(This is the opening chapter, if there are any mistakes feel free to correct them and help the Author😊)
***
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
As has been explained before, it is the strongest and largest organization belonging to humankind.
Normally, its emergency meetings are rare. To gather prominent figures from every corner of the world, they must wade through complicated bureaucracy, clashing schedules, and colliding egos.
That is why World Organization meetings are usually held only once every ten years—whether because of some great threat, or the emergence of a certain individual.
But this time... they had gathered again. Even though only a short while ago they had sat in this very same room, discussing True Cthulhu and an entity called the 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗱.
Countless sophisticated projection screens lined the hall, casting cold light across the entire room. The room's futuristic design felt strangely out of place against the tension hanging in the air. In the middle of it all, the figure of Grand Marshal Valerian Brightblade stood calmly—too calmly for a situation like this.
The faint sound of a slow handclap echoed from one of the hazy silhouettes on the screens. Followed by a cold, indifferent voice, breaking the silence.
"Is there something you'd like to tell us, Grand Marshal Valerian?"
"..." The silver-haired old man fell silent for a moment. Then, in a heavy tone, he spoke. "Some time ago, I'm certain all of you already sensed it... the concentration of [mana] that occurred in Master Swordsman City."
Roaring laughter suddenly erupted, followed by the growl of one of the kings.
"We know that already, damn it! What we want to know is why you people only noticed it AFTER Master Swordsman City was wiped out?!"
That furious voice represented the sentiment of the other leaders. Not all of them, but most of the faces on the screens wore the same grim expression.
How could they not? Master Swordsman City, one of humanity's strongest bastions, vanished in a single night!
Worse still, more than two million Hunters died there. Including many Rank B and Rank A. Even Rank S!
There was no doubt about it, losing Master Swordsman City was a devastating blow to humankind.
But if that were all, perhaps they wouldn't be this panicked. It would still be better than losing a Rank SS Hunter, let alone a Rank SSS.
What truly made them anxious was just one thing… A terrifying, overwhelming pressure they could feel down to their very souls. Not through their eyes. Not through their ears. It cut straight through their souls, from thousands of kilometers away.
For a moment, their souls shuddered. Because they knew exactly what kind of creature could radiate a pressure like that.
𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗨𝗻𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻.
An entity above Rank SSS. A Transcendent being.
At first, none of them wanted to believe it. Wasn't that simply too absurd?
But whether they liked it or not, they had to believe it—because they had witnessed with their own eyes what happened in Master Swordsman City.
Yes... 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.
From the appearance of the Demon Dragon Lord, the Black Mamba group, to the power displayed by one of the founders of Master Swordsman City—the Yozakura Family. All of it recorded by satellite, second by second, without mercy.
But among all of that, what left them most stunned was a girl with silvery-white hair, wearing skimpy clothing resembling a black bikini, who so casually summoned a Rank Unknown into this world.
What… what the hell was that?!
How could someone summon a Rank Unknown that easily?!
Was this world insane, or were they the ones going insane?!
The World Organization's satellite footage truly shook everyone who watched it.
And you know what was even crazier?
Someone wiped out that Rank Unknown in a single strike!
Damn it, that was a Rank Unknown! An entity that nearly resembled a cosmic being from another world or dimension!
How could a disaster of that magnitude be killed in a single blow?!
Even humankind had to endure incalculable losses just to wound one Rank Unknown, let alone kill it!
Honestly, it wasn't just them who were panicking and terrified. Grand Marshal Valerian himself was breaking out in a cold sweat. Even so, there was a hidden bitterness lurking beneath his composure.
As the leader of humanity's strongest organization, he had believed he'd already recorded every individual who posed a potential threat to the world's stability.
But here he was now… discovering a figure capable of annihilating a Rank Unknown in a single strike, with no name, no record, no trace.
Was that a human? Or some kind of Transcendent creature?
Even the Emperor of the Holy Spirit Empire—humanity's strongest empire—was at a loss for words.
