Murphy sat alone, sipping his coffee in silence, when one of his subordinates approached with news.
The man began formally,
"Sir, we've received new intelligence regarding the enemies. The Elites have gathered to review it. We also found a lead on the whereabouts of the missing operative, Dalia."
Murphy raised a brow.
"Dalia? Who is she?"
"She's an experienced agent under the command of Elite members Shiro and Warren."
"I see. And what about her?"
"She was spotted near the restaurant where Lucian and the Ribwan twins had their battle. But her trail vanished shortly after."
"Tch… Why are you bothering with her? I know she was a capable subordinate, but we shouldn't waste resources on a missing agent. Just assign someone new."
"Understood, sir."
"Continue prioritizing the search for the stolen Silver Connectors — that's our top concern. And keep tracking the five targets who previously escaped us."
"Yes, sir."
The man handed Murphy a stack of papers containing detailed reports. As Murphy flipped through them, his eyes widened at a certain photo — one of the Ribwan twins, Luna and Yuna, holding hands and wearing matching hats.
A wave of images suddenly flooded his mind…
A gentle smile.
A voice whispering, "We'll stay together until death parts us."
A rope-bound corpse.
A well he once drew water from.
Three people gathered around a dead body.
Blood-soaked threads coiled around limp figures.
Murphy clenched his fists and hurled the papers to the ground, pressing a hand against his face, overwhelmed.
Just then, another subordinate stepped in.
"Sir, I—"
Before he could finish, Murphy thrust his hand forward, releasing a burst of fire that engulfed the man. The subordinate screamed in agony.
"Please, sir! I didn't do anything!"
Realizing what he'd done, Murphy extinguished the flames. But the damage was done — the man collapsed, badly burned.
Murphy exited the chamber, darkness swirling in his gaze. He wandered through the halls until he entered a dining room where his niece, Betty, was eating.
She immediately noticed his shaken expression.
Betty : " Uncle, what happened?"
Murphy : " The Ribwan twins… both of them are heirs to a wonder stone."
"So?"
"You don't understand. The photo showed them holding hands, wearing hats .That image… it reminded me of him."
"I see."
Betty stood and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Uncle, listen. You can't let grief and anger control you. Cast them aside and live your life — fulfill your goal."
Murphy nodded slowly.
"You're right. Thank you, Betty."
But who was the person in Murphy's memories? Why did a simple photograph of the Ribwan twins drive him to such rage and sorrow?
___
Tristan stirred. His vision slowly returned as he saw two blurry figures leaning over him.
"Tristan!"
Clara and Dalia called his name, their voices filled with relief.
He sat up, groaning as he clutched his side. Looking at Clara, he asked: "Are you alright? I remember that bastard Sam nearly killed you…"
Clara : "Yeah, I was saved just in time. Dalia patched me up."
"We saw part of your fight. Sam… he completely overwhelmed you."
"He's on a different level, no doubt."
Dalia stepped forward.
Dalia : "Let me tend to your wounds, Tristan. I brought a medical kit."
Tristan : "Thanks."
As she wrapped his injuries, she asked:
Dalia : "Who did this to you?"
Tristan : "A man from the Fighter Division — the one you used to be a part of."
"Can you describe him?"
"Orange hair. Brown eyes. Wielded a sword. Used lightning."
"That must've been Commander Caesar."
"So that's his name…"
"Yes. But what was he doing here?"
"He wasn't alone. He and another man were after Jayden."
"Then we have to check on Jayden immediately."
Dalia quickly finished bandaging him, but before they could move, a strong presence drew near — one of the stone heirs.
All three — Tristan, Clara, and Dalia — drew their weapons instinctively.
From the shadows emerged Chris.
Chris : "Wow, what a welcome. No 'hey, how are you?' Just weapons to the face."
Tristan exhaled.
"Sorry. Things are chaotic. We didn't realize it was you."
"Understandable."
Tristan looked him over.
"Still… I've got to say, you're strong. You fought Kuro, master of Binding Powers, and lived. You even beat him."
"No," Chris replied and added "He beat me. Yuna saved me at the last second. Then she convinced me to form a truce… with the enemy."
The others stared in disbelief. Chris elaborated, explaining how Yuna had negotiated a ceasefire, supported by Hal. Kuro and Hal insisted on informing their teammates before finalizing the agreement.
Just as they were finishing, Dalia raised her binoculars and spotted several figures approaching: Jayden, Yuna, William, Luna, Sony, Merrick and Salvador.
The group finally reunited. Luna healed Tristan, while Yuna tended to Clara.
The National Division of the Fauvism granted Team Kaos a single day to gather their belongings and leave their base — a war trophy claimed despite the battle ending in a draw. The base had also seen interference from two high-ranking members of the Fighter Division.
Luna stood in her room, slowly packing, her heart heavy. She would never see this place again. It wasn't just her — everyone felt the same. But for the original members — the Ribwan twins, Merrick, Salvador, Clara, Sony — the pain was far deeper. They had built this base together.
In the world of stone heirs, once a team's base was handed over, reclaiming it could take years — even if the keys were returned. The four base keys were elemental stones, each bound to the team members' power. Now that the National Division held the base, its power would shift to their members.
The only one not packing was William — he had never truly lived in the base. His belongings were elsewhere. Yet even he mourned its loss, remembering the times he had shared with his friends.
___
Milo — the man who had once spoken to William about Lillian Aiden — waited at a small café, as promised. He was sipping his coffee when he sensed a familiar power approaching.
