The night had not fully faded, yet the city already felt restless.
After the distant whispers and the unspoken fear that lingered at the edge of everyone's mind, dawn arrived without warmth. The sky was pale, uncertain—like it was afraid to choose a color. Luka stood near the window, staring out, his expression unreadable.
The echoes of regret he had heard the night before still clung to his thoughts.
We shouldn't have doubted…
We should have listened…
He clenched his fist slowly.
Kael stretched lazily behind him. "You've been quiet since last night. Even for you, that's unusual."
"I was just thinking," Luka replied, his voice calm. Too calm.
Arelia glanced at him, narrowing her eyes. "That's never a good sign."
Eren laughed. "Relax. Today's supposed to be normal, remember? We go out, get supplies, maybe explore a bit. No disasters. No mysteries."
Luka didn't answer.
Normal, he repeated in his mind.
Outside, the city was alive in its own fragile way. Merchants opened their stalls, guards yawned at their posts, and civilians stepped into the streets pretending the world hadn't almost shifted the night before.
Luka walked among them silently.
People smiled. Bargained. Argued over prices.
And yet—beneath it all—there was tension.
He could feel it in the way conversations paused when guards passed by. In the way people glanced at the horizon a second too long. In the way laughter sometimes died out too quickly.
They feel it, Luka thought. They just don't know what it is.
Kael bought dried rations while Arelia argued with a vendor about weapon oil. Eren wandered ahead, fascinated by a street performer creating illusions with weak mana.
Luka stayed behind, observing.
The city walls loomed high above them, scarred but standing. Beyond them lay lands people pretended didn't exist. Forbidden areas. Places where the world no longer followed rules.
That's where monsters are born, Luka thought.
Or reborn.
For a moment, his chest tightened again as a faint sensation brushed against his senses—something distant, restrained, yet heavy.
He ignored it.
For now.
They spent the next hour moving through the streets, buying food, tools, and supplies needed for daily survival. Everything felt ordinary on the surface—coins exchanged hands, vendors shouted offers, children ran between stalls laughing.
Arelia finally sighed. "See? Nothing's wrong. Just another day."
Luka forced a small nod.
But as he walked, he noticed something strange.
People were talking more than usual.
Not about prices.
Not about politics.
But about someone.
The Market Whispers – The Name Feno
They stopped at a busy intersection market, where travelers rested on stone benches near a fountain. Luka sat down quietly while the others drank water.
Nearby, a group of men spoke in hushed but excited voices.
"Did you hear? They say Feno was spotted near the eastern route."
Arelia's ears twitched slightly. Luka's gaze sharpened.
Another man scoffed. "Spotted? That man doesn't hide. No one has ever defeated him—not once."
"That's what's strange," the first replied. "He wasn't always like this. Years ago, he was strong, sure—but nothing legendary."
Luka leaned in, pretending not to listen.
A third voice joined in. "Everything changed the day he came back from the Second Forbidden Area."
The air seemed to still.
"They found him barely alive," the man continued. "Wounded. Broken. His body was a mess. No one knows what happened there."
"And after that?" someone asked.
His voice dropped. "After that… he wasn't the same. His eyes changed. His way of speaking changed. Like something inside him woke up."
Arelia whispered softly, "Second Forbidden Area… no one comes back from there."
Another man laughed nervously. "And yet, he did. And not long after, he hunted the Blacked Evil Dragon."
Kael nearly choked. "That thing?"
"Exactly," the man said. "A monster even great kingdoms hesitate to challenge. Entire councils argue for days before approving an attack."
"And Feno?" someone asked.
"He killed it."
Silence followed.
Luka felt a chill crawl up his spine.
The group fell quiet, each man staring into his own thoughts.
Eren muttered, "People like that… they don't just become strong for no reason."
Arelia crossed her arms. "Power like that always comes with a price."
Luka said nothing.
But deep inside, something stirred.
A familiar unease.
Second Forbidden Area…
Seals…
The words connected in ways he didn't like.
The Ship and the Second Rumor
They left the market and headed toward the river docks, where large transport ships rested—used to move goods and travelers between districts.
As they boarded one of the ships, Luka immediately noticed the tension in the air.
People were talking again.
And again—the same name.
"…Feno and his team are moving."
"Moving where?"
"They say toward the First Forbidden Area."
Another voice whispered urgently, "No… I heard it's closer. Toward the center of the city."
A third man swallowed hard. "Closer than that."
Everyone leaned in.
"Toward the Seal."
The word hit Luka like a blade.
Seal.
His breath caught for just a fraction of a second.
The moment the word echoed in the air, something far away reacted.
The Awakening
Somewhere beyond the city.
Beyond sight.
Beyond understanding.
Vicky's fingers twitched.
The air around him distorted slightly, as if reality itself had flinched. His eyes, calm until now, narrowed almost imperceptibly.
…Seal?
A pressure spread outward, silent and unseen.
Luka stiffened suddenly.
His heart raced.
That feeling again…
Arelia looked at him. "Luka?"
He didn't respond.
Far away, chains older than history trembled.
And something that should have remained dormant—
noticed.