The chill crept higher, slowly engulfing the creature's entire body. Its final roar echoed through the air as the two young men watched the sea monster transform into a massive ice sculpture.
Ice flowers continued to spread, blanketing the area in cold, but a black mist clouded Kairav's vision, and his consciousness gradually began to fade.
"Eh?! Failed Product! You're not a hero who dies right after the battle! Wake up! That thing could rise again if the ice breaks or melts—we need to get out of here before that happens!" snapped Casildo, shocked to see Kairav collapse limply to the ground beside him.
"Damn it! Get up on your own two feet, because I'm not carrying you!" He growled, shaking Kairav violently, trying to revive him.
But Kairav was too weak. He struggled just to keep his eyes open, his strength draining.
Crack! Crack!
Casildo's head snapped toward the sound, and in an instant, he realized the danger. "Damn it, global warming is really coming to bite us…"
The giant ice sculpture began to crack, and in an instant it shattered. The scattered ice flowers and chunks melted slowly, while the enormous sea monster reconstructed itself, reforming its body like some immortal, indestructible creature.
Growl!
The resurrected Euntei Iek roared in fury and lunged toward its two enemies, bent on revenge.
But just as catastrophe approached, the red star Luminous Remnants in the Phoenix constellation flared brightly, sending waves of colorful light across the sky. A swirling spectrum of hues surrounded the constellation, and in the next moment, red Cosmic Resonance Radiation beamed down on Lushterra, followed by the shrill screech of a giant bird that echoed across the horizon.
Screech!
"Eternal Ember Slash?" Casildo gasped, stunned by the familiar sight of the Phoenix spirit.
Through his hazy vision, Kairav could faintly make out the image of the Phoenix spirit soaring above. Its majestic wings spread wide, the blazing red flames that cloaked its body blending with the crimson dawn light descending from the horizon.
With a piercing screech, the Phoenix spirit circled the sea monster, which thrashed wildly in response to its presence. The monster lashed out with a massive hand, but that foolish attempt sealed its fate. The volcanic wings of the Phoenix cut through the water, and the creature's hand vanished in an instant—vaporized by the intense heat, leaving only mist hanging in the air.
Growl!!!
Another furious roar echoed as the sea monster realized it had lost a limb. But the firebird didn't stop. It shook its wings, scattering fiery feathers into the air. The embers streaked toward their target, slamming into the monster's massive body.
In one swift strike, the fiery plumes pierced through the creature, and its last roar dissolved into silence. Slowly, the monster disintegrated, turning into a wisp of vapor that vanished into the wind.
As if it had completed its mission, the Phoenix spirit flew upward before transforming into a long sword, its blade forged entirely of blazing embers. The weapon hovered for a moment before calmly landing in the hand of a young man with jet-black eyes who stood in the distance, his expression unreadable.
"The Nameless Silencer! It's been a while since I've seen you!" Casildo shouted with excitement, recognizing the young man in the black sweater.
The light brown-skinned youth remained silent, ignoring Casildo's enthusiasm. The ember sword in his grip slowly dissipated as his sharp eyes settled on Kairav, who lay unconscious before him.
"Bro! Did you come to save me?" Casildo joked, flashing a grin at the stoic young man.
But the young man remained silent. He walked forward, his jet-black eyes focused intently on Kairav's still body. "Where is the Eternal Crimson Guardian?" he asked calmly, though there was no emotion in his voice.
Casildo frowned in confusion. "Huh? Eternal what?" he asked, but the young man didn't respond. Instead, he kneeled beside Kairav, his fingers reaching for the pendant that hung from Kairav's neck.
"Bro, what do you mean by the red gemstone on that necklace?" Casildo asked, pointing at the pendant.
The young man stayed silent but gave a slight nod. His attention was completely on the remnants of the red gem, now shattered, that still clung to the frame of the pendant.
"Bro, what is that stone, exactly? Why do I feel such strong magical energy coming from it?" Casildo asked, curiosity growing.
The young man finally looked at him, his eyes serious. "Why is this gemstone broken?"
Casildo gulped, feeling like he'd been caught. He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Uh... maybe because I threw him earlier," he admitted, pointing at Kairav without an ounce of guilt.
The normally emotionless eyes of the young man flashed with annoyance at that confession, prompting Casildo to quickly raise his hands in defense. "Uh, don't look at me like that! I did it to save him!" he said firmly, letting out a sigh of relief when the young man shifted his gaze.
"But why did he faint?" Casildo asked.
The young man didn't answer immediately. Instead, he checked Kairav's pulse. After a moment, he said, "His power has been trapped in the Stellar Essence for too long. His body can't easily adapt to the massive energy released whenever he accidentally uses it."
Casildo scratched his head in confusion. "Who exactly is this Failed Product? Why is he so strange? Do you know him well?" he asked, only to be met with the usual indifferent attitude from the nameless young man, which irritated him even more. "Tsk! We've been together so long, and you still ignore me?" he protested.
"You're the only one who thinks we're friends," the nameless young man replied flatly.
Casildo's eyes widened in irritation, but he bit back his curses, choosing instead to grumble under his breath as he watched the young man with a scowl.
Without a word, the nameless young man calmly reached for the sword hanging from his waist—a sword with a black blade and a Phoenix-head hilt. A silver mask dangled beside it.
"So, that's where the decoration comes from?" Casildo blurted out, noticing the young man's fingers moving to pick up the red gem set in the hilt.
There were two empty slots where gems had once been placed, now leaving only a single gemstone after today's events.
The nameless young man carefully set the Eternal Crimson Guardian into the frame of Kairav's pendant. After it clicked into place, the pendant emitted a brief flicker of red light.
"Where'd you get those gemstones?" Casildo asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Carstensz Peak, eternal snow," the young man replied, his tone as flat as ever, his sharp eyes never leaving the Eternal Crimson Guardian.
Casildo's eyes widened in shock and wonder. "What were you doing up on that mountain?"
Without answering, the nameless young man draped Kairav's arms over his shoulders and hoisted him onto his back. "I'll explain later. We need to move before someone shows up," he said, tossing his backpack at Casildo as he walked away.
Casildo caught the bag with a disgruntled expression. "Bro, I'm hurt too! Aren't you going to carry me?"
"To break my back?" The young man shot back sharply, not even glancing at him as he continued walking.
Casildo let out a frustrated sigh, muttering under his breath as he trudged after the nameless young man, who steadily made his way toward the forest. "I knew it. There's definitely a portal in that forest."
But just as they entered the woods, an unexpected gust of wind whipped through the trees, carrying with it a melodic wave that struck the men's ears like a sonic weapon. The sound of a wind instrument echoed, torturing their minds with a piercing, relentless melody.
The men collapsed, falling to their knees. Groans of pain escaped them as the black magic of the Midnight Melody Tribe's flute continued to reverberate through their skulls.
"Argh! Damn it! Midnight Melody Tribe!" Casildo cursed, clutching his ears in a desperate attempt to block the sound. His horror deepened when he turned to the nameless young man, only to see blood streaming from both of his friend's ears. "Damn! Why is it affecting you this badly?!"