Kei was in a slightly dilapidated house, with Fullus and Plifer standing in front of him.
He looked around each room.
They were all filled with books.
'A library?'
he whispered to himself.
His eyes returned to the two half-beasts before him.
"Who are you, really? How do you have powers if you're not magicians?"
Kei asked as he stood up from his chair.
He walked toward one of the bookshelves.
His hand reached for a book titled History of Satan's Partial World.
"We are half-beast demons."
Fullus replied while standing beside Plifer.
Kei remained silent for a moment before placing the book back on the shelf.
He looked at the two demonic beings in front of him.
"Why are you helping me? I mean... helping a magician. Aren't demons and magicians enemies?"
Kei asked calmly.
"We are not part of the Demon Kingdom entirely. We are half-beasts.
More specifically, we come from the World of the Magicians' Castle.
It is where half-beast demons and magicians learn to control their powers."
Fullus explained.
Plifer remained silent, listening as Fullus spoke.
"I still don't understand."
"What's the difference between a half-beast demon and a true demon?"
Kei asked with a frown.
"We'll explain everything."
"But first... can you sit down?"
Plifer said in his usual firm tone.
Kei was slightly surprised to hear Plifer speak.
"Alright."
He obeyed and sat back down.
"Please close your eyes."
"You'll understand better that way."
Kei followed Fullus' instructions.
Fullus and Plifer also closed their eyes.
The two of them held hands while Fullus gently placed his left hand on Kei's head.
Suddenly...
A magnificent palace appeared before Kei.
It was enormous and breathtakingly beautiful.
When he turned around, Fullus and Plifer were standing behind him.
The three of them walked into the palace together.
Countless magicians were practicing their magic.
The entire palace was filled with life.
Kei looked around in amazement.
"This is where we trained and strengthened our powers."
"This was long before the King of Demons invaded the castle..."
"...and before the half-beast demons became his subordinates."
Fullus began telling the story of the past.
Suddenly...
Everything changed.
The magnificent castle disappeared.
The beautiful scenery turned into a battlefield.
Buildings burned.
Smoke covered the sky.
A giant black dragon flew overhead, breathing flames from its mouth.
Even the fire and ice magicians were unable to defeat it.
Not only that...
The Death Wolves and the Half-Cat Tigers appeared, slaughtering countless magicians.
Above the ruined palace...
Three mysterious figures floated silently in the sky, watching the destruction unfold.
Several wolves dragged the half-beast demons away with heavy iron chains.
Kei watched the horrifying scene.
His fists slowly tightened.
Anger...
Sadness...
Both emotions filled his heart.
Plifer, who was standing behind Fullus and Kei, suddenly noticed something unusual.
A brilliant light began to surround Kei.
The colors shifted between red, blue, green, brown, and gold, while thin streams of light circled around his body.
Suddenly, Fullus felt his left hand become burning hot...
Then freezing cold...
At the same time, it felt as though an electric current had surged through his arm.
He immediately pulled his hand away from Kei.
Kei and Plifer quickly opened their eyes and looked at Fullus, who was clutching his left palm.
"What happened?"
Kei asked in surprise.
Plifer glanced at Fullus' palm.
A strange burn mark had appeared.
"Phoenix?!"
Plifer exclaimed.
The burn mark had taken the shape of a phoenix.
Above the phoenix were symbols representing the five elements.
Fullus stared silently at the mark on his palm before turning to Kei.
"Have you ever seen this symbol before?"
he asked.
Kei hesitated before nodding.
"I'm not sure if it's the same..."
"But I do have a small mark on the back of my neck that looks like a bird."
Kei replied as he pointed to the back of his neck.
"May I see it?"
Fullus asked politely.
He was worried that Kei might refuse.
"I was actually hoping you'd ask."
"Maybe you know what this mark really is."
Kei walked closer to Fullus and Plifer before showing them the mark on the back of his neck.
The two of them carefully examined it.
Although the mark was still faint...
They could clearly recognize its shape.
Fullus and Plifer exchanged a glance.
"So?"
"Is it the same symbol?"
Kei asked patiently.
"It's very similar."
"There are only a few differences..."
"But we're certain that this is the mark of the Phoenix."
Plifer answered confidently.
"So..."
"What exactly is my power?"
"And how am I supposed to use it?"
Kei asked excitedly.
Plifer looked at Kei for a moment.
Fullus remained silent.
"Are you sure you can control all five elements at the same time?"
Plifer asked seriously.
Kei's cheerful expression slowly faded.
"Why... all five elements?"
he asked quietly.
"You've never known about your powers."
"You've never even used them."
"And because of that..."
"I'm afraid those powers may endanger you."
Plifer answered honestly.
"You mean..."
"I won't be able to control them?"
Kei asked.
"No."
"That's not what I mean."
"I believe you can."
"But you've never awakened or trained your powers before."
"I'm afraid the first time you use them..."
"...they could become dangerous."
"They might even cost you your life."
Plifer said firmly.
"Then..."
"How do I learn to use them?"
