They exchanged sharp, uncertain glances, their eyes filled with silent questions none of them dared to voice.
But Shiron… ignored them.
As if their confusion meant nothing.
"We will stay here for the night," he said calmly, his voice steady, almost too steady. "Tomorrow… we head to the capital."
The weight of his words lingered in the air.
The village chief stepped forward quickly, bowing his head with respect.
"Understood," he said. "We will prepare horses for your journey. They are infused with accelerated energy—they will get you there much faster."
He paused for a moment before adding:
"And… you may stay in my home tonight."
For a brief second, everything felt… normal.
Too normal.
And somehow—
That made it even more unsettling.The man welcomed them warmly, gesturing toward the path ahead.
"Shiron, this way," he said, leading them toward a nearby house.
They began walking.
But this time… the silence didn't last.
Yuro clenched his fist, his خطوات slowing before he suddenly stopped.
"Enough."
His voice cut through the air.
They all paused.
"We've been following you for four days," he continued, his eyes locked onto Shiron. "And we still don't understand anything."
His tone sharpened.
"What do you mean by 'saviors'? What are these energies? Balance… neutrality… what are you even talking about?"
For a moment—
No one spoke.
Shiron stopped walking.
Then, slowly… he turned.
His expression didn't change.
"I told you before," he said calmly. "Be patient."
His gaze was steady. Unshaken.
"You will have your answers…"
"…when we reach the capital."
A brief pause.
Then he turned his back on them once more.
"And for now…"
He continued walking, as if nothing had happened.
"Head to that house."The man welcomed them and gestured ahead, leading the way toward a nearby house.
"Shiron, this way."
They followed.
Silence stretched between them once more—but this time… it didn't feel the same.
It was heavier.
Tighter.
Like something was about to snap.
Yuro's خطوات slowed.
Then—
He stopped.
"We are not your tools."
His voice was firm. Sharp.
The air froze.
Rin and Raino turned toward him instantly, tension rising in their eyes.
"We followed you for four days," Yuro continued, his gaze locked onto Shiron's back. "Without answers. Without understanding anything."
His fists clenched.
"And now we're suddenly 'saviors'?"
His voice hardened.
"What are we to you?"
Silence.
Shiron stopped walking.
For a moment… he didn't move.
Then slowly—
He turned.
His expression… unchanged.
"Tools?" he repeated calmly.
A faint pause.
"Who said you were tools?"
The words didn't defend.
They cut.
Yuro's eyes narrowed.
Shiron stepped closer—his presence calm… yet suffocating.
"It is true," he continued, his voice steady. "You were brought here against your will."
A brief silence.
"But…"
His gaze sharpened.
"You will choose to stay."
The words landed heavily.
Yuro's expression tightened.
Shiron didn't look away.
"I know your world," he said.
That—
Made everything stop.
Rin's breath caught.
Raino froze.
Yuro's eyes widened… just slightly.
"And I know," Shiron continued, his voice lowering, "that none of you truly wish to return."
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Yuro stepped forward.
"…Don't talk like you know us."
But even his voice—wavered.
Shiron's gaze didn't change.
Then—
He delivered the final blow.
"Then tell me…"
A pause.
Cold. Precise.
"What proof do you have… that you ever loved your world?"They entered the house.
The village chief welcomed them warmly, offering food and drink. For a brief moment, everything felt… peaceful. Almost ordinary.
They ate in silence.
No one spoke much.
As if each of them was lost in their own thoughts.
Later that night, they were given a room to rest.
The lights dimmed.
The world grew quiet.
But sleep…
Never came.
The silence lingered, heavy and suffocating.
Raino was the first to break it.
"Do you really think… we should keep following that man?"
His voice was low, uncertain.
Yuro stared at the ceiling, his expression unreadable.
"I don't know," he said after a pause. "But… he knows things."
A brief silence.
"What made me stay quiet wasn't just what he said," Yuro continued, his voice softer now. "It's… the way he said it."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"It felt like… he already knows what we'll choose."
Rin shifted slightly, clearly uneasy.
"I don't like him," he admitted. "He's too calm… too cold. His answers are always short… like he's hiding something."
He paused.
"But…"
That single word hung in the air.
"A part of me feels… strangely at ease around him."
Raino frowned.
"That doesn't make sense."
"I know," Rin replied quietly.
Silence returned once more.
Thicker than before.
Rin exhaled slowly.
"Let's just get some rest," he said. "Tomorrow, we head to the capital."
A pause.
"And when we get our answers…"
His eyes closed.
"…we decide whether to stay… or leave."
The room fell silent again.
