At the seaside exit of Sicily City, our esteemed Iceflower Evil God Dragon was deep in distress.

Plenty of clothing shops lined the area—but the problem was…

—they all sold nothing but underwear.

A strange sight had emerged along Sicily City’s coast:

—a silver-haired boy who looked barely ten years old, clad only in oversized briefs, lingered outside shop after shop, sighing deeply toward the sky.

The crowd couldn’t help but murmur:

“Who’d have thought kids these days can’t even afford proper pants? What kind of parents let this happen? Times have truly changed for the worse…”

“Ugh!” Ryosuke heaved a heavy sigh. He’d scoured all dozen shops near the seaside exit.

Was he really going to march into the inner city wearing just these briefs…?

Ryosuke swallowed hard. In the end, even our mighty Iceflower Evil God Dragon abandoned his plan to enter the inner city.

“Fine. Let’s head back…”

Ever since the Poison Fog Swamp battle, Ryosuke had sensed his cultivation skyrocketing—not just in Battle Qi, but in all five senses and physical prowess.

Was this truly the power of the dragon crystal? Was it the primordial force he sought?

Perhaps he’d need to find another dragon to test it someday.

Ryosuke exhaled slowly, turning to leave—

—and froze completely.

His pale ears twitched like startled wings. Sima Luan Tong had heard it…

—the thunderous footsteps of an approaching army.

Closing in fast from directly behind him…

Standing in the middle of the road, Ryosuke turned to look back.

The stunning silver-haired boy soon drew the crowd’s attention.

From the center of the street, the boy suddenly spoke:

“Something’s coming…”

*What thing?* The onlookers were about to laugh off the boy’s paranoia—when the ground shook without warning.

Panic erupted. Now they too heard the earth-shattering stampede. People flooded the streets, craning their necks curiously. Ryosuke slowly turned around.

Face it. Head-on.

Within moments, a crowd packed behind Ryosuke.

Every pair of eyes locked onto the street corner ahead.

Yet before any figures appeared, the deafening shouts and pounding footsteps made nearby houses tremble.

“Master! Where are you?! Master! Can you hear us?! Come out! Master!”

The chaotic cries echoed—old voices, young voices, even bizarre animal sounds mixed in.

What began as a black-haired loli’s desperate call had sparked curiosity. Others joined in, shouting for this mysterious “master.”

One told ten; ten told a hundred.

What unfolded was now a world wonder of epic proportions.

Even the slowest mind grasped the situation:

This was a parade unlike any in history!

In an instant, the crowd behind Ryosuke scattered like startled birds. Shopkeepers slammed shutters at lightning speed.

Moments later, the once-bustling seaside street stood empty—except for our Sima Luan Tong, utterly alone in the center.

“This… this…”

Ryosuke stumbled backward.

Even our Iceflower Evil God Dragon felt the urge to flee at such an overwhelming spectacle.

*[Are you kidding? These are ordinary people—I can’t fight them. If I can’t win, I’ll just run!]*

As Sima Luan Tong spun to bolt—

—a girlish shout pierced the air behind him.

Sima Liangjie froze like a husband caught mid-affair hearing his wife’s footsteps.

“Master! Where are you?!”

A single cry cut through the chaos like a blade, laced with shyness—

—and slammed straight into Ryosuke’s ears.

“A…l…p…h…a…”

No doubt remained. Ryosuke turned again.

At the street’s far corner stood a sweet-faced black-haired loli.

Memories surged like a breached dam…

—*The Beginning Forest.*

She’d only meowed like a stray kitten begging for lunch, spitting out raw food in protest…

“How dare you abandon me?! Have you lost your mind?!”

“Awooo…”

—*Xianglong City.*

Though greedy for food, she’d ignored banquet feasts, loyal only to meals she cooked herself…

“This… Alpha… care for some wine?”

“Meow?”

—*The Gray Forest.*

That clingy little ball who refused to let go, no matter how he shooed her away…

“Meow! Meow!”