Kei asked while watching Plifer.
"Fullus and I will guide you."
"We'll teach you how to control the five elements..."
"...and the djinn that resides within you."
Plifer smiled faintly before handing Kei a book titled Ability to Use Power.
"Read this."
"And memorize every step written inside."
His expression became serious once again.
Kei stared at the book for a moment before nodding.
"If you've memorized everything..."
"Stand in front of a mirror and call my name twice."
"But remember..."
"Never do it when you're alone."
"Someone must always stay beside you."
"Plifer can't use his powers freely..."
"And we can't appear directly in front of you."
Fullus explained.
His burned palm still hadn't recovered.
"Alright."
"I'll study this first."
Kei said as he stood up and walked toward the door.
Outside, he noticed several half-beast children running around the house.
The children immediately hid behind the wall after seeing him.
Fullus and Plifer smiled softly at their reaction.
"That's the exit."
"But remember..."
"You're no longer in your own world."
"This is the World of Devils."
"So be careful."
"It'll take some time before you reach your city."
"Just follow the white cloths tied to the trees."
"And don't get lost."
Plifer reminded him while pointing toward the white cloth hanging from a nearby tree.
"It's getting late."
"You should head home now."
Fullus added.
Kei nodded.
Without another word...
He left the old house and followed the trail marked by the white cloths.
Kei rubbed his stomach slowly.
He stood there for a moment, closing his eyes.
He tried to listen to the sound of the river flowing.
However, when he opened his eyes, there was no sound of water nearby.
He continued walking, following the white cloths tied to the trees.
Suddenly, he stopped.
He heard something.
It sounded like someone was approaching him.
The sound of footsteps...
A person's shoes dragging slightly against the ground.
From the left!
Kei immediately hid behind a large tree.
"If that creature comes..."
"How am I going to escape?"
"There is nowhere to hide here."
"If I run..."
"There is no way I can get away."
"Tsk..."
"Eh... This is Kei's tracking signal..."
"But where is he?"
A familiar voice reached his ears.
Shima?!
Kei slowly turned his head.
He peeked from behind the tree.
"Hmm..."
"Or did I lose Kei's tracker?"
Shima sighed softly.
"Citt... It's really Shima!"
Kei let out a small sigh of relief.
He stepped out from behind the tree and looked at her.
"Shima?"
"You..."
"Can you please stop surprising me?"
"I was just remembering the devil creatures..."
His words stopped when Shima suddenly ran toward him and hugged him tightly.
"Eee... I finally found you, Kei!"
Shima hugged Kei tightly, releasing all the worry and longing she had kept inside.
Kei froze.
He had never seen Shima act like this before.
Usually, she would only tease him or hit his head whenever he annoyed her.
After a moment, Kei slowly returned the hug.
Shima smiled when she felt Kei hugging her back.
Somehow...
She couldn't stay away from Kei after he disappeared.
After letting go of the hug, Shima looked at Kei's face with a gentle expression.
Kei was stunned.
What happened to her?
Why is she looking at me like that?
Did my face change?
Kei frowned slightly when Shima continued staring at him.
"What's wrong with you, Shima?"
"It's strange..."
"I'm loo..."
He stopped.
Silent.
Stunned.
Shocked.
Kei's eyes widened when Shima moved closer.
His lips felt something soft.
Shima...
Kissed me?!
Kei tried to push her away.
But the more he tried, the more Shima held onto him.
Eventually, Kei gave up...
But only for a moment.
Kei gently pushed Shima away.
"You're trying to tease me, aren't you?!"
Kei tapped Shima's head lightly.
Shima only smiled before hugging him again.
This time, she rested her head against Kei's chest.
She could hear his heartbeat racing.
A big smile appeared on her face.
She placed her hand over her chest, feeling her own heartbeat.
"I'm starting to fall in love with Kei..."
"What kind of drama are you trying to create, Shima?"
Kei tried to hide his embarrassment.
His cheeks were already slightly red when Shima hugged him again.
"Since you disappeared three days ago..."
"I missed you more and more."
"Your mother also asked me to find you."
Kei frowned.
Three days?
He had been gone for three days?
But...
Didn't he only spend a short time talking with Fullus and Plifer?
"What do you mean I disappeared for three days?"
"I only talked with the person who helped us yesterday."
Shima frowned after hearing Kei's explanation.
"Are you really forgetting..."
"Or are you pretending not to remember, Kei?"
"You disappeared after school."
"You haven't returned for three days."
"Your parents were worried because you disappeared without any news."
"And..."
"I started missing you too, Kei."
Shima slowly tapped Kei's chest.
Kei's mind went blank.
What happened was impossible.
From his perspective, he had only spent less than an hour with Fullus and Plifer.
But in his world...
Three days had passed.
"You're not in your world."
"This is the World of Devils."
Plifer's words echoed in his mind.
So...
They really were in a different world.
If one hour in the Devil World equals three days in his world...
A bitter smile appeared on Kei's face.
"This really complicates everything..."