The ruins of the Skyfire Kingdom smoldered behind them as the group moved toward the heart of the island.
Ash drifted through the air like falling snow.
The once-bright sky was dim, covered in a thin layer of smoke that refused to clear completely. The battle with the Shadow Titan had ended, but its presence still lingered—like a warning carved into the sky itself.
Kim Woo Bin walked at the front, his steps slower than usual.
Not from fear—
But from exhaustion.
The power he had unleashed earlier still echoed faintly in his body. His arms felt heavy, and the dragon mark on his hand flickered weakly, as if it too needed rest.
Behind him, Arin watched carefully.
"You pushed yourself too far," she said.
Woo Bin gave a small smile.
"Kind of had to."
Astrael walked beside them in a smaller form now—his massive dragon body reduced through magic so he could move through the kingdom more easily.
"Power without control will destroy the user," he said calmly.
Woo Bin nodded.
"Yeah… I felt that."
He looked ahead.
"So this temple… how far is it?"
Arin pointed forward.
"Not far now."
Her voice became quieter.
"But no one has entered it for generations."
Woo Bin raised an eyebrow.
"That's not suspicious at all."
They soon arrived at the center of the kingdom.
Or what remained of it.
A massive circular platform stood there, surrounded by broken pillars and ancient carvings. At the center of the platform was a large stone door embedded into the ground itself.
The entrance to the Flame Core Temple.
Woo Bin stepped closer.
"This is it?"
Arin nodded.
"This door has never opened in my lifetime."
Woo Bin examined it.
Strange symbols were carved across its surface—glowing faintly with a deep red light.
"Looks like it needs something…"
Astrael stepped forward.
"It is sealed by dragon magic."
Woo Bin looked at his hand.
"The mark?"
"Yes."
Woo Bin hesitated for a moment.
Then slowly placed his glowing hand against the door.
For a second—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The symbols began to light up.
One by one.
The ground trembled.
Arin stepped back.
"It's opening…"
A deep rumble echoed as the massive stone door slowly split apart.
A wave of heat surged upward from the darkness below.
Woo Bin swallowed.
"Yeah… this definitely isn't safe."
A long staircase stretched downward into the earth.
Dim red light flickered along the walls, revealing ancient carvings of dragons, warriors, and something else—
A crown.
Broken into pieces.
Woo Bin noticed immediately.
"The fragments…"
Astrael nodded.
"This temple was built to protect one of them."
They began their descent.
Each step echoed through the narrow passage.
The deeper they went—
The hotter it became.
Sweat formed on Woo Bin's forehead.
"It feels like we're walking into a volcano…"
Arin glanced around.
"That's not far from the truth."
They reached the bottom.
A large chamber opened before them.
The walls were lined with towering statues of armored warriors, each holding a weapon made of stone.
At the center—
A circular platform.
And on the far side—
Another door.
Woo Bin took a step forward.
"Seems simple enough—"
The moment his foot touched the platform—
CLICK.
The sound echoed sharply.
Woo Bin froze.
"…That's not good."
The statues moved.
Stone cracked.
Dust fell.
And one by one—
They came to life.
Arin drew her sword instantly.
"Guardians!"
Astrael stepped forward.
"These are ancient protectors of the temple!"
Woo Bin sighed.
"Of course they are…"
The first guardian charged.
Its stone blade swung downward with immense force.
Woo Bin dodged just in time.
"That thing's fast!"
Arin dashed forward, her flaming sword clashing against the guardian's weapon.
Sparks flew.
"It's strong too!"
A second guardian moved.
Then a third.
Soon—
All of them were active.
Woo Bin raised his hand.
"Dragon Pulse!"
The blast struck one of the guardians—
But only chipped its armor.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
Astrael spoke quickly.
"They are resistant to raw power!"
"Then how do we beat them?!"
Arin shouted:
"Look at their cores!"
Woo Bin focused.
At the center of each guardian's chest—
A glowing red crystal pulsed faintly.
"Got it!"
Woo Bin dodged another attack and moved behind a guardian.
"Arin, distract them!"
"On it!"
She leaped between the guardians, drawing their attention with fast, precise strikes.
Woo Bin gathered energy.
"Dragon Strike!"
He punched forward—
This time aiming directly at the crystal.
CRACK.
The guardian froze.
Then shattered into pieces.
"Yes!"
Astrael nodded.
"That is their weakness!"
One by one, they worked together.
Arin distracted.
Woo Bin struck.
Astrael supported with precise bursts of energy.
The guardians fell.
Until—
Only one remained.
The largest.
Stronger than the rest.
It stepped forward slowly.
The ground trembled.
Woo Bin wiped sweat from his face.
"Of course there's a boss…"
The massive guardian raised its weapon.
A giant axe of stone.
It swung.
Woo Bin barely blocked with a burst of energy.
The impact sent him sliding back.
"Too strong!"
Arin jumped in.
They attacked together—
But the guardian didn't break.
Its core glowed brighter.
Astrael's voice echoed.
"It is drawing power from the temple itself!"
Woo Bin clenched his fists.
"Then we hit it harder!"
He gathered energy again.
But this time—
He didn't rush.
He focused.
Just like before.
Power and control.
The dragon mark glowed.
Stronger.
Steadier.
"Arin—now!"
She leaped high, striking the guardian's head.
It staggered—
Just for a moment.
Woo Bin moved.
"DRAGON STRIKE!"
He hit the core with everything he had.
The crystal cracked—
Then shattered completely.
The guardian froze.
Then collapsed into rubble.
Silence returned.
Woo Bin exhaled deeply.
"That was… intense…"
Arin smiled slightly.
"You're getting better."
Astrael looked ahead.
"The path is open."
The second door slowly unlocked.
Beyond it—
A deeper chamber glowed with golden light.
Woo Bin's heart beat faster.
"That's it…"
"The fragment…"
He stepped forward.
But as they entered—
A strange feeling crept into his chest.
Something wasn't right.
Astrael paused.
"…Be careful."
Arin looked around.
"This place feels… different."
At the center of the chamber—
A pedestal stood.
And above it—
A floating shard of golden light.
The first fragment of the Dragon Crown.
Woo Bin stepped closer.
"We found it…"
But just as he reached out—
A voice echoed from the shadows.
"Did you really think it would be that easy?"
Woo Bin froze.
That voice—
He recognized it.
Slowly—
A figure stepped out from the darkness.
Not the Dark General.
Not the Titan.
Someone else.
Someone… human.
Arin's eyes widened.
"No…"
Woo Bin turned.
"Who is that?"
The figure smiled.
And everything changed.