The Last Step-Chapter 85: The Aftermath

Two Years Ago – Asura Crisis

The capital lay in ruins. Streets were rivers of blood. The sky burned with cursed fire. Screams echoed as monsters—once citizens—transformed into living death. Knights fought everywhere, countless invaded, and panic ruled.

Amid the chaos, one knight stood apart:

Sir Alaric Thornfield—(aged mid-30s, tall and broad-shouldered, ash-brown hair trimmed with early streaks of steel, deep-set gray eyes like storm clouds). His armor bore countless scratches and scorch marks. A jagged brand across his left cheek told him not to hope for glory here. The Scion Crest on his shoulder meant he had devoted himself fully to justice.

He fell asleep in his tent, armor discarded on a cot, and dreams consumed him.

Dream – The Horror Within

He saw a cursed beast—something human, too human—hurting his wife Elena and his daughter Lyra, seven years old, her hair tied in a perfect braid. He screamed, "No!" But he couldn’t move. Not a muscle. His hands were bound, his heart seized by dread. He watched them die, his flesh burning with helplessness.

And he woke up.

He rubbed his neck, chest heaving.

His eyes found a small wooden frame on his bedside table—Elena smiling, Lyra hugging him around the neck. His jaw clenched. He whispered, "I’ll never fail you again."

Before he could rise, a knock came.

"Sir Thornfield—Captain Adonis requests your company."

He swallowed, donned his armor, and followed the messenger into the throne-like hall where Knight Of The Realm Adonis stood, eyes solemn.

Adonis: "Alaric—good. Two years have passed. The ’Queen of Curses’ is captured, but she hides her secrets. I need you to lead the interrogation. Find out how she conjures curses."

Alaric bowed deeply. His voice low, solid: "Yes, Captain. This... I’ll do it."

Rising Tension Among Knights

One knight—bald, burly, scars etched deep across his scalp—snorted. "We should kill her now and be done."

Adonis leveled a stare. "If we understand her magic, we can fortify not just the capital but all of Asura against future curses. We can’t be hasty during our chance.."

Alaric’s low voice carried conviction. "She’s nothing but a murderer."

But the vice-captain, Sir Roderic Vance—lean, sharp-featured, silver hair tied—stepped forward. "And if she doesn’t talk? Can I... pressure her?" His tone was icy.

Adonis’s jaw tightened. "We are knights, not monsters, Roderic."

Roderic shrugged, blank expression. "She’s a monster. She kills innocents. If she resists... what’s wrong with hurting her?"

Alaric’s heart thudded; Adonis ran a hand through his hair, voice tight. "Don’t act impulsively. You’ll regret it."

"I won’t regret it."

Roderic turned on his heel. "I’ll gather the info. Call me when you need knights."With that, he left.

Alaric exchanged a glance with Adonis: silent, worried.

Roderic’s Perspective – Thoughts in the Dark

The temporary base is just upstairs.Below, that cursed girl sits broken—but alive. Her screams echo like taunts.If I kill her, I save hundreds.Cursed users only spread pain. They deserve to die.The Queen of Curses—we remove her, we purge the threat entirely.

He reached the bottom of the staircase. Torches lit the hall.Time to suffer, witch.

Inside a small cell, a young girl curled on a cracked stone floor—her hair white as snow, red eyes dull with pain and exhaustion. She looked at him with her lifeless eyes.

Roderic allowed himself a cold smile.This time, I won’t hold back at all torturing you.

He stepped closer, chains rattling.

Location: Underground Rinascita Hospital – Room 12A

The dull hum of medical equipment blended with the soft sound of a lullaby playing faintly through the walls. Nine days had passed since the grotesque war, and most of Rinascita still mourned—but beneath it, life was beginning again.

Issac stood outside a plain wooden door, clutching a velvet pouch in his left hand—the reward from Celestial Apex Guild. Heavy. Not just in weight.

He’d rehearsed this moment over and over.

"I’ll just apologize.""She’ll understand.""She’ll forgive me."

But nothing felt enough.

His knuckles brushed the door. A moment of silence. Then her voice—soft, distant.

"Come in."

He opened the door.

And stopped.

She sat on the bed, wrapped in the pale sheets, her hair unkempt, eyes tired—but burning with clarity. In her arms was a baby, small and quiet, sleeping against her chest. A boy. His son.

Her eyes widened the moment she saw him. She flinched, pulling the baby closer, her body instinctively shifting back against the headboard.

"Wait—please. I’m not here to hurt you."

"...What do you want, Issac."

"I... just want to talk."

"Talk?"

"Please."

The silence stretched, bitter and dry. He stepped in, closing the door gently behind him. For a second, he just stood there.

"...I was a coward."

"...I know."

"I didn’t know what to do. You told me you were pregnant and... I froze. I panicked."

"So you left."

"I know. I know I did. And it wasn’t because I didn’t love you."

"Then why?"

"Because I did love you. So much it terrified me. I kept thinking—I’m not enough. I don’t have money. I don’t have stability. What kind of man would I be? A failure."

"So you ran?"

"...Yeah."

His voice broke then. His chest heaved, and his hands trembled.

"I thought if I could just get stronger, if I could earn enough... then maybe I’d be worthy. But the truth is, I was just afraid."

"You missed everything."

"I know."

"His first cry. You missed me."

"I know."

He fell to his knees, clutching the pouch tighter, placing it gently on the floor.

"I have the reward. It’s enough for a home. For everything. But that’s not what I came here to give."

"Then what did you come here for?"

Tears finally broke past his eyes. He didn’t wipe them.

"To say I’m sorry."

"For what?"

"For not being the man I promised I’d be. For letting you cry alone. For letting my own fears steal the moments I should’ve shared with you. With him."

"His name is Elias."

"Elias..."

He smiled through the tears.

"That’s beautiful."

She looked down at the child. Then back at him.

"Why now?"

"Because the world almost ended nine days ago. And while people were dying... all I could think about was how I left you. And how if I died too, I wouldn’t have even said sorry."

