Thorin ran toward the ruins, his eyes wide with a disbelief that bordered on panic. "No... it can't be..." His voice came out choked, stolen by the smoke and dust. He bellowed, shouting names that dissolved into the air, "Durem! Melda! Can anyone hear me?!"

  The smoke was thick, stinging his eyes and choking the visibility. Shattered stones littered the path, as if a massive explosion had torn the city's heart out. The air was heavy, saturated with the smell of ash... and blood.

  He heard a faint moan from behind a half-collapsed wall. He scrambled over, heaving a large block of stone aside. Beneath it, another dwarf, covered in soot and blood, was trying weakly to lift his head.

  Thorin knelt beside him. "Jobin?! Jobin!" He lifted his friend's head with trembling hands, his own panic clear. "Who did this? Who?!"

  Jobin's eyes fluttered open. His breathing was shallow. "...don't know..." he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Just... explosions... everywhere."

  As Jobin spoke, Hikari approached them quietly. He said nothing, merely looked at the wounded dwarf, then swept his gaze over the burning city. In every direction, the injured lay on the ground. Some stirred feebly; others didn't move at all.

  Hikari held out his hand, closed his eyes, and focused.

  A soft light emanated from his palms, spreading out in translucent ripples that quietly washed over the city. The smoke from the ruins thinned. Miraculously, wounds began to seal. Breath returned to laboring chests, and bodies began to stir.

  Even Thorin, still cradling his friend, froze, staring at the light. Tears filled his eyes. "...What is this magic?" he whispered.

  No one answered.

  A dwarf who had been unconscious mumbled, stunned, "I thought I was dead..."

  Another voice cried out from the distance, "My sister! She's breathing again!"

  The dwarves began to wake, rising slowly, looking around as if they had been reborn.

  Mirai turned to Hikari. "Our luck. We get here just to find this mess. I'm sure the shops are closed now. What do you want to do?"

  "I can make sure the dwarves are healed and protected," Hikari replied, still monitoring their recovery. "But... what about you? Should we get involved? This isn't our mission."

  Mirai thought for a moment. "We took this job to find you weapons and armor. It looks like we'll have to help. I don't want this whole trip to be for nothing."

  Hikari nodded. "Alright. But where do we go? I mean, everything's destroyed."

  Suddenly, Jobin, who had regained some strength, stirred. "The King's castle. The attacks started here... and moved toward the castle."

  Mirai muttered, "So whoever attacked this place wasn't just some raider. Targeting a king this brutally... that means open war."

  Mirai started moving toward the castle. "Stay here," she told Hikari. "I don't want you getting hurt. Just gather information from the dwarves you healed."

  "Okay," Hikari nodded. "I'll look after them. Be careful."

  Mirai set off through the ruined buildings. She glanced back for a moment at the dwarves rising to their feet thanks to Hikari's magic, smiled confidently, and continued toward the castle.

  **Hours before the attack on the Dwarven Kingdom**

  In Shin's subterranean hideout, the only light came from a few torches guttering on the walls. Shin entered, followed by Dormar, the dwarf's face a mask of anger and anticipation.

  "Remember our deal," Dormar said, his voice a low rasp. "I don't start work on your sword until I see Torvak's kingdom burn."

  Shin nodded, but before he could reply, the door burst open. Itsuki, Yuta, and Takumi rushed in, their faces flushed with excitement.

  "Boss!" Takumi yelled. "You're not going to believe what we saw!"

  Shin stopped and raised an eyebrow. "What is it? That level of excitement means you found a rare artifact."

  Takumi nodded eagerly. "Yes! And not just any artifact!" He stepped forward. "It's the Sword of the Weapon Master!"

  Shin's eyes widened. For a second, he seemed speechless. Then, a wide, manic grin spread across his face.

  "Finally..." he whispered to himself. "After all these years..." He raised his voice. "Where is Seijirou?"

  Itsuki stepped forward. "The sword isn't with Seijirou. It's with a girl. A demon girl."

  "A demon girl," Shin repeated, his tone incredulous. "But that's impossible."

  "Yeah, we didn't believe it either," Takumi said, "but we fought her. Saw it ourselves. And she's strong. Really strong. We couldn't beat her, and she has a powerful support-type with her."

  Shin fell into deep thought. He glanced at Dormar, then back at his men. "I'll deal with this later. We have a priority right now."

  "But, Boss..." Takumi started to protest.

  "No," Shin cut him off calmly. "Dormar won't work on my sword until we keep our promise. After that... I'll have more than enough power to take the second sword." He started to move. "Let's go."

