"The Heart of Aethril… do you know what it is, Kazan?" Samuel asked plainly, his eyes locked onto the old man.
The silence that followed was heavy, almost suffocating. Kazan, seated cross-legged, stared at Samuel without blinking. Then, slowly, he turned his gaze to the window and took a long breath.
"That's a name I haven't heard in decades," he murmured. "Few dare to speak of it anymore. People prefer to act like Aethril never existed."
Samuel remained stone-faced. Canon, sitting beside him, took a sip of tea before adding:
"All we heard in the city is that he was a colossus. A myth. Just some story made to scare kids."
Kazan nodded slowly.
"That's what the young ones think, yes. They never saw his footsteps flatten mountains or his breath split the sky. He was real. And he would've destroyed the kingdom if we hadn't stopped him."
He raised a weathered hand, then lowered it slowly.
"There were ten of us. Ten heroes. I watched my companions fall, one by one… but in the end, we succeeded. The giant was defeated. And then… he vanished."
Silence. Emptiness.
Kazan said no more. He looked down into his cup, as if he still saw the faces of those long gone.
Samuel gently pushed forward.
"And his heart?"
The old man snapped his gaze back up, eyes suddenly hard.
"I've said what I had to say. I won't speak further."
Samuel frowned.
"You're hiding something."
But before Kazan could respond, the sliding door burst open with a sharp clap.
"Hey old man! Heard you had visitors. I hope they're pretty ladies..."
A young man strolled in, all smiles. His dark blue shirt was half open, katana strapped to his back, orange-tinted round sunglasses resting on his nose.
He stopped short when he saw Samuel and Canon.
"Apparently not."
He stepped closer with a mock-disappointed sigh.
"Mind if I join you?"
Samuel didn't even look at him.
"Absolutely not. This is a private discussion."
But Kazan chuckled lightly.
"Don't worry. He's my most gifted student. My future successor. He can stay."
Canon stood up at once, nodding toward Dante.
"Is that the guy who was napping like a slug in the grass? Listen up, blond twig — get lost. My boss has business with your boss."
Dante stepped forward too, hands in his pockets.
"Did you say something, gorilla? 'Cause all I heard was grunting."
Canon placed his hand slowly on the handle of his war axe. Dante's fingers drifted toward his katana.
The air turned sharp as steel.
"Stop!" Samuel said firmly.
"Stop," Kazan echoed, just as calm.
Samuel exhaled and smiled slightly.
"Hey Kazan... I've got a deal for you. You say this blond kid is your successor, right? Then you won't have any issue with him dueling my guy."
Kazan raised an eyebrow.
"A duel?"
"A simple fight. Your student versus my subordinate."
Samuel rose slowly, eyes sharp.
"And if Canon wins... you'll tell me everything you know. About the Heart. Because I know you're hiding something, old man. I can feel it."
The old master crossed his arms.
A long silence.
Then, a faint smile tugged at the edge of Kazan's wrinkled lips.
"Very well. If Canon wins, I will tell you everything I know about the Heart of Aethril. But if he loses... you leave this dojo, and you abandon your quest. You will never ask about it again."
Canon looked at Samuel, surprised.
"You serious?"
Samuel simply replied:
"You wanted to throw some punches, right? Here's your chance."
Dante shrugged.
"Well… if the old man's okay with it, I'm in."
He turned to Kazan.
"When do we do this?"
Kazan stood as well, still imposing despite his age.
"Tomorrow at dawn. In the courtyard. Be ready."
And with those words, the duel was sealed.