The transportation array to the Hunter Academy was located in the Kingdom of Finley, a realm that bordered both the Northern Empire and the Are Empire. To pass through the gates of the Elven realm, one o traverse the Finley Kingdom and reach its ter.

  Finley was renowned for the massive root at its heart—just one among millions scattered across various worlds. These roots were said to belong to the legendary World Tree, whiterected realms. The exact location of the tree remained a mystery, though many believed it resided in the long-lost Heavenly Pace. When the pace vanished, many feared the roots would disappear as well, but they endured, tinuing to link the realms. Briefly, when the Heavenly Pace reappeared years ago, the roots across the worlds glowed with a golden light before fading again with the pace's disappearance.

  Now, the children jouroward Finley, where the roing the Elf and human realms was located. The road to Finley was smooth up to the Empire’s barrier, but beyond it, the surroundings grew eerily quiet. Beh them stretched a vast forest, shrouded in an uling stillness.

  The knight captain, ed the children might be frightened by the ominous ndscape, gnced into the spacious of the hover car. To his surprise, two of them were sound asleep, seemingly unbothered, while the third gazed out the window with calm indifference.

  The captain’s gaze lingered on the princess, uo suppress his admiration. As expected of the princess. She’s pletely unfazed.

  Charged with their safe transport to the portal, he had arranged six additional hover cars to escort their rger vehicle, ensuring their journey was as secure as possible.

  As the distance from the barrier increased, the atmosphere grew noticeably darker. Captain Batair felt an inexplicable utling in his chest. He khat life he border was far from the tranquility of the Empire, thanks to the protective barrier. Every day, hordes of demons tried to breach it, only to be annihited by the first prince.

  Although Batair had never fought at the border—his sole duty being the prote of the royal family—he had unwavering trust in the prince's abilities. That man had never know. Yet, now, for the first time, he could withe border’s true state, and it unnerved him. Low-level demons lurked below their hover car, none powerful enough to pose a serious threat. But the sense of foreboding in his heart grew heavier with each passing sed, as though something ominous was about to unfold.

  It didn’t take long for the uo ma. The number of demons began to increase armingly. Captain Batair wasn’t the only oo notice; the knights in the car exged puzzled gnces.

  “How is this possible?” one murmured.“Weren’t there only a few before?”“If they attack us in suumbers, we may not hold out for long—even with the border knights’ support,” another added nervously.

  Seeing his knights begin to panic, Captain Batair stepped to the front of the . Through the gss, he gazed at the dark, foreboding forest below with steadfast determination. His red cape fluttered behind him in the wind as he raised the unication stone in his hand. In a calm, anding tone, he addressed his rades.

  “Knights of Are, do not fear these lowly vermin. Together, we overe anything.”

  Turning to his vice-captain, he issued his order. “tact the border knights and request backup immediately. If the demons attack, we’ll hold them off for as long as it takes.”

  As Captain Batair finished his and, a massive va rock hurtled through the air and struck the escort car ahead of them. He could only watch as the vehicle exploded into a fiery burst, its shattered remains plummeting into the dark forest below. The voice of a knight crackled urgently through the unication stone: “Captain, it’s an ambush!”

  Chaos erupted in an instant. The two children in the were jolted awake by the explosion. Disoriehey looked around in fusion before panic set in. Lava rocks were raining down, their fiery glow illuminating the forest below. Ayden’s voice, trembling with fear, broke the tension in the . “Sister, sister, what should we do?” His wide, panic-stri eyes turo Athena. Julian, though silent, looked at her too, his expression a mix of worry and expectation, as though hoping she might offer a solution—or at least some fort.

  Athena, however, remained posed. Her gaze was fixed on the molten rocks flying toward them. Her lips curled ever so slightly into a fleeting, enigmatic smile. Rising gracefully from her seat, she strode toward the captain with an air of calm authority.

  “Captain Batair,” she said, her voice steady and measured, “do you remember what I taught you?”

  It took the captain a moment to grasp her meaning, but then realization dawned. Straightening, he offered a respectful bow and replied with unwavering fidence, “Yes, Yhness.”

  Turning swiftly to his unication stone, he issued his and. “Knights, activate the barrier array!”

  Though it wouldn’t be as powerful as the ohe princess had crafted in the past, Captain Batair khe array would buy them precious time.

  When Belial first heard rumors of a child who had caught his master's attention, he was intrigued. Who could this child be? He waited patiently, gathering whispers and fragments of information. Then, one day, the same child was said to have created a barrier that spanned aire Empire. His curiosity deepened.

  When his master revealed pns to make this child his disciple, Belial felt a pang of disagreement. Yet, voig his dissent was out of the question. Instead, he resolved to bide his time, to see this child for himself and uand what set her apart from him and the other eleven demon gods, all handpicked by their master.

  When Belial learhe child would be traveling to Finley, he seized the opportunity. This was his ce to test her mettle.

