The vision flickered.
Glitched.
Cracked like broken glass struggling to hold together.
And then—
It stabilized.
Jae's breath caught in his throat.
"…What the hell…?"
The world had changed again.
No more blood-soaked hell.
No more graves.
No more darkness.
Now—
Light.
Golden.
Blinding.
A massive ballroom stretched endlessly before him.
Crystal chandeliers hung from a ceiling painted with divine murals—angels, flames, and beings that looked far too similar to the Divine Flames themselves, frozen in worship above the crowd below.
Music echoed softly through the air.
Elegant.
Controlled.
But beneath it—
Something felt wrong.
The people…
They were dressed in extravagant attire.
Men wore tailored coats stitched with gold thread, jeweled brooches pinned near their collars, polished boots reflecting the marble floor beneath them. Some had capes lined with fur—symbols of status, of power.
Women wore flowing gowns of silk and satin, layered with intricate embroidery. Colors shifted under the light—deep crimson, royal violet, shimmering silver. Jewelry adorned their necks and wrists—diamonds, sapphires, glowing stones infused with mana.
Everything about them screamed wealth.
Power.
Control.
Yet their smiles—
Felt empty.
Forced.
Like puppets playing a role they didn't understand.
Jae's eyes narrowed.
"…This place… feels fake."
The Divine Flame of Curses stood beside him.
Silent for a moment.
Then—
"The vision we saw… when Eryndor rose from the grave…"
Its voice was quieter now.
"…Thirty years have passed since that moment."
Jae froze.
"…Thirty…?"
His gaze snapped back toward the crowd.
"…So he's…"
"…Forty-eight."
Jae clenched his fists.
"…Damn…"
Thirty years.
Thirty years of darkness.
Of hatred.
Of becoming something else.
Jae scanned the room again—
And then—
He saw her.
"…No way…"
Kaelira.
She stood near the edge of the ballroom.
Alive.
Unharmed.
No—
More than that.
She looked… radiant.
Time had refined her beauty, not taken from it.
Her violet hair flowed longer now, reaching past her waist in soft waves, shimmering under the chandelier light like strands of silk touched by starlight.
Her skin was smooth.
Flawless.
Yet still carried that faint warmth that made her feel human—real.
Her eyes…
Still held that same depth.
But now—
There was something else in them.
Restraint.
Pain.
Hidden beneath calm.
She wore a deep violet gown that hugged her figure perfectly, the fabric layered with subtle silver patterns that resembled flames curling along her sides. The dress flowed naturally as she moved, elegant yet restrained—like she had learned to exist without drawing attention.
But what stood out most—
Was her expression.
Calm.
Too calm.
Jae's brows furrowed.
"…How is she alive…?"
"I thought they killed her…"
The Divine Flame of Curses didn't answer.
Instead—
It looked forward.
Toward the center of the ballroom.
Jae followed its gaze.
And his expression darkened.
"…That bastard…"
The Divine Flame of Shadows Contractor stood at the center.
Older.
But stronger.
His presence alone distorted the air slightly, like darkness was naturally bending toward him.
Beside him—
A woman.
Elegant.
Dangerous.
Her long red dress flowed like liquid blood, her eyes sharp and calculating.
"…That's…"
"His wife," the Divine Flame of Curses said quietly.
"Selena."
The Contractor raised his glass.
Clink.
The sound echoed.
And instantly—
Silence filled the ballroom.
Every head turned toward him.
He smiled.
Warm.
False.
"My honored guests…"
His voice carried smoothly.
"Me and my wife, Selena… are honored to have such distinguished families attend this divine gathering."
The crowd erupted.
"IT'S AN HONOR TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE!"
"TRULY A BLESSING!"
"THE DIVINE CONTRACTOR HIMSELF!"
Jae's jaw tightened.
"…Disgusting…"
The Contractor chuckled softly.
"Please… there is no need to flatter me."
A pause.
His eyes flickered.
Cold.
"…The other Divine Flame contractors could not attend."
"They have… matters to attend to."
Jae felt it.
That tone.
"…Yeah…"
"I don't like that…"
The music resumed.
People began mingling again.
Laughing.
Drinking.
Pretending.
The Contractor leaned toward Selena.
Whispered something.
She nodded.
Then left.
And then—
His gaze shifted.
Locked onto—
Kaelira.
He gave a small motion.
A signal.
Follow.
Jae's eyes widened.
"…Don't go…"
But she did.
Kaelira picked up a suitcase resting beside her.
And followed him.
The scene shifted slightly—
Into a private hallway.
Quiet.
Cold.
The door closed behind them.
Kaelira stepped forward—
And bumped into his back.
The suitcase slipped from her hands.
"Ah—! I'm sorry, sir!"
Jae froze.
"…Sir…?"
His expression twisted.
"…What the hell is this…?"
Kaelira bent down—
Her hair falling forward—
Revealing it.
The scar.
Still there.