"So what now?"

"I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me. But I’m here. I want to raise him with you. I want to start again. If you’ll let me. Even if I have to earn it day by day."

Silence fell again. But it was different now.

The baby stirred. A soft coo echoed in the room.

She looked down. Then back at him. Her lips parted. Her eyes glistened.

"Did Arius force you to come back?"

The words cut through him sharper than anything he faced on the field. His smile faded. His face darkened.

"No." He swallowed."I came because I wanted to."

She shook her head slowly, eyes narrowing as pain flickered again in her expression.

"You’re still lying..."

"I know," he said softly."I know I have been. But not now. Not this time."His voice trembled."I’m done with that version of me, Liora. I want to change... for you. For him."

He looked at Elias, whose fingers twitched in his sleep, mouth making soft noises only babies know how to make.

"I want to give it all up—the adventuring, risking my life. I want to stay. Settle down. Be a husband. A father."

Her eyes widened—just slightly. Hope flared across her face, faint like a candlelight against wind.

She looked away for a moment.

"Can I trust you... this once?"

Issac took a slow, careful step forward.

"Just once."

There was silence—calm and unsure.

Then she nodded.

Just once.

Issac smiled for real. The kind of smile that wasn’t trying to convince anyone. The kind he hadn’t worn in years.

"I won’t fail you."

They both stood in the quiet, neither speaking. Elias stirred again. Outside, distant voices echoed from the lower floors of the hospital.

Then Liora broke the silence.

"Was Arius with you?"

Issac blinked. The question caught him off guard.

"Why?"

"He visited me before the war itself. Told me you were fighting for me... that I should give you another chance."

Issac’s lips parted slightly. He couldn’t speak.

She continued, eyes flickering with the memory.

"He gave me a pouch too. It had so much gold in it. Said if you didn’t come back, I should use it to start a new life. Said he’d make sure you returned... and that you’d change."

Issac clenched his jaw, unable to speak. His eyes glistened, voice stuck in his throat.

"I refused it," she whispered."But he didn’t care. Just smiled and walked away. Truly a stubborn man like you."

Her voice cracked near the end.

"Where is he?"She looked up, eyes trembling."I want to thank him..."

Issac stepped closer... and finally forced the words out.

"The reason I’m here today... is because of Arius."He choked back the weight in his throat."He saved my life."

Liora went still.

"No... that means—"

Issac nodded slowly, eyes cast down.

"Arius is gone."

The room fell into silence again.

But this time, it was grief.

Perspective: Rose, Empress of AsuraIn the Silence of Power

The cell stank of sweat, blood, and the same kind of desperation men wear like a second skin when they believe they’ve outsmarted the crown. I stood above it. Above him.

My heels echoed against the cold stone floor as I stepped forward, gazing down at the man my knights had dragged in—slammed to his knees in front of me like a broken marionette. His body was wrapped in filthy bandages, face half-covered. His posture was feigned confidence. I could already tell.

The knight beside me opened his mouth to speak."My Empress, this man is responsible for—"I raised one hand.

A simple gesture.

He obeyed instantly, retreating behind me with the others.

My eyes lingered on the bandaged figure. A pathetic sight, really. Theatrics don’t work on me—nor do men with too many layers hiding truths beneath fabric.

I tilted my head slightly."What’s your name?"

"Lezriu."The name fell from his lips too quickly. No hesitation. That was the first mistake.

I smiled. Softly.Then pointed my finger.

The cursed energy swirling at my fingertips cracked the air as it lifted him like a puppet and flung him with terrifying speed into the iron wall beside him. Bones cracked. The scent of scorched blood lingered as my celestial beam faded from his chest.

He groaned. But I remained still.

"Don’t take me for a fool," I said coolly. "You’re lying."

He coughed, laughed—maniacally, almost. Such a cliché."An empress who’s only seventeen... You think I’m going to respect you?"

I raised my hand again.

He didn’t finish the sentence before he slammed back down to the ground, hard enough to crack the stone. His body crumpled.

I crouched ever so slightly, just enough to look directly into the sliver of his eyes."Your name."

This time... silence. Then—

"...Yerinton."

A lie with a different costume.

I glanced at my knight. He understood without a word. Grabbed him by the hair and slammed him again. Blood joined the cracks on the floor.

I straightened my back, sighing."Your voice... posture... your tempo. If you’re going to lie, at least have the decency to commit to the performance."

My voice was calm. Elegant. Precise.And colder than the steel shackles he wore.

"Your true name. One last time."

He looked up, his grin faltering. Then finally..."...Aldric."

"Hmm." I turned slightly, locking eyes with the knight nearest me. "There it is."

"Now then, Mr. Aldric—who is your master?"

His bandaged head tilted."Huh?"

"The one who orchestrated everything. The one behind you. I know you’re not it."

"You’re overthinking it," he said, coughing blood onto the floor. "I am the ringleader."

I didn’t reply. A single glance.

Another strike. Another scream.

"Going to kill me if I don’t answer?" he asked, spitting red onto his lap.

"I don’t bother sparing insects."

That’s when he looked at me—really looked.And said:

"Who is truly the insect here, Miss Empress? You? Or me?"

Ah. There it was. That little twitch in my expression, the half-second crack that no one else would notice. But he did. Smart insect. Still doomed.

"I forced you to act," Aldric muttered through his broken teeth. "You helped Rinascita. And I stayed in the shadows, pulling strings like a ghost. And now? The war’s won. You followed like a good little puppy. And I? I orchestrated the whole damn thing."

My lips curved slightly upward. Not out of joy—no.Out of amusement.

"You think this was your victory?" I asked softly.

"You’re not a conductor, Aldric. You’re a discarded pawn who tricked himself into believing he was the king."

I turned away.

"But hey," I added with a laugh of my own,

"If calling it a win helps ease your dying breath, be my guest. We all deserve a comforting illusion in our final moments."

And then I raised my hand one last time.

No more questions.

I raised my finger.

