The first light of false dawn stretched across the Obsidian Deadzone, casting long shadows over ash-black stone and fractured monuments.
Before Kaien and his group stood an enormous archway—The Gate of Origins—carved from ancient dragonbone and imbued with glowing runes that pulsed with ancestral energy. Above it floated a symbol none of them had seen before: a circle of flame entwined with a ring of frost and a single, vertical sword piercing both.
It shimmered, then slowly began to open.
The Keeper's voice echoed across the realm:
"Beyond this gate lies the Sanctuary of Origins—where truth is unsealed, bloodlines are tested, and only one shall rise as the next Flamebearer.Enter with courage… for your pasts and futures both await."
Without a word, Kaien stepped forward.
Yuki followed, her blade drawn, her eyes unreadable.
Reizo sighed. "Well… if I get vaporized, someone better write a song about me."
Akari grinned. "Only if I survive to sing it."
Baran nodded solemnly. "This is where our legends begin."
The six remaining candidates passed through the gate.
And the world changed.
The Sanctuary of Origins
They emerged into a vast floating chamber suspended in the sky. Islands of stone drifted above a glowing abyss, each holding relics, statues, or fragments of elemental power. Giant dragon skeletons coiled in midair, glowing faintly as if still watching.
In the center stood a colossal altar. It radiated with pure flame—but its core was unstable, flickering between gold, blue, black, and crimson.
Kaien's dragonblood ached just looking at it.
Reizo whispered, "This place… it's alive."
The Keeper's voice returned, not in the sky—but from the altar itself.
"You stand at the nexus of all five forbidden bloodlines. The Dragon King's soul lies shattered… sealed within this sanctuary.To reclaim it, you must face your own lineage's legacy—and each other."
Rays of light burst from the altar, separating them again—this time into six floating arenas, where each would face a vision… not of a beast, but of another heir.
Trial Match: Kaien vs. Akari
Kaien landed in a scorched arena, glowing with ancient runes. Across from him stood Akari—her phoenix flame surging with pride and power.
"This is it, huh?" she said, adjusting her scarf. "One of us will walk away closer to the flame."
Kaien's eyes narrowed. "I don't want to fight you."
"Then you'll lose," she said, launching forward.
Flames roared around her fists as she unleashed a furious barrage.
Kaien dodged, blade flashing. "Why are you so eager to win?"
Akari's voice cracked. "Because my clan fell protecting your ancestors. And if I don't win, their deaths mean nothing!"
Kaien hesitated—just for a second—and Akari's fist slammed into his chest.
But instead of retaliating… he channeled his flame inward.
Don't fight her. Help her see.
He lowered his blade.
Akari paused.
"I won't dishonor your clan by beating you out of anger," Kaien said. "I'll win… with purpose."
Golden fire surged from within him—not to destroy, but to calm hers.
Akari blinked, stunned as her phoenix fire flickered—then softened, no longer wild but radiant.
The altar declared:
"Trial passed. Kaien Ryugami advances."
Akari dropped to her knees, laughing through tears. "You… idiot."
Yuki's Trial: A Reflection of Pain
Yuki's trial was silent.
She faced no opponent—only a mirror, floating above a frozen lake.
In it, she saw herself as a child, standing beside her clan's elders… watching a village burn under dragonfire.
Her voice trembled. "Was this… him?"
Then the mirror changed—revealing the Dragon King, holding a baby wrapped in frost.
"Your mother was the King's final bond before his fall," the mirror said. "And you… are his descendant."
Yuki staggered back.
"No… I'm not…"
But deep inside, the truth settled like snowfall.
Her calm. Her control. Her aura of frost—it wasn't just elemental. It was inherited.
From both flame and ice.
She screamed—and ice exploded outward, shattering the mirror.
The altar spoke again:
"Trial passed. Yuki Himetsuru advances."
Elsewhere — The Cult Moves
Outside the Sanctuary, at the edge of the shattered gate, black mist gathered.
From it stepped a figure cloaked in flowing ashfire robes.
The Chosen of the Ashborn—Seirath—the one who had stolen the corrupted fragment of the Dragon King's soul.
Behind him, the traitor limped forward, arm now replaced by a skeletal construct.
"They are inside," the traitor said. "The heir has awakened two seals."
Seirath smiled behind his mask.
"Then it is time."
He raised a single black spear, and the sky itself split in two.
Back Inside — The Final Flame Awakens
Kaien and Yuki reappeared on the central platform, now surrounded by the remaining heirs—Reizo, Baran, and Akari (still healing).
The altar pulsed violently.
Then it spoke with a voice not of the Keeper—but of the Dragon King himself.
"One among you will carry my flame.But know this…To awaken the Third Seal, you must face me—not a memory, not a trial… but my full soul.Survive… or be consumed."
The center cracked open—and from the heart of the flame, a massive dragon spirit surged upward, golden and black, crowned with horns and burning with judgment.
Kaien stepped forward.
"This is my fate."
Yuki stepped beside him. "Then I'll face it with you."