Ryu and Yuki walked through the dimly lit cave.
"Hey, Yuki, since my mana control has improved, I can use my skills here now," Ryu said.
"Yes, Ryu, traveling to the past was not a bad thing, but I feel so terrible for the Elder," Yuki replied.
"You are right, Yuki. Wait... I sense something," Ryu said abruptly.
He grabbed Yuki's hand and ran forward. They reached a vast chamber where a magic circle was inscribed on the floor, and a spirit floated at its center.
"Hey, Yuki, look at this," Ryu said.
"Yes, Ryu, it's too strange," Yuki answered.
They cautiously approached the circle.
---
The scene shifted to the Demon Lord, who was observing them through a magic crystal.
"Excellent. They have found the fragment of the great Demon Queen," the Demon Lord whispered.
---
The scene returned to Ryu.
"Hey, wait, a familiar aura is emanating from that spirit," Ryu noted.
"Yes, Ryu, it is familiar to me as well," Yuki confirmed.
"Hey, wait! It's the aura of Kiyomi-sama!" Ryu exclaimed in shock.
"What? Yes, I can feel it too!" Yuki replied, panicked.
"Could it be a fragment of her soul? But she became the Demon Queen, so we must destroy this fragment, or she will be revived and destroy the entire world," Ryu declared.
"Yes, Ryu!" Yuki agreed in a fluster.
Suddenly, Ryu's ring automatically reacted and absorbed the fragment.
"Hey, what happened, Ryu? Did you absorb the fragment?" Yuki asked.
"No, Yuki, I did not do this. The ring absorbed the fragment on its own. It didn't transfer it to my body; it stored and locked it away," Ryu explained.
"Stored and locked the energy?" Yuki asked, shocked.
"Yes," Ryu replied.
Then, the magic circle activated suddenly, teleporting them back to the balcony from which they had originally been teleported to the cave. It was the same night.
---
The scene shifted to the Demon Lord.
"W-what? The fragment has disappeared! And the children, too!" the Demon Lord whispered in disbelief.
---
The scene changed back to Ryu and Yuki.
"We finally did it!" Yuki shouted, hugging Ryu.
"Yes, Yuki," Ryu replied.
They looked up at the moon, and the time passed with that view until the next day.
---
The day began. Ryu went for his training session with Akari and Yuki. At the training area, Ryu explained everything that had happened, but he omitted any mention of the grave of the great mage and the sword.
"Ryu, you are so lucky to have become the direct disciple of the gods of the past," Akari said.
"No, Sister, you are the lucky one, belonging to the bloodline of Master Sora," Ryu replied.
Actually, Sister holds the potential to become even stronger than Sora-sama. She just needs to awaken her bloodline. But the Elder said not to tell her, because she can only unlock her maximum potential if she awakens her bloodline on her own, Ryu thought.
"Well, Yuki, have you learned any new skills?" Akari asked.
"Yes, Sister. I learned some attack spells like Fire Bullet and an advanced healing spell," Yuki replied.
"Wow, Yuki, you are very talented! You learned attack spells too!" Akari said.
"No, Sister, Ryu learned many skills, and more powerful ones," Yuki said.
"What, more spells? Really? Hey, Ryu, do you have other skills?" Akari asked.
"Well, yes, Sister, but the area is near the town. The sounds and mana could attract people and enemies. We should wait until we go to the forest, or we might face problems," Ryu cautioned.
"Yes, Ryu, you are right," Akari agreed.
"Well, Yuki, you mentioned new spells. What are they?" Akari inquired.
"Oh, yes, Sister. The attack spells are Fire Bullet, Thunder Bullet, Ice Spear, and Thunder Arrow. For defense, there's the Advanced Shield, which is a basic spell. And I learned a forbidden spell, the Petrified Blood Pact. It's only a low-class forbidden spell, but it allows me to heal even internal damage. The price is that it uses 100% of my mana energy," Yuki explained.
"Oh, but that is a significant cost for a student. Remember, do not reveal this to anyone; it could attract dangerous attention," Akari warned.
"Yes, Sister, I know," Yuki replied.
They walked into the forest until they reached a lake with a massive, mountain-like stone at its center.
"Okay, we've reached a safe distance," Ryu said.
"Yes, Ryu, now you can use all your powers," Akari encouraged.
"Yes, Sister. I want to use the most powerful spell I can cast. Since I learned proper mana control from Master Sora, I can cast it correctly. I can only cast it once, as my mana storage is low, and I don't have enough mana to use it repeatedly," Ryu said.
"Yes, Ryu. Although you have an extra-large mana storage, it is not comparable to ancient times, so you can only cast spells for a short time, especially forbidden ones," Akari noted.
"Yes, Sister. The forbidden spells are truly rare. I have only learned three so far, with two more to learn in the future. I don't have all the spells yet. I still need to become more powerful to defeat the cult, as they possess many forbidden spells and powerful attacks. Just five powerful spells won't be enough to defeat them," Ryu reasoned.
"You are right. It's no wonder you learned these skills, having traveled to the ancient time. But for others, such spells are like dreams; they would pay thousands of gold coins for one powerful spell. You are very lucky to already have five. Only some experienced mages possess such spells, so remember to use them to help others. Ah, well, if we keep talking, time will pass. You should use your spell now; I almost forgot why we came here," Akari said.
