Dragna City, Dragna Empire. Kimiko Dragna was heading towards the Tertitus Domain with a smile on her face. It was a rare sight of her being in a good mood, which she should be in since today was the day her daughter was going to be released from medical care. She quickly made her way into the domain and headed where Sasha was being held.

“Sasha, I’m here to pick you up.”

She entered Sasha’s room and spoke with a joyful tone.

“Eh?”

But she froze when she entered the room.

“Sasha, you’re beautiful! A gift from heaven!”

“Strike a pose, Baby Sis! Oh! What a beautiful frowning face!”

The room was filled with camera flashes. She looked and saw an uncomfortable Sasha in the middle of a photo session. The cameramen were none other than her father and brother, Nero and Nova. They were moving around and taking pictures of Sasha from various angles.

“This is it! This is the thing that has been missing from my life!”

For some reason, Nero started to tear up.

“For months I had to watch my adorable daughter be cooped up in this dusty place, trying her best to stay alive.”

“I know your suffering, Old man. I know it so well.”

Nova started tearing up too.

“Let’s celebrate by taking a thousand photos of the newly recovered Sasha and spread them around the world!”

“Ohh!”

“Alright, that’s enough.”

Both Nero and Nova fell on the ground twitching after Kimiko walked past them.

“Thanks, Mama. They were getting carried away.”

Sasha sighed in relief.

“Getting carried away is all they’re known for.”

Kimiko looked down her husband and son with contempt.

“I know that you’re excited but bring your excitement down a notch. You’re annoying her.”

“My wife, you didn’t have to resort to using death magic to stop us. That thing hurts like hell.”

Nero struggled to his feet and said.

“Besides, there’s nothing wrong with showering your daughter with love as long as you’re not creepy with it!”

“That ship has sailed long ago with the two of you.”

Sasha retorted. She looked at Kimiko with a begging expression.

“Leon and Miko?”

Kimiko slowly shook her head.

“Neither of them has shown signs of waking up. However, since their bodies have healed it won’t be long now.”

Sasha suddenly looks gloomy.

“I was out for 4 months and was kept another additional two months as a precaution….I thought that by the time I’m released those two would’ve been up and on their feet already…”

“I don’t think there’s any need to worry though.”

Nova stood up and said.

“And I’m not trying to console you. I’m just stating facts.”

“Facts?”

Nova nodded.

“Leon seems to be in transition while Miko seems to be in deep meditation. In other words, they’ll both wake up when the time is right and stronger than before.”

“What junior said is true.”

Nero added. Sasha looked at their earnest expressions and found them comforting. Although they go overboard all the time, they’re still people she can lean on for support. This caused Kimiko to smile.

“What?! Are you serious?!”

Suddenly they heard shouting coming from outside the door.

“Yes! When we went to check, he was gone.”

“What do you mean gone?! We’re talking about someone who was in a coma for six months here! How in the world could he just disappear?!”

“Coma?”

Sasha’s heart started racing. The only persons who could match the descriptions of what they were saying were her son and husband. She ran out of the room and surprised everyone who was in the halls.

“Which one of them was it?”

No one replied, so she shouted angrily.

“I said which one of them disappeared?!”

A dark aura started leaking out of her body and the surroundings started to dim.

“Calm down, Sasha.”

She stopped when Nero placed his hand on her shoulder. He smiled at her and then looked at the attendants in the hall.

“Where did Miko go?”

“….We don’t know. We’re trying to check the camera feeds as we speak.”

A man answered weakly.

“I doubt that would do any good. He obviously snuck out because he didn’t want to be seen, so I doubt that he’ll appear on cameras.”

Nova said.

“The question is where he’s gone to? He does have a habit of leaving without informing anyone.”

“You think he left the country? For what reason? Miko’s enemies have been defeated. Who is left for him to…”

Sasha paused as a terrifying thought came to her mind. She looked at her father with a pale face.

“Daddy, where is Krow?”

When he heard her question Nero’s eyes slowly widened. He then immediately shook his head.

“Krow’s whereabouts are a secret that only the branch leaders and few core members of the clan know. Even if Miko somehow figured it out….”

A memory from a year before flashed in his head. It was when Miko had just returned after taking over Aloe and Dale on his own. He had asked for three things in return. One was-

“I want access to the Illusionary Beast Valley.”

He wanted access to the most dangerous training space in the empire.

“Denied. The Valley is currently occupied.”

That was the reply Miko got from Rouge. Miko then quickly changed his request to the less dangerous, Ruined World. When they saw that everyone thought that Miko was just testing to see how far he could go with his requests but Nero just realized something.

“He figured out that Krow was in the Illusionary Beast Valley and tricked us into confirming it for him….”

For some reason, Nero felt proud. He then shook his head.

“Even if he knows where Krow is, he can’t enter it. Unless he got a key from Raven….”

Nero suddenly remembered that Miko had a good relationship with Raven and his mother. He also could easily obtain the key if Tiamat ordered Raven to.

