"The Vault has been located," he reported to sombody on the other end of the communication line.

  Arata continued to move forward, step by step, until he reached a silent central chamber. In the heart of the room lay an object that looked utterly peculiar. It was only the size of a suitcase, yet its presence felt incredibly heavy and dominant. Its entire surface was a deep, midnight black that seemed to swallow the surrounding light. Even so, through the fine cracks on its surface, an intense blue light radiated, as if a source of light were struggling to break free from within.

  Arata drew closer, his curiosity overriding his fear. He observed the center of the suitcase-shaped object's top surface. There, he found an octagonal shape with a hollow indentation at its center.

  He froze. The shape of the hollow was hauntingly familiar. With hands that trembled slightly, he lifted his necklace and compared the two. The indentation was a perfect mold for the gemstone hanging around his neck.

  "Why do I feel like you belong here?" he whispered, gazing at the gem.

  Arata took a long, deep breath, trying to steady his resolve. With lingering tremors in his fingers, he began to detach the blue gem from its necklace frame. The moment it was freed, the gem seemed to pulse warmly in his palm, as if impatient to return to its place of origin.

  Without further hesitation, Arata placed the gem exactly into the indentation on the surface of the black object.

  Instantly, a breathtaking phenomenon occurred. The fine cracks that had once scarred the black surface began to close and vanish, as if the material were a liquid metal healing itself into a seamless, perfect surface. The blue light that had been flickering wildly transformed into a stable, solid glow, radiating powerfully from the point where the gem had now fused perfectly as a lock.

  Zaapp!

  A heavy, precise mechanical sound echoed from within the object, followed by a soft hiss. Thin white smoke began to pour from the crevices along its sides, spreading a scent of air so pure—it was like the aroma of a forest after a thunderstorm. Arata took a step back, shielding his eyes as the object began to shift and transform before him.

  Once the mechanical sounds ceased, an extraordinary silence once again enveloped the room. The thin white smoke slowly faded, leaving the black object in a state that was far calmer, yet felt immensely more powerful.

  Arata stood frozen for a moment, his chest heaving as he regulated his breath. His fear had been completely eclipsed by a peaking sense of wonder. He stepped forward toward the suitcase-sized object and reached out to touch it. The surface that had once been rough and cracked now felt as smooth as silk, yet as cold as the purest ice.

  His fingers crept upward, searching for the truth hidden behind this black shell. Finally, his hand brushed the locking mechanism—the very spot where his blue gemstone now sat enthroned.

  The moment his fingers touched the lock, the mechanism pressed downward.

  Click!

  In that same instant, an explosion of pure blue light erupted. The sparks of energy did not wound him; instead, they flowed rapidly from his fingertips, racing through his wrists, climbing to his shoulders, until they enveloped his entire body. Arata gasped, his frame stiffening as he felt a surge of power beyond anything he could have ever imagined coursing into his veins.

  Flashes of blue lightning danced across his skin, snapping at the surrounding air with a soft, crackling sound. The power reached its crescendo as it hit his mind. His eyes glowed a brilliant blue, feeling as though he had been struck by a massive surge of electricity.

  At that very moment, across the forest, an invisible dimensional transmission beamed upward.

  The codes were received by something on the other side.

  "The seal is broken! The Vault has accepted the Boy!"

  A figure seated upon a throne of shadows—the leader who had been lurking in the darkness—stood up abruptly. His half-hidden face was tense, contorted with rage.

  "What?!" he roared, his voice thundering so loudly it made the entire chamber tremble. "How can this be?! That foolish object!"

  "Who is he? How is it possible for a creature of this planet to achieve this!" His fury reached a breaking point. He slammed a control console in front of him until it cracked, letting his wrath overflow.

  "Eliminate him! Bring the Vault to me!" he commanded sharply.

  "Yes, My Lord," came a firm, clear response from across the forest.

  The creature that had been lurking finally emerged from the darkness of the reed forest. Its form was hideous; with heavy steps that left deep prints in the damp earth, it moved with lethal intent toward the Sacred Stone Shrine. Its presence carried an aura of death that made the air around the temple entrance feel even more frozen.

  Meanwhile, inside the temple, a chilling silence reigned once more. Arata lay rigid on the stone floor. The extraordinary shock of energy had caused his consciousness to momentarily snap.

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  Slowly, Arata's eyelids flickered. He woke with a gasp, his head throbbing, but his eyes no longer emitted that blinding blue light. The first thing he looked for was the suitcase-shaped object that had been before him. However, the object had vanished. All that remained was a pile of sand-like grains and shards of black metal that looked lifeless.

  "My gem?" he whispered in a hoarse voice. "Where is it?"

  Panic began to set in. Arata crawled toward the pile of black sand, his fingers digging frantically through the remnants of the shattered metal. A second later, his eyes caught a familiar blue shimmer. At the bottom of the pile, his gem lay with a glow that was far deeper and more saturated than before.

  He immediately snatched it up. But the moment the gem landed in his palm, something miraculous happened.

  The shards of black metal scattered across the floor suddenly vibrated violently. As if drawn by a giant magnet, the metal pieces took flight, streaking through the air and plunging into the gemstone, merging with it. It was as if the gem were an infinite vessel, swallowing every bit of matter from the black object.

