The civil war had finally begun to subside.
Outside the castle, the screams and clashes that had shaken the kingdom for hours were gradually fading. Smoke drifted through the air, and shattered walls stood as silent witnesses to the destruction.
But while the civil war was ending, another battle had only just begun.
A battle driven by revenge.
A battle between Yuki and Pixie.
Cold winds roared through the castle courtyard.
Dark clouds churned overhead while debris danced through the storm.
Yuki's pale pink hair streamed wildly behind her as she attacked again and again.
WHOOSH!
Her fist shot toward Pixie's face.
Pixie tilted his head.
The punch missed.
WHOOSH!
Another strike.
Another dodge.
For several moments, Pixie did nothing but evade her attacks.
His expression showed more confusion than anger.
Finally, he spoke.
"Who are you?"
Yuki's eyes narrowed.
"And why are you fighting me?"
She threw another punch.
Pixie stepped aside.
"You look exactly like my sister-in-law."
Those words only made Yuki angrier.
"You destroyed everything!"
A powerful gust of wind erupted around her.
"You ruined countless lives!"
"You started the civil war!"
"And now you ask why I'm fighting you?"
Pixie frowned.
"What?"
"I started the civil war?"
"I never—"
"You lie!"
Yuki interrupted.
Her voice echoed across the battlefield.
"You destroyed my kingdom!"
"You killed my family!"
"You stole my future!"
Pixie's confusion deepened.
None of this made sense.
"What are you talking about?"
Yuki pointed at him.
"My past life."
The storm intensified.
"I came back for revenge."
Pixie slowly shook his head.
"I never destroyed anyone."
"You're misunderstanding something."
Yuki gritted her teeth.
"Shut up!"
"Vesper and that joker work under you!"
Pixie hesitated.
"Vesper and Zarkoon?"
"Yes."
"They work under me."
The moment Yuki heard those words, her patience shattered.
"Then die!"
She raised her hand.
The wind gathered around her like a hurricane.
Thousands of razor-sharp currents merged together.
SHHHHHHH!
A massive Wind Strike shot forward.
The attack sliced across the battlefield.
Pixie crossed his arms.
The wind cut across his cheek.
A thin line of blood appeared.
For the first time, his expression turned serious.
"Enough."
A white layer of energy spread across his body.
The ground trembled beneath his feet.
Yuki prepared another attack.
But before she could move—
Sticky white substance exploded from Pixie's aura.
It surged forward like living ropes.
Yuki cut through several strands.
But more kept coming.
They wrapped around her arms.
Her legs.
Her waist.
Within seconds, she was completely restrained.
The wind around her weakened.
Pixie lifted her into the air.
She struggled furiously.
Pixie stepped closer.
Blood still dripped from the cut on his cheek.
"Now tell me."
"What exactly happened?"
"Why do you believe I'm your enemy?"
---
Far from the castle...
Raithasu stood before the giant circular metal door hidden inside the mountain.
After breaking through the dirt covering it, he finally stepped inside.
The massive entrance slowly closed behind him.
At first, the temperature felt normal.
The corridor ahead stretched into darkness.
Metal walls reflected dim blue lights.
Raithasu walked forward carefully.
His footsteps echoed through the silent hallway.
TAP.
TAP.
TAP.
Paintings lined both sides of the corridor.
Old paintings.
Some depicted kings.
Others showed scientists.
A few illustrated strange experiments.
As Raithasu moved deeper, he slowed to examine them.
One painting showed a beautiful kingdom.
Another showed people celebrating beneath a giant crystal tree.
The farther he walked, the stranger the paintings became.
People trapped inside glass chambers.
Mechanical bodies.
Unknown symbols.
A kingdom slowly descending into darkness.
Raithasu frowned.
"What happened here?"
The corridor continued for several minutes.
Then he finally reached the end.
His eyes widened.
A massive white door stood before him.
It was unlike anything he had seen before.
The surface was smooth and perfectly polished.
Bright cyan patterns glowed across its frame.
The entire structure looked more advanced than anything in the kingdom.
Raithasu stepped forward.
He placed both hands on the door and pushed.
Nothing happened.
The door didn't move.
Then he noticed something.
Chains.
Several thick chains wrapped around the handles.
A heavy lock secured them together.
Raithasu grabbed the chains.
CRACK!
The metal snapped apart.
But the lock remained intact.
He frowned.
"Still locked?"
Activating his eye ability, he searched the area.
His vision sharpened.
Blue energy flowed through his eyes.
Suddenly, he saw something hidden behind a nearby painting.
Raithasu immediately walked over.
He lifted the painting from the wall.
Behind it rested a glowing blue key.
A smile appeared on his face.
"There you are."
He returned to the door.
The key slid smoothly into the lock.
CLICK.
The lock opened.
A moment later—
RUMBLE...
The massive white door slowly parted.
The moment it opened, an icy wind blasted into the corridor.
Raithasu instinctively stepped back.
Cold air flooded past him.
The temperature dropped instantly.
He walked inside.
The laboratory beyond was enormous.
Rows of tables filled with chemicals stretched across the chamber.
Ancient machines lined the walls.
Glass containers held strange liquids.
A giant structure stood in the center, completely hidden beneath a massive cloth.
Five humanoid figures rested inside transparent chambers nearby.
A mysterious sword hung on one wall.
Frost covered much of the room.
The deeper Raithasu went, the colder it became.
His breath became visible.
His fingers began to tremble.
Goosebumps spread across his skin.
Soon, even walking became difficult.
The temperature had dropped far below anything a normal person could endure.
Raithasu gritted his teeth.
"Too cold..."
Orange flames suddenly appeared around his body.
His Fire Power activated.
A layer of heat surrounded him.
The warmth pushed back the freezing air.
Finally able to move comfortably again, he continued exploring.
Then he noticed a metal lever.
Curious, he approached it.
The laboratory remained silent.
The giant covered structure did not move.
The figures inside the chambers remained motionless.
Raithasu placed his hand on the lever.
Then pulled it down.
CLANK!
The sound echoed through the laboratory.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then—
HISSSSSSS.
Steam erupted from the five chambers.
Red warning lights activated.
Ancient machinery groaned awake.
Raithasu slowly turned.
His eyes widened.
The chamber doors were opening.
One by one.
HISSS.
HISSS.
HISSS.
The grass panels slid aside.
The five humanoid figures stepped forward.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Their bodies resembled armored machines.
Their eyes suddenly glowed with cold cyan light.
The laboratory that had remained silent for decades had awakened.
And all five figures were staring directly at Raithasu.