As the group trudged along the forest path, the sound of their footsteps crunching through leaves broke the stillness of the Thobi woods. Toruri and Kinrui held a squirming Hiyoku between them, bound by a thick rope.
"Release me!" Hiyoku's voice rose, his anger barely contained. "She should be the one tied up right now! That psycho!"
Verte, walking ahead, glanced back with a small smirk. "No harsh feelings, Hiyoku, but we can't risk you burning down the forest."
Toruri, his eyes narrowing with curiosity, turned to Hiyoku. "Speaking of burning... what was that technique you did earlier? The one where you lit yourself on fire?"
Hiyoku grinned, despite his predicament. "You mean my burning man technique? Want me to give you a demonstration?"
Before Toruri could answer, Verte stepped in, her voice firm. "No, you don't. Toruri, the burning man technique is a mana-bursting attack. It allows him to unleash large chunks of his mana to fuel devastating attacks. It's usually suicidal, but since Hiyoku's fireproof, it doesn't hurt him at all."
Hiyoku puffed up, his tone full of bravado. "That was only a taste of my true power."
A raspy voice interrupted their banter—Yamori, the old man who had been guiding them. "So, you people are heading to Heavalley, right?"
Verte nodded, shifting her staff slightly as they continued. "Yes, both of them are heading there for training."
Yamori's gaze flicked to the young boy trailing behind. "And what about the child?"
Kinrui sighed heavily, irritation leaking into his voice. "This is getting really old."
Verte turned to him, an eyebrow raised. "Why are you even here, Kinrui?"
"I'm just looking for some action," Kinrui replied with a shrug. "The Negative Point is so dull."
Yamori, not missing a beat, pointed ahead. "Well, we're nearing the edge of the Thobi Forest. Soon, we'll enter the Inner Outlands."
Toruri's expression hardened, and he turned to Yamori. "Gnari, you said something earlier about a dark lord."
Gnari, a creature that had been quietly observing, answered from the shadows. "Yes, I did. What about him?"
"Where is he?" Toruri asked, his voice full of determination.
"He should be somewhere in Mir Acel..." Gnari mused.
"Then he's the next one we'll take down!" Toruri declared boldly, his eyes gleaming with resolve.
Yamori chuckled darkly. "You lot could barely handle Nevorra. What makes you think you'll defeat the dark lord? He's far more powerful."
Toruri scoffed. "Nevorra was a ghost. I don't have anything against those."
Kinrui added with a grimace, "Me and Miss Verte both got tricked and captured by his spirit traps."
Yamori's gaze sharpened. "So, you're confident you can take him down?"
Hiyoku, who had been listening in silence, suddenly spoke up. "Is he strong?"
Yamori nodded gravely. "Very much so."
Without warning, Hiyoku flexed his muscles, and the rope binding him snapped. He broke free of Toruri and Kinrui's grasp with ease, stepping forward with a crazed glint in his eyes. "Point me in his direction!"
Kinrui's eyes widened in horror. "Oh god, he's battle hungry."
Yamori sighed, shaking his head. "Finding the dark lord isn't as simple as you think. Nevorra was a haunting spirit who roamed the forest at night. He was easy to find. The dark lord... he's a different matter. Many creatures who dwell in these lands call him the King of the Lower Land. Even Gaia acknowledges his power. Nevorra only haunted the forest because he feared the dark lord more than anything else. Even in his most powerful form, Nevorra knew he couldn't defeat him."
Behind Yamori, Hiyoku shook with excitement, barely able to contain his eagerness.
Toruri, his curiosity piqued, asked, "What makes this dark lord so… dark?"
Yamori's face grew somber. "Ages ago, before the Outland Massacre, there was the Great Purge of Fairies."
Toruri's eyes widened. "There was a fairy purge?"
"Yes," Yamori confirmed with a slow nod. "Just like the Dragon Purge before it."
Toruri practically shouted, "There was a dragon purge?!"
