Beneath a charred canopy in the heart of Beast Flame Territory, Jiang Han sat in stillness.
Around him, the world breathed fire.
But inside him—three Sovereign Thrones pulsed in disharmony.
Each flame a will.
Each flame a law.
And now, they began to fight.
---
The First Attempt
Bo Ren had drawn three concentric spirit circles around Jiang—one for each flame signature.
Tian Xue stood behind him, pulse steady, soul tether linked in case something went wrong.
Zhao Kai leaned on a boulder. "This is stupid."
Yue nodded. "Definitely stupid."
Lin Yao: "He's going to do it anyway."
Bo Ren adjusted the final rune. "Ready."
Jiang Han opened his eyes—burning in three hues.
He inhaled.
> "Let's begin."
At first, the integration was steady. Emberfang shimmered with a layered tri-flame glow. Jiang's core pulsed evenly.
Then the thrones collided.
Legacy clashed with Beast.
Mourning surged to suppress them both.
And Jiang's body erupted in pain.
---
Unstable Sovereign Fusion
Sovereign Emberfang shattered mid-air into flame shards, hovering wildly.
Jiang screamed, gritting his teeth. His veins lit with burning color. Soul energy cracked. His skin split open—not from injury, but from pressure.
> "Stop the array!" Lin Yao shouted.
> "We can't!" Bo Ren shouted back. "It's inside him now!"
> "He's… burning from the inside out," Yue whispered, horrified.
Tian Xue didn't hesitate.
She stepped into the circle.
Wrapped her arms around Jiang's back.
> "Anchor me!" she shouted to Bo Ren.
> "No! You'll die with him—"
> "I trust him. Anchor me now!"
---
The Soul Tether
Tian Xue's spirit thread dove into Jiang Han's core.
Suddenly, she saw everything:
The flickering flame of hope from his first rebirth.
The crushing guilt of the Realm of Echoes.
The wild, unchained fury of the Beast Flame.
And at the center?
A single boy—alone—trying to hold it all together.
She reached for him.
> "Jiang Han!"
He turned, eyes wild, half-consumed by the conflicting thrones.
> "I can't hold them…"
She grabbed his hand.
> "You don't have to. We will. Together."
The flames surged again—
—then merged.
---
Sovereign Fusion: Stabilized
In the physical realm, the flames converged into Jiang Han's chest, vanishing from sight.
Sovereign Emberfang reformed mid-air—longer, sleeker, inscribed with tri-flame runes.
Jiang opened his eyes.
They glowed with silver-white fire—a union of legacy, grief, and instinct.
Bo Ren nearly collapsed in relief.
> "He stabilized it… that madman actually did it."
Zhao Kai stared. "Does this mean he's stronger?"
Yue grinned. "He doesn't need to be stronger. He just needs to stay alive."
---
New Ability Unlocked
> Sovereign Flame Integration Progress: 3/12
Flame Core Fusion: Stage 1 Complete
🔥 Trithrone Alignment – Active Skill
• Temporarily synchronize three Sovereign Flame traits
• Enter Flame Lord State for 30 seconds
• Cooldown: 1 hour
Flame Lord State:
• All damage increased by 200%
• Soul resistance increased
• Passive burn effects stack twice
⚠️ Note: Soul damage risk if overused
---
Aftermath
Jiang Han slumped to one knee.
Tian Xue knelt beside him, resting her head against his shoulder.
> "You scared me," she whispered.
> "I scared myself," he admitted.
She looked up at him.
> "You don't have to carry all twelve flames alone."
He turned his head, barely smiling.
> "I don't?"
> "No."
"You've got us."
She took his hand.
He didn't pull away.
---
Far above, beyond the stars, the Celestial Hall stirred again.
The Third Flame had unified.
Too early.
Too completely.
And now, a new order was signed.
> Deploy the Reapers.
> Awaken the Flamebound God.
> Let him meet the true masters of fire.