Then Archery is my path

July 31, 3108

A 17-year-old boy emerged from the forest. Standing 180 cm tall and weighing 80 kg, Kail had black hair, green eyes, and a fit build—not overly muscular, but with a strong back and powerful legs. As he walked, his steps carried him toward the highway, where he was accustomed to catching transport to the capital.

Once I arrived in Eryndor, I outlined my plans and marked my route:

Obtain my identity documents.Pass the medical test to get my physical data.

Order the non-aetheric armor from the clan.

With my objectives clear, I made my way to the Cindercrest clan—the place I would happily avoid if given the choice.

The clan's territory resembled a self-contained district, complete with shops, multi-story and simpler buildings, schools for the clan's children, training halls, museums, and various facilities for different needs. At the heart of it all stood a fortified structure resembling a European-style castle, adorned with red and gold accents.

The entire sector was surrounded by a high wall equipped with modern defenses and several entrances, including secret ones, alongside massive three-meter gates. Not wanting to draw attention from the guards, I headed toward one of the secret entrances my mother had told me about.

Upon reaching it, I pressed a brick that triggered a hidden mechanism, revealing a panel where I placed my palm. The result, however, was disappointing.

It means I've already been erased from the clan's database.

Fortunately, I had another way in: the clan token Rebeca had given me. I placed the token against the wall, activating a hidden entrance that led me directly to the central building of the clan. Without hesitation, I made my way toward it.

At the main entrance, two guards in classic uniforms stopped me.

"Hello, what can we do for you?"

Without answering, I tossed them the token. One of them scanned it with a specialized device.

"Welcome."

They opened the door and returned the token to me.

I headed straight for Rebeca's office, which was adjacent to the Clan Chief's office. This was located on the 4th floor, alongside the offices of other leaders overseeing finance, industry, military affairs, and other key areas of the clan's operations. The 5th floor, by contrast, was reserved for the council of elders and was the most luxurious level of the building.

After reaching the 4th floor, I made my way toward the center of the building, where a door labeled Secretary Rebeca was located.

Rebeca wasn't a member of the clan family; she was brought here by Urif during one of his travels. Why she didn't use a second name remained a mystery to me.

Knock, knock.

From the other side of the door, I heard her voice.

"Come in."

I opened the door and stepped into her office. Without even glancing at me, she said, "Mr. Urif is not in residence at the moment. Leave the documents on the table."

She remained fully absorbed in the mountain of paperwork spread across her desk.

"Hi, Rebeca," I said.

Hearing my greeting, she finally looked up. She stared at me, her eyes scanning me from head to toe, as if trying to confirm what she was seeing.

"Kail?"

"Yup."

"Are you alive?"

The question caught me off guard. Sure, I wasn't in the best condition the last time she saw me, but it wasn't that bad.

"Why would I be dead?"

"It's been four years since I last saw you."

Back then, I had been shorter, with a bulky build—massive shoulders and thick legs, resembling a closet. Now, my strength had shifted to other areas, and my body had become leaner, faster, and more agile.

"A lot has changed," she remarked.

"If I'm here, I assume you already know I need something," I replied.

"I can guess. What is it?"

"I want to apply to Altgard this year, so I'll need identity documents."

"That won't be a problem," she said, already jotting something down.

"I also need to order non-aetheric armor."

"That, unfortunately, can only be arranged once Mr. Urif returns."

"When will that be?"

"Four to five hours. You can wait here if you like. Oh, and while you're waiting, you can access deposit box 3098—your mother's personal items are there."

"Great. Where's the key for it?"

"It's DNA-locked."

"Thank you very much," I said.

The clan's personal belongings deposit was an ultra-secure facility. Each box could only be accessed by its registered owner. It was the second most secure place in the clan, surpassed only by the treasure vault.

I didn't know my mother had a deposit box here. I wouldn't be surprised if everything in the house and lab had already been analyzed by the clan for any valuable information.

The storage building was unassuming—a small, one-story, cube-shaped structure. Its plain appearance belied the fact that all the deposit boxes were housed deep underground.

Upon entering, I was greeted by a receptionist seated at a sleek desk. As soon as she noticed me, she asked,

"Hello, how can I help you?"

"I need access to box 3098," I replied.

"Name?"

"Elyndra Cindercrest."

"One moment."

She keyed in the number and nodded.

"Use elevator number 8."

Behind her, a row of ten elevators stood in a line. These elevators weren't designed to simply descend; they moved diagonally, horizontally, and at varying speeds to ensure security. Their chaotic paths were part of the building's unique design, created by an engineer who, ironically, met his demise at the hands of his employers—those who feared he might sell the secrets of this advanced system.

After about five minutes of the elevator shifting in seemingly random directions, it finally stopped. The doors opened to reveal an endless, tunnel-like corridor, lined with rows of storage boxes on both walls. The air was cool, and the dim lighting gave the space a sterile, almost eerie atmosphere.

I started walking, scanning the box numbers as I passed.

"3085, 1475, 7932, 8352... 3098. There it is."

The numbering seemed completely arbitrary—only the system itself knew the exact locations of each box.

"Let's see what's left of Mom's things."

Box 3098 looked identical to all the others: a metal container with a handle and its number displayed prominently. Beneath the number was a small mechanism for accessing the box. I placed my finger on the scanner, and a sharp needle pierced my fingertip. A single drop of blood was drawn and absorbed by the mechanism. After a brief pause, the box clicked and opened.

As the lid lifted, a hologram suddenly projected itself in front of me. It was my mother.

"Hello, Kail," her voice echoed softly. "If you are listening to this message, it means I have, unfortunately, passed away. Death is all too common in these times, so I can only hope this finds you at the right moment."