  Unleashing a vast horde of demons, he unched his ambush with devastating precision, hurling a barrage of molten va rocks at the voy. The first escort car was obliterated in moments, its wreckage spiraling into the forest below. Watg the destru, Belial mused aloud, “Perhaps this child isn’t so extraordinary after all. Just another infted rumor.”

  But when his sed wave of molten projectiles failed to breach the fleet’s defenses, he froze in surprise. His lips curled into an eerie chuckle. “Iing. So, you hold back my va rai’s see how long you maintain that barrier.”

  As the iy and frequency of the attacks increased, Captain Batair's wrew. He watched the barrier tremble uhe relentless assault ahe weight of responsibility pressing down on him. What should we do? he thought, his mind rag. If this goes on, the barrier won’t hold.

  Even as he strategized, he kheir only hope y in the arrival of reinforts. “Vice-Captain Bernard,” he said, his voice heavy with determination, “look after the children. I’ll go down and stall him for as long as I .”

  Bernard’s eyes widened in arm. “No, Captain! I’ll go instead—”

  Batair cut him off, his tone brooking nument. “That demon is no ordinary foe. He’s a high-ranking demon. You wouldn’t st against him.”

  Bernard ched his fists, relut but uo refute his captain’s words. The atmosphere in the was tense, but Batair’s resolve was unwavering. He khe risk he was taking, but it was a risk he had to bear—for the children and the mission.

  As Batair prepared to leave the car, a fresh wave of va rocks desded, fiercer and more destructive than before. Oruck the side of the vehicle, its weakened barrier uo fully deflect the impact. The car spun violently in the air, teetering on the edge of disaster, but miraculously, it remained aloft.

  Batair’s gaze flickered to the three children. Their young faces, though calm on the surface, betrayed the shock of an experience far beyond anything they had ever faced. What are their ces if we fall? he thought grimly, his resolve hardenie the bleak odds.

  Then, as if answering his unspoken prayers, a massive fleet emerged on the horizon, bearing the fg of the Are Empire. Relief washed over him as he reized the figure riding at its forefront: First Prince Alexander, astride his majestic bck pegasus. His cape billowed in the wind, and his mere presence radiated authority and power.

  Alexander’s voice rang out, sharp and mog, as he addressed the demon god responsible for the chaos. “Belial, since when did demon gods take up the role of terrorizing children? I heard you lost to your brother Bam. Now it makes sense—your brother holds the eleventh position, while you nguish ih. A coward like you doesn’t even know how to pick a prht.”

  The insults came rapid and cutting, eae chipping away at Belial’s posure. At first, Belial seemed amused, his eerie chuckle eg through the dark forest. But as Alexander’s taunts tinued, his amusement gave way to boiling rage.

  “How dare you, you pathetic little mortal!” Belial snarled, his voice trembling with fury. “You dare to insult me like this? Watch as I tear your precious daughter apart!”

  Amid the rising tension, Julian couldn’t help but g Athena. A smirk pyed on her lips, mirr her father’s sharp tongue and unyielding defiance. So that’s where she gets it, Julian thought wryly. Like father, like daughter.

  In the moment, a massive bck figure formed in the sky, its body posed of jagged va rocks glowing like embers in a dying fire. Sinister red eyes gleamed from its molten face, and its leathery wings spread wide, casting a menag shadow over the ndscape. Twisted horns jutted from its head, framing a mouth filled with sharp, jagged teeth that exuded malice. On its back, two crest-shaped volic bdes glowed ominously, pulsing with fiery energy.

  The creature sed its surroundings and zeroed in on the car where the children were. Its deep, gravelly voice reverberated through the air. “I wonder how much lohat barrier hold.”

  Uanding the implied threat, Alexander’s rage ignited like a wildfire. With a fierce roar, he charged, his sword drawn and ready. In an instant, the two figures cshed midair, steel meeting volic fury in a dazzling, heated battle. Sparks flew as their bdes collided, the sound eg like thunder.

  For Athena, this was her first time witnessing her father in bat. His movements were fluid yet forceful, each strike brimming with porecision. She couldn’t help but feel a mix of awe and fear as the duel unfolded before her eyes.

  But the fight distracted more than just Alexander. Everyone’s attention was riveted to the fierce battle—until a sudden, jarring impact shook the car. A loud crash sent it spinning wildly, its stability shattered. Armed, Athena instinctively grabbed hold of Julian and Ayden, her arms log around them like iron.

  The car began to topple, hurtling toward the ground. In the chaos, Athena’s head struething hard, sending a sharp pain radiating through her skull. She g tightly to the two boys, brag herself for the iable impact.

  Just as the ground seemed ready to swallow them whole, a strong, unfamiliar grip enveloped the three children. They were lifted from the wreckage, but before Athena could see who had saved them, darkness enveloped her, and everythi silent.