Vessel

"Long time no see. Time isn't exactly…linear here, and I don't bother keeping track, so it's been a very long time indeed. I'm delighted to see you're alive and still possess all your limbs." Mithra's expression remained unchanged, yet her words held genuine warmth, though her calm, even tone somewhat undermined their sincerity.

Carazo met Mithra's gaze as he had before, offering a somewhat resigned sigh: "The point is, I don't want to go. I've had close contact with that thing once, and it's not something we should trifle with. That flame-type believer whose growth it spurred is barely at the Unified Sense level, yet the nature of that flame is extremely well-suited to this illusion, capable of unleashing tremendous power."

"How tremendous?" Mithra asked directly.

"Consider this: most of those involved in the recent sweep were Unified Sense practitioners who had progressed towards Clarity. What's your assessment?"

"Ah…it seems passable?" Mithra replied.

Clarity, while a significant advancement beyond Unified Sense, isn't a direct determinant of fundamental strength.

Unified Sense involves harnessing one's senses to achieve miracles, while Clarity, from Mithra's current understanding, entails imprinting miracles onto one's body.

They call it "Fixing" Miracles.

Among a collection of miracles, one selects a few—the most proficient, powerful, and crucially, the most suitable—and imprints them onto their body.

Imprinted miracles, and the Clarity practitioner, become one; they truly become part of the body.

The intensity increases many times over, and it even eliminates the need for the cumbersome pre-casting rituals involved in deploying miracles, significantly reducing the demand on sensory capabilities. Consequently, miracles can be sustained indefinitely with only the lowest threshold of continuous sensory input.

Mithra hasn't thoroughly investigated other miscellaneous matters yet, but her biggest hope for this stage is achieving Stabilize freedom.

She wants to Stabilize the continuous operation of all her miracles!

The topic seems to have strayed, but the point is, at present, both Unified Sense and Clarity aim to better control and utilize miracles simultaneously.

However, the most fundamental factor determining raw strength, aside from inherent sensory capacity, remains the miracles themselves.

Mithra, even at her current Unified Sense level, is far weaker than many she has slaughtered, yet her immense sensory abilities support her God-Communication miracle, the Abyssal miracle, her head-exploding-doesn't-matter regeneration, weapon auto-adaptation, and the experimental divine weapons.

With conditions like these, she can slaughter foes despite having seemingly little foundation.

Of course, a big mouth, reckless boldness, and the ability to bluff are also extremely important.

Therefore, she remains ambivalent toward God-Communication masters and Clarity masters.

Although she's seen Clarity practitioners on Planet Blue before, even they probably couldn't have matched the Stranger and the Night Hunter.

Clarity practitioners, whether on Planet Blue or in Dreamland, while certainly not rare, aren't exactly ubiquitous.

Following this, Carazo could only twitch his lips at Mithra's words, unsure of what to say.

"How's your combat situation?" Mithra countered.

"It's…manageable…" Carazo nodded slightly, his expression rather listless.

Mithra glanced at Liyu. "Is this typical of Fire Seed mentality?"

Liyu, looking at Carazo, felt a surge of shared empathy.

Mithra gestured towards Liyu: "She's also a Fire Seed, with a similar situation; she's searching for her lost past."

Carazo looked at Liyu with some surprise: "Not red hair."

Clearly, she was going to get scolded.

"Greetings… I am from Planet Blue, Enchanting Land." Liyu said.

Carazo was momentarily stunned. "Enchanting Land's miraculous suppression… could it even affect Fire Seeds?"

Before Mithra could respond, he continued: "Then why come here? Isn't hiding in the relatively safe and peaceful world of Enchanting Land better?"

Liyu answered: "I don't want to be haunted by lost memories and recurring nightmares."

"If you're Fire Seed, I wonder if you felt the impact of the FkyFire in Enchanting Land. Even without memories, the knowledge that this is anything but good is evident. Most Fire Seeds undergo a drastic personality change the moment they're affected, becoming the ferocious beings they are now. With such a hellish scenario before you, does the truth even matter?" Carazo pressed, almost accusingly.