But this time—
The silence wasn't empty.
It was watching.
Waiting.They woke at dawn.
The sky was still pale, the air cold and quiet.
By the time the sun began to rise, everything was ready.
The horses stood waiting outside.
But these were no ordinary horses.
Their bodies pulsed faintly with energy… their eyes sharper, their stance unnaturally still.
Shiron mounted without hesitation.
The others followed.
The villagers gathered to bid them farewell, their expressions a mix of hope… and something else.
Something harder to understand.
Then—
They left.
The moment the horses began to move, the difference became clear.
They were fast.
Too fast.
The ground blurred beneath them as they surged forward, cutting through the open land. Even the creatures lurking in the distance—massive, dangerous—were left behind in seconds.
None of them dared to interfere.
Wind rushed past them.
Silence stretched once more.
Until—
Rin spoke.
"I want to know something before we reach the capital."
His voice was steady, but there was tension beneath it.
"That gate… what was it?"
A brief pause.
"And why did it have three colors?"
The air shifted.
"…And what are these four energies you keep talking about?"
For the first time—
Shiron's expression changed.
Slightly.
"Three colors?" he repeated.
His voice was quieter now.
"The gate's purpose is simple… it transfers you from one world to another."
A pause.
"But three colors…"
His gaze sharpened.
"What exactly did you see?"
Raino leaned forward slightly, his eyes focused.
"It wasn't normal," he said. "The right side was white… the left was black."
He hesitated.
"And the center…"
His voice lowered.
"The white and black were… moving."
A brief silence.
"…Dancing. In perfect sync."
Even the wind seemed to fade.
"And it felt like…" Raino continued slowly, "they were circling something."
His eyes narrowed.
"Something in the center."
A pause.
"…Something that wasn't visible."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
For the first time—
Shiron said nothing.Shiron dashed forward—
And stopped.
Face to face with the creature.
A faint smile formed on his lips.
As if what stood before him… was nothing.
The beast screeched, its wings spreading wide as its feathers began to change.
Golden light surged through them—
Each feather sharpening, hardening… transforming into gleaming projectiles.
Then—
They launched.
A storm of golden feathers tore through the air, rushing toward Shiron at terrifying speed.
But—
He moved.
Effortless.
He dodged most of them with minimal motion, his body shifting just enough to avoid death by inches.
The rest—
He deflected.
Clean. Precise.
And with a single motion—
He sent them back.
The feathers turned mid-air, piercing into the beast's body.
A furious roar erupted.
The creature's form twisted violently.
Its wings reshaped—stretching, merging—
Turning into massive scorpion tails.
Its claws hardened, extending into long, white blades.
Then—
It charged.
Faster.
Deadlier.
Straight toward Shiron.
But Shiron didn't move.
He simply looked at it.
Cold.
Unimpressed.
"You're too weak… to even touch me."
He raised one finger.
A small sphere of energy formed at its tip.
Tiny.
Insignificant.
Or so it seemed.
Then—
He flicked it forward.
The moment it touched the creature—
Explosion.
A blinding burst of power swallowed everything.
The ground shook.
The air cracked.
And when the light faded—
There was nothing left.
No body.
No trace.
The beast… had been erased.
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Yuro stood frozen, his eyes wide.
His mind racing.
If he's this strong…
A slow breath escaped him.
…then why does he need us?The dust settled.
Silence returned once more.
As if nothing had happened.
Shiron turned his back on the battlefield, already moving.
"Let's go," he said calmly. "We've arrived."
The others exchanged glances before following him, their thoughts still trapped in what they had just witnessed.
Not long after—
The capital revealed itself.
Massive walls stretched toward the sky, glowing faintly with an energy unlike anything they had seen before. Towers rose high, their designs strange… almost unnatural.
This wasn't just a city.
It was something else entirely.
They passed through the gates.
And the moment they stepped inside—
Everything changed.
The air felt heavier.
Sharper.
Alive.
Waiting.
At the center stood a figure.
A girl.
She stepped forward with calm confidence, her eyes immediately landing on Shiron.
"Welcome back… Father."
Her voice was clear.
Steady.
Shiron stopped in front of her.
"Yes," he replied simply.
Then—
He raised his thumb, pointing behind him.
"I brought them."
Her gaze shifted toward the three.
She observed them in silence for a brief moment.
Then—
A faint smile appeared.
"Good," she said.
She turned, her voice carrying a quiet authority.
"The heart of the capital is now open."
A slight pause.
"The Crystal Chambers… are ready."
A chill ran through the air.
Something was about to begin.
Something they could no longer turn back from.