At that very moment, despite his blurred vision, Kairav could faintly make out the appearance of a Phoenix spirit soaring above him.
His majestic wings spread wide, and the blazing red flames enveloping his entire body seemed to merge seamlessly with the crimson light of dawn descending from the horizon.
Ping!
[System: Scanning Object...]
Analysis: 85%... 95%... 100% Complete!
Name: Kirmizi
Creature Type: Phoenix Spirit
Origin: Aetherialium
Element: Fire
With a piercing cry, the Phoenix spirit flew in circles around the massive water monster, which immediately grew restless upon seeing him.
The monster instinctively tried to strike him with a powerful swing of its arm, but that foolish move only hastened its demise.
As the watery arm made contact with the fiery wing, it was instantly seared by the intense heat, causing it to evaporate into steam in an instant.
Growl!!!
A deafening roar echoed once more as the monster witnessed the loss of one of its limbs.
But the Phoenix spirit didn't stop there. He swiftly shed several fiery feathers from his wings.
The blazing feathers spiraled through the air, hurtling en masse toward their target, striking the massive water monster in a single, devastating attack.
The monster let out a final, thunderous roar as the fiery feathers pierced through its watery form, causing it to disintegrate into vapor, swept away by the wind.
As if his task was complete, the Phoenix spirit flew off in a specific direction.
In an instant, his body transformed into a long sword, every inch of it forged from blazing fire.
Spinning in the air before being calmly caught by a young man with jet-black eyes, standing at a distance with a neutral expression.
"Bro! It's been a while!" Casildo shouted enthusiastically upon seeing the young man in the black sweater.
The tan-skinned young man remained silent, not responding to the greeting.
The fiery sword in his grasp gradually vanished, and his sharp eyes turned toward Kairav, who had just lost consciousness, accompanied by a faint system notification sound.
Ping!
[System: Scanning Object...]
Analysis: 85%... 95%... 100% Complete!
Name: The Nameless Young Man
Race: Human
Age: 497 years
Title: Astral Conjurer (Host of the Phoenix Spirit)
Element: Fire
Weapon: Sambara Sword
Affiliation: Crimsonterra Kingdom
"Bro! What brings you here? Did you come to save me?" Casildo teased, flashing a wide grin at the young man.
The young man remained unresponsive, stepping forward with his jet-black eyes fixed intently on Kairav's body.
"Where is the Eternal Crimson Guardian?" he asked calmly, his voice devoid of emotion.
Casildo furrowed his brow in confusion. "Huh? Eternal what?" he asked, but received no reply from the nameless young man.
Instead, the straight-haired young man knelt beside Kairav's body, silently reaching for the necklace hanging around his neck, prompting another question from Casildo.
"Bro, are you referring to the red gemstone pendant on that necklace?" he asked, pointing at it.
The nameless young man remained silent but gave a brief nod.
His attention was fully focused on the remnants of the red gemstone still attached to the pendant's frame in his hand.
"Bro, what kind of stone is that? Why can I feel such strong magical power emanating from it?" Casildo asked curiously.
The young man finally shifted his gaze, his dark eyes filled with seriousness as he asked, "Why is this gemstone shattered?"
Casildo was taken aback, feeling as if he'd been caught red-handed.
Eventually, the muscular young man scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly.
"He he. Maybe because I threw this guy earlier," he replied, pointing at Kairav without a hint of guilt on his face.
The usually emotionless sharp eyes of the young man suddenly showed a glint of annoyance upon hearing that answer, prompting Casildo to raise both hands defensively.
"Hey, don't look at me like that. I did it to save him!" he declared firmly.
A sigh of relief escaped Casildo's lips as the nameless young man diverted his sharp gaze away from him. "But why did this guy suddenly pass out?" Casildo asked.
The young man didn't answer immediately. He moved his fingers to detect the faint pulse on Kairav's wrist.
After sensing the weak pulse, he said, "His power has long been imprisoned within the Stellar Essence, making it difficult for his body to adapt to the immense energy released whenever he accidentally uses his power."
Casildo scratched his head in confusion. "Who exactly is this Failed Product? Why is he so strange? Do you know him well?" he asked.
Once again, he was met with his friend's indifferent attitude, which only added to his frustration.
"Tsk! We've been friends for so long, but you still always ignore me," he complained.
"You're the only one who thinks we're friends," the nameless young man replied nonchalantly.
Casildo's eyes widened in disbelief, clearly annoyed by the sarcastic remark.
However, he chose to hold back his retort, placing his hands on his hips and watching the nameless young man's movements with an angry expression.
With calm and deliberate movements, the nameless young man reached for a black-bladed sword with a Phoenix head-shaped hilt hanging at his waist, alongside his silver mask.
"So that's from the decoration on your Sambara sword?" Casildo remarked as he saw the young man's fingers attempting to retrieve a red gemstone adorning the sword's hilt.
There were two small indentations where previous gemstones had been removed, leaving only one gemstone decorating the hilt after another was taken today.
The young man slowly affixed the Eternal Crimson Guardian to Kairav's pendant frame.
Once the ruby gemstone was successfully attached to the pendant, a red light emanated from it, blinking for a few seconds.
"Where did you get those gemstones?" Casildo asked, intrigued and curious.
The nameless young man replied briefly and flatly, without diverting his gaze, "Carstensz Peak, eternal snow."
Casildo's eyes widened in shock and wonder. "Why did you go to that mountain?" he asked immediately.
The nameless young man slowly slung Kairav's arms over his shoulders, then stood up, carrying the young man on his back.
"I'll explain later. Let's get out of here before someone else shows up," he said, tossing his backpack toward Casildo and walking away.
The muscular young man caught the tossed bag with a sour expression. "Bro, I'm injured too. Don't you want to carry me instead?"
"So my back can break?" the nameless young man retorted sharply, continuing to walk without glancing at his friend.
Casildo could only sigh in frustration. Grumbling, he followed the nameless young man's steps into the forest. "Huh! I knew it, there's definitely a portal in that forest," he muttered irritably.
Just a few steps into their journey, a sudden gust of wind brought an unexpected calamity.
Amidst the invisible air, a wave of melodic vibrations suddenly assaulted the young men's ears, a sonic attack from a wind instrument that echoed and tortured their heads.
They immediately collapsed, kneeling on the ground. Groans of pain escaped them as the sound of the black magic melody from a flute continued to resonate incessantly in their ears.
"Argh! Damn! Midnight Melody Tribe!" Casildo cursed, trying to cover his ears tightly.
He suddenly gasped in horror as he turned to the nameless young man and saw blood streaming from both of his friend's ears. "Damn! Why is it affecting you so severely?!"