Snowfall painted the outside world in snowy white. Nova's house stood monumentally calm, its wooden walls keeping calm and warmth against the cold. Morning rays make their way through the frosted glass, scattering yellow, orange hues like crystal motes across the room. Motes of snow kiss objects with their utmost beauty.

On the blue, luxurious bed, designed by Nova, the beauty sleeps peacefully. Vivi, her hair tangled like soft flowers, turned lazily under the warmth of the blanket. Beside her, Nyra stretched wide, rubbing her eyes like a little child, then her soft eyes glanced at Dax, who was still deep in sleep, hugging the pillow as if it were his last treasure.

Nyra whispered, shaking him lightly."Dax… wake up… morning already."

But Dax only groaned in morning peace, like there is no other day for rest, pulling the blanket over his black hair, escaping into dreams. Nyra puffed her cheeks, hitting him with the pillow once, twice, her laughter mixing with the morning air as she herself is enjoying this morning. The calm and warmth inside the house of Nova feels different from other comforts.

On the couch near the window, Auren blinked awake, his breath fogging in the cold light. He pulled his jacket tighter, then looked outside—snowflakes falling endlessly, quiet but alive. Beside him, Nova sat up slowly, stretching with a calm smile, his gaze carrying the peace of someone who belonged to the winter itself.

For a moment, the room felt like a canvas—warmth inside, snow outside. Vivi's soft hum, Nyra's playful nagging, Dax's stubborn sleep, Auren's silent thoughts, Nova's steady calm.

A small family, bound by more than fate, simply sharing a morning.

Auren's eyes rested on the early sun, golden light crawling gently through the frost-kissed window. He admired it quietly, the way it pushed darkness aside without a fight. Beside him, Nova seemed peaceful—different. There was a new charm in him now, a calm understanding, as if he had begun to see the colours of this world and the many ways humans carried their emotions.

Around the corners of the house, the painted creatures on the canvas walls seemed muted, like they too had gone back to sleep.

Meanwhile, Dax was still buried in his dreams, sleeping calm under the thick blanket. On the blue bed, Vivi and Nyra had just risen, sitting side by side, a single blanket covering their legs. Neither rushed the morning; instead, they chose to breathe simply, to feel the comfort and beauty of this rare peace.

Vivi's gentle hand lingered in Nyra's messy hair, her tiny fingers weaving through the strands. There was no intention, no demand—only love. Nyra leaned into it with a soft, welcoming smile, warmth shining in her tired eyes.

Nova and Auren watched quietly from the couch. It was a simple scene, yet enough to remind them why they kept walking forward.

Then Nyra's gaze dropped to the lump under the blanket—Dax, still crawling in the world of dreams. Her smile twisted cocky. Without hesitation, she stretched her leg and kicked him once.

No reaction.

Another kick—harder.

This time, Dax rolled, hitting the floor with a heavy thud. "Ahhhh!" he groaned, sitting up and rubbing his back and head. His hair stuck out in every direction, his face dazed and wounded by sleep.

"Why, Nyra?!" he complained, his voice half-broken with dream. "Can't you see I was about to kiss Maira…"

Vivi laughed smirked, "Hahaha, who is Maira?"

Nyra rolled her eyes, "Huh, the girl from room no.10. He loves her madly. She was his crush."

Their playful exchange echoed lightly in the room, mixing with the faint crackle of the wooden floor as the cold air slipped in through a tiny gap in the window. Outside, snow stretched endlessly, covering rooftops, fences, and streets—an untouched blanket of white, silent and pure.

Meanwhile, Nova and Auren sat calmly, their backs leaning against the couch, faces half-lit by the soft morning sun spilling through the frosted glass. Their gazes were steady, eyes locked on nothing but the weight of their own thoughts. The warmth of the room clashed with the chill of their hearts. Today, they would avenge Jerry.

Dax's drowsy eyes slowly shifted toward them. For a second, the lazy veil of sleep lifted, and reality pressed in. His heart skipped—today wasn't just another morning. Today, they were going to fight the Ramuza family.

The laughter in the air died on its own. Silence crawled in, thick and heavy. Nyra's smirk cut through it, her voice sharp, "Today, right?"