Mithra silently observed Carazo, whose sudden outburst clearly betrayed his inner turmoil.

Liyu, also taken aback by the question, merely pressed her lips together, unable to immediately respond.

"It's just that you feel compelled to stop other Fire Seeds; you feel you can't not do it," Mithra said on her behalf.

Carazo looked at Mithra with disdain: "Foolish people."

Mithra shrugged.

However, a detail from the life-or-death battle he'd almost forgotten occurred to him: "By the way, did you see a small Ki believer and a Water believer with a crab-like hairstyle? Roughly the same age as her?" He pointed towards Liyu.

Fellow believers from Planet Blue, Nie Hong and Leo Duncan, probably couldn't escape this.

The vast, illusory landscape was now a "final round"; perhaps the chances of meeting again were slightly higher.

Provided they hadn't been burned to ashes, that is.

Carazo adjusted his mood, thoughtfully replying: "Ki believers are rare; I've never seen one. Water believers are plentiful, but what's a 'crab-like hairstyle'?"

"Alright, it seems we can only let that go for now. The situation is urgent; how about we cooperate for the time being?" Mithra asked Carazo again.

Carazo seemed uneasy: "No, no… I can't cooperate with you."

"Why? We're all gathered here; acting alone is far more dangerous," Mithra's eyes narrowed slightly.

Their conversation had gone on for quite some time.

Suddenly, a fiery light descended—another Fire Seed had arrived.

"Burn! This filthy, dog-shit world, burn it all! What does becoming a god matter? What does becoming an offering matter? It's all meaningless! What are you waiting for? Let's destroy everything together!" The crazed Fire Seed roared.

The other Fire Seeds, who had previously been somewhat focused on attacking Mithra, now seemed completely unhinged.

...

"Damn it, why's the density suddenly increased so much? It's incredibly dangerous now; it's all crazies out there!" Nie Hong, head hung low, stumbled back into a room.

"The situation's gone to hell…" Inside the room, Leo Duncan frowned, his hand on his forehead, utterly frustrated.

They had both reappeared in this strange place and found each other soon after.

But even together, they were helpless against this.

When would this ordeal end?

Could it even end?

Leo Duncan and Nie Hong looked around the room.

They weren't alone.

Along the way, they had gathered a group of unfortunate individuals caught in this, also believers but with poor combat experience; against the wild beasts and fire spirits, they were barely keeping it together, let alone those red-haired maniacs.

Leo Duncan and Nie Hong were essentially playing the roles of both parents and guardians.

"If only Mithra were here," Leo Duncan sighed.

Nie Hong said nothing.

"We haven't felt hunger or thirst in this world for so long, this might be an illusion. But relatedly, what exactly is the connection between this illusion and the outside world? How much time has passed out there? When will rescue arrive?" Leo Duncan, despite his sharp intellect, could only deduce a few plausible possibilities.

Suddenly, Nie Hong turned towards the window.

"What is it?"

"A powerful presence is approaching, a very strong one. It might be those red-haired crazies." Nie Hong reported directly, without preamble.

Leo Duncan furrowed his brow: "Where's it coming from?"

"Its location is roughly a few dozen meters east, at the end of that street. It's moving without a clear objective, wandering, but still approaching here."

Leo Duncan looked at the others in the room.

Damn it, this is bad.

If they're discovered, with the scale of those red-haired maniacs' flame miracles, everyone in this building will be incinerated!

"Excuse me, what's happening?" A Planet Blue resident, overhearing their conversation, asked anxiously.

"Shut up, I'm thinking," Leo Duncan said, his face covered in sweat.

Hopefully, they won't be noticed, and getting away from here will be the best outcome… For now, that seems to be their only hope; there are no other options.

Nie Hong frowned: "It's still approaching… At this distance, it's nearly impossible to hide this many people from a high-level Unified Sense believer."

"The commotion outside is loud; there's a chance we can hide," Leo Duncan said.

"Even if we're discovered, we might be able to escape, but these people will almost certainly die. Are we counting on a divine intervention from Mithra?" Nie Hong asked Leo Duncan.

"We're going to die?!" A Planet Blue student whispered, then was silenced by the death glares from Leo Duncan and Nie Hong.

