Ren sat there, his breathing uneven. His body trembled—not from exhaustion, not from pain, but from the weight of the revelation.

  A brother? A demon inside him? A father he never knew? his mother death?

  He clenched his fists, trying to steady himself. None of it made sense, yet it explained everything. The power surging within him, the strange sensations, the whispers in his dreams—it had all been leading to this.

  He needed answers.

  Forcing himself to stand, Ren scanned the cave. There was no sign of the mysterious man, no lingering footsteps, nothing. It was as if he had never been there to begin with. The fire had burned down to embers, casting faint glows across the damp stone.

  Ren touched his chest, where the man had placed his hand.

  The presence inside him stirred again, but it was calmer now—silent, as if waiting.

  Taking a deep breath, he turned toward the mouth of the cave. The outside world beckoned, and he had no time to waste. His team, his mission—they were out there, and he needed to find them. He couldn't afford to be lost in his own thoughts. Not now.

  He stepped out of the cave, only to be met with an eerie silence.

  The Perfect Valley stretched before him, its beauty almost unnatural. Vibrant flowers bloomed in fields of green, and crystal-clear rivers snaked through the land. It was a paradise.

  But Ren knew better.

  Something was wrong.

  Alys and Raguel were supposed to be fighting here. There should’ve been sounds of battle, the distant clash of steel or the roar of demons.

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  Instead, there was only quiet.

  Ren’s fist tightened as he took a cautious step forward. The stillness pressed against his skin, suffocating, unnatural. He moved through the valley, his senses on high alert.

  Then—

  A shadow flickered in the corner of his eye

  Ren moved swiftly through the darkened valley, his heart pounding. The mission was simple—scout ahead for his team, make sure there were no threats, and return. But then—

  A sound.

  A deep, earth-shattering boom.

  The ground trembled beneath his feet, sending loose rocks tumbling down the cliffs. It wasn’t just an explosion—it was alive, filled with raw, violent energy.

  Then, he saw it.

  Blood.

  Streaked across the shattered ground, staining the once-pristine valley red. And among the wreckage—

  Alys’s crimson cloak. Torn. Motionless.

  Ren’s breath caught.

  His body moved on instinct, sprinting toward the battlefield. He didn’t think. He didn’t hesitate. His pulse raced, adrenaline burning through his veins.

  Faster… faster…

  But something felt wrong.

  He was moving too quickly. His legs felt lighter, his strides longer. His muscles burned, but not from exhaustion—from power. A strength he had never felt before surged through him.

  But then—

  A presence.

  An overwhelming force that made his stomach drop. A pressure so suffocating, his body screamed at him to stop. To turn around. To run.

  No.

  He clenched his fists, shaking off the fear. His friends were in danger. He couldn’t abandon them.

  And then—he saw it.

  A battlefield drowned in chaos.

  Raguel.

  The mighty beastkin warrior stood tall despite his wounds. His black mane was soaked in blood, his golden eyes burning with anger. But what shook Ren to his core was the two figures standing before him.

  Two Four-Star Demon Lords.

  Ren’s mind reeled. Two? That wasn’t supposed to be possible.

  Unlike the other demons he had faced, these two were different. They weren’t monstrous beasts or armored warriors. No, they were calm, relaxed, standing with an air of nobility.

  They wore fine garments, dark robes embroidered with gold and crimson. Their movements were composed, elegant, as if they had all the time in the world. They weren’t fighting Raguel.

  They were talking to him.

  Ren’s eyes darted to Raguel. The Pillar of Judgment looked furious, his muscles tense as if he was barely holding himself back. One of the demon lords raised a hand lazily—

  Ren recognized him.

  He was the one who fired that attack earlier. The one who sent him flying.

  Ren’s fists clenched.

  But before he could process what was happening—

  To the right, another fight raged.

  Rex.

  Bloodied, panting, standing tall against three demons, each with a single horn. His body was riddled with wounds, but he didn’t falter. He had already cut down one of them, and as another lunged, Rex roared—

  “COME AT ME!”

  Ren’s eyes widened as the demon rushed at his friend, claws bared.

  Move.

  Ren didn’t think. His body acted on its own.

  A flash.

  A blur.

  He was there.

  Before the demon could reach Rex, Ren’s fist connected.

  A sickening crack.

  The demon was sent flying, crashing through the valley wall with thunderous force.

  Rex turned, stunned. “Ren…?”

  Ren stood frozen, staring at his own fist. His knuckles tingled from the impact.

  The strength… it didn’t feel real.

  What… is happening to me?

  But there was no time to think.

  Because the real battle had only just begun.