Kondo lay on a hospital bed inside a quiet room, his body completely wrapped in bandages. He wore a loose green hospital gown, while warm rays of sunlight streamed through the window, gently falling across his face.
His eyelids twitched.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
His eyes opened.
For a moment, he simply stared at the white ceiling above him.
Then, without saying a word, he turned his gaze toward the window. Pushing himself upright, he leaned against the headboard and sat in silence.
Outside, the morning sun shone brightly.
Yet there wasn't a trace of light in his eyes.
They were dull...
Heavy...
Almost as if he had wished they had never opened again.
Kondo slowly looked down at his trembling hand.
"So... I failed."
The words escaped his lips in a hollow whisper.
Just then—
Click.
The door opened.
A nurse walked into the room while muttering to herself.
"Why do I have to be the one checking on that child? Who knows how much destruction he caused yesterday..."
She looked up.
Their eyes met.
Kondo gave her an awkward smile and lifted his hand with a small wave.
"H-Hello..."
The nurse froze.
"..."
"..."
Seeing Kondo casually sitting up in bed, her face instantly turned pale.
"DOCTOR!! DOCTOR!!"
She screamed at the top of her lungs before turning around and sprinting out of the room.
Watching her flee in terror, Kondo hurriedly shouted after her,
"Wait! I don't look that scary!"
A few minutes passed.
Kondo suddenly heard the sound of many hurried footsteps approaching his room.
Bang!
The door swung open.
Kondo widened his eyes.
Standing at the entrance...
...was his mother.
"Mom..."
Lawine's head, hands, and legs were still wrapped in fresh bandages.
The moment Kondo saw her, a genuine smile finally appeared on his face.
Without hesitation, he stretched both arms toward her.
Lawine didn't hold back for even a second.
"Kondo!"
She rushed forward and tightly embraced him.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face against his shoulder.
Kondo, however, didn't cry.
He simply hugged her back as tightly as he could.
One by one, everyone else entered the room.
Kim.
Shin.
Hina.
Gemi.
Vain.
Shila.
Dr. Albert.
Even the same nurse who had run away moments ago now peeked nervously from behind him.
Everyone silently watched the emotional reunion.
Lawine refused to let go.
It was as if the moment she released him...
...he might disappear again.
Finally, Dr. Albert cleared his throat.
"Ahem."
"If the touching mother-and-son reunion is over..."
"...may I examine my patient now?"
Lawine wiped away her tears and reluctantly released Kondo.
Albert stepped forward.
Green magical light gathered in his palm as he began examining Kondo's body.
Seconds later—
His eyes widened.
"Impossible..."
Everyone immediately looked at him.
Lawine's expression turned anxious.
"What happened, Albert? Is something wrong?"
Albert didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he continued staring at Kondo in disbelief.
"...This is very strange."
He looked at Kondo.
"Kondo."
"Raise both of your hands for me."
"Okay."
Kondo lifted both hands in front of him.
Albert carefully held them, checking every movement while silently examining his body.
How...?
How is he moving this naturally?
Last night, when he was brought here, none of the palace physicians could determine what condition he was in.
Even my healing magic had absolutely no effect.
His body felt... like water.
It was as though there wasn't a single bone left inside him.
But now...
Everything feels completely normal.
How is that possible?
Every bone in his body had been shattered...
Then how can he move so effortlessly?
Albert remained lost in thought.
Kondo tilted his head.
"Uncle Albert..."
"Is everything alright?"
Albert snapped back to reality before smiling warmly.
"Yes."
"Everything's perfectly fine."
"Don't worry."
"You're much stronger than you think."
He stood up before turning toward Lawine.
"There's nothing to worry about."
"Kondo is completely healthy now."
"I'll go inform Sam of the good news."
Hearing those words, everyone's faces brightened with relief.
Albert and the frightened nurse left the room.
The moment they were gone...
Every woman in the room began talking at the exact same time.
"Kondo!"
"You scared us!"
"You should rest!"
"You can't move too much!"
Their voices completely overlapped.
Kondo blinked several times before covering his ears.
"Everyone!"
"Please calm down!"
The room instantly fell silent.
He sighed in relief.
"One at a time."
"Otherwise, I won't understand anything."
Lawine gently cupped Kondo's cheek.
"Yesterday was your birthday..."
"So many terrible things happened..."
"You couldn't even enjoy it..."