  **Minutes before Mirai and Hikari's arrival**

  Shin stood outside the borders of the dwarven kingdom, staring at the high walls with cold eyes. Beside him, Dormar was practically vibrating with suppressed rage.

  Shin turned to Itsuki and his comrades, who emerged from the shadows. "Listen carefully," he ordered. "As soon as I start the attack and the forces are busy defending, you hit the armories and treasuries. Take everything of value: rare weapons, magic armor, gemstones, everything."

  "What about the guards?" Yuta asked.

  "There won't be any guards," Shin said confidently. "They'll all be busy trying to stop me. You have twenty minutes, max. Then disappear."

  The three nodded and vanished back into the shadows.

  Shin drew his sword and turned to Dormar. "What is it you want? Just the King dead?"

  Dormar shook his head, his eyes glinting with hatred. "No. I want this kingdom destroyed. And I want the King tortured. No quick death for him."

  Shin moved toward the gate. "Fine. Let's begin."

  As he approached, the guards spotted him. They noted his blade and his obvious malice. The dwarves moved to defend, but with a single wave of Shin's sword, a violent gust of wind blasted them all backward.

  Shin and Dormar entered through the shattered gate.

  Shin gripped his sword tightly and began to chant. He raised the blade high and plunged it into the ground.

  The entire city shook. A violent earthquake ripped through the streets, destroying houses one by one. The dwarves screamed as absolute panic took hold.

  After the buildings had been reduced to rubble, Shin stood calmly. "First task, complete. Now, for the King."

  Shin and Dormar continued through the scattered ruins. Smoke was still rising, and muffled screams filled the air. Shin's face was blank; Dormar looked around with a mixture of bitter satisfaction and simmering rage.

  They finally reached the royal castle. The massive iron gates were barred shut, and dozens of guards stood behind them, ready to defend their king.

  Shin raised his left hand. With a simple gesture, the gates exploded inward as if they were made of paper. The guards were thrown in every direction by the force of the blast.

  "Let's go," Shin said quietly, stepping inside.

  In the throne room, King Torvak sat on his throne. He was a massive dwarf, his long black beard braided with gold threads, his heavy crown glinting in the torchlight. His personal guard—the kingdom's strongest warriors—stood around him.

  When Shin and Dormar entered, the King rose, his eyes blazing. "Who dares—"

  Torvak stopped short when he saw Dormar. His eyes widened in disbelief. "You... How did you return? And where is the collar?"

  Dormar stepped forward, his voice trembling with years of suppressed rage. "Torvak... Finally."

  "Kill them!" the King yelled, signaling his guards.

  The guards rushed forward, but Shin moved first. With his sword, he drew a swift arc in the air. In an instant, all the guards collapsed. There was no blood, just clean, precise wounds that incapacitated them.

  The King was left alone, backing slowly toward his throne.

  "Torvak!" Dormar roared, his fury finally erupting after years. "You killed my family! My children! My wife! Everyone I loved!"

  He lunged at the King. Torvak tried to fight, but Shin stopped him with a subtle magic, paralyzing him.

  Dormar grabbed the King's crown and threw it to the floor. Then he began to beat him with his bare fists, strike after strike, tears streaming down his face. "This is for my son! This is for my daughter! And this is for my wife!"

  Shin watched silently, not interfering. He understood Dormar's need for this moment.

  Dormar continued to beat Torvak until his bones broke. The King, once a symbol of strength, was now a mass of blood and bruises.

  Finally, exhausted, Dormar stepped back from the bloody heap. He was sweating, breathing heavily.

  Shin approached and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you done?"

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  "Yes," Dormar panted. "But I won't kill him. His death... would end his suffering. I want him to live and see everything destroyed."

  "Fine. Let's go. It's time to fulfill your promise," Shin said calmly.

  Dormar nodded wordlessly.

  But before they could move, a soft, golden light suddenly filled the hall. The King's wounds began to seal. Even the bruises on Dormar's own fists started to fade.

  Dormar stopped, staring at his hands in amazement. "What is this...?"

  Even Shin raised his eyebrows. "Wide-range healing magic?"

  A moment later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the entrance. Mirai entered, sword in hand, her eyes quickly scanning the scene. She saw the King beginning to rise, Dormar standing over him, and then... Shin.

  Their eyes met. For a second, a heavy silence hung in the air. Both were stunned to see the other.

  "Mirai?" Shin said.

  "Shin?" said Mirai.