My magic hummed against my skin, vibrating with both divine brilliance and abyssal death. The cursed runes curled in the air like dancing serpents, while celestial script locked into place above my nail like judgment from the stars themselves. A convergence of two impossibilities.

"Shatter," I said.

The magic coalesced into a beam of pure destruction—a harmony of heaven and hell meant for one thing: erasure.

It shot forward, ruthless and merciless, toward the center of Aldric’s head.

But just before it struck—Something was wrong.

...His heart.I couldn’t hear it.There was no pulse.

He wasn’t breathing either. No rise of the chest. No dilation in his pupils. No flinch from death. Nothing.

And then—He smiled.

That crooked, eerie, knowing smile.Like someone who had just completed his only purpose.As if his whole existence had been a performance—and the curtain had finally closed.

And then—Boom.

My spell struck. His head was obliterated in a single flash of twisted divinity, vaporized like it never existed.

The knights stood frozen behind me, blinking away the afterglow. One stepped forward.

"My Empress, shall we discard the body?"

I didn’t answer at first.

Instead, I took a slow breath and looked at the remains, narrowing my eyes."How did you capture him?"

"He fell for one of the spatial traps you had laid across the perimeter. It triggered and paralyzed him—then we simply hauled him in."

My fingers twitched slightly. My breath paused.Something inside me had gone very, very still.

"...No."

I stepped closer to the corpse, narrowing my eyes.Then summoned a blade of cursed magic—razor-thin and whispering death.

"My Empress—?"

With surgical precision, I sliced his chest open. Not for sport. For confirmation.

Cursed energy buzzed against the cavity where a heart should have been.

There was nothing.

Just layers of dense clay. Frozen inner structure wrapped in coiled elemental veins. Dirt packed together with inhuman precision. Ice like nerves. No blood. No organs. No soul.

I stepped back.

"So... you weren’t human after all." I whispered.

The knights behind me recoiled in discomfort. One even muttered in disgust at the dissection. I didn’t bother to reprimand them. I didn’t have the energy for useless morality today.

"What... what do you mean, my Empress?"

I turned slowly toward them.

"This wasn’t Aldric," I said. "At least—not truly. He was being controlled."

"By... who?"

I turned back to the body. My voice dropped to a whisper."This is a semi-replica—made with earth and ice elemental magic. Ancient spellcraft. Lost spellcraft. Crafted precisely to resemble a human."

Their silence told me they understood none of what I said. That was fine.

I wasn’t speaking for them.

I was speaking for myself.

"...Who could pull off such a feat?" I murmured.

I clenched my gloved fist, eyes narrowing.

"Someone who knows me.""Someone who understands how I plan.""Someone who knew how to bait me into this exact conclusion.""Someone who is both shielding Rinascita... and playing against me from behind the curtain."

That level of foresight.

That level of execution.

That level of audacity.

No. It couldn’t be him. That man was gone. Out of the picture.

Or...

"...Is it?"

My eyes darkened.

The real game had just begun.

Lucas — Perspective

I did a few jumping jacks, shaking the stiffness out of my limbs.Y’know, nothing like a post-apocalyptic warmup to get the blood flowing.

Still in Rinascita. Still surrounded by broken buildings, guilt, and the faint scent of burning wood.

The usual.

The sun peeked through grey clouds above the garden. I’d just wrapped up the last of today’s quests.

「 Daily Quests Complete. All objectives fulfilled. Try not to sprain something flexing too hard. 」

Thanks for the support, System. Really feeling the love.

I exhaled and dropped down to the bench, letting my arms rest over the back. My gaze drifted upward. That sky... still the same one I nearly got vaporized under.

Nine days since that whole Swarm Tyrant thing. Apparently, I passed out like a loser and slept through six of them. Guess pushing past negative fifteen thousand mana does that to a guy.

System kept saying something about "imminent death shutdown protocol" but who even reads those terms and conditions?

The last couple of days had just been physical recovery. Healing. Walking again. Not bleeding out.

Minor victories.

Now... things were starting to look normal. Well, as normal as a cursed town could get.

People were out, rebuilding shattered walls, painting over scars, putting together whatever was left of their lives. I passed a small vigil of candles near the fountain. Faces crying. A girl clutching a photo.

Yeah. Survivors. I was one of them.I wish I could’ve done more.

「 Don’t start that sentimental crap. You did more than I ever expected, hero. 」

I smiled faintly.

Okay, now that was touching.Even the system had dropped the sarcasm—for half a second.

But... my thoughts drifted.

Celia.

The last image in my head before I blacked out—she was walking toward the Swarm Tyrant’s corpse.

White hair. That murderous gaze.What the hell happened after that?

If I’d known that might be the last time I’d see her...

I shook my head. No point in playing that game now.She probably left town. Probably doing her own thing.

At least that’s what I thought—until I turned the corner.

And saw her.

Sophia.

Her figure was familiar. Sitting by the edge of a cracked staircase, arms hugging her knees, like someone who’d spent too long trying not to cry. Her white dress was dirtied and wrinkled, hair a mess. But her presence... exactly how I remembered it.

My feet paused.

She noticed me instantly—eyes snapping up, pupils narrowing.

"...Lucas."

I didn’t answer right away. Just stared. Part of me wanted to walk away. Another part... didn’t care enough to.

"I’m not here to argue," I finally said. "You don’t have to explain anything. I’m over it."

"Leave town before I get annoyed."

She blinked, stunned. Then slowly stood up.

"I... I can’t leave yet."

My brows furrowed slightly. She was standing up to me?That was new.

"What’s so important you’d stay in a place like this?" I asked, stepping forward once.

Her hands trembled a little—but she looked up and said it anyway.

"...I have to find my friend."

"...Who?"

"...Celia."

...Huh?

That caught me off guard.

Her?

"You and Celia are friends?" I asked, incredulous. "Didn’t see that one coming."

"Doesn’t matter what you expected," she said, voice suddenly colder. "She’s missing."

That word hit different.