“Alpha, you’re getting too attached!”

—*Kempfa Admissions Office.*

Her curiosity made her squeeze onto his seat, no matter how crowded…

“Honestly, what am I to do with you…”

—*Enlightenment Class One.*

The first time she woke to his movements in class—and called him, face-to-face…

“M…master… wha… what’re you doin’?”

…

The girl who once only meowed for extra lunch in the Beginning Forest had shed her kittenish voice. Now stood a blushing, courageous young woman.

Seeing her tearful joy at finding him…

Ryosuke felt like he was dreaming.

Had that clueless little kitten truly grown into someone who’d shout for him so boldly…?

*I am her master. She is merely my mount.*

*Wasn’t that how it should always be…?*

*Then why…*

*Why does this reunion after so long…*

*Seeing her tears of happiness for me…*

*Make my heart so tangled…?*

*What exactly…*

*Do I feel for this girl…?*

*Am I truly just her master…?*

*Calm down, Sima Liangjie!*

*Think clearly…*

*Fan Qiandai. Father.*

*Everyone close to you meets ruin…*

*Could you…*

*bear to make this heartbreakingly sweet girl*

*their next victim?*

*No… no…*

*NO!!!*

*Even if it kills me—*

*I won’t let that day come…*

Fear forced Ryosuke to step back—

—but Alpha sprinted toward him, wiping tears with both hands, screaming with all her might:

“Master! Alpha missed you so much!”

That soft, trembling voice struck Ryosuke like a sacred chant.

Something deep inside him cracked.

“Alpha…”

He whispered, halting his retreat.

“Alpha…”

Then took a small step forward.

“Alpha… Alpha…”

Step by step, he moved without thinking.

*Even if Heaven steals everyone I hold dear—*

*so what?*

*That’s your problem.*

*I, Sima Liangjie,*

*past or present,*

*will seize my future with my own hands.*

*Heaven above, listen well:*

*Every tomorrow of Sima Liangjie…*

*will be written by this young lord himself!*

On the wide, empty street, a silver-haired boy began to run.

Ahead waited a face he could never forget.

A golden-haired loli burst onto the street from the corner.

Watching the two embrace tightly, a sharp ache swelled in her chest.

She bit her lip, glancing back at the crowd behind her.

Then she ran—

—and shouted toward the shameless pair ahead:

—the three words that would haunt them for life:

“WOOOOOLF’S COOOOMING!!!”

Crystal tears flew on the wind, vanishing into unseen corners.

Ryosuke held Alpha close; she clung back fiercely.

Then Alice’s shout snapped their attention.

Ryosuke awkwardly loosened his grip. Alpha’s cheeks burned crimson, but her arms stayed locked around him.

Ryosuke chuckled wryly, rubbing his nose.

Amid Alpha’s surprised yelp,

he scooped her up, spun around, and sprinted toward the seaside sunset.

No Battle Qi. Just…

—the simple run of an ordinary human.

“Run! Hahaha!”

Ryosuke roared at the sky. Alpha pressed against his slender chest, her face flushed with shy delight.

“Wait for me! Damn you, Sima Liangjie!”

Alice’s indignant cry chased them.

Behind them surged a human tide—swarming like locusts into the seaside.

It wasn’t that they wouldn’t stop.

By the time they wanted to, stopping was impossible.

Those behind pushed forward, desperate to see;

those ahead feared being trampled if they halted…

So they chased and fled, tumbling pell-mell into the sunset sea.

Sicily’s coast descended into glorious chaos…

Nearby, hidden in seaside grass, two girls doubled over laughing.

Then the silver-haired girl between them suddenly straightened, her face stern.

The others exchanged glances, then stared at her.

The silver-haired girl cleared her throat. Sunset light gilded her profile, radiating unyielding authority.

“Ahem! You two… which one will explain to this young lord—”

“—just what in the world is going on here?”

“…And why are you even here?”