After days at sea, Yuzuki and Akari's boat finally caught sight of the silhouette of the Pangeia continent. The horizon revealed mountains cloaked in dense forests, while cities dotted the coastline like small stains of civilization against the wild vastness surrounding them.
Yet nothing drew more attention than the colossal Golden Tree that rose from the heart of the continent—so immense that its canopy nearly touched the clouds. Its leaves and branches gleamed like pure gold, radiating an intense light that illuminated even the overcast sky. The sight was hypnotic, a natural and mystical wonder that defied logic and time.
"That..." murmured Akari, unable to look away.
"The Golden Tree..." Yuzuki added, recognizing the name from old stories.
She fell silent for a moment, watching the golden glow reflected on the water before finally asking:
"Do you really believe Mustaf is here?"
Yuzuki didn't answer right away. His eyes remained fixed on the vast land ahead, but a shadow of doubt lingered on his face.
The silence that followed was heavier than any words could be. Akari noticed. Even if he said nothing, it was clear: he wasn't sure.
The grandeur of the tree filled the horizon, its imposing presence making it clear that this world they were sailing into was as vast as it was unknown.
Yuzuki, with a stern expression, gazed at the land ahead as if it were a battlefield full of yet-unknown challenges. Akari, by his side, showed a mix of anxiety and curiosity, her eyes sparkling with the thought of exploring the world beyond the island of Kugutsu.
"So this is it..." murmured Yuzuki, his eyes still locked on the continent. "The land of so many rumors, where Mustaf and Salem await us."
Akari, adjusting the sheath of her sword, replied:
"And where everything could end for us, depending on how we face what's coming. Pangeia is different from our land. They don't respect traditions like we do."
The boat docked at a small, bustling port surrounded by merchant stalls shouting their goods in various languages. The air was thick with the smell of fish, spices, and charcoal smoke, while all sorts of figures crossed the streets: humans, travelers in exotic clothing, and others wielding weapons and equipment unfamiliar to Yuzuki and Akari.
Upon stepping onto Pangeia, Yuzuki felt the ground tremble lightly beneath his feet—not from an earthquake, but from the distorted energy of irregular sealings.
Akari looked at him, and he whispered:
"It's like the land is sick."
She nodded, remembering her father's words: "The imbalance of Kugutsu contaminates everything."
"This is what happens when Kugutsu is desecrated," said Yuzuki, clenching his fists. "The irresponsible use of sealings and Kanjis corrupts the environment. This entire continent is soaked in that imbalance."
As they walked through the city, eyes turned toward them. It was evident that Yuzuki and Akari did not belong there. Their traditional clothing and the aura of power they exuded made them targets of curiosity—and possibly hostility.
A burly man, dressed like a merchant, approached them with a broad smile, clearly interested in more than just a warm welcome.
"You're new here," he said, his tone wavering between friendly and suspicious. "I can tell by your clothes. Looking for something special? Or running from something?"
Akari crossed her arms, her gaze sharpening like a blade.
"Nothing that concerns you."
The man gave a nervous laugh and raised his hands in a gesture of peace.
"Easy, easy. Just curious. You're not the first to come from Kugutsu, you know? I've heard stories... Stories of men and women like you, carrying demons inside. Some would pay handsomely for information about that."
Yuzuki stepped forward, his presence instantly silencing the merchant.
"If you value your life, forget you saw us."
Without waiting for a reply, they walked on, leaving the man behind. He still watched them, but dared not say another word.
As they continued through the city, Akari looked at the dark cracks spreading across the stone and dirt roads. Thin black veins ran like dead roots, sucking the vitality from the land.
"The Slavic Sealing..." she murmured.
Yuzuki nodded. The forbidden method Mustaf had spread here didn't just corrupt Kugutsus, but tainted the very land with its dark burden.
The Slavic Sealing required a blood sacrifice; the more lives taken, the more powerful the Kugutsus became. This method was banned in Kugutsu, directly tied to the Kanjis and to ruin.
Pangeia had been stained by this stolen knowledge. And now, Yuzuki and Akari walked on soil that breathed corruption.
The Hunt Begins
As they moved through the city, Akari pulled Yuzuki into an alleyway.
"We need information about Mustaf and Salem. We can't afford to wander aimlessly."
Yuzuki nodded, though he knew that every step off the island placed them in greater danger. Pangeia was vast and unknown, and time was not on their side.
They knew Mustaf was the link between the stolen secrets of Kugutsu and the proliferation of the Kanjis on the continent. But locating a man like him would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
"We'll start with the black markets," Yuzuki suggested. "If Mustaf spread Kugutsu knowledge here, the merchants of illegal rituals must know something. And we know that the Church of the Holy Faith was founded by Mustaf. With patience, we'll find something."
Akari agreed.
"And if things go wrong?"
Yuzuki raised his hand, wrapping it in dark energy that emanated from his Kugutsu seal.
"Then we'll do whatever it takes."
But for Yuzuki, this hunt was about more than just finding a traitor. He believed Mustaf held answers to something even greater: the king of Kugutsu and the way to sever his bond with the island.
Since ancient times, the king had been tied to the very essence of Kugutsu, making him untouchable. If there was a way to break that bond, only someone like Mustaf—who knew the island's darkest secrets—could reveal it.
And if the king could be separated from Kugutsu... then he could be killed.
They moved toward the darker alleys of the city, where rumors and secrets flowed like currency.
Yuzuki Kanehara and Akari Kanehara knew that every encounter could be a trap, but they had no other choice.
The hunt for Mustaf had begun. And with it, the fate of Kugutsu and Pangeia was about to collide in an irreversible way.