The nameless young man slowly lifted his face, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at his friend.
"The remaining Darkconians began to resurface about thirty-one years ago—since the fall of the empire I caused centuries ago," he said.
"But it wasn't until eleven years ago that they started causing regular trouble, once they discovered Kairav's existence... the one I had hidden."
"So, based on my assumption, it's clear they're still after unicorn blood," he continued.
Upon hearing that, Casildo ran a frustrated hand down his face. "They're a constant source of trouble with their insane obsession!" he grumbled.
Prince Arkana let out a long sigh. He slowly turned to the nameless young man and asked, "Do you think the Darkconians have anything to do with the emergence of Depths Abominations from the Deepshadow Realm?"
"Because, if you think about it, the frequency of those monsters appearing has been increasing over the past few years—ever since the Darkconians started showing up again," he said.
"Actually, I summoned you to the palace to discuss this matter," he added.
The dark-eyed young man fell silent for a moment.
The seriousness of his thoughts was evident on his solemn face before he finally responded, "It's possible..."
"Maybe they're deliberately releasing those monsters, or perhaps they're intentionally opening the gates to the Deepshadow Realm."
Casildo let out a frustrated snort upon hearing that theory. "Those monsters are driving us insane!"
"Just last night, I went to Duskmyst Island because one of my men stationed there reported the appearance of an Orang Bati," he explained, clearly annoyed.
He then turned to Prince Arkana, giving him a weary thumbs-up. "You and your father made the right call forming the Myth Slayer Taskforce, bro."
"But they can only handle the Depths Abominations. The Shadowrift Abominations, whose origins remain unknown, are still a major problem for us," Arkana lamented.
"Exactly. Those Stellar Essence explosive monsters..." Casildo said with a disgusted expression. "All we know is that they come from portals opened by black holes... We still have no idea what world they're from."
"For now, we should focus on dealing with the Depths Abominations first," Prince Arkana interjected.
The nameless young man then spoke softly, "Even if the gateway between the Deepshadow Realm and our world is truly open, there's little we can do. We know the realm exists, but we don't know where the entrance is."
"So what are we supposed to do now?!" Casildo suddenly shouted in frustration.
"Why is it that only the Darkconians know all these crucial things?! Even the origins of our powers—only they seem to know!" he fumed.
In a calm tone, the nameless young man replied, "Because they were the beginning of everything..."
That statement brought about a long silence, as those present grappled with the grim reality that was hard to accept.
"You should've asked Ardika all the important questions before killing him back then, bro..." Casildo remarked, now seated back in his chair with the same weary expression.
The nameless young man remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Meanwhile, Arkana shook his head and sighed, attempting to steer the conversation in a different direction.
"So, what will you do with Kairav now?" he asked the young man.
The nameless young man's eyes slowly turned to Kairav, who was still unconscious on the bed. After a long pause, he said, "Become his shadow..."
Arkana raised an eyebrow. "You're still going to protect him?"
"What else can I do?" the nameless young man replied, not even glancing at his interlocutor.
"I can't teach him how to protect himself using his powers, because the only person who could teach him to control the unicorn spirit has long since become a living corpse..."
"Now, the only way to protect him is to keep him close to me, especially since the Darkconians and the Midnight Melody Tribe have discovered his presence in this country."
The prince crossed his arms over his chest, his face clearly showing curiosity. "Why are you so determined to protect him?" he asked.
"To prevent his blood from falling into the hands of darkness," the young man answered.
He then fell silent for a moment, a hollow look suddenly appearing in his usually emotionless eyes. "Besides, he might help me find answers about my past..."
"His biological father is the only key I have right now. But now, he's living like a soulless piece of flesh. If Kairav can someday restore his father's soul, maybe I can finally get all the answers I've been searching for."
Hearing that, Casildo asked with a sympathetic tone, "You're still trying to uncover your past?"
Several seconds passed in silence as the young man slowly turned his hollow gaze toward the window. "My curse, the secret behind my birth... I have to find the answers to everything before my death arrives," he said softly.
He fell silent again before finally adding, "Less than three years left... that's all the time I have..."
His two friends, upon hearing that, also fell into a somber silence.
Casildo let out a heavy sigh, concern slowly making him turn his head toward where Kairav lay, just as a question suddenly popped into his mind. "Does the blood of a unicorn spirit host truly not extend your lifespan?"
The nameless young man remained silent. At that moment, Arkana answered Casildo's question. "No, he'll still turn to ash when his time comes."
The nameless young man's voice then flowed softly, "I'm tired of living; I don't care about death itself. I just want to find those answers before I die..."
His two friends fell silent, each lost in their own dark thoughts.
However, after a while, Arkana, not wanting to be trapped in that mood for too long, changed the subject. "So, after this, will you continue to hide these truths from Kairav?"
"Fortunately, the trauma from eleven years ago erased some of his memories. But now, little by little, the truth is starting to surface before him, so I think it's pointless to keep secrets from him," he continued.
Slowly, the nameless young man shifted his attention to Kairav. "There's no safe place to hide anymore, because the Darkconians and the Midnight Melody Tribe already know he's here, so hiding him is futile," he said.
And without the three young men realizing it, the person they had been discussing was slowly regaining consciousness.
Kairav struggled to open his eyes, his blurred vision scanning the three figures one by one. He quietly observed them, eavesdropping on every word they spoke.
And the holographic screen reappeared when he looked toward the one figure he was most familiar with.
Ping!
[System: Scanning Object...]
Analysis: 85%... 95%... 100% Complete!
Name: Arkana Manyura
Race: Human
Age: 18 years
Title: Astral Conjurer (Host of the Peacock Animal Spirit)
Element: Nature
Weapon: Twin Taraka Daggers
Affiliation: Verdevalley Clan
While the nameless young man, lost in thought, continued speaking, "For now, let him discover his own identity..."
After making that decision, the young man turned his gaze back to the garden outside.
His hand slowly pushed open the window before him, and then he leaped onto the window frame.
Casildo, seeing the nameless young man's actions, quickly rose from his chair, protesting, "Hey! Don't disappear yet! You haven't fully explained this Failed Product thing!" he exclaimed.
The nameless young man slowly turned his head back, but his sharp dark eyes fell on Kairav, realizing that the young man was actually awake but pretending to be unconscious.
He then slowly pulled something from his backpack.
"Take this," he ordered, tossing a small glass bottle to Casildo.
After catching the bottle, the muscular young man frowned as his eyes carefully examined the dark red liquid adorned with a crimson begonia flower inside the bottle.
"Crimson Begonia extract?" he asked in surprise.
Arkana immediately stepped closer, also examining the item with a puzzled expression. "This is a rare plant from the Sapphire Island mountains. Why are you giving it to someone else?" he asked.
"The elder of Dusk Ridge Village gave it to me," the nameless young man replied. "Besides, I won't need it, so I'm giving it to someone else."
Casildo, hearing that, immediately grinned with delight, feeling like he had received a treasure. "Well then, thank you for giving me this valuable item!" he exclaimed.
"Not for you," the nameless young man replied as he jumped down from the window, and exited the room.
Casildo's smile vanished instantly. He quickly ran to the window and shouted at his friend, who was already walking away through the garden. "Then who is it for?!" he protested.
"If you want to know, meet me in the Forest of Lost Souls when the rainy season arrives!"
"What are you planning to do in that haunted mountain?!" the muscular young man shouted in frustration.
The person being shouted at didn't seem to care much. He answered briefly as he continued walking away, "Looking for someone's soul!"