The atmosphere in the guild hall was heavy, every breath held in suspense. Kazuki stood at the center of the room, surrounded by his friends, the Duke, adventurers, and guild staff—all staring at the boy who had vanished for two whole years.

  The Duke approached, stopping just a few feet from Kazuki.

  “You said… the seal failed. What do you mean?” he asked.

  Kazuki glanced toward him, his expression unreadable. His white hair shimmered faintly under the torchlight, and the faint crackling of energy around his coat never ceased.

  “I was sealed,” Kazuki began, voice low, controlled. “Locked inside a void dimension. A space without time. I don’t know how long I was in there… but to me, it felt like eternity.”

  A murmur passed through the crowd.

  “Sealed?” Elara asked shakily. “Who… who would do that to you?”

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  Kazuki’s eyes narrowed slightly. “That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out.”

  He looked toward the ceiling, lost in thought. “There was no mark. No trace. But the magic used—it was divine, ancient… and deliberate. Whoever sealed me, didn’t want me dead. Not yet. They wanted me out of the way.”

  Rinara stepped forward. “Then who…?”

  “I suspect… it was R.I.S.K.,” Kazuki said, the name lingering like poison on his tongue. “I’ve had flashes—moments of blurred memory from inside the seal. Shadows watching me. Whispering. Waiting.”

  Garron clenched his fist. “But why you?”

  Kazuki looked at them all.

  “…Because I’m a threat.”

  His party members stiffened.

  “I’ve grown stronger inside the seal. My dark army evolved, structured into ranks. I made a summoning pact with them—connected their minds to mine. They fed me knowledge. Their memories became mine. I saw the outside world… for a while.”

  He paused, eyes drifting to the flame of a nearby torch.

  “But one thing’s certain. Someone wanted me gone. I don’t know who inside R.I.S.K. did it, or why they didn’t kill me outright. But I will find out.”

  The guild master finally found his voice.

  “…Kazuki. We feared the worst. Your name was marked as missing-in-action. Your license was nearly revoked. But now…”

  Kazuki turned his head slightly. “I don’t care about ranks.”

  The coldness in his tone made the crowd tense.

  “I only care about getting answers.”

  From atop the tower, Kairyuuha watched with a small smile.

  “Still in the dark, huh? That’s good,” he muttered. “Stay confused, Kazuki… for now.”

  Back at the guild, Kazuki turned to his party, who still looked stunned.

  “But first,” he said, walking past them, “I’m going to rest.”

  The doors opened on their own as he exited the hall, his black coat billowing behind him like a shadow. He didn’t look back.

  Only forward.