After completing their investigation, Akira and the others finally returned to the castle carrying new information from the mission.
The atmosphere inside the strategy chamber felt calmer compared to the tension outside. Large maps and documents covered the long table while candlelight flickered softly against the stone walls.
The assistant listened carefully to their report before giving a satisfied nod.
"Well done," he praised. "The information you gathered exceeded expectations."
Akira relaxed slightly upon hearing that.
"However," the assistant continued, folding his hands behind his back, "this mission was merely an experiment. I have no intention of forcing another attempt." His eyes swept across the group. "The knowledge you obtained is already more than sufficient."
Before anyone could respond—
Knock. Knock.
The sound echoed through the chamber.
"Sazoru, you may come in," the assistant called calmly.
The door slowly opened.
A man with crimson-red hair stepped into the room, instantly shifting the atmosphere the moment he entered. Unlike the others, his upper body was mostly exposed, save for an antique-looking golden necklace resting against his chest. At its center hung a glowing green gemstone that pulsed faintly beneath the dim light.
A long scar stretched across his left eye, old yet deep enough to reveal a history of brutal battles.
He closed the door behind him and silently walked over to the group.
Akira instinctively studied him.
There was something strangely familiar about the man.
The sharp gaze.
The confident posture.
Even the intimidating aura surrounding him.
In several ways, he reminded Akira of Kazoru.
Except where Kazoru burned wildly like an uncontrolled flame—
this man felt like a volcano waiting in silence before eruption.
"Now then," the assistant said, gesturing toward the newly arrived man, "introduce yourself, Sazoru."
The red-haired man stepped forward without hesitation.
"My name is Sazoru Blaze Vlahadeer," he stated firmly. "One of the Great Generals of Celesta."
His introduction was brief, yet the weight behind the name alone filled the room with pressure.
Even the air seemed heavier around him.
The assistant continued shortly after.
"During your next mission, this man will be assisting you personally." He adjusted his glasses calmly. "I imagine it comes as a surprise that a Great General would be assigned to support newcomers."
No one answered immediately.
"However," the assistant went on, "the situation facing this nation is far too serious to underestimate. These criminals continue to threaten Celesta's stability." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Truthfully, I still find it unusual that the king approved sending inexperienced personnel on such an important mission."
Akira barely heard the latter half of the explanation.
His attention had already frozen on one thing.
Vlahadeer.
The surname echoed repeatedly inside his mind.
Kazoru Vlahadeer.
His eyes widened slightly as realization began settling into place.
That's… Kazoru's father?
The resemblance suddenly made sense—the fiery aura, the overwhelming presence, even the intimidating confidence they both carried naturally.
Except Sazoru felt far more refined.
Far more dangerous.
Once the briefing neared its end, the assistant glanced around the room one final time.
"Any final questions?"
Silence answered him.
Satisfied, the assistant gave a small nod.
"Very well. You are dismissed."
The group slowly began leaving the chamber one by one.
Everyone except—
Celine.
And Sazoru.
The assistant's gaze lingered on the two remaining figures as the heavy doors closed behind the others, sealing the room in uneasy silence.
As the group exited the strategy chamber, Akira glanced toward Kazoru, curiosity still lingering in his mind.
"Hey… is Sazoru your father or something?"
Kazoru immediately looked disturbed.
"What kind of conclusion is that?"
Akira shrugged innocently.
"You both have that terrifying fire-user aura thing going on."
Kazoru sighed before answering.
"He's my uncle. Kitsune's older brother, actually." He folded his arms while walking down the hallway. "My father is… well let's just say he's out working overseas."
"Ah."
Akira nodded thoughtfully for a few seconds before his imagination immediately spiraled out of control.
"So your family tree is filled with names like Sazoru, Mazoru, Pazoru, Brozoru, and Siszoru?" he asked seriously. "I'm starting to think ending names with 'Ru' is some ancient bloodline tradition."
Kazoru slowly turned toward him with the expression of a man losing faith in humanity.
"Your assumption is unbelievably stupid." He narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying to be sarcastic?"
"What? It makes sense!"
"Then explain Kitsune."
Akira opened his mouth—
And froze.
"…Kitsuru?"
Kazoru stared at him in complete silence.
Akira awkwardly scratched his cheek.
"Okay, in my defense, I thought it was some kind of verb conjugation system."
"That explanation somehow made it worse."
"Still," Akira continued while laughing lightly, "speaking of Kitsune…"
Kazoru let out a small laugh after noticing Akira's expression.
