Hifung: Disappeared!? What do you mean, disappeared!?
Ray: I don't know… she just vanished.
Hifung lowered his gaze, his mind clouded with thoughts of Micyl.
Ray: Don't worry, she'll show up soon. I'm sure of it.
Hifung looked at Ray, his eyes filled with silent despair.
---
As the sun rose high in the sky, Hifung and Ray left the hospital and began walking toward the royal palace.
When they reached the doors to the throne room, Ray knocked lightly, then opened it.
Ray: Your Majesty.
Inside the room stood the king and Feds. Hifung and Ray stepped in quietly.
King: Are you alright, Hifung?
Hifung: I'm fine.
The two took their seats on the sofa before the king's desk.
King: The Kingdom of Hakao has lost its ruler. With no one left to lead them, Hakao has now bowed under the might of the Milty Kingdom.
King: From this moment forward, Hakao is under Milty's reign. I've already sent a general to take command there.
Ray: Oh...
King: So, what's your next move?
The king turned to Hifung, who sat in silence, clearly still struggling to process everything.
Hifung: I'll stay in Milty for a few days… to think things through.
King: Alright. You may stay here as long as you need.
King: I'm deeply grateful to both of you for aiding this kingdom in its battle against Hakao.
King: Without your help, we would've surely fallen.
Ray: It was our duty.
Hifung: Yeah...
Hifung looked drained, lost in his own thoughts. The king noticed immediately.
King: Micyl… she vanished mysteriously.
Hifung glanced at the king, confused.
King: A few days before she disappeared, there was an unusual earthquake.
King: That quake emitted a powerful red aura.
Hifung suddenly remembered it—the earthquake he had dismissed as ordinary.
King: I believe her disappearance is connected to that incident.
King: I sent a unit to investigate, but so far, we've found no trace of its origin.
Hifung lowered his head, grief weighing on him. His thoughts returned to Micyl.
King: Don't lose hope. She will return… one day.
The king rose and walked to the large window behind his seat, gazing out at the warm sunlight breaking through the sky.
---
Hifung and Ray returned to their respective homes.
When Hifung entered his house, he slowly walked through it, memories of his parents flooding back.
He saw shadows—faint illusions of his mother washing dishes in the kitchen, his father napping peacefully on the sofa.
He collapsed onto that same sofa and let a single tear escape. The grief of losing them was too heavy to bear.
He shut his eyes, thoughts consumed by his parents… and Micyl.
Everything turned darker—shadows of his parents and Micyl slowly drifting away, fading into the void.
Hifung clenched his fists tightly.
A faint crimson aura began to seep from his clenched hand.
---
Meanwhile, Ray sat quietly in his home, staring blankly at the walls, haunted by memories of his father.
Suddenly, a thunderous explosion shattered the silence, shaking the ground beneath him.
Ray whipped his head toward the front door.
Ray (in his mind): "No way… could it be… Micyl!?"
Without hesitation, he burst out of the house and sprinted toward the source of the explosion. When he arrived—
The king and Feds landed beside him, descending from the sky.
King: Ray, what happened!?
Ray: I don't know!
They all turned toward the smoke—within the thick plume, a shadowy figure stood cloaked.
A chill ran down Ray's spine.
Ray: No… it can't be…
From the smoke emerged Hifung, cloaked in black, the edges of his garment glowing a faint red.
The king, Feds, and Ray were all struck with shock.
Ray: Hifung!
Hifung met their gaze with eyes full of fury—but something was off. He wasn't conscious.
Feds: He's not in control.
Ray: What!?
King: The weight of everything… it's broken him.
Ray's face twisted in panic.
Ray: What do we do!?
As panic rose, Hifung launched forward with terrifying speed, his right hand cloaked in red aura.
The king, Feds, and Ray barely had time to react.
The king quickly coated both his hands in aura, just in time to block Hifung's devastating punch.
The impact drove the king back, though he managed to stay on his feet.
Ray and Feds immediately rushed in to assist. Feds summoned fire magic and hurled it at Hifung.
But Hifung easily shattered the flames with a swipe of his left, aura-infused hand.
Feds: What!?
Ray charged at him, summoning his lightning sword in his right hand. He slashed toward Hifung.
But Hifung conjured a blade of magma in his right hand—the two swords clashed, sparks flying.
Ray struck again and again, but none of his attacks landed. Each one was blocked with ease, the collisions creating bursts of explosive energy.
The king dashed in next, wielding his own lightning blade, aiming to strike—but Hifung had already drawn a second magma sword in his left hand to parry.
Both Ray's and the king's strikes were blocked effortlessly.
King: We have to wear him down until he collapses.
Ray: Got it!
Together, they unleashed a flurry of attacks. Feds, meanwhile, stood back, watching intently.
Feds (in his mind): "That boy… he's grown terrifyingly strong."
His eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he summoned a lightning blade and leapt into the fray.
Hifung, noticing him, unleashed a powerful slash that blasted the king and Ray backward.
King: Feds!
Feds readied a strike, but just as he raised his sword, it snapped in half.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Feds: Impossible!?
Hifung's crimson-coated leg shot forward, kicking Feds in the gut.
The blow launched Feds far into the air—he crashed to the ground and lost consciousness.
Ray: Feds!
King: This is spiraling out of control!
Hifung charged at them, dual magma blades blazing.
Ray and the king braced themselves, gripping their lightning swords.
But Hifung was unhinged. He was no longer himself.
Strike after strike came down, each one parried by Ray and the king—but barely.
Hifung's attacks grew faster, stronger, more violent. They were being overwhelmed.
The king finally faltered—Hifung slammed a red-aura kick into his stomach.
Ray: Your Majesty!
The king was sent flying but managed to stand again—until Hifung soared toward him with blinding speed.
The king tried to defend, but Hifung's Flying Kick struck both of his arms, pushing him to the limit.
The king couldn't hold on—he was flung back and crashed, unconscious.
Ray stared in horror, his heart racing.
Hifung met his gaze, his eyes wild and feral.
Power surged from Hifung's body, crimson lightning erupting all around him.
Hifung: Huaaaargh!
He hunched slightly, cloaked in black with glowing red edges, red aura crackling violently from his skin.
Ray (in his mind): "This is bad… really bad!"