“Aria,” Light murmured, breaking the silence of his room. “About the feather from the black market... I almost forgot about it.”

Aria’s voice resonated in his mind, calm yet firm. “So you finally remembered it?”

Light said. “Yeah, where is it. i couldn't find it,I worked so hard for it”

“I absorbed it,” Aria replied.

“What?” Light bolted upright, his teal eyes wide. “You absorbed it? Without telling me? What does the feather even do?”

“The Phoenix Feathers contain immense power—power that is as much a curse as it is a blessing,” Aria explained. “They enhance your abilities, but only if you’re strong enough to wield them. If not, the feather consumes you, leaving nothing but a hollow shell of destruction.”

Light frowned, his voice steady but firm. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Aria’s tone softened slightly. “Because you weren’t ready to hear it. But heed my warning: never attempt to draw from its l Power It will destroy you.”

“Then why collect them at all?” Light demanded. “And who are we racing against?”

Aria hesitated. “You’ll learn in time. For now, focus on the mission ahead. Seven feathers exist, and we must gather them all before they fall into the wrong hands.”

Before Light could ask more, his door burst open, revealing a strange figure.

“Hello, Nya! Drake sent me to be your assistant!”

Light blinked, stunned. Standing before him was a black-and-white cat the size of a ten-year-old child, standing upright on two legs. Its crystal blue eyes gleamed with innocence as it saluted him with a paw.

“Who... what?” Light stammered.

The cat puffed out its chest proudly. “I’m Mike, Nya! I’ll be your assistant and caretaker from now on”

Light blinked, utterly baffled. “Assistant?, Caretaker? For me?”

Mike nodded enthusiastically, his crystal-blue eyes shining with innocence. “Drake and Lyra were talking, nya! Said you’re a troublemaker, so they sent me to keep an eye on you, nya!”

Light slumped back, a defeated look crossing his face. “Great. Just what I needed.”

Mike scampered closer, his tail swishing behind him. “I’ll help you recover, nya! Let me check your bandages!”

“Please don’t,” Light muttered, but Mike was already pulling at the edge of his shirt.

The jet roared to life on the Apex helipad, where Light, Mark, Zane, and Swen waited under the blazing sun. Lyra approached with a squad of guards escorting a heavily restrained Zarek. The smuggler's sharp amber eyes burned with fury, though his chains pulsed with an Ethereal-dampening glow.

“Here he is,” Lyra said, her voice clipped. “You’ll be escorting him to Sapphire.”

Light crossed his arms. “You’re not coming with us?”

Lyra shook her head. “I have matters to handle here. But don’t worry, someone else will oversee your training.”

“Who?” Mark asked, his tone filled with unease.

As if in answer, the air shifted. A powerful presence descended upon the helipad, Celestial Ark Arya had arrived.

Ark emerged like a living embodiment of the sun’s fury. His long, White coat shimmered faintly, as if molten embers were woven into the fabric, glowing faintly along its crimson-lined edges. His ash-silver hair, streaked with fiery orange, caught the light with every movement, giving the impression of flames dancing in the wind. His piercing, golden-amber eyes burned with an intensity that matched the heat radiating faintly around him. Beneath his coat, dark armor pulsed with veins of magma-like energy,The Veins ending at the chest forming a sun like symbol giving him the aura of a walking inferno—calm yet brimming with untamed power.

Mark’s jaw dropped, and he all but leaped in front of Ark. “Oh my god! You’re Ark Arya! I’ve watched all your battles! You’re a living legend!”

Ark smirked faintly, raising an eyebrow. “A fan, I see.”

Mark nodded so furiously it was a wonder his head stayed attached. “A massive fan! Can I shake your hand?”

Ark obliged, his grip firm but warm—literally, as Mark's palm got hot.

“Whoa!” Mark yelped, shaking his hand to ward off the heat.

Zane, meanwhile, stared in silent awe, muttering, “A Celestial... We’re really training under him?”

Ark’s gaze shifted to Light, assessing him with an unreadable expression. “So, you’re the one who defeated Zarek. Interesting.”

Light met his gaze, unflinching. “I had help.”

Ark smirked. “Modest. Let’s see if you live up to the hype.”

Mark, still giddy, turned to Zane. “Did you hear that? We’re going to train under Ark! This is going to be insane!”

Before anyone could respond, Zarek chuckled darkly. “You’ll need more than training to survive what’s coming, boy.”

“Quiet,” Ark said coldly, and a thin rays of sunlight crept up Zarek’s chains, silencing him.

As the group boarded the jet, Mark couldn’t stop grinning. “This is going to be epic!”

The jet touched down on the sprawling facility of Sapphire, a fortress-like prison situated on a remote island surrounded by turbulent seas. As the group disembarked, Ark began explaining the facility's layout and purpose.

“This isn’t just a prison,” Ark began, his tone commanding. “It’s a training ground for the strong and a graveyard for the weak. You’ll face challenges here that will push you beyond your limits—if you survive.”

Mark’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Bring it on!”

But as Ark continued, the temperature began to drop. and Ice froze Ark, Mark shivered, frost forming on his jacket. “Uh, is this part of the challenge?”

“No,” came a cold, elegant voice from behind.

The group turned as a figure emerged gracefully from a swirling icy mist. Her silver-blue air flowed like liquid moonlight, perfectly framing her striking blue eyes that gleamed with both elegance and cold authority. Dressed in a pristine, high-collared white coat adorned with intricate frost-like patterns, Celestial Ciya stepped forward, her glacial presence commanding the air around her