Scene – Sky Palace
The moon hung high above the capital, its silver glow gently cascading over the majestic city below. Bathed in that ethereal light, the Sky Palace shimmered like a divine jewel suspended between realms—its golden spires and silver carvings glistening beneath the night's serenity.
Inside the grand halls, silence reigned.
Interior – Dragon God Tatsunokami's Chamber
The chamber was vast yet still. Ancient tapestries whispered of wars long past. An open window let the night breeze slip in, swaying the sheer curtains like ghostly veils. The pale moonlight stretched across the marble floor, reaching the feet of Tatsunokami, the Dragon God.
He stood by the balcony, silent and tall, gazing at the moon with eyes that had seen eons. His silver hair flowed like threads of divine silk, and the deep power in his presence made the still air feel even heavier.
Behind him, Riseya, a Dryad of the Thorn Forest, knelt with grace.
"So… you're telling me," Tatsunokami spoke slowly, his voice quiet but still a pressure can feel in it. Resiya sweating heavily.
"the beast inhaled... a mist breath—and they began to lose consciousness?"
Riseya nodded solemnly.
"Yes, my lord. The mist—it seeped into them. Their bodies faltered... and when their strength fell, the creature swallowed all four and vanished into the thick and enormous mist."
A pause.
Tatsunokami didn't flinch, but a flicker crossed his golden eyes.
He turned away from the moon.
So that's what you meant "when you called the fight is over in an instant."
A one-sided fight.
Riseya replied "Yes my lord."
"You may leave," he ordered, the words clipped and distant.
Riseya bowed deeply, rose without question, and left in silence, the sound of her steps vanishing into the stone.
The chamber grew still again.
The Dragon God stood alone—no guards, no light save the moon's blessing. He exhaled deeply and clenched his hand.
"Swallowed by mist… and taken."
His eyes drifted once more toward the moon.
Then, without another word, he stepped back into the shadows of the room… and lay down to rest.
Scene —Thorn forest [present]
Currently the shadow unit mission is going on.
We're always busy pushing back threats from outer space, defending borders, exposing spies, assassins, and other worlders insurgents.But this time… the threat was within.
A direct Royal Order came down.An investigation.
The case of the vanishing children in the Forest of Thorns.
When we heard it, we assumed a small recon team would be dispatched.
But then came the real shock.Chief Rox Darman himself was taking command.
He rarely moves for small missions.If he's involved, it means one thing,
This case is far more dangerous than anyone's admitting.
He handpicked eight elite operatives from the Spy Division.
The finest—stealth masters, illusionists, scouts, codebreakers, and trackers.
Our unit was named, Thorn Unit — A nine-member task force led by the Chief himself.We were divided into two squads.Each led by a secondary captain.
Chief Rox Darman would operate independently, commanding both teams and conducting external reconnaissance.I'm one of the nine.
And though I don't hold any captain rank in this squad….. I trust our Chief.
He's not just a commander. He's a living legend.
Some say he was blessed by the gods.
That Tatsunokami himself chose him for the Spy Division.
He's in the Top 20 fighters in the kingdom.
Not just by strength but also in brilliance, war tactics, handling emergencies , Annihilation.They say he can read a man's truth just by watching him .
In our world, power isn't just about brute force— It's about knowing where to strike... and when to disappear.
When we learned the mission would take us into the Forest of Thorns...
a place soaked in mystery and death…
I won't lie—I was nervous.
We all were. Because we all knew what happened with a special squad send few weeks ago. They were disappeared in the forest. And also the news spreads that a high tier mystical beast was seen.But with Chief Rox leading us…
Fear had no place to linger.
We entered the forest eleven days ago.
People whisper his name in every corridor of the Sky Palace.
Rox Darman—the prodigy, the ghost in the shadows, the genius.
They say he's a child blessed by the gods, born with unmatched brilliance in both combat and cunning.
It's no surprise Lord Tatsunokami himself handpicked him to lead the Spy Division—
not just for his skills,
but because Rox Darman can see the truth buried in silence. He can figure out
Enemy movements in no time. He can terminate all the traps in his way.
He's ranked among the Top 20 Fighters in the entire kingdom.
Though rankings shift with eras, the order remains legendary:
— 1st: Lord Tatsunokami, the Dragon God Himself.
— 2nd: His loyal shadow, Varynesia, the Supreme Sorceress.
— 3rd: General Belmoth Shen, the Shield of the Realm.
— 4th & 5th: The Twin Pillars of the Throne — Iselyor Drayn (Left Hand) and Luthian Walsi (Right Hand).
And somewhere in that top circle…