"Ash Phantom: The Legend Reborn"

Everyone on the battlefield began to slow.

Like marionettes caught in a dream, the mages of Yuzen moved sluggishly, their reactions dulled, their spells delayed. The green mist of Kaen's time-slowing potion spread wide — a silent storm of advantage.

Veon's eyes gleamed with fire. Veon – "This is it. Now we move."

He and his unit charged forward like wolves among sheep. Yuzen's mages fell one by one — helpless, like playthings in the hands of predators. The battlefield turned red, but to Veon, it was a game of dominance.

On the other end, Sia's unit was also affected. Her soldiers struggled to move, but her voice cut through the fog.

Sia (yelling, tense) – "Veon! Get inside the wall! Hurry! Sir Mekamaru is still in there alone! He's injured… if an elite shows up, he might not last!"

Veon clenched his jaw, turning his eyes toward the wall. He nodded once — sharp and quick. Veon – "I'm going."

Inside the fortress wall…

Mekamaru stood surrounded by shattered towers and flaming debris. His arm was bleeding, his shoulder bruised — but his fists? Still iron.

He struck down every guard in his path with mechanical precision, each punch like thunder, each breath like fire. The walls cracked, the floors trembled. Blood mixed with dust, and yet… Mekamaru stood tall.

Mekamaru (panting, smirking through pain) – "If they send elites…Let them come."

******

Mekamaru's giant body bulldozed through the inner corridors like a living weapon. Walls crumbled. Guards flew. Alarms rang.

But his size… became a double-edged sword.

Yuzen Mages (shouting from all sides):— "Stop this giant!"— "This ain't man, is a monster!"— "He's like a damn Red Hulk!"— "Hold him back—he's too close to the towers!"

Spells flew. Chains of ice cracked. Fireballs fizzled.

Mage Commander – "He's out of reach! We need more power—CALL THE ELITE!"

Suddenly—Fwoooosh!A glowing magic missile sliced through the air like a comet. BOOM! It hit Mekamaru square in the chest.

He stumbled backward, coughing blood, a burn mark spreading across his torso.

Yuzen Mage (smirking, stepping forward):— "Your rampage ends now."— "The elite has arrived."

From the smoke… a sharp figure emerged. His cloak fluttered. His staff shimmered with blue energy.

Yuzen Mage (proudly shouting):— "Make way for our hero… Tesmin!"

The other mages cheered wildly, their morale rising like fire.

Mekamaru (wiping blood from his lip, smirking):— "So... you're the elite? Then show me what you've got."

Mekamaru stood barely upright, steam rising from his wounded chest. His eyes burned with both pain and memory.

Mekamaru (grunting, smirking): "So... it's you. Tesmin."You've grown. Two decades ago… you were just a low-ranking guard at Yuzen's dojo. And now? An elite. Not bad. You climbed far on your little 'vita.'"

Tesmin (calmly, gripping his glowing staff): "You've grown, too. In size, strength… and arrogance."But what orb turned you into this giant? I've seen hundreds of mage cores—but never one like yours."

Mekamaru chuckled darkly. His giant form cast a huge shadow on the cracked stone walls.

Mekamaru: "This orb isn't from Winland."It's… from the Outerworld. Something beyond your imagination."You want one like this? Then you'll have to leave Winland—which, as we both know, is impossible."

Tesmin's eyes narrowed. For a second, doubt flashed through him.

Tesmin: "Outerworld? That's not possible. No one's ever crossed the boundaries of this world.Unless…"

He stepped forward, serious now.

Tesmin: "How did you get it? That orb—where exactly did it come from?"

Mekamaru grinned, blood dripping from his lip.

Mekamaru: "Heh… you're my enemy. And you're going to die tonight. But fine… I'll tell you a little."

Suddenly, behind Tesmin, a group of Yuzen mages raised cannon launchers, ready to fire.

Tesmin (snapping): "STOP! Lower your weapons!"

The cannons paused. Silence fell. Mekamaru's voice was low but thunderous.

Mekamaru: "Someone from the Outerworld came to Winland."You've heard the myths, haven't you? Tideborns who sail beyond the great seas?"

Tesmin (stepping back slightly, eyes wide): "That's… that's just folklore. Stories to scare kids."No one can cross the edge. No one can leave Winland—let alone return from beyond."

Mekamaru (laughing deeply): "That's what they want you to believe."

The wall behind Mekamaru trembled from the power of his words.

Mekamaru: "The world is bigger than you think, Tesmin.Much… much bigger.

Mekamaru:"The world is far bigger than you think, Tesmin. We were raised to believe Winland is the only land... but that's a lie. There are other continents—some even larger, more advanced than Winland."

Tesmin (eyes wide):"That… that can't be true. You're saying there are other lands… other people?"

Mekamaru (smirks, but his tone is grave):"Yes. But don't get excited. The truth is cruel — no one can enter Winland… and no one here can leave. That barrier is real. And it's absolute."

Tesmin:"Then how do you know this?"

Mekamaru:"Because not everyone is from Winland. Some bloodlines… some clans… their roots are from the outside. They migrated long ago — before the seal. Before the age of myths. Most don't even know it."

Mekamaru (stepping forward, voice heavy with truth):"And one more thing, Tesmin… this so-called pride you carry — the pride of Yuzen? It sounds like nonsense to me."

Tesmin (taken aback):"What are you saying?"

Mekamaru (his eyes sharp, tone cutting):"You Yuzen mages — always boasting of your name. But do you even know what Yuzen means? Where does that name come from?"

Tesmin (stunned):"…No. We've never been told. We were raised to honor it, not question it."

Mekamaru (chuckles darkly):"Exactly. That's the difference between you and us. Ryuki — our name came from a man. A legend. A guardian who saved cities, who stood against evil in the Great Eclipse. We carry his legacy with reason."

He pauses, his voice low and serious now.

"But you? You hold a banner with no roots. Blind pride."

Tesmin (visibly shaken):"Then… tell me. What does Yuzen mean?"

Mekamaru:"Recently, a boy stated Miss Scarlet. And another man — Okabaru, Sakura's brother — connected the final dots with help from the Vincent clan."

He looks Tesmin dead in the eyes.

"They found it. The truth is buried in sealed scripts. Yuzen… is not a name of honor. It's the name of a beast — a monster from the Third World."

Tesmin (whispers, frozen):"A beast… from the Third World…?"

Mekamaru (nods slowly):"Yes. Your proud city carries the name of a creature that once almost destroyed the outer lands. A beast so terrible it was sealed beyond the known worlds."

Tesmin:

He turns back to Tesmin, eyes burning."

"What… what is the Third World?"