"….Right," Leo Duncan's face fell as he mumbled.

Intelligence gathering and observation are useless here! Raw power! Raw power! Raw power!

"But for now, we can only try our luck; after all, our strength isn't enough," Nie Hong changed tack, agreeing with Leo Duncan and turning to leave.

"Hey, you monkey, don't go doing some stupid, individual heroic thing…" Leo Duncan called out to him in a low voice.

"We'll do our best, leave the rest to fate," Nie Hong said resolutely before decisively opening the door and heading out.

...

The thrown daggers melted instantly under the intense heat. A Fire Seed, body engulfed in flames, approached Nie Hong with a ferocious expression, repeatedly lunging to seize him and burn him to ashes.

Nie Hong desperately dodged, using his Ki Attraction to lead the opponent's movements.

Just as he condensed his Ki Absorption Hand to intercept the opponent's attack, the Fire Seed's flames swelled, engulfing the space he attempted to occupy. Nie Hong's Ki shield wasn't strong enough to deflect such a massive inferno.

His outstretched arm was burned.

Nie Hong gritted his teeth, foregoing an immediate retreat, using his Ki to deflect the flames slightly. A dagger, quickly conjured through his Ki Attraction, shot from under his arm, piercing a weak point in the opponent's flames before they could react.

The Fire Seed staggered back, pulling the dagger from its arm. Blood and the dagger were consumed by the flames.

"Ha ha, ha…hahaha…" The Fire Seed looked at its wound and let out a low, maniacal laugh.

Nie Hong's skin was badly burned across large areas; while the depth of the burns was manageable thanks to his protection, the surface area was considerable. Without prompt treatment, he would likely be scarred.

Future Unified Sense-based life lock wouldn't heal these kinds of injuries.

The forced grab of the opponent's arm also resulted in injuries to his own.

"Laugh your mother, you imbecile!" Nie Hong retorted through gritted teeth, cold sweat pouring down his face.

He had ventured out alone to lure this Fire Seed, and was immediately spotted and pursued.

Even after managing to escape a considerable distance, he was caught up with and now faced his enemy.

The opponent, a completed Unified Sense believer, was of a higher level; the intensity of their flame miracles was far beyond what Nie Hong's Ki miracles could easily handle.

The Fire Seed suddenly lunged at Nie Hong.

Nie Hong was startled and quickly rolled aside. Though clumsy, he narrowly avoided the immediate explosion of refined fire that engulfed his original position.

The Fire Seed, seizing the opportunity, unleashed an Inflammation attack, using the refined fire explosion to close the distance. With a swift kick, it struck Nie Hong in the abdomen before he could recover.

Saliva sprayed; Nie Hong was sent flying. The Fire Seed quickly hurled a molten hand at him.

Using Control Object to adjust his clothing and body shape while manipulating his Ki to entangle the opponent's arm, Nie Hong tried to evade, but the molten hand still grazed his chest.

Enduring the intense pain, Nie Hong forcefully arched his body mid-air, using his core strength to deliver a kick.

The Fire Protection expanded, sending him flying backward.

He rolled across the ground, finally coming to a stop against a wall.

The Fire Seed raised a hand, forming a falling column of fire above his head.

Nie Hong shakily stood, a dagger clutched in his hand, still pointed at the Fire Seed.

Just as the falling fire was about to strike, the Fire Seed abruptly turned, sending its flames towards its rear.

A curtain of water clashed with the flames, creating swirling steam. Leo Duncan rushed forward, water flowing smoothly around him; Water Manipulation—streaming torrent!

Countless tiny streams of water, forming water needles with unpredictable trajectories, enveloped the Fire Seed.

The Fire Seed tried to resist, but the water needles pierced through its Fire Shield, wounding its flesh.

Immediately after the wound appeared, the Fire Seed resolved itself, unleashing a massive fireball towards Leo Duncan.

A Water Shield formed, reinforced substantially, and Leo Duncan swiftly charged through the fireball barrage.

Just as the Fire Seed braced for the attack, Leo Duncan deftly slipped past, reaching Nie Hong, lifting him, and pulling him away.