"Yes, Sister, I almost forgot too," Ryu replied.
Ryu cast several magic circles, charging them for some time by fusing his mana into them. Then, he launched the attack at the massive rock. The stone shattered into many pieces upon impact, and a powerful sound wave and mana wave burst forth.
"Ryu...! When did you learn that skill?" Akari asked, stunned.
Ryu looked exhausted and began absorbing mana from his ring.
"Ah, well, Master Sora taught me. It was just a normal spell for her in that time, so it's not her most powerful one," Ryu said.
"Ryu, I think that is Mana Burst, a forbidden spell that the royal family—the one Rin belongs to—possesses!" Akari exclaimed.
"Really? The royal family holds that spell?" Ryu asked.
"Yes, and only a few people know it," Akari confirmed.
"Oh, so I'm lucky to have learned it. I don't want to reveal that I know it in front of Rin; it could attract attention," Ryu said.
"Yes, Ryu, exactly. Remember, this must remain a secret among the three of us—you, me, and Yuki," Akari said.
"Yes, Sister, I promise," Ryu replied.
They returned home. The scene shifted to a hooded member of the Shadow Cult, watching them from a distance. He sweated in fear.
"What kind of prodigy is he? Even if he can only use that skill once with his full mana storage, he could still kill a solo cult member," the person whispered.
---
The scene shifted again to the hooded Demon Lord, observing Ryu's movements through his magic crystal.
"W-what? Is he really a child? Although I can't hear what he is saying, his attacks are truly insane," the Demon Lord whispered.
---
The scene shifted to Ryu, Yuki, and Akari arriving at the ground near their house.
"Hey, Ryu, you said you were teleported to a cave and then traveled through a time loop?" Akari asked.
"Yes, Sister," Ryu replied.
"But, Ryu, could you remember the place when you returned?" Akari pressed.
"Yes, Sister. It was the same cave. There was a room behind a huge magical door with a magic circle. Wait, I can recreate it with my Light Magic," Ryu said.
"Wait, don't do that! If the circle activates, we don't know what will happen!" Akari cautioned.
"No, Sister, it will just be a single-layer Light Magic construct, like a drawing. It won't function as it's not a real, multi-layered complex magic," Ryu assured.
"Okay, then it should be fine," Akari conceded.
Ryu cast the spell, and a magic circle made of light element appeared in the air. Akari looked at it, shocked.
"Wait... I think I have seen this before," Akari said.
"What? Really, Sister? I don't know what type of circle it is exactly, but I believe it's a sealing or preservation spell," Ryu said.
"Hmm, it could be, but I don't know much about the circle either. I've just seen it somewhere," Akari said.
"Oh, really, Sister? So we might learn more about it. I don't know if this is exactly the same, but I know the circle looked like this, and I think a type of magic crystal filled with mana was floating in it," Ryu said.
"Wait, a mana stone, right?... Yes, I recognize it! I saw this inside a cave in my dreams. I just opened my eyes and saw this magic circle with a red, floating mana stone. Then I closed my eyes again and woke up in my bed. Although it was a dream, it felt real," Akari explained.
"Well, Sister, let's leave the topic for now. It's time to polish our skills. Please help me with my training, Sister," Ryu said.
"Yes, Ryu, you are right," Akari replied.
"Hey, Sister, please teach me advanced mana control. I want to master mana for better healing ability," Yuki requested.
"Yes, Yuki, let's do that. Okay, Ryu, you cultivate for your Dark element stability. Although you have proper mana control, your dark elemental powers are still unstable and detectable if an opponent concentrates on your mana flow," Akari instructed.
"Yes, Sister," Ryu replied.
Time passed. The hooded cult member was still watching them from the branch of a large tree.
Ryu suddenly opened his eyes; he had been cultivating. He looked around; it was evening, and Akari and Yuki were sleeping, leaning against a tree.
Ryu went over to them.
"Hey, Yuki, Sister, wake up. We are very late; it will be night soon," Ryu said.
Slowly, Akari opened her eyes.
"Hey, Ryu, is your cultivation done?" Akari asked in a sleepy voice.
"Yes, Sister. Let's wake Yuki and go home, or we will be late," Ryu said.
"Yes, Ryu, we are very late; I just realized," Akari said, suddenly aware of the time.
Akari shook Yuki to wake her.
"Hey, Yuki, wake up! We have to go home before nightfall," Akari said.
Yuki slowly opened her eyes. "Hey, Sister, is the training session over?" Yuki asked, looking at Ryu.
"Hey, Ryu, is your cultivation done? You were cultivating so deeply we didn't disturb you," Yuki said.
"Yes, Yuki. Well, I cultivated more than on other days," Ryu replied.
They prepared to return. By the time they reached home, it was night.
"Hey, you're all back! You are so late," Amelia said.
"Oh, sorry, Mom. I was cultivating, so Sister and Yuki waited for me," Ryu said.
"Okay, don't worry, but take care of your health," Amelia said.
"Sorry, Mom, I couldn't help you with cooking today," Akari said.
"Don't worry, Akari. Zara helped me with the cooking. Don't worry about me; I am healthy now. You should take your time to teach Ryu, as he needs to perfect his skills," Amelia said.
