Chapter 41: The Unseen Storm

At the gates of Mond,

Leona, Phoenix, Zeral, Scarlet, and Y were preparing to depart toward the frozen region.

Leona paused for a moment and glanced back.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”

Lauma smiled lightly.

“Diona and I don’t get along with the cold.”

Liz added,

“And I’m a bit busy with training.”

Lara stepped forward and bent slightly until she was at Leona’s eye level, her voice warm.

“Be careful out there. Don’t let the cold get to you.”

“I will,” Leona replied with a smile.

Jean took a step forward, her tone cautious.

“Are you absolutely sure you don’t need cold-resistant gear?”

Scarlet shrugged confidently.

“I’m used to it.

I grew up in snowy mountains.”

Y spoke calmly,

“I’ll be fine.”

Zeral looked over the group, making sure everyone was ready.

“I think everything’s set. Let’s move.”

“We’ll be back soon,” Y said.

Phoenix raised his fist enthusiastically.

“This is my first trip with you, Y.”

Y raised his fist in response.

Then, unexpectedly, Scarlet stepped in.

“Me too.”

Leona and Zeral followed, bringing their fists together with the others.

Y said quietly,

“Let’s go.”

———

Freya’s Residence

After a brief silence, Kozue spoke:

“You all heard what he said yesterday… didn’t you?

I want to hear your thoughts. Let’s start with you, Liecht.”

Liecht replied calmly,

“It was clear that entering the Abyss was only a matter of time.

He knows exactly what awaits him there… and that’s enough for me.”

Anna spoke with concern,

“No…

He doesn’t intend to come back.”

Kozue looked at her.

“He doesn’t intend to return?”

Freya answered with quiet certainty,

“He intends to destroy both the Abyss and Soldan at the same time.”

Liecht muttered,

“Destroy the Abyss…”

Anna said in a low voice,

“When Elishel died that day,

Y felt helpless.

And helplessness… is the one feeling he hates more than anything.”

Freya said with confidence,

“He will enter…

and he will return stronger than ever.”

———

The Vampire Clan

Valzenor spoke calmly,

“Y is entering the Abyss…”

Ragnaros looked at him.

“You don’t seem surprised.”

Valzenor replied,

“Do you remember when I told you I was searching for a friend?”

“You said you only found one,” Ragnaros answered.

Valzenor continued,

“I was searching for Novarion.

But I couldn’t find him…

so I went to Valdrath instead.”

Ragnaros’s eyes widened.

“You mean… Lord Valdrath himself?”

Lin asked hesitantly,

“Lord Valdrath? Who is that?”

Valzenor answered,

“The strongest dragon that exists in this world.”

Ragnaros asked,

“And what happened?”

Valzenor said,

“Beyond the mist that separates the human world…

from the world of dragons.”

⸻

Beyond the Mist

As the fog slowly thinned…

A girl appeared—half human, half dragon.

Her white hair was cut short, and her gaze was sharp.

She said,

“I guard the border.

My name is Eula… granddaughter of Valdrath.”

Valzenor repeated softly,

“Granddaughter of Valdrath…”

“Yes,” Eula replied.

“State your name.”

“I am the Crimson Dragon, Valzenor.

Tell Valdrath that I wish to speak with him.”

Eula nodded.

“I’ve heard of you before.

Wait here.”

⸻

Several minutes later…

Eula said,

“Follow me.”

She led him until they reached a vast cavern.

The girl stepped forward and bowed slightly.

“Grandfather… Valzenor has arrived.”

Valdrath’s voice echoed deeply,

“What do you want, Valzenor?”

Valzenor answered,

“I’m searching for Novarion.

Do you know where he is?”

Valdrath asked,

“And why does that concern you?”

Valzenor replied,

“He told me about a human capable of standing against dragons.

I want to know more about him.”

Valdrath said calmly,

“Let me guess…

You fought to a draw, didn’t you?”

Valzenor fell silent for a moment.

“…Yes.”

Valdrath continued,

“Eula, inform everyone…

the time is drawing near.”

“Yes, Grandfather,” she replied.

Then Valdrath said,

“Sit down, Valzenor.

I will answer your questions…”

His voice grew cold.

“But the moment you reveal the ancient secret,

I will annihilate you—

you and the vampires along with you.”

⸻

The Present

Valzenor said quietly,

“I’m afraid I won’t risk revealing what he told me.”

Lin nodded.

“That’s for the best…

We don’t want to be erased over a story.”

———

After several days of travel,

they finally reached the snowy mountain.

The wind was merciless,

and the snow fell without pause.

Zeral looked around and said,

“So… what’s the plan?”

Leona answered without hesitation,

“First, we need a base of operations.”

Scarlet scanned the area thoughtfully.

“What about a cave?”

Phoenix shook his head.

“No need.”

He raised his hand.

Suddenly,

a warm circle formed beneath their feet.

