“Seven Deadly Sins, huh?” Azrael’s curiosity grew as he repeated the name.
Jarred adjusted his glasses before continuing. “Yes. A notorious group of criminals who once tried to destroy the Heavens Council long ago. Each member wielded a unique weapon, and one of them was "Pride" the user of the Double-edged sword.”
“Pride... huh,” Azrael echoed, the name lingering on his tongue.
*
The following morning, Jarred began his training. He trained shirtless, exposing himself to the cold air to toughen his body against different climates during combat. Meanwhile, Azrael resumed his meditation, as he had been doing for several days.
By midday, hunger interrupted Jarred’s focus. He approached Azrael and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Can we eat now? I’m starving.”
Azrael slowly opened his eyes, visibly annoyed. “Fine,” he replied, standing up.
While Azrael prepared their meal, Jarred returned from checking on Kyle on the third floor. He sank into a chair, letting out a heavy sigh. “He’s still unconscious. I’m starting to worry about him.”
Azrael stirred the pot, not looking up. “We’re all worried, especially Miya and Carl. They don’t even know you two are awake yet. But we just have to be patient and trust that he’ll pull through.”
Jarred offered a faint smile at Azrael’s words, grateful for the encouragement. “By the way,” he began, changing the subject, “do you have any interest in learning swordsmanship?”
Azrael glanced over. “Not really. My family has its own sword style passed down from our ancestors. I’ve learned enough of it to defend myself.”
“Your family’s sword style?” Jarred asked, intrigued. “What’s it called?”
“Solar Ascendance,” Azrael replied casually.
Jarred froze, nearly choking on his drink. “S-Solar Ascendance?!” His voice trembled. “Wait... your father, could he be... a member of the Seven Deadly Sins?”
“What? No.” Azrael said, his brows furrowing in confusion.
“But—”
“My father was already part of the SDS when the Seven Deadly Sins attacked,” Azrael interrupted. “He told me about it when I was a kid. That’s the only reason I even remember that group now.”
Jarred adjusted his glasses, clearly unsettled. “If I remember correctly, one of the Seven Deadly Sins used a style called Solar Ascendance.”
Azrael shrugged. “It’s possible someone stole the technique, but it’s not a big deal. My father always said Solar Ascendance can counter itself. He even tried to teach me, but my mom wouldn’t let me use real swords. She insisted I practice with wooden ones, which would just burn up if I attempted any of the techniques.”
“Interesting,” Jarred muttered, the mystery still swirling in his mind.
After lunch, they returned to their respective training routines.
*
By evening, they settled in the living room, exhaustion finally catching up with them. Azrael grabbed one of the remaining books from the table, flipping through its pages.
“Speaking of the Seven Deadly Sins,” he said, holding up a journal titled ''Seven Deadly Sins''.
Jarred leaned forward, his interest captivated. “A journal about one of the most infamous criminal groups? This might reveal some secrets about them—or even their identities.”
“That’s what I’m hoping,” Azrael replied with a smirk, already engrossed in the first page.
On the first page of the journal, the bold title Seven Deadly Sins stood out, but as they turned to the next page, they found… nothing.
“H-huh? There’s nothing written here!” Azrael exclaimed.
“Wait, check the next page,” Jarred urged.
“I already did! There’s nothing there, either.” Azrael flipped through several pages in frustration. “It’s completely blank.” Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Both let out a heavy sigh, their hopes dashed.
“What a waste. I really wanted to learn more about that group,” Azrael muttered.
“Me too. I thought this might finally give me insight into their members,” Jarred added, slumping back into the sofa.
For a moment, silence filled the room. Then, Azrael’s eyes drifted toward the last remaining journal on the table. Its title read ''Spells of Fungee.''
“Hmm, let’s see what this one’s about,” he said, reaching for it.
Jarred tilted his head thoughtfully. “Spells of Fungee? Who’s Fungee? Sounds... interesting.”
“Only one way to find out,” Azrael replied as he opened the first page and began reading.
*
A long time ago, two realms existed in harmony: the realm of humans and the realm of the guardians, known as the Twin Realm.
The bond between the two worlds was forged through a sacred ritual called the Blood Ceremony, allowing humans to summon guardians using mana. If a summon succeeded, a young guardian—unbonded and full of potential would appear, choosing its human partner to form a lifelong contract.