"What are you doing here? Playing crab-in-a-pot?" Nie Hong asked Leo Duncan.

Leo Duncan's maneuver, although swift, suffered significantly from the crossfire, immediately resulting in several minor burns.

"You monkey, don't act tough. Damn it, you're reckless!" Leo Duncan, after a brush with that intense firepower, had suffered numerous minor wounds; seeing Nie Hong's condition, he was quite shocked.

He quickly initiated Water Purification healing, doing what little he could.

The Fire Seed was slightly surprised: "So you're friends? Excellent, excellent. Let's burn together; even our ashes will mingle."

"Put me down," Nie Hong ignored the Fire Seed, addressing Leo Duncan.

"What for? Retreating is the only option now," Leo Duncan questioned, but still put him down.

"Retreat's impossible. There are too many flames here. He can use that Inflammation miracle, though not skillfully. But since neither of us has any mobility miracles, we won't escape," Nie Hong stated, fixing his gaze on the opponent.

Molten lava streamed down the Fire Seed's body as it approached, seemingly unhurried.

"Damn it, we're screwed. We have to fight," Leo Duncan's hands trembled slightly.

No life lock, a true life-or-death struggle, with no guaranteed survival.

"With you, we can fight. This maniac isn't that strong. If we can break through its firepower, we have a chance. I can't handle its firepower and shield simultaneously, but with you, we have a chance," Nie Hong calmly stated.

"….Right, a simple plan then," Leo Duncan quickly steadied his breathing, then said.

After a brief exchange, Nie Hong produced a bottle of strong liquor and drank it down in one gulp.

He hadn't had time during the pursuit; now that he had the opportunity, he didn't hesitate.

He slammed the empty bottle to the ground. Behind Nie Hong, an Ki pattern flickered, his body turning red, even emitting steam—Ki Combustion!

From Leo Duncan's eyes, a torrent of water erupted, spreading around him.

In the next instant, both launched their attack.

Reinforce Body pushed to the limit, their figures blurred as they dashed towards their opponent.

The Fire Seed laughed, raising both hands, unleashing a massive flame miracle that engulfed the area indiscriminately.

A crimson flame surged through the network of fire, and a high-pressure column of water erupted from Leo Duncan's fingertips, aimed directly at the opponent's forehead.

However, the column of water left a trail of steam, and the final thin thread was vaporized by the Fire Shield.

The crimson figure sped along the trail of steam; Nie Hong no longer felt the burning pain—the intense heat had numbed his senses.

Ki Combustion accelerated the flow of blood and sensory input in his body, combined with Reinforce Body enhancements. This was Nie Hong's most powerful burst of speed.

The dagger in his hand, also infused with Reinforce Body, sliced through the air, leaving a red and white trail towards the Fire Seed.

The Fire Shield was ripped open, and this time, the wound inflicted on the Fire Seed was far from negligible; blood gushed from its chest, staining its robes red.

The startled Fire Seed retaliated swiftly, its body transforming into molten lava and launching a rapid counterattack at Nie Hong.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The crimson Ki Combustion flames clashed with the reddish-gold flames. Nie Hong, empowered by Ki Combustion, withstood the barrage, even managing occasional counterattacks.

Leo Duncan, slightly behind, swiftly joined the fray to assist Nie Hong.

His refined punches and kicks, combined with his Water techniques, brought the battle to a relatively even balance.

However, the damage inflicted by the body-molten-lava transformation prevented a true head-on confrontation. They could only maneuver and seek opportunities.

In a short time, Leo Duncan's burns increased.

For Nie Hong, the pain was inconsequential.

Their gazes unwavering, Nie Hong kicked the opponent back several steps, and the remaining daggers clinging to his Ki Combustion flames struck repeatedly.

Leo Duncan's Water Needle miracles, combined with his Streaming Torrent techniques, continued relentlessly from another angle.

Wear him down, wear him down! Exploit every weakness, weaken every flame, increase the odds of victory! Leo Duncan's eyes darted, scrutinizing every detail.

Under such a fierce assault, the Fire Seed inevitably showed signs of fatigue.