"...What?"

"She didn’t leave town, Lucas. No one saw her pass through the gates. No guild report. No trails. Nothing."

"She’s been missing... for the past nine days." Her voice cracked. "I–I have to find her before..."

She didn’t finish the sentence.

"Before what?" I asked flatly, watching Sophia’s lips tremble.

She looked away. "...I can’t tell you that."

Oh, for f—

I took a step forward, irritation pulsing behind my eyes. "Now that’s annoying."

She flinched.

I could see it—something off. Her green eyes... there was fear in them. But it wasn’t fear of me.

It was like she was afraid of something else entirely.Something darker.

I stopped. Let her go.I don’t know why.

She turned around and walked off down the street, and I didn’t follow her.Didn’t say anything.

But my gut twisted like someone tied a cursed knot in it.

"...Now where did she go?" I muttered under my breath. "If she’s been missing for nine days... that’s not just missing. That’s suspicious."

「 Initiating Analysis Protocol. Give me a moment, genius. 」

I sighed and walked forward, letting the broken cobblestones crunch under my boots. The sky above Rinascita was cloudy—just like everything lately. My mind drifted to my stats, my mana control, the cursed energy I couldn’t replicate, and the singularity I shouldn’t have survived.

It didn’t matter right now.

As I passed the old merchant stalls and the repair teams fixing up damaged towers, I saw it.

Avelric’s mansion. Still mostly standing, but clearly took a beating during the grotesque war.Big place. Fancy pillars. Overcompensating much?

He might know something. That guy had his hand in every shady deal this side of Celestine.

「 Analysis Complete. 」

Finally.

「 Probability of standard disappearance: 72%. Probability of emotional breakdown leading to self-isolation: 25%. Probability of abduction: 3%. 」

"...Only three?" I asked, raising a brow.

「 But given the subject’s behavioral shift post-battle—especially her extreme emotional responses, combat obsession, and the fact that no one saw her exit Rinascita—there is circumstantial evidence supporting forced detainment. Or worse. 」

"...That’s oddly too specific."

「 I analyze things. That’s my entire purpose, sorcerer. Try keeping up. 」

I exhaled. Yeah, alright. If Celia really was feeling that kind of loss, it made sense.Maybe she’d lost someone. Maybe... her reason to keep fighting.

Hell, I almost died. Maybe she thought I did.

Either way—I had a lead. And right now, that was better than nothing.

I finally reached the mansion gates.

Two bulky guards stood out front, dressed in dark maroon vests that made them look like they were about to offer me some discount wine.

One of them stepped up, frowning.

"Who are you?" he asked, voice rough and clearly irritated.

"Lucas Reinhardt," I said simply. "I need to speak to Avelric."

The guy looked me up and down, then scoffed.

"Avelric isn’t accepting visits from commoners."

...Excuse me?

Did this idiot just call me a commoner?

"You might not know me, but—"

"Get lost. He’s busy right now."

He stepped forward like I was just a fly to swat.

This dude.

「 Permission to ruin his day? 」

"Granted."

The guard’s shirt suddenly ignited in bright green fire—just a puff, enough to make him scream. And before he could yell, a torrent of water dumped from above like a divine bucket from the heavens, soaking him entirely and knocking him to the ground.

He blinked, gasping, drenched.

I stepped over him.

"I don’t need permission to visit people."

And just like that, I walked straight into Avelric’s mansion.

Finally reaching the second floor, I found myself standing at the edge of a conversation that made my skin crawl.

A familiar face stood by the window, hands behind his back, posture relaxed but commanding.

Levi.

The Levi.

I’d heard the rumors. The Sword Saint who faced the Swarm Tyrant head-on—and won. He wasn’t just strong. He was the kind of strong that made monsters pray.

And across from him, seated in a high-backed chair near a stack of books and wine no one had touched, was Avelric. The noble. Rich. Elegant. Probably had custom forks for every kind of soup.

"Ah, Lucas Reinhardt," Avelric greeted, his voice smooth and practiced. "I didn’t expect your presence here today."

I gave a casual smile, feigning ease. "Just passing through. Thought I’d drop by."

Avelric nodded, ever polite, and gestured toward the velvet-lined seat near Levi. I took it.

Levi didn’t even glance at me. He was locked in.

Avelric sipped from an untouched glass and exhaled gently. Then looked directly at Levi.

"I’m sorry, Levi," he said, calm but absolute. "But I can’t help you with that."

Levi’s eyes narrowed, voice flat but edged. "I need to know. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important."

Silence for a second.

"I have to find her."

Her?

I tilted my head, silent. Levi was too intense for small talk. And something about the way he said it...

Avelric’s smile thinned. "It’s out of my authority now."

That sounded like a very official way of saying: I know something, but you’re not getting it.

I leaned in. "Who’re we talking about?"

Levi finally turned toward me. His blue eyes didn’t blink.

"Her name is Celia."

...

Ah. So even he knew her, huh?

Avelric adjusted his sleeve. "I’m afraid I don’t know anything about her."

Uh-huh.

「 Blatant lies detected. His tone doesn’t match his pulse rate. That man’s heart just tap-danced like it owes money. 」

Huh?

I looked at Avelric again. Closer.

He was good at hiding it—every noble is—but I could see the tight grip on the wineglass, the subtle tension in his jaw.

Yeah... you know something, don’t you?

Levi didn’t press him, just sank into thought. His lips moved, but no words came out.

I tilted my head again. "So how do you even know her?"

Levi finally spoke. "She was friends with an old friend of mine." His tone softened. "I promised him I’d protect her. Until he returned..."

He stopped. Just like that.

"But that doesn’t matter," Levi added. "She’s my friend now."

「 Heartbeat rising again. Avelric’s nervous. He knows more than he’s saying. 」

I stared at him.

His posture didn’t break. His expression stayed calm.

But he was too composed. Too carefully composed.

"Funny," I said aloud, almost offhandedly. "You’re awfully nervous for someone who claims he doesn’t know a thing."

