Fireburp and Ersi's Mission – The Black Raven's First Encounter with the Two "Little" Fire Mages
The Location – The Alley Where It All Began
The sun was already setting when Fireburp and Ersi arrived in one of the city's secluded streets.
Exactly where, in the original timeline, Andras first met the Black Raven.
The alley was dark, cold wind blew between the houses, and the cobblestones glistened with moisture.
But the two girls were not afraid.
Ersi — the thousand‑year‑old fire mage woman trapped in a ten‑year‑old body — watched the surroundings with a serious expression.
Fireburp — the eight‑year‑old fire dragon girl — sniffed the air excitedly.
"Ersi, when are the bad guys coming?" Fireburp asked impatiently.
"Soon," Ersi replied. "The future… I mean… Andras said they'll be here."
Fireburp's eyes lit up.
"Then we smash them!"
Ersi sighed.
"Only if necessary. Our task is not to interfere with the Black Raven."
Fireburp nodded.
Five seconds later:
"But if it's really necessary, then we smash them!"
Ersi massaged her forehead.
The Child Kidnappers Appear
At the end of the alley, three men appeared.
Dirty clothes, knives on their belts, dragging a ten‑year‑old boy with them.
The child cried and struggled.
"Let me go! Please!"
The bandits laughed.
"Shut up, kid! We'll get good money for you!"
Ersi and Fireburp tensed at the same time.
"Ersi…" Fireburp hissed. "I can't watch this."
Ersi tried to hold her back.
"Fireburp, wait! The Black Raven—"
But Fireburp had already raised her hand.
Red light ignited in her palm.
"FIREBALL!"
The fireball shot forward and hit one of the bandits directly, who fell screaming.
Ersi closed her eyes.
"You couldn't last even one minute…"
The other two bandits turned toward them, drawing their knives.
"What the—?! Two kids?!"
Ersi stepped forward.
Her voice was cold, adult, wise — the complete opposite of her body.
"You shouldn't have kidnapped a child."
Fire lit in both her hands.
"Two fireballs. One for each of you."
The flames shot forward.
The two bandits didn't even have time to scream — the fire consumed them.
Fireburp clapped.
"Yay! That was great!"
Ersi sighed.
"Young Wolf is going to kill us…"
The Black Raven Appears
From one of the rooftops, a shadow swept down.
Light, graceful movement, black cloak, mask, a red ribbon in her hair.
The Black Raven.
Vanessa Dolermo — though they don't know it yet.
She stopped in front of them, her sword gleaming.
"Who… are you?" she asked in shock. "And how in the world can two children use fire magic like that?"
Ersi stepped forward and bowed.
"I am Ersi, fire witch. And this is Fireburp, fire dragon. We are young members of the Wolfwood House Hero Team."
Fireburp puffed out her chest proudly.
"And if you're the Black Raven, then I have good news!"
Vanessa froze.
"How… do you know my name?"
Fireburp continued:
"The criminals you're looking for are in a warehouse at the harbor! Our teammates are slaughtering them right now!"
Vanessa's eyes widened.
"What?! At the harbor?!"
Ersi nodded.
"Yes. The Wolfwood team is already there. If you hurry, you can still catch them."
The Black Raven hesitated for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Fine. Take the child home. And… thank you."
Fireburp grinned.
"You're welcome!"
Vanessa leapt onto the rooftop and vanished into the darkness — toward the harbor.
Ersi turned to the little boy.
"Come. We'll take you home."
The child nodded, trembling.
Fireburp was already thinking aloud:
"Ersi… do you think we'll get cookies for this?"
Ersi sighed.
"If Andras finds out what we did… we'll be lucky if we don't get scolded."
Fireburp shrugged.
"But at least it was fun!"
Ersi couldn't help but smile.
Anita and Ironclaw's Mission – Clearing the Harbor Warehouse
The Harbor – Stench, Darkness, and the Smell of Blood
The evening lights of the harbor flickered faintly on the water's surface.
Cold wind blew between the warehouses, carrying the mixed scents of fish, alcohol, and rotting crates.
Anita and Ironclaw approached the target warehouse silently.
Anita's steps were light as a hunter's.
The power of the ice demon vibrated beneath her skin, and the wind element wrapped around her as if the air itself aided her.
Ironclaw glided across the ground like a shadow.
The wolf‑girl's ears twitched, her nose quivered — she sensed every smell.
Voices drifted out from the warehouse:
"Move! Get the stuff packed!"
"The High Councillor won't wait!"
"Umbra said tonight the Dolermo family ends!"
Anita and Ironclaw exchanged a look.
"Ready?" Anita asked.
Ironclaw grinned and unsheathed her claws.
"I'm always hungry."
The Massacre – Fast, Clean, Merciless
The warehouse door opened quietly.
Inside, at least ten criminals were busy packing crates, cleaning weapons, or drinking alcohol.
Their leader was a fat, sweaty man wearing a cloak with the imperial seal.
From Andras's future knowledge, Anita already knew who he was:
Name: Lord Arcturus Veldran
Rank: Imperial High Councillor
Class: mage
Element: shadow
Note: The one who ordered the assassination
The man was reading a parchment while the others worked.
Anita stepped forward.
"Good evening, gentlemen."
The criminals snapped their heads up.
"What the—?!"
Anita's sword flashed.
The blade glowed with icy blue light.
"In the name of the Wolfwood house… you're finished."
In the next seconds, the warehouse filled with:
wind slashes,
ice spikes,
trembling earth,
and Ironclaw's joyful growling.
