Dawn brought hope for victory in the upcoming war. Akira, the hero of the sword, and Gamble, the hero of the shield, along with Kaido and Hana, continued their mission. Their goal was to find an elf who could help them obtain a piece of the core tree—an artifact on which their success depended. Time was running out. Of the three weeks, only two remained, and they had just left the Land of the Dragon. They were heading north, towards the Kingdom of Stars, traveling in a carriage pulled by two strong horses.
Inside the carriage, it was cramped, but the atmosphere was filled with a mix of fatigue and rivalry. Akira pulled a chess set from his bag, a game that was also popular in the magical world.
– Anyone up for a game? – he asked, placing the pieces on the board.
– Me! – Kaido called out, excited.
They started playing, but not even five moves had passed when Akira easily checkmated his opponent.
– Next! – he said with a challenging smile.
Hana, though less confident in her skills, decided to give it a try. The battle lasted longer, but she too lost—this time after sixteen moves.
– Maybe I should show you how it's done? – Gamble spoke up, moving closer with the intention of playing.
Akira looked at him, then theatrically glanced outside through the open carriage entrance.
– Looks like we'll be arriving soon. The game will have to wait – he announced, putting the chess set back into his bag.
The carriage finally arrived at a city surrounded by a dry, desert landscape. The scent of dust and spices filled the air, and the scorching sun was so intense that Akira took off his coat.
– It's so hot – he groaned, wiping sweat from his forehead.
– Me too – Kaido admitted, fanning herself with her hand.
– Coats on – Gamble said coolly, rolling up his sleeves.
– Why? – Hana asked, looking at him curiously.
Akira, taking the initiative, answered while imitating Seraphina's serious tone:
– Because the fabric is magical. Thanks to it, someone can track us and make sure we don't do anything foolish.
Gamble let out a short laugh.
– Considering everything, our reputation isn't the best. After we destroyed part of a city in the Kingdom of the Dragon, everyone sees us as a problem.
– Do we have a plan? – Hana asked, glancing at the passing townspeople.
– A plan? – Gamble repeated with a smile, opening the door to a nearby tavern. – Ask the locals.
Inside, it was noisy and stuffy. At the tables sat not only humans but also half-humans—humanoid beings with animal-like features. Kaido glanced at one of them, who resembled a fox, to which Akira responded indifferently:
– Half-humans. They only differ in appearance.
They sat at the counter, where Gamble ordered two drinks.
– And us? – Hana asked with a hint of reproach.
– And something non-alcoholic for the girls – Gamble added, tossing a few coins onto the counter.
Meanwhile, Akira scanned the room with his eyes.
– No elf – he muttered, furrowing his brows. – Not a trace.
Gamble took a sip of his drink and replied:
– Elves are outcasts. Sun and moon elves especially.
Hana raised an eyebrow, about to ask a question, but suddenly they heard a loud bang. An ogre had slammed his axe into the counter right next to Gamble.
– Are you ignoring me, human? – he growled, grabbing him by the arm.
Gamble didn't seem fazed. He swiftly broke free from the grip, then pushed off the counter and jumped onto a chandelier.
– Let the heavens witness my aim. Celestial Cage! – he shouted, and the entire tavern was surrounded by golden, gleaming bars.
– Akira, if you would? – he called from above, finishing his drink.
Akira, without a word, summoned his sword and sliced through the cage with a single motion, freeing everyone from the spell. The ogre, disoriented, lunged at him with his axe, but the blade bounced off Akira as if striking steel.
– My turn – he said calmly, sending the opponent flying into the wall with a kick.
Gamble landed on the ground, leaving a pouch of gold on the counter.
– Apologies for the damages, but does anyone know where to find an elf?
The bartender thought for a moment before answering:
– If you head west of the Tower of a Thousand Stars, you'll find a small village of jungle elves.
Akira quickly finished his drink, grinned widely, and said:
– Thanks for the help! May the swords watch over you!
With that, the heroes left the tavern, heading toward their newly given destination.
Once he was sure they had gone, the bartender sighed and leaned over the counter, as if tired of the role he had to play. From under the counter, he pulled out a strange blade resembling a plant—with a stem-like handle and a blade that looked like a leaf covered in silvery veins. Stabbing it into the counter, he said quietly, almost ceremonially:
– In the Tower of a Thousand Stars lies the bearer of the Mask of the Forsaken Star.
His voice was cold, filled with dark determination. Then he pulled the blade from the counter and, with one swift motion, discarded his bartender's apron, revealing a green haori with short sleeves. He glanced in the direction the heroes had gone, then, with determination in his eyes, set off after them, leaving the tavern in silence.
"Hey, isn't the Tower of a Thousand Stars a museum?" Akira asked, staring at the map with evident curiosity.
Gamble took the map, examining it more closely, and shrugged slightly.
"Yeah, it is. Maybe we should go inside? We might learn something interesting… or find something valuable."
Kaido and Hana nodded in agreement. Their journey to the tower was filled with lighthearted conversation, but by the time they arrived, the sun was beginning to set beyond the horizon. The massive structure cast a long, ominous shadow over the surrounding field.
"I guess we'll have to spend the night here," Gamble muttered, glancing at the dark clouds gathering in the sky.
