Andras's Return to the Sky Island
The Path of the Soul – The Gate of Light Opens
The Demon King's dimension shattered.
The dark core exploded, the world trembled, and for a single moment, light consumed everything.
Andras's body turned to dust.
But his soul… did not.
The gate of light opened before him, and he stepped through.
The next moment, he stood on the Sky Island's white‑marble terrace, where the air was sweet, the wind gentle, and the horizon shimmered with an endless ocean.
His soul slowly regained form.
The earthly shape of Andras.
The Neptunian body vanished as if it had never existed.
But two things remained:
the water element he gained on Neptunia,
and the lightning that had always been his.
The two energies vibrated around him like intertwined stars.
The Welcome – Eli and Sakura Dry Jump Into His Arms
"ANDRAAAS!"
Two figures slammed into him at once.
Eli — the blue‑eyed, golden‑haired genius mage girl — and Sakura Dry, the brown‑haired, ever‑smiling warrior maiden, both jumped onto him.
Andras nearly fell backward.
"Hey, hey! Girls! Breathing! Lungs! Oxygen!"
Eli squeezed him.
"We haven't seen you in so long! Except in the magic mirror…"
Sakura squeezed him too.
"You defeated the Demon King! Just like—"
Andras laughed.
"Funny… ever since I met Uriel, girls keep jumping on me. On Earth they didn't even talk to me."
Eli:
"Well, here we appreciate you!"
Sakura:
"And we missed you!"
Uriel Arrives – With Gifts From Earth
A figure approached down the glowing steps.
Uriel.
Guardian of the Sky Island.
Angel of light.
Andras's mentor.
In her hands were three things:
a steaming pizza,
a bottle of rum,
and a cold cola.
"Welcome home, Andras. I figured you missed earthly food."
Andras's eyes lit up.
"Noelle's cooking was great… but this… THIS! I missed this!"
Eli:
"Did you bring it from that boot‑shaped peninsula?"
Andras:
"Happiness, sliced into circles."
Sakura Asks – Andras Answers
Sakura Dry sat beside him, legs swinging.
"So… how was your mission?"
Andras shrugged.
"It went faster than I expected. I planned for fifteen years… but finished in ten."
Eli snapped her head up.
"Ten years?! On the Sky Island… only one year passed."
Andras froze.
"So… Elcres hasn't been training for 1500 years? Only 150?"
Eli nodded.
"Yes."
Andras:
"She just dropped a lot in my eyes."
Elcres Appears – And She Heard Everything
"Indeed?"
The voice was cold as mountain wind.
Andras slowly turned.
Behind him stood Elcres:
short snow‑white hair,
golden eyes,
brownish skin,
a muscular, boyish build,
and the kind of elven beauty that could embarrass the stars.
Elcres crossed her arms.
"I was trying to be gentle with the 500‑year training program. But if you think 150 years is too little… I've changed my mind."
Andras stepped back.
"Wait, wait, wait—"
Elcres grabbed his arm.
"You must awaken the power of light. You are weak. You couldn't defeat the Demon King without blowing yourself up."
Andras:
"That was… a tactical decision."
Elcres:
"From now on, we train together for 500 years. At least I won't be lonely."
And she began dragging Andras toward the training dimension.
The Others' Reaction – Andras's Freedom Comes to an End
Andras shouted:
"What about my freedom?!"
Uriel, chewing pizza:
"You had plenty of fun on Neptunia with the girls."
Eli chimed in:
"Yeah, we saw the naughty things you did with Noelle."
Andras:
"Damn it! I already miss Noelle!"
Sakura grinned:
"Don't worry! Now you get pointy ears for 500 years!"
Elcres smirked sideways:
"If you do ten thousand push‑ups… you may touch my ears."
Andras:
"THAT'S BLACKMAIL!"
Elcres:
"It's motivation."
And the gate of light closed behind them.
Return to Neptunia – Five Years After Young Wolf's Death
The New Life of Wolf Lodge
Five years had passed since Young Wolf — Andras — died a heroic death in the Demon King's dimension.
The world slowly healed, and in the heart of the imperial merchant city, Wolf Lodge was full of life again.
Noelle and Ersi now ran the inn together.
Their staff was young, enthusiastic, and looked up to the two girls who carried on the Wolfwood legacy.
Noelle was twenty.
Ersi fifteen.
Within the walls of Wolf Lodge, a trace of the warmth Young Wolf had brought still lingered — but it no longer hurt the way it had in the first months.
Grief slowly turned into memory, and memory into strength.
