The small village street had been noisy only moments ago.
Children had been laughing.
Villagers were walking between the houses.
But now everything had changed.
A heavy silence filled the air.
Sylphiya was kneeling on the dusty ground, holding her injured shoulder. The stone that had struck her had cut the skin deeply. Dark red blood slowly flowed down her arm and dripped onto the ground.
Her breathing was unsteady.
But even through the pain, she looked up at the boy standing in front of her.
"R…Ragna…"
Ragna had not moved.
He stood there with his back facing her.
His head was lowered.
His fists were clenched tightly.
The group of boys who had thrown the stones still stood a few steps away.
At first they laughed.
"Look at him."
"The monster's friend got hurt."
But their laughter slowly faded.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
The wind stopped moving.
Even the birds that had been flying above the village suddenly disappeared.
One of the boys rubbed his arms nervously.
"Why is it suddenly so hot?"
Another boy frowned.
"Is that… his mana?"
Ragna slowly lifted his head.
His face could not be seen clearly.
But his voice came out in a quiet whisper.
"…Sylpy."
Behind him, Sylphiya tried to force a smile despite the pain.
"I'm okay… Ragna."
But the blood continued to drip from her arm.
Each drop hitting the ground felt like a hammer striking Ragna's heart.
Something deep inside his body began to tremble.
For twelve long years, powerful sealing magic had locked away the flames of Infernos.
Ancient magic.
Forbidden power.
The power that once shook an entire kingdom.
But seals were never perfect.
Especially when emotions began to break them.
Ragna slowly turned his head toward the boys.
They suddenly felt their hearts tighten.
His eyes…
His eyes were glowing.
A faint crimson light flickered inside them.
One of the boys stepped back.
"H-Hey… what's wrong with his eyes?"
Another boy whispered in fear.
"Is he using magic?"
But this was not normal magic.
A thin red aura slowly began leaking from Ragna's body.
At first it looked like faint mist.
Then it began growing thicker.
Hotter.
The air around him distorted like heat rising from burning flames.
Ragna's breathing became heavier.
"You…"
His voice sounded different.
Lower.
Darker.
"…hurt her."
The ground beneath his feet cracked.
A violent wave of mana suddenly exploded outward.
Dust flew across the street.
The boys staggered backward.
"W-What was that?!"
"That's not normal mana!"
Villagers began opening their doors and windows.
They stared at the street in confusion.
Then they saw the red aura surrounding Ragna.
Fear spread instantly.
"It's him…"
"That cursed child…"
"I knew something like this would happen one day."
"Monster…"
Their whispers spread through the crowd like poison.
But Ragna didn't hear them.
Or maybe he did.
And that only made things worse.
The seal inside his body began breaking apart.
Invisible cracks spread across the ancient magic.
Small fragments of sealing energy shattered.
The crimson aura around Ragna grew stronger.
The heat became unbearable.
Sylpy tried to stand despite her injured shoulder.
"Ragna… please stop…"
But the power rising from his body continued growing.
The flames of Infernos had begun awakening.
Dark patterns slowly spread along Ragna's arms like burning cracks filled with red light.
His hair moved slightly as if blown by invisible flames.
His presence changed completely.
It no longer felt like the gentle boy the villagers knew.
It felt ancient.
Wild.
Terrifying.
One of the bullies screamed.
"RUN!"
They turned and began running away.
But Ragna suddenly moved.
In a single step he closed the distance between them.
The ground shattered beneath his foot.
One boy tripped and fell to the ground.
He turned and looked up at Ragna with wide terrified eyes.
"P-Please!"
Ragna stared down at him.
His glowing eyes showed no emotion.
The crimson aura burned violently around his body.
"You hurt… Sylpy."
His voice echoed strangely.
Almost like two voices speaking at once.
The boy began shaking uncontrollably.
"I-I'm sorry!"
But Ragna slowly raised his fist.
The flames around his arm intensified.
Villagers screamed in panic.
"Someone stop him!"
"That boy has become a monster!"
Sylpy tried to shout again.
"Ragna!"
But her voice was weak from pain.
Tears filled her eyes.
She had never seen him like this before.
The gentle boy who always endured the villagers' insults…
The boy who quietly smiled even when people called him a curse…
That boy had disappeared.
In his place stood something far more frightening.
The Infernos form had begun awakening.
Ragna's fist trembled as he prepared to strike.
The boy on the ground closed his eyes in terror.
Then suddenly—
A powerful voice echoed across the street.
"RAGNA!"
Everyone turned toward the far end of the road.
A figure was running toward them at incredible speed.
Golden mana exploded around his body like sunlight breaking through darkness.
Leon Grimheart.
Ragna's older brother.
The moment Leon arrived, he felt it.
The terrifying heat.
The violent crimson aura.
His heart nearly stopped.
"…The seal."
It was breaking.
Leon slowly stepped forward.
Golden light gathered around his body.
The power of Astra began flowing through him.
The villagers stared in shock.
Two overwhelming energies now filled the street.
Crimson flames.
Golden light.
Leon looked directly at his brother.
His expression was serious but filled with worry.
"Ragna…"
He raised his hand slowly.
"…stop."
Ragna slowly turned toward him.
For a brief moment, something flickered in his crimson eyes.
Recognition.
But the Infernos flames surged again.
The aura around him burned even hotter.
The ground beneath them cracked further.
The villagers backed away in fear.
Everyone could feel it.
A terrible clash was about to begin.
Two brothers.
Two ancient powers.
Infernos.
And Astra.
Standing face to face in the middle of the terrified village.
And neither of them knew what would happen next.