After two hours had passed, Jade slowly opened his eyes.
The exhaustion from the Shadowed Area still lingered in his body.
His muscles ached.
His essence reserves were nearly empty.
Even his soul felt tired.
Yet when he looked around, he immediately realized something.
Nobody was resting anymore.
Warriors were standing.
Weapons were being checked.
Armor was being tightened.
The entire convoy was preparing for war.
The final battle had finally arrived.
Jade slowly stood up.
The moment he did, he noticed Aaron walking toward him.
Unlike usual, Aaron's expression was serious.
There was none of his usual arrogance.
No sarcasm.
No mockery.
Only seriousness.
Aaron stopped before him.
"I think I know what happened to you."
Jade's eyes widened.
For the first time in what felt like forever, hope appeared in his eyes.
His heart accelerated.
"Does that mean you remember me?"
Aaron shook his head.
The hope instantly disappeared.
"No."
Jade sighed.
Aaron continued.
"But I think something is wrong."
Jade remained silent.
Aaron folded his arms.
"Sarah once got trapped inside an Ancient Ruin."
Jade nodded.
He remembered.
Sarah had spent months inside that horrible place.
She wasn't a seer.
She couldn't normally receive visions.
Yet while trapped inside the ruin, strange visions occasionally appeared to her.
Aaron continued.
"Before this trial, she told me something."
"What?"
Aaron frowned.
"I didn't understand it back then."
"But now I think it might be connected to you."
Jade's attention sharpened.
Aaron looked into the distance.
"She said she saw someone standing beside us."
"Someone important."
"Someone everyone knew."
"But every time she tried to remember his face, the memory disappeared."
Jade froze.
Aaron continued.
"At the time, I thought it was nonsense."
"But now..."
He looked directly at Jade.
"...every time I try to remember how I learned about Aviana..."
"...or who escorted me to the Ancient Ruin..."
"...my memories become foggy."
Jade remained silent.
Aaron slowly asked,
"Was it you?"
Jade stared at him.
Then nodded.
"It was."
Aaron sighed.
"I still can't remember."
"I know."
"But I believe something happened to you."
Those words struck Jade harder than he expected.
For hours everyone had treated him as a stranger.
For hours nobody believed him.
Yet Aaron was finally starting to suspect the truth.
Aaron pointed at him.
"Whatever happened to you..."
"...we'll deal with it after we survive this trial."
Jade smiled.
"Fair enough."
At that moment, Ella approached them.
"It's time to go."
Both men turned.
Ella's expression was grave.
Several scouts stood behind her.
Most were wounded.
Some were covered in blood.
None looked comfortable.
Aaron immediately became serious.
"The guardian?"
Ella nodded.
"We found it."
A heavy silence fell.
Then she continued.
"The convoy discovered multiple monster groups."
"Some are weak."
"Some are strong."
"But the guardian itself..."
Even Ella hesitated.
"...is far stronger than everything else."
Jade immediately activated the Beast God's blessing.
His perception expanded.
The world transformed.
Every creature became visible.
Every heartbeat.
Every weakness.
Every movement.
Everything appeared inside his mind like pieces on a giant chessboard.
Then he found it.
The guardian.
Far away.
Hidden beyond countless monsters.
Waiting.
Watching.
Its presence dwarfed every creature around it.
Yet even it possessed weaknesses.
Small ones.
Dangerous ones.
But weaknesses nonetheless.
Jade looked toward Aaron.
"Let's go."
Aaron blinked.
"In such a hurry?"
Jade tightened his fist.
"I must fulfill the blood oath I made."
Aaron frowned.
"What blood oath?"
Jade looked toward the convoy.
Toward Henry.
Toward Blake.
Toward Aviana.
Toward Sarah.
Toward Ella.
Toward Aaron.
Every single one had forgotten him.
Yet he still remembered.
He remembered every promise.
Every battle.
Every sacrifice.
Every friendship.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"You'll understand when this trial ends."
Aaron looked confused.
But before he could ask another question, Jade moved.
The Obsidian Vine Shadow erupted from his body.
Dark crystalline vines wrapped around his arms.
His chest.
His shoulders.
His legs.
Layer after layer.
Until living armor covered his entire body.
Sharp obsidian edges reflected the dim light.
The armor looked alive.
Dangerous.
Monstrous.
Then Jade summoned the crimson greatsword.
The relic granted by the Beast God.
Immediately crimson light flowed through the blade.
The weapon pulsed like a living heart.
Hungry.
Thirsty.
Waiting for battle.
Jade lifted it onto his shoulder.
Then without another word—
he dashed forward.
The ground exploded beneath him.
Dust rose into the air.
His armored figure became a black-and-crimson streak.
Racing directly toward the guardian.
Toward the monster guarding the treasure.
Toward the creature standing between the convoy and freedom.
Aaron watched him disappear.
Then sighed.
"He's impossible."
Ella laughed softly.
"Agreed."
But neither of them noticed the faint smile on Jade's face as he ran.
Because despite losing his Fate.
Despite being forgotten.
Despite standing alone—
he finally knew one thing.
He would complete his oath.
Even if nobody remembered who made it.
Even if nobody remembered his name.
The guardian awaited.
And Jade intended to kill it.
No matter the cost.