When Kai Adler went out again, there was no sign that he was on the verge of exploding. As usual, he had breakfast with Hermione, packed his things, and prepared to set off for Cairo.
The two of them had originally planned to take a Muggle mode of transport like the train since their plan was to travel as ordinary people.
But Kai suddenly said he wanted to use the Floo Powder network at the local branch of the Ministry of Magic.
When Kai suggested this, Hermione glanced at him, smiling knowingly.
"Okay~"
Everything went smoothly. The staff at the Alexandria branch of the Ministry of Magic didn't make things difficult for the two young wizards. After a quick identity verification, they were allowed to use the branch's fireplace.
Kai held the glittering Floo Powder in the small basin, hesitating for a moment.
If it weren't for the fact that he had never been to Cairo and his Black Magic was so unstable that apparition risked literally tearing him apart, he wouldn't have chosen this undignified method of transport.
Wizards always looked so refined, so why couldn't their travel methods be a little more elegant? Using brooms for cleaning was one thing, but now they had to crawl through fireplaces?
He shuddered to think what absurd method they might come up with next.
Hermione, watching his reluctant posture, pouted in amusement.
In a flash of roaring green flames and smoke, they arrived in Cairo—the headquarters of Egypt's Ministry of Magic.
It had to be said, the Ministry was very… Egyptian in style. Stepping out of the fireplace, they found themselves in a grand hall, bustling with people. At its center, a massive stone disc floated, a pillar of sunlight descending from the ceiling, illuminating it as it rotated slowly within the beam of light.
It was the symbol of the sun god Ra—the Sun Disk, the legendary source of divine power from Egyptian mythology.
"Wow… it's incredible," Hermione gasped in awe.
Kai's expression shifted instantly.
"We need to get out of here," he muttered, pulling Hermione along as they hurried toward the exit.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Hermione looked confused but obediently followed Kai as they left the hall at a brisk pace.
Fortunately, two young people running around didn't attract much attention. At most, people found Kai's appearance a little strange—the long, black trench coat tightly wrapped around him was certainly unusual in the scorching Egyptian July heat.
No one noticed that the Sun Disk's rotation had slowed, its angle subtly shifting toward the direction Kai had just left.
Only after Kai left the hall's range did the Disk resume its steady rotation, though it seemed to hesitate, almost as if someone had glimpsed something unusual and instinctively wanted to turn around for a second look.
The two of them finally stopped. Hermione clutched her chest, trying to catch her breath.
"What was that all about?"
Kai pointed at the distant Disk.
"That thing's a massive magical artifact designed to detect every wizard entering the Ministry. If it senses the Obscurus in me, it could cause… unnecessary problems."
"Ah, I see."
Hermione accepted the explanation without suspicion, but Kai pressed his lips together, enduring the faint sting gnawing at his heart.
While he hadn't lied, he had left out the more disturbing details.
The moment he stepped into the hall, he'd seen a fragmented vision.
It was the same hall—but in that vision, he stood at its center, engulfed in black mist. Hermione sat behind him on the ground, looking at him in shock. Around them, countless wizards lay sprawled across the floor, their fates uncertain, while others stood, wands drawn, aiming at him.
The enormous Sun Disk hovered overhead, fixed directly upon him, before releasing a blinding beam of golden light that swallowed him completely.
He didn't know the exact events that led to that scene, but he was determined to make sure it never happened.
"Hey… what are you thinking about?"
A snap of fingers brought him back to the present. Hermione's face appeared before him, her lips curved in a teasing smile, the faintest glimpse of her small canines showing.
Kai smiled back.
"Let's go find Mr. Weasley."
"Huh? Where do we even find him?" Hermione asked, puzzled. She hadn't caught the subtle wording—Kai had said Mr. Weasley, not the Weasleys.
Kai didn't answer directly, simply leading her through the winding halls of the Egyptian Ministry of Magic. His steps were confident, as if he'd been there countless times before.
After passing a peculiar staircase shaped like a camel, Hermione's eyes widened in surprise—just ahead stood Mr. Weasley, deep in conversation with a robed man wearing a headscarf.
"Mr. Weasley?!" Hermione called out, stunned.
Arthur Weasley turned, equally surprised to see the two of them.
"Hermione? Kai?"
Clearly, he hadn't expected them here so soon.
"When did you arrive? Why didn't you let us know?"
Their original plan had been to report to the Ministry upon arrival, allowing officials to locate the Weasley family on their behalf.
"We just arrived," Kai replied smoothly, flashing a faint smile. "First time in Egypt's Ministry—we wanted to look around a bit. Didn't expect to bump into you so soon."
Hermione shot him a sideways glance, subtly rolling her eyes.
Liar.
Kai exchanged a few more words with Mr. Weasley before pulling Hermione aside. He handed her their luggage, along with a small, silver-edged bracelet.
Hermione recognized it instantly—Luna.
As he adjusted his trench coat, she noticed the telltale flash of silver trim beneath his robe. Her expression darkened.
Kai produced a large box, opening it to reveal neatly organized runes.
"These are semi-finished runes I crafted while we traveled. Keep them safe, and give some to Harry and Ron later."
Next, he handed her a small, undetectable extension bag—the one he always carried.
"My entire fortune's in here. Everything my Old Man and Uncle Leon ever gave me. Keep it safe."
Hearing this, Hermione grabbed his wrist tightly.
"Where are you going?"
She couldn't stay silent any longer. She'd told herself not to interfere, to let Kai handle his dangerous business alone. But seeing him pass everything to her, as if making final preparations… it made her panic.
Kai's eyes softened.
"I might not be able to finish the rest of this trip with you."
He reached out to ruffle her hair, only for Hermione to slap his hand away, glaring fiercely.
Her wide eyes sparkled with defiance—she wasn't letting him walk off without answers.
Kai sighed, licking his lips.
"If I don't go… I've got maybe two weeks left to live."
Hermione froze, the color draining from her face, her eyes turning glassy with tears.
Kai instantly panicked, pressing his forehead gently to hers, their breath mingling as he held her shoulders.
"Don't you trust me? Wait for me to come back… alright?"
Hermione pouted, trying to hold back tears, and nodded.
She had so many questions—but now wasn't the time for them.
"I'll wait for you to come back."
Kai smiled, lightly tugging at her nose before turning to leave.
"Where'd Kai go?" Mr. Weasley approached, finished with his conversation, only to find Kai gone.
"He had something urgent to do," Hermione replied, forcing a smile. "I'll be counting on you these next few days, Mr. Weasley."
For a fleeting moment, Arthur noticed how much Hermione's smile resembled Kai's.
Meanwhile, around the corner, Kai leaned against the wall, opening his palm.
Resting within was a small, intricate silver pendant—the Soul Oath that had moments ago hung around Hermione's neck.
He traced it lightly before slipping it around his own neck.
The warmth vanished from his expression, replaced by cold determination.
The black mist coiling within him finally burst free, uncontrollable.
A piercing alarm blared across the Ministry. Wizards looked around in shock as the distant Sun Disk suddenly locked onto his location.
Kai smiled faintly.
As the black mist erupted violently around him, he vanished into thin air.