  Shin moved forward, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Well, well. Princess Mirai, in the flesh. What are you doing in a place like this?"

  Then Shin stopped. His gaze fixed on the sword in Mirai's hand. His eyes widened in genuine shock, and then... he started to laugh. It was a low chuckle at first, then it rose until it filled the hall—a laugh of stunned, delirious, manic joy.

  "Unbelievable!" he said, wiping a fake tear from his eye. "The second sword! The one I've been searching for everywhere! I can't believe it's right here, in front of me!" He kept laughing.

  Mirai frowned, not understanding his laughter, but she didn't lower her guard.

  Shin stopped laughing abruptly, his smile turning into something far more dangerous.

  "What's so funny, Shin?" Mirai asked coldly.

  Shin pointed at her blade. "Give me that sword. It's mine. Fate brought you to me, Mirai. To deliver my sword... and for my revenge."

  "Hah?" Mirai scoffed. "I'm not giving you anything. Iris stole my spiritual sword, and now you want to steal my new one? I knew I was right to have so few friends at the academy. You're all idiots. I wonder if I'll run into Scarlet next, trying to steal something else. And revenge? I don't remember doing anything to you."

  A thick, dark aura began to radiate from Shin's body. The anger on his face was palpable.

  "Mirai," he began, his voice sharp as a razor, "I am going to tear your body, your head, and your limbs apart and send them to Lars."

  Mirai smirked. "Oh, my twin brother. You're still mad at him after all these years?" She added, her tone mocking, "I don't blame you. The legendary Shin, descendant of the Calamity Dragon, lost to a weak little demon whose magic power didn't even pass level seven."

  Shin scowled, and the energy around him intensified. His entire body erupted in black flames, and massive dragon wings burst from his back. Sharp black talons grew from his fingertips, and his entire body changed, his muscle mass and size increasing.

  Dormar and Torvak stared in horror at the monstrous transformation.

  Shin turned to Dormar. "Get out of here. Now. This fight is going to be destructive, and I don't want to risk your life."

  Dormar ran, but in a flash, Mirai lunged to stop him. Before her attack could land, Shin appeared, easily blocking her strike with his bare hand.

  Shin smiled. "Don't worry. This dwarf isn't a fighter. He won't interfere."

  Mirai pulled back, her gaze steady, but she was visibly surprised by his immense speed and physical strength.

  Dormar fled the hall.

  Shin looked at Mirai with a terrifying grin. "You knew my power back at the academy. But you can't even *imagine* my true power now." He made his sword vanish into thin air and took a hand-to-hand combat stance. "You're not worthy of me using a sword against you, Mirai. I'll kill you with my bare hands."

  Mirai took her own stance, her sword splitting into two short blades. "You lost to my brother because you underestimated him. You're making the same mistake with me. Don't think I'm weak without magic."

  Shin shook his head, still smiling. "No, Mirai. Don't compare yourself to Lars. He might have been weak, but at least he was smart. You, on the other hand, have neither brains nor power right now. Prepare to die."

  The next instant, Shin vanished.

  He reappeared in front of Mirai faster than she could comprehend. She couldn't even raise her blades before Shin's claws slammed into a transparent barrier. It caused tiny fractures in the shield, and he leaped back just as she counter-attacked.

  "A magic shield?" Shin mused. "You don't have magic, but it looks like someone's supporting you. My friends did say you had a support mage with you. Honestly, I'm surprised anyone could stand being around a degenerate like you."

  "Your friends?" Mirai said. "So those idiots who attacked us were yours."

  Shin's claws began to glow with black energy as his grin widened. "Mirai. Don't expect that barrier to protect you from me."

  He lunged again, disappearing and reappearing behind her, his hand striking the barrier.

  The sound of cracking glass filled the hall. Shin looked at his hand, then at the fractured shield, smiling. "This barrier of yours isn't enough."

  He focused his power into his fist and slammed it into the shield.

  The barrier shattered into a thousand pieces. Mirai was thrown backward, stunned, but Shin was faster. He raked his claws across her shoulder, leaving four deep gashes.

  Mirai cried out in pain, but before she could fall, the soft golden light washed over the wound. Hikari's healing magic, still active on her, was working at full power. In seconds, the wound sealed completely, and the transparent barrier reformed around her.

  Mirai paused, looking at her healed shoulder.

  But Shin didn't look shocked. Instead, his smile widened.

  "Healing magic?" he said, his tone mocking. "Good. That just means I get to tear you apart again and again."