Still real.
The Contractor's face twisted.
Disgust.
Pure.
Unfiltered.
Jae's blood boiled.
"Hurry up."
His voice cut sharply.
"I don't want to look at that ugly scar…"
A pause.
"…or that ugly face."
Silence.
Kaelira didn't respond.
She just…
Stood there.
"…Why…?"
Jae clenched his fists.
"…Why is she letting him say that…?"
The Contractor continued coldly.
"Take that suitcase."
He tossed her a paper.
"Deliver it."
A pause.
"And don't disappoint me."
His voice dropped.
Low.
Threatening.
"…Your life belongs to me."
"Never forget that."
"…I kept you alive."
He walked past her.
Without another glance.
The door shut.
Silence remained.
Kaelira stood there.
Frozen.
Then slowly—
She turned.
Toward a mirror.
"…Am I really… that ugly…?"
Her voice…
Was small.
A whisper.
And then—
A voice answered.
From the window.
"No."
It was calm.
Cold.
"…Your beauty eclipses everything around you."
A pause.
"…Including that scar that bastard hates so much."
Kaelira's eyes widened.
She turned—
And froze.
"…Eryndor…?"
He stood at the window.
Cloaked.
Face hidden.
But the presence—
Unmistakable.
"…I made my way back…"
His voice was deeper.
Colder.
"…from the hell of the dead."
He disappeared.
Reappeared—
Right in front of her.
His hand shot forward—
Gripping her throat—
Slamming her against the wall.
"WAIT—!"
She choked.
Eryndor didn't care.
"I came back…"
His grip tightened.
"…for one reason."
His voice lowered.
"…to find my sister and kill those divine bastards."
His eyes glowed faintly red beneath the hood.
"And instead…"
"…I find you."
His grip tightened harder.
"Serving one of those divine man who took her."
Kaelira struggled.
"…W-wait—!"
Eryndor chuckled.
Cold.
"So… did you miss me?"
His hand tightened further.
She couldn't breathe.
Her body trembled.
"…Say something…"
Nothing.
So—
He threw her.
Her body crashed into the mirror—
Glass shattering—
Shards embedding into her back.
She hit the ground—
Coughing violently.
Trying to breathe.
Eryndor walked past her.
Picked up the suitcase.
"I'll be taking this."
He stepped toward the window.
Paused.
"…It was nice seeing you."
A fake smile formed beneath the hood.
"…I hope I never see you again."
And then—
He was gone.
The vision shifted.
Jae and the Divine Flame followed.
Eryndor moved fast.
Too fast.
A blur.
Even Jae struggled to track him.
"…What the hell is that speed…?"
Then—
The sky changed.
Red.
Liquid.
Blood fell.
And from above—
Selena descended.
"My husband expected this."
Her voice was cold.
"So he had me watching."
She smiled.
"But I didn't think she'd fail this fast…"
A pause.
"…What a useless life."
Eryndor stopped.
"…She should've died already."
Silence.
Then—
Eryndor moved.
Gone.
Appeared behind her.
His leg swung—
CRASH—
The impact shook the entire capital.
Selena flew—
Crashing into the ground—
A massive explosion erupting.
Jae's eyes widened.
"…That strength…!"
Selena coughed blood.
Staggered up.
Raised her hand.
"Blood… Arrows."
Thousands.
No—
Millions.
Formed around Eryndor.
She clenched her fist.
They fired.
All at once.
Jae's heart jumped.
"…That's impossible to dodge—"
Eryndor moved.
Not fast—
Perfect.
Each step—
Minimal.
Precise.
His body shifted slightly.
Tilted.
Turned.
Every arrow missed.
Barely.
Like something invisible guided him.
"…What… is that…?"
It wasn't speed.
It wasn't reaction.
It was instinct.
Absolute awareness.
He walked forward—
Through a storm of death.
Untouched.
Selena trembled.
"…Impossible…"
Eryndor unsheathed his blade.
Let it drag across the ground—
SCRAPE…
He took one step.
Disappeared.
Reappeared—
His blade already inside her chest.
She coughed blood—
It splashed across his face.
He pulled the blade out.
She collapsed.
Dead.
"OH MY GOD—!"
Knights rushed in.
Thousands.
"WHO ARE YOU?!"
Eryndor said nothing.
He raised his sword.
That was his answer.
"ATTACK!"
They charged.
And then—
Massacre.
Eryndor moved like a phantom.
Close.
Brutal.
Efficient.
A slash—neck gone.
A step—heart pierced.
A spin—three bodies fall.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
Some begged.
"PLEASE—!"
"DON'T—!"
He smiled.
And killed them anyway.
Jae's stomach turned.
"…He's not even human anymore…"
Bodies piled.
Blood soaked the ground.
Silence returned.
Then—
A sound.
Clink.
Armor.
Eryndor turned.
And froze.
"…Eryndor…"
Kaelira stood there.
In armor.