In the depths of a forbidden forest, inside a sunless cave, stood a massive castle writhing with tormented spirits that filled the place with their eternal screams. At the heart of that castle, upon a throne of black stone, sat an entity that should never have awakened.
When he opened his eyes, time stopped.
The spirits felt a crushing terror, swallowing their screams in deadly silence, retreating to hide in the crevices of the walls. The entity moved his finger slowly, and a trembling spirit advanced toward him in absolute submission.
"Ouras, answer me." The King's voice echoed from bottomless depths. "How long have I slept?"
The spirit answered with a shivering voice: "You have slept for several centuries, my lord, since your last duel with the son of King Org."
The King asked, his eyes gleaming in the dark: "Tell me about the outside world, then. What became of the power of Org's son?"
The spirit bowed deeper and said: "He died a long time ago, my lord. That power no longer exists."
The King smiled a faint, terrifying smile. "Ouras... do you know what awakened me? I saw a vision. A person standing before me, someone who will make my ancient battle with Org's son look like child's play. That boy... carries a key we desperately need."
The spirit asked with cautious curiosity: "May I know who this boy is, my lord?"
The King answered coldly: "I do not know. But whenever I remember the vision, I find myself laughing. I want to tear him apart now, but his time has not yet come. There is another matter that bothers me... Where is the guardian of the cave? I do not sense his presence."
The phantom swallowed its illusory saliva and said: "He fled a long time ago, my lord."
The King's smile vanished. "Fleeing? I do not like cowards."
"Do you want me to bring him back, my lord?"
"No."
The King raised his finger and lightly struck his stone armrest. At that moment, a terrifying wave of power erupted from the cave, sweeping across mountains and forests, rushing across the entire world before vanishing as if it had never been.
The King said with a deadly calm: "Ouras, send one of the spirits to bring me news of the world. As for the kingdom's guards, they will come to me themselves soon."
Returning to the recovery room in the capital, Charles sat beside Andrei, confusion warring with his grief.
Charles asked in a faint voice: "Andrei, did I make a mistake by not telling Dave the truth?"
Andrei answered in a calm, measured tone: "You didn't make a mistake in anything, Charles. This world is cruel and has rules we do not understand; we only have to endure them. And if you want revenge for your brother, then take your revenge."
Charles furrowed his brows and said bitterly: "How? That monster that killed my brother and destroyed everything is dead and gone."
Andrei leaned closer, his eyes gleaming with hidden cunning, and said: "No. That monster was not the cause."
Charles's eyes widened in shock: "What are you saying? I saw it with my own eyes!"
Andrei whispered with feigned seriousness: "The real cause is the masked man who escaped after Lord Albert's death. I caught a glimpse of him leaving in the dark."
Charles grabbed Andrei's collar with eager anger: "Did you see his face? Describe him to me, Andrei!"
Andrei gently pushed Charles's hand away and said: "I didn't see his face, but I am certain he is the one who unleashed those monsters. I don't know his motive, but what I do know is that we must make him pay."
Charles stood up, his eyes burning with determination: "Leave the revenge to me, Andrei. You have no magic, so let me handle him. The acceptance ceremony for the kingdom's knights will begin soon. I will join a squad and hunt that bastard down until I make him regret being born."
Andrei said firmly: "You are not alone, Charles. I, too, will join the knights."
Charles sighed in frustration: "Andrei, we talked about this. There is no law preventing you from entering, but it's suicide! How will you fight in the arena when you have no magical power?"
"I think the boy is right. How do you intend to enter when you lack magic?"
The voice came from the doorway. The two turned to see a tall woman wearing black armor adorned with the crest of a raven, standing with her arms crossed.
Andrei asked coldly: "Who are you?"
The woman smiled and said: "My name is Marian, a knight of the Black Ravens squad. I overheard your conversation by chance. Now tell me, little hero, how do you intend to do that?"
Andrei answered defiantly, while internally Olaf masterfully wove his scheme: "By my will. I will rid the world of evil, even if I have to use a kitchen knife."
Marian sighed and stepped toward him with pity: "Boy, I know you are grieving for your grandfather and your friends, but emotions sometimes blind the mind. Do you understand me?"
Andrei said, looking directly into her eyes: "I speak with my actions, not my words. After all, I am the one who defeated the third monster alone."
Marian furrowed her brows in shock: "What are you saying?!"
Andrei continued calmly: "Just as you heard. I only stopped hitting it because the children were crying. And if you want proof..."
