Ryujin mansion was quieter than usual today. Kai sat in the vast library, immersed in the thick tomes he had promised himself he would finish before Ocean’s return. His basic education was long behind him—he already possessed the refinement of etiquette, the discipline of academics, and the strength of combat.

Now, his days were devoted to lessons befitting an heir: the intricate study of military strategies, the subtle art of diplomacy, and the burdens of governance. Between the margins of maps and the chronicles of past wars, he learned how to lead men, manage estates, and balance loyalty with power. His tutors no longer corrected his sword grip or posture at banquets; instead, they pressed him to master the language of treaties, to calculate rents and taxes, and to remember the names and banners of every noble house. Though the mansion’s halls felt empty, Kai’s world was far from silent—it echoed with the weight of duty, expectation, and the promise of the future he was being shaped to inherit. He was the Young Master and future hier of Ryujin family so he had to prove his worth.

He wanted to become capable enough quickly in order to be perfect for the responsibility that Ocean was going to put on him. He knew Ocean had a lot of people’s lives in his hands which was why, every decision and every move that he made was minutely calculated by taking all the perspectives into consideration. If he had to become someone like him then he had to give his all to his studies.

"Young Master, why don’t you take a break now?" He lifted his head to see Kate standing there with a smile on her face.

"Yes, but just let me finish this." He pointed at the book in his hands, more than a hundred pages looked like they were left to be read.

"B-But you didn’t even have breakfast properly, Young Master! Master will scold us if we don’t care for you properly." She insisted and Kai looked up at her.

He was pretty tall for his age and if one saw him they would think he’s in his mid-teens instead of only being 10 years old.

"All right," He sighed as he stood up from his chair.

In Ocean’s absence, Enora was taking care of the household while Roan looked after the administration. They had the help from Ocean’s vassals but Kai felt like he should also help however he could.

After having lunch, he went to Ocean’s office, hoping to lend his hand to Roan, Blake, Esme and Julio a hand.

But as soon as he reached outside the door about to knock when he heard Roan shouting.

"What the hell?! Wait, we’re coming right now!"

Kai frowned a bit but before he could process anything, the doors opened and Roan stood there, face tight with anxiety and eyes strained.

"What’s wrong?" Kai asked.

Roan pursed his lips, he looked in a great hurry.

"Tell me!" Kai demanded.

"It’s-" Roan groaned a bit before he sighed and grabbed Kai’s hand.

"I’ll be dead when Master returns but we don’t have a choice here," Roan spoke before he looked down in Kai’s eyes, "Young Master, we need your help for this."

Kai didn’t get to know what was going on but with the way, Roan and a few other people of the estate were running out on horses or on foot it was obvious that something serious had happened.

Was it an ambush? Infiltration?

Kai was riding the horse with Roan, he had his arms wrapped around Roan’s waist.

"Can you tell me now, what’s going on?" Kai shouted.

"There’s a fire... at the Oasis Foundation school. It happened suddenly, people over there are trying to put it out but for some reason, the fire isn’t going out!" Roan shouted back making Kai’s blood run cold. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"What?!"

"Our men managed to get some kids out but there are still a lot of them trapped inside and because of the fire, nobody is able to get too close."

Kai’s heart started hammering in his chest and blood roared in his ears as he felt the panic settling over his bones.

Roan seemed to have noticed it as Kai’s hands trembled.

"Please don’t panic, Young Master. After Master, it’s you who is going to take his place so, we hope your power might help us put out that fire so that we could save those children!"

Kai clenched his fists, he was scared, terrified of failing. First time, when he had acted on his own was the time when the Princes were returning home after the war, they were ambushed but they were strong enough to handle it and Ocean had come right away to drag him back. But this time, the ones in danger were vulnerable children, nobody else’s powers were working and Ocean wasn’t here so, the responsibility was his to take.

Kai gulped, closing his eyes and gripped the Dragon stone that lay on his chest, gifted by Ocean. He quietly drew strength from it before he felt his nerves settling and before long they reached at the Oasis town which was already in chaos.

They got down from the horse and faced the large school building beyond the gates which was on fire, the flames seemed to be reaching the grey skies overhead.

Everyone were trying to put out the fire but even with the snow and water being splashed the fire didn’t seem like it was showing any signs of reducing, rather it seemed like it was only growing.

The parents of the children had gathered around the place wailing and screaming for their children to be saved. Kai almost felt the sense of nausea and panic returning when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder.

Roan looked down at him. Kai gulped, clenching his fists at his sides before he stepped ahead.

Those who saw him started rushing towards him.

"Young Master! Young Master, my daughter- my daughter is in there! Please save her!"

"Young Master, our children!"

"Young Master, please save our child!"

Kai clenched his fists so tight that the nails dug into his palms.

"Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this." Kai said as he looked once at Roan, Enora was also there.

"Young Master!" He heard the sound of the Eldarf youngsters who were also there to help.

The fire wasn’t normal, that he could tell and he also had a feeling that if the normal water couldn’t take care of this fire then, his mana might be the only one that could.

He watched everyone gathered around and then looked at his hands, after Ocean, it was him who had to take care of this place and all these people.

Kai then looked at the administrative building which was closest to the school and formulated his plan.

"I’ll go up there, and use my mana to put out the fire. Everyone, keep the people away from the scene, as soon as the fire is out, hurry inside to get the kids!" Kai shouted.

"Yes, Young Master!" They all responded in unison.

Kai rushed towards the administrative building of Oasis Foundation while the people ushered others away from the school and the Eldarf kids prepared to rush in any moment since they were the fastest among others.

Kai ran up the stairs until he reached at the rooftop of the administrative building. There was still a good distance between the two buildings but this much was enough for him to do his work. He could see everyone beneath ready in their positions waiting for him.

Kai could feel the unbearable heat of the monstrous reaching out to him as if it was ready to burn him alive.

Kai inhaled deeply feeling his blood hum as the mana resonated with his thoughts. He felt his mana pour out and then looked up at the sky raising his arms creating a water ball high up in the air. As he poured the mana into this water ball, it grew in size, larger and larger before it grew as big as a four storey building and then he dropped it over the school building.

The water made of the Dragon’s mana actually did the trick, the fire was extinguished by the sheer pressure of the tsunami waves rushing down the entire building.

The crowd was silent for a moment as the water rushed past them but just as it did, the Eldarf youngsters and the others rushed inside the building to grab the kids.

Kai stood at the edge of the roof of the administrative building, feeling his heart pounding as he watched the people crying and shouting as their kids were finally rescued and brought out. He smiled a bit, feeling the darkness pinching at the edges of his vision and before he knew it he started swaying. He stumbled a bit before he fell back into the strong arms of Roan who carried him.

Roan smiled as he saw Kai’s relieved face, though it was pale and he looked drained but Roan couldn’t feel anything but pride.

"Our Young Master has saved the day." He spoke before he scooped Kai up in his arms.

He carried him back down and met up with the leader of the guard team.

"How did it happen?" Roan asked.

"We don’t know... it just happened so suddenly so..."

"Mr Roan! Hurry, come here!" Roan turned his head and looked at Cyrus who was shouting from the school building.

Roan looked at Enora and handed Kai to her before he rushed over to Cyrus and what he saw there made chills run down his spine.

"We need to call Master immediately."