The carriage moved slowly along a narrow path, almost swallowed by the forest surrounding it.
The massive trees seemed to close their branches over the road, filtering a soft green light. Everything here breathed isolation. Moss covered the stones, and the path itself was nothing more than a faint trail through the undergrowth — proof that few dared venture this deep toward the Sanctuary.
Sitting in a corner, Madara watched the scenery in silence. His eyes slid over the gnarled trunks, the shifting shadows, the dense layers of vegetation. With every turn, his instincts urged him to stay alert. He didn't see a simple forest — he saw a place untouched by man, where every intrusion felt observed by unseen eyes.
Then, suddenly, a sensation passed through his mind. Not a sound, not a movement… but a familiar impression. A scent of anomaly, born from experience. He frowned slightly and glanced toward Subaru, then Emilia. Neither of them seemed to notice anything.
And then, light erupted.
Emilia's pendant began to shine, filling the carriage with a blinding, pulsating glow.
Emilia: "Huh…? My necklace…?"
(Subaru's eyes widened.)
Subaru: "Emilia, your necklace!"
(She reached for it in surprise, but before she could speak, Subaru acted on instinct — he snatched the pendant and threw it out the window. The next second, Emilia collapsed limply onto the seat, unconscious.)
Subaru: "Madara!"
But there was no one there. The carriage door was still swinging open — Madara was gone.
He had leapt out in a single motion, vanishing into the forest's darkness before anyone could react. He didn't know what that light meant, but his instincts screamed that it was a trap — or worse. A threat that demanded action without words or warning.
Now, he stood alone among the trees. The sounds of the group, the rough breathing of the earth dragon, and the rumble of wheels faded into the distance. Madara remained still, breathing the thick, humid air, scanning the shadows. No fear, no regret. The faces he had left behind meant nothing.
Only that twisting sensation in his gut mattered — something here was wrong.
He moved forward at an unhurried pace, his steps consuming the narrow road that cut through the forest. The carriage had long vanished, and the dense silence of the woods was broken only by rustling leaves and the faint crunch of his boots. He wasn't searching for anything in particular — he was mapping, mentally tracing every bend, every opening between the trees.
Then he stopped cold.
His eyes, trained to catch even the smallest detail, had spotted something on the soft ground — tracks. Fresh ones.
He crouched, brushing his fingers over the damp earth. The first prints were easy to identify — shoes, probably Subaru's. But there were others… smaller. Barefoot. Light steps, close together — a child's. They seemed to be running, as if chased.
"Footsteps lie less than mouths."
He found no trace of the others. No sign of Emilia or Otto. That didn't surprise him. A faint, almost imperceptible smile curved his lips.
Madara: "So… you escaped the spell too, Subaru."
Without haste, he followed the trail. The prints led him through overgrown paths until a dark shape emerged among the green.
An old stone structure, eaten away by time. Its walls bore the scars of age, moss reclaiming the carvings. The stairs, half-collapsed, looked untouched for decades. A temple? A tomb? Impossible to tell.
But one thing was certain — the place was empty. Uninhabited. Nature had long since claimed it.
As he approached the overgrown ruin, Madara saw a familiar shape: the carriage.
It stood motionless before the entrance, the earth dragon still and calm. How had it arrived here before him? He had no idea — and didn't care.
Advancing cautiously, he soon spotted a figure on the ground — a man in green, lying on his back, motionless. Otto.
Dust clung to his cheek, a dark bruise swelled under his eye, and his shallow breath showed he wasn't dead — merely beaten.
Madara scanned the area. No sign of Emilia or Subaru. Their tracks had already faded into the damp earth.
Then, at the clearing's edge, his eyes caught another figure — a young man, blond, solidly built for his age. His sharp teeth and pointed features resembled those of the mansion's maid.
He stood there like a sentinel. Madara instantly guessed he was the one who had attacked Otto.
His thoughts were cut short by movement — Subaru rushed out of the ruin.
His eyes fell on Otto. Shock and anger twisted his expression, and his name escaped his lips in disbelief:
Subaru: "Otto!?"
The blond boy took advantage of the moment, lunging with feline speed. The blow was fast, precise — Subaru was thrown to the ground.
Madara stepped forward, ready to act. But his Sharingan flared to life, showing him something else — the earth dragon, still a moment ago, suddenly moved and leapt toward Subaru to catch him.
Madara stopped.
