His eyes narrowed as he stepped closer. "Stand back, brother."
Michi did as he said. Henu raised his hand, summoning the old power of his bloodline. The ground rumbled faintly as his draconic ability wrapped around the casket buried beneath Tadashi's grave. With a low growl, he willed it upward.
The earth cracked and parted, the coffin slowly rising until it rested above the soil. The oppressive aura pressed heavier on them both.
Michi's face was tense, serious. His heart pounded. "This… doesn't feel right at all."
Henu extended his hand and forced the lid open.
Both brothers leaned forward—then froze in utter shock.
Inside the casket… there was nothing. No bones, no remains, no trace of Tadashi Ken's body. Only a single folded letter lay in the hollow darkness.
Michi's breath caught. With trembling fingers, he reached for it, pulling the letter free. His hands shook as he opened it, eyes scanning the words carved in Tadashi's unmistakable handwriting.
"If you are reading this, Michi, then I am probably no longer in this world. I am an outlander like you… but I'm sorry I could never tell you. When I learned of the Being, I tried to pursue it… but it used its power to send me back to my old world. From then, I've been trying to return. This letter is the last of my power, sent here in the form of a false dead body. Michi, beware of that Being. It is not a simple creature. It is greater… far greater than the Old Reverents of this world. —Tadashi Ken."
The words blurred as Michi's eyes widened in disbelief. His chest heaved with every ragged breath, his throat tightening until he could hardly breathe.
He lowered the letter slowly, turning to Henu with trembling hands.
Both stared at each other—faces pale, eyes filled with raw shock.