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Far beneath the ocean's surface, in the silent depths of the sea, stood the vast estate of Lord Alba.
The mansion was built from smooth white stone and ancient coral structures, its walls glowing faintly with enchanted runes that illuminated the surrounding waters. Strange sea creatures drifted lazily outside the transparent magical barriers protecting the estate.
Inside the estate's training hall, the water moved slowly around two figures.
One of them was Izumi.
He held a wooden practice sword tightly, his arms already aching from hours of training.
Across from him stood Lord Alba.
The half-elf mage looked calm and composed. His long silver hair floated gently in the water, and his sharp eyes observed Izumi with quiet patience.
Despite his appearance, Alba was known as one of the most powerful mages alive.
"Again," Alba said.
Izumi gritted his teeth and rushed forward.
His sword cut through the water as he aimed for Alba's side.
But Alba moved effortlessly.
With a small motion of his hand, a thin layer of magic appeared and deflected the strike before it could even reach him.
Izumi stumbled slightly as his attack failed.
"Too predictable," Alba said.
Izumi picked up his sword again, breathing heavily.
They had been training for hours.
Every attack ended the same way.
Failure.
"I'm too weak," Izumi muttered.
Alba raised an eyebrow.
"Weak?"
Izumi looked down.
"I can't even land a single hit on you."
Alba walked slowly across the training hall, his robe drifting in the water.
"You misunderstand something important, Izumi."
Izumi looked up.
"You are not weak," Alba said calmly.
"You simply do not yet understand the power you carry."
Izumi frowned slightly.
Before he could ask what Alba meant, another thought came to his mind.
"Lord Alba… can I ask you something?"
Alba stopped.
"What is it?"
Izumi hesitated.
Then he asked quietly:
"…Who is the Dark Lord?"
For the first time, Alba's expression became serious.
For a moment, the training hall grew completely silent.
The faint glow of magical runes reflected across the stone floor as Lord Alba stood still.
"…Who is the Dark Lord?" Izumi had asked.
Alba slowly turned to face him.
His expression had changed.
Serious.
"You've heard that name already?" Alba asked.
Izumi nodded.
"A few times… but no one really explained it."
Alba remained silent for a moment before walking toward the edge of the training hall. Outside the transparent magical barrier of the estate, strange deep-sea creatures drifted through the dark water.
Then Alba began speaking.
"Long ago… before the current age of the world, there existed a being feared by every race."
"A being known only as the Dark Lord."
Izumi listened carefully.
"The Dark Lord was the most powerful evil entity to ever exist," Alba continued. "His power surpassed armies, kings… and even the legendary Earthian Gods."
Izumi's eyes widened.
"Even them?"
Alba nodded slowly.
"Like the Earthian Gods, the Dark Lord possessed immortality."
"But unlike them… his power was far greater."
The water outside the estate seemed darker somehow as Alba continued the story.
"Kingdoms fell before him. Entire civilizations were wiped from history. No army could stand against him."
Izumi felt a chill run down his spine.
"So… who stopped him?" he asked quietly.
Alba turned slightly toward him.
"A man."
"The first hero of humanity."
Izumi straightened.
"His name was Hikari Arata."
The name echoed through the quiet hall.
"Hikari Arata fought the Dark Lord in a battle that shook the world itself," Alba continued. "But even the greatest hero eventually realized the truth."
"He could not defeat him."
Izumi clenched his fists.
"So Arata made a decision."
"A sacrifice."
Alba's voice became quieter.
"He used a forbidden magic… known as Forbidden Seal."
"A spell so powerful it required the user's life."
Izumi's breath caught.
"With that magic, Arata sealed the Dark Lord away."
"But the spell bound both of them inside the seal."
Izumi stood frozen.
"The hero… sealed himself too?"
"Yes," Alba said.
"But before the seal completely closed, Arata used the last of his strength to summon the Seven Earthian Gods."
Alba slowly turned back toward Izumi.
"To them, he entrusted an artifact."
"The Forbidden Scroll."
Izumi frowned slightly.
"What does it do?"
"The scroll contains the magic required to strengthen or restore the seal," Alba explained. "Because Arata knew the seal would not last forever."
"The day may come when it weakens."
Izumi felt a growing sense of unease.
"So what happened to the scroll?"
"The Earthian Gods divided it," Alba said.
"Into one hundred fragments."
Izumi blinked.
"One hundred?"
"They scattered the fragments across the world so that no single person could easily gather them."
The hall fell silent again.
"If the fragments are gathered," Alba continued, "the seal can be restored… or broken."
Izumi's eyes widened.
"Broken…?"
Alba nodded slowly.
"If someone with the wrong intentions gathers them… the Dark Lord could return."
The thought sent a cold feeling through Izumi's chest.
Then suddenly—
BOOM.
The entire estate shook violently.
The training hall trembled as cracks of magical energy flashed across the barrier walls.
Izumi staggered.
"What was that?!"
Outside the barrier, the deep ocean water churned violently.
Another explosion echoed through the estate.
Alba's eyes narrowed.
"…So they finally found it."
Izumi looked at him.
"Found what?"
Alba's voice became grim.
"One of the Forbidden Scroll fragments."
Izumi froze.
"You have one?"
Before Alba could answer—
CRASH.
A massive blast of dark energy struck the outer barrier of the estate.
The protective magic rippled violently like shattered glass.
Outside, several dark figures slowly descended through the deep ocean waters.
Cloaked.
Silent.
Watching.
Izumi felt a terrifying pressure in the water around them.
Alba stared toward the barrier.
His expression hardened.
"The Architect."
Izumi's heart skipped a beat.
"They've come for the fragment."
Another powerful shockwave struck the barrier.
Cracks of light spread across the magical shield protecting the estate.
Izumi tightened his grip on the sword.
The war for the Forbidden Scroll had just begun.
And they were already under attack.