Without another word, he let another drop of blood fall into the marked area.

The reaction was immediate.

The entire book flared with light once again.

Its pages trembled.

The deep voice echoed through the air once more.

Stronger than before.

"Sample successfully analyzed! Proceeding to the next level."

The pages began turning by themselves again.

Until they suddenly stopped.

The two open pages slowly started to radiate an intense glow.

At the center of each page, a different magic circle appeared.

One ice blue.

The other blazing crimson.

The circles began to expand.

Like portals.

And something slowly started to emerge from within them.

Arti's eyes widened instantly.

He would have recognized those weapons anywhere.

His breathing quickened.

His heart pounded faster and faster.

"I can't believe this is where they were! I thought my parents' killers had taken them!"

The two daggers finally emerged completely from the book.

They floated above the open pages for a few brief moments.

Then gently settled down.

One on each page.

The dagger on the right bore a pale blue blade, almost transparent.

Iceshard.

The Ice Dagger.

On the opposite page rested its twin.

Its blade glowed crimson like molten magma.

Flare.

The Fire Dagger.

Even after eight years...

Those weapons were exactly as Arti remembered them in his father's hands.

The very same blades that had defeated countless opponents.

The very same blades that had earned Edan worldwide fame as...

The Emperor of Frozen Flames.

For several long moments...

No one spoke a single word.

It was as though Edan's presence still lingered within those weapons.

As though a part of him had patiently waited for this very moment.

Arti's adoptive mother stepped forward in silence.

With the utmost care, she first picked up the book.

Then the two daggers.

As though she were handling sacred relics.

She slowly knelt and carefully placed them on the ground.

With gentleness.

With reverence.

Because she knew they finally belonged to their rightful heir.

Then she turned toward Arti.

She embraced him tightly.

More tightly than she ever had before.

"I know you want to avenge your parents... but I can't help worrying. You're our son too, and we don't want to hear that you've ended up dead somewhere out there..."

Tears immediately began streaming down her cheeks.

Arti slowly closed his eyes.

For eight years, this woman had loved him exactly as she loved Yuko.

She had never treated them differently.

And in that embrace...

He realized that the fear of losing a child was something she carried with her every single day.

Yuko stepped forward as well.

He knew that expression on his mother's face all too well.

"Don't worry, Mom! I won't let him do anything reckless. You can count on that."

She smiled through her tears.

Took a deep breath.

Carefully wiped her face.

Then the warm smile that had accompanied them since childhood returned.

She gently pushed both of them.

"Then get going! The next time I want to see you is when you're world champions!"

The two of them laughed.

Without saying a word to each other...

They ran forward at the same time.

And wrapped both of their parents in a tight embrace that lasted several long seconds.

None of them wanted to be the first to let go.

But they all knew the moment couldn't last forever.

They picked up their backpacks.

Gathered their weapons.

And finally set out on the journey they had been preparing for over the past eight years.

Their parents remained standing at the entrance to the house.

Watching.

Until the two figures slowly disappeared among the trees of the forest.

Silence settled over the clearing.

Or so they thought.

Because hidden within the shadows of the dense vegetation, far beyond the reach of their eyes...

Someone had been watching everything.

Completely motionless.

"So they're finally setting out on their journey... I'd better go deliver the good news to the boss!"