Chapter 5

  The Realm of Containment

  Sbyam Brius walked through the darkness that enveloped the Realm of Containment, where the only sound was the rhythmic echo of his footsteps. The silence was suffocating, and the realm around him seemed like a black canvas devoid of any features. Yet, Sbyam remained calm, as if he were part of this void.

  As he approached an old, dilapidated house, he found an elderly man—Brius—sitting quietly, his eyes fixed on the horizon. A warm smile adorned his lips, carrying a mixture of inner peace and serenity. However, when Brius turned and saw Sbyam, his eyebrows lifted in astonishment, as if time had frozen for a moment.

  Sbyam looked at him calmly, his voice piercing through the layers of silence:

  "Father...?"

  Brius turned fully toward Sbyam, his features momentarily filled with shock before his expression gradually softened into overwhelming joy. A single warm tear slipped down his cheek, carrying years of longing within it.

  "My son...!" he whispered with deep affection. Then, with a rush of emotion, he continued:

  "What brings you here?!"

  Sbyam sat beside him, breathing steadily while Brius examined him with a gaze full of longing and disbelief. Sbyam spoke in a low voice, his words heavy with the weight of years:

  "I was in a war… I was contained here, and I don’t know how much time has passed in the real world."

  Brius lowered his head slightly, his gaze falling to the ground, where nothing but darkness lay:

  "Time in this realm is frozen, my son. You won’t feel its passing here, but outside… a long time may have gone by. I never expected to see you as a grown man!"

  Sbyam lifted his eyes to his father, determination and sorrow filling his gaze:

  "I entered this realm to free you. When I was a child, my mother told me I had to set you free."

  A faint shock appeared on Brius' face before he whispered with overwhelming emotion:

  "Estoria...? Is she well?"

  Sbyam’s eyes dropped to the ground as if the darkness surrounding this world had thickened. He spoke in a deep voice, filled with pain:

  "No... Mother passed away from illness."

  Silence settled between them, a heavy moment stretching as if time itself had stopped. After a while, Brius broke the stillness with a quiet voice:

  "My son, you have come in vain. I will not leave this place."

  Sbyam raised his head in astonishment, questioning:

  "Why?"

  Brius smiled gently, a reassuring look in his eyes:

  "Because I have accepted my fate. I am only waiting for death."

  Sbyam tried to suppress his emotions, but his words escaped with a tinge of anger, carrying the weight of his doubts:

  "Father?! I want to ask you a question."

  Brius looked at him curiously, then offered a faint smile:

  "What is your question, my son?"

  Sbyam took a slow breath, as if the question he carried was too heavy to utter. Then, in a deep voice, he spoke:

  "A friend once asked me a question in the past, and I have never forgotten it… He asked me: 'Why are you the strongest? Are you the strongest because you’ve always been Sbyam Brius? Or did you become Sbyam Brius because you could only ever be the strongest?' "

  Brius was taken aback. He stared at his son before falling into a deep silence. Suddenly, his perception of the realm around him shifted—the darkness transformed into a radiant light, and the gentle murmur of rivers flowing filled his ears. But in Sbyam’s eyes, the realm remained shrouded in featureless darkness.

  Brius then asked in a profound voice:

  "Sbyam, what is the realm to you?"

  Sbyam looked around in confusion before responding:

  "What do you mean?"

  Brius continued calmly:

  "The Realm of Containment is not just a prison for sorcerers. It is a reflection of your inner world, a mirror of your emotions."

  Sbyam listened intently as Brius went on:

  "Your friend was right. His question revolves around the essence of strength: Did you create it, or did it create you?"

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  A fire ignited within Sbyam, and he replied with restrained anger:

  "I don’t know! All I know is that I was born strong."

  Brius gently shook his head and asked:

  "Do you see this realm as darkness?"

  Sbyam glanced around, affirming:

  "Yes... There is nothing but darkness."

  Brius smiled softly and said:

  "Then you must change the way you perceive the world. We are all born to be part of shaping this world, no matter what we think of it. The world belongs to no one—it belongs to everyone."

