As Evelyn steps out of the car, she’s immediately swept into a tight embrace by her mother—

Then the rest of the family rushes in, surrounding her with warmth and relief.

Inside the house, her grandfather frowns, his tone sharp as he scolds, “From today onward, you’re not going anywhere without bodyguards.”

Evelyn nods silently.

Her father adds, “You’re alive only because you advanced to the Body Forging Realm—if not, Palus River would’ve killed you.”

Her mother places a hand on her chest, eyes misty. “You were right, husband… letting Evelyn train in martial arts was the right decision.”

Her grandfather nods in agreement. “Technology may have replaced much, but martial arts still have their place.”

He glances around at the younger members of the family.

“From now on, all the youths in our family will attend martial arts training once a week.”

The declaration draws a silent wave of groans from the gathered cousins, but no one dares voice a complaint.

Everyone knows—Grandfather’s word is law.

Evelyn looks up. “Then who’ll be our martial arts teacher?”

Her grandfather strokes his chin. “I’ll leave that to your father. He’ll find someone reputable.”

Evelyn says, “What about Adam Taylor?”

Her mother blinks. “The one who found you?”

Evelyn nods. “Yes.”

Her grandfather considers for a moment. “Then your father will speak with him.”

Her father nods. “I’ll arrange a meeting.”

But before anyone else can speak, Uncle Sam—the one who had helped retrieve Evelyn—raises his hand.

“He won’t do.”

Evelyn frowns. “Why not?”

Her grandfather narrows his eyes. “Is there something wrong with the young man? Was he involved in the attack?”

Uncle Sam quickly shakes his head. “No, nothing like that. I don’t believe he was involved.”

“Then what is the problem?” her mother asks.

Uncle Sam sighs. “He just… might say no.”

Her mother scoffs, folding her arms. “Who says no to the Manford family?”

Uncle Sam replies calmly, “Adam Taylor is twenty-one years old—

And he’s already a Unification Realm martial artist.”

A hush falls over the room.

Everyone stares in stunned silence, eyes wide with disbelief.

Martial arts may have faded from public relevance, replaced by advanced technology—

But that decline only applies to the three lower realms.

The Unification Realm and the King Kong Realm are a different matter entirely.

Once a martial artist steps into the Unification Realm, they gain access to the power of Karst Crystals—

The same energy that powers cities, weapons, and the world’s greatest technologies.

Like snipers, they can launch long-range attacks.

They can form energy shields.

Their biological fields allow them to sense threats from dozens of meters away.

Assassinating one in a crowd is nearly impossible without causing collateral damage—

But they themselves can eliminate targets with terrifying precision.

They make ideal bodyguards, feared assassins, and peerless defenders.

Even more crucially—

Unification martial artists break the natural human lifespan.

Where ordinary people live to ninety or a hundred, they can live to more than 120.

The current recorded maximum lifespan is 144.

And King Kong Realm martial artists are superior in every regard—

Stronger, faster, more durable, and capable of incredible feats.

So for Adam Taylor to be a Unification Realm martial artist at just twenty-one…

The implications are staggering.

Everyone now understands.

Even with the Manford family’s wealth and power, convincing him to become their martial arts teacher will be difficult.

Their grandfather finally speaks, voice firm and low.

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“Sam… then we don’t just convince him.”

He pauses.

“We bring him into the family.”

“If Adam Taylor reaches the King Kong Realm, it will shift the power dynamics of our city entirely.”

Evelyn nods slowly.

The King Kong Realm wields power equivalent to that of an elite family in the Federation.

A single martial artist at that level can give rise to a new, powerful household—

One that competes for resources, influence, and political leverage.

If such a person were to side with a rival or hostile family,

They could tip the balance—

Even threaten a family’s survival.

Uncle Sam speaks again, voice steady.

“Adam Taylor isn’t just a martial arts genius—

He’s also a rising academic.”

“He’s joined the Karst Energy Crystal Research Centre in Nova Super City.”

The room erupts in a new wave of stunned silence.

It’s as if everyone’s eyes might fall from their sockets.

The Karst Energy Crystal Research Centre in Nova is ranked second in the entire Federation—

A hub of cutting-edge innovation, engineering, and strategic technology.

Those who work there aren’t just researchers—

They’re vital assets to the Federation.

Their influence can, at times, exceed even that of city councillors in places like Terrilyn.

And Adam…

He’s both a future research powerhouse and a martial artist destined for greatness.

It’s only a matter of time before he becomes a man who shapes national policy—

Or even changes the course of the Federation.

Her grandfather leans forward, his voice resolute.

“Then invite him to dinner.”

“A formal one. With the entire family present.”

Uncle Sam nods. “I’ll make the arrangements.”

That night, the Manford family hosts a celebration dinner—

A gathering of joy and gratitude for Evelyn’s safe return.

But beneath the laughter and clinking glasses—

*Plans are already in motion.*

Later that night, the elder men of the Manford family quietly leave the estate one by one.

Without a word, they walk together along the side path toward the back of the mansion—

And stop before a rusted wire gate, half-concealed by wild hedges.

One of them, the oldest among them—Evelyn’s grandfather—unlatches the gate and steps inside.

The others follow silently, the last man closing the gate behind them with a soft clink.

Their path winds through trees thick with shadow until they reach a cave hidden deep within the grove.

They enter.

