Chapter 95: Secrets of the Ancient Ones

---

As the tense silence in the dimly lit room stretched on, Loira finally broke it. Her voice was calm but heavy with the weight of countless years of history. "The enemy… they are ancient," she began. "They have lived longer than any other race, longer than you could imagine. They were the first to discover mana. Long before anyone else understood its potential, they had already mastered it, shaping its raw energy to bend reality itself. They created the very foundation of what we now call magic."

Dabi and Elder Wanka exchanged glances. Loira's tone, usually guarded, was now revealing a hidden depth. She continued, "They were the first to teach others how to channel mana through their bodies. But they didn't share their knowledge out of kindness or altruism. No. They did it to make servants, to create followers out of the younger races—humans, elves, dwarves, all of them. For centuries, they ruled as tyrants, controlling vast regions through their mastery of mana."

Loira's eyes grew distant as she recounted the tale. "But there were some who resisted. Ten thousand years ago, a great war erupted between them and the other races. Though the ancient ones were powerful, their arrogance blinded them. The united forces of other races fought with everything they had, pushing back against their tyranny. And although the ancient ones won, it came at a heavy cost. Their powers were severely weakened, their influence shattered."

She paused, letting her words sink in, and then continued, "It was after this war that the ancient ones retreated into hiding, isolating themselves from the world. They left the other races to their own devices, no longer interfering, but keeping watch from the shadows. And so, in the aftermath, magic evolved. It spread across the lands, traded like gold. Over time, the teachings of mana developed, and now, everyone can awaken to their potential at the age of 18, after discovering their class. Magic became something universal, something accessible."

Loira's voice dropped to a near whisper, the gravity of her next words weighing on her. "For eight thousand years, they remained silent. But two thousand years ago, they returned. Stronger. More ruthless than before. They started conquering dimensions, one by one. They became unstoppable, their power reaching heights that defy comprehension. Not even the strongest among us, the gatekeepers of the dimensions, could stand against them."

Dabi listened in stunned silence. He had heard of the gatekeepers—legendary protectors of the dimensions—but to know that they had faced an enemy so terrifying and failed was a revelation. Loira continued, her eyes distant, haunted by the memories of past battles. "The ancient ones created an elite force—their Ten Family Elders and their Three Grand Elders. They are on a level beyond anything we can imagine. We gatekeepers tried to fight them, tried to protect the dimensions, but we were no match. They hunted us down, treating it like a game, like sport."

Her voice trembled slightly, though she tried to maintain her composure. "They put bounties on our heads, making it a twisted competition to see which races could hunt down the gatekeepers the fastest. And in the end, we fell. I am the last of my kind, as you already know."

Dabi and Elder Wanka were quiet, the weight of Loira's story pressing down on them. They had only scratched the surface of this hidden world, and now they were tangled in something much larger than themselves.

"What should we do now?" Dabi asked, his mind racing with possibilities. The thought of an enemy so powerful, so ancient, chilled him. He had always known there were strong forces in the world, but this was beyond anything he could have anticipated.

Loira, however, didn't seem too alarmed. "For now, we can rest easy. They can't come to this dimension directly. Their power is vast, but they are restricted. They can only send their minions, like Zarek, or corrupt humans to do their bidding. But as long as the dimensional barriers hold, they won't be able to enter this world themselves."

Dabi frowned. "Why can't they come directly? What's stopping them?"

Loira's expression hardened, and Dabi could tell she wasn't ready to share everything. "That's a conversation for another time. For now, we have more immediate concerns. Zarek has been defeated, but your home is in ruins, and your siblings are waiting for you. We should see to them first, before worrying about enemies we cannot yet face."

Dabi could sense the shift in her tone, and while he wanted to press further, he decided against it. Loira was hiding something, that much was clear, but now wasn't the time to pry. The fight with Zarek had been grueling, and his thoughts drifted to his younger siblings, Eli and Mira. They were all that mattered now. "You're right. Let's go check on them. We need to rebuild the house and make sure they're safe."

Elder Wanka, who had been quietly listening the entire time, nodded. "I'll deal with Zarek. We can't leave him unchecked. You two go on ahead. Take care of what needs to be done."

Dabi gave Wanka a nod of appreciation, then turned to leave the abandoned hall. As they stepped outside, the first rays of dawn were breaking through the horizon. The night had been long, filled with chaos, and now, as the sun began to rise, it felt like the world was resetting itself. Dabi couldn't help but feel a strange calm wash over him.

"It was a crazy night," Dabi muttered to himself as they walked through the wreckage-strewn streets toward his home.

When they finally reached the house, Dabi's heart sank. The damage was far worse than he had imagined. Walls were crumbled, windows shattered, and debris littered the yard. It wasn't just a house—it was the place he had built for his siblings, a sanctuary. Seeing it in ruins stirred something deep within him.

Without wasting time, Dabi pulled out his communication device and contacted a local construction company. It wasn't just about fixing the house; it was about restoring the safety and stability he had promised his siblings.

The morning light illuminated the broken home, but Dabi wasn't discouraged. He had fought too hard to let something like this get him down. Loira stood quietly beside him, watching him as he made plans for repairs.

As they waited for the builders to arrive, Dabi's thoughts once again wandered to the ancient enemy. There were too many questions left unanswered, too many mysteries surrounding Loira's past and the true extent of the danger they were facing.

But for now, those questions would have to wait. His siblings needed him, and the world would keep turning, even in the face of ancient threats.

The chapter ended with the house in ruins, but the promise of rebuilding, bot

h physically and emotionally, lay ahead.

----