He was confident in his empire's combat strength to at least face a Rank Unknown. But killing one in a single strike… that was still far beyond his reach.
Even humanity's strongest weapons couldn't guarantee the death of a single Rank Unknown.
The Holy Spirit Emperor rubbed his temples wearily, then asked.
"How are the two Rank SSS Hunters from Master Swordsman City who fled doing?"
"World Organization has already sent forces to pursue them. Regardless, they abandoned their responsibilities," Grand Marshal Valerian answered respectfully.
"..."
Silence fell once more. But aside from the Holy Spirit Emperor, the others quietly began considering their next move.
This incident had too great an impact on them—especially concerning the girl who had managed to summon a Rank Unknown into this world.
And of course, what needed the most caution was the unknown person who had killed it.
It was impossible to ignore a presence that dangerous.
So they designated both threats as SSS-level targets.
And now...
"How is the Yozakura Family doing?"
"..."
That question made every eye in the room turn sharply toward one direction.
Aside from their fear of this whole event, there was something else that surprised them.
The Yozakura Family.
Their status as one of the founders of Master Swordsman City was certainly worthy of respect. But that was all it was… merely an inherited great name.
To truly draw the world's attention, a family needed at least real power to prove itself.
Without that, they were just a family that could be wiped out with a single order.
At least, that was what they had thought—until they witnessed with their own eyes how great a role the Yozakura Family played in facing the Demon Dragon Lord and his minions.
Rank S...
Not a single member of the Yozakura Family was below Rank S!
They were truly shocked. Especially after learning that some of its members were even equal to Rank SS!
And Cecilus Segmunt! Who would have guessed that man was as strong as Rank SSS!
Damn it, they never imagined the family they had long looked down on had secretly been hiding combat power that immense!
Honestly, even Grand Marshal Valerian himself was shocked. With power that great, the Yozakura Family could already be placed alongside some of the world's top guilds.
"Yozakura Tsubomi... tch, that girl is truly good at hiding herself." One of the kings clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.
What nearly left them speechless was another fact… they had all survived.
Not a single member of the Yozakura Family had died.
It made no sense at all… with a disaster that catastrophic, how could every member of the Yozakura Family still be breathing?
Though some of them were severely injured—perhaps even permanently disabled—and were now under special care.
But regardless of all that, it was impossible for them to ignore the Yozakura Family now.
No, that was impossible.
The Yozakura Family was too extraordinary to be ignored.
Especially their family head, Yozakura Tsubomi.
For some reason, the girl who should have died hundreds of years ago was still alive and well—without the slightest sign of aging.
There was clearly some great secret behind her youthful appearance.
And people, as always, couldn't restrain their greed for a secret like that.
Even the Holy Spirit Emperor couldn't sit still.
If—somehow—Yozakura Tsubomi possessed some kind of Talent that could make a person 'immortal', humanity would surely go mad over it. A war could break out just for the sake of that one secret.
And...
"Frost Assassin... I heard he appeared as well?" the Holy Spirit Emperor asked, narrowing his eyes.
"...That's correct." Grand Marshal Valerian answered after a brief pause. "It seems Frost Assassin has some kind of connection to Yozakura Tsubomi."
"A certain connection, hm..."
Everyone began to ponder. Quietly, without exception, their suspicion toward Frost Assassin's presence grew deeper.
After all, he was the one who had first known information about the '𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿.' And now he was involved with the Yozakura Family too...
"Find out what connection Frost Assassin has with the Yozakura Family. Besides that, increase our security and surveillance. As for that unknown creature... try asking Frost Assassin directly. There's a chance he knows something we don't."
Besides that, they also deployed special forces—brilliant people and top researchers—to examine the new energy that had appeared in Master Swordsman City.
Yes, a new energy had emerged after Honkai Energy. Enough to make the scientists half-crazy with excitement.
How could it not—it was an energy capable of annihilating a Rank Unknown in a single strike!
That statement alone was enough to get them fired up.