"Okay, Mom. Well, Sister, thank you for helping Mom," Akari said.
"Oh, it was no trouble, Akari. Let's go for dinner, or the food will get cold," Zara said.
"Yes, Sister, you are right," Ryu replied.
They went to the dining table and finished their dinner.
After dinner, Ryu and Kyros went to bathe first.
"Hey, Brother, could you please teach me some sword skills? I want to gain more knowledge to use a sword properly," Ryu asked.
"Yes, Ryu, of course. I can teach you the Flaming Sword Dance. It sounds normal, but it is a powerful skill that can save you when surrounded by monsters," Kyros said.
"Yes, Brother, I've heard rumors that only advanced swordsmen can use it," Ryu replied.
"Yes, Ryu, the rumor is correct. You need to fuse some mana with the sword to use it. I will teach you tomorrow. But I don't know if it will suit you, as you are a mage," Kyros said.
"Don't worry, Brother. Although I am a mage, I can still use a sword. It's better to have when my mana is low during a fight," Ryu replied.
"Yes, Ryu, you are right. When someone is exhausted of mana, they can rely on a sword. But nowadays, no mage learns such skills, as they prefer to show off their magic abilities," Kyros said.
"Yes, Brother, but internal strength is much better than show-off strength," Ryu agreed.
"Yes, Ryu. Well, have you ever seen a magic circle like this?" Kyros asked.
He drew a circle on the ground with his finger.
When Ryu saw it, he was shocked.
"Brother, I think I have seen this, but how do you know this circle?" Ryu asked, trying to sound normal.
I have to hide my feelings and not show a shocked face, in case he becomes suspicious, Ryu thought.
"Oh, this? Well, I saw it in a dream. I don't know exactly what circle it is; I just remembered it when you told me you would teach me the skill. I thought I should ask Zara; I think she might know," Kyros said.
"No, Brother, there's no need. I recognize the exact circle," Ryu said.
He cast the same circle with some modifications, converting it into a wind spell.
"Look, Brother, it's a simple wind spell. I think you might have seen it in a basic magic book, and that's why you dreamed of it," Ryu said.
I have to stop Brother Kai from asking Sister Zara. Sister had the same dream, and I don't know if Sister Zara has too, so I must prevent him from asking her, Ryu thought.
"Oh, it's a wind spell?" Kyros replied.
"But it's complicated... Well, Ryu is also a mage, so I suppose he is right," Kyros whispered.
Time passed, and Ryu and Kyros came out from the bath. Then, Ryu went to the ground with Akari.
"Hey, Sister, tell me properly about the dream you had. I want to investigate something," Ryu said.
"What dream? And why did you bring me here?" Akari asked.
"Well, Sister, just a little while ago, Brother Kai drew a magic circle and said he saw it in his dream. It's the same circle you described this afternoon," Ryu explained.
"What about the circle?" Akari asked, shocked.
"Yes, Sister. I modified the circle and prevented Brother from asking Sister Zara about it. Now, you need to casually ask Sister Zara if she has seen it before. We need to know about the dream because that magic circle is not normal; I saw it in the cave and obtained the mana stone there," Ryu said.
"Yes, Ryu, exactly. But you should ask Mother about it too," Akari suggested.
"Yes, I will. But we need to investigate why you had the dream," Ryu said.
"Yes, we will do it in a few days," Akari replied.
"Yes, Sister, as it happened recently, starting the investigation too quickly could draw others' attention to us," Ryu said.
"Yes, Ryu, exactly," Akari agreed.
At that moment, Yuki came into the garden.
"Hey, Ryu, won't you cultivate now?" Yuki asked.
"Oh, Yuki, have you bathed? Come here," Akari said.
"Ah, well, Yuki, I am exhausted from my previous cultivation, and I am out of mana. I need some time to recover," Ryu said.
"Oh, that's why I thought you looked sleepy," Yuki replied.
"Okay, you two talk; I will come after my bath," Akari said and went to the bathing area.
"Hey, Ryu, did you use the mental space?" Yuki asked.
"Yes, Yuki, I used it for my cultivation. Since one day in the Crimson Valley is similar to one hour in real time, I practiced there to improve my skills more than in real time," Ryu said.
"Wait, that means you trained for four to five days continuously in the mental space?" Yuki asked, shocked.
"Well, yes," Ryu answered.
"Ah, I thought you were training in the mental space, as I noticed you were continuously cultivating, but I never expected you to be so crazy!" Yuki said.
"Well, I just want to avenge my father. Since I haven't told Sister about the space yet, I can't explain my training to her. And as she has no idea how many skills I have, I can grow properly. Although I am much stronger than I show her, I hide my power because I don't want her to feel weaker than me," Ryu said.
"Oh, Ryu, you are really the best brother," Yuki replied.
Then Ryu looked at the moon.
"Hey, wait, Yuki, wasn't it a full moon yesterday?" Ryu asked, shocked.
"Yes, but what happened?" Yuki replied.
"Look at the moon," Ryu said.
Yuki looked up at the sky.
"Wait, where is the moon?" Yuki asked, shocked.
"The sky is clear; there isn't a single cloud. So why isn't the moon in its place?" Ryu said.
