Chapter 772: 772

The declaration shook the realm.

Red flinched slightly at the sheer force behind it, not from power alonebut from the emotion laced within it.

He looked at Tweet’s tear-streaked face and he understood. The past centuries had not been kind to him.

Red said nothing, he simply stood beside him, allowing the moment to belong to Tweet.

"Welcome home, you bad-mouthed chicken. They’re waiting for us," Red said.

Without lingering, he lifted off again, flying toward Ikenga’s shed. The massive beast he had caught floated alongside him, suspended effortlessly as he moved deeper into the realm.

Tweet remained where he stood.

The earlier roar still echoed faintly in the air, but now that the surge of emotion had passed, something heavier settled in its place.

Shame.

How could he have forgotten home?

For centuries he had drifted without purpose, numbing himself, convincing himself there was nothing to return to. And yet home had always existed. Waiting.

What had he accomplished all that time?

What had he done to deserve coming back?

The wind shifted gently, carrying distant laughter to his ears. Some voices he recognized instantly, familiar tones that stirred old memories. Others were new, unfamiliar, signs that time had not stood still in his absence.

He looked up. The sky had changed, the realm had changed. It had grown, matured moved forward without him.

Tweet inhaled deeply, steadying himself. Whatever doubts lingered, this was still home.

And so he followed after Red.

They were not the only ones who felt the return.

In the spirit world, two world spirits stirred.

Aqua and Brix.

They felt it the moment Ikenga stepped back into his realm, their origin, their ruler, the one who had granted them life and the opportunity to rise into the greater beings they had become.

Excitement rippled through the spirit world. There was so much to tell him.

The growth of the spirits, the expansion of their domain. Ikenga ruled not only his own realm but the spirit world as well, and his presence anchored both.

When Tweet’s proclamation thundered through the realm, the sound reached even them.

Both treants turned toward the source of the voice.

They exchanged a glance.

"He is finally back after all these years."

Long before Red crossed the boundary, long before Tweet’s voice shook the realm. Ikenga had already known they were coming.

He was outside his shed, calmly gathering dried wood into a neat pile. On his shoulder rested Boros, coiled comfortably, her voice filled with curiosity as she asked what he was preparing.

It was then Red’s present was felt, and then Tweet loud voice was heard. Boros blinked as her question answered itself.

Ikenga chuckled.

"We are going to have a large party," he said warmly. "It’s been a while since everyone was together. I even plan on bringing out my finest wine."

The laughter in his voice was genuine. But the moment he mentioned his finest wine, he felt it, the subtle tensing of Boros’ body on his shoulder.

Ikenga paused.

"Boros." His voice lowered slightly, as she stiffened further.

"My finest and old wine," he repeated, slowly turning his head to look at her.

Boros was suddenly chuckling nervously, her gaze drifting away as if the sky had become incredibly interesting.

Her wings twitched.

In the next instant she blurred, attempting to flee, but Ikenga’s hand was already there.

He caught her effortlessly.

The moment he did, Boros’ snake form went completely limp in his grasp.

She played dead.

Ikenga stared at her unmoving body, one brow twitching.

"...Did you at least leave me some?" One of Boros eyes cracked open slightly.

"You’re not angry?" she asked cautiously.

Ikenga sighed "Would that bring my wine back?" For a brief second, Boros looked relieved

She quickly resumed her position on his shoulder as if nothing had happened.

"I only emptied a few barrels," she said lightly. Ikenga slowly turned his head toward her.

"Barrels?" His hand rose again.

Boros stiffened.

"I only have a few barrels left," Ikenga continued calmly, "which means you left me with nothing." The last words was followed with his shouting.

Osisi stood nearby, watching Ikenga and Boros argue.

He shook his head slowly, he had warned Boros many times to be mindful of her drinking. Each time, she had waved him off confidently, claiming nothing would happen.

Fortunately, Osisi had prepared for this.

Red and Tweet arrived fully into the scene just in time to witness Ikenga and Boros bickering openly voices rising.

Before it could escalate further, Osisi stepped forward and bowed slightly.

