The tension in the grand hall did not ease. Emperor Thorfine leaned forward, eyes sharp.
"But Emperor Graviil, how would you even know this is Percival's doing? Do you possess any reliable proof that what you claim is true? Did you witness the Great Titan Julius with your own eyes in London?"
Graviil exhaled slowly.
"The source of my knowledge comes from someone reliable."
Thorfine's gaze hardened. "And who is this 'person'?"
"I cannot tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because their identity is confidential."
Thorfine's voice thinned, nearly a thread of irritation. "You are willing to reveal everything else, yet you hide the identity of the person who supposedly informed you?"
Graviil fell silent. His mind raced—he could not reveal Alcmena. The presence of a Dragon King in the human realm would ignite global chaos, threaten diplomacy with the Dragon Kingdom, and plunge both realms into irreversible conflict. That outcome could not be allowed.
Finally, he spoke.
"If I were to reveal this person's identity, I would be jeopardizing their safety—and the safety of those they care for."
"And how can we trust that the information this unknown individual provided is even trustworthy, Your Majesty?"
Graviil closed his eyes. Then, with solemn conviction, he placed his right hand over the Ivanovich family crest on his chest.
"I swear by my life as King of Russia, and upon the honor of my family's name, that what I speak is the truth. And I am willing to face death to defend the words entrusted to me."
The courtroom froze.
Eyes widened. Mouths fell open.
A king swearing upon his lineage and crest—under the silent witness of God—was a rarity bordering on madness. Such an oath was binding, unforgiving, and absolute. No monarch would take it lightly, and none would dare make it falsely.
Emperor Thorfine swallowed, a nervous, uneasy smile tugging at his lips. If Graviil's oath was genuine, then humanity faced two impossible catastrophes: a devil capable of wielding forbidden Sorcery… and the resurrection of the Grand Herrscher of the End.
A being the Seven Great Heroes barely managed to defeat. A being whose return meant only one thing:
They were doomed.
A hand lifted from among the leaders.
"If what you said is true—and judging by your oath, it seems it is—then how are we expected to deal with such threats? We could never hope to defeat the Lord of Apocalypse without the Seven Great Heroes."
Before fear could spread further, a voice finally entered the chaos.
Calm. Soft. Yet carrying the weight of destiny.
"There is no need for any of you to worry," said Empress Lee Seonhwa, the Queen of Shifting Tomorrows.
She sat with perfect serenity, her gentle smile unshaken by the panic around her.
"The Great Heroes may be long gone, but their legacy stands. And through that legacy… a new era of heroes chosen by fate has already begun."
The hall erupted.
"New heroes?!" "Chosen by fate?!" "Since when?!"
Seonhwa lifted her teacup, sipping with graceful ease as if she had simply commented on the weather. Her words drowned the minds of all present in turmoil. Even Graviil felt his heart drop.
Does she… already know about Xavier? About Excalibur?
The silence that followed her stillness only intensified his suspicion.
Then, she placed her cup down and stood.
Her smile remained, but her presence shifted—no longer an Empress, but a celestial judge.
"I declare before you all," she announced, voice ringing like a divine bell, "that I, the Blessed Blind Oracle of Chronos, She Who Rules the Unending Hour, have been granted a vision by fate itself."
Every emperor, king, queen, and monarch fell silent.
"Seven new Great Heroes—chosen by Origin, the Highest One—will rise once more to stand against the might of the Mad Titan, Emperor Julius, for the survival of all mortals within this universe we call our own."
Breaths halted. Hearts skipped.
Every soul in the hall, including Saint Graviil, leaned in as the prophecy settled over them like a divine decree.
Then Empress Lee Seonhwa's voice continued—measured, ethereal, and unwavering.
"And in that vision," she said, "four names were given to me. The names of heroes already present within the human realm."
A ripple of dread swept across the room.
"Misaki Yamato," she announced.
The reaction was instant.
Erika's jaw practically hit the floor. Her face drained of color, disbelief twisting into dread. Sayuri felt the same—tightening chest, trembling hands. Misaki? Their Misaki? Chosen by Origin Himself?
The Emperor and Empress of Yamato sat frozen—fear, pride, and confusion clashing in their eyes.
Only Lady Mei remained untouched. Her expression cold, still, unreadable. That alone unsettled everyone—if she wasn't reacting, did that mean she was not worried for her own descendant's hazardous fate?
Empress Seonhwa continued.
"Caelen Durandal."
Graviil blinked, startled. Caelen Durandal? Adam Durandal's son? Fate truly had a twisted sense of humor. Suddenly, everything made sense—the boy's reincarnation as Ulfberht's vessel, his strange aura, his destined potential.
The Empress's next words struck another blow.
"Jupiter Cavendish."
Aleksander and Violet stiffened.
Jupiter? Jupiter Cavendish? Xavier's extremely shy, stoic, sunshine-of-a-best-friend? A hero candidate?
"What in the world…?" Aleksander muttered under his breath.
Then Seonhwa lifted her chin, her voice turning solemn.
"And lastly—"
The hall collectively inhaled.
"The centerpiece of the Great Heroes… he who will bring a new hope to humanity… the new wielder of the Legendary Blade of Hope, Excalibur… the Son of Many Fathers, the Child Born with the Eyes of God…"
Her final words shattered the silence.
