Nyra leaned forward, smirking. Nyra: "You know, he has this weird habit of kissing his pillow at night and calling it Maira."

Dax's eyes widened. Dax: "Nyra! Why did you tell him that?!"

Auren blinked, then chuckled. Auren: "Wait, what? That's hilarious! By the way… who's Maira?"

Dax immediately jabbed his finger at Auren.Dax: "Don't you dare! Don't even think about impressing her. She's mine. Only mine. Just because you look a little handsome doesn't mean you can charm her, got it?"

Auren raised his hands in surrender, grinning. Auren: "Alright, alright. Relax."

Nyra snickered and tossed her hair sassily. Nyra: "And that's not even the best part. He talks to her in his sleep! Stuff like— 'Look, Maira, our kids are making a mess, who's going to clean it?' Or— 'Maira, why didn't you kiss me today? Are you upset? Do you want earrings?' He says things like that all night."

She even mimicked his sleep-talk, making Auren laugh out loud.

Dax buried his face in his hands. Dax: "Why… why, Nyra… why would you betray me like this?"

Nyra shrugged dramatically. Nyra: "Whatever. Auren's our roommate now—he might as well know your little secrets."

Auren gave Dax a friendly smile. Auren: "Don't worry, man. I don't find it awkward… or cringe.

At that moment, Auren finds himself new..

Dax: "Anyway, Auren, you actually explored Hollow Mountain yet? The place is insane. Kids here never stay in their rooms—they're always crawling around caves like bugs. We're at the top, but the mountain's full of tunnels on the outside, waterfalls pouring out from the hollow spots. Looks pretty… until you realize half the idiots fall every week."

Nyra (giggling): "Yeah, last week during a cave party, like ten people slipped. Now they're all climbing back up like ants on a wall."

Dax: "Oh yeah—most people use those crazy vertical trees as ladders. Problem is, if you slip… boom. Straight down."

Auren: "Wait, if you fall, isn't there a town down there? Like, Sabo or Eito?"

Nyra: "Nope. Just water. The whole mountain's like a bowl. Sabo and Eito sit around that water, kinda hugging it."

Auren: "So it's basically… a giant hole with a water cushion and villages watching like an audience?"

Nyra: "Exactly!"

Dax: "Hah, fall once and you get a free vacation at the bottom. Only catch—you'll need months to crawl back up. Some call it paradise, I call it a nightmare gym session."

Dax muttered, "Auren, Hollow Mountain is so vast… it holds many things—forests within forests. In this place, caves contain countless mysteries."

Auren listened silently. Nyra leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her gaze sharp.

Dax continued, "There are some caves just below the mountain's peak. We visited one once. Inside, there were paintings of weapons… and some strange writings."

Auren's curiosity sparked. "I want to go there."

Nyra raised an eyebrow. "Are you interested in historical things?"

Auren nodded. "Yes… as a Phantom, I need to collect information."

Nyra and Dax exchanged narrowed looks. "Phantom?"

Auren explained, "I created my Tideborn group, called Phantom. There are two of us so far—me and Vivi Raman. When we turn eighteen, we'll begin our adventure… to uncover secrets."

Dax's eyes widened. "Whoa, whoa… You mean Tideborn?

Auren grinned. "Yes… Tideborn—the Phantom Tideborn. You guys want to join? Adventure, mysteries of the world…"

Dax paused, thinking for a moment, then nodded. "Okay… sure," he replied.

"How about you, Nyra?" Dax asked.

Nyra crossed her arms tighter, her gaze unwavering. "I don't care about your Phantom Tideborn. Don't ask for a commitment from me. I have my own path."

MEANWHILE

Baku City, a red alert blared through the streets. Police mages began patrolling in organized formations, their robes fluttering in the evening wind.

Nandi, an elite mage of Baku City, oversaw the operations. Her role: Defense Security Head. She operated from a grey, multi-compartment facility tucked in the corner of the city. The room was dark, filled with the soft hum of magical wards, and lined with capsules containing glowing elixirs. From here, she coordinated security across the city.

Above her, in a grand chamber, the seers of Baku City had gathered. Ten in total, seated in a circle, their hands clasped together. At the center stood an old man, clad in a flowing white suit, a magical staff balanced on his head. His eyes gleamed with ancient knowledge.

"You are the top seers of Baku City," the old man said, his voice echoing softly in the chamber. "To break Litos' demonic manipulation, we must combine our forces."

