A blessing or a curse?

“Hmm… since when did secular ants gain the ability to use black magic? Do you agree with me, my friend Crystalis?” said Agnius, the Fourth Rank among them, Lord of Divine Flame, addressing the Ice Spirit in a tone fitting his enthusiastic personality.

“This is nothing new anyway. If it weren’t for your summoning, Lumias, I wouldn’t have come, because I simply don’t care about them. And you, Fireball, are not my friend, so don’t address me with that casual tone,” Crystalis, the Ice Spirit, replied coldly.

“Eeeeeh! How pitiful… being exiled and rejected by a parent must be terribly painful. I feel sorry for her… don’t you think she’s cute, dear?” said Vitalia, Spirit of Life, her eyes filled with pity.

“It doesn’t matter what her origin or form is. She is destined to be exiled according to the rules. Even if she were a god’s daughter, the will of heaven must be enforced. I advise you to keep your sympathy to yourself, Lady Vitalia,” Arctos, the Void God, replied.

“Don’t rush your judgment. We must confirm whether she is the Chosen or not. After that, we decide what to do,” Lumias, Spirit of Light and Vitalia’s husband, said.

The “Chosen” is like a vessel into which sacred power is poured. If she succeeds in enduring it and refining it, it destroys her soul and takes over her body, turning her into a true Phoenix spirit.

And if she fails, the sacred power will destroy her in the end. Oblivion will be her fate.

“What kind of joke is this! Ancient Phoenix spirits cannot pass through the cycle of reincarnation so easily… It has been 5,000 years since the death of the Eighth Phoenix, and no successor has been born. Their lineage is supposed to be extinct, and I don’t think a human body can withstand sacred power!” Zephyros, Spirit of Wind, objected.

Agnius, Lord of Flame: “Y-you… Fireball?! How dare you call me that!” he roared wildly.

Crystalis, Ice Spirit: “What… not satisfied? Hmm, unfortunately, combat between us outside the arena is forbidden.”

All eyes turned toward those entities capable of destroying planets with a single breath… yet they argued like children.

Edward froze in place, whispering in a trembling voice: “I’m done for…” Under the overwhelming pressure of the Six, he lost control and wet himself from sheer fear.

And unlike him, the mages were busy activating teleportation formations, using the chaos among the spirits to escape.

“Oh… do you think the Fifth World’s kingdoms are land you can do whatever you want with?” said the Water Spirit, Ice Ruler of the Fifth World, in a sharp tone carrying hidden sarcasm.

At that moment, the gaze of the flying Hexa turned toward them.

Fire Spirit—ruler of the Third World.

Wind Spirit—ruler of the Fourth World.

Light and Life—rulers of the Second World.

Void—ruler of the Sixth World.

Darkness—ruler of the First World.

In this universe, worlds are not measured by size… but by the amount of mana flowing through their atmosphere, and the talents born within them. According to these criteria, the world ruled by Emperor of Darkness “Maximus” stands at the top, as its power stems from darkness itself.

The elements varied, but “fire, ice, life, light, darkness, death” were considered the primary elements, while everything else was secondary. The spirits embodying these elements were called the Pure Spirits due to their purity… except for darkness and death, born from the depths of evil and under Maximus’s control.

Across all worlds, a saying prevailed:

“Anger the Pure Spirits… but never anger the Emperor of the First World.”

As for the Seventh World, it was ruled by rare Pure Spirits who chose isolation, sealing their gates to preserve their lineage’s purity, avoiding all mixing… until all its inhabitants became of a single bloodline.

Zephyros waved his hand indifferently.

Only the whisper of wind could be heard…

Rustle—

Then—“Thud!”

The heads of the six masked figures rolled onto the ground.

And although Edward was not the direct target, his weak soul trembled under this terrifying display of power.

Even standing consumed what little strength he had left, and he did not dare breathe loudly for fear of provoking the Spirit of Wind.

Silence filled the place…

A heavy silence, one in which even a falling pin would echo loudly.

Vitalia descended.

She looked like a distant goddess, with dark green hair flowing to her hips, green eyes, and flawless white skin. She wore an ancient Chinese-style dress that barely concealed the curves of her body.

She gently held the child and infused her with healing magic, preventing the effects of black magic from affecting her future magical path, even if it did not harm her physically.

Edward was stunned by her beauty… and admitted deep inside that she surpassed anything he had ever seen.

“Poor… don’t look without my permission,” Lumias said calmly, with a hidden sharpness only spirits could sense.

Edward snapped out of his daze and prostrated himself violently, striking his forehead against the ground.

“Greetings, great lords… this lowly servant apologizes for the delay in offering respect. Please grant me a chance to explain myself.”

But his words were completely ignored.

He did not dare lift his head, and his blood dripped onto the ground…

Until Vitalia allowed him.

Vitalia slowly raised her gaze toward the others while holding the child, who remained unusually calm… as if her very presence rejected this world.

“Hmmm… the effects of black magic are deeper than I expected,” she said calmly, though her words carried a weight that made the air heavier.

“Obviously,” Arctos replied coldly. “This is not ordinary magic… someone tried to erase something greater.”

Lumias stepped forward, a faint light reflecting around him. “The question is not what happened… but why she was sent to us.”