"Haha, relax already. My uncle just assigned Kitsune to a mission outside Celesta."
"Outside Celesta?" Akira repeated curiously.
"Yeah. Could be another village, maybe even overseas." Kazoru casually folded his arms behind his head while walking. "Our family's pretty wealthy, so getting travel permits and tickets isn't a problem. Don't worry about her."
Akira clicked his tongue dramatically.
"Man… rich people really live differently."
Despite the envy in his voice, there was no actual bitterness behind it. The two continued strolling through the castle corridors beneath the golden evening lights.
Then something from earlier suddenly resurfaced in Akira's mind.
"…Hey, what exactly is a General?"
Kazoru glanced at him.
"That's a rank in warrior society," he explained. "The highest one, actually. Top command." He paused briefly. "Though there are other rankings outside military status too."
Akira looked intrigued.
"Like what?"
Kazoru sighed as if preparing for a lecture.
"In Celesta, society basically follows a caste hierarchy." He raised his fingers one by one while explaining.
1. Kings
2. Celestials
3. Emperors
4. Mayors
5. The Royals
6. Generals
Akira blinked in confusion.
"Wait… shouldn't Emperors rank above Kings?" He frowned. "And why are Celestials—literal gods—below Kings?"
Kazoru smirked slightly.
"You should know this already. A king is the ruler of all, depending on the context." He shrugged. "There are many meanings behind the title 'King.' Like in a kingdom, for example."
"Ah, okay. Continue on."
"With sixteen Generals guarding Celesta, they're basically monsters feared across the nation," Kazoru explained. "The other seven nations combined supposedly have around a hundred fewer than us."
"And what makes someone qualify as a General?"
"Depends, if you have one of these three specific divine abilities or the merits you've gathered."
Kazoru raised three fingers.
1. Magical or combative skills.
2. Weapon mastery or defensive skills.
3. Divine stats or auxiliary abilities.
Divine abilities were incredibly rare, with only a small number of people being born possessing them naturally. Kazoru explained that divine skills could still be acquired through intense training, but even those were uncommon due to their severe limitations and difficulty.
Most people only possessed exceptional abilities or demi-divine powers at best.
True divine powers belonged to a chosen few.
"As for Celestials," Kazoru continued, "they're different from warriors entirely."
Akira listened carefully.
"They don't fight, defend, or hurt others. Their existence itself supports the shrine." Kazoru's voice lowered slightly. "They're said to be the source of the systems and primary abilities given to humanity."
"Do they have religions, worshiping then?"
"They do. Since celestials act as the blessed of the universe that's why people worship them."
According to legend, the Celestials had descended long ago to bless the world and grant power to mankind. Shrines were built in their honor across the nations, and countless people devoted their faith to them.
But like humans—
not all Celestials were kind.
Some were just.
Others were unfair.
Kings were regarded as the absolute authority of a nation.
Each one possessed power so overwhelming that they were said to be capable of erasing entire existences if they truly desired. Their authority differed depending on the territory they ruled—some governed through military force, others through systems, abilities, laws, or influence unique to their nation.
"No two kings are alike," Kazoru explained as they continued walking through the halls. "Even their powers and ruling methods differ completely."
Akira listened silently.
"Though honestly," Kazoru admitted with a shrug, "I don't really know the names of most kings outside the this nation."
But one name stood above all others.
King Zero.
Zero Lamillion.
The moment Kazoru mentioned him, even his expression subtly changed.
"He's said to be far different and the youngest king of all kings in history," Kazoru said quietly. "And—not exaggerated—the strongest of all kings."
According to him, no warrior, general, emperor, or celestial could compare to Zero Lamillion in raw power. His strength was considered unreachable—a monstrous existence standing at the very peak of the world.
"No one comes close to him," Kazoru added. "Not even remotely."
"How strong is the king exactly?" Akira asked thoughtfully. "I mean, if kings already have the power to wipe out entire existences… then how is our king supposed to be above even that?"
The question lingered in the air for a moment.
Kazoru scratched his head awkwardly.
"…Honestly? Nobody really knows."
"Huh?"
"Until recently, almost nothing about King Zero was publicly known." Kazoru shrugged. "We don't even know what his main abilities are."
Akira blinked.
"That mysterious?"
"Extremely."
Kazoru explained that most of the stories surrounding Zero Lamillion came from assumptions, rumors, and comparisons made by people across the nations. Since no one fully understood the extent of his abilities, the title of "strongest king" remained more of a worldwide belief than proven fact.
