The city hadn't recovered.
Reconstruction barely started.
Fear still lingered.
But Adrian—
Was already leaving.
Departure
"…You're going?" Seo asked.
They stood at the edge of the city.
No crowd.
No witnesses.
Just the two of them.
Adrian adjusted his coat slightly.
"…I don't belong here anymore."
Seo frowned.
"…You never did."
A pause.
"…But this is different."
Adrian didn't deny it.
"…If I stay…"
His eyes shifted slightly.
"…things will come here."
Seo understood immediately.
"…And they won't be like Kael."
"…No."
A brief silence.
"…They'll be worse."
The wind passed between them.
"…Then where will you go?" she asked.
Adrian looked toward the horizon.
"…Wherever they are."
System Guidance
[Target Detected]
Adrian's eyes sharpened.
"…That was fast."
A new interface appeared.
[Sovereign Candidate Detected]
Location: Southern Archipelago
Threat Level: Unknown
A faint smirk formed.
"…Perfect."
Travel
Days passed.
No rest.
No delays.
Adrian moved constantly.
Through cities.
Through forests.
Across seas.
Drawn by the system.
And something else.
Instinct.
The Island
A remote island.
Forgotten.
Unmarked.
But wrong.
The moment Adrian stepped onto it—
He felt it.
Pressure.
Different from Kael.
Colder.
Sharper.
"…So you're here."
The air shifted.
The ocean behind him stilled.
The trees stopped moving.
Even the wind—
Froze.
"…I've been waiting."
A voice echoed.
Soft.
But cutting.
The Second Candidate
A figure appeared ahead.
Standing barefoot on the ground.
Long white hair swaying slightly.
Eyes—
Pale.
Almost glowing.
"…You're late."
Adrian stepped forward.
"…You knew I was coming?"
The figure smiled faintly.
"…Of course."
A pause.
"…The moment you awakened…"
Their gaze sharpened.
"…I felt you."
Silence.
Heavy.
"…Name," Adrian said.
The figure tilted their head slightly.
"…Lyra."
A step forward.
"…And you…"
A small smile formed.
"…are mine."
Immediate Attack
Without warning—
The ground beneath Adrian froze.
Instantly.
Ice spread upward—
Trying to trap him.
Adrian reacted—
Black ash burst outward—
Shattering the ice.
"…Elemental type…" he muttered.
Lyra watched calmly.
"…You're fast."
A pause.
"…But not fast enough."
Domain Appears
The temperature dropped.
Rapidly.
Breath turned visible.
The ocean began to freeze—
From the shore outward.
"…My turn."
Lyra raised her hand.
Everything—
Turned white.
Frost Domain
The world shifted.
Snow fell.
Ice covered everything.
The sky—
Gone.
Replaced by endless winter.
Adrian stood still.
Observing.
"…Another domain."
Lyra walked slowly toward him.
Unaffected.
"…In here…"
A pause.
"…everything belongs to me."
The ice beneath Adrian's feet cracked—
Then erupted upward—
Massive spikes forming instantly.
Adrian moved—
Dodging—
But more followed.
Faster.
Sharper.
Relentless.
Clash Begins
Adrian raised his hand.
"…Then let's take it."
Black ash exploded outward—
Colliding with the frost.
Darkness versus white.
Heat versus cold.
Control versus control.
The two domains—
Crashing violently.
The island trembled.
Cracked.
Breaking apart.
Tension
Lyra's eyes lit up slightly.
"…You're stronger than the last one."
Adrian's gaze sharpened.
"…And you're about to die."
They both moved.
At the same time.
The war—
Had officially begun.