No one had noticed him. He remained there, a silent observer, watching like a player waiting for the perfect moment to place his piece on the board.
The dragon, usually docile, suddenly charged with a rumbling roar, its heavy steps crushing the wet grass.
The opponent didn't flinch. He had jumped into the clearing and now stood about ten meters away, hands open, a faint grin on his lips.
Madara narrowed his eyes. This boy knew exactly what he was doing. He waited for the charge, then stepped aside with surgical precision.
In the same motion, his hands seized the dragon's head and forced it down. A dull crack echoed as the beast hit the ground, subdued by raw strength.
"True strength doesn't speak — it crushes."
The sight drew a glint of admiration from Madara.
It had been a long time since he'd seen real strength — not stories, but proof.
Yet, that power wasn't pure. The blond's demeanor said everything: he felt untouchable. He taunted Subaru, speaking just to remind him who was stronger.
He moved in closer, his stance coiling to strike. Madara, still watching, read the angle of attack perfectly.
Convinced he hadn't been seen, he decided to act — not to kill, nor even wound, but simply to humble the arrogant boy.
The blond sprinted, feet pounding the ground, closing the distance fast.
Then, at the last moment, just before leaping — he heard footsteps behind him. Heavy. Steady.
He turned.
What he saw froze him for a fraction of a second — a man with long black hair and crimson eyes. A killer's gaze he'd never encountered before.
That moment of shock was all it took. Madara's leg swept under his.
"Pride always stumbles on the stone it refuses to see."
The blond crashed hard, sliding in the dirt to Subaru's feet, who could barely process what had just happened.
Madara: "You're related to Frederica, aren't you?"
The blond got back up, still tense and ready to fight — but confused. Why had this stranger mentioned her name?
(Subaru spoke up quickly, insisting:)
Subaru: "So you are related to Frederica! Listen, we know her too!"
(The boy narrowed his eyes, then muttered:)
Garfiel: "Garfiel. That's my name."
Without waiting, he charged straight at Madara, who stood unmoving, arms crossed, a faint smile on his lips — amused.
Subaru: "Don't fight! We're on the same side, Garfiel!"
After a short silence, the tension faded. Everyone climbed back into the carriage.
Garfiel, suddenly less talkative than before, helped Otto with a half-hearted apology.
The road finally led them to the so-called Sanctuary.
Hearing the name, Madara had expected something grand — towering structures, flowing waterfalls… but the only grand thing he found was the ego of the blond boy he had just floored.
(Breaking the silence, Garfiel muttered dryly:)
Garfiel: "You, the guy with long hair… don't get cocky. I wasn't fighting for real."
(Madara didn't answer. There was no point.)
The Sanctuary came into view — a secluded place, inhabited by people with beastlike ears who watched the carriage with wary curiosity. They were few, and many of the buildings looked half-ruined.
Madara's hope of discovering an impressive place faded completely when the carriage stopped before a simple wooden house, unremarkable and plain.
They had arrived.
As he stepped down, Subaru turned to him, sincere gratitude in his eyes.
Subaru: "Thanks for earlier… If you hadn't stepped in, Garfiel would've crushed me."
Madara: "That boy didn't like your face, that's all. But I didn't like his attitude. When you're the younger one, you show respect. I just taught him a small lesson — nothing more."
(Emilia, pale but standing, caught the exchange and smiled faintly.)
Emilia: "Then… thank you too, Madara."
(He gave a brief nod, eyes already scanning the wary villagers.)
Moments later, a young woman appeared in a maid's uniform. Her pink hair, identical to that of the sleeping servant he had seen back at the mansion, confirmed his guess — her twin sister.
Ram: "Welcome to the Sanctuary."
(Subaru, smiling, began to introduce everyone, pointing to Otto, still embarrassed, then added:)
Subaru: "And we should especially thank Madara. Without him, Garfiel would've crushed me for real."
(Ram turned to Madara, a flash of disdain in her eyes:)
Ram: "You're hallucinating again, Barusu. I don't see any man capable of defeating Garfiel."
(Behind them, Garfiel shot a sideways glance but said nothing — because Madara was already gone.)
Ram: "All I see here are three fools… and Lady Emilia."
Meanwhile, Madara had quietly slipped away, disappearing behind a nearby tree.
He melted into the woods, leaving their voices to fade behind him. He had no intention of lingering for such meaningless chatter.