Heizi: Damn, Wei Tian, that was impressive. I thought you were going to lose.
Wei Tian: Hurry up and take the photos. Do you still want your payment or not?
Heizi: Ah right, right. Once we finish this mission, we should be able to rank up to D-class.
Meanwhile…
Footsteps
Lim He: Sigh… got rejected. Wait, I think I haven't collected my reward yet.
He turned around and ran toward the Esper Base.
Lim He: Charge!
Meanwhile…
Yu Tian: Sis, I'm back.
Yu Ran: Yu Tian, why are you late again? Look at the time.
Yu Tian: It's nine.
[Note: It's night here. Because Yu Tian lives far from Lim He, 9 PM here corresponds to 3 PM where Lim He is.]
Yu Ran: And you still have the nerve to say that? I'm the one embarrassed. Now that you're back, go eat.
She said as she brought out a plate of food and set it on the table.
Yu Tian: Hahaha, alright, alright.
He sat down casually and stared at the freshly reheated meal, lost in thought.
Yu Ran: What's wrong? Eat.
Yu Tian: Oh… okay.
Yu Tian started eating.
Yu Ran: Yu Tian, come take a look—why does the sky look like it's… cracking?
Yu Tian: Pfft!
He spat out everything he had just eaten and rushed to her side, looking up at the sky.
Yu Tian: Has it started early? It hasn't fully split yet…
Yu Ran: Yu Tian…?
Yu Tian: I'm heading out. Lock the door.
Yu Tian walked toward the village chief's house.
Village Chief: What is it?
Yu Tian: I've changed my mind. This is your last chance to take control of the entire village's fate. Look at the sky—decide whether you're leaving or staying.
Village Chief: I'm staying.
Yu Tian: …Sigh. Good luck.
Back home…
Yu Ran: Yu Tian, where did you go?
Yu Tian looked at her, quietly said "sorry," and knocked her unconscious. He caught her before she hit the ground, then glanced around the house.
Yu Tian: Next… pack the essentials and leave.
Three minutes later…
Yu Tian: Food, water, self-defense tools… everything's ready. Time to go.
He lifted Yu Ran onto his shoulder, then glanced at a photo nearby—one of him, Yu Ran, and their parents when they were young.
Yu Tian: ...
He put down the bag, picked up the photo, and placed it inside.
Yu Tian: Before we leave… I'll take my sister to pay respects to them one last time.
---
Meanwhile…
Zhi Yi: The sky is cracking… Why can I feel such a strong sense of danger?
---
In another apartment…
??: Haaah… huh?! I just took a nap—why is the sky cracked now?!
Rui: Hey, lightbulb.
Xiang Lang: I told you, my name is Xiang Lang, not "lightbulb"! And Rui, can you stop appearing out of nowhere?
Rui: No.
Xiang Lang: What do you want?
Rui: Just a reminder—it's time to find the other Saints. Your destination is the city where the Saint of Lightning and the Saint of Ice are. You should be able to sense them, right… lightbulb?
Xiang Lang: Call me "dad."
Rui: Oh please, I'm your grandpa.
Xiang Lang: Then I'm your ancestor.
Forest…
Flame: I don't have time to keep getting lost.
City Z (where Lim He and the others are)
Citizen A: The sky… it's cracking!
Citizen B: Was something announced?
Reporter: The sky above has suddenly developed massive cracks. Is this nature's punishment upon humanity—or the result of human actions? Stay tuned for our next report—
BAM
A fist slammed into the reporter's head.
Boss: Is that how you report the news?!
Meanwhile…
Lim He: The Dark Kingdom… has it opened again? (edgy tone)
Wei Tian: Lim He.
Lim He: Wei Tian? What are you doing here?
Wei Tian: Collecting my reward.
Lim He: Same here. Wait… you're an Esper now?
Wei Tian: Yeah. But more importantly—look. The sky's cracking.
Lim He: What is this, a mirage? Am I smart or what?
Wei Tian: Think about what Rui said.
Wei Tian walked past Lim He.