"When the world burns, those who dance atop its ashes are the ones who were scorched first."
The sky rolled in a deep crimson, as if dried blood had soaked the horizon. The wind blew with dust and the lingering scent of iron. Beneath the shadow of crumbling buildings, Minato and Elvira stood silently, staring at the ruins of a grandeur now lost.
These ruins were once the bustling trade center of the northern region. A place where laughter and the footsteps of merchants echoed along the cobblestone streets. Now, only silence remained—accompanied by rotting wood and charred stone.
Their feet touched the dusty ground. In the fading light of dusk, traces of human footsteps were still faintly visible, like shadows of the past reluctant to fade.
Elvira broke the silence, her voice almost drowned by the howling wind.
"We're too late... there's nothing left," she said softly, almost like a whisper to a dead world.
I stared at the ashes around us, bitter truth sinking in.
"They left no witnesses," I replied curtly, my voice sharper than a blade.
The air grew colder as a faint whistle echoed from the ruins. Minato and Elvira tensed, shifting their gaze toward the source of the sound.
From behind a cracked stone wall, a man emerged, wearing a long dark purple cloak. On his chest, the symbol of a closed eye was clearly visible—a mark well-known among those who had heard whispers of a secretive organization.
"At last, I've found you," the man said, his voice gentle yet laden with gravity. "Ancient magic, in the form of a boy... The world really does enjoy its cruel games."
Each word seemed to thicken the air, making it harder to breathe.
I narrowed my gaze, gripping the hilt of the sword hidden beneath my cloak.
"Who are you?" I asked sharply.
The man offered a small smile, as if all of this were just a joke to him.
"My name is Veylan. One of the Seven Pillars. We don't chase ancient power—we redirect its destiny."
Elvira stepped beside me, her hand raised, gathering water magic around her palm.
"Don't act wise. You kidnap, manipulate, and murder," she accused, her eyes filled with cold fury.
Veylan merely shrugged, his crooked smile unwavering.
"Ah… the truth always seems cruel when viewed from below," he said lightly, as though their sins were nothing more than lines in a ledger.
I stepped forward, defiant. Dust began to swirl around me, drawn in by a dark red aura forming a vortex around my body.
"You're one of those who see victims as numbers," I hissed. "Today, I'll make you a warning."
In an instant, Veylan snapped his fingers. A massive magic circle, shaped like an eye with a cracked iris, appeared in the sky. From its center, sharp beams of illusion shot directly into my mind.
The world around me shattered. Flickering visions of the past surged: my mother's pale face coughing blood, children crying in the dark, and the screams of forgotten people.
"You're just a child trapped in vengeance," Veylan's voice echoed, dancing among the haunting memories.
My body wavered. For a moment, I felt myself drowning in a sea of regret and helplessness. But in the midst of chaos, another voice—softer, yet far stronger—called from deep within my soul.
"Remember why you endured, Minato."
Trembling, I raised my hand. The Archa Tempest aura surged, wrapping me in wind and ancient magical energy.
I growled, pushing away all illusions.
"Archa Tempest – Void Breaker!"
My spell exploded into the sky, shattering Veylan's magic circle in a collision of force that shook the ruins. Stones flew, dust burst like a tidal wave.
Elvira, wasting no time, launched Hydro Lock at Veylan. Streams of water froze around his feet, halting him for a moment. Yet, Veylan only chuckled, even as wounds began to mark his arms.
"Not bad… But not enough. Not nearly enough to destroy this world," he muttered with a satisfied tone, as if this was only the beginning of the game.
The clash of magic continued—blow after blow—until finally, Veylan retreated. Burns marked his left arm, blood seeping beneath his violet cloak.
From his pocket, he pulled out a small, dark purple crystal.
"I'm only the first trial. Prepare yourselves, bearer of the ancient flame… We will come, one by one," he said coldly.
The crystal emitted a blinding light, and in an instant, Veylan vanished—leaving behind silence and trembling ruins.
I stood, gasping, hands shaking, body feeling as if torn apart. But in my eyes, a small flame still burned—not extinguished, but growing stronger.
I clenched my fist, letting the words flow out slowly.
"One by one... means I'll bring them down one by one."
Minato's first step to fight the organization that defiled the world had begun. Yet beneath this small victory, he understood a bitter truth: the ancient magic flowing through his veins wasn't just a weapon—it was a curse.
Now, the vast world, full of conspiracies, had begun to turn its gaze upon him.
And the Pillars...
They would come, one by one, to test just how far this tiny spark could burn—until it consumed the world to its roots.