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Kumuna awoke with a start.
He wasn’t sure what had roused him, but as his eyes adjusted to the dim glow of moonlight spilling into his room, he realized that sleep was no longer an option.
With a groggy sigh, he ran a hand through his unruly hair and swung his legs over the side of the lavish bed. Everything about his room screamed wealth—polished marble floors, gold-trimmed furniture, and silk sheets that probably cost more than his entire school’s budget back home.
Still, for all the luxury, he felt restless.
Standing, he stretched, letting out a low groan as his sore muscles protested. Yesterday’s training had been brutal—each of the Heavenly Warlords had taken turns knocking him into the dirt. But despite the aches, a grin tugged at the corner of his lips. It had been fun.
With a slow breath, he wandered toward the balcony doors and pushed them open.
The crisp night air greeted him, carrying the faint scent of burning torches from the palace grounds. The Gilded Empire stretched out before him—a sprawling city of golden rooftops, lit by the soft glow of lanterns. In the distance, he could see the training fields, now empty, and the massive fortress walls protecting the kingdom from whatever lay beyond.
But it was the sky that stole his attention.
Stars. Thousands of them, scattered across the heavens like shimmering diamonds. It was nothing like the light-polluted cityscape he was used to. Here, the stars looked alive, as if they were dancing, forming constellations that seemed almost… intentional.
His grin faded.
Kaida, Tsubaki, Mishell…
Where were they?
Were they okay?
The weight of uncertainty settled in his chest. He had been too caught up in the excitement of this new world to really let it sink in. His friends had been with him. They were there in the school. In the explosion.
Were they alive?
He exhaled, gripping the balcony railing.
“This is crazy, huh?” he muttered to himself. “One second, I’m chillin’ in class, and now I’m in some medieval fantasy world training under warlords…”
He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “Damn. Hope you guys are safe…”
Just as he was about to close his eyes and let himself drift in thought—
A voice.
“You should be more worried about yourself.”
Kumuna’s eyes snapped open.
The voice was cold. Unforgiving.
He turned sharply—
No one was there.
His brows furrowed. “Huh?”
And then—
He turned back toward the balcony—
And nearly jumped out of his skin.
Kai’Zen stood before him.
“AaAAGH?! WHAT THE HELL, DUDE?!”
Kumuna stumbled back, gripping his chest. “Damn near gave me a heart attack! What are you, a ghost?!”
Kai’Zen, as always, remained stoic. Unmoving. His piercing gaze locked onto Kumuna with the same disdain as before.
“You don’t belong here,” he repeated, his tone laced with undeniable certainty.
Kumuna exhaled, still recovering from the sudden intrusion. “Dude, you can’t just pop up on people like that! Ever heard of knocking? Or like, not breaking into my room?”
Kai’Zen ignored him. “It’s clear to me that the gods made a mistake in calling you.”
Kumuna’s playful demeanor faded slightly. His eyes narrowed.
“This again?” He scoffed, crossing his arms. “Dude, you don’t even know me.”
Kai’Zen stepped closer, his eyes like burning coals. “I know enough.”
Kumuna held his ground, watching as the warlord studied him with pure disapproval.
“Your lack of discipline. The way you carry yourself, oozing with arrogance… It makes me sick to have to teach someone like you,” Kai’Zen said, voice dripping with contempt. “But alas… by the orders of the king, I will do what is necessary for the kingdom.”
He closed the remaining distance and pressed a single finger against Kumuna’s chest.
“Listen well, brat,” Kai’Zen continued, his voice a low growl. “You stand in the presence of Kai’Zen, The Indomitable Spear. I am the leader of the Heavenly Warlords. My team is my family.” His eyes darkened. “Do anything—anything—to put them in danger, and I will see to it that you are removed. Permanently.”
Silence.
Kumuna stared at the finger pressed against his chest. Then, slowly, his lips curled into a smirk.
He looked up at Kai’Zen, meeting his glare with one of his own.
“Look, pal,” he said, voice calm yet laced with confidence. “I honestly don’t know what you’re trying to pull here. If you think breaking into my room in the middle of the night to threaten me is gonna make you any scarier, you’d be dead wrong.”
Kai’Zen’s brows twitched slightly.
Kumuna kept going.
“I’ve dealt with plenty of guys like you where I’m from,” he said, shrugging nonchalantly. “So if you’re done with the whole ‘I’ll end you if you mess up’ speech, you can get out so I can get some sleep.” He stretched his arms behind his head. “I got a busy day of training to look forward to, after all.”
Kai’Zen remained still for a long moment. His gaze bore into Kumuna’s, searching for something.
Then, unexpectedly—
A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
“Well…” he muttered. “I’ll give you one thing, brat… You’re quick with your tongue.”
Then—
In an instant—he was gone.
Vanished.
Kumuna’s entire body froze.
He blinked. Looked around frantically.
“Huh??” He spun on his heels, searching the room. “How the hell did he do that?!”
For a few seconds, he just stood there, completely bewildered.
Then, shaking his head, he sighed. “Man… these warlords are something else.”
Scratching the back of his head, he yawned before crawling back into bed.
As his head hit the pillow, he muttered to himself.
“Well… that was weird as hell.”
His eyelids grew heavy.
Sleep overtook him.
And tomorrow… his journey would continue.
