Back to the time when Vetaal and everyone else were free.

Somewhere far away from the cursed island, beyond the endless sea.

On the vast human continent, within the territory of the Valmoria Kingdom.

The world remained unaware. Unaware of what had just been released. Unaware of what had just changed.

Deep within a dense jungle, where towering trees blocked most of the fading evening light and only scattered rays filtered through the thick canopy, a young man trained alone.

The air was humid. The ground was uneven.

And the silence of the forest was broken only by the sound of a blade cutting through the air.

Slash.

Slash.

Slash.

His movements were smooth. They were controlled, precise.

Each swing of his sword flowed into the next like water, forming a continuous sequence of elegant strikes that showed both discipline and countless hours of training.

Sweat dripped down from his forehead, tracing a line along his sharp jaw before falling to the ground.

His dark blue hair clung slightly to his skin due to the heat, while his blue eyes remained focused, sharp, and unwavering.

He looked to be around nineteen or twenty years old.

But far from inexperienced. This young man was Arnold.

His breathing was steady, though slightly heavy from the continuous exertion. His muscles ached, his body demanded rest, but he ignored it.

He raised his sword again. His stance lowered slightly.

Then he moved.

A sudden burst of speed.

The blade flashed as it cut forward in a swift diagonal arc, followed by a precise thrust aimed at an imaginary opponent's throat.

He stepped, pivoted, and slashed again. Every movement carried intent. Every strike carried purpose. He wasn't just swinging a sword.

He was refining himself. Becoming sharper.

He was becoming stronger and faster.

The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow through the gaps in the trees, painting the forest in shades of gold and shadow.

Arnold exhaled slowly as he finished a sequence, lowering his sword slightly.

For a brief moment, there was peace.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

The sound was sudden.

Sharp, out of place, but familiar to him.

Arnold froze mid-motion. His brows furrowed slightly. "…What?"

A translucent blue screen appeared in front of him.

Floating in the air, in front of him. It was his system.

But something was wrong.

The screen flickered.

The usually calm interface began flashing with warning signals.

Red light pulsed across its surface.

[Warning! Warning! Warning! Warning!]

The mechanical beeping grew louder.

More urgent.

Arnold's expression hardened as he straightened his posture, gripping his sword instinctively.

"What's happening?" he asked, his voice calm but alert.

The system didn't respond immediately.

Instead, the red warnings intensified for a few seconds.

Then suddenly everything stopped. The screen stabilized. The red light vanished.

Returning to its usual blue glow.

A faint mechanical sound followed.

Words began to appear.

Slowly, one after another.

[Something has happened… that should not have happened now.]

Arnold's frown deepened.

"What do you mean?" he asked immediately. "What happened?"

There was a brief pause. Then the system responded again.

[A being who was meant to remain sealed for several more years… has been unsealed prior to its designated time.]

Arnold's grip on his sword tightened slightly.

His eyes narrowed. He didn't know who it was talking about. "…Which being?"

He paused before continuing, "And why does it matter?"

His tone remained controlled, but there was a hint of tension beneath it now. The system's response came without delay this time.

[The future is changing.]

The words appeared slowly. They felt heavier and more deliberate.

[The fate that was once certain has deviated.]

[It has changed in a way that cannot be calculated, cannot be understood, or predicted.]

Arnold's heartbeat picked up slightly. "…Explain clearly," he said, his voice lower now.

But the system continued in its own rhythm.

[The variables have shifted beyond prediction.]

[The path ahead is no longer stable. Calamities that were meant to occur later will now arrive sooner.]

The jungle around him felt quieter, as if even the air had grown tense. Arnold stood still, staring at the glowing screen.

"…Calamities?"

His voice was barely above a whisper now. "What kind of calamities?"

There was no immediate answer.

Then the system displayed its final message.

[Host must grow stronger. Information cannot be shared. Host needs to grow stronger to know that.]

"Tch!" Arnold clicked his tongue.

[The pace must increase. Prepare for what is coming. The world will descend into chaos soon.]

The words lingered for a moment. Then the screen flickered. And disappeared, leaving Arnold alone.

In silence.

He didn't try to summon it again. He knew he wouldn't get any more information about this.

It had done its job by telling him to get stronger fast. Now he needed to do that.

The jungle returned to its natural sounds, the distant chirping of insects, the rustling of leaves, but it no longer felt the same.

Something had changed, even if he couldn't see it yet. Arnold stood there for several seconds, unmoving.

Trying to understand what he had just heard.

An entity that was unsealed earlier than expected. The future changing because of that single incident.

Chaos approaching. He didn't know who that being was. He didn't know what exactly was coming. But one thing was clear. It wasn't something small. It wasn't something he could ignore.

His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. The leather grip creaked slightly under the pressure.

His blue eyes sharpened. "…Whatever it is…" he muttered quietly.

"…I'll be ready."

He raised his sword again.

This time his stance was different.

He was more serious and dangerous. There was no hesitation left, only determination in his eyes.

He moved faster than before. Sharper than before. The blade cut through the air once again, but this time, every strike carried a new weight.

A new urgency. Because somewhere in the world, something had awakened.

And whatever it was, it was enough to shake fate itself.

---

At the same time, away from the place where Arnold was training.

In the same kingdom.

Duchy of Astron,

In a big city named Valdrim that belonged to the Duchy of Astron.

There was a palace situated at one corner above a hill in the city,

From which the whole city could be seen.

In one corner of that palace was an office belonging to the Duchess of Astron.

The office was huge, with wooden shelves along the walls, filled with many books. Sheets of paper filled the room.

At one side of the office was a desk. There sat a beautiful woman in her late twenties.

Her long orange hair was tied in a high ponytail. Her skin was fair and smooth, without any blemish. Just flawless.

Her lips were rosy and plump.

She was wearing black trousers and a white blouse shirt, its ends tucked inside her waistband.

Her clear sky-like blue eyes were studying the documents on her table.

But suddenly she stopped her movements.

She raised her head and looked outside the window from where evening light was pouring in.

Her eyes began to gleam, and unusual patterns appeared within those orbs. They glowed beautifully, as if trying to understand something.

Soon her eyes returned to normal.

"This is terrible."

She got up from her seat and took her jacket, leaving her office immediately.

---

While in another corner of the kingdom,

Duchy of Lumireth.

In the city of Helior.

Alistair was overlooking the training of the knights of the Luminous family.

Standing at the side of the training ground, he watched them train under the evening sunlight.

His blonde hair swayed with the gentle breeze, while his golden eyes remained calm.

But that calmness tensed slightly.

'What was that presence I just felt? It came from the island. The Grave of Celestial Tree. That presence, it was too strong.' His eyes narrowed.

"Whatever happened there, it doesn't seem good," he muttered to himself.

Everything was changing faster than it should have been.