I froze, my eyes locked on the hologram as she continued.

"In this box, you will find: an experimental preparation that can help you stimulate the opening of aetheric pores in an area without leaving any detectable traces; a token of the Cindercrest clan that will compel them to protect your life once, regardless of the circumstances or the enemy; and a USB drive containing information that your father can use. Please deliver it to him."

She paused, her gaze seeming to pierce right through me, even as a projection.

"Do not trust anyone from the clan. And take care of yourself, my dear."

With those final words, the hologram vanished, leaving me alone with my thoughts—and a deep sense of confusion.

"Why does she think she could die so unexpectedly?"

The spark of emotions I thought had burned out reignited, however briefly, at her words. But I quickly forced myself back to the present. Looking down into the box, I saw the three items she mentioned: a small rectangular container housing a sealed test tube filled with a red-silver liquid, a pristine new clan token, and the USB. The USB looked nothing like the typical kind—it was smooth, dark, and resembled a polished piece of stone with no visible connectors.

Thanks, Mom, I thought, closing the lid on the box.

I packed the items into my bag, secured everything, and began heading toward the elevator. As I emerged into the reception area, I was immediately met with a startling scene: Rebeca was standing there, her sharp eyes locked on me, while the receptionist lay unconscious on the floor.

"Kail, quickly, run after me!" Rebeca urged, her voice laced with tension.

"What's going on?" I asked, trying to keep up with her as she hurriedly led the way.

"Mr. Urif will explain everything to you."

With no time for further questions, I followed her brisk pace. The two of us raced toward the central building. The tension in the air grew heavier as we approached Urif's office.

When we reached the door, Rebeca suddenly stopped, turned to me, and said, "Kail, quickly enter—and I'm sorry."

Before I could process her words, she shoved me into the room, shutting the door behind me. The abruptness left me disoriented, but my attention quickly shifted to Mr. Urif, who was already inside waiting for me.

"What's going on?" I asked, feeling the weight of confusion and urgency in the room's atmosphere.

"I'll explain on the way," he said calmly but firmly. "Follow me."

He moved to his desk and pressed a hidden button. A section of the floor slid open, revealing a narrow vertical shaft that seemed to stretch endlessly downward. Without hesitation, Urif looked at me and ordered, "Jump."

I hesitated for only a second, understanding that the situation must be critical. Gritting my teeth, I took the plunge. The air roared around me as I fell for what felt like an eternity—nearly 20 seconds—before I spotted the end of the shaft rapidly approaching. Instinctively, I reacted.

Movement Technique: Wind Kingdom (4☆)

1st Stage: Territory Formation

I twisted mid-air, extending my left foot toward the wall. Using the currents I formed around me, I slowed my descent and landed about three meters above the floor. From there, I gently lowered myself the rest of the way.

Seconds later, Mr. Urif appeared behind me. Unlike my abrupt landing, his was almost serene—something invisible slowed his descent, allowing him to touch down with almost no impact.

"Now can you explain to me what is happening?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady.

Urfin glanced at me, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "If I explain it briefly, your parents are considered traitors to humanity."

I blinked, stunned. "I'm sorry, WHAT?!"

"It's not as simple as it sounds," he began. "It started in 3105. We discovered that all the data in the pharmacology department regarding your mother's preparations had been altered. A year later, your father—who mistakenly believed both you and your mother had died—defected to the Therianthropes' side. He claimed that our leadership promoted a human-supremacy ideology solely to sustain ongoing wars."

I clenched my fists, anger and disbelief boiling inside me. "Dad's gone completely insane... Does he want the full force of the human military hunting him down?!"

"Unfortunately, that's not the worst part. He's no longer a ManaMaster," Urfin said, his tone dropping ominously. "He's now a ManaGrandmaster."

I stared at him in disbelief. For a moment, all I wanted to do was slam my head against the wall. "So, let me get this straight. My family is now enemy number one for the Cindercrest clan?"

"Exactly," Urfin said grimly.

"Then why didn't anyone stop me on my way here?" I asked, bewildered.

"Everyone believes you're dead," he explained. "On top of that, you've changed significantly. Even Rebeca forgot about your family's situation and unintentionally sent you to the only place capable of confirming your identity."

"This keeps getting worse and worse," I muttered, rubbing my temples.

"Right now, the most important thing is ensuring no one else sees you. We've already erased your memory from the receptionist's mind, and Rebeca doesn't remember you either," Urfin said. "We'll claim the mechanism made a mistake in recognizing you."

I frowned. "What are the odds of such a mechanism failing after functioning flawlessly for so long?"

"Very slim," Urfin admitted. "But not as slim as the odds of someone considered dead suddenly walking into the clan."

I let out a heavy sigh. "So what's the plan now?"

"Your new documents will be ready in two weeks. You'll be officially recorded as an orphan taken in by a war veteran who taught you martial arts."

"Can my second name be Vaylith?" I asked.

"Sure."

"And the people who might recognize me? What do I do about them?"

"Stay away from them. Fortunately, there are very few left who would even remember you," he replied.

"What about the non-aetheric armor I need?"

"You'll have to commission a blacksmith outside the clan. I'll provide the materials and pay for the service," he offered.

I shook my head. "No. Just give me the materials. I'll pay for the smithing myself."

"Fine," Urfin agreed after a moment. "We're almost at the exit. If you keep going through this tunnel, you'll emerge on the outskirts of the city. I need to head back now."

I paused and turned to him. "Thank you for everything, Urfin."

He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "This isn't your fault, Kail. Children shouldn't have to bear the burden of their parents' mistakes."

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. Then, as he turned and began to make his way back, I continued forward into the darkness of the tunnel.