"And try to communicate with Yozakura Tsubomi once she wakes up. If possible, find out the secret behind her and her family members."
The leaders—kings, emperors, guild masters, and so on—subtly pressured Grand Marshal Valerian into gathering information from the Yozakura Family. One by one, those demands piled onto his shoulders.
Honestly, Grand Marshal Valerian wanted to refuse some of those orders—especially the order to investigate the new energy, including Honkai Energy, given how unclear its nature still was and how dangerous it would be to tamper with carelessly.
Unfortunately, he could do little against these greedy people. He knew full well that humanity was currently growing weaker, and one way to strengthen themselves was by making use of that new energy—whatever the risk.
So with a heavy heart, Grand Marshal Valerian could only answer.
"...Understood. World Organization will carry out that order."
***
𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗺.
If asked what the most mysterious and dangerous place in the entire universe was, everyone would answer this place.
The reason was obvious… that place was the abode of Transcendent beings such as Gods and Goddesses.
It was called dangerous for good reason. Any living being would die instantly the moment they set foot there.
In other words, only beings who had already reached 𝗧ranscendent status had the authority to reside in the Heavy Realm.
But if given the choice between staying in the Heavy Realm or the outside world, the majority of them would actually choose the outside world.
The reason was simple. The outside world was full of entertainment, and they could act however they pleased there without anyone daring to oppose them.
That was precisely why the influence of Transcendent beings was so vast that they earned both respect and fear from the inferior beings beneath them.
But for the first time in a long while, all of them decided to communicate once again.
The reason, of course, was...
"[𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁… 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴?]"
That majestic voice echoed through the empty space of the Heavy Realm. But if one listened closely, there was a faint trace of fear hidden beneath it.
Not just him. Several other hazy silhouettes felt the same thing.
It was only natural.
As beings who had mostly reached the Transcendent realm since birth, they had always been certain that only a handful of beings in this world could kill them.
Perhaps the only one who could do it without difficulty was a Rank Unknown.
But suddenly they found there was another existence that could kill a Rank Unknown as easily as breathing. Clearly, that made no sense!
Since when did humankind possess a being like that?
No—to begin with, was it even still human?
Throughout their long history, no human had ever reached a level of power like that.
So there was only one explanation...
"[𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿…]"
That word was spoken by one of them.
Outsider—a term for beings not originating from their world. In other words, beings from another world or dimension.
Of course, the term Outsider was only used for outside beings who were genuinely powerful. If it were just a weak creature, such a grand title wouldn't be fitting.
They had encountered Outsiders before. But compared to this one, those previous Outsiders were nothing at all in comparison!
This Outsider—its presence alone was enough to make their souls tremble with fear and pain at the same time.
Besides that...
"[𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 '𝗮𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗱'…]"
As they said that, they too were filled with shock and bewilderment.
Every Transcendent being knew that their world had a consciousness of its own—something they called the 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱.
In fact, the reason their world was still standing and hadn't been destroyed—despite so many insane entities roaming within it—was because of the 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 itself.
If any being was detected attempting to destroy this world, the 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 would immediately send its forces to eliminate that threat.
Except when facing a Rank Unknown, which was essentially an anomaly from another world—that was usually where the 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 began to struggle.
But even so, even against a Rank Unknown, the 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 shouldn't have simply stayed silent. At the very least, it would send some of its strongest individuals as a precaution.
But this time...
There was no movement at all.
Even though it was clear that the entity's appearance earlier was enough to annihilate the entire world in an instant.
It was obvious the 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 was furious, yet it did nothing. Took no action at all.
So there was only one explanation that made sense...
𝗙𝗲𝗮𝗿.
The moment that word crossed their minds, all of them were shocked.
The 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱—which was essentially akin to the world's AI defense system—felt 'fear' toward another being? What kind of insane joke was that?!
But unfortunately, that was the reality.
Because they themselves felt that same fear—deep, reaching all the way to their souls.
Fortunately, that astonishing being seemed to have no other intention than to destroy the Rank Unknown.
