‘Damn it, I shouldn’t have exploded that man’s heart!’

  Eyolian hesitated for a second as she looked at the rocky wall before her. It blocked her path from all directions. If she ran left, the old man would appear there. If she ran right, the same would happen. That only left her with the option of climbing, but that would take too much time—time she didn’t have.

  Besides, it was clear that the old man was tracking her in an unconventional way—one that Eyolian couldn’t sense or understand. And all because she had killed that man to save Noah, yet she was the one being hunted now.

  ‘What I warned that idiot about, I fell into myself! Why should I be punished for his stupidity?!’ Eyolian thought, frozen in place, assessing her limited options.

  But she had to do something. She couldn’t just wait for the servant-like man who clearly had no intention of letting her go.

  Behind her, the sound of trees being torn apart, flames rising, and lightning ripping through the air grew louder, getting closer. For a moment, Eyolian considered relying on Lady Elara’s presence in case she found herself in a dire situation. But she quickly discarded the idea.

  ‘That would be too foolish!’

  Instead of depending on anyone but herself, Eyolian walked up to the rocky wall and placed both hands on it, feeling its surface.

  Nothing!

  Even as seconds passed, she couldn’t sense the thickness of the wall. Her plan was to break through part of it and continue her escape, but the mana forming the wall prevented hers from spreading around it. Once again, she was left without an option.

  She could try to pierce through the wall. But what if it was thick enough to stall her until the old man caught up? That was likely what he was waiting for. On the other hand, the wall could just be a trick to stop her from attacking and force her to consider her limited options.

  Eyolian didn’t know. But she couldn’t afford to gamble.

  However, even in her desperate situation, she didn’t lose hope. Every piece of information she had learned could be exploited to form a plan, one that could create new opportunities and lead to new strategies.

  With a wicked smile, a spell began forming in front of Eyolian without her using her hands. The runes composing the spell looked just as sinister as her grin.

  ‘This will be difficult! But I’m not sorry!’

  ---

  On the other side, Noah was fighting for his life.

  His face—one that wasn’t his own—had made everyone his enemy, or at least those who had noticed him.

  He ran through the blood and ash, his destination not far now, finally within sight. His body was hunched forward, dragging his left arm more than carrying it. Looking at him was like seeing a walking corpse. But at a second glance, he was the only one who seemed truly alive in this small war.

  His bright blue eyes gleamed beneath the illusion of his fake green ones, shattering the deception under a sickly light.

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  He could feel it more clearly now—something was waiting for him inside the Adventurers' Guild.

  Noah didn’t know what it was, but he had to reach it. No matter the cost.

  ‘When was the last time I felt like this?!’ Noah thought, his excitement pulling him back a few years in his mind.

  He remembered the town destroyed by the Thunder Wolves—the sin they had committed. That night, Noah had arrived too late. All he had found were the corpses of villagers he never knew, yet hated with all his heart.

  His mind replayed the image of the cross burning amidst the flames and the body that had burned there, its blood falling like endless waterfalls, only intensifying the blood-red fire.

  That event had been Noah’s doing, but it was the closest thing he had to understanding himself.

  The memory of the small pool of blood in his hands flashed again, reminding him of his sin and regret.

  Noah had always convinced himself that his actions that night weren’t truly his own. But how he had felt afterward never helped. Despite his guilt, his regret, and all the emotions tied to that night, they never erased the one truth about his actions.

  His sins.

  Noah knew that one day, he would be punished for them. But he never expected it to be so soon, walking right into it with his own two feet.

  Yet, despite everything, Noah had to understand.

  Why had the divine energy inside him made him do what he did that night? Despite how he felt, despite what he thought of himself? Were his actions a result of the divine energy inside him, or were they truly his own?

  Noah had to know. No matter the cost.

  After what felt like an eternity, Noah threw himself into the dark interior of the Adventurers' Guild. His body was bloodied and torn in countless places. His wounds belonged to a corpse rather than a living man, but Noah forced himself onto his feet. He had to move forward—he was too close now. He only needed to climb the small steps to the second floor and see what had drawn him here.

  The same feeling that had led him to that beach in the past, then to that cursed village, had also brought him to the Adventurers' Guild.

  Noah barely balanced himself on his feet, his body pressing hard against the staircase’s railing as he dragged himself upward. Every step was a struggle against his failing body, which was losing strength with every second. But Noah pushed on, forcing himself forward.

  After long minutes of struggle, Noah collapsed onto the wooden floor of the second floor of the guild. He rolled onto his back, allowing his chest to gasp for breath—only for a boot to stomp down on his ribs, knocking the air out of him and shattering most of his ribcage.

  Noah opened his eyes to see his attacker, only to find four of them.

  Before he could say anything—not that he could in his current state—the tip of a sword hovered above his head, threatening to pierce him straight down.

  But before it could, a voice spoke.

  “He is here for me.”

  The voice was calm and melodic, entering Noah’s ears and soothing him despite his state.

  “Bring him to me.”

  The voice commanded again, this time with more firmness, yet it retained its tranquility.

  The four men around Noah hesitated, glancing at one another as if they were going to refuse. But in the end, the sword mere centimeters from Noah’s head was withdrawn, sheathed by its owner.

  Two of the men grabbed Noah by his legs and dragged him across the wooden floor.

  Noah didn’t hold it against them. If they had grabbed his arms instead, he would have ended up crippled. Even now, as he was being dragged, his injured arm trailed behind like it was barely attached by flesh.

  But Noah didn’t care. He didn’t dare feel pain, so he kept his body in a state of numbness.

  After a few humiliating seconds of being pulled, Noah found himself once again sprawled on the floor of a luxurious room.

  “You may leave. He’s in no condition to do anything.”

  The same calm voice spoke again.

  And again, the four men hesitated. As if the previous scene was repeating itself, they ultimately did as they were told, leaving without a word.

  ‘Can’t they even talk?’ Noah didn’t care for the thought. It was just a way to calm himself.

  Because what he felt now was beyond discussion.

  It was the same thing he had felt in the past.

  With great difficulty, he lifted his head to look at the one behind the desk. A wide smile formed on his expression, allowing droplets of blood to spill out, one after another.

  Despite it all, Noah found the strength to speak.

  “Is this my punishment?”

  No, Noah knew his punishment was yet to come.

  And he welcomed it.