The silence persisted.

Not the serene silence of a still night.

Nor was it the warm silence shared between friends.

The silence was oppressive.

Like the moment when even the world itself stopped breathing.

Slowly, Jennie stood up from the fire.

Her eyes remained locked onto Shanks ’ face.

Just seconds ago, he was smiling warmly while drinking tea.

But now...

Something had changed.

Something eternal.

Something that even the very air itself seemed to tremble at.

Still sitting, Shanks did not move.

His empty tea cup lay quietly on the ground next to him.

His expression had not changed.

But there was an oppressive force that spread across the cliffs.

In response to it, Roxy took a step backwards.

"W-What’s going on?"

There was no answer.

Snow stood in front of Jennie.

For the first time in months since their meeting under that old tree...

His body shifted into a defensive stance.

His blue eyes did not blink.

Did not stray.

All instincts in him screamed the same message.

Danger.

The wind died out completely.

The waves crashing against the cliffs ceased to move.

The flames in the fire became still.

It was as though time itself had come to stand still.

Jennie slowly raised her hand.

She felt her fingers grasping the hilt of Excalibur.

The Divine Sword trembled.

Not from excitement.

From caution.

Within her mind, Excalibur whispered softly.

"...Jennie."

"I understand."

"I have never sensed anything like this before."

The voice of Leviathan became unusually grave.

"Be careful."

"The presence..."

"...pre-dates all kingdoms."

Jennie’s breathing became slower.

She trusted both blades.

If they warned her about it...

It must be something that she had never encountered before.

The first snowflake drifted down from the skies.

Then another one followed.

And then hundreds more.

But the season was far from winter.

Roxy looked up in bewilderment.

"It’s... snowing?"

Without tearing his gaze from the mysterious traveler, Snow replied.

"No."

"This is not snow."

"This is mana."

The small white snowflakes hit the ocean.

Immediately...

The water froze.

The ice spread with incredible speed.

One meter.

Ten meters.

A hundred meters.

And then even further.

The wave of freezing rushed along the coast until the whole coastline turned into a vast icy landscape extending infinitely into the darkness.

The sound of water flowing was gone.

Everything seemed to freeze.

Roxy looked at the strange sight in disbelief.

"He froze..."

"...the ocean?"

Snow corrected her with an indifferent tone.

"No."

"I did not."

Slowly turning her head, Jennie glanced at the traveler.

The cold was coming not from the ocean.

But from him.

Black clouds began forming in the sky.

The moon disappeared.

Then one by one...

The stars vanished behind an endless black veil.

Even daylight itself seemed to vanish.

The temperature dropped so fast that frost appeared on nearby rocks.

The grass turned white.

The flowers became ice sculptures.

Finally, even the fire gave in.

Its flames died out without producing any smoke.

Silently, ancient black mana leaked into the atmosphere.

It was not violent.

Nor chaotic.

It just was.

Like an ancient shadow.

Everything that was living within the vicinity began fleeing.

The birds left the cliffs.

The rabbits disappeared into their burrows.

Even the insects fell silent.

Nature knew something that humanity had long forgotten.

The existence of another age.

Slowly parting his lips, the traveler let a growl escape his throat.

"Grrrrrr..."

Surprised, Jennie looked at him.

She had never heard him growling.

Not even against the dragon.

Or against Abyss Makara.

Or during the Black Tide.

Slowly raising his eyes towards Snow, Shanks smiled.

"I was wondering..."

"...for how long it would take for you to remember."

The growl of Snow deepened.

"...Az..."

Stopping himself mid-word, Shanks became expressionless.

Jennie pulled Excalibur.

The golden light pierced through the darkness.

The holy energy repelled the black mana that covered the camp.

Then...

"Leviathan."

The blue light appeared in answer to her command.

The second Divine Sword appeared right next to the other one.

The gold and sapphire lights illuminated the icy shore.

Sitting quietly, Shanks looked at them.

"So..."

"You managed to find Leviathan."

The sword remained silent.

Excalibur spoke with a grinding of teeth.

"So it really is you..."

"Why do you know him?"

Neither sword answered.

Their silence said enough.

Slowly rising from his place, Shanks moved gracefully.

Elegantly.

Like a creature who carries centuries of life effortlessly on his shoulders.

A cold wind swirled around him.

Reaching towards his wide straw hat lying on his head, he gently took it off.

The traveler vanished.

Black hair freely flowed behind him.

His usual gray robes disintegrated into millions of small black feathers.

The feathers swirled around his body before turning into magnificent armor crafted from midnight-black metal.

Ancient crimson runes burned across each plate.

Every rune emitted terrifying energy.

A black cloak fell over his shoulders.

Its edges disintegrated into swirling shadows.

The color of his eyes slowly changed.

Gold faded.

Crimson remained.

Red eyes older than any kingdom calmly watched Jennie.

Behind him...

Space twisted.

The black mana gathered over the frozen ocean.

It condensed.

Expanded.

Then it took the form of a giant halo floating behind his back.

Unlike the holy halos mentioned in ancient scriptures...

It was completely composed of the condensed demonic mana.

Rotating slowly, it was covered in ancient symbols.

The pressure of it bent the very air.

Even the frozen ocean began cracking beneath it.

Roxy could not move.

Her knees were shaking uncontrollably.

"I..."

"I can’t breathe..."

Instinctively, Jennie stood in front of her.

The golden mana enveloped both women.