"Most debates about him are basically people arguing online every day—y'know, daily internet arguments." Kazoru sighed. "Some think he could destroy continents. Others think he's immortal. Some even believe he's secretly holding back something worse."
"And nobody actually knows?"
"Nope."
Akira folded his arms.
"Mysteries yet to be solved, huh…"
Then another thought crossed his mind.
"But what exactly is this 'divine' thing everyone keeps mentioning?" he asked curiously.
"Those are ranking levels," Kazoru explained. "There are eight known levels a person can reach."
He began counting them one by one.
1. Weak (E)
2. Lower average (D)
3. Average (C)
4. Above average (B)
5. Elite (A)
6. Professional (S)
7. Demi Divine (SS)
8. Divine (SSS)
Akira listened carefully as Kazoru continued.
"As for weapons, there are five classifications."
1. Light.
2. Medium.
3. heavy.
4. Special.
5. Divine.
"And Main Abilities and Skills have their own ranking system too."
1. Weak. (C)
2. Medium. (B)
3. Strong. (A)
4. Special. (S)
4. Demi divine. (SS)
5. Divine. (SSS)
Kazoru folded his arms afterward.
"Divine-class anything is ridiculously hard to achieve," he said. "Most people never even see one in their lifetime."
Akira slowly nodded, finally beginning to understand how massive the gap between ordinary fighters and legendary figures truly was.
Then Kazoru remembered something else.
"Oh right, the person with the most Divine Weapons in Celesta is Arthur Scarlet."
"The leader of the Knights?" Akira recalled.
"Yep." Kazoru grinned slightly. "He's considered stronger than most generals, and he possesses six Divine Weapons."
Akira's eyes widened slightly.
Six Divine Weapons alone already sounded absurd.
What surprised him more, however, was the realization that the disguised king had already mentioned Arthur before.
Kazoru further explained that Special and Divine-class abilities could sometimes grant a person their own personal weapon—something unique that resonated directly with their power and soul.
"Though there's an exception," he added. "People who inherit their main abilities through family bloodlines usually can't obtain one."
"That's… a lot to take in," Akira admitted.
After hearing about rankings, divine powers, kings, weapons, and abilities all at once, his brain was beginning to feel overloaded.
"Can we stop the explanation there for now?" he asked while rubbing his forehead. "I need time to process all this."
Kazoru laughed lightly.
"Fair enough."
As they walked through the halls, Akira silently organized everything in his head, mentally repeating the rankings and information to memorize them properly. After about three minutes of careful thinking, the confusion slowly began settling into understanding.
The two continued downstairs while waiting for Sazoru and Celine to finish their discussion upstairs.
But upon reaching the second floor, Kazoru suddenly became unusually quiet.
His relaxed expression faded as if something heavy had crossed his mind.
Akira noticed immediately.
"…You okay?" he asked. "You've been thinking hard about something ever since we got down here."
Kazoru didn't answer right away.
Seeing the troubled look on his face, Akira instinctively tried to help, even though he had no idea what was bothering him.
Kazoru eventually broke the silence.
"…I think I saw a familiar face earlier."
Akira looked at him curiously.
"Who?"
Kazoru frowned slightly, trying to recall it clearly.
"My uncle once told me stories about his older brother." He folded his arms. "I've also seen old photographs of him before."
Akira blinked.
"You think you saw him?"
"That's the problem." Kazoru exhaled slowly. "It shouldn't be possible."
Both of them considered it nothing more than coincidence. Even Kazoru himself seemed unconvinced by what he thought he had seen.
"…Maybe it was a false alarm," he muttered with a tired groan.
Before the topic could continue further, footsteps echoed from upstairs.
Sazoru and Celine finally descended to the second floor.
"Apologies for the delay," Celine said politely.
With everyone gathered, the four immediately began discussing the mission strategy.
Their objective was straightforward:
Sneak into the laboratory and eliminate the Metamorians.
According to Sazoru, the recent attacks involving orcs and goblins were somehow connected to them, though the full details remained unclear.
"Do not underestimate this operation," Sazoru warned seriously. "If their leader discovers your presence, the situation could escalate instantly."
Because of that possibility, they prepared a fallback strategy in advance in case the mission failed or they were forced into direct confrontation.
Caution was essential.
As the discussion neared its conclusion, Sazoru turned toward Kazoru.
"I won't always be available during the mission," he stated calmly. "When that happens, you'll take command."
Kazoru nodded firmly without hesitation.