  Shin lunged again. The fight was completely one-sided. Mirai was barely able to defend. Every attack from Shin broke her barrier, wounded her, she healed, and he broke it again. She couldn't land a single blow; all her energy was focused on just trying to stay alive.

  "How long can you last?" Shin taunted, driving a powerful punch through the barrier and into her stomach, making her cough up blood. The injury healed instantly, but the pain was real and agonizing.

  As Shin raised his hand to deliver a finishing blow to her head, something unexpected happened.

  A deafening crack of thunder. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a terrifying bolt of gray lightning descended from the ruined ceiling.

  Shin had no time to react. The bolt struck him directly.

  He screamed in agony as he was blasted across the hall, smashing into the far wall and leaving a large crater. He fell to his knees, smoke rising from his partly-charred body.

  Shin raised his head with difficulty, looking toward the entrance.

  Hikari was standing there, his hand extended, gray sparks still crackling from his fingertips.

  Shin stared at him in shock. *Gray lightning?* he thought. *Where did this kid come from? I don't sense strong magic from him... but he used that spell.*

  Shin tried to stand, but winced. *Damn it. I got carried away and wasted too much energy on Mirai... If this is a powerful mage, I don't stand a chance against both of them right now.*

  He struggled to his feet. He looked at Mirai, then at Hikari. He reached into the empty air, and his hidden sword reappeared in his hand. "This isn't over, Mirai. Next time, I won't be playing. I'll be serious."

  In a flash of light, he vanished.

  He reappeared in front of Dormar, who was just outside the kingdom. He grabbed him, and they teleported to Dormar's home.

  Back in the hall, Mirai stopped moving as soon as Shin was gone. She let out a quiet breath and sheathed her sword. Hikari approached, the worry still plain on his face.

  Mirai turned to him, her tone serious, with a hint of frustration. "You intervened just in time. He almost killed me."

  Hikari looked at the damage the fight had caused. "Who was that? His physical power... it's terrifying."

  "His name is Shin," Mirai said. "An old classmate from the academy. I never expected to see him here, and I never expected him to be that strong."

  She tilted her head slightly. "Did you finish healing all the dwarves?"

  Hikari nodded. "Yes. They're all fine. Luckily, no one died. We got here at the best possible time. According to the dwarves, the attack was just a little while ago. The difference between the destruction and our arrival was less than 20 minutes."

  "Good," Mirai said. "After all this trouble and that fight, I'll kill all the dwarves myself if they don't compensate us with some rare armor or a rare sword."

  She started walking toward the King. "Let's go see him."

  ***

  They entered the ruined throne room. King Torvak was sitting on the floor, surrounded by his now-healed guards. Despite the physical recovery, the shock was still clear on the King's face.

  When he saw Mirai and Hikari, he stood up with difficulty, leaning on a guard. "You two..." he began, his voice weary. "You are the ones who saved my people."

  Thorin had also arrived at the castle and approached the King. "Your Majesty, these are the adventurers who accompanied me. Without them, I would have died on the road, and without the young man's healing magic, half our people would be dead."

  The King looked at Hikari with deep gratitude, then at Mirai, who stood with obvious indifference.

  "I thank you from the bottom of my heart," the King said, his voice trembling. "You saved my kingdom from total ruin." He smiled at them. "I will give you a reward. You deserve the best we have. I will order the treasuries open—"

  He stopped abruptly as a guard ran in, his face pale, panting. "Your Majesty! The treasuries... the armories... they're all..."

  "What is it?!" the King shouted.

  "Empty!" the guard cried desperately. "Everything is gone! The rare weapons, the magic armor, even the gold reserves... all stolen! Even the shops, literally everything is gone!"

  A heavy silence fell over the hall. The King looked like he was about to faint. He turned to Mirai and Hikari, pale. "I... I am so sorry. It seems the enemy stole everything of value during the attack."

  Mirai sighed, her frustration clear. She looked up at the shattered ceiling. "So we came here for nothing."

  The King was silent for a few moments, thinking. Then, as if an idea struck him, he looked at his guards. "Leave us."

  The guards hesitated, but a gesture from the King made them withdraw.

  After they left, the King moved to the wall behind the throne. He pressed a specific stone, and a small, secret compartment opened. He reached inside and pulled out a very old, dust-covered leather scroll. "Perhaps... perhaps this will be of use."

  He approached them and held out the scroll. "This is an ancient map. It shows the location of an artifact... the Wind Armor used by the hero Arias thirty thousand years ago."

  Mirai took the map, curious.

