Kazuki sat on the rooftop, legs dangling over the edge as he stared out at the charred mark scorched into the alley wall below. The aftermath of Zeiros's attack was still fresh—both in the air and in his mind.
His hands trembled.
Not from fear.
From adrenaline that hadn't quite burned out yet.
> [Status Effect: Overexertion]
STR: -3
MP Regen: Delayed
Soulcut Usage: Limited for 2 Hours
"System," Kazuki whispered, "is this what all the Six Crowns are like?"
> [Response: Zeiros is classified among the most dangerous of the Six. Estimated Power Level: S-Rank.]
> [Note from Celestia: YOU FOUGHT ZEIROS AND SURVIVED??!! I WAS GONE FOR TWO MINUTES!!]
Kazuki let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, well… he's not dead, so does it even count?"
> [Note: It absolutely counts. He fled. That's survival with style.]
Below him, Aria sat on a crate, sharpening her daggers with slow, deliberate strokes. Her usually fiery expression had dulled to something quieter. Focused. Guarded.
She hadn't said much since the fight ended.
Kazuki dropped down beside her. "You okay?"
She paused. "I'm not sure."
"Because of your brother?"
She nodded. "Zeiros mentioned him. He wasn't supposed to know. Only a few people do. It wasn't just bravado. That was a message."
Kazuki leaned back against the wall, watching her. "What happened to him?"
Aria didn't look at him. "He joined the Resistance. Got caught in a Demon Emperor raid. Taken. Or killed. I don't know which."
Kazuki said nothing. Just let the silence breathe.
Then, softly: "If Zeiros knew, maybe he didn't die."
Aria looked up at him.
"We'll find out," he said, voice firm. "We'll find him. Or the truth."
Aria didn't smile. But she nodded. "Thanks."
Kazuki opened his status screen and winced.
> [MP: 78/160]
[STR: 10 → 7 (Debuff)]
[Soulcut - Locked Temporarily]
He needed rest. Maybe food. Definitely a nap.
"Alright," he muttered. "Time for plans."
Aria stood and tossed her blade aside. "We need to move. If Zeiros tracked us once, he'll do it again. We were lucky."
Kazuki blinked. "That was lucky?"
She gave him a pointed look. "You're breathing. I'm breathing. That was lucky."
Fair.
"Where do we go?" he asked.
"There's a contact—an old Resistance outpost. Hidden deep in the Windscale Hills. They've gone dark recently, but if anyone still knows how to fight the Emperor's army, it'll be them."
Kazuki nodded. "And if they don't exist anymore?"
"Then we find another path. But I want you to be ready."
He raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
"For what comes next. You've been coasting on instinct and good timing so far, but it's clear now—we're on their radar. You're not just a name anymore. You're a threat."
Kazuki looked at his hands, the faint trace of magic still lingering on his fingertips.
"...I need to train more," he muttered.
"Yes," Aria agreed. "And you need another skill."
He blinked. "What?"
"You've got 'Create.' Use it. You made a concealment skill. You made a sword skill. Now you need something for defense—or healing. Something that keeps you alive after the cool moves are over."
Kazuki opened his skill menu and exhaled slowly.
She was right.
> [Skill: Create] - Ready]
MP: 78/160
He focused.
> Concept Input: 'Healing. Fast Recovery. Stamina.'
Result: Skill Available
Name: Vital Bloom
Effect: Uses MP to rapidly restore HP and stamina over 10 seconds.
MP Cost: 40
> Confirm?
[Yes] | [No]
Kazuki hesitated. Then tapped yes.
> [New Skill Learned: Vital Bloom]
The familiar pulse of magic surged through him. This time, it was gentler—cooler, like the kiss of morning wind on sun-warmed skin.
He grinned. "Alright. That's something."
Aria raised an eyebrow. "You just grew a spell, didn't you?"
"Technically I bloomed it."
She rolled her eyes. "You're lucky you're cute."
They shared a quiet laugh, the tension loosening just a little.
But even as they packed their gear and prepared to move, Kazuki couldn't shake the weight of Zeiros's words.
The Emperor grows impatient.
Who was the Demon Emperor, truly? And why did Kazuki's very existence seem to disturb him?
Celestia chimed in again, more solemn this time.
> [Celestia: That general… he's one of the Emperor's right hands. And if he's moving early, it means the Emperor knows something. Something he shouldn't.]
Kazuki frowned.
> "Like me?"
> [Celestia: Or worse… he knows what's coming.]
Kazuki closed the interface with a grim expression.
He didn't know what storm was building on the horizon.
But he could feel the heat rising.
And next time, he wasn't planning to just survive.
He was going to win.