"Better here than in that snake cave, like last time," Kaido laughed.
"Ever since that day, I've been afraid of snakes," Akira responded, shivering at the memory.
They entered the tower, and before them lay an impressive exhibition. Swords, armor, paintings, and even artifacts that seemed magical gleamed under the light of numerous lanterns. Gamble, captivated by the sight, paid the entrance fee and eagerly went to admire the exhibits.
"Look at this beauty!" he exclaimed, pointing to an ancient shield engraved with a constellation.
Hana, fascinated, stopped by a display of jewels, asking the guide about their history.
Meanwhile, something caught Akira's attention more than anything else. At the end of the hall, placed on a special pedestal, lay a sword with a blade entwined in something resembling horns. Its aura was dark, almost tangible.
"Excuse me, what is this sword?" he asked the woman overseeing the hall.
"That is Lucifer's Sword," she replied, her voice tinged with reverence. "Legend has it that this blade marked the beginning of the Cursed Flame techniques."
Fascinated, Akira summoned his own sword. He struck the crystal at the center of his weapon against Lucifer's blade. The woman stepped back in horror as Akira's sword transformed into the demonic blade from the exhibit—while the original remained untouched.
"The collection grows," Akira said with a smile, thanking the woman. He turned away and left as if what had just happened was the most natural thing in the world.
Meanwhile, as Gamble admired the paintings, he noticed one in particular—a portrait of a blond man dressed in ornate armor who bore a striking resemblance to his grandfather.
"That blond guy looks like you," Kaido remarked, pointing to a nearby painting.
Gamble furrowed his brows as he read the description.
"Monarch of the Stars? Who are these monarchs?" he muttered, not expecting an answer.
However, a hooded man appeared beside him, answering in a dark, mysterious voice:
"The Monarchs are those who, after the gods departed, maintained this dimension. They guided mortals and prevented anomalies or the collapse of reality."
Gamble spun around abruptly and asked another question.
"Then why does this one look like me?"
The man removed his hood, revealing snow-white hair and black, shimmering eyes that made Kaido uneasy.
"You are a descendant of the Star Monarch himself, Garrett Gamble. As a candidate for the new Star Council, the Monarch of Destruction, I ask that you come with me without resistance," he said, extending his hand.
Gamble took a step back, just as a powerful crash echoed from the adjacent hall.
"The damn exhibit attacked me! And they said you shouldn't trust a cheap deal!" Akira shouted as he was slammed into a wall before freeing himself from the rubble.
Seeing the chaos, Gamble summoned his shield and transformed it into a combat staff.
"You guys are covering the damages, right?" he asked sarcastically.
The hooded man sighed, swiftly grabbed Kaido by the arm, and vanished.
"That bastard!" Gamble shouted, dashing out of the museum.
"Hana! Shit!" Akira yelled, spotting a cloaked girl lunging at him with unrestrained aggression.
The half-feline warrior swung her blade, demolishing four walls with a single strike.
"Fucking monster," Akira hissed, sweeping her legs out from under her. As she fell, he buried her under the rubble of the destroyed wall.
Wasting no time, he followed Hana's mana trail, sensing her presence somewhere in the distance. His heart pounded, and his sword—now taking the form of the demonic blade—seemed to pulse in rhythm with his determination.
Gamble ran toward the tower, but before he could take another step, a man in a green haori blocked his path. A headband covered one of his eyes, while the other was as cold and unyielding as steel.
"Hey, pirate. Get out of my way," Gamble growled, trying to sidestep him.
The green-haired man raised his weapon, his movements as fast as lightning. His blade cut through the air in rhythmic, precise strikes, but Gamble blocked them with unbelievable ease. Each attack bounced off as if striking a solid wall. Eventually, his opponent made a mistake—a slight hesitation.
Gamble seized the opportunity. He grabbed the man's leg and, with an unexpected show of strength, tossed him over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing. The body crashed into the ground with a heavy thud, kicking up clouds of dust.
He turned to continue forward but froze at the sight before him. Hana and Kaido were trapped in a black, ghastly cage, its surface pulsating as if alive. At the top of the structure stood a man with white hair, clad in black robes that seemed to absorb the light.
"My name is Shin," he said. His voice was calm, almost hypnotic, yet every word carried the weight of destruction. "The new Monarch of Death. Also known as the Monarch of Destruction."
Shin raised his hand, and the cage trembled as if to remind Gamble of what was at stake.
"If their lives matter to you, meet me in the Jungle Village, in the Serpent Region."
Before Gamble could react, Shin vanished into the darkness along with the fallen man beside him, dissolving like a shadow.
Suddenly, Akira burst onto the scene from behind, landing in a swirl of sand and dust.
"I hate the desert!" he shouted, spitting sand from his mouth.
Gamble clenched his fists, his gaze fixed on the spot where Shin had just stood. He lowered his shield and muttered, "We have to go."
Akira lifted his sword, his previous recklessness replaced by cold determination.
"He took them?" he asked, his tone chillingly serious.
Gamble nodded, his eyes speaking louder than words. Without another word, the two of them marched forward, their figures disappearing into the sweltering haze.
In the distance, the wind carried an eerie laughter—a sound that seemed to echo from the very heart of darkness.