Leo Duncan seized the opportunity, and Nie Hong followed suit, launching simultaneous punches and palm strikes. The Fire Seed raised both hands to defend, locked in a brief stalemate.

A stalemate!?

Leo Duncan was stunned. With the lava on its hands, they shouldn't have had the means for a stalemate, but the lava on the Fire Seed's hands had significantly diminished! But that wasn't a sign of simple exhaustion. Leo Duncan abruptly shifted his gaze to the Fire Seed's feet.

The lava had inexplicably shifted to its legs! He had been so focused on exploiting the weaknesses in the Fire Shield that he hadn't noticed this crucial change!

But with the lava on its feet, it couldn't mount a swift attack…

Just as he thought that, several sparks of refined fire landed on the lava at the Fire Seed's feet.

Refined Fire Explosion? Now?!

Boom!

It wasn't a violent explosion, but a large eruption of lava. Nie Hong and Leo Duncan attempted to retreat, but were caught in the backlash.

Despite their efforts to dodge and block, they were still hit by numerous lava projectiles.

"You dare touch me?!"

At that moment, Nie Hong roared.

The Fire Seed actively dispelled its Fire Protection to grab them, but this allowed Nie Hong to make sustained contact.

Ki Absorption Hand!

The Fire Seed was stunned; its Ki began to drain rapidly.

It tried to pull back its hand.

Leo Duncan managed to break free, but Nie Hong remained clasped in the opponent's grasp.

The Fire Seed's Fire Protection reignited, engulfing Nie Hong completely.

At that moment, using the Raging River technique in conjunction with the Waterfall miracle, Leo Duncan, after gathering his strength, swiftly delivered a palm strike the instant the Fire Seed's attention shifted.

Bang!

A powerful wave of water extinguished some of the flames, striking the opponent in the abdomen, causing a pained cry.

The Fire Seed flung Nie Hong to the ground and swiftly retreated, dodging Leo Duncan's second strike.

Leo Duncan, seeing the Fire Seed clutching its abdomen and retreating, tried to pursue, but the lava burns on his leg hampered his movements.

This is bad. If distance is gained…

Bang!

A heavy thud. Nie Hong, flung to the ground, rolled over, using the momentum to propel himself upward and charge forward.

Leo Duncan noticed that Nie Hong's abdomen was burned through by lava! He was entirely sustained by Ki Combustion!

Damn it, why so reckless?! That damn monkey!

The Fire Seed, already depleted of a large amount of Ki, and further affected by the Ki Combustion, experienced an internal explosion caused by uncontrolled ignition of its remaining Ki.

Ki Combustion flames were unrelated to their flames! And these were flames originating from within the body!

Ki Combustion flames were unrelated to their flames, especially since these were internally generated flames!

His steps faltered, but he still unleashed a flame miracle to stop Nie Hong.

Nie Hong pursued with relentless attacks, the roles of hunter and hunted reversed to their extremes.

Leo Duncan braced himself, a torrent of water pouring from his eyes, then soaring into the air.

Water Miracle, torrential rain! Combined with the Raging River technique!

Raging River was a powerful, heavy-handed transformation technique; the delicate nature of the Torrential Rain miracle, which created a downpour, was normally difficult to integrate, but he was Leo Duncan, a genius, a nobleman!

Therefore, he had to make it work!

Heavy rain fell violently, like an invisible mace, engulfing the Fire Seed.

Falling Fire rapidly ascended, using the miracle to guide the rising flames, dispersing the torrential rain.

The Fire Seed felt dizzy and disoriented, its vision turning black.

Weakened by the relentless assault, its body neared its limit.

A hazy white fog filled its vision, the torrential rain clashing with its flames in a blurry, chaotic melee.

Its mind struggled to process information, yet it was suffering from blood loss and dizziness.

A crimson flash suddenly appeared in the fog and white smoke behind it. It felt intense heat, not originating from its own flames or those of the illusion.

It was…?!

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Several daggers pierced its back, emerging from its chest.

Blood gushed from its mouth. It staggered, turning to unleash flames, but found nothing.