But even so, they couldn't truly feel at ease.
They didn't know what would happen if that creature suddenly turned around and targeted them instead.
"[𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗱𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲… 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁]"
So they took their first step, the only step they dared to take amid that fear.
***
'Ch... en... Ye...'
"..."
'It's all right...'
"..."
'No one is blaming you...'
Even though the girl was filled with exhaustion and weakness—even suffering severe injuries—her voice was so gentle. So warm. As if from there, from within that darkness, something was trying to pull someone back into the world.
Until...
"..."
Chen Ye blinked. Once... twice...
The smell of medicine and bandages immediately filled his senses.
Then his ears caught the sound of birds chirping from outside the window, and the morning sunlight slipped in through the glass beside him, warm against his skin.
"You're awake?"
That voice immediately drew his attention.
A beautiful woman dressed like a doctor asked without bothering to lift her face, busy typing on her phone with one hand.
Chen Ye opened his mouth, about to say something—but the next moment...
Pain shot through his entire body, sharp and sudden!
"ARGH?!"
A scream of pain nearly tore from his throat, but it caught, the pain too intense to even voice.
In the end, helpless, he collapsed back onto the bed, his breathing ragged.
"You'd better restrain yourself, don't move too much. Still alive without any lasting damage after going through a 'hell' like that—the goddess of fortune must really love you."
The woman spoke with an indifferent tone, as if discussing the weather.
"I know there's a lot you want to ask, but there's no need to rush. You can ask one thing at a time, and well..." She finally glanced at Chen Ye.
"...maybe I'll answer. Though not entirely."
"...Where am I?"
"A hospital."
"No... that's not what I meant..."
"Just kidding." Despite saying that, the woman looked nothing like someone joking. Her expression was as flat as ever. But she still gave him the answer he wanted.
"Right now, you're in the safest care facility for the human race. More precisely..."
She glanced at Chen Ye once more before continuing.
"World Organization's special medical ward."
"..."
Chen Ye fell silent for a moment, then unconsciously let out a sigh of relief, a breath he seemed to have been holding for far too long.
World Organization...
Yes, of course he knew that organization.
Besides, the last thing he expected to be able to help him and his master was humanity's strongest organization.
...Even if their help seemed to have come a bit too late.
"What... what happened after all that...?" Chen Ye asked, his voice hoarse.
"You know, right? You should be under interrogation right now, seeing as you were directly involved in the 'disaster' at Master Swordsman City. But..." The woman paused for a moment, then continued.
"...we're tolerating you, because it's also our fault for not noticing there was a 'problem' there in the first place."
"..."
Chen Ye didn't say anything, but the woman didn't particularly care and began explaining what the young man actually wanted to know.
As expected, the loss of Master Swordsman City caused countless waves of mass panic, spreading like a plague across the world.
Especially since the appearance of a Rank Unknown wasn't something that could be hidden, given that its universal pressure could be clearly felt by anyone.
Thanks to that incident, many parties tried to exploit the situation for their own interests.
Some deliberately stirred up riots. Some tried to make the public hate World Organization. There was even a cult suddenly screaming that the world was ending, gathering followers amid the panic…
Whatever it was, everything descended into chaos since that incident.
Master Swordsman City—one of humanity's primary bastions—was now nothing more than a place filled with deadly radiation, impossible to restore.
"Care to guess who's still alive in the middle of a place like that?"
There was no doubt that Chen Ye, still breathing, had drawn the attention of many parties.
Because among all the survivors, he was the only one who could be considered reasonably 'healthy.'
"W-wait!"
"Hm?" The woman finally raised an eyebrow.
"Y-you said 'a few people'! T-that means..."
"Ah." The woman looked like she understood, then nodded slowly. "Yes, besides you, a few others survived. Though their condition isn't as good as yours."
Comparing their state to his own, Chen Ye really did feel like the goddess of fortune loved him.
But as the woman continued her explanation, Chen Ye's tense expression slowly melted into calm. Even relief…
Hesitantly, he asked again, his voice nearly a whisper.