Yamori nodded again, his voice calm despite the tension. "Yes. Both fairies and dragons possessed powerful magic and abilities that other species envied. During the Destruction Era, also known as the Age of Legends, many races came to realize just how dangerous dragons were. Their scales were the toughest material in existence, their magic unparalleled, and their blood highly coveted."
Toruri, still reeling, asked, "What made their magic so dangerous?"
Before Yamori could answer, Hiyoku cut in with a sarcastic laugh. "Seriously, Toruri? You don't know about dragon magic? Even I know about that, and I didn't pay attention in class."
Toruri frowned. "Dragon magic…?"
Yamori stepped in to clarify, his voice steady. "Dragon magic is the strongest form of base magic. It can perfectly mimic any other form of magic, but with overwhelming strength. However, the element it copies isn't the element itself—it's the raw essence of dragon magic taking on that form. For example, fire. Normal fire can't even compare to dragon fire."
He glanced at Toruri, ensuring he was following. "If you light a candle with normal fire, it will burn slowly, right?"
Toruri nodded, still trying to wrap his head around it. "Yeah, that's how fire works."
Yamori continued, his tone grim. "But if you use dragon fire, even the smallest spark would wipe out an entire village."
Toruri's jaw dropped. "What?!"
Hiyoku grinned smugly. "Yeah, my master explained it to me once. When you start out learning fire magic, you're basically using heat magic—just enough to warm things up. Even prodigies can only manage to throw fireballs that might, at best, slowly burn down a cabin. But with dragon fire? Even an amateur can burn away entire cities."
Yamori's voice took on a grave tone as he continued, "Yes, and the most dangerous aspect of dragon magic is that no one, except dragons, has elemental immunity to it. Typically, someone who uses electric magic would have some resistance to electricity, but dragon magic isn't the actual element it mimics. So, even if you're normally immune to fire or electric magic, dragon magic will harm you just like any other."
Hiyoku's brow furrowed in thought, but he quickly quipped, "Then why not just learn dragon magic? Problem solved."
Yamori sighed. "It's not that simple. Only dragons can wield dragon magic, physically speaking. You'd need to be at least fifty percent dragon to even possess it. Dragons are born with a special type of blood—many refer to it as serythian vitae. It's what determines their color at birth and is uniquely mixed with their mana. This is what sets their magic system apart from everyone else's. While most magic users have to channel mana through their Geji and out of their Yoso to cast spells, dragons' mana is infused in their blood. Their entire body serves as their Geji, with their mouths acting as their Yoso."
Hiyoku leaned in, intrigued. "So, on average, a dragon has more mana than a human?"
"Correct," Yamori nodded. "And because their blood is infused with mana, it regenerates rapidly. Over time, their mana evolved into something else entirely—dragon mana. It's why only dragons can withstand its potency. There have been many attempts by others to infuse themselves with dragon blood, but it always ends the same way. They die instantly from what's known as serythian poisoning. It infects all their blood, mana, and life force, erasing it completely. This even led to experiments where people tried using robots to store the blood, hoping it would empower the machine. But it only destroyed the robot."
Hiyoku nodded slowly, putting the pieces together. "I'm guessing they got that blood by slaying dragons, right?"
"Yes," Yamori confirmed, his gaze distant as he recalled the history. "During the Dragon Purge in the Age of Legends, a group of godlike warriors emerged, slaying dragons and staining their weapons with dragon blood. These warriors became known as the Dragon Slayers. Due to the unique properties of serythian vitae, the blood permanently altered their weapons, making them tougher than any magical weapon and far more destructive."
Hiyoku tilted his head. "Why doesn't everyone have one of these dragon-stained weapons? Couldn't you just keep the body around and store the blood?"
Yamori shook his head. "It's not that easy. Serythian vitae evaporates upon contact with air. The only way to obtain it is to pierce a dragon and let the blood stain your weapon directly. Once it dries, it's stuck on the blade forever. Weapons tainted with this blood are known as dragon-marked weapons."