“Hm.”

Nero once again felt proud and even had a small smile on his face.

“Daddy!”

He was brought back to reality by Sasha.

“Don’t worry. Miko is no fool. If he went to meet Krow it wasn’t to fight.”

“Then why?”

Nero shook his head.

“Only he knows.”

**********

Illusionary Beast Valley. Just had Sasha and the others feared, Miko had just arrived in this world all by himself.

“According to Raven, only two people can enter this place at a time. Which means that no one can come get me.”

Miko said while looking around.

“Now this is the mother of all surprises.”

Miko turned around and saw Krow, who was dressed in beast skin, behind him standing on the skull of a gigantic monster. He had a wide grin on his face.

“I thought that Nero might visit me, but I never expected you, Miko. Is this probably proof that you’ve grown in ways that I wasn’t able to predict?”

Miko showed a bright smile.

“You can take it as you want, Krow.”

“Is that so? Then I want to know why you came to this world, where you and I are the only ones here? Aren’t you afraid that I’ll break your neck?”

“Not at all.”

Krow was surprised by Miko’s confident tone.

“And why is that?”

“Because it will go against your morals.”

“Morals?”

Krow burst out laughing.

“I have no morals. Or did you forget that I’m the one who made your life a living hell, Darius?”

Krow grinned.

“I know that you’re in there. Could this be your doing?”

“Krow, you’re only speaking to space. Darius is dead. I made sure of that.”

Miko placed his hand on his chest.

“The one standing before you is Miko and Miko alone. No one else.”

“Oh? Then I’m even more curious. What morals do you think I possess, Miko?”

“The one where you’ll challenge those you acknowledge to a fair battle, which if you win you can proudly say that you overcame another obstacle that heavens had thrown in your way. Everyone else isn’t worthy of being treated fairly by you.”

Krow was genuinely surprised. It was as Miko said, he only showed respect to those he’s acknowledge, everyone else will have to face his schemes and suffer.

“Then, you’re saying that I acknowledge you.”

“You told me that yourself.”

“Oh, yeah. I did, didn’t I?”

Krow smiled.

“So, What do you want?”

“Nothing really. I just felt like I wanted to have a talk with you.”

“Eh?”

Krow was taken aback. He quickly composed himself and looked at Miko strangely.

“What are you talking about? You wanted to just talk? We’re enemies aren’t we?”

“True. I still want to kill you but my reason for doing so has changed.”

Miko showed a bright smile.

“I no longer hate you Krow.”

“…….”

The look on Krow’s face became one of disappointment. He straightened up and turned his back on Miko.

“I’ve heard enough. Leave, I have nothing to say to you.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t be like that.”

“I said leave!”

The space started trembling from the strength of Krow’s shout.

“I’m seriously disappointed in you, Miko.”

“…….”

Miko said nothing and only kept smiling.

“Kaah!”

Krow heard the sound of a wild animal and turned around to see a giant bird monster flying towards Miko from behind. Miko heard it as well and turned around. Krow couldn’t see his expression.

(That’s a pretty weak monster in my eyes but to Miko, it’s something that can kill him instantly.)

He thought. He showed no signs of helping Miko. He just watched as the monster rapidly approached Miko. It was when it was a few seconds away from tearing Miko apart with its feet, that miko made a move. He lifted his right hand up and then brought it down. What Krow saw next blew his mind.

“Kaah!”

The bird monster landed in front of Miko and lowered its head in submission. Miko then started petting the monster.

“Impossible! He tamed it? Just like that!”

Krow was capable of the same feat but that was to be expected since Krow was the monster’s superior. For Miko to do it, then the bird recognized Miko as someone superior to it.

Miko silently pets the bird a while longer before turning back and looking at Krow. He spoke with a smile.

“I honestly don’t know why you’re disappointed in me not hating you, Krow. That doesn’t mean that I can’t give my all to destroy you. Take the world for example, I find it a beautiful place filled with wonders, but that won’t stop me from burning it down to the ground.”

“?!”

Krow’s eyes widen when he heard Miko’s words. Miko continued.

“It doesn’t take much to destroy something out of hate or anger. All you need to do is let your emotions take over and before you know it, you’ve already committed the act.”

The smile on Miko’s face grew twisted and had a trace of madness in it.

“It takes true conviction to destroy things out of necessity, especially when it’s things that you’re very fond of.”

Miko placed his hand over his heart.

“Miko has that conviction. I have the will to destroy even the things I love to reach a greater goal.”

(Miko? Has he always mentioned himself in the third person?)

Krow thought. He then saw Miko point at him and say-

“The reason why I don’t hate you anymore Krow is because Miko’s far worse than you are. So I would only be a hypocrite to hate you who’s only being driven by your basic emotions.”

“…….”

Krow looked at him in silence for a bit before saying-

“Who are you?”

Miko’s eyes widen for a bit before a small smile appeared on his face.

“I told you from the beginning.”

His smile turned into a fanged grin.

“I’m Miko, and Miko alone.”