Saruto and Ethan sat for a while in the Time Chamber, talking about what had happened inside the Founder IV's world. The conversation wasn't long. Ethan watched Saruto silently until he noticed his pale face, his diminished energy, and the wounds that hadn't yet healed. He sighed softly, then raised his hand and brought up the Time Chamber's system screen. He moved his fingers nimbly and selected a single option: "Auto Heal."
A light enveloped Saruto body, and his energy seeped into every crack in his skin. The wounds healed, and his energy gradually regained its balance. After a few moments, Saruto opened his eyes and stood up. He looked at Ethan and said, "Thank you... Ethan."
Ethan shook his head. "Don't thank me. It's my duty."
Saruto was silent for a moment, then said, "I want to go back to Adrian... I want to see him."
Ethan looked at him with slight surprise. "Why?"
"After the shock he received… when he discovered that the entity he'd lived inside all these years was the true cause of all his suffering… just imagine his mental state now," Saruto replied in a low voice.
Ethan paused for a moment, then sighed. "Go… but be careful."
Saruto nodded and closed his eyes. He entered a state of deep concentration, and his body dissolved from the Time Chamber. He returned to the Founding Father's world. The place was unusually quiet. Destruction still surrounded it.
Saruto looked around and saw Adrian sitting on the ground, his massive sword embedded in the dirt before him, his head bowed, tears streaming uncontrollably down his cheeks.
Saruto approached slowly. Adrian raised his head, his eyes red from crying. "Hello, Saruto… what happened to Darius?" he said wearily.
"He's tied up in the Time Chamber," Saruto replied calmly. "I'll ask Ethan to interrogate him later… perhaps we'll find out who this master he spoke of is, and what his true intentions are."
Adrian nodded slowly, then said, "Very well… but only after you've extracted all the answers from him."
Suddenly, his aura exploded, dark, dense, suffocating. "Kill him for me," he continued, his voice unwavering.
Saruto looked at him steadily. "You have my word. I will grant your request."
He turned to leave, but before he vanished, he turned back. "You know our fight isn't over yet… prepare for next time, Adrian."
Adrian chuckled. "You won't win, Saruto… no matter how hard you try."
Saruto vanished. He returned to the Time Chamber. He opened his eyes, stood up, and Ethan was waiting for him. "What happened? Is Adrian alright?"
"Not quite… but with time, he'll get better," Saruto replied.
Then, more seriously, he said, "Ethan… can you interrogate Darius?"
"I'll try," Ethan answered. "And if I find out anything… I'll tell you right away."
Saruto smiled. "Okay. Until then… I'm going on a trip."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "A trip? Now?"
Saruto laughed. "Didn't I tell you? A trip with my fiancées, my friends, and my friends' fiancées… We all need a break."
"Where to?" Ethan asked.
"Kyle discovered an island in the sea while he was training," Saruto replied. "An ideal place for the trip."
Ethan agreed, and Saruto left to get ready. He contacted his friends and arranged to meet in the Storm Kingdom, at Kyle's. From there, they would set off in special vehicles used by the inhabitants of the Hurricane Kingdom—fast vehicles that flew over land and sea, called Heavenly Whirlwind Vehicles.
After finalizing the arrangements, Saruto left his room and decided to take a short walk. Without realizing it, his feet led him to the Dark Family Cemetery. He entered quietly. The first grave he approached was his mother's.
He sat down in front of it, holding some white flowers he had picked from the cemetery gate. In a low voice, he said, "Hello, Mother… I'm sorry I don't visit you often."
He placed the flowers on the grave, and suddenly, their color began to change, from white to purple. Saruto smiled sadly. Then he began to speak as if his mother were sitting before him, listening.
He told her about entering the academy, about the friends he had made, about his engagement, about fighting the Founders and training under their guidance. He spoke of the tests he had taken at the academy and the path he was on. He told everything. Then he stood up and said quietly, "It's getting late. I'll visit you again, Mother… I promise."
He turned to leave and suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned quickly but saw no one. He smiled and left. Before exiting the cemetery, he paused at two adjacent graves: the grave of Adrian wife and the grave of his daughter. He silently placed flowers on them and then left the cemetery.