The next morning in Soren Town felt strangely quiet.
The usual wind that swept through the training fields carried a faint metallic smell — like the air after lightning.
Riku stretched, gazing at the horizon.
"Hey, Bolt… doesn't the sky feel weird today?"
Bolt tilted his head, flicking his tail. "Hmm. Maybe the clouds are angry again."
Riku laughed. "You and your thunder jokes."
But deep inside, the unease wouldn't fade.
[Scene 1 – The News Broadcast]
Inside Riku's home, a holographic screen flickered to life.
A news reporter's voice echoed across the small room.
> "Breaking report from Zeirth City: an explosion occurred last night within a restricted research facility. Authorities suspect Spirit Core interference, though the cause remains under investigation."
Riku froze mid-bite.
"Zeirth City… isn't that where Mom used to work before moving here?"
His mother paused, hands trembling slightly as she set down a wrench.
"…Yes. But that place was shut down years ago. Forget about it, Riku."
Bolt's ears twitched. "Her heartbeat just jumped."
"Bolt — don't say that out loud!" Riku hissed.
But his spirit's instinct never lied.
Something about that facility … connected to their future.
[Scene 2 – The Training Grounds]
Later that day, Riku met Toma by the usual training hill.
The air buzzed with faint static as Bolt sparred against a sparrow-type spirit.
"Your control's improving," Toma said, scribbling notes on a holo-pad.
"But your energy output spikes too fast. Bolt might overload again if you push him."
Riku grinned. "Then we'll just push smarter."
Bolt panted, sparks fading around his fur. "Next time, I'll hit harder!"
Toma chuckled. "You two are seriously crazy."
A group of older teens nearby whispered.
"Hey, that's the kid who beat Ryson last week, right?"
"Yeah. But I heard a rumor — some kid from Zeirth burned through three arenas in one night. They called him the Dragon Master."
Riku blinked. "Dragon … Master?"
Toma frowned. "Sounds like another made-up legend."
But somewhere deep down, the name stirred something strange — a faint echo that made Bolt's fur stand on end.
[Scene 3 – The Mountain Pass]
Far from town, thunder rolled across the mountains.
Kaen Drayze walked alone, cloak fluttering behind him, eyes fixed on the distant sky.
Draygion's voice rumbled from within his Core.
> "They'll send hunters after you. Are you ready?"
Kaen smirked faintly. "Let them come. I'm done being their weapon."
The road ahead led to Soren Province — quiet, peaceful, and unprepared for what was coming.
Behind him, black drones rose from the fog — Core Dominion scouts.
Kaen turned, his gauntlet glowing red.
> "Draygion. Time to remind them why they chained us."
A surge of violet flame erupted, swallowing the drones in seconds.
The blast echoed far across the valley — reaching even the skies above Soren Town.
[Scene 4 – The Omen]
Riku looked up suddenly as a pulse of lightning flashed across the clouds — purple, not blue.
Bolt's eyes widened. "That's … not natural lightning."
Toma dropped his toolkit. "What was that?!"
Riku clenched his fist, feeling his Core thrum against his wrist.
> "Whoever's out there … their spirit's crying out."
The sound faded into silence, but the feeling lingered — like a storm about to arrive.
And for the first time, Riku whispered softly, almost instinctively:
> "Bolt … I think we're not the only ones chosen by the Core."
The wolf spirit's tail flicked. "Then we'll face them — together."
Thunder rolled once more, and somewhere beyond the clouds, Kaen smiled — sensing a rival awakening far away.
[Scene 5 – The Strange News Broadcast]
That night, while Riku sat on the rooftop with Bolt watching the flickering stars, the town's public screen suddenly buzzed with static.
A local anchor's tired voice cut through the noise.
> "In a piece of unexpected cultural news, the mysterious writer known as MK Pahad — the creator of World Martial Art, The Letter I Never Sent: The Last Sunrise, Feather Blood, and What Is True Love? — has reportedly vanished from the public eye.
Sources say he has decided to 'step away from writing … for now.' No further details were given."
Riku blinked. "Wait, what? He quit?!"
Bolt tilted his head. "Who's MK?"
Riku waved his arms. "The writer! The guy who made all those amazing stories! How could he just disappear? I wanted to know what happened next in World Martial Art!"
Bolt chuckled softly. "Maybe even writers need a break, Riku."
Riku sighed. "Still … he could've at least left a note or something!"
The two laughed, their voices carried away by the wind.
Above them, thunder rolled faintly — as if the vanished writer himself was smiling from beyond the clouds.