"Your Grace, you have no need to worry," he said calmly. "I have had the young master refill the empty barrels for you over the years... while someone was stealing from you."

There was a brief silence, Ikenga slowly turned toward Osisi then he released Boros.

A smile spread across his face.

"That is very thoughtful of you," Ikenga said warmly, glancing sideways at Boros. "Unlike someone I know."

Boros looked away, pretending sudden innocence. Before anything else could be said, a figure slammed into Ikenga.

He did not resist the impact. Instead, he let himself fall backward slightly, catching the figure securely in his arms.

Tweet clung to him tightly.

"Welcome back, Tweet. We have missed you," Ikenga said gently, patting his head.

Tweet trembled slightly.

"I... I..." He struggled to speak. The words were there, crowded and heavy, but they would not come out properly.

Ikenga did not press him.

"You have no need to blame yourself," he said softly. "It wasn’t yet time for you to come home. But now it is. And all that matters is that you are here."

He stood, bringing Tweet upright with him.

Tweet stepped back, embarrassed. He had forgotten others were present. He had lost his composure completely.

But when he looked around, It was quiet, just him and Ikenga.The others had given them space and for that, Tweet was silently grateful.

Not far from the shed, a bonfire had already been lit. A barbecue stand was set up beside it, flames steady and strong. Red stood nearby, overseeing the preparations, while Boros, now in humanoid form moved around the fire with exaggerated seriousness.

Osisi was calmly cutting up the massive cow-like creature Red had brought, his movements precise and efficient.

From the direction of the shed, Aqua and Brix walked out as though it were their own home, each carrying a barrel of wine with ease.

The sight struck Tweet deeply. The firelight, the familiar faces. The casual movements.

It was all so... normal, so unchanged.

His eyes began to cloud again as memories surfaced, laughter, arguments, nights that stretched endlessly beneath this very sky.

But before the moment could fully take him, a teasing voice drifted across the clearing.

Boros wasn’t speaking directly to him. She leaned toward the others, whispering loudly enough to be heard.

"I never knew that bad-mouthed bird was so emotional." Snickers followed.

Tweet’s fist clenched and said nothing but the laughter grew louder "Better than being an alcoholic feathered straw!" he shouted back immediately.

The clearing went quiet for half a second. Boros eye twitched, she hated being called an alcoholic

"I am not an alcoholic, crybaby!" she screamed.

In the same breath, she shifted, her true form appearing, though smaller, more compact. Without hesitation she rushed toward him.

Tweet transformed as well.

In an instant, both became blurs, white and shimmering motion clashing midair as they snapped and darted at one another.

Feathers and sparks scattered across the clearing. Red didn’t even look concerned.

Osisi calmly continued cutting the meat. Aqua and Brix exchanged a glance and shook their heads.

"Those two will never grow up," one of them said with a sigh.

The bonfire crackled steadily beneath the chaos. Some things, no matter how many centuries passed, simply did not change.

"Indeed. Unlike you two who have grown up so well."

Aqua and Brix both stiffened at the familiar voice.

Ikenga stood behind them, holding a basket filled with freshly picked spices from his garden. The scent of herbs mixed with the smoke from the bonfire, grounding the lively scene in something warm and homely.

The two treants turned quickly, each scratching the back of their heads.

"You flatter us, Your Grace," they said almost in unison.

Ikenga laughed, as he stepped forward and patted each of them on the shoulder.

"Come now," he said. "I want to hear everything I’ve missed over these years."

Before either of them could begin, another voice cut in.

"I am here for the drinks and food," Red said casually as he approached. "I have slept away the years and would also like to hear what took place during my slumber."

Without ceremony, he took the basket of spices from Ikenga’s hands, inspecting its contents as if evaluating whether it met his standards.

Ikenga shook his head, it seems red still was the same "Of course," Ikenga replied calmly. "You never miss a meal, even after centuries of sleep."

Red huffed lightly but said nothing in defense.

In the distance, a loud crash echoed as Tweet and Boros slammed into the ground before shooting back into the sky again in another blur of motion.

Aqua sighed, Brix shook his head. Ikenga simply smiled, the realm felt complete again.