On the rooftop of the Cecilia Family’s villa in the splendid capital of the Western Sea.

Cecilia Xuelian’s eyes were swollen and red as she stared at the distant dawn.

It’s over, isn’t it?

With that white-haired boy.

After all, it was just an unexpected marriage contract to begin with.

Perhaps it had always been nothing but her own one-sided feelings.

Even as she thought this, Xuelian’s eyes still welled up.

Guess it’ll take some time for things like this.

No matter what, she couldn’t forgive that white-haired boy’s actions. Cecilia Xuelian made her decision in her heart.

“Are you really sure about this?”

Cecilia Vox stood behind his daughter, understanding her feelings all too well.

Just that morning, he’d been discussing the wedding with Sharkai Manwei. Who’d have thought their relationship would shatter overnight?

This left Vox deeply troubled.

Of course, in Vox’s mind, Sharkai Bai was entirely to blame.

“I’ve… already decided.”

She’d cut all ties with him.

And never set foot in the Celestial Engraved Magic Academy again.

Until she slowly forgot those days, that boy.

This was Cecilia Xuelian’s resolve.

Vox didn’t want to meddle in young people’s affairs anymore.

With even the annulment letter sent, the alliance between the two families had clearly failed.

At the Celestial Engraved Magic Academy, the festive atmosphere still buzzed with joy.

Everyone greeted the second day of the academy festival with excitement and energy.

Hands in his pockets, the white-haired boy followed a little girl.

Two hours earlier, Sharkai Bai had muttered “Whatever” and crumpled the annulment letter from Cecilia Xuelian into a ball. He tossed it into the trash bin.

All under Xia Feina’s stunned gaze.

The letter Xuelian sent was thrown away by that guy with a scowl.

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?!”

Xia Feina grabbed Sharkai Bai’s collar and yelled in his face.

She didn’t know what the letter said, but his attitude made her furious.

“…What? I don’t want to waste time on this… boring stuff.”

“Boring stuff?! Go apologize properly!”

“There’s nothing left to say now.”

“You…!”

“Shh. Quiet. Don’t wake Hesna.”

“I was wrong about you, Sharkai Bai!”

“Yeah. So that’s it.”

Bang!

Xia Feina slammed the door shut and stormed out of the dorm.

Sharkai Bai stood frozen, clearly holding back something.

Unaware of the morning’s clash, Hesna woke up full of energy.

“Shark! Ai! Bai!”

A familiar voice boomed from the street.

Sharkai Manwei’s massive figure lumbered toward Bai.

His eyes burned with rage.

Veins bulged on his clenched fists.

“Oh, old man…”

Sharkai Bai turned around under the festival crowd’s stares.

Thud!

One punch.

Sent Sharkai Bai flying into a roadside tree before he could finish speaking.

Red leaves even shook loose from the branches.

Though Bai had caused him endless trouble before, this time, as his grandfather, Sharkai Manwei was truly furious.

“Big brother!”

Hesna rushed over to help the suddenly attacked Bai up.

“Happy now?”

Sharkai Bai stood with Hesna’s support, wiping blood from his lip.

Violent emotions flared anew in his chest.

He kept suppressing them.

“Let’s go.”

Sharkai Bai turned to leave with Hesna.

“Cough! Stop right there, you bastard!”

Sharkai Manwei’s roar echoed behind them.

But Bai didn’t slow his steps.

Just then, Dishi appeared behind Sharkai Manwei, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t interfere in young folks’ business.”

“But… cough! Even with the annulment, he should apologize! Cough…!”

Sharkai Manwei, a Grand Magus-level mage, was coughing nonstop from Bai’s provocation.

Dishi slung an arm around Sharkai Manwei’s neck, grinning.

“Ah, ah, ah! Don’t sweat the small stuff! Leave it be! Come on, let’s go drink!”

The two Grand Magi walked off under everyone’s watchful eyes.

Hesna studied the marks on Sharkai Bai’s face, worried.

“Are you really okay, big brother?”

“Relax. How could I get hurt by those rusty fists?”

Facing Hesna, Bai kept all his negative emotions locked down.

Seeing her big brother wasn’t badly hurt, Hesna smiled in relief.

Sharkai Bai continued touring the festival with Hesna, seemingly cheerful.

Only on the surface.

The Ghost Dragon Martial Consortium—a powerful force based in the Northern Kingdom with branches in the Western Sea—remained neutral in the war between the Winged Deity Punishment Church and the New Wing Divine Church.

Lately, they’d been secretly kidnapping children around Hesna’s age for unknown human experiments.

This was what Sharkai Bai learned from Hesna about yesterday’s purple-haired youth.

Akiyama Chika seemed to be a security captain for the Ghost Dragon Martial Consortium.

Their Western Sea base lay not far from the Celestial Engraved Magic Academy.

According to Hesna’s vague description, it was in the Svanar Forest.

“Don’t even think about going there! It’s super dangerous!”

Hesna warned Sharkai Bai firmly.

Night fell.

Back at the dorm, darkness filled the room.

No sign of Xia Feina’s return.

After her bath, Hesna had already fallen asleep in her room.

On the sofa, Sharkai Bai crushed a coffee can into a twisted mess.

Cecilia Xuelian and Xia Feina leaving. Sharkai Manwei’s anger. The Ghost Dragon Martial Consortium threatening Hesna.

“Enough… too many annoying things already.”

Sharkai Bai stood up and stepped onto the balcony.

Outside, branches rustled in the wind.

His gaze fixed on fallen leaves swirling in the breeze below.

Bai decided to handle the simplest thing first.

Pulling on a light jacket, Sharkai Bai left the dorm.

The white-haired boy’s destination: the Ghost Dragon Martial Consortium headquarters in the Northern Kingdom.

As he walked down the stairs, he stretched his limbs.

All the pent-up fury from that morning finally erupted.

No shouting, no outburst—just a few muttered complaints.

He’d endured too long.

“Hmph… For Hesna’s safety, I’ll shut down the Ghost Dragon Martial Consortium.”