"Xavier Ivanovich."
Chaos exploded.
The title New Master of Excalibur alone was enough to ignite the hall into frenzy. Excalibur had vanished for millenniums—its return was myth, its power legendary. And now… it had chosen a human child?
"Wait!" a shocked voice cut through the uproar. "Did Her Highness say his surname was… Ivanovich?!"
"She did! I heard it too!"
"Hold on—if he's an Ivanovich, then that means he's the missing child from a few weeks ago!"
Graviil closed his eyes, exhaling shakily. He couldn't avoid it any longer.
"Yes," he said, stepping forward. "Your assumptions are correct. Xavier is my grandson who went missing. We were fortunate to find him and bring him home." His voice faltered. "But… as some of you know… we found him on the brink of death. Though we managed to stabilize him… he has not awakened since."
A soft voice—unexpected—broke the tension.
"I am sorry for your hardship."
The entire hall turned.
Lady Mei. Calm. Stoic. But her tone… carried warmth.
Graviil blinked, startled, then smiled faintly. "Thank you," he whispered, bowing his head.
Lady Mei studied him for a long moment.
"There is no need to thank me. I am… impressed." Her voice was low but clear. "You showed such care for a child who is not of your blood. I heard he was adopted by your son-in-law when he was only a baby."
Graviil's smile deepened.
"Blood does not determine my love for him. Whether adopted or born of my lineage, he is family. And I cherish him the same."
Lady Mei's cold mask cracked.
A small smile—thin but genuine—formed on her lips.
"Compassionate as ever, I see. No wonder the Sovereign Goddess of the Eternal Battleheart, Lady Svetlana, fell for you." She chuckled softly. "A heart strong enough to move even warmongers like myself and Svetlana… my only equal."
Now with all things said and done, everyone present understood what was to come. If Empress Lee Seonhwa—the Blinded Foreseer herself—spoke a prophecy that aligned with Lord Graviil's words, then the implication was undeniable. This peaceful world… no, this peaceful universe… was approaching its halt. The end was near.
The Beginning of the End.
Clapping her hands together, Empress Lee Seonhwa recalled everyone's attention. Her voice carried a serene authority. "With the prophecy at hand, we must all prepare. A war approaches—inevitable, unavoidable. No effort, no prayer, no diplomacy will turn it aside."
A hush swept across the hall.
"We have heroes sent by Origin Himself," she continued, "yet they are far too young to bear such weight. There are others as well, beyond the human realm—such as the heir to the Elven throne, the only child of the sacred Valandor lineage."
A soft wave of murmurs rose, but died the moment she spoke again.
"But the most intriguing among those I have named… is Caelen Durandal." Her tone lowered, steady and calm. "A boy burdened with a 'Curse,' lying dormant within a ring of silver and gold. And most shocking of all—he is, by fate's decree, the reincarnation of the Grandmaster of Forgery, Ulfberht."
Silence. Pure, hollow, bone-deep silence.
Then the courtroom erupted.
"Reincarnation?!" "Impossible!" "That's myth!"
Even Lady Mei—stoic, unshakable Lady Mei—looked rattled. Her brows tensed, her posture tightened; the calm mask she wore cracked for the second time that day. First with the confirmation of the Apocalypse of the End… and now with this revelation. It was humbling to witness.
Graviil felt sweat bead along his temples. Shocked—yes—but for a different reason. How much did she already know? Even he didn't understand the true scope of the Lee family's foresight, nor did anyone else.
Just how deep do her visions reach? he thought.
And yet he knew the truth: no matter how powerful her gift, even foresight had limits no mortal could surpass.
Empress Seonhwa spoke again, her voice striking like thunder yet falling gently like rain. "I know how difficult it is to grasp the boy's situation. It is difficult even for me. But we cannot judge the workings of Origin. Our plates are already overflowing with matters demanding urgent attention. Wouldn't you agree, Lord Graviil?"
She turned to him with a warm, radiant smile.
Emperor Graviil met her gaze with hardened seriousness. She remained just as terrifying as she had been in their younger years—those years of conquests and battles between nations. The so‑called 'peaceful era' compared to older hells, yet still dominated by the Four Grand Human Nations. Their warring days were long behind them, replaced now by diplomacy and trade… but the memory still lingered.
He exhaled and nodded. "We cannot afford to waste time on isolated matters, no matter how important they appear. What we must do now is secure and protect all the human heroes. One of them has already nearly died—we cannot lose even a single one before they have the chance to fulfill the prophecy."
He paused, his voice deepening.
"However, we will bring today's session to an end. Prepare yourselves in the meantime. We must shield these premature heroes from Percival and Emperor Julius. They may strike at any moment, and we cannot afford to be caught unprepared. The fate of humanity—and of all mortal existence—rests upon their shoulders."
A grave understanding settled over the hall. Losing even one hero was unacceptable. If it required risks, blood, or sacrifice, so be it.
And so the meeting came to a temporary close.
Another would follow soon. They had decisions to make—quickly. They had to devise a method to protect all four heroes, and a way to nurture their growth into the future champions chosen by Origin Himself.