Khamas smiled warmly.
"Sogen, why not stay the night? Thanks to you, we won today's duel. At least allow us to show our gratitude."
Sogen was about to refuse out of habit.
Then the system's mission flashed through his mind.
Unite the Letinca and Felix Mercenary Groups.
After a brief silence, he nodded.
"...Very well."
A delighted smile spread across Khamas' face.
He immediately instructed several servants to prepare the finest guest room available.
Late into the night...
Just as Sogen was preparing to rest, a knock echoed through the room.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in."
The door slowly opened.
Gale peeked inside before scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"Oh... so you're still awake."
Sogen glanced at him.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?"
Gale chuckled.
"Everyone else is."
"They drank themselves unconscious after the celebration."
He hesitated for several seconds before finally gathering his courage.
"...Will you spar with me?"
Sogen raised an eyebrow.
The difference between them was simply too large.
Even without intending to, he could end the match with a single strike.
Seeing Sogen's expression, Gale hurriedly waved both hands.
"N-No! I don't mean using Qi."
"Just swordsmanship."
"I've heard your sword skills are incredible."
"If I'm lucky... maybe I'll gain some enlightenment."
After a moment's thought, Sogen nodded.
Making allies was always better than creating unnecessary enemies.
Besides...
Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to learn more about Felix and Letinca.
"Lead the way."
The training hall remained illuminated by several spirit lamps.
Steel clashed against steel.
Again.
Again.
Again.
No matter how Gale attacked...
His blade never managed to touch Sogen.
Every strike was calmly redirected.
Every opening was punished.
Minutes later—
Bang!
Gale landed on his back, breathing heavily.
Instead of frustration...
He burst into laughter.
"Hahaha..."
"I knew you were strong..."
"But I never imagined I couldn't land even a single hit."
Sogen sheathed his sword before extending his hand.
Gale accepted it with a grin.
"Thanks."
As they walked back beneath the moonlit sky, Gale couldn't stop talking.
"You really shocked everyone today."
"Not only did you defeat Letinca's strongest fighters..."
"You even forced that Golden Hawk Sect disciple to retreat."
Sogen merely smiled.
After a long silence, he suddenly asked,
"...Why do Felix and Letinca hate each other so much?"
Gale's footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
The smile on his face slowly disappeared.
Silence lingered between them.
Gale's expression shifted several times, as though he were fighting an invisible battle within himself.
There were stories that time failed to erase.
Stories that hurt every time they were spoken.
He hesitated.
Not because he distrusted Sogen...
But because reopening an old wound meant bleeding all over again.
After what felt like an eternity, Gale exhaled slowly.
Perhaps Sogen would learn the truth eventually.
Or perhaps...
He had simply carried this sorrow alone for far too long.
He lowered his head, and when he spoke again, the usual cheerfulness in his voice had completely vanished.
"It wasn't always like this. There was a time when Father and Uncle Rhaziel were closer than real brothers. "
"They entered the Iron Clad Mercenary Association together."
"The Ironclad Mercenary Association is a colossal alliance that stood above countless independent companies."
"From obscure local bands to renowned veteran legions, mercenary groups across the continent willingly entered binding contracts under the Association's banner. The Felix Mercenary Group and the Letinca Mercenary Group were merely two among its many affiliates."
"In exchange for their allegiance, the Association provided a constant stream of commissions, access to vast intelligence networks, legal protection in allied territories, and impartial arbitration whenever disputes arose between member groups. High-ranking affiliates were also granted priority access to lucrative missions, exclusive resources, and emergency reinforcements during large-scale operations."
Gale paused for a second and then continue with a sigh.
" So when they were still young, survived countless missions shoulder to shoulder, and shared victories, wine, and near-death experiences alike. In the eyes of everyone around them, they weren't merely comrades—they were family."
A faint smile appeared on Gale's face as though those distant memories had briefly warmed his heart.
"I used to think nothing in this world could ever tear them apart."
The smile lingered only for a heartbeat before quietly fading away.
"My father..."
"And Uncle Rhaziel..."
"Were brothers in everything except blood."
"But then..."
"Everything changed."
He lowered his head.
"It happened during a hunting commission."
"The Association assembled everyone, as they got a big hunting commission."
"I still remember that day ."
The image from some years ago resurfaced in Gale's mind as vividly as if it had happened yesterday
"Siana insisted on following Father."
"He refused."
"But she clung to him until he finally gave in."
"Aunt Sylvera laughed and promised she'd watch over her."
"...That was the last peaceful moment they ever had."
Gale's fists slowly tightened.
"Before setting out, the Association split its members into different squads. Uncle Rhaziel and Father were assigned to separate groups. Although Aunt Sylvera could have accompanied Uncle Rhaziel, she chose to stay with Father instead, unwilling to leave little Siana behind."
" I was in the association's tent at that time."
"The commision took two days. At the evening of second day."
"When Dad returned..."
"... I saw him."
"I thought Dad had returned victorious."
"I even ran toward him..."
"But the closer I got..."
"...the slower my footsteps became."
At first, I only saw blood. It soaked Father's robes.
Then I saw Siana.
She was unconscious, her tiny body hanging limply over Father's back.
"My heart skipped a beat."
"And then..."
"I saw Aunt."
"Dad held Aunt Sylvera in his arms."
"She was in Dad's arms."
"Her face was pale."
"So pale..."
"...that I thought she had already died."
"I wanted to run to her."
"I wanted to call her."
"But..."
"...I couldn't move."
"My legs refused to listen."
"Behind Dad..."
"...the other mercenaries carried the corpses."
"The smell of blood..."
"...filled the entire street."
"There were bodies without heads."
"Bodies missing their limbs."
"Some..."
"...had been torn apart so completely..."
"...that even their own families failed to recognize them."
"Everyone else..."
"...was dead."
"The bodies..."
"They were almost unrecognizable."
"Some had lost their heads."
"Others were missing limbs."
"I was only a child."
"I didn't understand death."
"But that day..."
"I finally understood."
"The people who had smiled at me two days earlier..."
"...were never coming home again."
"At that time Siana and Dad were safe."
"When physicians checked Aunt's condition they called it a vegetative state."
The hallway became completely silent.
"What happened?"
Sogen asked quietly.
"My father always gave the same answer."
'A monster attacked us.'
"Everytime someone asked him, about the incident. He would always say that a monster attacked them. He never told anything else, neither he changed his story."
"Not once."
"The Association searched the entire area."
"They couldn't find any trace of such a beast."
"They even invited someone with a talent capable of detecting lies."
"He said dad was telling truth."
"But .."
"What made everything worse."
"Without evidence..."
"No one knew who to believe."
"Uncle Rhaziel lost his wife."
"He couldn't accept it."
"In his grief..."
"He began saying Father had abandoned everyone."
He said that,
"Father chose to save his own blood... over everyone else's lives." At that time even he himself could feel Uncle's voice quivered, burdened by despair, grief, and barely restrained fury."
But after that he raised his bloodshot eyes and stared into the distance.
"Otherwise... tell me this." His voice dropped to a bitter whisper. "Why were he and his daughter the only ones who survived?"
"He left my wife to die."
At those words, Dad's expression stiffened. A profound sadness slowly spread across his face, and for a fleeting moment, the weight of the sin was reflected in his eyes.