Hiyoku's eyes narrowed. "Wait... stab through them? Didn't you say dragon scales are the hardest thing on the planet?"
Before Yamori could answer, Verte's voice rang out, filled with nervous excitement. "Y-Yes, they are! Back in that era, people thought magical weapons were indestructible, but then came the theory that magical weapons could only be damaged by other magical weapons. Dragon scales, though—they're on a whole other level. They're so tough that if you dropped a diamond on a single scale, it would shatter the diamond into millions of pieces. The scales are highly resistant to magic and often disrupt it on contact. It's said that it would take the force of twenty thousand suns exploding on a single scale to even chip it slightly! So, when the Dragon Slayers returned with their blood-tainted weapons, they were crowned the strongest warriors, and honestly, I don't blame them."
Yamori nodded, his expression solemn. "Indeed. And because dragon scales were so close to invincible, they became more valuable than gold. They were used to craft weapons and armor that were nearly indestructible. This Dragon Purge nearly wiped the species out, driving the remaining dragons into hiding, forcing them to seek refuge in remote areas, like Heavalley, where they could live in peace."
Toruri narrowed his eyes at Hiyoku, his tone laced with suspicion. "Hiyoku, are you only following along so you can learn how to beat the dragon at Heavalley?"
Hiyoku let out an exaggerated scoff, his expression one of feigned innocence. "Pfft—noooo." His inner thoughts betrayed him, though. He's onto me!
Before the tension could settle, Verte chimed in, her voice calm but knowledgeable. "But even dragons are in better shape than fairies. Fairies are mystical creatures—beings born with innate magical power, able to channel mystical mana."
Toruri's gaze shifted slightly as he pieced it together. "So, that's what Hiyoku was using…"
Gnari, curious as ever, leaned in, her arms crossed. "Yeah, how are you using it?"
Hiyoku scratched the back of his head nonchalantly. "A couple years ago, I ran into a phoenix. It taught me its magic… and stuff."
Yamori, always wary of things that defied the natural order, fixed his sharp eyes on Hiyoku. "Even if that's true, mystical mana is like dragon mana. Unless you are a mystical creature yourself, you can't use it."
Hiyoku cocked his head, unconcerned. "So, am I supposed to explode or somethin'?" he asked with an amused smirk.
Yamori, his tone softening only slightly, responded, "No, mystical mana is much safer, and far less volatile than dragon mana. When inside a foreign body, it converts into regular mana. But don't mistake that for weakness." He straightened, eyes glinting as he explained further. "Mystical mana has two key abilities. The first allows you to control and manipulate any element at will, no matter its origin. The second lets you touch the true form of anything."
Toruri's gaze darkened with understanding. "So… if it's a spirit, you can touch it?"
Yamori nodded solemnly. "Yes."
Hiyoku glanced down at his hands, a slow, mischievous smile forming on his lips. His fingers curled as though testing their new potential.
Toruri, eyeing him warily, shook his head. "I don't like what you're implying."
Hiyoku's grin widened, his voice dropping into a low chuckle. "Heheheheh…"
Yamori cleared his throat, returning the conversation to the pressing matter. "Still, how did you come by mystical mana?"
"Dunno," Hiyoku answered lazily.
Yamori pressed further, his voice more insistent. "What did that phoenix teach you?"
"Phoenix Magic," Hiyoku replied without hesitation, still unfazed by the growing tension.
Yamori's brow furrowed. "But phoenix magic can only be used by phoenixes…"
Hiyoku didn't waste time. "I'll show you." He raised one hand and muttered, "Phoenix Magic: Phoenix Wing One."
In an instant, the right side of his body erupted into roaring flames, taking the majestic shape of a phoenix's wing. The flames danced along his arm, crackling with power.
Yamori observed, his eyes narrowing. "That's just powerful fire magic… but there's something more. It's laced with traces of mystical mana. Say, boy, what happened to that phoenix?"
