"Well, Yun! Did everything go well on your side?" Anna asked, a wide smile on her lips.
Yun Gwangmyeong had no awakening aptitude–or rather, he lacked the ability to use it. He was a being with a blank expression and an inconceivable existence.
Yet, to certain eyes and certain hearts...
His value was immeasurable.
Gwangmyeong responded in a calm tone, maintaining the same expression.
– "...You could say that. And you?" he replied to Anna.
Anna turned her head toward the battlefield, and he did the same.
– "As you can see..."
– "I see. Your strength is admirable."
He raised a hand and gently patted her head. Anna's smile grew even wider, though Arlindo looked at her with a mocking smirk.
– "Humph! I'm not a child anymore, you know? You should really stop that habit," she exclaimed, pushing his hand away and crossing her arms in embarrassment.
– "Ah, sorry."
– "Aaah, you! Still so hopeless!" came a familiar voice suddenly.
Gwangmyeong slowly turned his head.
– "...Joon-Hyuk."
A man with a mischievous face stepped forward. Unlike Gwangmyeong, his outfit was pristine, without a single trace of blood.
"Little Anna has grown up, haven't you noticed?" he teased, wrapping his right arm around Gwangmyeong's shoulders from behind.
– "Little?! I'm not little!" she replied, frustrated.
– "Hahaha! Sure, sure!"
– "Tch!" she huffed angrily.
This was Woo Joon-Hyuk, Gwangmyeong's best friend, as well as a renowned Redeemer and the greatest archer in the world.
Woo Joon-Hyuk was a tall man with striking features, black hair, and gray eyes.
He wore a lightweight black and gray leather tunic, designed not to hinder his movements, paired with a fine chainmail vest that provided minimal protection without sacrificing flexibility.
His reinforced leather trousers were practical, with discreet padding at the knees. A sturdy belt at his waist supported his quiver filled with arrows, while light leather gloves ensured a perfect grip on his bow.
He also wore robust black boots, and a deep red cape draped over his shoulders, blending seamlessly with the environment.
"Alright, I think we can all head back to the base now! Look!"
The group began to gather after eliminating the horde of Spectres.
The members clustered around them, especially Woo Joon-Hyuk, whose cheerful tone drew everyone's attention.
Despite the palpable tension following the exhausting battle, a certain lightness seemed to surround him, as if the threat of the fight had just dissipated.
"We can finally take a breather, can't we?" he said teasingly.
His sharp, playful eyes sought Gwangmyeong's gaze, who, true to himself, remained impassive.
– "Still as laid-back as ever, huh?" Gwangmyeong murmured, a faint smile appearing on his face.
But Anna, still smiling, turned to him.
– "He's right, Yun. A little rest wouldn't hurt."
– "I don't need rest," Gwangmyeong replied, his gaze once again lost in the vastness of the dead forest.
– "You're all so dramatic," sighed Elysia, who had just appeared next to Arlindo.
Visibly tired yet radiant, her sharp gaze swept over the group.
"We did our job, didn't we?"
– "Yes, and I think it's time to head back," Arlindo replied, adjusting his gloves with mechanical precision.
"It would be wise not to linger here any longer. The worst might be behind us, but these creatures are never far away."
Severin nodded, his eyes falling to the ground where traces of Spectre blood were slowly fading. He picked up his hammer, its head marked with the stains of fierce battles.
– "Returning to the base seems like the best option," he said, the armor on his back emitting a faint creak as he straightened up.
"But I can't promise there won't be more along the way."
Sayuri, still slightly flustered from Arlindo's teasing, nodded and began to move, followed by Xinyuan, who was regarded as a kind of hermit with an extroverted personality.
Next to him, Leonard remained silent, observing the others with a faint smile. He then glanced at Joon-Hyuk, who appeared carefree.
– "So, Joon-Hyuk, still got an arrow in reserve to save us from trouble?" Leonard asked with a sly grin.