  Sbyam remained silent, contemplating his father’s words. Brius continued in a firm voice, raising a finger toward his son:

  "When you were born, you became the heir of the Raimo Clan. Your mother and I knew you would suffer because of your power. Your strength is not your curse, but do not let it control you. You and your power are two parts of the same whole, but you must choose how to wield it."

  Brius' realms struck deep into Sbyam’s heart. He continued to stare at his father as silence once again enveloped the realm.

  —

  In the Country of Kaisima

  Beneath the towering mountain, perpetually covered in falling snow, Spailo, Raizo, and Golobet stood at its base. Raizo spoke in a calm yet firm voice:

  "Once you ascend high into the sky and activate the Unlimited Realm, you will unleash the 'Obliteration' technique, and the extermination will commence."

  Spailo raised the glowing red sphere in his hands, staring at it intently. He lifted his head for a moment, as if battling an internal conflict. In silent thought, he mused:

  "I have no choice. Moving forward is the only option. It’s better if they all die without even realizing what happened."

  Golobet firmly grasped Raizo’s hand and said:

  "As soon as Spailo activates the technique, I will use my ability to teleport us immediately to our nation. Understood?"

  Raizo responded curtly, his tone unwavering:

  "Of course. Otherwise, we’ll be the first victims."

  ---

  Spailo gradually ascended into the sky, his eyes locked onto the red sphere as if trying to unravel its mysteries. Deep in thought, he reflected:

  "This sphere contains the 'Obliteration' technique. If I merge it with the Unlimited Realm, the extermination will begin, and colossal, infinite creatures will emerge. But… is it really that simple? Just breaking the sphere?"

  As he continued rising, uncertainty lingered in his mind, while Raizo and Golobet watched from below with tense anticipation.

  From a towering height, Spailo cast his gaze over the land of Kaisima. The cities shimmered beneath the snow’s embrace, and the people moved through their daily lives, blissfully unaware. The atmosphere was vibrant—families laughing, merchants calling out, the endless hum of life.

  Closing his eyes for a moment, Spailo felt the weight of responsibility press upon his chest. His thoughts echoed in silence:

  "There is no other choice…"

  Gradually, crimson sparks began to flicker around his eyes, heralding the activation of his power. From below, Raizo and Golobet observed with grave concern as Raizo thought to himself:

  "Now… he will unleash his realm."

  The sparks intensified, twisting around Spailo’s eyes like infernal flames. He parted his lips to begin the incantation:

  "Realm Expansion: The Unlimited Rea—"

  ---

  But suddenly, a voice of equal power cut through the air:

  "Realm Expansion: The Time Realm."

  Everything froze.

  Raizo and Golobet’s expressions turned to shock, while Spailo was halted mid-sentence, his words cut short. In an instant, a transparent barrier enveloped the entire area, suspending everything within it. Even Raizo, Golobet, and Spailo were immobilized, frozen like statues.

  ---

  Within the barrier, Moryo Raiso appeared, hovering in midair, with green sparks flaring around his eyes like blazing embers. He scanned the frozen scene before him and thought deeply:

  "Spailo was just moments away from activating his realm. If I had been even a second late, I wouldn’t have been able to stop him. What would have happened then?"

  His gaze shifted to the red sphere that had slipped from Spailo’s grasp, now gleaming with an ominous energy. Furrowing his brows, he pondered:

  "What is this sphere? A technique? Or something else?"

  With an exasperated sigh, he muttered in a low but resolute voice:

  "It doesn’t matter now. I need to get rid of them all."

  ---

  Moving like a phantom, Moryo streaked toward Spailo, his fist crackling with green energy, ready to strike. In an instant, he delivered a devastating punch to the frozen Spailo, generating a powerful shockwave that sent Spailo’s body hurtling out of the barrier’s confines.

  The moment Spailo exited the barrier, he returned to normal, crashing violently to the ground as the red sphere rolled away from him. Struggling to his feet, his body aching and his mind reeling, he gasped:

  "What… what just happened?"