Avelric blinked—slow. "Excuse me?"

"I’m not accusing you," I said, smiling faintly. "But you seem tense. You always tense when people bring up missing girls, or just when it’s this one?"

Levi didn’t say a word, but I felt the shift in his aura. He was listening now. Hard.

The game had changed.

I looked at Avelric, and something inside me clicked.

He knew.

He’d done something.

And I wasn’t leaving without answers.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, the heat in my blood rising. I didn’t smile this time.

"She was one of the reasons this town even still exists, Avelric."

My voice dropped to a cold, cutting murmur."And I’m the one that killed the Swarm Tyrant."

The room froze. No dramatics. No boasting. Just the truth.

"Tell me the truth." I demanded.

So now, I wanted answers.

And I wasn’t asking twice.

Avelric went quiet. His throat twitched like he was about to speak, but he didn’t.

Then Levi muttered beside me, almost too quiet to catch."You’re lucky he isn’t here."

He?There it was again. That mysterious "he" tied to Celia. Who the hell was he?

Before I could ask, Avelric finally spoke. "I may know something," he said slowly, "but I cannot help you."

I locked eyes with him."I didn’t ask if you could. I told you to speak."

He looked at me—really looked at me—and saw that I wasn’t bluffing.

A breath. Then:

"The girl is infested with curses. She’s a danger to my town and people. A potential threat to everyone here."

Levi’s tone snapped like a whip."Nonsense. She’s the reason people here are even alive."

Avelric shook his head calmly. "Yet they fear her. You saw her power. If she loses control, even for a moment, can you guarantee she won’t slaughter innocents?"

My mood dropped to the floor.This bastard... this ungrateful rat.

"She risked her life to protect your town," I said slowly, each word coated in venom, "and you abandoned her."

"I never asked her to help," Avelric replied flatly.

Levi moved before I could.

He grabbed Avelric by the collar and slammed him against the back of the chair.His voice was trembling—not from fear, but fury.

"Where is she?"

Avelric’s composure cracked. Just a little."She’s been captured."

Silence.

"There’s going to be a trial. In two days," he added.

"By who?" Levi asked, voice hollow and low.

"...The Knights of the Realm. From Asura."

My fists clenched, and Levi’s grip tightened.

System notification popped up instantly:「 WARNING. Based on trajectory and context, Celia life is in critical danger. Unable to determine current health condition. Suggest immediate action. 」

This was worse than I thought.

"Why?" I asked, keeping my voice dead calm.

"Why would they want her?"

Levi looked shaken. He was putting it together.

"...The Knights of Asura," I said coldly. "They hate curse bearers. Despise them. Hunt them down."

I looked up, the words forming slowly on my tongue.

"She’s the Queen of Curses, their main target."

Levi’s eyes widened in horror.

Avelric adjusted his collar as Levi slowly let go, his voice weaker now.

"I didn’t want this," Avelric muttered. "Adonis ordered her capture. Said she was a threat to Rinascita. Forcefully he imprisoned he before someone else died."

"Bullshit," Levi spat.

"I didn’t have a choice," Avelric snapped back. "You don’t know what Adonis is like. Refusing him means making Rinascita an enemy of Asura itself. I’d have to put my title, my city—all of it—on the line."

"You mean," I said, voice sharp and disgusted,

"You’d have to actually do something for once that didn’t benefit you."

He looked at me, stunned.

"Ungrateful bastard," I muttered, standing up.

Avelric’s lip twitched. "You don’t understand. Adonis is—"

"Too powerful?" I cut him off. "Too dangerous? Too high-ranking?"

I walked forward, step by step, until I was face to face with him.

"Yeah, we get it. You’re scared."

Levi spoke, softer now, like he was finally processing it all. "Why do they want her... really?"

Avelric’s voice dropped to a whisper. "Because she’s not just a curse bearer."

"Apparently the Empress herself wants her out of the picture. That’s what Adonis told me. It wasn’t his wish, it was the wish of Asura itself."

I froze.

「 Confirmed: If Celia undergoes standard trial under Asura law... chance of execution: 100%. 」

Levi stepped back, eyes narrowing, as I clenched my jaw.

They were going to kill her.

Because she was too strong.

I exhaled once, quietly. Then looked at Levi.

"We’re getting her back."

He nodded silently.

I looked down at Avelric one last time.

"I’m not asking for permission."

Avelric sighed behind us, "You can’t visit her. Even I don’t know where she’s being kept."

My fingers curled slightly. Levi’s jaw clenched.

"The Knights of the Realm took her directly," Avelric continued. "Everything’s classified under Adonis’s command. She’ll be transported to the outskirts, where the trial will be held."

"How many knights?" Levi asked, his voice low, dangerous.

"Fifteen or more," Avelric answered. "All from Asura. That includes Adonis... and his personal order."

"Tch." Levi looked away. "So we just wait, huh?"

He turned and walked toward the door. "Fine."

I followed him. Gave Avelric one last glance.

It wasn’t angry. Just... disappointing.

You failed to be a human.

As we stepped out into the sunlit corridor, I exhaled slowly. My hands were in my pockets, but my mind was spiraling.

She was really gone. Somewhere underground. Isolated. No sunlight. Probably chained like some wild dog.

Damn it.

「 Hey, Lucas. 」

"What."

「 Why do you even care about her? 」

I blinked.

"...I don’t know," I muttered.

I tried to piece the thoughts together, but it wasn’t clean logic.

"She fought beside me," I said.

My mind drifted—back to the way her thorns moved in sync with my light. The way she read my motion and adjusted hers.

"We matched." I shrugged slightly. "I’ve never had someone who could fight like that. Someone who just... flow with me."

I looked down at my hands.

"She didn’t treat me like some superior. And I’m not the kind of guy who lets people get hurt just because it’s not my ’problem’ anymore."

「 ...You’ve changed. 」

"Yeah. Guess I have."

「 Hm. 」

"...What?" I narrowed my eyes. "You got all quiet for a sec. What’s with that dramatic silence?"