"Yes, Ryu," Yuki replied, shocked.
Suddenly, a magic circle materialized beneath them.
"Hey, wait, what is this?" both Ryu and Yuki shouted upon seeing the circle.
Then, the world became a void.
---
Ryu suddenly opened his eyes and found himself lying on the ground of a ruined palace.
"Wait, where am I?" Ryu whispered.
"This place looks like a royal palace from thousands of years ago," he whispered again.
He looked around once more.
"Where are Yuki and the others?" Ryu whispered.
He used his detection spell.
"My detection spell isn't working," Ryu whispered.
He tried his Third Eye skill with the same result. When he used his shadow detection spell, he found a mana source.
"What kind of mana is this? It's strange but feels familiar to me," Ryu whispered.
---
The scene shifted to Yuki. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at the sky, then became confused.
"Where is the sky? And where am I?" Yuki whispered.
She looked around.
"It's a cave, but why am I here? And where is Ryu! I can't use a detection spell like him; how can I find him?" Yuki whispered.
"Hey, Ryu!" Yuki shouted.
With her shout, the scene changed to Akari, who was trapped inside a crystal, which was in the middle of a massive chamber in the cave.
---
The scene changed back to Yuki.
"Ah, what did I do now?" Yuki whispered.
"I'm still in my nightdress; let me change into my outfit first so I can move easily," Yuki whispered.
She looked at the ring Ryu had gifted her, used it to summon her outfit.
"It's a very useful tool, and it's too precious to me as Ryu's gift," Yuki whispered.
She undressed and put her nightdress into the ring's magical space.
"Ah, although the ring is useful, I have to do everything manually to change my clothes. I'm inside a cave, so I can get undressed to change, but I couldn't do that if someone else were here. It's good that no one is here to see me naked. If Ryu were here, he could change his clothes directly with his magic space, but I have to dress manually," Yuki whispered, putting on her outfit piece by piece.
"Ah, I must learn the magic space skill from Ryu. Then I'll be able to store more items and change my outfit directly without undressing," Yuki whispered, finally fully dressed.
She started walking in the direction of the airflow.
---
The scene changed to Ryu. He was sitting on the ground of the ruin, deep in thought.
"Ah, what can I do now? I have to find a way out," Ryu whispered.
"But wait, it looks like the ruin of a palace, but now, observing the broken pieces, it feels like a ruined temple. I don't know what this is exactly, but I must head towards the source of that strange mana," Ryu whispered.
He stood up, used his dimensional magic to change into his outfit, summoned his sword into its sheath, and used his fire element as a lamp before starting to walk.
After some time, Ryu reached a broken room in the ruin. He looked at the walls, which had portraits of people covered in dust, obscuring their faces. He went closer, cleaned one with his hand, and was shocked.
"Wait, it couldn't be," Ryu whispered.
The portrait was of the headmaster of Yujin Academy.
"Is this the academy? That's why it felt like the royal palace; the two areas are close, so the ruins are mixed. That's why the area felt familiar," Ryu whispered.
"But that means..." Ryu whispered.
"I've been teleported to the future!" Ryu shouted.
---
With Ryu's shout, the scene shifted to Yuki.
"This place looks familiar, like I've seen it before. I don't know why," Yuki whispered.
She kept walking forward until she reached a broken room inside the cave. She entered.
"Wait, it's an old library," Yuki whispered.
She looked at the books on the shelves.
"These are some strange books. I think I should take them to read later," Yuki whispered.
She looked through some books and found one titled "The Grieving Shadow."
"'The Grieving Shadow'... Hmm, it looks mysterious. I'll take it," Yuki whispered, putting the book into her ring's magic space.
She took three other books, then suddenly noticed a very thick book.
"Wait, this book is enormous. What kind of book is it?" Yuki whispered.
When she touched it, a secret door behind the bookshelf opened.
"W-what? A hidden door?" Yuki whispered.
As she entered, some stones fell and blocked the exit.
"No! I'm trapped!" Yuki whispered.
She used her fire elemental magic for light and looked around. It was a secret chamber with magic circles inscribed on the stones.
"I think this is an ancient ritual area," Yuki whispered.
"Anyway, I have to get out of here," she whispered again.
She walked forward and found a narrow pathway to another area.
"Before trying to break the walls to escape, I should investigate the area first," Yuki whispered.
She entered the path. As she walked forward, two red eyes glowed and blinked into existence behind her before disappearing.
Suddenly, Yuki looked back.
"I felt some mana trace here. Ah, it's probably nothing, just residue from a ritual performed here in the past," Yuki whispered.
She ignored the feeling and proceeded.
---
The scene changed to Ryu.
"Now what should I do? First, I was teleported to the past, and now to the future. I don't think this is all a coincidence," Ryu whispered.
"Yes, child, you are right," a strange, old man's voice said.
"W-what? Who was that?" Ryu shouted, looking around.
"Hahaha, don't be afraid. I will not harm you, and I am not in any physical form," the voice said.
"Really...? So who are you?" Ryu asked.
"Ah, I am the person who controlled you when you were stuck in the past. I helped you and your girlfriend escape the time loop," the voice replied.
"What girlfriend? What are you saying? She is just my friend!" Ryu shouted, blushing.