Without hesitation, it turned again. Before its eyes, it saw the swirling Ki Combustion flames, a burned and misshapen hand, clenched into a fist, smashing into its face.

Crushing its skull!

...

"Monkey… monkey…? Nie Hong!"

Nie Hong awoke from a haze.

He instinctively took a deep breath. The intense pain coursing through his body nearly knocked him unconscious again. Even though his body felt completely useless, he desperately tried to activate Stabilize.

Ding~.

Slightly better… Although the pain was worse, at least he wouldn't faint from it.

Huh? He didn't consciously activate it? Stabilize was activated automatically?!

Nie Hong quickly checked.

His eyes, nose, and mouth had somehow achieved Unified Sense?!

He had just completed Unified Sense for his body and was about to move on to his head! And he'd suddenly surpassed 3 thresholds?!

"Dazed?"

Only then did he regain his composure, seeing Leo Duncan sitting beside him.

They seemed to be temporarily sheltered in a dilapidated building. He must have been carried back by Leo Duncan.

Leo Duncan was covered in wounds, his clothes torn, his crab-like hairstyle now resembling a bird's nest. The fact that he wasn't burned to ashes was a miracle.

"…We won," Nie Hong swallowed, whispering.

"Yeah, just as planned. Close-quarters combat to wear him down, torrential rain to disrupt, then seize the opportunity to finish him off. Well done," Leo Duncan's voice was strained. He licked his lips after uttering the final words.

"We actually won… and I didn't die. With that level of Ki Combustion, even I thought I was going to die," Nie Hong was astonished.

"…Didn't you already master Ki Combustion? Even if it was mid-battle, you probably didn't react; you were just focused on killing the opponent," Leo Duncan looked at Nie Hong with a strange expression.

Nie Hong was even more dumbfounded. "I also instantly completed Unified Sense for my head – three thresholds."

"…Damn it." Even the prodigious Leo Duncan couldn't help but curse.

His Unified Sense progress was instantly matched?! Excluding his innate Unified Sense, he was even slightly behind!

Could a life-or-death battle be this stimulating? It's completely illogical!

Although… his Water techniques had finally broken through; the interplay of refined and powerful techniques was finally clear to him.

Nie Hong looked at his abdomen, roughly bandaged; thanks to Leo Duncan's treatment, his wounds were stabilized.

"Monkey, you're no longer a rough gem; your brilliance is finally shining," Leo Duncan said.

"Thanks, crab."

"You're welcome. We've done our part; now we wait for fate to rescue us," Leo Duncan said, slowly lying down, staring at the inky black sky through the ruined roof.

Two severely wounded teenagers, side-by-side, gazed at the dark sky, their breathing gradually evening out.

...

Mithra suddenly glanced into the distance.

At his feet, a Fire Seed desperately struggled, attempting to unleash a flame miracle, but before it could fully manifest, Mithra's staff pierced its head, pinning it to the ground.

"What is it?" Liyu asked, noticing Mithra's sudden turn.

"Nothing. Just wondering if your classmates have become grilled monkeys and steamed crabs."

Liyu blushed slightly. "I hope they're alright."

"Even though they're reckless fools, I have a feeling they'll be fine," Mithra said, turning back.

"They really are amazing," Liyu echoed.

Having said that, the wide-mouthed Mithra collected the Fire Seed, activating the automatic search function. Mithra then again looked towards Carazo, who had maintained his distance throughout.

"Is there any reason to stay so far away? Is this place not clean enough?" Mithra asked.

Carazo was in a bad state. Compared to his initial aggression, he now displayed excessive emotional vulnerability, his whole being emanating a depressing, disillusioned energy.

"I want to find that thing from earlier," Mithra said.

"You're not allowed to go!" Carazo vehemently retorted.

The mention of it had instantly restored his previous demeanor.

"Why the rush? Because it's powerful, you won't go? Then why bother stopping other Fire Seeds?" Mithra asked.

Liyu felt Mithra was right.

"I'm telling you, that thing in this illusion is invincible. Searching for it is pointless; it's just a suicide mission," Carazo emphasized.

"But how can we neutralize the Fire Worship cult without dealing with that thing?"

