The fierce battle finally ended. Drained after losing control of his Avatar, Araka sank into fatigue. Immediately, Claude and Franz moved to restore his physical condition.
In a weakened voice, Araka lamented the damage to his Avatar, which had begun to smolder from the enemy's fiery assault. He judged his opponent to be quite cunning, able to unleash their final power at the perfect moment.
From his observations, the enemy had been briefly affected by the illusion—though only slightly. Araka then ordered Claude and Franz to track down the enemy to ensure their capture.
Meanwhile, the enemy, momentarily trapped in Araka's illusion, began to break free. Though only partially caught in the illusion, its impact was undeniably severe. As he began to complain of the lingering pain from the illusion, a woman approached and greeted him. "Are you alright, Kaito?"
Kaito groaned, his body tensing up, and asked her to dispel the lingering effects.
The woman sighed, then said with a sarcastic tone, "Maybe you shouldn't recklessly fight people. Now you're feeling the consequences."
Kaito's body was gradually enveloped by the woman's Zensh; a purplish aura pulsed around him. Dark shadows tinged with violet began to neutralize the effects of the illusion. The influence vanished instantly, restoring full movement to his body.
"It's done. So, did you manage to find what we were looking for?" the woman asked.
Kaito narrowed his eyes, slightly surprised that she inquired about their mission before his well-being. However, he replied lazily, "Yes, I have it."
"Then let's head back," she murmured with a faint smile.
The two left Yorkwes City. Meanwhile, Claude and Franz scoured every corner of the city for Kaito, but found no trace. They eventually decided to return to Araka and report the enemy's disappearance.
The fires that had raged earlier were now extinguished. Government aid had arrived, accompanied by official representatives assisting the residents of Yorkwes City.
Claude and Franz finally returned to Araka, reporting the enemy's disappearance.
"So you didn't find him anywhere in the city? Don't worry, he's unaware that I've been watching him," Araka said calmly.
Hearing this, Claude and Franz looked surprised. They wondered about the meaning behind Araka's words, what he meant by "watching."
Suddenly, Araka exclaimed, "Then let's return to headquarters. The Chairman and the others are waiting for us."
Claude and Franz fell into silence, their minds churning with questions about Araka's cryptic remark. Meanwhile, Arthur's group from Ao' Village had just arrived in Yorkwes City. They were shocked by the city's devastated state. Sadness washed over them for not arriving sooner to help the residents.
Arthur immediately took action to search for survivors. He ordered his people to form four groups, each searching a different direction.
Back at the gates of Ao' Village, Lixs, Zaresha, and Zuxsin lingered. Lixs began recounting the mysterious inscription he'd come across earlier.
"'The end of the beginning'... what does it mean?" Zaresha murmured.
Zuxsin, seeming to grasp the message's meaning, attempted an interpretation. "You have gone this far... Perhaps it means that a nation has overstepped its boundaries. And when that time comes—an event whose nature we don't know—then the end of all beginnings will arrive. If this has already happened... then everything will change."
"What do you mean, Zuxsin?" Zaresha murmured, staring at him with confusion.
Zuxsin's words about something long-awaited by the world sent her mind reeling. Meanwhile, Lixs, listening to their conversation, was suddenly whispered to by Virellia: a warning that the inscription foretold a catastrophic disaster.
Lixs fell silent, deep in thought. He began to realize that perhaps... this event had begun long ago. With a heavy tone, he spoke to his friends, revealing that the disaster had been unfolding for quite some time. A war between nations—a struggle over something sealed by ancient beings—had marked the beginning of the end.
"You mean... the war?" Zaresha asked.
A war over the legacy of sealed ancient beings... objects similar to the source of Zaresha's power, a gift from the mysterious object whose seal had now been broken.
Zaresha's eyes widened in shock. At last, she understood—the power that summoned the shadow creatures hadn't come from her... but from that ancient relic.
Zaresha furrowed her brow. "Hmph... so you already knew."
She glared at Lixs, then asked, "So, what will you do now that you know, Lixs?"
Lixs looked at his companions with unwavering conviction. "I intend to search for that ancient relic. Will you join me?"
Without hesitation, Zaresha nodded, accepting the invitation with enthusiasm. For her, this journey was a chance to unravel the mystery behind her own power.
However, Zuxsin added a condition before joining: he asked Lixs to also help him find an ancient power believed to cure his sister's strange illness.
Lixs, without hesitation, agreed. He then asked, "When shall we leave?"
"How about tonight?" Zaresha suggested.
Without objection, Lixs and Zuxsin agreed. They hurried back to the village to prepare for the arduous journey.
As he neared the village, Lixs made his way toward home—but halfway there, he remembered: today was harvest day. Hurrying, he went to the landowner's house to collect his payment.
Knock knock knock.
"Just a moment!" a voice called from within. Soon, the door opened. Lixs immediately stated his purpose. He was invited to sit and wait while the owner retrieved his wages.
After waiting a while, Lixs received his payment. He carefully checked the money before taking his leave.
On his way home, he began planning the purchase of equipment and supplies for that night. However, he noticed Virellia was unusually quiet. He turned to her.
"Don't feel like talking. That's all," Virellia replied curtly when asked.
Lixs decided to leave it be. Reaching home, he opened the door, entered, and immediately rested, preparing for the night ahead.
By the time the sun had set, his sister Claude had returned home. She called for Lixs, but received no answer. Panicked, Claude searched the entire house until she found a note on Lixs' desk in his room.
"Sis, don't worry. I have a quick errand. I might not be back until tomorrow."
Claude read the note with mixed feelings. It was unusual for him to leave at night, she thought. She decided that if Lixs hadn't returned by tomorrow, she would search for him herself.
The moonlight glinted brightly on the promised meeting place; they had gathered. Lixs was struck by Zuxsin's appearance: a scarf around his neck and what seemed like a complete set of gear—bags and self-defense equipment.
"Don't worry, you'll understand its use later," Zuxsin said, noticing Lixs' gaze.
And without another word, they stepped into the darkness,
towards the secrets of the old world,
towards a fate yet unknown,
towards a journey that would change everything.