Silence filled the forest.
Hyun and the others disappeared without another word, their presence fading as if none of this had ever mattered to them.
But it did.
How could he do this to us betray our friendship so fast
I look over at Yoon Ah-ra's body lay motionless nearby.
She was really… dead.
I look over at Kim Min-jae's hands trembled as they clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms until blood welled up.
"Why…" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
He lifted his head slowly, eyes burning with something dark.
"Why does he get to walk away?"
Min-jae exhaled sharply, forcing his shaking to stop.
"I'll find Hyun," he said flatly.
"And when I do… I'll kill him. Even if it's the last thing I ever do."
Why…" Ha-rin whispered. "Why would Hyun do this?
It's my fault.
Weak. Too weak.
If I were stronger, I could've stopped it.If I were stronger, she'd still be alive.But I wasn't.I never am.I couldn't save anyone.I'm worthless.
Taehyuk: well we can't stay here just sulking about this we have to keep pushing on
Kim Jihwan: Taehyuk is right we have to keep moving forward
They're right.I can't stop here.No matter how much it hurts, I have to keep moving forward Until I'm strong enough to protect everyone.
We start kingdom walking to the kingdomTaehyuk leaned on his sword as he walked, still injured despite Jihwan's healing. Ha-rin stayed close to him, her expression pale but determined. Min-jae followed behind us, his eyes empty, his fists clenched so tightly they trembled.
By the time the kingdom's outer walls came into view, the sun was already setting. The guards noticed us immediately, their expressions changing when they saw our condition.
We were escorted through the gates in silence, the familiar streets of the kingdom feeling strangely distant. People stared as we passed—some curious, some uneasy—yet none of them knew what we had seen, or what we had lost.
At the town hall, all the remaining groups had already gathered.
The room was filled with knights, instructors, and high-ranking officials. Some were injured. Others looked shaken. No one was talking.
We stepped forward and reported everything.
Hyun.
The demon.
The betrayal.
And his words about the four nations falling.
As we spoke, the expressions of the officials darkened.
Then one of them delivered the truth.
"It wasn't just your group," he said gravely. "Hyun appeared before every squad sent out today."
A murmur rippled through the hall.
"He revealed himself," another official continued. "Killed without hesitation. Then vanished."
My chest tightened.
Hyun hadn't singled us out.
This was planned.
The realization settled heavily over everyone in the room.
Whatever Hyun was preparing for…
It had already begun.
My room was silent as I sat on the edge of the bed, my thoughts replaying everything that had happened—Hyun's betrayal, the demon, the words about the four nations.
Exhaustion eventually won.
I lay down and closed my eyes.
When I opened them again, I wasn't in my room.
I stood in a vast white void, endless and empty. The air felt still—unnaturally so.
A familiar figure stood before me.
"Hello," Zero said calmly. "You've been through a great deal today."
I swallowed. "You again…"
"I have more information for you," he continued. "Hyun and Shinra are working together."
My heart sank. "What do you mean? Then what about the other two who were with him?"
Zero's gaze sharpened slightly.
"The girl was an assassin," he said. "Someone they hired as insurance—just in case things went wrong."
He paused.
"Her name is satsuki"
What about the other man?" I asked.
Zero shook his head slightly. "There isn't much information on him.
All I know is his name—Hwang Do-yun."
Do you know how I can get stronger?" I asked, my voice low. "Or at least strong enough to beat Hyun."
"Zero's expression remained calm. "There are a few ways."
I leaned forward. "Like what?"
"You can awaken," he said. "Or you can find a master to train you."
"How do you awaken?" I asked, curious.
Zero's gaze didn't change. "Awakening happens when you come close to death. Only a small number of people actually succeed."
I exhaled slowly. "So… I'm going to have to find a master."
Zero nodded. "There is someone who can help. His name is Seong Jin-woo. He was a warlord in his prime."
I frowned. "Where do I find him?"
Zero shook his head slightly. "That's all I can tell you for now."
And then, as suddenly as he appeared, he vanished.