Kael's vision blackened for a moment. His breath hitched, and when his sight returned he found himself standing in front of a cave dwelling deep inside a forest. He looked around slowly, confused, trying to understand where he had ended up.

Before he could take a step, a heart-wrenching roar cut through the air. The sound shook the heavens and earth as if the entire world trembled with it. Kael crossed his arms in front of his chest as shockwaves of air slammed into him one after another.

He lowered his arms and stared ahead.

Then he saw it.

A huge majestic lion with golden and black fur walked out from the cave entrance. Its size was enormous, far beyond any ordinary lion. Its steps were steady and heavy. Each movement felt like it was claiming the world as its own. Its piercing eyes locked onto Kael with an unblinking gaze.

"Successor..."

The lion's voice echoed like thunder.

"Prove your worth.."

"Prove that you are worthy of being my partner.."

"...."

Kael blinked several times. He stared blankly at the lion in disbelief.

"What? You want me to prove my worth?" Kael said. He placed one hand on his face and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahahaaahahah!"

His laughter echoed in the quiet forest. The lion tilted its large head slightly, confused by Kael's reaction.

Before the lion could say anything, the entire scene tore apart.

The forest shattered.

The sky cracked open. Everything burst into fragments and vanished. In its place appeared a scorched and ruined world. The ground was broken and filled with huge rifts and cracks. Corpses lay scattered everywhere as far as the eye could see. The air felt suffocating and heavy with despair.

The lion's eyes widened in terror. They trembled so much it looked like they would pop out any moment.

"Rather than me, it's you who should prove your worth."

A cold, dreary voice whispered right beside the lion's ear.

The lion turned its head slowly.

What it saw was not Kael anymore. It was a bloodied man with dead eyes glowing faintly. His teeth were crimson, and the murderous aura that radiated from him was so overwhelming that the lion's vision almost went white.

BOOOOOM.

Outside, Ruth who was focusing on channeling his energy suddenly jerked back. He felt a heavy backlash shoot up his arm and chest. His body shuddered and he stumbled a step away. The channeling connection was cut at once.

His expression turned grim.

"Did you fail?" he asked with surprise.

"No!"

"Then!"

"That cat was too weak to handle me."

"..."

Ruth stared at him, unsure if he heard Kael correctly.

"Is this a joke?"

"Do I look like I am joking?" Kael turned around and looked at Ruth with a baffled expression. Ruth's dumbfounded face made Kael's lips twitch. He honestly wanted to paint that expression and treasure it forever. Just looking at Ruth made him almost burst into laughter.

Kael was about to laugh when a strange sound echoed.

Rrrrr.

Both Kael and Ruth froze. A question mark almost appeared on their faces at the same time.

It was a roar, but it somehow sounded like a cat meowing.

Rrrr.

The sound came again, and both of them turned toward it.

Floating above Kael's lap was a tiny lion cub. Its golden fur glowed faintly and its eyes sparkled. Kael's mouth fell open.

"WHATTT is this?" Kael jumped back in shock.

The lion cub floated happily in the air. It jumped onto Kael's chest, rubbed its head against his leg and stomach, and then started floating around him in a circle. Its body glowed faintly as it hovered like a tiny spirit.

It was a Guardian Spirit, so its form felt light and free. A moment later it entered Kael's soul directly and vanished from the physical world. Kael reacted instantly and locked his soul power or else the tiny cub might have been destroyed by accident.

Ruth frowned as he checked the situation.

"I see.."

"What did you see?" Kael asked while wiping sweat from his forehead.

"The Northern Lion spirit soul seemed to split during the process. The remnant soul formed a new spirit that will grow alongside you."

"But I don't understand how this happened." Ruth looked at Kael with a questioning face.

Kael felt cold sweat run down his back.

'Now what should I say? That I showed him a bit of my power?'

"Cough... It might be because we aren't compatible at all.."

"Hmm."

Ruth nodded although he still looked confused.

"By the way,can one inherit the Duchy without it."

"No!"Ruth shook his head.

"The spirit is like a Key to control major forces and it also allows you to enter the vault.."

"Vault…"Kael's eyes glowed hearing this but Ruth poured cold water on his expectations.

"It's not back at home, not here."

….

Elsewhere, a frightening battle scene was unfolding between two figures.

The words thrown at each other were simple yet fierce.

"Elfie.."

"Roared."

"Elife.."

"Roared."

"Elfie."

Elife raised her wings high and her tail stiffened as she tried to appear more frightening. The small lion cub raised its tiny tail too. Its fur puffed up, making it look like a fuzzy ball trying to act fierce. The two stared at each other like they were about to start another fight.

"Roared."

"Elife..."

Then without warning, both of them leaned forward, wrapped their small arms around each other's shoulders, and began spinning in a circle like two children playing a strange dance.

Vic stared at the sight with a completely lost expression.

"Now where did you bring this guy out of nowhere.." he asked, pointing at the cub.

"Don't ask.." Kael shrugged, looking as confused as everyone else.

Ariana watched the two creatures spinning and playing. Something in her memory stirred. Her eyes narrowed but she shook her head.

'It can't be the Guardian Spirit right?'

'No.. that being is too monstrous while this looks like a tiny sprout..'

"It seems Elfie now has a partner to play with.. Isn't it, Lyria?" she asked.

Lyria nodded with a broad smile that she did not even realize she was showing.

Kael caught it instantly.

"What.. You are smiling?" Kael gasped, pointing at her. Everyone turned to look, but by the time they did, Lyria's smile had already vanished.

"I don't think so," she replied in her usual cold and blank tone.

Kael rubbed his chin slowly.

'Why do I feel like she seems a bit different from before?'