The light did not fade immediately.
It surged.
It expanded.
It swallowed everything.
For a moment, Kim Woo Bin felt as if he was no longer standing inside the Flame Core Temple. The ground beneath his feet disappeared, the air vanished, and even sound itself seemed to dissolve.
There was only light.
Golden.
Endless.
And within that light—
Power.
Woo Bin's body felt weightless.
Energy flowed through him—not violently like before, but smoothly… naturally.
Like it belonged there.
"One of seven… has chosen you…"
The ancient voice echoed again, deeper this time.
Woo Bin looked around, though there was nothing to see.
"Who are you?" he asked.
No answer came.
But the light shifted.
Images began to form around him.
Visions.
He saw dragons.
Hundreds of them.
Flying across vast skies, their wings casting shadows over kingdoms below.
He saw warriors standing beside them.
Not controlling them—
But fighting with them.
Then—
A crown.
Floating in the center of it all.
Brilliant.
Whole.
Radiating unimaginable power.
"The Dragon Crown…" Woo Bin whispered.
The vision changed.
Darkness spread.
The sky cracked.
A great war erupted.
Dragons clashed with shadow creatures.
The crown shattered—
Breaking into pieces.
Seven fragments.
Scattering across the world.
Woo Bin's heart pounded.
"So that's how it happened…"
The voice returned.
"The balance was broken… and so it must be restored…"
The light collapsed.
The temple returned.
Woo Bin dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.
"I… saw everything…"
Arin rushed to his side.
"What happened?!"
Woo Bin looked up at her.
"The crown… it was destroyed in a war."
Astrael nodded slowly.
"So the legends were true…"
Woo Bin clenched his glowing hand.
"And now… we have to bring it back together."
Woo Bin stood up slowly.
Something felt different.
Stronger.
More stable.
The dragon mark on his hand had changed.
At its center—
A small golden glow pulsed softly.
Arin noticed immediately.
"Your mark…"
Woo Bin looked at it.
"It's changed…"
Astrael stepped closer.
"You now carry the power of the first fragment."
Woo Bin raised his hand slightly.
"Let's see what that means…"
He focused.
Instead of forcing energy out—
He guided it.
Slowly.
Carefully.
A faint golden aura formed around his hand.
Then—
It expanded.
Wrapping around his entire arm.
Arin's eyes widened.
"That energy… it's more refined."
Woo Bin nodded.
"It feels… controlled."
He looked at a broken pillar nearby.
"Let's test it."
Woo Bin stepped forward.
He raised his hand.
Energy gathered—
Blue and gold together.
But instead of exploding outward—
It condensed.
Sharpened.
Focused.
"Dragon Pulse…"
He paused.
Then added:
"Focused Strike."
He released it.
A thin beam shot forward—
Fast.
Precise.
It pierced straight through the pillar.
Clean.
Effortless.
Woo Bin blinked.
"…Whoa."
The pillar collapsed moments later.
Arin smiled.
"That's way better than before."
Astrael nodded.
"You are learning control."
Ignivar's voice echoed softly.
"Power without waste… that is the way of dragons…"
Woo Bin grinned.
"I like this already."
Far away—
Beyond the skies of the Skyfire Kingdom—
In a place where light barely existed—
A figure stood.
Watching.
Through a veil of darkness.
The Dark General knelt before him.
"My lord."
A deep voice responded.
Cold.
Ancient.
"Speak."
"The Dragon Bearer has obtained the first fragment."
Silence followed.
Then—
A low chuckle.
"So it begins…"
The shadows shifted.
A pair of glowing eyes opened.
"You have seen his growth."
"Yes," the general replied. "He is stronger than expected."
The voice deepened.
"That is irrelevant."
A pause.
Then—
"Is Kael prepared?"
The general nodded.
"He has proven useful."
"Good."
The eyes narrowed slightly.
"Then it is time."
In the same dark realm—
Kael stood alone.
The air around him felt heavy.
Oppressive.
He clenched his fists slightly.
Even he—
Felt the pressure.
Then—
A presence appeared before him.
Not fully visible.
But undeniable.
Kael lowered his head slightly.
"So… you're the one they call the Dark King."
The voice echoed around him.
"You stand before me… yet you show no fear."
Kael smirked faintly.
"Fear doesn't suit me."
A pause.
Then—
A faint laugh.
"Interesting."
The Dark King stepped forward slightly.
Still hidden in shadow.
"But confidence without strength… is meaningless."
Kael's eyes sharpened.
"I defeated your enemies today."
"You delayed them," the Dark King corrected.
"Nothing more."
Kael clenched his jaw.
"Give me a fragment… and I'll show you real power."
Silence.
Then—
The Dark King raised his hand.
A small shard of dark energy formed.
"This… is not a fragment."
"But it contains its essence."
Kael stared at it.
"If you want power…"
"Take it."
Kael hesitated.
Just for a moment.
Then—
He reached out.
The moment he touched the energy—
It surged into his body.
He gasped.
Dark veins spread across his arm.
Power—
Wild.
Unstable.
But overwhelming.
He gritted his teeth.
"I can handle this…"
The Dark King watched silently.
"We shall see."
Back in the temple—
Woo Bin stood at the entrance, looking out over the damaged kingdom.
"We got the first fragment."
Arin stood beside him.
"But there are six more."
Astrael nodded.
"And the enemy now moves faster."
Woo Bin clenched his fist.
"Then we don't slow down."
He looked at Astrael.
"Do we know where the next one is?"
Astrael closed his eyes briefly.
Then—
"I can sense it."
Woo Bin's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Astrael opened his eyes.
"To the east."
"Beyond the Ashen Mountains."
Arin frowned slightly.
"That's… dangerous territory."
Woo Bin smiled.
"When has that stopped us?"
Ignivar's voice echoed one last time.
"Be ready… the next trial will not be the same…"
Woo Bin nodded.
"Good."
"I don't want it to be easy."
He looked ahead.
Toward the distant horizon.
"The next fragment…"
"I'm coming."