"Ah, don't lie. I can feel your affection for her. You couldn't forget her now, even if you tried," the voice said.
"Well, actually, no, I couldn't, because I've spent a long time with her and grown close. Although it's only been a few months for others, adding the time in the Crimson Valley and the past, it's been about a year," Ryu said.
"Well, I know you love her," the voice said.
"Well, I don't know if it's love or not, but I feel something different when I think about her or talk to her," Ryu replied.
"Yes, I saw how you lost control when the cult member attacked that person in the past. Only she helped you regain control, meaning you have deep feelings for her," the voice said.
"I don't know exactly why, but can you explain why I lost control?" Ryu asked.
"Ah, yes, it was because of the mythical sword. The sword has a property where, if the user's mental power is weak, it saps their life energy and tries to control them," the voice said.
"Oh, but can you explain how we escaped the time loop? You said you helped me return to my real timeline," Ryu asked.
"Well, Yuki knows that. She also noticed the change in your behavior when I controlled you. Then I knew she was deeply attached to you. After that, I showed her the way out, which is why you were unconscious when you returned," the voice said.
"But you speak as if you've time-traveled many times. Who are you exactly, and where are you now?" Ryu asked.
"Well, I don't want to reveal my true identity, but since I am connected to your soul, I will always travel with you. There's no problem telling you; I can trust both you and Yuki. Do not reveal my identity to anyone else, not even Yuki. When the time is right, I will tell you to reveal the truth. But for now, promise me you will not tell," the voice said.
"Well, I understand. I don't want the spotlight either, so I promise not to reveal the truth," Ryu replied.
"Okay, I can trust you and Yuki, as she hasn't told you the real story of how you returned. I told her to keep it secret. Just tell Yuki you met the person who helped you escape the time loop, but don't reveal more. Well, I am the past user of the sword," the voice said.
"What, the past user? Wait, that means... I got the sword from the grave of the great mage, and I think he was the past user. So that means... but how? Are you still alive? Where are you now?" Ryu asked, shocked.
"Ah, don't be shocked. I will explain from the beginning. I told you I have no physical form; I am now only in your mind," the voice said.
"But how? Are you really Master Shinji, the Great Mage?" Ryu asked, shocked.
"Ah, well, you can call me that. Everyone in my time called me the Great Mage, but I don't need the title now," the voice said.
"W-what, really, Master...?" Ryu said, shocked.
"Oh, Ryu, don't be shocked. I will explain what happened later," the voice said.
"But how can I not be shocked, Master? You are the creator of all magic and were akin to a god in your time!" Ryu replied.
"Well, don't call me Master; you can call me Shinji or Shin. It's true I received blessings from many gods, but I am not a god myself, nor comparable to the gods who created me," the voice said.
"But how can I call you by name? You are the creator of all mages!" Ryu replied.
"Ah, I was that before, but now I am not alive. This is only a fragment of my soul, bonded with yours as the user of the Sword of the Gods," the voice said.
"What, the Sword of the Gods? I've heard rumors, but is it truly linked to the gods?" Ryu asked.
"Well, yes, and you could even speak to a god if they deem you worthy. But even though I received blessings, I never connected directly with a god, so I don't know if it's possible," the voice replied.
"But it's still strange that your soul is connected to the sword," Ryu said.
"Yes, there is a reason for that. I will explain properly how my soul bonded with you and the sword when the time comes," the voice said.
"But where are we now?" Ryu asked.
"We are in the future. You were teleported here by a demon's curse. I think the demon didn't fully understand the magic. I felt the curse when I bonded with you as you touched the sword, but I'm sure the demon intended to teleport you and watch you constantly. He failed. I also detected his mana, but you need to save Yuki and the others first. They are cursed too—all the mages and swordsmen, including your sister and Yuki," the voice said.
"What, a curse? And everyone is cursed? What about Mother, Hikari, and Sakura?" Ryu asked.
"Oh, the other family members? No, I didn't sense any curse on them," the voice said.
"Were you connected to my soul all along?" Ryu asked.
"Yes, and my fragment bonded with you when you bought your dagger in the past. That was my dagger; my soul was divided into many fragments, and one was on the dagger. I used it when I was young. When you bought it, that fragment bonded with you," the voice said.
"What, at that time? Oh, that's why I killed that person without any feeling," Ryu said.
"Ah, well, yes, because that fragment was of my angry side. Most of my soul was trapped inside the sword, so I have most of my memories, but there are still other fragments to collect," the voice said.
"You said other fragments? Do you mean other weapons?" Ryu asked.
"Yes, exactly. You need to find them," the voice said.
"But Master, how did you die in the past?" Ryu asked.
"Well, it's a long story; I'll explain later when we return. But don't call me Master; just call me Shin," the voice said.
"Okay, but I still respect you," Ryu said.
"Okay, no problem, but just use my name," the voice said.
"But why didn't you talk to me before? You could have helped me," Ryu said.
"Well, I could have, but at the time, I didn't fully trust you. Also, if I had helped you then, you wouldn't have explored more about the world," the voice said.
"Hmm, I understand," Ryu replied.
"But what if I need to talk to you anytime?" Ryu asked.