He turned and saw William.
They stood face to face.
Milo : "So… what did you and your team decide?"
William smiled : "We've decided to join Lillian Aiden. But only on one condition: we want to understand your methods. If your goals put us in danger, we're out."
"Fair enough."
Milo handed William a stack of papers.
"These outline how our division — The Moon Division of the Fauvism — operates."
"Moon Division? So… you are part of the Fauvism?"
Milo nodded.
"As I suspected, neither you nor your friends know the true history. Let me tell you a little…"
Long ago, what was now infamously called The Fauvism was once a noble institution—a sanctuary where the heirs of the wonder stones trained to wield their powers in the name of self-defense and harmony.
It was built by the original wielders of the mystical stones, a forgotten civilization that passed down their powers to the generations after them.
After its rediscovery, the Fauvism was restored and rapidly flourished. Its students—kind and determined—used their powers for good, just as the Ribwan twins and their companions had done. Under their example, the Fauvism expanded. Additional facilities were established, prosperity blossomed, and those working there grew wealthy and influential—ascending into what could only be described as a noble class.
But as is often the case, wealth and power tend to corrupt. Humanity, when gifted with too much authority, begins to believe itself untouchable.
The Fauvism's first principal during its renaissance was a good man—a leader who cherished justice and offered help to those in need. However, those who succeeded him strayed from that path. The second headmaster, and the ones who followed, exploited the Fauvism's wealth and influence to serve their own dark agendas.
The people, worn thin by this tyranny, refused to remain passive. Rebellions broke out. Assassinations followed. Most of the corrupt leadership was eliminated, sparing only a few who had stayed true to their conscience.
Those few who remained turned their backs on the institution entirely. They chose to live freely, disconnected from the so-called Fauvism.
Then came the revelation—a dire prediction from the scholars of the archive Council: the wonder stones were nearing the end of their life. Their extinction would trigger a chain of death and destruction, wiping out countless lives.
In response, a cruel but calculated system was proposed—one that would sacrifice a few to save the many. Thus were born the Golden Cubes and the Silver Connectors, tools forged to preserve the legacy of the stone-wielders, even if it meant sacrificing some of them.
A new organization was formed, one that would oversee these grim operations. The name they chose? The Fauvism —a cruel irony agreed upon by Murphy Wong, Yossan Endar and Lillian Taylor. They devised what became known as The Forty eight slots that must be filled to prevent annihilation.
The organization was divided into three branches:
The National Division, led by Yossan.
The Fighter Division, commanded by Murphy.
The Moon Division, under the leadership of Taylor.
The goals of the National and Fighter divisions were straightforward: fill the Forty eight slots as quickly as possible. But the Moon Division was different—it sought peaceful coexistence between stone-wielders and humans and it insisted that sacrifices be chosen with great care.
Taylor, once a judge, understood justice deeply. He believed that some people, indeed, deserved execution. And so, acting in his judicial role, he vowed to personally determine which stone-wielders were truly worthy of sacrifice. At least then, their deaths would serve a meaningful purpose.
But this philosophy sparked sharp conflict. Both Murphy and Yossan saw Taylor's approach as an obstacle. His method put their followers at risk—his moral compass meant he could target anyone, even from their own ranks. To them, innocence was an inconvenience. Efficiency mattered more.
And so, they conspired.
The two leaders arranged to have Taylor poisoned, disguising his death as a natural illness. Had Taylor lived and possessed a Golden Cube, there was no doubt—he would have sacrificed members of the National and Fighter divisions without hesitation.
Following his death, Murphy and Yossan reached a silent pact: they would not interfere in each other's affairs, ensuring the system remained stable and efficient in filling the Forty-Eight slots.
But now, everything had changed.
Lillian Aiden, the son of Taylor, had emerged from the shadows. He began to rally the former members of the Moon Division, reviving its ideals. He spoke with conviction, and his words were persuasive. Aiden had already gathered a substantial number of loyal followers, and his influence continued to grow. He had even managed to reclaim his father's Silver Connectors—crucial devices for controlling the power of the wonder stones.
Aiden extended a hand to William and his companions, offering them a place in the reborn Moon Division.
This, all of it, was what Milo had revealed to William.
And two days later, William shared everything with his teammates.
Clara : " How ironic. We're about to join an organization we once despised... a name that used to make our skin crawl."
Chris : " Names don't matter—only purpose does. And I don't believe Milo is lying. I found some passages that match what he told us."
Jayden :" So what do you all think? Will we regret joining the Moon Division?"
Merrick : " Do we have another choice? We're constantly hiding, always being watched. If we want to stop living in fear, we need to ally with this Aiden—fast."
Sony :"But if we do this… we'll be aligning ourselves with something massive—something that affects the fate of all stone-wielders."
Merrick :"Listen. If everyone walks away from this responsibility, then who will carry it? If we don't try to rebuild the Moon Division, if we don't recover the Golden Cubes, then we'll be wiped out—either by the National or Fighter Divisions. They've already begun to harm us."
Tristan : "He's right. We have powers—powers that can help save our kind in a fair and just way. That's the heart of the Moon Division's mission. We have to trust in that and act on it."
Merrick stood up and said
"Let's prepare. In two days, we head to the location Milo gave William. That will be our first step toward becoming members of a force burdened with saving our entire race."
The situation had grown serious. Every member of Team Kaos now stood at a turning point. They had decided.
They would join Aiden.
They would rebuild the Moon Division.
But the question lingered—would their enemies allow it?