Inside the grand hall, I saw someone sitting cross-legged on a raised dais.
He was an elf.
But unlike the others, there was something different about him.
He was older, perhaps in his thirties, with pure white hair woven with thin golden strands. His robes were covered in symbols of nature—vines, leaves, rivers, and flowers.
But it was his eyes that caught me.
They were calm.
Deep.
Almost impossibly wise.
The moment our eyes met, I felt an overwhelming sense of respect.
I didn't even understand why.
My legs simply gave way.
I dropped to my knees.
"Welcome, Fogo."
His voice was calm, like waves gently touching a shore.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
I lowered my head.
"We couldn't reach you in time. If we had..."
He paused.
"...perhaps your village would still be alive."
Those words hit me harder than I expected.
Suddenly, everything came rushing back.
Mom.
Dad.
My home.
The people I'd known my entire life.
The laughter.
The dinner table.
And then Katsuo.
My chest tightened.
It felt like I was trapped inside a huge, empty void.
I could still remember my father's hands teaching me how to hold a wooden sword.
I could still hear my mother's laughter.
Now they were gone.
All because of one person.
My fists clenched.
"Who..."
My voice shook.
"WHO IS KATSUO?!"
I slammed my fist against the nearby table.
The wood creaked beneath the impact.
The elf didn't flinch.
"Katsuo," he said calmly, "is the King of Demons."
I stared at him.
"Their creator."
He continued.
"He has ruled from the shadows for centuries, commanding demons against humans, elves, trolls, and anyone else who stands in his way."
My breathing became heavier.
"So he's the one who did this."
"Yes."
I stared at the floor.
"I want to kill him."
The words came out quietly.
But I meant every one of them.
I expected the elf to tell me to forgive him.
To tell me revenge was wrong.
Instead, he said something completely different.
"I understand."
I looked up.
"I know what loss feels like."
His expression remained calm.
"If you truly want to end Katsuo's reign, then become strong enough to do it."
He stood.
"But first, you must become a member of the Wing Corp."
I blinked.
"The Wing Corp?"
He nodded.
"The Wing Corp isn't simply an organization."
He began walking through the hall.
"It's a commitment."
I followed.
"Once you enter, your life changes. You will train, fight, learn, and face things most people will never even know exist."
He glanced at me.
"In return, you'll gain the knowledge and strength necessary to protect others."
I looked around the hall.
Elves were training everywhere.
Some practiced swordsmanship.
Others performed strange breathing exercises.
A few were studying maps and books.
"This organization was founded centuries ago," he continued, "by survivors of the first great demon invasions."
He pointed toward a mural showing ancient warriors fighting enormous creatures.
"Over generations, they combined martial arts, swordsmanship, strategy, and breathing techniques into a system designed to fight demons."
"Breathing techniques..."
I remembered the tennis match.
"Hurricane."
The word slipped out of my mouth.
The elf looked at me.
"You've already used it."
I nodded slowly.
"I didn't know what it was."
"Most people wouldn't."
He stopped beside a large mural.
"Nature Breathing is one of the oldest breathing styles in existence."
I stared at the symbols.
"It was one of the first."
He pointed toward another symbol.
"Alongside Star Breathing."
"Star Breathing?"
"Rare," he explained. "Very few people can use it."
I looked back at the Nature Breathing symbol.
"And me?"
"You are a Fogo."
He smiled faintly.
"Your bloodline is connected to Nature Breathing."
I frowned.
"So that's why everyone keeps calling me the last user?"
"Exactly."
I didn't know whether to feel proud or terrified.
Probably both.
We entered another enormous hall.
This one was filled with Wing Corp members training.
Men and women moved across the floor with wooden swords.
Some moved smoothly like water.
Others struck with incredible speed.
One woman stood in the center of the room.
Vines-like tattoos covered her arms.
She closed her eyes.
Slowly...
she breathed in.
Then out.
The entire rhythm of her body changed.
She drew her katana.
SWISH!
The blade moved so quickly that I almost couldn't follow it.
A nearby candle flickered.
Then went out.
I stared.
"Whoa..."
The woman lowered her sword.
"That's Wind Breathing," someone whispered beside me.
I turned.
The scarred elf was standing there.
He smiled.
"A child of Nature Breathing."
I looked back at the woman.
Then at my hands.
Nature Breathing.
Wind Breathing.
Star Breathing.
Demons.
Elves.
Wing Corp.
My old life suddenly seemed incredibly boring.
I took a deep breath.
"Sir."
The older elf turned toward me.
"I want to learn."
"Learn what?"
"How to kill demons."
I hesitated.
"And this..."
I pointed toward the training hall.
"Nature Breathing."
My voice cracked slightly.
"I keep hearing that I'm the last person who can use it."
The elf smiled.
"All right, Fogo."
He nodded.
"As you wish."
Then his expression became serious.
"But remember this."
I looked at him.
"Power isn't what makes someone worthy of Nature Breathing."
He turned toward the training hall.
"Your actions do."
I didn't fully understand what he meant.
Not yet.
But I would.
Because from that moment onward...
I wasn't just Tom Fogo anymore.
I was a future member of the Wing Corp.
And I was about to discover exactly what it meant to be a Nature Breathing user.