Noelle's Room – The Altar and the Absence
In Noelle's room stood a small altar.
On the shelf, two carved figures:
a wooden wolf,
and the graceful form of the Goddess Neptune.
Every morning and every night, Noelle knelt before them.
She didn't beg.
She didn't cry.
She simply… spoke.
Her voice was soft, like the murmur of the sea.
"I miss you."
That was the word she said most often.
She hadn't baked scones since.
The dough always reminded her of how Young Wolf happily stole even the badly made ones, grinning as he patted the half‑elf girl's head.
Her heart still trembled at the memory of that smile.
Ersi Enters – And Says What Noelle Won't
The door opened softly, and Ersi stepped in.
She was taller than five years ago, her gaze more mature — but her heart was still the same bright, stubborn flame.
"You still blame yourself?" she asked quietly.
Noelle slowly rose from the altar.
Her eyes were red, but she wasn't crying.
Not anymore.
"If I had been there…" she began. "I could have blown up that damn magic staff too."
Ersi stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You're wrong."
Her voice was serious for the first time.
"Young Wolf added the lightning element. That's why the explosion was ten times bigger. You couldn't have taken down the Demon King like that."
Noelle lowered her head.
Ersi continued:
"That was his mission. And he did it with a grin."
"Now it's time for you to move on and live the life he wanted for you."
The words sank slowly, but surely, into Noelle's heart.
The girl raised her hand…
and slapped her own cheek.
A single, firm motion.
Not from pain.
From awakening.
"You're right," she said. "I won't be sad anymore. He wouldn't want that."
Ersi smiled.
"Finally. I was starting to worry I'd never see your smile again."
Noelle smiled — slowly, but genuinely.
And within the walls of Wolf Lodge, something shifted.
As if even the air breathed easier.
The World Doesn't Know… but Someone Watches
The girls didn't see it, didn't hear it, but above the altar, for a brief moment, a faint bluish light flickered.
As if someone…
from somewhere…
was watching them with a smile.
And from the direction of the Sky Island, a soft, playful voice whispered:
"Good, Noelle. This is how I like to see you."
The Two Guardians of Wolf Lodge – Talking About the Past and the Present
The Evening Lights of Wolf Lodge
Night slowly settled over the imperial merchant city.
Lanterns lit up in the courtyard of Wolf Lodge, the staff bustled about, and the laughter of guests drifted through the open windows.
Five years had passed since Young Wolf's death.
The world no longer mourned — but in their hearts, his absence still lived.
The Rest of the Team – The Scattered Heroes of the World
Ersi sat beside Noelle on the edge of the bed.
"You know… the Emperor was really generous. For defeating Umbra, he rewarded everyone."
Noelle nodded.
"Yes. Though… the team has scattered."
Ersi sighed.
"Yes. But they're all doing what Young Wolf would have wanted."
She began listing them, as if telling an old, beloved story.
Andrea Wolf and Eris Scarlett – The Northern Heroes
"Andrea and Eris are now legends of the northern lands.
And Iceclaw…" — Ersi smiled — "she became the new member of their team."
Noelle lifted her head.
"Iceclaw? From the ice‑wolf clan?"
"Yes." Ersi nodded. "Young Wolf told me about her. That's why I recommended to the Emperor that we buy her for the Heroes' Team. The Fernandez Merchant Guild sold her, and the Emperor registered her under Eris and Andrea."
Noelle smiled.
"And how is she doing?"
"Very well," Ersi said. "Eris and Andrea taught her what heart is… and friendship. She's no longer a gladiator. She's a member of a team of heroes."
Anita and Fireburp – The Southern Hunters
"And Anita and Fireburp hunt in the south," Ersi continued.
"They do it mostly for fun. Anita is thirty now, Fireburp thirteen. But together… they're the pair of ice and fire."
Noelle laughed.
"Those two never change."
Ironclaw – Guardian of Wolfwood
"Ironclaw went back to Wolfwood," Ersi said.
"She's twenty‑two now. She stayed with Carla and protects the city."
Noelle's eyes lit up.
"And the eating contest?"
Ersi laughed.
"She's still only second."
"Who's first?"
"A mysterious waitress from the Black Cat Inn. Firestorm."
Noelle burst out laughing.
"Fireburp's sister. Of course a dragon can eat more than an earth‑wolf beast girl."
Ersi laughed too.
The room filled with light.
With warmth.
With life.
And for the first time in five years…
Noelle's heart didn't ache from loss.
It swelled with gratitude.