"H-how is Yozakura Tsubomi?"
"..."
The woman's expression shifted strangely for a moment—too quick to catch—but she still explained.
"She's fine. In fact, among everyone including you, she's the one receiving the best care."
"..."
An overwhelming sense of joy welled up from within him. But he immediately broke into a harsh coughing fit from the pain in his body that still hadn't subsided.
"I told you not to push yourself."
"S-sorry..."
The woman sighed and spoke indifferently. "I don't know what your relationship with the Yozakura Family is, but the good news for you is that you don't need to meet them again."
"...Huh?"
Chen Ye's mind went blank for a moment, as if the world had briefly stopped spinning.
Hurriedly, he immediately asked, his voice nearly breaking.
"W-what do you mean?! I—I can't meet them?! Why can't I meet them?!"
The woman furrowed her brow, slightly puzzled by the overreaction.
"Didn't you end up like this because of them?"
"..."
No. NO.
It was actually the opposite…
It was him who had put all of them in danger…
Especially Yozakura Tsubomi—she was the one who had nearly been killed because of him.
At that very moment, the girl's figure appeared vividly in his mind, as though he had seen her only yesterday…
"L-let me see them!"
Gritting his teeth, Chen Ye forced himself to stand, trying to leave the room even as his body screamed in pain.
The woman's expression turned cold.
Just as she was about to push Chen Ye back onto the bed, a man's voice suddenly echoed in her ears.
"Oops, you're holding onto something dangerous there, Miss."
"?!!"
Not just the woman—Chen Ye too was stunned by the sudden appearance of a young man from out of nowhere.
But Chen Ye's expression shifted to slight joy and relief once he recognized who had arrived.
"Cecilus Segmunt..."
It wasn't Chen Ye, but the woman who spoke that name, her expression grim, as if the name alone was enough to give her a headache.
Yes... one of the humans who might just be the strongest swordsman in the world.
His eyes were clear blue, radiating a cheerful aura that never seemed to fade. His long blue hair was tied into a short ponytail, swaying casually as he walked in.
This time was different from before. Where he'd once worn a kimono with a blue haori, now he wore white clothing like a hospital patient—something that felt strange on someone like him.
Both his hands were wrapped entirely in bandages, so thickly that even his fingers couldn't be seen, forming only a rough kind of fist. There was also a white bandage wound around his forehead…
"How did you manage to get in here?"
"Ah, you're asking what happened to the door-guarding bugs? Come on, are you seriously asking me that?"
"...Those 'bugs' you mean are Rank S Hunters. Can you get past them in your current condition?"
"Your expression is hilarious. Now I'm curious what would happen if I killed them."
"Would you dare?"
"What do you think?"
"..."
The two stared at each other for quite a while, until finally Cecilus Segmunt chuckled, breaking the tension that had briefly hung in the air.
"I'm just kidding. Considering our adorable family head, she probably wouldn't be happy if I did that. But... let her come with me."
"...Do as you please."
The woman no longer cared. Honestly… she really didn't want to talk to the young man in front of her any longer.
Despite his casual, friendly appearance, his madness while fighting the Demon Dragon Lord directly—who had nearly reached Rank Unknown—had been recorded clearly by satellite. Something she would never forget.
Rank SSS…
Whether it was fortune or misfortune, it was a madman from the human race who possessed power that great.
***
"Honestly, I didn't expect you to still be alive. Fine, this time I really have to admit you're not too bad."
"...Thank you?" Chen Ye said hesitantly, a little awkward at the sudden compliment.
Before this, he had even considered Cecilus Segmunt a madman with an extraordinary level of narcissism. But suddenly being praised like this, he didn't know what to say.
Even so, there was no denying a small flicker of joy sneaking in from that praise.
The two walked calmly through the sophisticated corridors, their footsteps echoing down the long hallway.
Along the way, they heard sounds of pain and crying from every direction, sounds that seemed like they would never stop.
They were the victims of the Master Swordsman City incident.
