Chapter 5 Flame Warrior Part 5

"What is all this?" Thousands of questions flooded Alex's mind, but he suppressed them and slowly followed Baya and the Golden Dragon inside.

The sight within was rather simple. There were no treasures, only a stone staircase leading to an old man sitting calmly at the top. He was dressed in black robes, his face unremarkable-except for his strikingly multicolored hair. Aside from that, he looked like an ordinary elderly man.

Alex had seen this man before. The power he had inherited from the Legendary Flame Master had come from this very old man.

"This is the ancient Flame Master, Terrence!" Alex whispered in awe.

The old man slowly opened his closed eyes and gazed at Dhruv.

"Disciple Alex greets the elder!" Alex bowed respectfully.

If it weren't for Tarishi's Flame Master legacy, Alex wouldn't have made it this far. Since he had inherited his power, calling himself his disciple wasn't wrong.

"You have great potential, young one."

The old man sighed and looked at the Golden Dragon with a somber expression.

"Little ghost, you have endured unimaginable suffering all these years..." Terrence said, exhaling deeply.

"Baya, come here." Terrence smiled and extended his hand, releasing a soft white light toward the Golden Dragon. The dragon's soul, which had been flickering weakly, gradually became more solid. Baya, perched on Terrence's shoulder, seemed to be trying to remember something.

"Is that... the Rebirth Seal?" Terrence murmured as he observed the glowing mark on Baya's forehead.

Alex, still processing everything, finally spoke up. "Elder, when I reached the Flame Master Rank, I felt an increasing resistance to remaining in the lower world. But why were we attacked while transitioning to this new world?"

Terrence sighed deeply. "Every warrior who ascends from the lower world is usually received by someone here. However, the pathway between our world and this one was destroyed ten thousand years ago in a great war..."

Alex felt a weight settle in his heart at those words.

"Elder, what exactly is this mysterious mark on Baya's forehead?" Alex asked, concerned.

Terrence's expression turned serious. "That is the Rebirth Seal. It is a mark left by ancient warriors, granting the bearer access to their immense power when the time is right."

Alex looked at Baya, who now had a strange glint in his eyes. "Don't worry, I will never let anything happen to you," Alex promised.

Terrence continued, **"The war ten thousand years ago was beyond devastating. The mightiest warriors of the universe joined forces against the Dark Tyrant, Zairan. The battle lasted for a decade, and in the end, our greatest heroes sacrificed their entire life force to seal Zairan and his followers. But they were never truly destroyed.

Now, after ten thousand years, Zairan's minions are attempting to free him once again. To stop them, we must unite all the Supreme Warriors once more. However, even if you reach the Flame Master Rank, you can only suppress Zairan-you cannot destroy him. If you truly wish to kill him, you must ascend to the Grand Flame Master Rank, a level I was never able to achieve in my life.

Alex, my presence here is merely a fragment of my soul, preserved so that if a Flame Master from the lower world ever arrived, they would learn the truth about Zairan's threat.

To defeat him, you must find the three Supreme Warriors. One of them is you, and I can sense that another has already awakened in Plutonia. That means only one remains to be found.

As for reaching the Grand Flame Master Rank, perhaps I can offer you some help. You are already aware of the Flame Mantra, but what you possess is incomplete. Would you like to learn the true, complete Flame Mantra?"**

A series of shadowy figures stood near the colossal stone gate.

"The true Flame Mantra!" Alex had built his success in the lower world upon the Flame Mantra's cultivation techniques. Though his own efforts and determination had played a key role, he couldn't deny that the Flame Mantra had given him a foundation.

"Elder, please guide me!" Alex said resolutely.

Though he didn't fully understand what the true Flame Mantra was, he knew one thing: in this unfamiliar new world, power was the only thing that mattered.

He needed to revive his ancestor, find his lost companions, and reunite with his beloved.

For that, he required absolute strength. Without hesitation, he agreed.

"Boom!"

A mysterious ancient scroll suddenly appeared in Terrence's hand.

The moment Alex laid eyes on it, he felt the divine light within him shudder violently, as if it were resonating with the scroll. Even his Flame Mantra reacted restlessly.

It was as if this single piece of parchment held an unfathomable truth that could shake the very core of his existence.

"Elder, what is this?" Alex asked, his heartbeat quickening.

He knew one thing for certain-Terrence would never harm him.