Over time, guardians developed powerful bloodlines, categorized as the Legendary and Ancient bloodlines, considered the strongest and most revered beings in the Twin Realm.
But peace was shattered when a being from another universe, Fungee, entered the Twin Realm with a sinister goal: to control the guardians and claim their power. Fungee wielded a unique and forbidden magic, unlike anything the realms had seen. Using this spell, he enslaved both Legendary and Ancient guardians, building an unstoppable army.
When Fungee discovered another world within the same universe, he unleashed his controlled guardians upon it. However, what he didn’t anticipate was the presence of a young protector—a half-human, half-elf determined to defend the realm.
The boy had already brought peace to his world after a brutal war but was now forced to face a new threat. Refusing to surrender, he stood against Fungee’s chaos, even though the enemy’s magic was overwhelming.
In the midst of battle, the boy unveiled his ultimate power: the Angel Ring. Unlike any conventional magic, the Angel Ring radiated divine energy. It appeared as a massive, golden halo floating behind him, its intricate design shimmering like sunlight.
Witnesses described the sight as nothing short of divine—a God descending from the heavens to protect the helpless. The boy’s incredible abilities turned the tide of battle.
The clash between the two raged for two days, leaving a significant portion of the continent in ruins. In the end, the young protector emerged victorious, subduing Fungee.
Though immortal, Fungee couldn’t be killed, so the boy stripped him of his powers to ensure he could never threaten another world. As Fungee begged for mercy, he made a solemn promise: if allowed to retain the ability to travel between worlds, he would never return.
Moved by compassion, the boy agreed. Fungee left their world, never to return. The boy then restored the guardians to the Twin Realm, bringing peace once more. From that day forward, he was known as Altharion Velis, the Savior of the Twin Realm.
*
Azrael closed the journal, his mind swirling with questions. “Altharion Velis… The Angel Ring…”
Jarred leaned forward, equally intrigued. “Sounds like a legend... but the details feel too real to be just a story.”
“Agreed,” Azrael said quietly, his gaze lingering on the faint, golden halo in his imagination.
*
The next morning, as usual, Azrael meditated in the middle of the snow. Nearby, Jarred practiced his sword techniques.
At first, Azrael disliked having Jarred train so close to him, but over time, he realized it was good practice. The distraction helped him learn to concentrate better, even in the middle of chaos or noise.
It had been days since Carl and Mika left, and there was still no sign of their return. Azrael and Jarred no longer worried about them much. If anything had gone wrong, the two guardians guarding the door would have vanished instantly.
As Jarred trained, a mischievous grin crept across his face. He turned toward Azrael.
“Hey,” he called out, breaking the silence.
Azrael opened one eye, irritation flashing across his face. “What do you want this time?”
“I was just thinking… how about a quick sparring match?”
“Huh? What for?”
“I’ve learned a new technique, and I want to test it out.” Jarred scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.
Azrael sighed. “Fine. You’re persistent.”
With a flick of his hand, he summoned the cursed dagger from his empty space, its dark energy humming faintly as he prepared to fight.
“Sorry for dragging you into this,” Jarred said, glancing nervously at the blade. “And… sorry if that dagger ends up draining your mana.”
“Don’t worry about my mana. While you were out cold, I trained every single day. I’m stronger than you now.”
“Oh? Someone’s gotten cocky.”
“Cocky?!” Azrael’s brows furrowed.
Jarred smirked. “What? I’m just saying the truth. Prove me wrong if you’re so mad about it.” He laughed teasingly.
“You’ve got a death wish,” Azrael muttered, a dangerous grin spreading across his face. “You better be ready for the consequences.”
In a flash, they vanished from their spots. Snow scattered in all directions as they collided in the center, their weapons clashing with an intense burst of energy.
They exchanged rapid blows, neither holding back. Each attack was faster and sharper than the last. Jarred took a quick step back, then unleashed two sword slashes from his sword.
Azrael’s eyes widened in surprise, but he dodged the attacks with extremely-fast movements. He didn’t recognize the technique, but he didn’t hesitate. Using his speed, he closed the distance between them in an instant.