The six city guards reached Thornveil from a separate forest route.
As they entered the forest's outer edge, their horses slowed beneath the thickening canopy.
Even from a distance—
Dark smoke billowed high above the trees.
A growing pillar of black rising into the sky.
The deeper they rode, the more obvious the destruction became.
Birds had fled.
Wildlife was scarce.
And the faint scent of burning wood carried through the air.
One guard narrowed his eyes toward the smoke ahead.
"What in the hell happened here…?"
Another tightened his grip on the reins.
"Stay sharp."
Their squad pressed deeper into Thornveil.
Careful.
Alert.
Following the smoke trail toward its source.
Deep within Thornveil—
Steam and smoke still blanketed the battlefield.
The aftermath of fire and melted earth hissed beneath the canopy.
Nero stood amidst it all, breathing slightly heavier than before.
His silver eyes scanned the destruction.
"That could've gone really bad…"
His voice was low.
Measured.
Then—
Movement.
From within the dense mist—
Gareth emerged.
Sword still in hand.
Nero's body immediately tensed.
Knife raised.
Guard up.
But Gareth quickly raised both palms.
"No, no—"
His tone was urgent.
"I don't want to fight anymore."
Nero didn't lower his stance.
Didn't relax.
Didn't blink.
Slowly—
Gareth sheathed his sword.
The faint green glow surrounding his body began to fade.
Dimmer.
And dimmer.
Until it vanished completely.
Only then did Gareth cautiously step forward.
Nero's warning came instantly.
"Don't come any closer."
His voice was cold.
"I want no trouble."
Gareth stopped immediately.
Hands still visible.
"I swear," he said firmly, "I'm not attacking again."
Behind him—
Maria and Sten remained silent.
Still shaken.
Still trying to process the overwhelming battle they had just witnessed.
Then—
"GET ME OUT OF THIS ALREADY!"
Zeak's furious voice shattered the tension.
Still frozen in Nero's ice restraints, he thrashed uselessly.
Gareth glanced back at him—
Then returned his gaze to Nero.
"…Could you release him?"
A pause.
"I swear on my life—they won't try anything again."
Nero thought for a moment.
Then answered flatly—
"Not happening."
His gaze shifted briefly toward Zeak.
"He's the hot-headed one."
Zeak immediately exploded.
"The fuck did you say!?"
His voice echoed through the ruined forest.
"I'll show you hot-headed when I'm free!"
Nero finally relaxed his stance slightly.
Only slightly.
Without looking away from Gareth, he said—
"See?"
A beat.
"Hot-headed."
For the first time—
Gareth visibly looked tired.
He scratched the back of his neck.
"…Yeah."
A frustrated sigh escaped him.
"I know."
Then his tone sharpened.
"But we all need to leave before the guards realize we're responsible for setting half of Thornveil on fire."
Inside Nero's mind—
Angelo's voice surfaced.
"They're desperate."
A pause.
"Good."
"This is our chance to get answers."
Nero agreed immediately.
"Yeah."
He lowered his knife—
Though he didn't fully sheath it yet.
"Fine."
"I'll let him go."
Gareth visibly relaxed—
But Nero stopped him immediately.
"But first—"
His tone hardened.
"You answer my questions."
Gareth's relief instantly faded.
"…Can't this wait until later?"
"No."
Immediate.
Flat.
Absolute.
Gareth looked around at his battered companions.
Bren unconscious.
Zeak restrained.
Maria injured.
Sten barely standing.
Then—
He gave a reluctant nod.
"…Fine."
Nero finally sheathed his knife.
Then raised his index finger.
"First question."
His silver gaze locked directly onto Gareth.
"What exactly is this 'Worldbridge' you keep talking about?"
A pause.
"Because it's clearly not the same thing as the portal that brought me here."
Gareth hesitated.
"It's… complicated."
Nero's stare didn't change.
"It'll take too long to properly explain."
Nero cut him off instantly.
"Then keep it short."
Gareth exhaled slowly.
Then answered.
"Worldbridges are ancient gates that connect to one another across vast distances."
His tone became more measured.
"Anything that enters one bridge can emerge from another."
A brief pause.
"They allow transportation between fixed points across the world."
Nero's expression shifted slightly.
Teleportation.
Gareth continued—
"There are multiple known Worldbridges."
"And control over one…"
His voice darkened.