"We couldn't even celebrate your birthday properly."
Kondo gently placed his hand over hers.
"That's not true, Mom."
"I'm already happy..."
"As long as all of you are safe."
A soft smile appeared on his face.
Lawine smiled through her tears.
Suddenly—
"Tch."
"You're really an idiot."
Everyone turned toward Shin.
"You can try acting all mature..."
"...but at the end of the day..."
"...you're still just a kid. just act like kid"
She proudly crossed her arms.
"So I'll become the angel who guides you onto the right path."
Kondo couldn't help laughing.
"Then I guess..."
"I'm the devil who stays beside the angel."
Before Shin could proudly respond—
Pinch!
"Owwww!!"
Vain grabbed Shin's ear.
"You can't talk to Young Master like that."
"Ouch! Sis!"
"That hurts!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Shin rubbed her aching ear before smiling brightly.
"Whatever happens..."
"We're standing here alive today because of you."
"So..."
"Thank you, Kondo."
Kondo smiled back.
"...I didn't do anything there, Shin."
Kim nodded in agreement.
"Shin's right."
"So something like this never happens again..."
"...I'm going to train too."
"I'll become stronger."
The moment Shin heard that, she excitedly raised her hand.
"Yeah!"
"Me too!"
"I'll train as well!"
Kondo smiled faintly before turning toward Lawine.
"By the way, Mom..."
"I don't remember anything that happened back there."
"Can you tell me... how we survived?"
"I honestly can't remember a single thing."
The smile vanished from Lawine's face.
Her expression froze.
That horrifying face Kondo had worn the previous night flashed through her mind once again.
Slowly...
She lowered her gaze.
She remained silent.
Kondo looked at her in confusion before turning toward Kim and Shin.
Both girls quietly lowered their heads as well.
Neither of them wanted to speak.
Finally, Kondo looked toward the maids.
Hina respectfully bowed.
"My apologies, Young Master."
"None of us were present at that time..."
"So we don't know what happened either."
Kondo remained silent for a few moments.
Then he looked back at Lawine.
Gently taking her hand into his own, he softly said,
"Mom..."
"I want to know."
"Please tell me what happened."
Lawine closed her eyes.
"...Alright."
She took a long, trembling breath.
Then...
She began telling him everything.
As the story unfolded...
Kondo's eyes widened in disbelief.
"W-What...?"
"I attacked Dad...?"
"And..."
"I almost killed you too...?"
His face instantly turned pale.
The light in his eyes disappeared once again.
Lawine immediately held his hand tightly.
"Kondo..."
"Don't blame yourself."
"You weren't conscious."
"I don't know what happened..."
"But at that moment..."
"You had completely changed."
Kondo clenched his fist until it trembled.
"But even so, Mom..."
"The people who taught me how to walk..."
"The people who taught me what love is..."
"I tried to kill them."
His voice shook with guilt.
Lawine's own eyes filled with tears.
"That's exactly why..."
"I didn't want to tell you."
Kondo lowered his head.
"But Mom—"
Before he could continue...
Lawine interrupted him.
"Listen carefully, Kondo."
"Everything you've done until now..."
"...was to protect all of us."
"I don't want you living your life drowning in regret."
"I want you to enjoy your life."
"I want you to smile..."
"...every single day."
She gently touched his cheek.
"Besides..."
"I don't like seeing your sad face."
Silence filled the room.
After a long pause...
A small smile finally appeared on Kondo's face.
"...Okay, Mom."
But deep inside...
His expression became ice cold.
He lowered his eyes toward his own chest.
"No matter what..."
"I will never let you come out again."
Click.
The door opened once more.
Sam entered the room together with Butler and Vold.
Sam still had bandages wrapped around his arm and chest.
The moment he stepped inside, he immediately shouted,
"Where is he?!"
"Has Kondo finally woken up?!"
The instant he spotted him—
"Kondo!"
"I've got amazing news!"
Kondo looked toward his father.
He was genuinely happy to see him alive...
Yet...
He lowered his eyes again.
Sam blinked.
"What happened?"
"Aren't you happy to see your father?"
Kondo quietly answered,
"That's not it..."
"I'm just..."
"...a terrible son."
"I attacked you."
Sam glanced toward Lawine.
She quietly looked away.
That alone told him everything.
So she told him.
Sam simply smiled.