After finalizing the strategy Sazoru had prepared, the group departed toward the western side of Celesta—
The Sylvan Garden.
The district was far calmer compared to the crowded center of the nation. Elegant streets lined with greenery stretched beneath the evening sky while shops, cafés, and quiet alleyways filled the area with ordinary civilian life.
To avoid suspicion, they proceeded without Sazoru accompanying them directly.
They split up naturally across the district.
Akira headed through the alleyways.
Kazoru walked along the sidewalk.
And Celine entered a nearby grocery store.
Akira casually wandered through the narrow alleys with his hands in his pockets, pretending to be aimless while secretly observing his surroundings. Eventually, he reached a dead end surrounded by tall brick walls.
Meanwhile, Celine's mission immediately began falling apart the moment she discovered a discount section inside the grocery store.
Her eyes sparkled.
An internal battle raged within her soul.
Mission first—
or incredible deals.
Unfortunately, her instincts as a woman won instantly.
"These prices are illegal…" she whispered in disbelief while rapidly filling her basket.
As for Kazoru—
he remained fully focused on the operation while walking through the streets.
Then suddenly—
Thud.
He accidentally bumped shoulders with someone.
Kazoru looked up.
And froze.
Standing before him was the same strange man he had seen earlier in the laboratory.
Kazoru's eyes widened in shock, completely glued to the figure before him.
"Whoops, my bad. You okay?"
The man smiled apologetically and extended a hand toward Kazoru.
The moment Kazoru looked at him closely, a chill ran down his spine.
That aura—
It was overwhelming.
Not openly hostile, yet heavy enough to make his instincts scream in warning. Kazoru's body stiffened as anxiety crept through him. The man resembled the person his uncle once described—Sazoru's supposedly deceased older brother.
The resemblance was undeniable.
Except for one thing.
His hair was black.
Completely different from the appearance shown in the old photographs.
Kazoru's eyes then drifted lower.
The man's hands were horrifying.
Burn scars covered nearly every inch of his skin. His wrists were wrapped with rough stitching marks as though they had once been violently torn apart and crudely reattached. Even several fingers bore deep scars and missing flesh.
Kazoru hesitated for half a second before grabbing the offered hand and standing back up.
The instant their palms touched, he felt it.
Heat.
Not normal warmth—
actual heat radiating from the man's skin.
Kazoru's heartbeat quickened violently.
Sweat gathered across his forehead as nervousness consumed him. Every instinct told him to stay alert around this person.
The man seemed to notice his reaction and gave another calm smile.
"Sorry if my hands startled you," he said while scratching the back of his head. "I was caught in a house fire a long time ago."
He laughed softly afterward, eyes closing as if trying to hide something buried beneath that expression.
Kazoru clenched his free hand tightly at his side, forcing himself to calm down.
"…I see."
Even after accepting the explanation, he couldn't bring himself to look directly into the man's eyes.
Instead, his gaze remained lowered slightly beneath the man's face, avoiding that unsettling stare entirely.
"Sorry if the stitches on my face make you uncomfortable," the man said with a soft laugh. "I must look like some kind of Frankenstein."
His smile widened slightly.
"To apologize properly, how about dinner? I'd be happy to serve you something." His eyes narrowed pleasantly. "I get uneasy when people refuse my apologies."
The sudden invitation felt unnatural.
They were complete strangers.
Kazoru immediately shook his head.
"No thanks."
The instant he refused—
the man's hand suddenly grew hotter.
Not warm.
Hot.
Kazoru's eyes widened in alarm as the heat intensified against his palm, as though the man's emotions had leaked through his skin. Startled, Kazoru instantly let go and stepped back.
The man blinked before smiling apologetically again.
"My apologies," he said calmly.
Then he slowly turned away.
"Well then… see you later."
He paused briefly.
"I hope we meet again… Kazoru."
The last part was spoken in a low voice, barely audible before the man walked off into the opposite direction.
Kazoru froze.
His heart pounded violently against his chest.
The moment the man disappeared from sight, Kazoru immediately slipped into a nearby alleyway and dropped to one knee.
"Hah… hah…"
Sweat poured down his face.
His breathing became uneven as he clutched his chest tightly, trying to calm the overwhelming fear creeping through his body. That man's presence felt wrong—unnatural in a way Kazoru couldn't explain.
Not just dangerous.
Terrifying.
After forcing himself to steady his breathing, Kazoru pushed himself back onto his feet.
There was no time to waste.
He quickly left the alley to regroup with Akira and Celine so they could begin the attack before things grew even worse.