"Oh, no problem, just call my name whenever you need to talk. Since my soul is connected to yours, I can answer whenever you call," the voice said.
"But what if I'm in a place with many people?" Ryu asked.
"No problem; no one else can hear my voice. Only you can," the voice said.
"That's good. So, leaving that topic, how can I escape this place?" Ryu asked.
"Well, you need to find Yuki first, and the others, because they are trapped here too," the voice replied.
Ryu stood up and summoned fire for light.
"Okay, so how can I find them?" Ryu asked.
"Well, this domain is cursed, so first you must remove the curse. Use your shadow detection spell and go to any mana source you find; that could be the source of the curse," the voice said.
"Well, I felt some mana from inside earlier. Will that work?" Ryu asked.
"Yes, it will work. I've dealt with this type of curse many times," the voice replied.
"So, let's go to that place," Ryu said.
He walked towards the area.
---
The scene changed to Yuki. She was still walking the narrow path when she reached a massive chamber with a large magic crystal at its center.
"There's a big magic crystal, and it looks like someone is trapped inside," Yuki whispered.
Suddenly, she sensed an attack from behind and narrowly dodged it.
"Hey, what is this?" Yuki shouted.
A mysterious figure, resembling a massive cat covered in a shadowy aura, stood there.
"Is this a shadow monster?" Yuki whispered.
The monster attacked continuously. Yuki dodged most attacks and deflected some.
"This monster looks injured," Yuki whispered.
Suddenly, an attack hit the crystal, shattering it into many pieces. Akari fell out from within.
"What...? Sister, is that you?" Yuki shouted.
She tried to approach Akari to wake her, but the monster's power suddenly increased, and it attacked faster.
"The monster became more powerful! I can't beat it. If Ryu were here, he could defeat it," Yuki whispered.
Suddenly, Yuki shouted Ryu's name.
At that moment, Akari opened her eyes. She stood up, summoned dark element to cover her body as clothing, and began to levitate.
"Stop!" Akari shouted.
The monster showed respect to Akari and dissolved into darkness.
"Hey, who are you? How do you know Ryu? And wait, your aura is familiar. Tell me who you are," Akari demanded, her voice echoing.
"Sister, what happened to you? You can't remember me, but you remember Ryu? What happened in a single night?" Yuki shouted, shocked that Akari controlled the monster.
"I don't know what you're saying. Tell me how you know Ryu," Akari said.
"I am Yuki! Remember me, Sister!" Yuki shouted.
"What, Yuki? Is that really you? But you look like a child; how is that possible?" Akari asked.
"What child? Is something wrong, Sister? I know I'm still a student at Yujin Academy; how could I be older?" Yuki replied.
"What? But how are you alive? More than that, you've forgotten all your memories? Ryu will not accept this reality, Yuki," Akari said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Sister, why are you crying? Why are you talking as if something bad happened to me?" Yuki asked.
"What, you don't even remember the fight?" Akari asked.
"What fight? I remember I was talking with Ryu in the garden, and you went for your bath, but then I was suddenly teleported here. Ryu wasn't with me when I woke up," Yuki said.
"What? Yuki, has someone cursed you or sealed your memories?" Akari asked.
She approached Yuki and touched her forehead with her own, using a mind vision skill.
"No... Are you really from that timeline?" Akari asked.
"What timeline...? Not again," Yuki whispered.
---
The scene changed to Ryu.
"Hey, wait, I lost the mana trace," Ryu whispered.
"What happened, Ryu?" Shinji's voice asked.
"Nothing, but... I lost the mana trace," Ryu said.
"But how?" the voice said.
"Yes, it was at a long distance and now it's gone," Ryu said.
"But wait, Ryu, try using your Third Eye skill now," the voice said.
"What, now? But it wasn't working before," Ryu said.
"But since you lost the trace, the curse might have been partially removed, and you might be able to use your skills now," the voice said.
"Yes, that's a good point," Ryu replied, using the skill.
"Yes, I can use the skill now! But I still can't see inside the domain where I felt the mana before," Ryu said.
"Okay, so mark the location and go there. Even without a trace, you can investigate to find out what happened," the voice said.
"Yes, you're right," Ryu replied.
As he started walking, he suddenly sensed an attack from above. He blocked it and looked at the attacker.
"Hey, it's a flying monster," Ryu whispered.
"Well, it's a low-rank monster, but a different type. I think it has consumed a mana stone and is using its power," the voice said.
"What, a mana stone? But monsters aren't that intelligent, right?" Ryu said.
"Yes, but this is thousands of years in the future. There might be a main entity controlling them, so be careful," the voice said.
"Yes, you are right," Ryu replied.
"Remember, while fighting, don't just attack; find the opponent's weak spot," the voice advised.
"Yes, I understand," Ryu replied.
He attacked the monster. Ryu continuously struck it until the monster clawed him, injuring him.
"Oh, Ryu, you are a magic swordsman, right? Why aren't you using magic with your sword?" the voice said.
"Yes, you're right; I can use magic," Ryu replied.
"In real fights, you must rely on your own abilities. I can't help you in intense battles because there's little time to react. You have to act on your own. If I guide you mid-fight, you could get distracted and defeated. So, remember to use your abilities and experience properly," the voice said.
"Yes, I understand," Ryu replied.