– "Do you think I'm some kind of arrow dispenser?" Joon-Hyuk retorted with his usual mockery.
– "Of course, I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve. My arrows are infinite, after all. Don't worry, we'll get back to the base without any issues."
–"I see. We'll see about that," Leonard replied, his tone lighter and more teasing than his words suggested.
As the group headed toward the base after leaving the Chavrot, each was lost in their own thoughts about what they had just experienced and what might still lie ahead.
Anna cast a final, almost furtive glance at Gwangmyeong, her concern evident.
They all knew that the true trial might not be over yet.
The world was changing. More and more Spectres were appearing, and the shadow of new dangers loomed on the horizon.
But, for now, they had succeeded, and this victory—albeit a small one—was well-earned.
For a brief moment, they could savor this fragile peace.
Back at their base, a former underground military facility, everyone resumed their routines, though an imperceptible tension lingered.
Hidden within rocky plains, this fortress was an impregnable bastion, reinforced by Hebrion and materials crafted by Severin Novgorod, the master blacksmith, and Tariq El-Baz, the genius alchemist—both prominent members of Ystat.
Each room in the base reflected the daily lives of its inhabitants:
Arlindo, in his cluttered workshop, adjusted the shimmering threads of his Ekdilomenas.
Severin cleaned his forge, where shards of metal still littered the floor.
Xinyuan, master of introspection, meditated silently in his chamber, absorbing the surrounding energy.
Elysia, in a room dedicated to prayer, knelt quietly in reverence.
Meanwhile, Sayuri tended to agricultural crops in an improvised greenhouse.
"Oh? This one needs trimming!" she murmured, a smile of satisfaction lighting her face.
In a reinforced training room, Léonard wielded his sword with the precision of a veteran, while Anna, drenched in sweat, focused on absorbing the surrounding Hebrion.
Inhale… concentrate… intensify, she repeated, his thoughts betraying a fierce determination.
In the kitchen, a lighter scene unfolded. Yun Gwangmyeong, impassive as ever, prepared a meal while Woo Joon-Hyuk toyed with the dough meant for dumplings.
– "Joon-Hyuk, could you stop playing with the dumpling dough?"
– "Hehe!"
The base's air was purified, and supplies of food and water ensured the group's self-sufficiency, offering a haven amidst the ruined world.
These resources were either purified through alchemy using Hebrion or acquired through an alternate means: The System.
Thanks to the "Interworld Market" function of the system, they could trade, sell, or auction their possessions. This feature also allowed them to purchase the same foods once consumed on Earth, as well as special items with diverse effects.
This dynamic feature blended objects and resources from various universes. Through it, rare goods could be exchanged, sold, and even bid on, alongside unique and powerful items.
As the group busied themselves after the meal prepared by Gwangmyeong and Joon-Hyuk, Anna's thoughts lingered on their recent encounter with the Spectres.
Her chest tightened at the memory of Yun Gwangmyeong's blank expression.
Was he truly as indifferent as he seemed? Considering everything he's been through, it's understandable. And that Awakening Aptitude that still hasn't manifested…
I wish I could help him move forward, as he's done for me so many times. But.. How?
Anna resolved to seek answers—not just about Yun but also about the growing darkness that loomed over their shattered world.
She decided to head toward Arlindo's workshop, finding his behavior increasingly peculiar of late.
I need to figure out what's going on… and what's behind these unsettling behaviors from both Arlindo and Tariq recently.
Arlindo was deeply engrossed in his work on one of his Ekdilomenas when Tariq El-Baz arrived at his workshop after an excursion.
"I hope you've got new information because I've found nothing on my end."
He was dressed in a long brown coat with a fur-lined hood of the same color, paired with a black jumpsuit underneath and tall black leather boots.
He was the one and only, as well as the greatest alchemist the world had ever seen.
In the past, he was a scientific genius who worked alone in the shadows. His achievements included:
The creation of metallic alloys that adapt to the user's needs.
