Yumé crossed the wooden bridge, stepping foot into the grand kingdom of Isru.

  At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The city looked older than modern towns, its buildings resembled medieval architecture, made of stone with slanted rooftops. However, the roads appeared much more recent.

  He wandered deeper into the city, unsure where to go.

  "Alright… how the hell am I supposed to find the king?" he muttered to himself. "Kenny could’ve at least given me directions instead of dumping me here like an idiot… Damn you, Kenny!"

  With no better plan, he decided to do what any lost person would : ask for directions.

  Spotting a young woman walking hand in hand with her child, he hurried over to her.

  — Excuse me, ma’am, I’m looking for the king’s palace.

  The woman stopped and casually pointed behind him.

  — Of course, dear. Just turn around, it’s that massive palace right there.

  Yumé froze.

  Slowly, he turned his head and was met with the sight of a colossal palace towering over the city, plain as day.

  Silence.

  Then, he let out a long, exhausted sigh.

  — Of course… It was obvious. He shook his head. Thanks, ma’am.

  Wasting no time, he took off toward the palace.

  — Alright, almost there!

  But just as he reached the entrance, a massive column of fire erupted in front of him.

  The sheer force of the flames sent him stumbling backward, landing flat on his back.

  He blinked in shock as the fire quickly dissipated, revealing a man standing in its place.

  The newcomer wore an open white shirt with flame patterns, black shorts, and simple sandals. His spiky, wavy red hair pointed toward the sky, with two strands falling over his face. His expression was relaxed but carried an undeniable confidence.

  He looked down at Yumé.

  — Who the hell are you, kid ? I don’t recognize you. Do you even know where you are?

  Yumé shook off his shock and pushed himself to his feet.

  — I’m Yumé. I came here on Kenny’s behalf. He told me to warn the king.

  The man raised an eyebrow.

  — Kenny ? Who’s that ?

  Yumé’s expression immediately darkened. That was the last straw.

  — Oh, great! So first this guy tells me to go find the king, and now NOBODY knows who the hell he is ?! Screw Kenny ! Screw this damn city ! Screw this whole world ! Screw Spada ! Screw ALL OF YOU !! He threw his hands in the air. You know what ?! Forget it ! I’m heading back to the orphanage! I’ll just ask the doctor what kind of drugs I’ve been slipped!

  The man remained silent for a moment, watching Yumé rant.

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  Then, he narrowed his eyes.

  — Wait… did you just say Spada ?

  — Yeah, I also just said I’m going home. Later.

  Yumé turned and started walking away, still grumbling.

  But before he could take more than a few steps, a ring of fire erupted around him, trapping him inside with the man.

  Yumé stopped mid-step, sighing heavily before turning back to face him.

  — Let me guess… That’s your doing ?

  The man folded his arms.

  — If you have information on Spada, you need to tell me.

  Yumé clenched his fists, his hands glowing with an intense energy.

  — Make me.

  The man sighed.

  — Tch… dumbass.

  Before Yumé could even blink, a sharp pain exploded in his stomach.

  His eyes widened.

  He hadn’t even seen the attack coming.

  His body collapsed like a ragdoll, hitting the ground hard.

  The man looked down at him and clicked his tongue.

  — You had that coming. But hey, good news, your wish is coming true. I’ll take you to the king.

  When Yumé opened his eyes, he found himself sitting on the cold floor of an opulent hall, his hands tied behind his back.

  He scanned his surroundings.

  The massive room was adorned with tapestries and golden ornaments, exuding wealth and power.

  Standing beside him, arms crossed, was the flame-wielding bastard who knocked him out.

  Yumé groaned.

  — What the hell happened? Where am I? Did YOU do this?!

  The man didn’t even flinch.

  — Relax, kid. You wanted to see the king, didn’t you? He motioned toward someone in front of them. Well, there he is.

  Yumé finally lifted his head and looked forward.

  Standing before him was an old man, bald, wearing sunglasses, with a ridiculously long white beard and mustache that completely hid his mouth.

  He was dressed in a blue Hawaiian shirt, matching shorts, and simple flip-flops.

  The old man slowly approached him.

  — Welcome, my boy. His voice was calm yet powerful. I am the king of Isru. Atsuchi told me you have important information to share.

  Yumé turned his head toward the flame-user, eyeing him suspiciously.

  — I told you I needed to see the king. And you brought me to your grandpa.

  Atsuchi sighed.

  — Yeah, I get it. Hard to believe. But this crazy old man is actually the king.

  — I CAN HEAR YOU, YOU LITTLE SHITS! the king shouted, waving his arms in frustration. SHOW SOME DAMN RESPECT!

  — Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever… Atsuchi mumbled. Anyway, kid, start talking. What happened?

  Yumé took a deep breath before explaining.

  — I ran into a Spada member in my world. He almost killed me, but Kenny saved my life.

  The king’s expression changed.

  — "Your world"…? What do you mean?

  Atsuchi answered in his place.

  — He means Barsova.

  At the mention of the name, the king’s demeanor shifted completely.

  — Barsova?! He turned sharply toward Atsuchi. You told me he was a Sonka.

  — I’m sure of it. I saw him use his abilities earlier.

  A heavy silence settled between them.

  Then, a knowing smile spread across the king’s face.

  — Well now… this is quite the unexpected situation. But perhaps also an opportunity.

  He locked eyes with Yumé.

  — Tell me, boy…

  "How would you like an offer that could change your life?"