"…can change the balance of power between kingdoms."
Nero silently processed that.
Strategic infrastructure.
Political weapon.
He slowly raised a second finger.
"Second question."
"Why are you trying to locate one?"
This time—
Gareth didn't hesitate.
"Because kingdoms go to war over Worldbridges."
His expression hardened.
"Securing one before another nation does can determine military dominance, supply control, and territorial leverage."
A brief pause.
"For our mission…"
His jaw tightened.
"…it's essential."
Nero's eyebrow raised.
"Mission?"
Gareth immediately shook his head.
"I'm sorry."
His tone remained firm.
"But I can't tell you more than that."
Silence lingered.
Inside Nero's mind—
Angelo's voice returned.
Cold.
Blunt.
"We seriously do not want to get dragged into whatever this is."
As Nero weighed Gareth's warning, Gareth suddenly stepped forward.
"Before you ask anything else—"
His tone was sharper now.
"We need to move."
A brief pause.
"Now."
His eyes scanned the smoke-choked forest.
"I'd bet the guards are already inside Thornveil."
Nero considered that for only a moment.
Then—
Snap.
With a sharp flick of his fingers, the ice imprisoning Zeak instantly melted into freezing water.
The spikes and bindings dissolved from around his limbs and throat, drenching him where he already lay on the forest floor.
Drenched.
Cold.
Free.
Gareth gave Nero a brief nod of acknowledgment—
Then immediately turned toward the others.
"Move!"
His voice snapped with authority.
"We return to the capital immediately."
His eyes locked onto Maria and Sten.
"Maria. Sten."
"Snap out of it."
"We don't have time to recover here."
Then—
His gaze shifted toward Bren's unconscious form.
"And wake Bren up already."
"He's slept long enough."
Sten forcefully slapped both cheeks to regain focus.
Once.
Twice.
Then straightened himself.
Despite his condition, he quickly moved to support Maria, whose head was still visibly swollen from Nero's earlier strike.
Zeak slowly pushed himself upright, water dripping from his clothes.
He walked past Nero—
Without a word.
Nero smirked.
"Oh?"
His voice carried clear amusement.
"I thought you were going to show me how hot-headed you are once I let you out."
Zeak didn't even look at him.
He clicked his tongue in irritation while kneeling beside Bren.
"I'm not that stupid."
His tone was flat.
Measured.
"I know how dangerous you are."
For once—
No reckless anger.
Just hard-earned caution.
Zeak shook Bren firmly.
"Wake up."
Bren groaned.
"…Huh?"
His eyes slowly opened.
Zeak hauled him upward.
"Come on."
"We're leaving."
Bren blinked repeatedly, his vision gradually stabilizing.
Then—
He frowned.
"…What happened to Nero?"
Zeak exhaled sharply.
"Gareth handled him."
Bren winced and rubbed his head.
"…Did Gareth kill him?"
A painful silence followed.
Zeak sucked in a breath through his teeth.
"About that…"
Before he could finish—
Bren looked past him.
And froze.
Nero stood there.
Entirely unharmed.
Nero casually raised one arm.
"Sup?"
Bren physically recoiled.
A chill visibly ran through him as he stumbled backward.
"WHY IS HE STILL HERE!?"
Nero grinned and casually began walking toward him.
"Because I'm stronger than Gareth."
Bren immediately retreated another step, looking toward Gareth in alarm.
Gareth's eyebrow twitched.
"Stronger than me?"
He scoffed.
"Please."
"I was holding back."
Nero immediately turned toward him.
"So was I."
Gareth stepped closer.
"Oh really?"
Nero's smug grin widened.
"You're the one who stopped first."
Gareth's eye twitched harder.
"You couldn't land a single clean hit."
Nero shot back instantly.
"And you still couldn't win."
The argument reignited almost immediately.
Bren stared.
Completely baffled.
Zeak simply sighed, retrieved his sword, and sheathed it.
"It's a truce."
His tone suggested he was still struggling to believe it himself.
Sten approached next, Maria beside him.
"Enough."
His voice cut through both of them.
"We're out of time."
A pause.
"Break it up."
"Now."
Both Gareth and Nero looked at him.
Then at each other.
A shared silence passed.
Finally—
They both sighed.
And without another word—
The six of them began moving.
Together.
Back toward the capital.
Before Thornveil's approaching guards could discover what truly happened.