Walking over, he gently placed his hand on Kondo's shoulder.
"Kondo..."
"Everyone makes mistakes."
"But if you spend your whole life trapped by them..."
"...how will you ever move forward?"
"If you learn from your mistakes..."
"And continue walking..."
"That's what makes someone a truly good person."
Kondo slowly looked up.
"But Dad..."
"I almost killed you."
Sam laughed softly.
"But..."
"I'm alive."
"And as you can see..."
"I'm perfectly fine."
He smiled warmly.
"What I want to see..."
"...is your smile."
"Not that gloomy face."
"So..."
"Smile for me."
After several quiet seconds...
Kondo finally smiled.
It was small...
But genuine.
He then looked toward Butler and Vold.
Butler respectfully bowed.
"Young Master..."
"Please don't worry about us."
"We're both perfectly fine."
Just then—
Sam suddenly slapped his forehead.
"Oh no!"
"I completely forgot!"
Everyone looked at him in surprise.
Kondo tilted his head.
"What did you forget, Dad?"
Sam hurriedly held out the newspaper he had been carrying.
"Your picture..."
"...is on the front page!"
"Huh?"
Kondo accepted the newspaper with a confused expression.
Sam stood proudly beside him with the biggest grin on his face.
As Kondo read the article...
His confusion only grew.
"...How?"
Lawine gently took the newspaper from him and began reading aloud.
> "LEVIATHAN SCHOOL ANNOUNCES THIS YEAR'S EXAM RESULTS!"
"This year's examination was considered the most difficult in Leviathan School's history, causing countless students to fail."
"However..."
"One student achieved the impossible."
"Kondo Riot scored a perfect 100 out of 100, earning the title of this year's Top Ranker."
Silence filled the room.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Then—
"YEAHHHH!!"
Shin jumped into the air.
"I told you!"
"I knew you could do it!"
The room instantly erupted into cheers.
"Congratulations!"
"Amazing!"
"You actually did it!"
Sam laughed proudly.
Lawine's eyes overflowed with tears of joy.
Even the maids couldn't stop smiling.
Watching everyone celebrate...
Kondo slowly looked down at himself.
Then he smiled.
"I don't want to save this world..."
"I only want to protect..."
"My own world."
He raised his head.
Looking at everyone's smiling faces...
He smiled together with them.
And for the first time since waking up...
The sadness in his eyes disappeared.
High above the hospital...
Two figures stood silently on the rooftop.
Both wore long white coats with white capes fluttering behind them in the wind.
One was a young girl, around Kondo's age.
The other was an adult man.
They stood facing the city, their backs turned toward the world below, hiding their identities.
The man calmly spoke.
"So... this is the one mentioned in our report."
The girl nodded.
"Leviathan School..."
"We'll have to keep an eye on him."
"But for now..."
"Let's leave."
At that moment, a nurse stepped onto the rooftop.
She glanced around in confusion.
"...Huh?"
"There isn't anyone here?"
She looked around once more before walking back downstairs.
Standing directly in front of her was the young girl in the white coat.
Yet...
The nurse passed straight through her as if she didn't exist.
The man turned away.
"Let's go."
"We still have to submit our report."
The next instant...
Both figures vanished without leaving behind a single trace.
Elsewhere...
Inside a room swallowed by darkness...
A man sat alone within the shadows.
Only the glowing tip of his cigarette illuminated the room.
On the table before him lay a newspaper.
Printed across its front page...
...was Kondo's photograph.
The man stared at it before speaking in a deep, heavy voice.
"So..."
"You failed your mission..."
"Dolt."
Without another word...
He pressed the burning cigarette onto Kondo's picture.
Slowly...
The newspaper began to burn.
Meanwhile...
A cheerful blonde girl dashed through a crowded hallway.
She had black eyes and wore a blue shirt over a white blouse, a blue mini-skirt, and long black socks.
She slammed open a door.
"Linda!"
"Our brother passed!"
"He's coming here to study!"
Inside the room...
A red-haired girl sat quietly in a chair with her back facing the entrance.
She calmly read a book without even turning around.
She wore a crimson shirt, a matching mini-skirt, and long black socks.
Without saying a word...
She snapped her fingers.
Fwoosh.
The newspaper in Maria's hands instantly caught fire.
Linda spoke coldly.
"I don't care..."
"...about him, Maria."
"E-Eh?!"
