The Arkhan Forest gradually fell silent once more after the intense battle had ended.
The echoes of roaring beasts faded into the distance, swallowed by the thick darkness between the trees. One by one, the remaining monsters retreated deeper into the shadows, as if sensing that the moment of chaos had passed and survival now mattered more than dominance.
Only the sound of burning leaves and distant wind remained.
In the clearing where the battle had taken place, Red stood slightly apart, his expression filled with confusion as he observed the two sisters before him. His gaze shifted between them, but it kept returning to one in particular.
Neya.
Because ever since the fight ended, she had been staring at him without blinking.
Red finally scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Why are you looking at me like that…?" he asked.
Neya immediately crossed her arms.
"Because you're suspicious."
Red blinked in shock. "What?!"
Before the situation could escalate further, Uncle Star suddenly burst into laughter.
"HAHAHA! I like this girl already!"
His laughter echoed loudly through the quiet forest, breaking the lingering tension that still clung to the air.
Keya stepped forward with a calm and polite expression.
"My name is Keya."
She then gestured slightly toward her sister.
"And this is my younger sister, Neya."
Red nodded slowly, still trying to process everything.
"I'm Red… and this is Uncle Star."
Uncle Star immediately struck a proud pose, placing one hand on his waist and raising the other dramatically.
"The greatest fisherman in Arkhan!"
Silence followed.
No one responded.
After a few seconds, Uncle Star dropped his pose and sighed.
"…Tough crowd."
For the first time since the battle ended, Neya let out a small laugh. It was brief, but genuine. The tension that had been wrapped tightly around everyone slowly began to loosen, like a knot finally undone.
Even so, Keya's expression remained serious.
Her eyes shifted back to Red.
"Red… we need to talk about something important."
Red straightened slightly, sensing the change in atmosphere.
"The Aurelius Circle is searching for you."
The moment those words were spoken, everything changed.
Red froze completely.
"…The Aurelius Circle?"
The name alone carried weight—heavy enough to silence even the wind.
Uncle Star's playful expression slowly disappeared. His usual carefree smile faded, replaced by something far more serious.
"So they finally started moving…"
Keya looked at him with slight surprise.
"You know about them?"
Uncle Star exhaled deeply, as if recalling something unpleasant from the past.
"More than you think."
The forest fell silent again.
This time, the silence felt different.
Heavier.
Deeper.
As if the very trees were listening.
And then
BOOOOMM!!
A deafening explosion suddenly erupted from deep within the forest.
The sound shook the entire Arkhan region, sending birds fleeing into the night sky. A towering column of dark smoke rose above the trees, twisting violently as flames consumed whatever stood beneath it.
Everyone turned sharply toward the direction of the blast.
Neya's face turned pale.
"That direction…"
Keya's eyes widened in realization.
"Our residence…!"
Without hesitation, the twins immediately broke into a run.
Their footsteps pounded against the forest floor as they rushed through the trees, urgency replacing all hesitation. The calm that had briefly existed shattered instantly, replaced by fear and determination.
Red reacted quickly.
"Hey wait!"
But the twins did not slow down.
Uncle Star clicked his tongue.
"Tch… things are getting complicated."
Then he followed after them, his tone no longer joking.
Red hesitated for only a moment before gripping his broken sword tighter.
"…I guess I'm going too."
And so, the group rushed through the forest, heading straight toward the rising smoke.
Far away, at the edge of what used to be the hidden residence…
Flames devoured the remains of the small shelter.
Wood crackled violently as fire consumed everything it touched. The tent that once served as their safe haven now lay in ruins, reduced to ashes and glowing embers.
Amidst the burning wreckage stood a mysterious figure.
The firelight reflected off their presence, casting long shadows across the scorched ground.
Golden eyes glowed faintly beneath the smoke.
Calm.
Unshaken.
Almost… amused.
"Run as much as you want…"
The voice was low, carrying an unsettling confidence.
"You cannot escape destiny forever."
A slow smile formed on the figure's face.
The flames around them flickered violently, as if reacting to their presence alone. Yet the figure did not move. They simply stood there, watching the destruction as though it were nothing more than a passing scene.
Above the burning forest, the night sky began to shift.
The clouds thickened, swirling unnaturally around the moon.
And then
The moon slowly turned crimson.
A deep red glow spread across the heavens, staining the entire Arkhan Forest in an eerie, blood-like light.
As the world beneath trembled in uncertainty, the mysterious figure turned slightly, as if sensing the approaching footsteps of those who had just begun their desperate race.
And somewhere in the distance, fate continued to tighten its grip.