The first streaks of dawn had yet to climb over the horizon when Staley's voice rang out through the camp, deep and commanding."Up, everyone! It's time to move!"
Their chariot stood ready, freshly oiled and gleaming faintly under the gray light. Horses neighed restlessly, pawing at the ground, sensing the long journey ahead.
Staley mounted his horse and turned toward the group. "From here to the Central Plains, the distance is one hundred and forty-five kilometers. We'll travel for at least two days at steady pace. After a hundred and twenty kilometers, there's a guard post where they check travelers. Have your tokens ready by then!"
His voice carried over the murmur of hooves and clanking armor.
Ferlin approached the chariot, his expression relaxed but tone serious. "Little brother, little sister," he said, "twenty-eight kilometers straight from here, and we'll enter true Grassland territory. Don't forget to enjoy the view. The Grasslands stretch for six hundred and seventy-eight kilometers across. It's breathtaking, but don't get too lost in it. The climate here shifts quick. If it turns bad, we'll be delayed even longer."
Diala smiled softly. "Then let's hope for calm skies."
Staley raised his hand, and the column began to move. The rhythmic sound of hooves filled the air. Kiaria and Diala's chariot rolled forward, the horses pulling smoothly as the mercenary company spread across the dusty road.
"Dia," Kiaria said quietly, "start cultivation. The road's long, and time shouldn't go wasted."
She nodded, settling cross-legged in the chariot. Her breathing steadied, faint threads of spirit light dancing around her palms. Kiaria watched her for a moment before closing his eyes as well.
The world outside faded.
–
Within the vast sea of his consciousness, Kiaria felt the familiar hum of his spiritual core. Faint golden letters shimmered in the void like ancient runes etched into eternity. He gathered his energy, focusing on one particular letter that pulsed irregularly.
The letter shone brighter, spinning around him as he fed it more of his spiritual power. The air within his inner sea rippled violently. He condensed his psychic energy for the first time, compressing it into a single point–and the moment it touched the letter, light burst outward. Psychic energy was denser and suffocating, uneasy to control.
The golden glow bled into white.
The rune twisted and transformed, forming a scroll that hovered before him. Words carved in flowing strokes appeared across its surface–each line alive, shifting like breathing flame.
A deep vibration echoed through him. Beast Mastery Technique.
But unlike any technique he had learned before, this one was heavy–its presence vast, almost divine. Merely revealing itself drained his energy completely. His vision blurred.
Still, he pushed forward. He tried to activate another letter, to sustain the formation–but the strain was immense. His body trembled; pain rippled through his chest. Blood filled his mouth.
In the chariot, his head snapped forward. A thin trail of blood slipped past his lips.
"Kiaria!" Diala's voice cracked with fear. She leaned forward, grasping his shoulders. "What happened?!"
He coughed lightly, forcing a faint smile. "Don't panic, Dia… just… overdid it."
Her hands trembled. "You call spitting blood overdoing it?"
Before he could answer, Ellein galloped to the chariot, alarm in his eyes. "What's going on? Dia screamed!"
Diala glared at him. "He's hurt himself from cultivation."
Kiaria straightened slightly, pale but composed. "It's nothing. My energy just dried up too fast."
Staley arrived moments later, reins pulling tight. "You little fool," he barked. "Cultivation isn't a race! Patience is your fuel. Try that again, and you'll cripple yourself before reaching the Plains."
"I understand," Kiaria said weakly.
Ferlin jumped down from his horse, handing him a small fruit that glowed faintly under the morning light. "Here, Dion-apple. It'll soothe your channels and relax your muscles. Eat and rest."
Kiaria took it with both hands. "Thank you."
Ellein crossed his arms. "If you dare to make our little sister cry again, I'll knock your head in myself."
"Let me handle that," Diala said coldly. "If he tries something reckless again, I'll do the honors."
The mercenaries burst into laughter, easing the tension.
