The Great Ruins fell silent behind him.
No pull.
No temptation.
No unfinished hunt.
Damian had already found what mattered.
The strongest presence there had been the Spirit of Death.
And he had survived it.
That was enough.
Without a word—
He left.
Isabell followed.
Not close.
Not far.
Just… there.
She didn't ask to come.
Didn't explain why.
Didn't even try to speak.
She just walked behind him like a shadow that hadn't decided whether it belonged.
Damian didn't tell her to leave.
Didn't acknowledge her either.
But he knew she was there.
Always.
They reached a river.
Clear water.
Slow current.
The sound of it broke the silence just enough to feel… alive.
Damian stopped.
Then—
Without warning—
He took off his clothes.
Isabell froze.
Her face turned red instantly as she spun around, covering her eyes.
"W–What are you doing?!"
Damian didn't answer.
He stepped forward—
And jumped into the river.
The water splashed, rippling outward.
He submerged fully.
Then resurfaced calmly, letting the current carry him slightly.
Washing.
Not just dirt.
Not just blood.
But something deeper.
Isabell sat under a nearby tree.
Still blushing slightly.
But her eyes… were different now.
Focused.
Thinking.
Her mind replayed his words from before—
"Remember the black market?"
"A boy was shouting for help."
Her brows tightened.
"…They left him…"
Her fingers clenched slightly.
"…They actually left him to die…"
And worse—
They had been part of it.
Meanwhile—
Damian floated on the water.
Staring at the sky.
The clouds drifted slowly.
For a moment—
Stillness.
Then—
His thoughts surfaced.
I guess I'm okay with who I became…
And what I'll become.
No resistance.
No denial.
Just acceptance.
I got used to the emptiness pretty quickly…
A faint exhale.
I should thank Sophie for that…
The clouds shifted.
Blocking the sun.
A shadow covered him.
His body drifting in darkness atop the water.
And then—
He spoke.
Softly.
But clearly.
"Abandoned by family…"
A pause.
"Abandoned by the heavens…"
His eyes didn't move.
"…but accepted by the beyond."
The water rippled slightly.
"Hated by fate…"
"Forgotten by destiny…"
"Ignored by karma…"
Silence.
Then—
His voice lowered.
"…I am the Child of the Fallen."
The air stilled.
"The one who walks with the dead…"
"…feeds on their remnants…"
"…and rises as the will of everything that was abandoned by life…"
"…and denied by death."
The mark on his shoulder pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
It vibrated.
Far away—
In a place beyond life and death—
The Spirit of Death stood.
Watching.
"…So he has finally realized."
Back at the river—
Damian rose from the water.
Calm.
Unbothered.
He stepped out.
Dressed again.
Then walked toward Isabell.
She looked up at him.
Still processing.
Still watching.
He crouched beside her.
His eyes met hers.
Cold.
Direct.
"If you're going to follow me…"
A pause.
"You should understand something."
His tone didn't change.
"I will kill people."
"I will be in a lot of fights."
"I will not protect you."
A beat.
"If you die…"
"I won't care."
Silence.
Isabell stared at him.
Then—
She stood.
Turned her head slightly.
"Hmph."
"I don't need you to protect me anyway."
She crossed her arms.
Trying to hold that confidence.
Even if something in her eyes said otherwise.
Damian stood.
Turned.
And walked.
They reached the edge of the continent.
And beyond it—
A new land.
Balisk.
A continent filled with active spiritualists.
Contractors.
Power.
Conflict.
Opportunity.
Damian stepped forward.
Without hesitation.
Crowds.
Noise.
Movement.
People talking.
Laughing.
Living.
Damian walked through them.
Hood over his head.
Hands in his pockets.
Head slightly lowered.
Blending in.
But not really.
Because inside—
Something was shifting.
The voices.
The instincts.
The hunger.
His thoughts twisted.
Not into words—
But impulses.
Kill.
Silence them.
End them.
Every person around him—
A target.
Every movement—
An opportunity.
His hands slowly slipped out of his pockets.
He stopped walking.
Still.
Unmoving.
The crowd flowed around him.
Unaware.
His fingers twitched slightly.
His breathing remained calm—
But something deeper was rising.
Something dangerous.
Something uncontrollable.
Behind him—
Isabell noticed.
The change.
The stillness.
She didn't hesitate.
She ran forward—
Grabbed his hand.
Held it.
Tightly.
Damian flinched.
Noticeably.
His body stiffened.
His eyes shifted slightly.
He looked at her—
Confused.
Uncomfortable.
Then—
He pulled his hand away.
Firmly.
Without a word.
And continued walking.
Isabell stood there for a moment.
Then—
A small smile appeared on her face.
And she followed again.