"We'll wait for them to leave. Once that thing appears, the Fire Worship cult will likely have achieved its goals. Soon, they'll leave; after leaving this illusion, everything will be easier to handle," Carazo explained.

"But…" Mithra suddenly glanced again into the distance. "Liyu, isn't that…closer?"

Liyu looked, immediately becoming tense. "Yes! It is!"

A fierce battle was still raging there; judging by the surrounding landmarks, it hadn't moved much, but to Liyu, it felt undeniably closer.

Mithra's spatial sense was impaired here, but not completely absent.

"The illusion is still contracting; we'll collide sooner or later. We don't have much time," Mithra said.

Carazo's face paled.

Silence fell for a moment.

Suddenly, Mithra said, "Do you remember your name?"

"I…I am Carazo…" Carazo replied with difficulty.

"Do you remember anything else?"

"I…I think I remember…" Carazo's voice grew weaker, his face paler.

Suddenly, a stray fireball slammed into the ruins behind Mithra, exploding with a blast that ruffled Mithra's clothes.

They turned to see the battle zone shifting towards them.

Several loud thuds echoed through the air as several figures fell, landing near them—burned corpses.

In the next instant, a terrifying figure landed not far from them.

Its body was shrouded in raging flames, staggering towards them.

The intense heat from the flames distorted the surrounding air.

The flames around it receded slightly.

Liyu gasped.

Mithra remained impassive.

Carazo.

Another Carazo, leading another group of True Spiritfire Fire Seeds, appeared.

The Carazo conversing with Mithra stared in astonishment at the newcomer.

This True Spiritfire Carazo was in a terrible state: sweat drenched his face, bloodshot eyes, disheveled hair, and a shaky body; his gait was unsteady.

"It's me… it's me who burned… I… it's all me…" This Carazo muttered incessantly.

Then, clutching his head, he groaned in pain.

At that moment, long, slender bones materialized, wrapping around him. The flames, sentient, formed serpentine fire spirits, which, fueled by his agony, suddenly lunged towards Mithra and Liyu.

Mithra and Liyu dodged.

"What is this…?" Liyu asked anxiously.

Mithra didn't answer, walking straight to the other Carazo. "You two aren't brothers, are you? Should've explained that beforehand if you're twins."

Carazo looked at Mithra, offering no response to his jest; only a look of anguish appeared on his face. "I'm sorry."

As the words left his lips, Mithra's eyes widened slightly.

Before him, there was nothing.

There was no Carazo; he had been speaking to empty air?!

"Mithra!" Liyu suddenly shouted.

Mithra turned, his staff transforming into a bladed whip, striking out; the fire serpent was sliced from its mouth, its bones shattering, its flames extinguishing.

Gently flicking away the remaining flames from the whip, Mithra looked at the now-deranged Carazo.

"Liyu, move back. You won't have a chance to intervene in what's about to happen," Mithra said.

Liyu's lips moved, finally nodding and retreating.

Carazo's gaze fixated on Mithra: "I'm sorry… so sorry… I… I burned everything… I'm worthless… I deserve to die… I… I can't control myself…"

Although he looked at Mithra, Mithra sensed his gaze was entirely vacant, unfocused.

"I'll ask again. Do you remember your name?" Mithra's voice resonated with power.

Carazo's clouded eyes flickered slightly. He slowly mumbled, "I am… I… don't… know…"

At that moment, a message flashed before Mithra's Night Eyes.

["True Spiritfire • Fire Seed Vessel," ■■ Cause: A void vessel controlled by a specific flame. Illusory and real indistinguishable Fire Seeds require a real vessel at birth; those whose spirits are fractured and empty are ideal hosts. Convergence is the destiny of Fire Seeds. What they experienced in suffering, what they forgot, that void—that is the fuel for True Spiritfire.]

The flames spread, distorting reality with heat and chaotic phenomena. This wasn't merely a visual effect; the surrounding space seemed to be genuinely warping.

Fire spirits clawed their way from the inferno, taking on individual forms.

Liyu, watching from afar, felt a growing sense of dread.

Mithra slowly advanced, gently tapping his staff on the ground.

Thump.