The criminals had no chance.
One of them tried to shout:
"Run—!"
But Ironclaw was already at his throat.
Anita's ice blade swept through the air, and the men fell one after another.
The fat High Councillor tried to flee, but Anita froze his leg to the wall with a single motion.
"You stay."
The man trembled.
"You don't know who you're dealing with! I am the Emperor's man!"
Anita stepped closer.
"No. You are the Emperor's traitor. And Umbra's father."
The man turned pale.
"How… how do you know?!"
Anita didn't answer.
Her blade slid across his throat.
The High Councillor collapsed dead.
The Black Raven Arrives – The Moment of Realization
A shadow swept across the rooftop.
The Black Raven — Vanessa — arrived, breathing hard, her cloak fluttering in the wind.
"What happened here?!" she asked when she saw the corpses.
Anita was opening a crate, gathering parchments, seals, and letters.
"Collecting evidence. Our boss says these will be important."
Vanessa stepped closer and saw the High Councillor's corpse.
"This… this is Lord Arcturus Veldran! The Emperor's High Councillor!"
Anita nodded.
"Yes. And a traitor. And his son… is Umbra."
Vanessa's eyes widened.
"Lucian…? Lucian Veldran… is alive? And he's Umbra?!"
Anita nodded grimly.
"Yes. According to the Wolfwood house's information, he is behind everything. The seals, the assassination, the criminal network… all his work."
Vanessa clenched her fists.
"Then… then my father is in danger!"
Anita looked up at her.
"Yes. And Young Wolf is already on his way to save him."
Vanessa stood silently for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Then I'm going too."
Ironclaw suddenly shouted from the corner:
"Anita! There's only alcohol here! Where's the food?!"
Anita sighed.
"Ironclaw… this is a warehouse, not a restaurant."
Vanessa smiled faintly.
"The Wolfwood team… is quite a strange group."
Anita shrugged.
"But effective."
Vanessa turned toward the harbor exit.
"I'm heading to the bathhouse. If what you said is true… we have no time."
Anita nodded.
"Go. We'll finish up here."
The Black Raven vanished among the rooftops.
Anita and Ironclaw continued gathering evidence.
Andrea and Eris Scarlett's Mission – Guarding the Bathhouse Entrance
The Bathhouse Area – The Silence Before the Storm
The sun had already dipped behind the rooftops when Andrea Wolf and Eris Scarlett arrived near the bathhouse.
The area looked peaceful — too peaceful.
Two guards stood at the entrance, but the surrounding streets were empty.
Steam drifted from the warm‑water channels.
Andrea leapt onto the roof, light as a breeze.
Eris Scarlett followed, surrounded by a glowing red aura.
"Good vantage point," Andrea said. "If the mercenaries try to escape, we'll see them."
Eris nodded.
"Young Wolf said there will be two. The assassin's accomplices. If the assassination fails, they'll run."
Andrea smiled.
"Then it'll be a bad day for them."
The Waiting – Two Warriors, Two Elements
The two girls watched the bathhouse entrance in silence.
Andrea's wind magic swept gently through the area, sensing every movement.
Eris Scarlett's fire and light energy vibrated, ready to strike.
"Eris…" Andrea whispered. "Do you feel that?"
"Yes," Eris replied. "The air… is tense. As if something dark is coming."
Andrea nodded.
"Umbra. His presence can be felt even from here."
Eris Scarlett clenched her fist.
"Light will drive out the darkness."
Andrea smiled.
"And the wind will sweep away what remains."
The Mercenaries Appear – The Escape Begins
The bathhouse door suddenly burst open.
Two men ran out:
black leather armor,
hoods,
short swords,
bloodstains on their clothes.
Panic on their faces.
"The chameleon is dead!" one shouted. "We have to run! Now!"
Andrea and Eris moved at the same time.
Andrea leapt from the roof like a lightning strike.
The wind wrapped around her, and she landed silently in front of the mercenaries.
"Going somewhere, boys?"
The mercenaries froze.
"Who the—?!"
Eris Scarlett appeared behind them, glowing with radiant aura.
"Your doom."
The Fight – Fast, Clean, Merciless
The first mercenary charged at Andrea.
Andrea slipped aside with a single motion, the wind pushing the man off balance.
She drove her sword into his chest.
"One."
The other mercenary turned toward Eris.
"You little—"
Eris Scarlett's eyes flared.
"Light Burst."
Blinding light exploded into the man's face.
He cried out, staggered back, and Eris's flame blade sliced across his throat.
"Two."
Both bodies fell to the ground.
Andrea wiped her sword.
"That was quick."
Eris nodded.
"Young Wolf will be proud."
The Black Raven Arrives – The Threads of Fate Converge
A shadow swept across the rooftops.
The Black Raven — Vanessa — arrived, breathing hard, her cloak fluttering.
"You… you killed them?" she asked.
Andrea nodded.
"Yes. The assassination failed. Young Wolf is inside."
Vanessa's eyes widened.
"Then… then my father is still alive?"
Eris Scarlett smiled.
"Yes. And Young Wolf will save him."
Vanessa closed her eyes for a moment, as if saying a prayer.
Then she nodded.
"Thank you. Both of you."
Andrea pointed toward the bathhouse.
"Go. Young Wolf may need you."
Vanessa leapt onto the roof and vanished into the steam.
Eris Scarlett sighed.
"This day keeps getting stranger."
Andrea laughed.
"And it's not over yet."