Andrei raised his small, bandaged right hand. He looked at it and said with a terrifying coldness: "...you will find one of its broken teeth still embedded inside my flesh."
Marian's expression changed. "What?! Show me your hand immediately!"
Marian quickly unwrapped the bandage, gasping in horror when she saw a sharp, jagged bone shard from the monster's tooth lodged deep inside his small hand. The wound was red and surrounded by dark bruises.
Marian shouted with a mix of anger and disbelief: "You idiot! Why didn't you tell the doctors to remove it?!"
Andrei answered in a tone entirely devoid of pain: "Because it is my proof. I couldn't remove it."
Marian looked at his childlike face in utter disbelief, thinking to herself: "This bone... has been embedded in his flesh for days... How the hell did a child endure this excruciating pain without shedding a single tear?"
Inside Andrei, however, Olaf was smiling mockingly: "Pain? Do you call this needle prick pain? Whoever has tasted the torment of the Eighth Gate for centuries wouldn't be bothered by such a pathetic scratch."
Andrei interrupted her shock, asking: "So, Lady Marian, will I participate?"
Marian sighed deeply, retying the bandage with a slightly trembling hand. "Listen to me, boy. It's true you have proof, but those monsters were only first-level. Lord Albert didn't die because of them, but because of the one controlling them."
Charles intervened: "Are you saying there was someone else? Andrei told me about a masked man."
Marian looked at Andrei with interest: "Did he have any distinguishing marks, Andrei?"
Andrei answered: "No, but he was holding something in his hand that looked like a book."
Marian nodded thoughtfully: "A book... that information might be very useful."
Andrei asked again: "Lady Marian, can I enter?"
She looked at him strictly and said: "Unfortunately, Andrei, no. No magic means no acceptance."
Andrei lowered his head, saying with feigned obedience: "I understand, Lady Marian."
Marian turned to Charles and said: "Good. As for you, Charles, get ready. In three days, you will take the acceptance test."
Charles nodded with determination: "I am ready."
Elsewhere, deep in the darkness of the capital, the elegantly suited man walked with confident steps inside the mansion of a prominent duke. He entered the lavish library and sat waiting until the owner of the mansion arrived with a greedy smile.
The Duke said as he poured himself a glass of wine: "So, you really came."
The man smiled slyly: "And what did you expect? Of course I would come, especially since you gave me the best news of all... the death of that cursed Albert."
The Duke laughed maliciously: "Oh, it seems you hate him intensely."
The man growled with obvious hatred: "Yes. He was always an obstacle in my life. They always compared me to him and mentioned his name before mine. Even my own son admired him more than me!"
The Duke waved his hand soothingly: "My god, you are full of anger. Calm down so we can talk business."
The Duke sat down and asked: "Well, did you find out what was inside that paper he was guarding?"
The man sighed in annoyance: "No. That old man refused to speak and sacrificed himself. Unfortunately, as usual, he insists on playing the hero."
The Duke shook his head in disbelief: "What truly amazes me is the King's stupidity. How could he entrust Albert alone with such a secret, even after his retirement?"
The man answered mockingly: "Because the King knows that if you entrust Albert with your soul, he will sacrifice his own body until it turns to ashes to protect it."
The Duke grimaced and said: "Disgusting. I agree. Anyway, regarding the agreed amount for your operation, I won't pay it."
The man's eyes narrowed: "What?!"
The Duke smiled greedily: "Just as you heard. You obtained something much better than gold, didn't you?"
The man asked cautiously: "And what is that?"
"An interesting person. Let's just say... he is a treasure to me."
The man stayed silent for a moment, then smiled maliciously: "Then I will keep my gold. That is better."
The Duke replied, laughing: "You are right—"
And suddenly, right in the middle of his laugh... the terrifying wave of power released by the ancient King's finger struck.
There was no sound of an explosion, only a crushing, invisible pressure that swallowed the air from the room. The Duke's eyes widened in sheer terror, his entire body stiffening before his heart simply exploded inside his chest from the sheer intensity of the pure magical pressure. He fell dead instantly, his wine glass shattering beside him.
As for the elegant man, he dropped to his knees, gasping and choking as if the mountains of the world had been placed upon his chest. He trembled violently, his eyes bulging into the void.
The man whispered in a broken voice dripping with terror: "Impossible! How... how is this happening? He wasn't supposed to wake up now! Did he... did he notice that boy too?! This power... it means I will be judged by his hands. My God... help me..."