  "The armor is said to deflect any attack automatically," the King continued. "But... the location is now deep underground, in the desert. Many expeditions have tried to reach it over the centuries."

  "And none succeeded?" Hikari asked.

  "Some never returned," the King replied. "The tunnels are a complex maze, and the monsters there... are not ordinary. Plus, the constant sandstorms continuously change the landscape."

  Mirai opened the map. For a moment, her eyes widened slightly.

  *This symbol... these details... where...*

  "How many copies of this map exist?" she asked, her tone casual.

  The King thought for a moment. "According to the old records, only three. This is one. Another was held by an ancient kingdom but disappeared centuries ago. The third... no one knows where it is."

  Mirai nodded and folded the map. "Thanks. We'll take it."

  Then she thought to herself, *I can't believe I forgot about this artifact. The Wind Armor... yes, it was in the old records in the castle library. It would be perfect for Hikari.*

  "I hope you find it," the King said. "If you succeed... you will be the first to do so in thousands of years."

  "We'll see," Mirai said simply. She turned to Hikari. "Let's go."

  Hikari gave the King a slight bow. "Thank you. We wish your kingdom a swift recovery."

  They left the hall, leaving the King alone with his heavy thoughts.

  As they were walking outside, Mirai turned to Hikari. "Hikari, I'm sorry. Because of me, you used the magic diamond your mother gave you."

  Hikari waved his hand. "No, no. I have a few more. My mother gave them to me for emergencies. That man was too dangerous. So I used one to cast Gray Lightning on him. But that guy... he was like a dragon, not a demon."

  Mirai nodded. "Yeah. He's not a demon. He's half-dragon, half-demon. The blood of the Calamity Dragon runs in his veins. He's considered the heir to the Calamity Dragon that was sealed away long ago."

  Hikari's eyes went wide. "Whoa, the Calamity Dragon itself? And that guy was your classmate? No wonder his raw power is so strong. He wasn't even using his full magic. I was lucky I got him with a surprise attack; the Gray Lightning must have hit him hard."

  Hearing this, Mirai looked frustrated. "In the past... Shin wouldn't have stood a chance against me if I used my full power. But now... he's changed so much. I couldn't even touch him, either. Even with all my new training. And my brother..."

  Mirai stopped talking. She shook her head. "Forget it. We have armor to find. We've got a long journey ahead."

  ***

  In a faraway, subterranean hideout, Shin sat on a chair. The wounds from the lightning bolt had healed, but the excitement in his eyes hadn't faded.

  "The Sword of the Weapon Master..." he whispered to himself. "I finally found you. And in Mirai's hands, of all people. How ironic."

  Itsuki entered, carrying a heavy chest. "Boss, this is the last of the dwarf treasure. The weapons and armor are all in storage."

  "Excellent," Shin said. "And Dormar?"

  "He started work on your sword, as promised," Itsuki replied. "He says he'll need weeks to complete the fusion."

  Shin smiled darkly. "Weeks... Just enough time to prepare. The next time I meet that girl, my sword will be at its strongest."

  "Should we tail her?" Itsuki asked.

  "No," Shin replied. "I can get the sword anytime. I need to merge all the artifacts into my own blade first. And then..." He added in a low voice, "I will release my great-grandfather from his seal."

  And so, the adventure in the dwarven kingdom ended, but the seeds of a much larger conflict had been sown. Somewhere, a powerful enemy was preparing. The real battle had not yet begun.

  (End.)

  *(Scene from the next chapter)*

  "We've got four seats left," the driver said in a gravelly voice. "Carriage leaves in ten minutes."

  Hikari and Mirai climbed in to find the other passengers already seated. There was a young woman with long brown hair and gentle features, and next to her sat a young man in a dark cloak, his hood pulled so low it hid his face almost entirely in shadow.

  Hikari sat next to the girl, while Mirai took the seat opposite the cloaked young man.

  The moment Mirai settled in, the young man lifted his head slightly to see who had sat across from him. For a fleeting instant, his eyes met her calm ones.

  The young man froze.

  Absolute terror seized him. The same eyes. The same lethal calm that came before annihilation. He felt his heart stop, then start hammering so violently he was afraid everyone in the carriage could hear it.

  He quickly dropped his head and stared at the carriage floor, pulling his hood down even further. He tried to shrink, to disappear, to become part of the carriage's shadow. All he wanted in that moment was for her not to recognize him, not to hear his voice.

  The girl beside him, Arisa, noticed his faint trembling. She leaned in and whispered with concern, "Kaizer, are you alright?"

  Mirai’s Shatter Index: 30%.