The system paused.

Then, for once, its voice dropped in tone.

Just cold.

「 This scenario... It feels familiar. 」

"...Familiar?"

I stopped walking.

The breeze drifted by, light and lazy, like it didn’t know there was tension trying to strangle my spine.

I asked, quieter this time. "What’s relatable to this?"

「 Year Two. Asura Academy. 」

...

I went quiet.

Completely quiet.

My breath hitched. A strange weight spread through my ribs.

"...It’s nothing like that."

「 Maybe. 」

The system hesitated—then dropped a little needle into my chest.

「 She didn’t seem like the type who’d have people risking their life for her. Still Sophia and Levi caring for her wellbeing and this mysterious "Him". It gives me redflags.」

"Yeah," I whispered. "You’re probably right."

There was something up with this...

I lifted my gaze toward the sky—past the towers of Rinascita, past the hanging clouds, past the veil of excuses.

Somewhere out there, she was captured.

And I couldn’t ignore that.

"I’ll stand by what I believe is right," I muttered.

"Not what people tell me is."

The air around me changed. My footsteps slowed.

My aura responded.

Not a violent surge. Not a dramatic explosion.

Just a quiet... presence.

In the corner of my vision, I locked eyes with the skill that hadn’t stopped glowing since the battle.

[Fate]

I stared at it.

And I made my decision.

"I’ll decide what happens."

Navina — Sword Saint of Reflex

The roads that led out of Rinascita were muddy from the recent rains, the skies still overcast as if mourning all that had happened. Inside a sleek black carriage adorned with the crimson crest of her guild, Crimson Eclipse, Navina sat by the window—silent, brooding.

Her reflection stared back at her in the glass. Stern eyes. Pale lips. Her long jet-blond hair was tied in a tight braid, but strands had loosened during the journey. She didn’t bother fixing them.

She muttered under her breath.

"...I should’ve been there."

The swarm tyrant. The grotesques. The war that nearly shattered the eastern stronghold. She’d missed it all. Not by injury. Not by orders.

But because she’d been drugged.

Her hand clenched tightly into a fist over her lap, nails digging into the fabric of her gloves.

"That masked bastard..." she hissed softly. "Why did you save me?"

Her voice was quiet, not even a whisper—just a breath.

On the day of the battle, she’d prepared for war. She prepared to leave the cave, burned with the urgency to fight, to protect Rinascita... only to collapse hours before the tide rose.

Someone had slipped her something—something that made her sleep, made her miss it all. And she knew exactly who.

"I could’ve fought," she said bitterly, "I should’ve fought."

Instead, her guild had gone without her. People had died. She’d awoken too late, just in time to see Rinascita soaked in blood and victory. The masked man who’d saved her hadn’t left a trace.

"...Why me?" she muttered, staring at the stormy sky. "Why was I worth saving?"

A soft knock at the carriage door.

"Guild leader," one of her knights called respectfully, "we’re nearing the town. We’ll be back by dusk."

Navina nodded sharply. "Good. Fasten the pace. I want no delays."

"Yes, ma’am."

The guild member left, and Navina turned back to the window, the silver-grey clouds shifting slowly above.

Her thoughts drifted to the man again—her protector.

"Who are you?" she asked softly.

"What do you see in me?"

She didn’t have answers.

Only questions that ached in her chest.

Xander — Sword Saint of Technique

Meanwhile...

In another carriage several miles away, a man was lying sideways on a luxurious seat, arms behind his head, legs kicked up on a pile of crates he was using as a makeshift pillow.

"Don’t wake me unless the world’s ending again," Xander muttered groggily.

"Sir," his aide said with a hint of panic, "we’re arriving soon. Shouldn’t you prepare—your sister will—"

"I’m not scared of her," Xander said confidently with his eyes still shut.

Then, after a beat: "Okay, maybe a little."

He yawned like a lazy cat, one eye blinking open. His black robe was unbuttoned, exposing the faint tattoo of his guild crest over his collarbone. His sword lay beside him, untouched since the war ended.

"I’m gonna take a two-year vacation after this," he said. "Maybe three. I deserve it."

The aide laughed awkwardly. "You were incredible in the war though, Sir. Everyone’s been talking about it."

"I’d rather not be talked about," Xander mumbled. "Being famous is such a hassle..."

He waved his hand as if swatting away the compliment.

"I’m gonna sleep now. Again. If the carriage explodes or something, just tell me after it happens."

The aide nodded and left quietly, leaving Xander to sink deeper into the cushions.

As the road curved and the forests parted to reveal the winding path home, the lazy Sword Saint sighed to himself.

"This whole damn thing... it was a mess," he muttered, eyelids heavy. "But... we made it. Somehow."

He exhaled.

"...Still such a hassle."

Then he smiled faintly.

And fell asleep.

Sylvia – Rinascita, Central Hall

I stood in the central hall of Rinascita, the familiar scent of iron and smoke still lingering from days past. The aftermath of the war hung heavy in the air, like a fog that refused to lift.

Alina was with me—stoic as ever, her hair catching the light from the high glass ceiling. I admired her discipline, her loyalty. But right now, her resolve was a problem.

I told her leaving with the guild, returning to Sylvaris, was the most logical course of action. It was what we’d planned—what we needed. Our people needed rest, supplies, a proper recovery. Rinascita had become too volatile.

But she refused. Quietly, firmly.

"I still have something left to do," she said. There was desperation in her voice, though her face didn’t show it.

"And why can’t I leave?" I asked, folding my arms.

"It’s very important I stay."

I exhaled. "Alina—"

"I have to stay. I haven’t fulfilled my purpose."

I stared at her. What was she talking about? The battle was over, the threat was gone. Too many things were already on my mind.

Still, I stayed calm. "Your purpose?"

"Do you remember the letter I received back in Sylvaris?" she asked.

"The one you refused to share with me? Of course."

She nodded. "It told me something very specific. That if I followed its instructions... my master would return to me."

