Kaori Yensheng

After the Shiverglass incident, Toma finally found time to pull his head out of the clouds. When he first set out, he had a mission: to end the one known as the Immortal Dragon.

Out of the five demon lords, the Immortal Dragon was the most vile—no, the most active. The other four? They were... chill. Some might even say they were slumbering. According to Kaien, two of them were actually allies to human kingdoms. They didn’t start wars, didn’t join them, didn’t care.

But the Immortal Dragon? He was different. He needed to be stopped.

Mikana now floated near the boundary of the next continent, Setari. Toma, Shizuka, Kaien, and their new party member, Irilith, stood before a teleportation circle. They were talking to a young man—obviously wuxia-coded, flowing robes and all—who looked more confused than anything else.

He couldn’t understand why they were leaving Mikana so soon. Everyone wanted to be in Mikana.

Toma just said, “We’re on a mission.”

That was all it took.

Well, that and another ridiculous gold fee.

After the coins exchanged hands, the man reluctantly activated the circle, and with a burst of light, the party vanished.

To....

A place definitely NOT Setari !

The party found itself in a dimly lit hall. 

Stone met their feet.

Toma blinked.

They stood in a hall—no, a sanctuary. Cold stone stretched endlessly, carved with swirling patterns that ran up the walls like climbing vines. Soft light spilled from cracks overhead, catching dust in slow, spiraling drifts. The air was... calm. Too calm. Like this place had been holding its breath for centuries.

“Okay,” Toma muttered, shifting his weight. “I’m guessing this isn’t Setari.”

“Your observation skills are improving, Master,” Kaien replied, adjusting his gloves without missing a beat.

*What does this guy take me for?*

Shizuka folded her arms, brows furrowed. “A teleportation circle of that level shouldn’t have glitched. Unless this was intentional.”

“I don’t remember paying extra for the scenic route,” Toma said under his breath.

They began to walk. Their steps echoed, the sound eaten by the vastness around them.

Toma let his hand brush against the wall as they passed. Cold. Solid. Real.

“This place is old,” Irilith said softly. “Older than Mikana. It feels... heavy.”

Kaien nodded, his expression unreadable.

“That’s not ominous at all,” Toma muttered, but his voice lacked the usual sarcasm. He was paying attention now.

The deeper they went, the more the air shifted. Not colder. Not warmer. Just... denser. Like walking underwater without the wetness.

Then, footsteps.

Faint. Rhythmic. Calm.

The group stopped instantly.

Shizuka’s stance tightened. Kaien's eyes narrowed, adjusting his posture with subtle precision. Irilith stayed still, but Toma could feel the tension in her frame.

The footsteps came closer.

With them, the walls began to glow.

Lines of gold traced ancient patterns, illuminating the hall in a soft, breath-like pulse. No flickering torches. No fire. Just raw, living energy crawling up the stone like veins.

Toma didn’t say anything this time. His throat felt tight.

A figure appeared.

A woman. She didn’t stride, didn’t float—she walked. Calm, unhurried steps. White robes that whispered with every movement, their crimson embroidery flowing like rivers down her sleeves. Her black hair was tied back, not elegantly, but practically.

Shizuka froze.

Kaien’s eyes widened.

Irilith inhaled sharply.

“T-That’s...”

Kaien spoke the name, reverent. 

“Kaori Yensheng!"