He fused fire element into his sword and attacked the monster, injuring it. The monster tried to flee.
"Hey, you can't escape!" Ryu shouted.
"Hey, Ryu, follow and kill it, or it might bring back more monsters, and you'll have trouble fighting them all," the voice said.
"Yes," Ryu replied, running after the monster.
---
The scene changed back to Yuki.
"Oh, I see. I understand now," Akari said.
"Yes, Sister, but why were you shocked that I'm alive?" Yuki asked.
"Nothing, Yuki, just forget that. I think I had a bad dream," Akari replied.
"Okay, but why were you here, trapped in a crystal?" Yuki asked.
"Well, there is a great reason you will know in the future. From what you explained, you don't belong to this timeline; your past is different from the one I experienced," Akari said.
"What difference? But how are we the same?" Yuki asked.
"Yes, your thinking is normal, but since we are identical to your real timeline, it's possible you are from a parallel timeline—another world similar to this. This is the future version of your timeline, but not identical to your reality," Akari said.
"Hmm, but I don't fully understand; it's too complex," Yuki said.
"Yes, it is, but once you travel through timelines with your own power, you will understand how it works," Akari said.
"Maybe, but in this world, what is your past and your connection with Ryu?" Yuki asked.
"Well, if I tell you about my past... it's a faded memory, but I remember some great things," Akari said.
"Yes, that's normal as you grow older," Yuki said.
"Yes, but these are memories from thousands of years ago," Akari said.
"What, thousands of years?" Yuki asked, shocked.
"Yes, don't be shocked. I received a blessing from the Goddess of Shadows, so it's normal for my lifespan to be extended beyond a human's," Akari said.
"Really?" Yuki asked.
"Well, it may be different in your timeline, but yes, it's possible here," Akari said.
"Oh, how did you get it?" Yuki asked.
"Well, I don't know, but I've had the blessing since birth. When the priests in my village discovered I was blessed by the 'cursed' goddess, they thought I would bring tragedy to the village or the world, so they killed my entire family," Akari said, closing her eyes as if viewing past scenes.
"What? Killed? But why, Sister? They were corrupted, I think," Yuki said.
"Well, no, Yuki, it was normal to them because I was blessed by the Cursed Goddess. The story behind the goddess is different. She was once a normal goddess who manipulated shadows, hence her name, the Goddess of Shadows. But as the world didn't want her to be happy, one day she blessed a hero from history named Shinji. After he defeated the Demon Lord to protect the world, the goddess blessed him and took him as her disciple, training him to become powerful and usher in a new era. But, as usual, there were villains who didn't want a happy world. They killed all of the hero's family while he was training in the Realm of the Gods," Akari explained, pausing to look at her ring.
"But what happened after that, Sister?" Yuki asked.
"Well, it's a very dark story. When the hero's family was killed, he was unaware. During his training, the goddess fell in love with him for his kindness. But as a goddess, she couldn't be with a human, so she suggested he purge all evil from the world, after which he could enter the Realm of the Gods and attain a status equal to theirs. Then, the hero returned home, but when he saw his family's dead bodies, his heart broke. He became corrupted, and because the Shadow Goddess's powers are destructive, he began to destroy the world, becoming a villain," Akari explained.
"The world is truly more evil than we thought, not just in one timeline but in every timeline. It's similar to the great tragedy in my timeline, where Kiyomi-sama became the Demon Queen and started destroying the world after her lover was killed by an evil cult. But what happened to the goddess?" Yuki asked.
"Well, when the hero became a villain, all the gods decided to kill him. But the Goddess of Shadows loved him and opposed them. For that, the other gods expelled her from their clan and cast her out of the Realm of the Gods. Then, they killed Shinji to save the world. Everyone knew he was blessed by the Goddess of Shadows and then corrupted, but the true story behind the destruction remained hidden, known only to the gods. After her love died, the goddess created her own domain and lived there. Rumors spread that she was a cursed goddess, and everyone stopped worshipping her. Actually, the gods didn't force her out; they knew the truth. They only sealed her powers temporarily to kill Shinji, as she wouldn't have allowed it. Afterward, she regained her powers but chose to live outside the Realm, as people would lose faith in the gods if she remained. Everyone believed a false version. After that, the goddess never blessed anyone else, as she found no one worthy. But after many long years, she blessed me. I don't know why, but it's true. Only those blessed by gods know the true past, but since they can't change the world's mindset, they do nothing," Akari explained.
"Oh, Sister, that's a very dark story," Yuki said.
"Well, the goddess doesn't dwell on it anymore. She created a secret cult with my help and leads it to eradicate evil from behind the scenes, ensuring such things don't happen again. She is happy to help the world from the shadows," Akari said.
"Oh, that's good. Although she is happy, she lost her love. But what happened in your past after your family was killed, and how did you meet Ryu?" Yuki asked.
"Well, after my family died, I escaped. The goddess helped me, called me to her domain, and apologized. She blessed me to save the world, so I agreed and accepted reality. She trained me, and I returned to the world when I grew up, hiding my identity. One day, I met Ryu, who was a good person and an adventurer. I traveled with him and fell in love. With my secret, I couldn't be with him, but the goddess allowed me to tell the truth. Ryu said he already knew everything, as he was also blessed by gods, and he believed me. I confessed my love, and we became lovers," Akari explained.