"Your master," I repeated, my tone softening. "The one who taught you everything?"

She nodded again. Her expression didn’t change, but her voice carried more emotion than I’d heard from her in years. "That’s why I have to stay."

I didn’t speak right away. I thought back to the encounter with that so-called man—Aldric. Everything about him had felt wrong. His movements were precise, too perfect. His eyes were vacant, dead. A fake body... a puppet.

I’d seen that trick before. At the academy. Used by him.

No. I wouldn’t be fooled again like I was during the island trial.

Not this time.

I turned back to Alina. "What exactly did your master ask you to do?"

She was silent for a moment.

Then she said it.

"To protect a girl called Celia."

Everything clicked.

Celia.

The girl at the center of every tangled string.

Sophia. Lucas. Arius. Levi.

All connected to her.

Even Sophia told me she was his dear friend.

I clenched my jaw. "No... it can’t be..."

I looked at Alina. "You’ll have to leave this town with the guild."

Her icy gaze met mine. She didn’t budge.

I didn’t look away. "Alina. I know your master. I know him better than most. And I swear to you—I’ll do everything I can to help you meet him again."

She frowned slightly. "How is that possible?"

"Because he’s already involved in this. Deeply. And I’m beginning to think he’s watching every move we make."

Her eyes narrowed. "He... might not want to see me again."

I stepped forward, voice calm but clear. "Then let me be the one to bring him to you. If you stay here and something happens to you, we lose everything. But if you return... you give me the freedom to act in your place."

She didn’t speak. Her eyes shimmered faintly.

"I’ll find her," I promised. "I’ll protect her. For you. But the guild needs a leader—and I need to move alone for now."

There was a long pause.

Then, finally, she lowered her gaze. Her voice was quiet.

"Alright..."

She looked back up at me.

"...But you have to promise me, Sylvia. If he’s truly back... if you see him before I do..."

"I’ll tell him," I said gently. "I’ll tell him you never stopped waiting."

A faint tremor passed through her—almost invisible, but I saw it.

She nodded once.

As the door shut behind Alina, the quiet click echoed louder than it should have. The moment she left, the silence fell over me like a collapsing sky.

I dropped into my chair.

My hand hit the edge of the desk, sweeping a few trinkets onto the floor—a pen, a file, a polished stone Arius gave me years ago. I didn’t even look at them.

My mind was unraveling.

That man... he—he didn’t fail his disguise that day in Sylvaris. He let me catch him. Purposefully. He wanted me to know. He used my pride, my personal attachment, to manipulate me into helping Levinton. And I thought I saw through him.

How could I be so blind?

That event sparked everything. The grotesques changing targets, ignoring the guild strongholds and heading straight for Rinascita—it’s impossible. Unless it was coordinated. Controlled.

I was never ahead of him.

He used us like pieces. Again.

"God damn it—!" I slammed the table so hard the wooden edge cracked under my palm. The throb in my temple flared again. I clutched my head, nails digging into my scalp.

The letter Alina received. It wasn’t some mystical coincidence. It was a fake. A forged command disguised just well enough to fool her. But it wasn’t meant to fool me—it was meant to guide her. Protect her. Keep her in place.

It was all him.

"Why?" I whispered. "Why the hell are you doing this again?"

Then it hit me.

Wait... wait a damn second.

The night when Celia and Lucas vanished after the first attack by grotesques—nobody knew where they went. We assumed they’d slipped away. Disappeared.

But the sky... that night... I remember it. The clouds were blood-colored, and there were bursts of light like fireworks. At the time, we were too overwhelmed to question it. But now—

No.

No, no—that was the swarm tyrant.

It took them.

And he—he made his move to save her.

Because it was always about her. Everything. The grotesques. The dolls. The towns. The guild leaders. The missions. Us.

He’s been orchestrating this—controlling every lever behind the curtain. Using fake bodies, false threats, and twisted truths to pull all the strings.

And I thought we were the ones leading.

I grabbed my head again as the pressure swelled. My vision blurred, my thoughts screaming.

He’s been playing this game from the shadows. Not to dominate.

But to protect her.

And now...

Now she’s missing.

Sophia said she was taken. The Knights of the Realm. The most righteous, unyielding force of Asura itself. The ones who would never allow someone like Celia—a curse-bearer, the Queen of Curses—to live.

If that’s true—

Then it’s over.

I couldn’t stop the panic rising in my chest. My heartbeat felt like thunder inside my ears. I slammed my hand against my head again, trying to push the thoughts out. Trying to breathe.

We were used.

All of us.

But this time... someone made enemies with him.

They touched her.

It’s over. For the Knights.

From the very beginning, he wanted to win. He wanted to crush that monster completely. To use every one of us like a weapon, a shield, or a puppet if needed. All for that final moment.

All for her.

And now that she’s at risk... now that her life is on the line—

The game is done.

And he... is coming.

Zain – Their Way Back To Levinton

The night was quiet.

A little too quiet, to be honest.

The only sound was the soft creaking of wagon wheels against the dirt road and the faint chirping of insects hiding in the nearby thickets. Moonlight poured across the open path ahead, dusted with patches of forest shadow. Several wagons and two carriages trailed behind me, loaded with the remaining guild members, resting or recovering. I sat at the front of the second wagon, reins in one hand, sword strapped across my back.

I let out a long, tired sigh. "It’s finally over..."

It was a war none of us were prepared for. Rinascita was nearly destroyed. Grotesques roamed freely. Too many townsfolk died... but somehow—somehow—we made it out alive. I glanced back at the silhouettes of my comrades lying against the wooden sides of the wagons.

"They earned this rest," I muttered.

Beside me sat Fin, chewing at his roasted meat like it was his last meal on earth.

"Seriously, Fin?" I raised a brow. "Digging into your dinner at 2 a.m.?"

His eyes lit up mid-bite. "Man, I’m starving. We won, didn’t we? Ain’t no time limit on victory meals."

I chuckled faintly. "Yeah, we won..."