The snow began to melt slowly,

as if the place itself rejected the cold.

Y said calmly,

“That’s useful.”

Phoenix smiled.

“We can start from here.”

It didn’t take long

before the location became suitable for temporary shelter.

Leona unfolded the map,

her voice instinctively lowering.

“Our main objective is to explore as much of the area as possible.

Y and Scarlet will handle the distant points.

Phoenix, Zeral, and I will check the nearby areas.”

She looked up at them.

“And remember…

return before sunset.”

Zeral nodded.

“That’s our usual best approach.”

Scarlet replied confidently,

“Understood.”

Phoenix said,

“Let’s move.”

———

After three weeks of searching…

With no results.

Phoenix said in a weary voice,

“We didn’t find anything.”

Y replied calmly,

“No.

We checked every possible location.”

Leona exhaled slowly, then said,

“I think we’ll leave tomorrow.”

⸻

That night…

Suddenly—without warning—

the weather transformed into a devouring beast.

The wind howled,

and the snow turned into blades that lashed at the body.

The base that had endured for three weeks

vanished within seconds.

Phoenix shouted over the storm,

“What’s happening?! Why did it change so suddenly?!”

Leona raised her arm to shield her face.

“I don’t know… I can barely see my own hand!”

Scarlet grabbed Leona’s hand tightly.

“Don’t let go of me.”

Zeral shouted,

“Use your magic, Phoenix!”

“No need to tell me!” Phoenix snapped back.

His body began to glow,

and the group gathered around him—

as if the light was the only thing left

in this white hell.

Y said with steady calm,

“Let’s head to a cave.”

“Stay close to me!” Phoenix yelled.

They moved slowly through the storm,

until Scarlet suddenly cried out,

“There! To the right… a cave!”

They rushed inside.

They collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

Leona said,

“That was… insane weather.”

Zeral added,

“It’s a good thing we didn’t get separated.”

Phoenix smiled tiredly.

“All of that… thanks to me.”

Then he noticed the silence.

He looked at Y.

“What’s wrong?”

Y replied quietly,

“The cave…”

“What about it?” Leona asked.

Scarlet glanced around uneasily.

“It’s new.

It wasn’t here before.”

Leona frowned.

“I don’t know… I could barely see anything during the storm.”

Zeral shrugged.

“It’s not a big issue.

We’ll stay until morning, then head back to Mond.”

Phoenix stretched.

“I’m exhausted… I’m going to sleep.”

“Me too,” Leona said.

“Sounds good,” Zeral agreed.

Phoenix and Zeral slept on the left side of the cave,

while Scarlet and Leona lay down on the right.

As for Y—

He remained near the entrance.

Leaning against the wall,

watching the storm in silence.

Then…

he closed his eyes.

———

The next morning…

Y woke up.

The storm had not calmed—

it had grown even more violent.

Ice crept slowly into the cave,

and the air felt heavier than it had the night before.

Scarlet yawned.

“What do we do now?

Do we wait a bit longer?”

Leona rubbed her hands together.

“It’s getting colder.”

Zeral spoke seriously.

“Yes…

we can’t stay here much longer.”

Phoenix raised his hand,

used his magic—then fell silent.

He studied the ice spreading around them.

His brows furrowed.

“There’s a problem.”

Zeral looked at him.

“What is it?”

Phoenix lowered his voice.

“This ice…

it’s not natural.”

Scarlet lifted her head.

“What do you mean?”

Phoenix replied,

“It’s magic.”

Scarlet’s eyes widened.

“You mean someone caused this storm?”

Leona’s eyes sharpened.

“He’s right…

I can see it too.”

A brief silence followed.

Y said calmly,

“Wait here.”

He didn’t wait for a response.

He vanished from his spot

and shot forward at tremendous speed, straight into the heart of the storm.

⸻

An entire hour later…

Y returned.

“Yes,” Y said. “It’s a magical storm… and we’re trapped.”

“Trapped?” Leona repeated.

“We’re in another dimension,” Y explained.

“Every time I try to leave the area, I’m brought back to the same point.”

“That’s strange…” Leona murmured.

Scarlet spoke up,

“Then that means we have to head toward the center.”

Zeral pulled out a rope.

“Then we’ll tie ourselves together.

I’ll take the lead—if the snow is magical, I can absorb it with my armor.”

“I’ll stay behind you,” Scarlet said.

“My vision is good in storms.”

“I’ll stay in the middle,” Leona added.

“Y and I will cover the rear,” Phoenix said.

They moved out,

cutting through the storm in a single line,

while it grew more ferocious with every step.

Suddenly, Y stopped.

“Phoenix, I’m going to check something.”

“I’ll take your place,” Phoenix replied. “Go.”

Phoenix raised his voice.

“Y is going to investigate something!”

“Got it,” everyone replied.

Without hesitation,

Y cut the rope

and disappeared into the storm.

⸻

After some time—

“There’s a house ahead!” Scarlet shouted.