The narrow cave mouth gives way to a descending tunnel—

And the tunnel opens into a vast underground cavern.

A low purple mist blankets the stone floor, glowing softly like living fog.

The walls of the cavern are carved with ancient platforms—

And on some of them, people sit cross-legged in meditation, their bodies pulsing with a faint purple light.

The group continues forward, stepping reverently through the mist.

At the heart of the cavern, they stop—

Standing before a figure that resembles a man, but not quite.

He appears human, but his pupils shimmer with violet light.

Purple markings etch across his skin like ancient runes, and his ears taper to fine points.

Evelyn’s grandfather bows low.

“Father… why have you summoned us?”

The being’s voice is calm, but cold.

“Aletros—the one who attacked Evelyn—has ties to the Demon Realm.”

Gasps echo through the cavern.

The men exchange stunned glances, their disbelief written plain on their faces.

One of them mutters, “That’s impossible…”

The Demon Realm—

A foreign dimension that intersects with their own, unseen but always watching.

Demons cannot cross into this world in their true forms.

To enter, they must possess a body.

And once they do, they either wreak havoc—

Or quietly orchestrate changes deep within the Federation.

But such truths are kept from the public.

Knowledge of demons is restricted—

Known only to those who reach the King Kong Realm,

Or to the rare families with demon blood in their veins.

King Kong Realm martial artists can manifest a mysterious black light—

An energy that wounds and kills demons with ease.

As for the Demon Hybrids…

They are humans whose bodies have been altered by demonic energy.

Not through willing pacts—

But through failed possessions.

When a demon tries to take over a human and loses,

Its dissipating energy doesn’t vanish.

Instead, it seeps into the host.

A fractured link remains between the body and the Demon Realm,

Slowly feeding the human with energy that changes their very nature.

Three hundred years ago, an ancestor of the Manford family—

A martial artist of legendary strength—

Defeated a demon attempting to possess him.

That victory came at a cost.

It marked the beginning of the demon bloodline within the family.

Now, Evelyn’s father speaks, his voice heavy.

“Why would they target Evelyn?”

Her great-grandfather, the ancient figure in the cavern, answers slowly.

“Because Evelyn may carry the highest concentration of demon blood in our lineage.”

“They know what she is.”

“They know what she could become.”

“And if they had taken her—”

He pauses.

“They could have forced our family to bend to almost anything.”

Aletros, quiet until now, narrows his eyes.

“Father, then what do you think they would’ve demanded… if they had succeeded in kidnapping Evelyn?”

His father—Albert—replies, voice low and certain,

“Our assets. Our loyalty. It could’ve been anything.”

He glances toward the glowing mist.

“But one thing is clear—Evelyn must continue her martial training.”

“On her twenty-fifth birthday, the ceremony to awaken her blood will take place.”

“The stronger her body is by then, the more stable the awakening will be.”

Aletros and Evelyn’s father both nod solemnly.

Then Sam, standing in the shadows, steps forward.

“Great Grandfather… how did you know it was someone like us targeting Evelyn?”

Albert turns slowly, his eyes hard.

“Because the moment we learned she was missing, we performed a divination.”

“But the vision was clouded.”

“Our reading was interfered with… by someone powerful.”

Silence settles again, heavy as stone.

Eventually, the group disperses, leaving the misty cavern behind.

One by one, they fade into the forest night.

Albert remains, watching the shadows shift at the cavern’s edge—

Until a figure emerges silently from the mist.

The man steps beside him, cloaked in purple energy.

His name is Angus.

He speaks without preamble.

“Albert, in four years, we must reinforce the seal on Axerus.”

“Two of the silver keys from the other seal families are already lost.”

Albert’s eyes darken.

“Someone’s targeting the families tasked with guarding the seals.”

Angus nods grimly.

“They used the same playbook on us.”

“They kidnapped a key family member… then crippled the family’s company through sabotage and misdirection.”

“They thought it was a business rival—never realised it was something far more dangerous.”

Albert’s voice is low.

“We spoke with the Steward and Johnson families.”

“They lost their keys during those staged attacks.”

“We nearly fell the same way.”

Angus exhales sharply.

“Had Evelyn been taken, we might’ve lost ours too.”

Albert nods.

“Thank heaven we didn’t.”

“But this confirms it—”

“They’re making moves against us now.”

—

Outside, Aletros quietly locks the rusted gate behind him.

He walks down the dim garden path alongside his family, the weight of the meeting pressing on his shoulders.

As they near the mansion, he says, “According to Father, the stronger Evelyn is, the safer the awakening will be.”

“So simply assigning her a martial arts tutor at home won’t be enough.”

Evelyn’s father, Shane, nods grimly.

“The awakening is dangerous. It opens a tether to the Demon Realm, and demon energy will flood into her body.”

“She’ll need strict guidance and powerful safeguards if she’s going to survive it.”

Sam, walking behind them, speaks up.

“Father, Brother—what about the Mysterious Palace near the outskirts of Nova Super City?”

“They’re an all-women martial sect, and I’ve heard they maintain guarded ties to the Demon Realm.”

Aletros falls silent for a moment, considering the proposal.

Finally, he nods.

“You may be right.”

Then he turns to Shane, his voice firm.

“Start the preparations.”

“Evelyn will train at the Mysterious Palace.”

With that, the family steps through the doors of the mansion—

And behind them, the quiet night seals itself shut.

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