Cold air rushed past Ren as the endless sea of stars vanished.

He opened his eyes.

The ancient sword was still in his hand.

The mysterious chamber beneath the watchtower trembled violently, its silver walls glowing brighter with every heartbeat. Strange runes floated through the air like fireflies, circling Ren before disappearing into the blade.

Above him, the Ruin Beast roared.

Captain Seraphine’s voice echoed from outside.

“Ren! Get out of there!”

Before he could answer, the crystal altar shattered.

The sword suddenly became weightless.

Then—

It dissolved into thousands of silver particles.

“What?!”

The light rushed into Ren’s right hand.

A strange symbol appeared on the back of his palm—a seven-pointed star surrounded by a broken circle.

The mark burned for only a second before fading beneath his skin.

The sword…

Had disappeared.

…

Outside, the Ruin Beast crashed onto the tower, sending stones flying everywhere.

Ren barely escaped before the ancient chamber collapsed behind him.

Captain Seraphine blocked the monster’s claws with her glowing spear.

“Run!”

“I can’t leave you!”

“You’ll only get in my way!”

Ren hated hearing those words.

She was right.

He had no magic.

No legendary weapon.

Nothing.

He picked up a broken iron chain from the ground.

“If I can’t fight…”

“I can still help.”

The Ruin Beast lunged again.

Ren wrapped the chain around one of its crystal horns and sprinted toward the ruined bell tower.

“Hey, ugly!”

The monster turned.

“Yeah, I’m talking to you!”

It roared.

“Good. At least your hearing works.”

Even Captain Seraphine almost laughed.

The beast charged after Ren instead.

“Perfect…”

Ren raced across the broken bridge.

Three…

Two…

One…

He jumped.

The bridge collapsed beneath the monster’s weight.

The enormous creature fell into the canyon once again.

This time Captain Seraphine didn’t hesitate.

“Sky Lance!”

Her spear exploded with brilliant silver light.

The attack struck directly into the canyon.

A massive explosion shook the floating island.

When the dust settled…

The Ruin Beast was gone.

Only silence remained.

…

That evening…

The entire village celebrated.

People called Captain Seraphine a hero.

Children copied her fighting poses.

Merchants offered free food.

Musicians filled the streets with cheerful songs.

Meanwhile…

Ren quietly repaired broken carts behind the blacksmith’s shop.

“No celebration?” the old blacksmith asked.

Ren smiled.

“They saved the village.”

“You saved them first.”

“I just got lucky.”

The old man shook his head.

“No.”

“You think before you act.”

“That’s rarer than magic.”

Before Ren could answer, Captain Seraphine approached.

She carried a sealed silver envelope.

“The Kingdom Council wants to see you.”

“Me?”

“They know about the hidden chamber.”

Ren’s smile disappeared.

“I didn’t tell anyone…”

“You didn’t have to.”

She looked toward the ruins.

“The chamber opened.”

“Ancient doors don’t open by accident.”

…

Three days later…

Ren boarded an enormous flying ship.

It floated using giant crystal engines instead of sails.

For the first time in his life…

He left Varellis.

As the island disappeared behind the clouds, Ren stood silently at the railing.

“So…”

A cheerful voice interrupted him.

“You’re the famous bridge breaker.”

Ren turned.

A girl with short silver hair grinned at him while balancing three pastries in one hand.

“I didn’t break the bridge.”

“No?”

“It broke itself.”

She laughed.

“I’m Mira.”

“Ren.”

“I know.”

“You’ve become surprisingly popular.”

She handed him one of the pastries.

“Peace offering.”

“For what?”

“I’m probably going to annoy you.”

She wasn’t wrong.

Within an hour—

She had talked without stopping.

She challenged soldiers to card games.

Lost every round.

Blamed the cards.

Tried cooking.

Nearly burned part of the kitchen.

Captain Seraphine banned her from touching food.

Again.

Even Ren couldn’t stop laughing.

…

Two days later…

The flying ship reached the capital.

Ren stared in complete disbelief.

Skyreach.

The largest city in Elyndra.

Thousands of floating islands surrounded a shining castle suspended in midair.

Waterfalls flowed upward instead of downward.

Crystal trains crossed the sky.

Dragons rested on enormous towers.

Every building looked impossible.

“So…”

Mira smiled proudly.

“First time?”

“I think my brain just resigned.”

She laughed.

“I had the same reaction.”

…

Inside the royal academy…

Hundreds of young warriors trained with glowing weapons.

Magic filled the air.

Ren felt completely out of place.

Whispers followed him.

“Isn’t that the boy without Echo?”

“Why is he here?”

“Maybe he’s a servant.”

Ren ignored them.

He was used to whispers.

Inside the Grand Hall…

Seven leaders waited.

Each represented one of the Seven Kingdoms.

At the center sat an elderly man wearing blue robes.

Grand Sage Orion.

He looked directly at Ren.

“So…”

“You are the Silent One.”

Ren blinked.

“The what?”

“The prophecy speaks of someone whom magic cannot hear.”

Silence filled the room.

Orion continued.

“For ten thousand years…”

“We believed it was only a legend.”

He placed an ancient book on the table.

Its pages turned by themselves.

One illustration showed…

A boy holding a sword made of stars.

The boy had the same mark on his hand.

Ren slowly hid his palm.

No one seemed to notice.

Orion suddenly smiled.

“You’ll be joining the Royal Expedition.”

“What expedition?”

“To the city beneath the clouds.”

…

The next morning…

Ren, Mira, Captain Seraphine, and several elite adventurers entered a gigantic elevator carved into the heart of the floating continent.

Instead of going up…

It descended.

Lower.

Lower.

Lower.

Far beneath the clouds.

Hours later…

The doors opened.

Ren forgot how to breathe.

An entire city stretched beneath the world.

Ancient towers of white crystal glowed softly in endless darkness.

Rivers of blue light flowed through silent streets.

Gigantic trees grew upside down from the ceiling.

“It…”

Ren whispered.

“It’s beautiful.”

Captain Seraphine nodded.

“Welcome…”

“To Lunareth.”

“The Hidden City.”

No one had lived there for thousands of years.

Or so history claimed.

As the team explored the silent streets, they noticed fresh footprints in the dust.

Someone…

Was already here.

Suddenly—

A laughing voice echoed across the empty city.

“You’re later than expected.”

Everyone drew their weapons.

A masked figure stood atop a crystal tower.

Black cloak.

Golden mask.

Twin curved blades.

The stranger bowed dramatically.

“I’ve been waiting for the boy the prophecy chose.”

Before anyone could react—

Dozens of masked warriors appeared across the rooftops.

Captain Seraphine’s expression turned serious.

“The Veiled Eclipse…”

“The hidden organization…”

“They found him first.”

The masked leader slowly pointed one blade toward Ren.

“Our Master requests your presence.”

“You may come willingly…”

“Or we can bring you unconscious.”

The lights of the forgotten city suddenly went dark.

Then every rooftop erupted with enemy warriors.

END OF CHAPTER 2