  In an instant, the room was cleared of the metallic remains. Arata now held a gemstone that felt significantly heavier, vibrating with an energy that seemed ready to explode. He stood stunned, suddenly struck by a realization he didn't yet fully understand. Urgency took hold, and Arata scrambled to leave the Sacred Stone Shrine.

  He ran out from the depths of the temple, following the light that now pierced through the crevices of the ancient structure in a profoundly artistic way. The radiance seemed to form a corridor of light, guiding his steps as he fled the chamber.

  The moment he reached the wooden gateway beneath the inscription of the Sacred Stone Shrine, Arata came to a sudden halt. His steps were frozen by awe. From the heights of the rocky hill, he beheld the beauty of the Valley of White Mist as he had never seen it before. The fog that had once been so sinister had lifted, revealing a vast meadow shimmering in the sunlight like a calm, silver sea. Scattered across the landscape were wooden pillars—the skeletal remains of long-collapsed dwellings.

  However, amidst this fleeting peace, a deadly shadow lurked directly above his head.

  Perched upon the weathered roof of the shrine, Dixor —the hunter of the predator forces—stood ready. His massive, aerodynamic frame was hunched low, muscles coiled and tense, prepared to lung down directly upon Arata. He was merely waiting for the perfect split-second to strike.

  In the midst of his wonder, Arata was jolted by a mysterious voice—exceptionally clear and authoritative—echoing inside his mind.

  "Run. I will guide you."

  Arata was jolted. The voice did not come from the outside; it resonated directly within his head, originating from somewhere unknown. Without time to ask who or what it was, his instincts commanded his body to move. He felt a surge of energy flooding into his legs.

  The moment Arata took his first frantic step, Dixor launched from the temple roof. The creature leaped with terrifying speed, its body slicing through the air like a bullet dropped from the sky. A thunderous boom echoed as the predator's feet slammed into the ground exactly where Arata had stood a second before, splintering the ancient stone floor.

  "Scatter!" Dixor commanded. His roar thundered in every direction. His three Gohoras detached themselves from Dixor's body to give chase, fanning out from all sides. The pursuit was punctuated by sounds like the grinding of metal against metal.

  Arata did not dare look back. He could feel the ground shudder every time Dixor leaped in pursuit. The air around him felt as if it were being pulled backward, creating a heavy resistance, but the voice in his head echoed again, more urgent than before.

  "Do not stop! Keep running. This land will guide you!"

  With the gemstone gripped tight in his fist, Arata felt a strange sensation spreading through his nerves. Every time his feet touched the earth, the reeds around him moved in perfect synchronization, bowing as if showing respect and clearing a specific path for him. The nature of the Valley of White Mist had seemingly become a loyal guide for the heir.

  However, the protection of nature was not enough to hold back an attack from all directions.

  Unexpectedly, from the left, Vanox lunged at high speed and struck Arata's body with full force. Almost simultaneously, from the right, Zaedon did the same. Arata was caught in the middle, crushed by two cosmic predator forces attacking like giant sledgehammers.

  Baaangggg!

  An explosion of blue energy erupted, accompanied by the clanging sound of metal as the impact occurred. The immense pressure triggered a defensive reaction from the gem in Arata's hand. Consequently, all three were hurled in opposite directions. Arata was thrown far back, his body skidding across the grass before finally lying helpless.

  Arata's breath came in ragged gasps, his vision blurred. However, the condition of his two pursuers was far more gruesome. Vanox and Zaedon struggled to rise with jagged, broken movements. Parts of their mechanical and biological bodies were shattered, leaking sparks of electricity and dark fluid. The impact seemed to have devastated their forms; they had lost the momentum and strength to launch another attack.

  The atmosphere on the plain turned chilling. Before Arata could regain his senses, two new threats emerged from the mist. Dixor landed with a heavy thud, followed by Cov, who appeared with silent but lethal movements. Now, four cosmic predators had him surrounded. The severely wounded Nox and Zed stood their ground, while Dixor and Cov loomed still, locking Arata within a circle of death.

  However, something miraculous happened to the weakened Arata. His body began to be enveloped by a brilliantly glowing white energy. The light was so pure, a stark contrast to the blue energy he had felt before. This energy formed a sort of domed shield, protecting everything within from outside interference.

  It was then, from within that white radiance, that three mysterious shadow figures emerged. They had no distinct faces, only tall silhouettes radiating an aura of immense power. These three figures stood in a circle, their backs to Arata, facing the predators.

  These three shadows—seemingly the manifestations of the souls of Jole, Fero, and Mire—stood guard with unwavering readiness. Dixor and his companions were held at bay. They, who had been so aggressive just moments ago, now seemed hesitant to step forward. The protective power of Tellios had awakened—an invisible fortress guarding Arata in his moment of peril.

  The predators retreated slowly, as if the space around Arata had become forbidden territory, sacred and untouchable. Without a word, they withdrew, stepping back further and further until their terrifying forms vanished completely behind the thick reeds and the closing mist.

  The three shadow figures did not leave immediately. They remained upright, forming a solid triangular formation around Arata's still unconscious body. For a long while, they maintained that silence, ensuring no other threat dared to draw near. The white energy radiating from their forms gradually dimmed, merging with the cold valley air, until at last, the three mysterious guardians faded away, dissolving back into their original dimension.

  Now, the meadow returned to its silence, but it was no longer shrouded in fog. The valley returned to its former state, bathed in its natural beauty.