  —

  Within the Magical Barrier

  Moryo Raiso moved like a shadow—swift and lethal. He dashed toward Raizo and Golobet, who were frozen on the ground, gripping their heads tightly before hurling them out of the barrier. The moment they landed beside Spailo, their bodies returned to normal.

  Golobet stood up in shock, exclaiming:

  "What happened? Was 'Obliteration' activated?!"

  But Spailo’s focus remained locked onto the barrier before him, which was rapidly shrinking at an astonishing speed—until it vanished entirely, as if it had never existed.

  Raizo stood up, seething with rage, his eyes fixed ahead. Spailo and Golobet followed his gaze, all three of them staring at the same point—where Moryo stood just a few steps away, calm and unshaken, his presence as cold as ice.

  Fury erupted from Raizo as he roared:

  "You bastard!"

  Like a thunderbolt, he launched himself at Moryo, golden sparks crackling around his fist. But Moryo did not flinch—his expression remained as rigid as stone. As Raizo closed the distance, ready to land a devastating punch, a sudden whirlwind of green sparks coiled around his hand, freezing it in midair, mere inches from Moryo’s face.

  Raizo recoiled in shock, but before he could react, Golobet appeared in a flash, shouting:

  "Teleportation!"

  Golobet attempted a swift punch, but Moryo vanished, leaving behind only scattered dust. His attack struck empty air, and in the same instant, the green sparks binding Raizo’s hand faded away, returning him to normal.

  ---

  Moryo reappeared like a specter behind Spailo, aiming a strike at his back, but Spailo vanished just as quickly. Moryo’s sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, now fully on guard.

  Then, in a sudden instant, Spailo materialized directly in front of Moryo, seizing his face with a firm grip before hurling him into the sky like a ragdoll. Moryo twisted midair with agility, regaining balance effortlessly. He gazed down, meeting Spailo’s mocking smirk below.

  ---

  On the other side, Raizo’s fury reached its peak. His voice was sharp as he growled,

  "These pests never stop getting in our way!"

  Golden electricity crackled violently around his body as he roared, his voice shaking the earth:

  "ONOKO BORNA! Come out NOW!"

  In an instant, Borna’s spirit emerged from his back, manifesting as a radiant, golden being with glowing skin and razor-sharp fangs. Electricity danced wildly around her as she spoke in a chilling voice:

  "Who is the wretched fool disturbing you, my dear Raizo?"

  Raizo’s voice was filled with resolve as he snapped:

  "It’s Moryo Raiso! Let’s finish this now!"

  Borna’s gaze locked onto Moryo, who floated in the sky, his icy expression unchanged. With unwavering determination, she declared,

  "As you wish—I’ll get rid of him immediately!"

  She leaped at astonishing speed, shattering the ground beneath her as debris scattered in all directions. She hurtled toward Moryo, but before she could reach him, fiery sparks erupted out of nowhere, encircling her and trapping her within a colossal cage of flames.

  Borna attempted to shatter the cage, but the flames scorched her hands upon contact. A bloodcurdling scream of agony tore from her throat as the fiery prison crashed to the ground, locking her inside. She writhed in pain, thrashing desperately to escape.

  Raizo’s eyes widened in shock as he bellowed:

  "BORNA!?"

  ---

  From below, Spailo watched the scene unfold, a sly smirk playing on his lips.

  Nearby, Jan appeared beside Moryo, floating just a short distance away. With a casual grin, he commented:

  "That creature has been contained!"

  Moryo’s response was utterly devoid of emotion:

  "Good work, Jan. Let’s proceed with the mission."

  Jan grinned excitedly:

  "I can’t wait to finish this!"

  On the ground, Spailo watched them with a mix of confidence and amusement, his thoughts racing:

  "My, my… have I finally found a worthy rival?"

  ---

  In the sky, Moryo and Spailo locked eyes—one gaze sharp and unwavering, the other brimming with excitement and taunting confidence.

  Both stood still, poised for the battle ahead—one that promised nothing less than utter devastation.

  End of Chapter.