“Hah!” Agnius laughed mockingly. “Whatever. If she’s the source of this chaos… let’s end it now!”

“Don’t act recklessly,” Crystalis interrupted sharply. “You see what I see… this is not just a child.”

A heavy silence fell.

Even Zephyros, who had not stopped mocking from the beginning, narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Hmmm… strange.”

Then he added in a lower, more dangerous tone:

“The wind… cannot read her existence.”

Lumias stiffened.

“So it’s confirmed.”

He looked directly at Vitalia.

But Vitalia did not respond…

Instead, she lowered her gaze toward the child, as if she felt something.

Slowly and carefully, she lifted the edge of the cloth covering the child’s thigh…

And suddenly—

A faint crimson glow ignited.

Vitalia’s eyes froze.

On the child’s thigh…

A clear mark, faintly glowing—

A phoenix.

Not a normal drawing…

But a living symbol, as if breathing, a faint burning pulse within it.

“….”

For the first time, Vitalia’s smile disappeared.

“Impossible…” she whispered.

Any trace of mockery vanished from the others’ faces.

“Is she…?” Zephyros said in a low voice.

“No way…” Crystalis muttered, despite his usual coldness.

Lumias closed his eyes for a few seconds… then opened them slowly.

“So… their lineage did not end.”

“It has returned,” Arctos said in a chilling calm.

Agnius clenched his fist, and his smile was no longer mocking.

“Heh… this explains everything.”

Vitalia pulled the child closer to her chest, her gaze completely changed.

“She is not just a candidate…”

She raised her head, eyes shining clearly:

“She is… a phoenix.”

Vitalia held the child tightly, as if afraid she would be taken away at any moment.

“Not just a phoenix…” she said in a low voice, but with absolute certainty.

“She is… our salvation.”

A heavy silence spread.

They exchanged glances, each realizing the situation was far more serious than it seemed.

Agnius tightened his fist, sparks igniting around him.

“So… it has finally returned.”

“Reborn, rather,” Crystalis corrected coldly, now serious.

Arctos closed his eyes briefly. “This explains the attempt to erase her with black magic…”

The atmosphere grew tense.

“She must be hidden,” Arctos said firmly.

“At any cost,” Zephyros added, his tone devoid of mockery.

Vitalia held the child tighter.

“No one will see her… ever.”

She looked at the others.

“Protecting her… is our duty.”

“And hiding her… is the priority,” Arctos said.

“No one will see this mark—especially him,” Crystalis said, and a thin layer of ice began to form over her thigh. The moment it touched the mark, it slowly began to disappear.

“I will conceal her presence even from the wind,” Zephyros said.

“I will block her light,” Lumias said calmly.

“And I will hide the pulse of her life,” Vitalia said.

“And I…” Agnius smiled dangerously.

“I will burn anyone foolish enough to approach her.”

Their gazes met.

A silent, irreversible decision.

“Then… what is your name?” Crystalis asked Edward in a firm tone.

Edward swallowed nervously and said:

“Yes, sir… my name is…”

“Unimportant,” the narrator thought. “What matters now is that he is obligated to protect her, thus atoning for his sin.” Fire burned in his eyes as he watched the scene.

“Wait, everyone… what about her face?” the Void Emperor spoke after remaining silent.

“What about an ancient artifact mask of rank 7 to conceal it?” Crystalis replied calmly.

Artifacts are ranked by magical intensity into nine levels. In the entire world, there is only one nine-star item… the “Phoenix Sword,” wielded by the only male phoenix among the others. It is currently hidden, protected by relevant spirits.

It cannot simply be wielded, as such swords have their own will and choose their master. However, the phoenix race is the only one capable of gaining its approval and fully utilizing its power for good—because if it falls into the wrong hands…

“Agreed,” said the Wind Spirit, producing a plain wooden mask.

“Such a shame… we must hide your beautiful face, little one. Otherwise, young men from everywhere will come to court you,” Vitalia laughed, gently stroking the sleeping child.

The Wind Spirit placed the mask on her face, and in an instant, the remaining aura from the mark disappeared completely.

Vitalia said firmly:

“Edward, your mission is clear: protect this child, keep her away from all eyes, and allow no danger to approach her. Her life and future are in your hands.”

Edward nodded trembling, fully aware of the weight placed upon him.

Crystalis added coldly and firmly:

“We will send you supplies later. If you do anything foolish, you will bear the consequences.”

Agnius added, his voice sharp like fire:

“Make sure every step you take stays hidden. Otherwise, the price will be heavy. Her future and your world’s future are now tied to your duty.”

Vitalia returned to her companions.

“For now, return home,” Lumias said.

In a blinding flash of light, the figures disappeared and reappeared in the divine council hall to discuss further details.

Edward looked at the quiet child in his arms.

Remembering the absurd power they had displayed, he admitted he was nothing more than an ant before them. If looks could kill, he would have died a thousand times. He even dared to feel admiration for that wise woman, and it was fortunate his head was still attached.

Edward returned to his kingdom with the child he now considered a dangerous burden, swearing he would never dare offend those monstrous beings again.

I don’t know… is this a blessing or a curse.