World in the Painting Ishruna · Knights and Goodhearted People

A scorched wasteland.

Gray and her group appeared here alongside a massive pillar of light. This was the deepest part of the Life Furnace, where the Madness Flame had been sealed. But judging by the state of things, the entire space was not doing well.

"Oh, newcomers?"

They had barely steadied themselves when a flippant greeting came from beside them.

It was a fully armed knight. However, his armor had long since lost its former splendor, becoming pitch-black and bearing melted marks left by the flames.

He waved at Gray's group, acting as though they were old acquaintances.

"My name is Gale. I never thought anyone else would come here. Little girl, you must be this generation's Flame Transmission bearer, right?"

"Mr. Gale?"

Gray's eyes widened instinctively. That name...

"Ah-ha, it seems you know me. Are my legends still being told outside? Hahaha, how embarrassing."

He abruptly stopped celebrating, and his smile froze. Liu Rong's group had already prepared to attack at any moment, with immense magical formulas trained on him.

He moved his body, and the knight's sword in his hand became wrapped in Madness Flame, turning into a burning blade.

A spark of spiritual light emerged from the pages of the book and entered "Gray's" body.

He stood up, moving his body as he danced and shouted excitedly.

The instant he saw that orange-yellow flame, countless chaotic thoughts surged from the depths of his heart. A maddening irritation instantly flooded his mind, nearly burning away his reason.

"It's just that I don't have a Fire Seed, so I can only keep wearing her down like this. But I can't outlast that thing. She grows stronger every moment, while I grow weaker every moment."

"Let me introduce myself again. My name is Gray, the previous Flame Transmission bearer."