"Ah! Who's there? Am I hallucinating?"

"Ugh! It's the crow again!"

Tim stared blankly at the wide-open window. He had just finished a chapter of The Pioneer, but there was still plenty left to read. To Tim, it was one of the most underrated books ever released. Fiction had always captivated him far more than other genres. Ever since he was young, he had pirated countless e-books from the depths of the web, but this book was different.

It was special.

A physical book, bound in black leather, with an aura of mystery surrounding it. Yet, it came with an age restriction. Tim had started reading it on his last birthday, but before that, it had been gathering dust in an old suitcase. He had no idea how his family came to own such an ancient, unique artifact.

He had searched the entire internet for information on The Pioneer, but there was nothing. Not a single mention. Even book collectors were clueless. The last few chapters were wild, filled with cryptic references and eerie symbols. One passage spoke of "Eternal Youth"—a secret supposedly achieved by something called the "Xecros."

"Xecros...?" Tim muttered. At first, the term confused him, but he was used to fictional jargon by now.

He had been reading all morning, and exhaustion was creeping in. Stretching, he got up to grab his phone from the charger.

"Ah, it's already noon? Damn, time flies."

He unlocked his phone and dialed his friend.

"Kan... Kano, you idiot! Are you still sleeping? I've been calling you for five minutes straight!"

A groggy voice answered, "Ayeee! I was playing games, bro... Just give me a minute, I'll get ready."

Tim scoffed. "Today's the day, man! The Dragon Feast!"

As a kid, the name had always sounded bizarre—like some monstrous banquet where dragons were devoured. Of course, dragons didn't exist. The Dragon Feast was a national festival, especially important for Kinetan, or City Kin—the City of Bonds. But there was one strange rule: no one under fifteen was allowed to participate. No one questioned it. It was just how things had always been.

This year, Tim and Kano would experience their first Dragon Feast. They had both turned sixteen. The excitement was unreal.

Meanwhile, in his room, Kano wasn't actually playing games. He had spent the last four and a half hours searching the web for a specific chant. But no matter where he looked, there was nothing. Not a single clue.

His sister, Ayaka, stood at his doorway. "Are you going to the Dragon Feast?"

"Yeah, sis."

She hesitated, then said, "Be careful. Kids your age tend to go missing during these events."

Kano rolled his eyes. "First of all, I'm not a kid. Second, I'm not alone. Tim and Iami are coming too. And aren't you just seventeen? It's barely your second Dragon Feast!"

"It's better to be cautious than regretful," she said before walking away.

Kano sighed. He pulled out an old, rusted trunk from under his bed. His heart pounded with both anticipation and unease. After nearly two years, he would finally be able to use that golden ring.

He unlatched the trunk carefully. Inside, stacks of old documents lay scattered, some covered in dust, others filled with arcane symbols. But Kano wasn't interested in those. He was looking for one thing—the ring.

A knock at the door made him freeze.

"Who's there?!"

Silence.

Then—"It's me, Tim."

Kano exhaled sharply and unlocked the door, only to find Tim grinning. "Were you doing something important? Did I interrupt? Hah!"

"Damn it, Tim! At least announce yourself properly next time!" Kano scowled. "Anyway, help me look for something."

"What now? We should be heading to the Dragon Feast. Why are you always the one making us late?"

"I know, I know! But this is important. I need to find a golden ring. Help me out."

Tim sighed but kneeled beside him. "A golden ring? Are you serious? You've never even seen it, have you?"

"Not with my own eyes," Kano admitted. "But I read about it in an old parchment hidden in this trunk. Two years ago, I stumbled upon something that led me to this fated ring."

As they rummaged through the contents, Tim pulled out a peculiar, shiny yet aged parchment.

"Keep that naksha down on the floor carefully," Kano instructed.

Tim spread the parchment where they could both see it. "What is this?"

"The will of the previous owner of the ring. It explains the ring's significance. The thing is... I don't know how to open the container that holds it."

"Why didn't you try before?"

Kano hesitated. "Because it says: One should open the seal of ****** before the age of sixteen."

Tim shuddered. "That sounds... ominous."

Kano nodded. "The best seal breakers come to the Dragon Feast. I've been waiting for this day to finally uncover the ring's secrets."

"You know, mysterious relics like these usually have magic powers... What if it lets us see through women's clothes?"

"You absolute perv!" Kano smacked him.

Tim laughed. "Alright, let's hurry. If we don't leave now, we'll miss the whole thing. Pack up the container and the parchment—maybe a Soul Reaper will need the instructions. Don't forget the gold, either. The Dragon Feast is useless if you're broke."

"Don't worry. I've been saving up for this."

Kano grinned. "I'm so hyped! Let's go!"

Tim rolled his eyes. "Says the guy who made us late."

Kano smirked. "Think there'll be cute girls our age?"

"I swear, if I tell Iami about this, she'll beat the hell out of you."

"Whatever! This container and seal are giving me chills."

"I just wanna buy some cool books and learn some spells. What about you, Kan?"

"Me? I think I'll..." Kano yawned. "Explore a lot... and when I get tir—"

[With that, Kan and Tim set off for their first Dragon Feast—a day of magic and mysteries, joy and sorrow, smiles and secrets.]

{As they left, a crow perched in the corner of Kano's room vanished into thin air, releasing a faint blue aura. It had been watching them the whole time.}

"Have you gathered the information, Ikazuki?"

A dark figure stood in the shadows, only his crimson eyes glowing in the dim candlelight.

"Yes, Master. The preparations to acquire the first ****** are nearly complete. We know the when and who. Now, we only need to act. After all, it is the will of fate."

The figure smirked. "So, it's here at last. The long wait finally ends... at this year's Dragon Feast."

X —————— X