But even as I said it, my eyes turned toward the dark road ahead.

Something didn’t sit right with me.

"...Do you think Levi really needed to stay in Rinascita?" I asked, almost more to myself than to Fin. "He said he’d come back with Celia..."

Fin chewed slower, glancing at me with mild curiosity. "She’s still missing, huh?"

"Yeah. Disappeared right after the battle. No one saw her leave. Honestly... I used to get a weird feeling around her. Something about her presence. But after everything she did..." I sighed. "Can’t help but respect her now."

Fin wiped his mouth with the edge of his cloak. "Respect? Well she did take that thing done with Lucas. So I understand why you respect her."

I smirked, then stopped.

Fin tensed suddenly. "Zain. Monster ahead."

I narrowed my eyes, standing up as the cart slowed.

It was hunched near the center of the path—tall, wiry, covered in deep green fur that clung to its ribs like moss. Its arms were grotesquely long, and its mouth dripped a dark liquid I didn’t care to identify.

A D-Ranked class: Grove Crawler.

Ugly, but nothing special.

I stepped down from the wagon quietly, drawing my blade as I channeled mana to my hands.

"Freeze."

A layer of frost crept along the dirt, up the monster’s legs, across its chest, and then locked it in place mid-snarl. I dashed forward, sword in hand, and slashed its head clean off with one decisive cut.

The thud of the corpse hitting the ground was the only sound.

Fin gave a low whistle. "Told you, traveling at night’s risky."

"Yeah." I walked back to the wagon, glancing at the trees lining the road. "But it’s the fastest way home. And we’ve got wounded—we can’t afford to drag this out."

My eyes drifted once more to the back.

Six wagons. Two carriages. All full of tired but surviving guild members. Some slept. Some whispered softly among themselves. I felt a deep, quiet pride swell in my chest.

They made it.

Then—

"Zain!" Fin called again.

I turned sharply.

He wasn’t looking at the monster anymore. His eyes were narrowed on the forest shadows.

"There’s someone... approaching."

A figure moved from the dark, slow and steady... too steady.

I instinctively reached for my blade again.

"...Who the hell would be out here at this hour?"

"Who’s there?" I asked, voice firm as I stepped forward slightly, hand resting over my sword’s hilt.

No response.

The figure kept walking—slow, deliberate steps. No tension. No hesitation.

I narrowed my eyes as moonlight slipped between clouds. His entire body was covered in a long black overcoat, a dark hood over his head, shadowing everything beneath it. I couldn’t see his face—only the cold silence in his footsteps.

Fin, sitting beside the wagon, stood up. "Oi—hey, buddy, I asked you a question."

The man didn’t even pause.

Just walked right past him, straight toward the road ahead, the one we came from. The one leading toward—

"Rinascita," he muttered, the first words from his mouth. Cold. Emotionless.

Fin stepped in front of him. "You serious? The town’s a day behind us. By foot, you’re taking two. You planning to get eaten on the way, or...?"

The man didn’t stop.

He simply muttered, "Don’t get in my way."

He brushed Fin’s shoulder lightly as he stepped past.

That’s when something snapped in me.

Who the hell did this guy think he was?

I moved forward and grabbed him by the shoulder. "Hey—no one disrespects my member and walks away."

It happened instantly.

No warning.

My heartbeat dropped. Not slowed—dropped. Like my blood forgot how to flow.

My vision distorted.

Time... slowed.

The moonlight dimmed. The world bled into grayscale. My breath caught in my throat. My limbs went cold.

Suddenly—I saw it.

Blood.

A vision—my arms, cleanly sliced, falling in slow motion, crimson painting the dirt like ink on parchment. I wasn’t seeing it.

I was feeling it.

A memory?

No—worse.

A Future.

A voice echoed through my mind. Calm. Measured. But colder than anything I’d ever heard in my life.

"The next time you put your hands on me... you won’t have hands left to regret it."

I stumbled back two steps, hand trembling.

My body was screaming. Run. Anything—just don’t engage.

What... was that?

"Zain?" Fin called out. "You okay, man?"

I didn’t answer.

My chest was rising and falling like I’d just run ten miles. I couldn’t breathe right.

Then I noticed it—

The man’s fingers had brushed slightly toward the daggers hanging at his waist.

He never drew them. He didn’t need to.

My instincts had already shown me the outcome.

I would’ve died right there.

That was no illusion. That was a killing intent so refined, so overwhelming—it forced my brain to simulate death just to understand it.

My gaze snapped to him.

And then...

He looked back at me.

And I froze.

Those eyes—icy, sharp, blue like a winter storm—but filled with something else entirely.

Hatred? No.

Murder.

There was no soul behind those eyes. Only death.

Fin backed up too, now visibly disturbed. "Zain... what the hell is with this guy’s eyes...?"

I knew them.

God, I knew them.

That day in Levinton... when first saw Celia and I tried to drag her to the guild for questioning... he stood between us. Just an E-rank adventurer back then.

And yet... when I looked at him, I couldn’t move.

Those were the same eyes.

"...You’re alive?" I muttered under my breath.

He didn’t answer.

He turned his head forward again, back to the road leading to Rinascita.

Where she disappeared on.

And then—he kept walking.

His shadow growing longer under the moonlight, merging with the dark trees and the dirt road, until there was nothing left of him but a silent memory of fear.

The pressure in the air lifted.

I inhaled sharply, the chill finally fading from my arms.

Fin looked at me. "You looked like you saw death."

"...I did," I whispered.

That wasn’t normal. That wasn’t just a powerful adventurer or some illusion magic.

That was something else.

What I felt when I touched him... wasn’t just mana.

It was pure, condensed murderous intent.

And it wasn’t aimed at me.

He was walking toward Rinascita.

Toward her.

And he wasn’t going to stop.

"...This is bad," I muttered.

Fin looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I don’t know who that man is anymore... but if anyone stands in his way—"I paused, remembering the vision. The clean-cut murderous gaze.

"They won’t be standing for long."

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