Kairav instinctively grabbed his younger brother's hand, urging him to run as fast as possible.
Their steps felt unbearably heavy as if the very ground beneath them was trying to hold them back.
Sagara sobbed uncontrollably, occasionally glancing over his shoulder in terror at the monstrous figure relentlessly chasing them.
Kairav, driven by an innate instinct to protect his little brother, focused only on one goal—to run as fast as he could and get Sagara out of the forest safely.
But the deeper they ran, the darker and more oppressive the forest became. The thickening gloom made it nearly impossible for Kairav's hazel eyes to find the right path out.
Then—
He froze in shock as he suddenly felt his brother's grip slip away.
"Brother...." Sagara whimpered, his voice shaking with both fear and pain.
He had tripped and fallen hard, his small body scraping against the jagged stones hidden beneath the mud.
Kairav immediately turned back, kneeling beside him and gripping his shoulders firmly. "It's okay, I'm here. Get up—hurry! We have to go—"
Growl!!!
His words died in his throat as he realized the Giant Man was now dangerously close, only a few feet away from them.
There was no more time to run.
Without thinking, Kairav sprang into action, dashing toward the monster with no hesitation, throwing himself between the beast and his little brother.
"RUN!!!" he screamed.
Thud!!!
The moment he lunged forward, an enormous, clawed hand struck him with immense force.
The impact sent his body flying, slamming into a massive mangrove tree with a sickening crack. Blood trickled down from his forehead as he collapsed onto the cold, muddy ground.
"Brother!!"
"Go..." he whispered weakly, his vision darkening.
Sagara's cries and the heavy thuds of the monster's footsteps gradually faded into the void of unconsciousness.
***
By the time Kairav's consciousness stirred again, the sun had completely set, leaving only the pale glow of the moon in the sky. A gentle drizzle began to fall, its cool touch rousing him slightly.
His senses returned, little by little when he felt a warm, wet sensation against his cheek.
"Nala...?" he murmured, his hazel eyes fluttering open to see his faithful dog licking his face.
A rush of memories surged back into his mind, and he jolted upright, panic gripping his chest.
But his breath hitched the moment he saw Nala's battered body collapse onto the mud. Deep wounds covered the beagle's trembling frame, blood soaking into the wet earth beneath her.
Kairav felt frozen between two overwhelming emotions—fear for Sagara's unknown fate and anguish over his dying companion.
His heart pounded. He barely even registered the pain from his injuries.
"Nala... Nala, wake up... Where's Sagara?" he choked out between ragged breaths.
A single droplet of his blood dripped from his forehead, landing on one of Nala's open wounds.
And then—
The sky erupted with light.
The moon and stars above remained unchanged, but suddenly, a vibrant wave of color rippled through the horizon, illuminating the night with an ethereal glow.
Aurora-like hues spiraled through the darkness, converging around the red star Luminous Remnants, located within the Unicorn Constellation.
Unbeknownst to him, Kairav had activated the awakening technique: Radiant Soulforge Awakening.
As the power of Cosmic Resonance Radiation surged across the sky, a beam of white light shot down from the sky, striking Lushterra. It pierced through Kairav's small body, flooding his very being with an unfamiliar warmth.
His entire form trembled, his mind unable to process what was happening.
The soft golden mist began swirling around him, wrapping his frame in an embrace both foreign and comforting. Then, a burning heat spread across his back, though he could not see what was happening.
Unbeknownst to him, a sacred white unicorn totem had begun etching itself onto his skin, its golden horn glowing with an otherworldly radiance.
And then—
A blinding flash.
A magnificent white unicorn with a golden horn burst forth from within Kairav's body, stepping gracefully onto the muddy ground.
Kairav was left frozen in awe. His breath hitched as he gazed at the celestial being that had emerged from within him.
With slow, deliberate steps, the noble spirit approached Nala's broken form. A warm golden mist seeped from his horn, wrapping around the dying beagle's body.
Kairav could only watch in shock as Nala's wounds began to close. The pain in her eyes faded, her breath steadied, and then—she opened her eyes once more.
But as life returned to Nala, darkness swiftly consumed Kairav.
His body crumpled once again, utterly drained.
As he lost consciousness, he was completely unaware that, somewhere along the way, the Eternal Crimson Guardian, the ruby pendant hanging around his neck, had fallen off and disappeared into the mud.
***
Nusantara Kingdom
Meanwhile, at the same time, in the northern mountainous region of Sapphire Island—one of the many islands within the Nusantara Kingdom—
A young man with warm, sun-kissed skin stood motionless, gazing expressionlessly at the towering rock cliff before him.
The cliff loomed high over the hills of Dusk Ridge Village, a place where traditions remained deeply woven into the fabric of daily life.
Dressed in a black leather jacket, the young man stood still, his fingers lightly resting on the hilt of a sword hanging at his waist.
It was difficult to discern what emotions he was feeling, for his sharp features betrayed nothing. His right cheek was further concealed by a silver mask, obscuring any hint of expression.
He had been staring blankly at the numerous cavities carved into the black granite cliff, each one holding the remains of the dead.
His gaze drifted toward the rows of wooden statues dressed like living people—symbolic representations of those buried in what was known as the Stone Tombs.
To the villagers, he was simply known as The Nameless Young Man.
A short while ago, he had witnessed a dark omen—the emergence of a Shadowrift Abomination from a black hole.
And now, the night sky bore yet another unsettling sign.
The once-dormant Cosmic Resonance Radiation had awakened, illuminating the Unicorn Constellation in celestial light.
"The Eternal Crimson Guardian has disappeared..." he murmured under his breath.
Without hesitation, he turned and sprinted toward the cliffside.
A hidden portal flickered into existence, embedded within the rock. As he stepped through, the world blurred, and in an instant, he emerged into the mangrove forest of Coral Reef Peninsula.
A bright white light flickered for a few seconds, flashing like a thunderous bolt of lightning striking the trunk of a massive mangrove tree in the gloom of the forest—right at the moment the nameless young man arrived at his destination after a journey that lasted mere seconds.
Raising a hand, he conjured a small fireball, tossing it into the air.
The flames expanded into a Sunfire Gaze, illuminating the dense, shadowed forest in a warm orange glow.
His sharp, black eyes scanned his surroundings, feet treading carefully across the tangled roots and mud.
Then—
His step suddenly halted.
Something solid pressed beneath his foot. Looking down, he spotted a ruby pendant lying partially buried in the muck.
His fingers brushed against the gem's surface as he picked it up.
"Eternal Crimson Guardian..." he whispered. "Where is he?"
Lifting his head, his eyes caught sight of something moving—a red energy sphere streaking toward the Dragon Serpent Constellation.
His jaw tightened. The Crimson Sphere Essence, the remnants of a slain Shadowrift Abomination, was ascending.
"Am I too late?"
Then—
A faint, desperate sound broke the silence. A dog's bark echoed through the mangroves.
His gaze snapped in its direction, and he rushed toward the source.
There—
Lying unconscious in the mud, surrounded by his frantic beagle, was Kairav.
The Nameless young man knelt, checking the boy's pulse. A soft exhale of relief escaped him when he felt a weak heartbeat.
Carefully, he slipped the Eternal Crimson Guardian pendant back around Kairav's neck. The gemstone glowed faintly before dimming.
Lifting the boy onto his back, he began walking away.
But before he could leave—
A weak voice stirred behind him.
"...Who are you?"