Auren gave a single nod, firm, unshaken.

Dax dragged himself up groggily, every step slow, his feet pressing against the wooden floor with a dull creak. He walked toward Auren, shoulders still heavy with sleep but his eyes burning awake now. His voice carried a rough edge—"Let…"

"Let our first mission be to do something right," Dax said, his voice firmer now, breaking the silence of the room. He looked at Auren, then at Nova, and something shifted inside him.

"The first mission of Phantom Tideborn… starts now."

A soft, proud smile spread across Dax's face, carrying both nerves and excitement. Vivi's lips curved too, her eyes sparkling, as if she had been waiting to hear those words. Nyra leaned back, stretching her arms lazily but her smirk betrayed her real feeling—she was proud, more than she would ever say aloud.

For a moment, the room wasn't heavy anymore. It was alive with quiet fire. Snow outside glittered like shards of crystal, and the light pouring in through the window wrapped them in a strange warmth.

Vivi whispered, "It feels… different now. Like we're not just wandering anymore."

Nyra chuckled, flicking her hair back. "Hmph, about time. I was getting bored of waiting."

Auren didn't say much—he didn't have to. His steady nod, his unwavering eyes, already spoke enough. Nova looked at them all, his chest tightening with something new. For the first time, he wasn't trapped, wasn't lost. He was part of something real.

The Phantom Tideborn had just taken its first breath.

Meanwhile, Aazin and Ryzin woke up in the glitter of beauty.

Ryzin stretched his arms wide and yawned, the sound echoing lazily in the grand room. Aazin was still lying on the bed, face half-buried under the blanket, only his eyes visible—open and calm, quietly scanning the room's view.

From outside, a soft knock came, and then a waitress stepped in with a tray of morning tea and breakfast. She wore a black torso with white stripes, her presence carrying a quiet grace. She looked cute, her smile lighting the dim-lit room.

Both Aazin and Ryzin's eyes turned glossy at once, locked on her.

"How are you, miss? How could someone make you work this early morning?" Ryzin asked with his playful tone.

The waitress smiled gently. "I came by my will. I am the daughter of Voslimo… Sylra. Here, we are all family. Connected by family bridge."

Under the blanket, Aazin pinched Ryzin hard, giving him a sharp signal not to mess with this girl.

Sylra walked inside with elegance, placing the tray on the left side of the bed where Ryzin sat. His eyes lingered shamelessly, following the curve of her form, widening like he was caught in a spell.

Sylra noticed. She understood at once that Ryzin had fallen for her charm. When she leaned closer to set the tray, Ryzin's head tilted back slightly, caught off guard, his lips curling into a nervous smile. But then Sylra leaned even more—her face close—and kissed him softly on the lips.

That single touch burned like fire and ice in Ryzin's body, a romantic and lured sensation rushing through his veins.

Before either brother could react, Sylra pulled back, leaving the room with a playful smile dancing on her lips.

Both Aazin and Ryzin sat frozen. Aazin's jaw dropped—"She is something… so chilly."

Ryzin just stared blankly, lost in a different world.

In Aazin's head, that kiss replayed on loop — the curve of her lips, that sassy look. It kept making reels inside him. I hope I could slap her… but I also hope I could kiss her for hours. I hope I can make babies with her…

Aazin tilted his face, a question forming. "Then what about Ana?"

Ryzin, still lost in his fog, answered without thinking, voice dreamy, "I'll marry her too." He blinked, then grinned like a fool. "I'll marry both — Ana and Sylra. So I can kiss both butts. Isn't that amazing, Aazin? I'm not like you — just sex and kill girls. No. I'm different. I'm a lover."

He shouted it with pride, half-proclaiming, half-delirious from the lingering warmth of that kiss.

Meanwhile, they didn't know someone had started making their way to the Ramuza family home. Legs kept burning through the snow, still walking straight into the jaws of danger. They might be small in size, but their enthusiasm and will were bigger than their height and weight.

The first wave of Phantom Tideborn was coming — right into the path of Vaiven's men. What will happen next? You'll see.

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