The ten seers, gripping each other's hands tightly, formed an unbroken circle around him. The old man began chanting, his voice rising and falling in a rhythmic cadence: "Ova boma suu… ova boma suu…"

He paused, explaining, "Ova means womb—the origin of any chant. Boma represents evil, those against peace. Suuu means 'go away.' With this chant, we can break his control over us. Now, all of you, join me: Ova boma suu… Ova boma suu…"

Far away, in a dimly lit cave, Lyrax sat cross-legged on a stone with Lee Wang beside him. Only a small lamp fire flickered between them, casting long shadows on the walls.

"Master, they're performing a ritual to undo my manipulation," Lyrax said, eyes glinting with determination. "But I think I can still counter them."

Lee Wang's voice echoed softly off the cave walls, carrying calm reassurance. "Just try. I am here."

Between the ten seers, a massive eye suddenly appeared. The entire room ignited in swirling clouds of purple and blue sparks, crackling with raw magical energy. The giant eye hovered above the old man, blinking and rotating slowly, its gaze scanning every corner.

The Mega Seer Eye had activated. The seers, immersed in their ritual meditation, remained focused, their hands still clasped in the circle.

With a sharp clap—TAPPPPP!—the old man's hand echoed through the chamber. Instantly, the eye vanished.

The old man looked upward, his voice resonating with authority. "Now, my mighty seers… find Auren Ryuki and the criminal who kidnapped him… or end him if you must!"

Far above Baku City, invisible giant eyes scanned relentlessly, searching for their target.

In a distant cave, Lyrax's fists trembled, a spark of power flickering around him. Yet he smiled, darkly amused. "Let's see… how strong I really am."

Multivision activated by the seers, the chamber flickering with overlapping visions. Lyrax grinned, duplicating Auren across countless places, each clone moving independently, scattering illusions like sparks in the dark.

The old man's eyes narrowed. The giant invisible eyes, hovering above Baku City, pierced through every fake vision. One by one, Lyrax's duplicates shattered into fragments of light, dissolving into nothing.

Lyrax's smile widened, sharp and cruel. From the old man and seers' perspective, their ritual had succeeded—they had broken the manipulation. But what they saw next shook them to their core.

"Do not fear… do not open your eyes!" the old man shouted, his voice trembling with restrained power.

Amira's voice cut through the room like a knife, joining his: "We are the seers of Baku! Intruders cannot manipulate us!"

And then it came.

A vision so vivid it made every seer stagger—an entire army of Aurens, charging relentlessly toward the Baku Palace, tearing through houses as though they were paper. Windows shattered, walls crumbled, and the streets erupted in chaos.

The old man bellowed, "Illusion-Breaking Thunder!"

From the giant invisible eyes, a pulse of immense force radiated—Thudd… thudd… thudd! Massive booms splattered the air with sound, leaving an echo that clawed at the mind.

Yet, in the real world, the city remained calm. Citizens walked unaware, and police mages continued their patrols, oblivious to the chaos unfolding in visions. Still, every seer felt it—the vibration beneath their feet, windows trembling from the shockwave.

One by one, every fake Auren vanished, leaving the seers blinking in stunned silence.

Lyrax raised his hand, snapping his fingers. "Horror Show." Energy strings danced around his fingers like writhing snakes, threads of dark light twisting through the air.

In the seers' chamber, a chill descended. Shadows thickened, coiling like smoke around their ankles. They felt a presence—ancient, malevolent.

A girl's laughter echoed, sharp and demonic, slicing through the tension.

"Amira… do not open your eyes," the voice hissed, echoing in every corner of the room.

The seers froze. Outside the walls of their perception, a storm of power waited—silent, patient, and hungry.

A doll entered through the window, moving slowly, eerily. Its black form was smeared with blood, limbs stiff yet unnatural, as if it had been animated by some dark will. Every seer struggled, controlling their minds against the creeping terror that filled the room.

The doll floated toward the old man, hovering just above the floor. It touched his hand lightly, sending a chill up his spine, warming his back with a strange, unnatural heat. Its voice, low and trembling, whispered in his ear:

"You killed Roxi… you are a murderer."

The old man's body trembled violently. "Ha… how do you know about that… who are you…?" he muttered, eyes wide, his voice cracking with disbelief.

The doll's hollow eyes seemed to pierce him. "I am Roxi…"

The old man staggered back, his mind reeling. "My daughter… she died long ago… who… who are you here? What… what do you want from Auren?"

Tears welled in the doll's eyes—shiny, black beads reflecting the faint candlelight. "Father… save me… father… save me."

The chamber fell silent, save for the low, mournful echo of her voice. Then, as if drawn from memory itself, a flashback erupted before the old man's eyes.

Roxi, his daughter, is burning. Her screams pierced the sky, twisting and bending around him like molten metal. Flames licked her small form, smoke curling upward, choking and suffocating. The smell of burning hair and fabric filled his senses, raw and unbearable. He had been helpless.

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