Even though the distance was great, its terrible effects reached countless nearby cities, sweeping up those who had never even set foot in Master Swordsman City.
Wounds, blood, disabilities, bandages… all of it entered Chen Ye's view one by one, making the young man bite his lip until it nearly bled.
"They..."
"Surprised? This is only natural. Such is the fate of being weak." Cecilus Segmunt's tone was flat, as though he was already used to seeing scenes like this.
"...How are the other Yozakura members doing?"
"You're asking about Tsukuyo and the others? Well..." Cecilus Segmunt held his chin—even though his hand was just a fist shape from the bandages, the gesture still looked distinctly like him.
"Of course they're still breathing. Though much weaker than me, their condition isn't as bad as that. Will they wake up soon? I doubt it'll be that quick, unless..."
"Unless?"
"…our adorable family head handles it herself." Cecilus Segmunt smiled faintly.
"Besides, you already know, don't you? The Talent she has."
"..."
"But that's also a problem. Ever since she woke up, it seems like—"
"?!!"
𝙒𝙊𝙎𝙃!
Cecilus Segmunt's words were cut off just like that as Chen Ye suddenly left him standing alone, the moment he heard the news that the girl was awake.
"..."
Cecilus Segmunt blinked, then chuckled to himself, amused.
"Ah, I forgot to mention that girl isn't alone."
"You baited him on purpose, sir."
A gloomy-looking young man suddenly emerged from the shadows, standing silently behind Cecilus Segmunt, speaking coldly.
Black hair. Brown eye on the right, silver eye on the left.
A Rank SS+ Hunter, assassin type—Zamian.
He was there because of his duty to watch over Cecilus Segmunt.
World Organization couldn't possibly allow someone as dangerous as Cecilus Segmunt to roam free without any supervision at all.
So they assigned one of their best Rank SS+ Hunters to keep constant watch on him, no matter how small the opening.
Cecilus Segmunt was of course aware of the reasoning behind it, and honestly, he didn't mind too much—didn't care at all, really.
Because even if he truly went on a rampage, a Rank SS+ alone wouldn't be enough to stop him.
But given the current situation, and that he hadn't fully 'recovered' yet, it was better to hold back from acting recklessly for now.
"So..." Cecilus Segmunt looked at Zamian with a smile. "Showing up so suddenly like this, you must have something to tell me, right?"
"Grand Marshal Valerian wishes to meet you."
"..." Still smiling, Cecilus Segmunt narrowed his eyes slightly.
But that didn't mean he would refuse.
He simply chuckled, then spoke casually.
"No need to rush. Besides, the answer you're all looking for, I can't give you. You can ask my adorable family head directly—since she's already 'awake'—but considering World Organization's current state..."
Cecilus Segmunt paused for a moment, then his smile slowly shifted into a thin smirk.
"...I imagine you'd all much rather ask 'Frost Assassin' directly, wouldn't you?"
***
"Chen Ye!"
As Chen Ye was running, moving purely on instinct, the old man's voice inside his head made him freeze on the spot.
Without realizing it, his lips trembled as he spoke.
"Master...? You're awake...?"
His voice was slightly choked, almost as if he wanted to cry.
"Ha! You think your master is that weak?! That's what I want to say, but... even I'm surprised I'm still breathing right now."
The old man in a white robe, his lower body semi-transparent, wore a bewildered expression, as if he couldn't quite believe his own condition.
Before this, he had pushed himself to use every last bit of his soul's remaining strength to protect Chen Ye—leaving nothing behind for himself.
By his own estimate, he should have needed a hundred years to wake from that sleep. But in reality...
"That Yozakura girl helped us again..."
Picturing the gentle girl who never gave up no matter the circumstances, Sword King laughed bitterly.
How ironic. He had once promised to help the Yozakura Family. But in reality, it was him who had been helped, again and again.
And the more he heard that explanation, the more his resolve solidified within Chen Ye's chest.
"Sorry, Master. There's a lot I want to say, but... I want to see her first."