"What, really? But in my timeline, you are Ryu's sister! Everything is so different, yet similar in some ways," Yuki said.
"Yes, and when you called me 'Sister,' I was shocked. When I saw your memories, I realized you aren't from this timeline," Akari said.
"Really? But what about me in this timeline?" Yuki asked.
"Well, you might find it odd, but you were Ryu's second wife. You were once a girl suffering from a curse that would kill you in a few years. Ryu cured the curse, and you fell in love with him. After everything, he accepted you as his second wife," Akari said.
"What, really?" Yuki said, blushing.
"Well, the story wasn't smooth. One day, you used all your life force to save Ryu, becoming a lifeless body without a soul, falling into a deep sleep. To save you, Ryu used his blessings and traveled through different dimensions, but you remain asleep. That's why I was shocked to see you," Akari explained.
"Oh, that's the reason. This world is similar to my timeline in some aspects but very different in others," Yuki said.
---
The scene changed to Ryu. He was chasing the monster when it entered a cave.
"The monster went into the cave," Ryu whispered.
"Yes, it will be easier to defeat a flying monster inside a cave, but there might be a group of them, making it hard to fight," Shinji's voice said.
"Well, it's dangerous, but I'll take the risk. Let's enter the cave," Ryu said, going inside.
"Oh, you are just like I was in my youth," the voice said.
"Well, I don't know about your youth; tell me when we return. I want to hear all your stories," Ryu said.
"Okay, I'd be happy. I never had children or grandchildren to tell my stories to, so this is good," the voice said.
"Oh, then I'll call you Grandpa from now on," Ryu teased.
"Ah, don't! It's okay, I won't tell you anything about my past," the voice replied, feigning anger.
"Oh, don't be angry; I won't call you that. It would feel odd anyway," Ryu said.
"It's okay. Now, focus on finding the monster," the voice said.
"Yes, I am, but I need to focus on my surroundings; there could be traps in a cave," Ryu replied, suddenly activating a teleportation circle trap.
"Wait!" Ryu whispered.
"Ah, I told you! Now, get out!" the voice said.
"I accidentally activated a trap," Ryu replied.
He looked around and found himself in an underground pathway.
"I don't know where we are, but I feel some mana ahead," Ryu said.
"Yes, I feel it too," the voice said.
"What, really? But you said you have no physical form; how can you feel it?" Ryu asked.
"Although I lack a physical form, I'm connected to your soul and can feel everything you feel," the voice said.
"Oh, that's useful," Ryu said.
He moved forward and suddenly reached a massive chamber filled with many magic crystals. Ryu approached them.
"Hey, Sister, Sister Zara, and Brother Kai are trapped inside!" Ryu said.
He broke the crystals with his sword.
"They're unconscious. But first, give Akari some clothes," the voice said.
"What clothes? What happened to her?" Ryu asked, looking at Akari.
He then saw that Akari was naked.
"Hey, what is this? Why is she like this? The others are fine," Ryu whispered, averting his eyes.
"I told you before; I think she was bathing when we were teleported," the voice said.
Ryu covered Akari by summoning her clothes from his magic space.
"Ah, it's good I forgot to take them out when we returned home," Ryu whispered.
"Yes," the voice said.
Time passed, and Akari slowly opened her eyes. She noticed she was on the ground inside a cave.
"Wait, where am I?" Akari whispered.
She looked around and saw Ryu sitting beside her.
"Hey, Ryu, where are we?" Akari asked.
"Oh, Sister, you're awake," Ryu said.
"But what happened? Why was I unconscious, and why did I wake up here?" Akari asked.
"Ah, I don't know, but someone told me a Demon King cursed us, teleporting us to this future timeline," Ryu said.
Shinji told me to say this so they wouldn't suspect anything, Ryu thought.
"Oh, really? Who was this person?" Akari asked.
"The person...?" Ryu stalled, waiting for Shinji's response.
"Tell her an old man, an experienced mage of this era, told you. He said your clothes looked ancient, so you might have been teleported to the future, and he'd heard of similar cases," Shinji's voice instructed.
"Yes, he said he was an experienced mage of this era. He told me my clothes looked old-fashioned, so I might have been time-teleported, and he'd heard of such cases before," Ryu explained.
"Oh, I see. But where is Yuki?" Akari asked.
"Well, I'm looking for her too," Ryu replied.
"Oh, but why didn't you use your detection skill to find her?" Akari asked.
"Well... I did use it, and the Third Eye skill, but I couldn't find her. Then I used shadow detection and found you," Ryu replied.
"What? You weren't with us from the start?" Akari asked.
"Well, no, I was outside the cave. I followed a monster in and sensed mana, which led me to you," Ryu replied.
"Hey, Ryu..." Kyros's sleepy voice sounded.
"Oh, Brother Kai, you're awake!" Ryu said.
"But where are we now?" Kyros asked.
"Well, it's the ruin of the magic academy. We've been teleported to the future timeline," Ryu replied.
Zara woke up too, and Ryu explained the situation to them.
---
The scene changed to a hooded figure emitting a dark aura.
"The seal has broken," the person whispered.