Maria hurriedly dropped the burning newspaper before extinguishing the flames with her magic.
After picking it back up, she pouted.
"What was that for?!"
"You burned his picture!"
"Maybe you don't care..."
"But I'm really excited to meet our brother!"
Linda lazily raised one hand, silently gesturing toward the door.
"Whatever."
"I don't care."
"And I don't even want to see his face."
Maria puffed out her cheeks.
"You're such a heartless demon!"
Bang!
She slammed the door shut and stormed out.
Linda quietly picked up the cup of green tea resting before her...
Took a single sip...
Then silently continued reading.
---
Far away...
Inside an elegant tea house built in the middle of a magnificent garden...
A luxurious table overflowed with expensive sweets and snacks.
A beautiful ten-year-old girl with long blonde hair and emerald-green eyes gently lifted a cup of green tea.
Taking a graceful sip...
She calmly placed it back onto the table.
Her eyes moved toward the newspaper resting beside it.
"...So..."
"He took my spot."
Sitting across from her was another child around the same age.
A blonde boy with brilliant golden eyes.
Princess Shakky looked at him.
"So..."
"What do you think?"
The boy politely lowered his head.
"My apologies, Princess Shakky."
"But..."
"I'd rather not discuss it."
Shakky smiled softly.
"You did take the entrance exam properly, didn't you, Lad?"
The boy looked at her for a moment before quietly turning away.
"We'll know this evening."
Shakky gently folded the newspaper before picking up her tea once more.
"You're right."
"We'll know tonight."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"...And to be honest..."
"I'm a little excited to meet him too."
Her eyes lingered on Kondo's picture.
Then...
She quietly sipped her tea.
**
Deep within a pitch-black chamber...
Seven enormous thrones surrounded a massive table.
Upon the central throne sat the leader of the Seven Witches.
She rhythmically tapped her fingers against the armrest.
Her eyes shifted toward the Dressed in black, with only blue diamond-like eyes visible girl standing beside her.
"So..."
"He survived."
The blue eyes girl nodded.
"Yes."
"He seems perfectly suitable..."
"...for the Seventh Position."
The Witch Leader leaned back in her throne.
"Do you truly believe..."
"...he can replace him?"
"And..."
"Will he actually accept our offer?"
The blue eyes girl answered without hesitation.
"If he refuses..."
"I'll go personally."
The Witch Leader laughed.
"Hahaha..."
"You're quite amusing."
"But for now..."
"Leave him alone."
"Instead..."
"Focus on finding Rin's killer."
"We need to capture them as soon as possible."
The blue eyes girl respectfully lowered her head.
"As you wish."
**
Evening arrived.
Shin and Vain sat patiently near the front door.
Waiting.
Suddenly—
A brilliant light appeared before them.
It disappeared just as quickly...
Leaving behind a floating envelope that gently drifted into Shin's hands.
Shin stared at it nervously.
A giant serpent seal was stamped across the envelope.
Vain smiled reassuringly.
"Shin."
"It'll be alright."
"Open it."
Shin nodded.
With trembling fingers...
She broke the seal.
A single letter slipped out.
She silently began reading.
As her eyes moved across the page...
Tears slowly welled up.
Vain gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's alright."
"Whatever happens..."
Shin suddenly looked up.
Her eyes sparkled with tears.
"Sister..."
"I passed."
"I got accepted."
"They're inviting me."
"I have to leave..."
"...in five days."
Vain quickly took the invitation and read it herself.
The next moment...
She tightly embraced Shin.
Tears rolled down her own cheeks.
"My little sister..."
"You really did it."
"Come."
"Let's tell Mom the good news."
Hand in hand...
The two sisters hurried inside.
**
Elsewhere...
On a vast sandy training ground...
Kim lay flat on the ground, drenched in sweat.
Her body trembled from complete exhaustion.
She breathed heavily.
Slowly opening her eyes...
She found Kint standing before her.
He smiled.
"Don't push yourself too hard, Kim."
Kim forced herself back onto her feet.
"I have to surpass my limits."
"I only have five days."
"And before then..."
"I want to become stronger."
Kint smiled proudly.
A blazing flame ignited in his palm.
Kim extended her own hand.
Water spiraled around her arm...
Gradually taking the shape of a spear.
The two silently faced one another.
Then—
Without another word...
They charged.
---
END OF VOLUME 1