Chen Ye tried to continue on his way, but Sword King's voice stopped him.
"...Wait, Chen Ye."
"Master?" Chen Ye was slightly confused, his steps halting midway.
"..."
Sword King looked at his disciple with a complicated expression, knowing full well that what the young man was about to witness wasn't going to be good news.
He opened his mouth, about to try to stop him—
—then closed it again.
Sword King shut his eyes, only saying quietly, almost in a whisper.
"She's not alone. So don't disturb her too much."
Hearing that, Chen Ye was a little confused, but he didn't pay it much mind and hurried toward a certain room.
Meanwhile, Sword King had no intention of interfering. He merely watched Chen Ye enter that room with mixed feelings, before letting out a long, helpless sigh.
'I hope that kid is still strong enough after this...'
***
Chen Ye stood in front of a door marked VIP, still catching his breath from running the entire length of the corridor.
A few people guarding the door raised an eyebrow, but made no move to stop him, as if they'd already known he was coming.
So they let Chen Ye open the door.
Chen Ye himself felt nervous and tense.
But more than that, he was filled with a hope he couldn't quite contain.
So he opened the door.
𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬
The door opened.
The sweet, gentle scent of cherry blossoms immediately filled his senses, instantly transforming the entire atmosphere of the room.
Just from smelling that scent, the pain throughout his body seemed to vanish all at once.
Chen Ye's pupils widened, the young man slightly dazed, as if hypnotized by what lay before him.
Yozakura Tsubomi.
The girl, dressed in patient's clothing, lay peacefully on a fairly advanced hospital bed, surrounded by various medical equipment beeping softly.
Judging by her pale face, she didn't look particularly well.
And that was true.
Her porcelain-white skin was slightly cracked, with a disturbing brown fluid flowing slowly from within.
The right side of her body—which should have had branches with cherry blossom petals—now looked scorched, like the remnants of a fire that hadn't fully died out.
Her breathing was gentle, steady. But her small body trembled occasionally, as though still holding back the remnants of pain that hadn't fully faded.
If not for one thing, Chen Ye would normally have already rushed to her side in concern, saying all the words he'd wanted to say this whole time.
But...
The young man froze.
His steps stopped just like that, as if nailed to the floor.
Because...
There was someone else sitting calmly beside the girl.
A teenager who looked like he hadn't quite come of age yet.
Hair as white as snow, with a mask hiding part of his face, revealing only his right eye, a sapphire blue, beautiful and cold at once.
He wore a thick white hoodie that covered nearly his entire body. Even so, tiny flecks of ice—almost invisible to the naked eye—drifted slowly around him.
From an ordinary person's point of view, the teenager might have simply looked like a regular visitor watching over a patient.
But Chen Ye knew that wasn't true.
Why was he so certain?
Because the girl, Yozakura Tsubomi, was now tightly gripping that teenager's hand—as though she didn't want to let go of it even for a second.
Especially her gaze. It was true, the girl always had a gentle, warm look for anyone. But when looking at that teenager...
...there was something deeper than mere warmth. Something called 'affection,' clearly stored within that gaze.
'...Huh?'
Affection?
Who was that person?
Why... was Tsubomi giving a look like that to him and not to anyone else?
𝘋𝘌𝘎
𝘛𝘏𝘜𝘉
His heart pounded hard, as if trying to break free from his chest.
A repulsive feeling swirled wildly inside him, something he'd never felt before.
Suffocating.
For the first time, a feeling of suffocation and nearly uncontrollable anger surfaced from within him, without warning.
He wanted to rush toward the teenager, shout at him, demand to know who he was to dare hold Tsubomi's hand like that.
However...
He couldn't.
He could only stand at the threshold of the door, watching in silence, as the girl who had always been his 'savior' smiled happily—a smile he had never seen before, not even once.
—And in Chen Ye's memory, it was the most sincere, the most beautiful smile Yozakura Tsubomi had ever shown.
A smile that wasn't for him.
***