The place was unknown.
A vast forest stretched endlessly beneath the night sky.
The trees were enormous—towering higher than a hundred men stacked upon each other. Thousands of them stood like ancient guardians, their thick trunks swallowing the darkness around them.
The night was silent.
No wind.
No movement.
Only faint sounds of distant birds… or perhaps something else hidden within the shadows.
Then—
Running.
The sound broke the stillness.
A child sprinted through the forest.
Fast.
Desperate.
He was running for his life.
Branches tore against his arms. His breath came in broken gasps, sharp and uneven.
Behind him—
Something followed.
Dark figures moved through the trees.
Five… maybe six.
Their forms blended into the night like shadows given shape.
Each carried a blade.
Long.
Heavy.
They did not rush.
They did not panic.
They moved with control.
Relentless.
And they were getting closer.
The child pushed harder.
His legs trembled beneath him.
Still—
He ran.
His breathing grew louder.
Faster.
Desperate.
Then—
His foot struck uneven ground.
He slipped.
His body lost balance.
And he fell.
Rolling violently down a slope.
Rocks tore into his skin.
Tree roots slammed against his back.
His body tumbled uncontrollably—
Until—
The ground disappeared.
For a single moment—
There was nothing beneath him.
Then—
He fell.
Into a river.
Rai woke up.
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
For a moment—
Nothing made sense.
The forest.
The child.
The fall—
Gone.
Replaced by silence.
Then—
He noticed her.
Standing in front of him.
The girl from that night.
Startled, Rai lost his balance and fell from the bed.
Pain shot through him as he hit the ground.
Reality returned.
It was just a dream.
But the fear hadn't fully left his eyes.
She noticed.
"You've been asleep for two days," she said calmly.
That caught him off guard.
Two days?
His mind struggled to process it.
"I came to wake you," she added, a faint smile forming,
"but you woke up like you were about to die."
A small flicker of embarrassment crossed his face.
He stood up slowly.
"Go bathe," she said. "I'll bring food."
Then she turned and left.
Hot water ran over his skin.
Steam filled the room.
But his mind wasn't there.
The dream.
The child.
The river.
Something about it felt real.
Too real.
Memories tried to surface.
He pushed them down.
When he stepped out—
She had returned.
"The food is ready," she said.
Rai reached for his clothes.
For a brief moment—
Her eyes lingered.
He was still half-dressed.
His body, shaped by constant battle and survival, carried both strength and scars.
She quickly looked away.
He didn't notice.
But a quiet thought crossed her mind—
He was… unexpectedly handsome.
She turned before the thought stayed too long.
After eating, they walked through the underground passageways.
"My name is Rin," she said after a while.
"I never told you."
A small smile appeared.
"Master asked me to show you the training grounds."
That caught Rai's attention.
They entered a wide chamber.
Warriors filled the space.
But something felt different.
This wasn't ordinary training.
Some balanced across narrow ropes high above the ground.
Even children walked them without hesitation.
Others moved across sand using only their toes—slow, controlled steps that left barely any trace.
Nearby—
Two warriors fought.
Blindfolded.
Steel clashed in darkness.
No wasted movement.
No panic.
Only instinct.
Rai watched carefully.
This wasn't strength.
This was control.
Awareness.
Survival.
Then—
His attention shifted.
Jisoo.
Training.
Focused.
Precise.
Their eyes met.
Jisoo stopped.
Immediately.
He turned.
And walked toward Rai.
The room slowly quieted.
One by one—
People noticed.
Their gazes locked.
Neither spoke.
But the tension was clear.
Sharp.
Like a blade drawn between them.
Then—
Jisoo spoke.
"I challenge you."
Silence.
"A one-on-one fight."
The entire chamber froze.
Training stopped.
All eyes turned toward them.
Two days earlier…
Inside the king's palace…
Kaizo stood before Leon.
"What do you need me to do, Father?" he asked.
Leon remained silent for a moment.
Then slowly—
He spoke.
"…A man has appeared in Yunara."
A pause.
"He killed my soldiers."
Kaizo listened.
Leon's gaze darkened slightly.
"…After all these years…"
A quiet breath escaped him.
"…the mark has returned."
Silence filled the chamber.
Kaizo's eyes sharpened.
Something dangerous stirred within them.
To be continued…