The two shook hands for a few seconds, sealing the deal, before Chris instinctively withdrew his hand. “Your hand is freezing, what the hell!”

The son of Corgi handed Shirei a bronze ring with a button in the center. “Here. It’s an Ammir ring. You know how they work, right? You even have one already.”

The Blendbreed with violet eyes shook his head after glancing at his index finger.

“You’re messing with me… alright, listen up. Ammir rings are tied to the spatial magic of the god of travel. They’re like a dimensional wardrobe just for you! Press the button, and the barrel pops out. Don’t worry, it’s heat-resistant—I designed it myself!”

The son of Cragar simply nodded without showing the slightest reaction.

Dahlia, having remained silent for most of the conversation, immediately seized the opportunity. “Chris… Can I make a request too?”

“Go ahead, shoot” replied the brown-haired boy, raising his hands and adding, “Not at me, please.

“Can you make a weapon for me?”

“See how she negotiates?” said the son of Corgi, turning to Shirei. “Now we’re talking, what kind of project are you referring to?”

Dahlia tapped her hand on her cheek. “Nothing too complex, I had in mind a simple common blade.”

“Details, material, length, handle. Give me information, girl.”

“However you think best,” she smiled, “I trust your craft.”

“Mm, thanks for the completely unwarranted trust. It’ll take me a few weeks,” Chris replied.

“Yes, that’s fine, perfect!”

Chris gave a thumbs-up before pointing at Shirei. “And you, make sure you bring me my flames, emo-guy!”

Turning towards his stepsister, the son of Cragar said, “Well, I might as well take my leave. If Liceo comes looking for me, tell him I’m in the garden.” He then made his way to the hatch in the center of the room.

“Sure, I’m an excellent actress,” his stepsister reassured him.

Shirei opened the hatch before Chris’ confused eyes.

“Wait, there’s a garden down there?”

The boy with violet eyes nodded, and with a slight hop forward, he let himself fall into the darkness.

“You guys are strange, even more than usual,” the Blendbreed concluded on his own. “Anyway, back to the blade, I think I can handle it.”

“Really? You can have whatever you want in exchange… even my car.”

“You,” he pointed at her, “you have a car.”

“Yes,” Dalia smiled.

“How old are you, 14? And then—…” Chris paused, probably in shock. “Okay, never mind, I’ll do it for free.”

“I can’t. Believe it. You’re a gentleman, really. Thank you!”

“Yeah, no news,” he replied with a pleased smile. “Now I really have to go find the representative of Didreus’ children and figure out how to convince him to give me the keys to the lab.”

The boy began to head toward the exit of the house, hoping to leave the place as quickly as possible and never deal with Cragar’s children again in his life. “See you. I’ll have your weapon delivered once I finish it.”

“Alright, thanks!”

Chris left, heading straight for the Corgi children’s forge. Dalia threw herself onto the bed, filled with euphoria. She would finally have a weapon, one step closer to her candidacy for the elite group. It was a desire that had come to her over the past year; she longed to join the team that traveled all over Italy, escorting new Blendbreeds to the Lilies Park. More than the desire to help others, the daughter of Cragar craved adventure and the thrill of fighting for her life like a true heroine.

After about ten minutes in the underground, Shirei finally reached Kore’s garden and, without even looking around, performed a spectral travel downward. Shadows enveloped the boy until he found himself in freefall through the void. The earth rushed quickly in front of his focused eyes. He knew that if he lost control, he would end up pulverized by the rocky material of the Otherworld. A slight smile formed on the son of Cragar’s face at the thought of returning to the Underworld; being there strangely made him feel at home.

Finally, the earth gave way to a greenish light that swirled, blending with black and white. Looking down, the Blendbreed saw a colossal five-pointed star, the five rivers of the Underworld. The boy was once again enveloped by shadows and emerged standing in the void, like a mole coming out of its hole.

The son of Cragar quickly scanned the area and recalled the first time he had woken up there.

He remembered how his sight was immediately struck by the eternal twilight, a dense and palpable darkness that seemed to absorb the very light, tinted in scarlet. The air was thick with a harsh, putrid stench, a mix of sulfur, burnt flesh, and rot that infiltrated the nostrils and clung to the palate. Shirei had often wondered what would happen if any Blendbreed were to enter this world alive; the sense of suffocation would likely make them so weak that surviving would be impossible. The atmosphere was frigid, but a different kind of cold—not the cold of wind or snow—that pierced the skin, caressing the bones and sinking into the soul. In the distance, he heard ominous and sinister sounds, an echo of laments, anguished whispers, and desperate screams, a choir of suffering voices that seemed to come from every direction.

Looking up, he discerned the illusory, slimy ceiling, almost alive, while the ground was uneven, as if it were the imperfect skin of a giant being. A bitter, metallic aftertaste filled the air, as if even breathing were a taste of pain. The landscape was desolate and terrifying, where perception itself seemed to be subject to distortion. It was not a place for the faint-hearted or uncertain souls; this, Shirei had learned the hard way.

The Blendbreed ventured deeper into the heart of the Underworld, walking through the dim light until he reached the great infernal lake, where the five rivers of the afterlife converged. The lake was an extraordinary place; its waters flowed restlessly and noisily, driven by currents that represented the very essence of torment. In the center stood the imposing Cragar Castle, a palace that seemed to rise from the very bowels of the underground. With a steady step, Shirei made his way toward the mouth of the river of flames: the Vaverli. The fiery torrent bubbled with fire, shimmering ominously. The son of Cragar glimpsed some goblins in armor waiting for him, a sign that his presence had not gone unnoticed. He imagined this must be the welcoming committee his father had chosen to put him to the test.

The Blendbreed with violet eyes extended his hand into the void as the small group began to charge at him. A black blade with green acid-like patterns, the Blade of Discord, materialized from the Interworld into the palm of his hand, allowing him to wield it; then, Shirei sprang toward the enemies. If it was a fight his father wanted to observe, then he would satisfy him.