The instantaneous reconstruction of objects: technology capable of breaking down and reassembling complex items in real time.
And finally, the tangible confirmation of the multiverse theory through evidence such as detecting localized "gravitational" or energetic anomalies unexplainable by standard astrophysical models.
Arlindo, crouched in front of his Ekdilomenas, barely looked up at Tariq's arrival. His fingers danced precisely over the silver threads that intertwined between the delicate components of the puppet.
The rustle of Tariq's boots echoed in the cramped workshop, filled with the metallic scent of oil and overheated tools.
"If it's "Pa'am" you're after, I might have something," Arlindo said.
He pulled a final thread tight, locking a complex mechanism into place, before standing up. His tall frame and slightly weary features contrasted with Tariq's imposing presence.
Wiping his hands on his leather apron, he crossed his arms, fixing a piercing gaze on the alchemist.
Tariq took a few steps, inspecting the unfinished Ekdilomenas before responding, his expression tense: "I'm not here for 'might.' If your puppet reached its destination, then what did you learn?"
A heavy silence fell. Arlindo eventually pointed toward a corner of the room, where a system-generated projection hovered. A red circle pulsed softly at the center of a holographic map.
"This is all I've got for now. It detected something that matches what you're looking for, but…"
He trailed off, his voice growing heavier.
"This place is… saturated. There's an extraordinary and singular energy there—something that shouldn't exist. Maybe that thing is hiding there. After all, it's their point of emergence, for it and its kind."
Tariq clenched his fists, looking away, the weight of his concerns visibly crushing him. Before he could respond, the workshop door abruptly swung open.
Anna entered, her footsteps echoing in the room, her gaze filled with frustration.
"Arlindo. Tariq. I want answers. Now."
Arlindo crossed his arms, his face betraying slight irritation.
"Answers about what exactly, miss?"
Anna stepped closer, arms crossed, her voice firm: "Don't take me for a fool. You've been scheming in the shadows for days. And now you're talking about Pa'am? What is this place? Why is it so important?"
Tariq averted his eyes, his expression unreadable. He sighed and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Fine. We'll explain everything."
"But Tariq—" Arlindo protested.
"It's time. They need to know now—her and everyone else," Tariq affirmed.
Arlindo nodded slowly. The moment they had dreaded was drawing near: sharing what little they knew and preparing the group for a confrontation with a force beyond comprehension.
"Anna, gather everyone in the Strategy Room," Arlindo instructed.
Anna nodded in response.
"I'm warning you, what you and the others are about to hear won't be easy to accept," he said, glancing at the holographic map.
The Strategy Room was brightly lit, the air heavy with tension. The hologram floating at the center of the room illuminated the grim faces of those present.
Arlindo stood at the front, arms crossed, his calculating gaze fixed on the projection. Tariq stood slightly behind him, his eyes glued to the floor as though still contemplating the consequences of what he was about to reveal.
Anna, as determined as ever, stood beside Gwangmyeong, whose calm demeanor contrasted with the palpable anxiety in the room.
"Alright," Arlindo began in a deep voice, breaking the silence.
"Listen carefully."
He pressed a button on the strategy table, and the hologram expanded, revealing a detailed map of an unfamiliar territory marked by a pulsating red spot.
"This is Pa'am," he announced, his tone cold and neutral.
"This is where it all begins. And where it will all end, if we don't act quickly."
Glances were exchanged. The name hung in the air, but no one seemed to truly understand what it represented.
Anna, the first to break the silence, jumped to her feet, her fists clenched.
"Pa'am? What is this place? And why is it so important?"
She wasn't afraid to ask the hard questions, even the ones that made others uncomfortable. Arlindo stared at her for a moment, as if evaluating the weight of his response.
"Pa'am… is not just a place. It's an emergence point. It represents the convergence of several forces, but most importantly, one thing… the origin of the Specters."
A shiver ran through the room. The Specters—devastating entities that had spread terror and destruction since the Era of Decline.