Snow joined them.

His eyes remained fixed on the transformed man.

For several long moments...

There was no sound.

Except the distant sound of cracking ice beneath the blackened sky.

Then...

He smiled.

Not mockingly.

Not arrogantly.

Just...

Honest.

Like someone who was tired of hiding.

Softly, his voice resounded above the frozen ocean.

"I suppose..."

He stopped for a second.

"...it’s time..."

"...to introduce myself."

Placing his hand on his chest, he greeted an equal being.

"I am..."

His crimson eyes locked with those unwavering gaze of Jennie.

"...Azrael."

The name itself seemed to shake the very air.

The pupils of Snow narrowed.

Excalibur vibrated.

Leviathan became completely silent.

Gracefully nodding, Azrael presented himself.

"The Second Demon General."

The world held its breath.

Shanks who drank tea, gave advice, and smiled like an old friend...

Was never an ordinary traveler.

He was one of the oldest and most feared creatures still alive in the world.

Survivor of the Great Demon War.

One of the Four Demon Generals.

And for many centuries...

He had been silently walking beside the bearer of the Divine Swords.

The coast was completely still, silent.

No waves.

No wind.

Only the cracks of ancient ice.

Jennie gripped tightly on both Excalibur and Leviathan.

Both the twin Divine Swords glowed with the golden and blue lights, keeping the dark aura from Azrael away.

But...

Neither of them moved.

Neither encouraged her to attack.

Just this fact troubled Jennie.

She had expected that both of them would have felt his bloodlust.

But...

Azrael just stood there.

Patient.

Quiet.

His crimson eyes did not show any hate.

Only the curiosity.

Roxy gulped.

"A...a Demon General..."

She started trembling.

Instinctively, she stepped behind Jennie.

"I thought that all of you were just myths..."

Azrael faintly smiled.

"So did most of people."

Snow slowly walked up.

Under his paws appeared ancient silver runes.

Then his fur started glowing.

"I will not ask twice."

His voice resounded over the cliffs.

"Why have you been following us?"

Azrael looked at the Divine Wolf.

"You are still as straightforward as always."

Snow slightly narrowed his eyes.

"You avoided my question."

Long silence followed.

Finally...

Azrael answered.

"To observe."

Roxy stared.

"To observe?"

Azrael nodded.

"I wanted to know whether Leonis came back or..."

His eyes looked at Jennie.

"...whether fate created a completely new person."

Jennie frowned.

"You knew about me?"

"Since the moment when we had a tea under that old tree."

Jennie stared wide-eyed.

"So every time..."

"...was intentionally done by you?"

"Yes."

"The tea."

"The wagon."

"The abandoned shrine."

"The village."

"The sea cliffs."

"All of this was not a coincidence."

Roxy opened her mouth in shock.

" That you’ve been traveling with us..."

"...all this time?"

"I simply crossed your path."

Snow let out a growling sound.

"You were judging her."

Azrael did not deny.

"I was."

His answer was clear.

Simple.

Honest.

Jennie looked right into his crimson eyes.

"And..."

"What conclusion did you make?"

For the first time...

Azrael actually smiled warmly.

"The answer shocked me."

He looked towards Excalibur.

"I was searching for Leonis."

Then he looked at Leviathan.

"I was expecting to see a king reborn."

Then...

He turned only towards Jennie.

"But I could find neither of them."

"You are not Leonis anymore."

"You became Jennie."

His words echoed in the silent night air.

Roxy looked at Jennie.

Snow slowly closed his eyes.

Even Excalibur was silent.

Finally Jennie spoke.

"Is that..."

"...a disappointment?"

Azrael slowly shook his head.

"No."

Warm smile appeared.

"It is a relief."

Jennie blinked.

"It is a relief?"

"I once fought against a man who had the entire world resting on his shoulders."

"Who believed that everyone who dies during battles is his fault."

"Who smiled..."

"...and quietly broke inside."

Azrael’s voice softened.

"I respected Leonis."

"But I pity him."

He looked at Jennie again.

"You laugh."

"You trust others."

"You allow yourself to be protected."

"You find companions."

His eyes turned towards Snow.

"The Last Divine Wolf."

Then Roxy.

"A young mage who risks everything for strangers."

Then finally...

Again towards Jennie.

"You fight for protecting."

"Not because the world needs it."

"But because your heart wants it."

Azrael slightly nodded.

"This makes you stronger than the man I once knew."

Snow stopped growling.

His posture became somewhat relaxed.

"You are not here to fight us..."

Azrael immediately answered.

"No."

"If I wanted to kill you..."

He looked towards the frozen ocean.

"...then this conversation would never take place."

His confidence was not arrogance.

It was simple truth.

Roxy shivered.

Jennie knew.

Azrael was incredibly strong.

But he chose the peace.

Jennie slowly put down her Excalibur.

Leviathan also followed her.

Tension disappeared.

Little bit.

"I do not understand."

Jennie said honestly.

"You are one of the Demon Generals."

"Why are you helping us?"

Azrael looked towards the hidden in the clouds moon.

His face became distant.

"Because..."

"...long time ago..."

"...I made a promise to my old rival."

Snow silently turned his head away.

He already knew.

The memories of the ancient days started coming back.

Azrael’s crimson eyes reflected the frozen sea.

"The story..."

He said quietly.

"...begins way before your birth."

The cold wind finally returned.

With it...

The memories of the Great Demon War.