Staley sighed, shaking his head. "Listen here, boy. Diala is our youngest sister now. If anyone finds her upset, you'll have the entire East Valley Wing hunting you down."
Kiaria swallowed hard, forcing a grin. "Understood."
He handed the Dion-apple to Diala. "Here, you eat it. You need the energy more than I do."
She frowned. "I'm not the one who fainted."
"It's yours now," he said simply. "Refusing would insult a brother's care."
She sighed but accepted it, cutting it in half and sharing it with him anyway.
"Fine," she murmured. "Half each."
He smiled faintly and closed his eyes again, sinking into rest.
–
Hours passed as the caravan rolled steadily across the plains. The rhythmic clatter of hooves and the creak of wheels blended into a lullaby. The warm light of noon painted the world gold.
Inside the chariot, Kiaria slept deeply–but within his consciousness, a quiet storm brewed.
The Beast Mastery scroll unfolded before him again, its letters glowing faintly white. Around it, symbols appeared, shifting and merging until they formed verses of ancient script.
"All are equal by their own,
All lives share equal responsibility.
United and separated in identities.
Different paths coincide for another cycle."
The words pulsed with strange rhythm, echoing through his inner sea.
He frowned. "These lines… they feel familiar."
A voice whispered through the space of his mind. Three scrolls words aligned like a poem.
"Heaven and Abyss in a deep breath,
The autumn leaves thrust the shadow.
All are equal in the sea of wind.
Water reflects the sword intent,
And Nature subdues the will of evil.
Rage Fire ignites Soul from blazing heart.
Frozen hearts are piercing flames.
Ice and Fire in same origin.
Breeze walks into the endless flame.
Blazing fire emerges in the sea of constellation.
All are equal by their own,
All lives share equal responsibility.
United and separated in identities.
Different paths coincide for another cycle."
Kiaria's eyes widened within his mind. "These… they're from my earlier techniques."
Suddenly, realization sparked like lightning. "They're connected–the Mysterious Sword, Cold Flame, and Blazing Fire… they share the same lineage."
He floated amid the glowing verses, piecing them together in thought. "If the Beast Mastery is born from the same source, then the theory must be one: Everything shares the same origin."
He breathed slowly, letting the insight settle. "Three techniques, three different forms… but all linked by will and wisdom."
He focused deeper, aligning the patterns. "The Sword Heart subdues evil. The Flame ignites the heart. The Cold tempers it. When united–they form harmony. If beasts follow the same will of balance, then their mastery comes not from control, but understanding."
The white light in his consciousness pulsed stronger. Energy rippled outward, filling his meridians.
"Wisdom…" he murmured, realization deepening. "The key to mastering beasts isn't dominance–it's resonance. Every will in this world, whether man or creature, flows from the same source. The more one understands that, the deeper their mastery."
A faint shimmer passed through him. His meridians glowed faintly blue, energy flowing smoother than before. The scar on his forehead pulsed once–then quieted.
Outside, Diala glanced over and noticed the faint rainbow-like aura around him. She smiled softly but didn't disturb him. "He's pretending to rest again," she whispered.
The chariot rocked gently as the caravan continued through the plains. Clouds drifted slowly overhead, and wind brushed the long grass in waves that shimmered under sunlight.
By late afternoon, Staley's voice rang from ahead. "Rest point in ten minutes! We'll halt till dusk!"
The caravan slowed. Diala finally exhaled, brushing her hair from her face.
Kiaria opened his eyes, faint traces of calm power still lingering in them. He looked out across the vast horizon–endless green stretching into gold.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Diala said quietly.
"More than beautiful," Kiaria murmured. "It's alive."
And somewhere deep in his consciousness, the words of the scroll echoed again, like a whisper from the world itself–
"All are equal by their own…All lives share equal responsibility."
He closed his eyes, knowing now that the path ahead would test not his strength, but his understanding.The origin had revealed itself–now came the time to wield it.