Their mere mention was enough to cast a dramatic shadow over the gathering.
"The origin… of the Specters?" murmured Elysia, her eyes widening slightly.
She rose slowly, her usually calm demeanor betraying a hint of tension. "So, this place is the first point of appearance for the Specters?"
"Exactly," Arlindo confirmed. "The problem is, it's protected by a barrier of negative energy that, with our current capabilities, we can't penetrate. And more importantly, something far more powerful is hiding there."
Tariq's face hardened. He stepped forward, his impassive tone barely concealing his concern.
"That 'something' is the reason I left a few days ago."
He paused, then added in a near-whisper, "Something with the power to disrupt the entire balance of the world. Something far older and more dangerous than the Specters themselves."
Anna frowned, stepping closer to the projection.
"And you've known this all along? Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
Tariq lowered his eyes, hesitant.
"Because we weren't certain of this theory. Arlindo and I had very little to go on regarding Pa'am. We only managed to detect traces of negative energy interspersed with others of extremely high intensity," he explained.
Arlindo followed up:
"It was difficult to pinpoint where they originated from since they were scattered across the globe. It took us months to track it down."
Tariq's gaze returned to the holographic map, his expression grave.
"We didn't know how to handle this information. Even now, it's hard to imagine what could happen if that thing we've called 'Tornesh' were to escape."
"Tornesh." The name settled heavily in the air.
Each person digested the revelations with varying degrees of intensity.
Gwangmyeong remained calm and stoic, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of concern.
Anna, on the other hand, couldn't contain herself. The pressure was building, and she hated feeling left in the dark.
"There must be a way to stop all this," she said with determination. "A solution. A plan."
"There is one." Arlindo spoke up, his cold gaze sweeping across the group.
"But it won't be easy. Pa'am isn't just a place; it's an anchor point for forces we can't even fully comprehend.
We have only one chance to succeed, and for that, we'll need more than brute force. We'll need strategy. Cunning."
Tariq slowly turned toward him, his gaze sharper than ever.
"Exactly. And that's where you come in. We need all of you to infiltrate this place, understand what's inside, and most importantly, destroy the force that threatens humanity's future—no matter how slim that future might be."
The room grew even tenser. Everyone felt that the mission ahead wouldn't just be a simple battle.
It would be a journey into the unknown, into the darkness of a world on the brink of falling even further.
"So, what are the objectives?" asked Severin, the blacksmith, his tone grave and pragmatic. "What do we need to do to prepare?"
Arlindo raised a hand, signaling a pause.
"First, we need to gear up. Pa'am is a dangerous territory, saturated with energy and hostile entities. We'll have few resources there, and if we fail to achieve our goal, we risk vanishing without a trace." He paused, casting a pointed glance at Yun Gwangmyeong before turning back to the others.
Hmm? Why that look? Strange. Gwangmyeong thought, curious.
"The key lies in the Ekdilomenas." Arlindo gestured toward one of his creations standing nearby in the room.
"These puppets aren't just machines. They can interact with Pa'am's energy, but I still need to make some modifications for that to be possible. I'll also need Tariq's and Severin's help to design artifacts that will allow us to cross the barrier."
"Meticulous preparation, specific artifacts, and perfect synchronicity among us will be essential for this strategy."
Tariq nodded slowly.
"And how are we going to coordinate all of this?"
Leonard stood up and turned toward him, then toward the others, a look of determination in his eyes.
"By working together, of course. We need to be more than just a team. We need to become a whole—an organism that's harmonious and strong. If we can synchronize, we might just stand a chance."
Another heavy silence fell over the room. But this time, the atmosphere was different thanks to Leonard's words.
The energy, though tense, carried with it a newfound determination. This was no longer just about survival; it was about conquering the unknown.
The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. The battle ahead would be unlike anything they'd ever faced before, after years of torment.
In the shadows, Pa'am awaited them, and with it, a truth that could very well alter the course of the world.