At the point where the waters of the Unparalleled merged with the sky, two silhouettes stood beneath the sun’s possessive light. At the furthest edge where the cliffs stretched into the sea, they remained motionless, watching the searing rays of sunlight.

  Lady Okyanus, her gaze fixed on the horizon, looked deeply contemplative. With a sigh, she spoke to the aide standing behind her.

  “This silence is beginning to feel overwhelming.”

  Her frail, sharp-featured aide replied solemnly, “My Lady, you cannot possibly foresee what may happen.”

  Lady Okyanus trapped her eyes within the orange glow. “Elzem and Sonsuz must return now. If this drags on any longer, the outcome will truly be disastrous.”

  “And if they do not return?”

  “They must return! Both of them!” she said firmly. “But if there is one thing I believe in, it is the bond they share with one another. No matter what, they will come back. For themselves—and for Zifiri!”

  “Is Zifiri even alive? That seems highly unlikely, My Lady.”

  Lady Okyanus turned her gaze toward her aide. “I believe it is impossible as well,” she said. “But they are aware of that too. Even if they never see Zifiri again, they will return to fight for him.” She locked her eyes once more on the orange light and added, “I must admit—their chances of becoming the Unparalleled trio are stronger than any other team’s.”

  Her aide asked with a look of surprise, “What about the other trio candidates?”

  Lady Okyanus exhaled deeply. “The other teams are not as strong as they are. But that is not the real reason.”

  “Then what is the real reason, My Lady?” he asked with curiosity.

  “The true reason is having experienced both existence and nonexistence from the very beginning—and having accepted them. That is what sets them apart as the most perfect team. In truth, the bond between them only intensifies this state,” she said. Turning away to leave, she glanced at the sun one last time and added with hopeful eyes, “I hope they are still breathing for one another.”

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  As they walked away, the hum of a new beginning spread in every direction. From the two far ends of the orange light, shimmering droplets soared upward into the sky.

  That place—where existence and absence were questioned and tested—the world’s only landmass, the Unparalleled Continent… was now ready to proclaim its uniqueness not only on the ground, but in the sky as well.

  Months had passed since the last events, and the seasons had changed. Spring, awakened after winter, had long since prepared its grounds for a new hunt. Of course, this time, those who emerged were cursed.

  In the Heart of the Unparalleled, a cold anticipation prevailed. The people found it exceedingly difficult to come to terms with the deaths of the three hunters after the last hunt. Even though they had known the rules from the very beginning, witnessing such an end was not something anyone could easily accept.

  They had always supported Elzem and Sonsuz. Yet the truth that they were hunters themselves—among the darkest of hunters—had never felt so suffocating to them before.

  Within the teams, however, the situation unfolded very differently. While some mourned their fallen teammates, others swore oaths of revenge. At the forefront of those driven by vengeance stood Se?kin and Damla.

  Se?kin appeared to be doing this for his teammate Filiz, but in truth, it was far more about his hatred toward Elzem and Sonsuz.

  Damla, on the other hand, could not come to terms with Korhan’s death and blamed nearly everyone for it.

  The disputes erupting in the Heart of Nota continued almost every day, only pausing when the hunters retreated to their buildings.

  Waiting for moments of calm, Dora and Onur could never digest the fact that they were replicas—and that they had been brought into the hunt to possibly replace Elzem and Sonsuz. They saw this as a grave injustice done to them. Even though they knew they were not the cause of what had happened, they believed that, one way or another, they were responsible for the situation. Not having enough information was driving them mad. Unable to endure it any longer, they decided to confront the administrators.

  In the Administrators’ Building, however calm and ordinary everything appeared, the reality was quite the opposite.

  Lady Okyanus had never seemed this tense or panicked before. Unable to predict what had happened—or what was yet to come—she blamed herself.

  Zafer and Mr Galip appeared more composed, yet deep down, they too felt Lady Okyanus’s panic.

  While the Heart of the Unparalleled bore witness to mounting tensions, the situation within the Unparalleled Castle was spiralling into utter madness. And the sole reason for it was Cengaver, whose notorious recklessness alone was enough to cause it all.