Hiyoku shrugged, as casual as ever. "It just vanished."
Verte's face grew serious as the realization dawned on her. "Phoenixes don't just vanish," she whispered.
Yamori and Verte exchanged glances, both suddenly wide-eyed with the same thought.
"Wait…" Verte muttered in disbelief. "There's no way…"
Yamori's eyes gleamed with newfound understanding. "Incredible…"
Hiyoku blinked at the two of them, perplexed by their sudden shift. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Yamori took a step forward, his voice quiet but certain. "That phoenix… might have fused with your body."
Hiyoku's eyes shot wide open in shock. "What?! Really?!"
Yamori nodded, explaining with measured patience. "Yes. After dying, phoenixes have three options: reincarnation, resurrection, or transferring their power to another. The phoenix that taught you may have merged its essence with yours."
Hiyoku's face lit up with excitement. "Whoa! That's awesome! No wonder I feel stronger!"
Verte's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Hiyoku, what exactly did you do to make that phoenix merge with you?"
Hiyoku shrugged again, though his grin remained wide. "I really don't know."
Yamori, clearly intrigued but unfazed, continued, "Let's move on to fairies. Fairies produce fairy dust, which doesn't grant mystical mana, but it does enchant objects and people, greatly increasing their strength. It became so sought after that humans hunted them relentlessly for weapons and self-enhancement. This led to fairies splitting into clans, with only thirteen fairy leaders left across the world. One of them is the dark lord."
Hiyoku raised an eyebrow, disbelief creeping into his voice. "So, you're telling me that they're afraid of some tiny fairy brat?!"
Verte shook her head, exasperation clear in her voice. "Hiyoku, fairies aren't tiny. You're thinking of pixies."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Hiyoku threw his hands up. "And what's the difference between a fairy and a pixie?!"
Verte sighed and explained patiently, "Pixies are about the size of butterflies, and their skin glows brightly. They don't wear clothes, and they're much smaller. Fairies, on the other hand, are human-sized. Their eyes and wings change color depending on their mana element. They wear clothing and have small noses."
Hiyoku nodded along slowly, still piecing it together. "Don't pixies have pixie dust?"
Verte shot him a dry look. "Pixie dust doesn't exist. What people call 'pixie dust' is actually a drug—cocaine mixed with fairy dust."
Hiyoku's eyes widened in surprise. "Uh… Oh…"
Yamori's voice broke through the chatter of the group. "And it seems we've arrived at the end of the path!" he announced with a satisfied smile.
The group came to a halt at the edge of the forest trail. Before them stretched a vast, open field, reminiscent of a sprawling safari. Golden grass swayed gently under the breeze, a stark contrast to the dense, shadowy forest they had just traversed.
Verte looked ahead, a familiar recognition in her eyes. "Ah yes, this is the inner-out-land."
Hiyoku, however, had other thoughts. "Tch—" He clicked his tongue in irritation and without warning, bolted forward with reckless speed.
"I'M WILLING TO SPRINT ACROSS HERE TOO!!!" Hiyoku's voice trailed as he dashed across the plains, his figure shrinking in the distance.
Toruri, not one to let Hiyoku get too far ahead, clenched his jaw and took off after him. "You're not this time!" he shouted, his long strides quickly closing the gap.
Gnari, her enthusiasm ever-present, couldn't resist the pull of the chase. "Hey guys!" she called out, quickly joining the impromptu race.
Verte sighed dramatically, watching the trio rush off. "My oh my, those two will be the death of me one day," she muttered, shaking her head in mild exasperation.
Kinrui, Verte, and Yamori, far more content to keep their pace steady, continued walking into the expanse of the inner-out-land.
Kinrui glanced at Verte, his voice carrying a hint of disbelief. "How can they be so energetic?"
Yamori gave a quiet chuckle but said nothing, his gaze sweeping the horizon.
Unbeknownst to them, a pair of cold, reptilian eyes peered from the thick foliage behind. Silent, watchful, and waiting.