“I see it,” Zeral replied.

They finally reached the house and went inside.

Leona said softly,

“Please forgive us… there was nowhere else to go.”

Inside stood a man wearing simple clothes,

yet his well-built body revealed unmistakable strength.

His short golden hair framed a face marked by an old scar on his cheek and hand—

silent proof of past battles.

Beside him sat a young woman,

calm as falling snow.

Her light blue hair draped over her shoulders,

and her blue eyes were clear, yet carried obvious caution.

She wore a dark blue robe adorned with simple golden patterns—

a practical design that suggested discipline and restrained power.

The man spoke first.

“My name is Daniel.”

Then the girl looked at them and said in a steady voice,

“My name is Solar.”

⸻

Meanwhile, Y reached an isolated cave.

He stopped at the entrance,

examining the icy walls surrounding it.

“An ice-made cave…

not something you see every day.

This has to be a trap.”

He advanced carefully inside

until he reached a pool of still water at its depths.

He stepped closer and leaned forward slightly,

staring into its calm surface.

Suddenly—

the reflection of a girl appeared in the water.

And in the very next moment,

there was no reason to hesitate.

Y jumped into the water.

———

Y opened his eyes to find himself in a strange place…

Beneath him stretched an endless expanse of clear water,

while snow fell gently—

without sound, without wind.

A calm voice reached him.

“I wanted you to save me.”

Y replied quietly,

“I’m sorry… about this.”

A girl appeared before him.

Long blue hair flowed over her shoulders,

she wore a simple white dress,

and her features were still—like ice itself.

Y sat across from her.

“My name is Y.”

She sat with the same calm composure.

“My name is Nevara.”

He looked at her directly.

“Are you the one who trapped me here?”

She shook her head slightly.

“You could say that…

but to be precise—I sealed myself here.”

“Then why did you do it?” Y asked.

Nevara smiled faintly.

“For the sake of this kingdom’s people.

What stands before you now is merely a soul,

its body sealed within ice.”

Y spoke in an even tone.

“Then it seems there’s an interesting story behind this.”

Nevara laughed softly.

“You don’t seem nervous.”

Y answered without hesitation.

“There’s nothing I can do while I’m sealed.

So it’s better to understand everything… before I leave.”

She looked at him with interest.

“What remarkable confidence…”

———

Inside the house, amid the snow…

Leona spoke first.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you.”

Daniel replied calmly,

“No need… we’re not from here to begin with.”

Scarlet looked surprised.

“You mean you’re trapped here too?”

“That’s right,” he answered. “For a year and a half now.”

“A year and a half…” Leona murmured.

Solar added quietly,

“As for me, it’s been about a month.”

Phoenix hesitated.

“I feel like I’ve heard your name before…”

Zeral turned to him.

“Are you serious?”

“What do you mean?” Phoenix asked.

Scarlet spoke up,

“Even I know it… he’s Jean’s father.”

Daniel’s eyes widened.

“You know my daughter… Jean?”

“That’s why the name sounded familiar,” Phoenix said.

Daniel suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Phoenix by the arms.

“How is she?”

Phoenix answered honestly,

“She’s been searching for you from the moment she arrived in this world.

She even became the leader of the Hunters’ Organization in the Kingdom of Mond… just to find any information about you.”

Leona added,

“In fact, our mission here was originally to look for you.”

Zeral said,

“And now that we’ve found you… we need to figure out how to get out.”

Scarlet nodded.

“We should tell Y about this.”

Leona replied calmly,

“Don’t worry about him. Y knows how to get out of even worse situations.”

Daniel asked anxiously,

“Y? Where is he now?”

“Somewhere outside,” Phoenix answered. “He’ll be back soon.”

Leona continued,

“We haven’t introduced ourselves yet.

The white-haired girl is Scarlet,

the one wearing the armor is Zeral,

the one holding the spear is Phoenix,

and my name is Leona.”

Daniel looked at her more closely.

“Leona… Doctor Lara’s daughter, right?”

“Yes.”

He said with genuine gratitude,

“We owe her a great deal.”

Leona nodded.

“What do you say we cooperate to escape?”

“That’s the best solution,” Daniel replied.

“I want to return to Jean as soon as possible.”

Phoenix said decisively,

“Then we’re agreed.

Do you have any information about this place?”

Solar spoke next.

“We’re in an ancient kingdom…

one that was once ruled by the Solstice family.”

Zeral’s gaze sharpened.

“The Solstice family…

you mean the cursed family?”

Then he added,

“So that means you’re from the Solstice family as well, aren’t you?”

Solar nodded.

“Yes.

But my family lived outside the kingdom.

That’s why I don’t know exactly what happened here.

I entered a cave by chance… and then found myself trapped here.”

Scarlet said quietly,

“That’s exactly what happened to us.”

Leona straightened her posture.

“Alright… let’s exchange everything we know.”