The restaurant was crowded that night.
The scent of grilled meat rose into the warm air, while laughter and chatter filled the wide hall. Everything was normal… until it wasn't.
A large, muscular man stood in front of Baran, snorting like an enraged bull, his eyes burning with anger.
"You… who said that?"
Baran didn't lift his gaze from his plate. He slowly stirred his spoon in the soup, as if what was happening in front of him had nothing to do with him. He didn't answer. He didn't move. He simply continued eating, calmly… irritatingly calm.
The man stepped forward.
Before he could finish his words—
A strange black lightning flashed through the air.
In an instant.
The man fell.
His head split clean in two.
Silence.
A heavy silence settled over the place, as if even the air itself had stopped moving. Spoons froze midair. Cups stopped just before touching lips. Even the smoke seemed to solidify.
"I…" Baran said calmly, lifting his spoon without looking at anyone,
"I'm the one who said I can destroy the entire Koryon Clan… any objections?"
No one moved.
No one there was foolish enough to step forward… they had seen what happened. They had seen the huge man—who could shatter a wall with a single strike—fall like a dry leaf in the wind.
Even the sound of Baran's spoon touching the bowl felt like a sword slowly being drawn from its sheath.
Then—
Thud.
One of the customers suddenly collapsed.
He wasn't struck… he wasn't touched…
He was just staring at the corpse.
And then he fell.
People stepped back quickly, as if the ground beneath him had turned into poison. But the man wasn't dead… he was trembling violently, his eyes wide open, muttering incomprehensible words.
Someone approached cautiously.
"What's wrong? What do you see?"
No answer…
Suddenly, the man grabbed his arm with terrifying force and screamed:
"Don't look at the corpse… don't look!"
A deeper silence filled the hall.
Then—
The sound of a chair being slowly dragged.
Baran finally stood up.
He walked calmly… lightly… as if he had no weight, until he reached the fallen man and crouched in front of him.
He looked at him with calm… curious eyes.
"What did you see… exactly? Describe it."
The man swallowed with difficulty.
"I… I saw something… standing over the corpse…"
"Go on."
"It was huge… unbelievably huge… its body covered in something like armor… but it was moving… breathing…"
His voice began to break.
"Its eyes… they were glowing gold… like embers… and when it moved… I felt like the air itself was burning…"
He took a shaky breath.
"And… it had a tail… long… wrapping around the corpse… like it was… playing with it…"
The silence became something heavy… almost audible.
Baran slowly stood up.
He dusted off his clothes calmly, then said without turning:
"I hope… you didn't look into its eyes."
The man froze.
Then—
He screamed.
A scream from the depths of his soul, clutching his head violently:
"I did! I looked at it! It saw me… it saw me!"
Everyone stepped back, fear clear on their faces.
As for Baran…
He remained standing.
Watching.
Calmly.
Then—
He smiled.
A faint smile… barely visible.
"Relax."
He said it in a completely normal tone.
"Nothing will happen to you… just some minor side effects."
Silence.
Someone blinked.
"S-side effects?"
Baran sighed as if tired of explaining:
"Just my technique."
…
Two seconds passed.
…
Three.
…
Then—
"…Huh?"
Faces changed.
The fear didn't disappear… but it mixed with something else.
Anger.
"My technique?!"
"My technique?!"
Someone shouted:
"You made me see a monster playing with a human corpse… and you call that 'just your technique'?!!"
Another person:
"I was about to die from fear, you lunatic!"
In the back…
Suleiman started laughing.
A laugh he tried to suppress… but failed.
"Hah… hahaha… no… I can't… your faces…!"
Everyone looked at him.
Then at Baran.
Then—
They exploded.
"Throw them out!!"
"Throw this madman out!"
"This isn't a horror restaurant!"
Baran tried to protest:
"Wait, why am I the one getting thrown out—"
But he didn't finish.
Moments later…
He and Suleiman were outside the restaurant.
---
A brief silence.
Then Suleiman said, wiping tears of laughter:
"The best part… they didn't take the money."
Baran looked at the closed door.
Then sighed:
"…Good point."
He stayed silent for a second… then smiled slightly.
"So… the market?"
Suleiman laughed:
"Yes—but this time… don't use your techniques on the vendors."
Baran replied calmly:
"No promises."
---
The market was alive with energy.
Children's laughter scattered through the alleys like raindrops, vendors shouted to advertise their goods, and scents intertwined in the air—ripe fruit, hot spices, fresh bread. The place felt like a massive living creature, pulsing, breathing, moving.
Baran and Suleiman walked side by side, talking about their recent training, about Baran's new technique, and the long road still ahead of them.
Then—
The conversation stopped.
Not because it ended.
But because something in the air changed.
"Hmmm… someone is sneaking behind us." Suleiman whispered, his eyes still forward, as if he hadn't spoken.
Baran wasn't surprised. He had felt it too. That subtle weight behind the shoulder… like a gaze that didn't want to be seen.
"I think it's someone from the Koryon Clan." Baran replied in his usual calm tone.
They continued walking as if nothing had happened.
---
They entered a shop. Weapons hung on the walls like rare artifacts—swords, spears, and bows shining under lantern light.
Baran stopped in front of a spear in the corner. It was a weapons shop. He needed a spear. His old one was close to breaking after being pushed beyond its limits in recent battles.
"Hello. How much for the spear?"
"Thirty gold coins."
They left before the shopkeeper could finish his sentence.
"Hmph… kids these days are truly foolish." the man muttered, returning to his book.
---
A few steps away, Baran whispered:
"He's still following us. Should we meet him?"
Suleiman nodded, a glint of readiness in his eyes.
After a short while, they suddenly turned into a narrow alley and stopped.
The shadow following them couldn't stop in time.
The man appeared.
He stood before them, masked, dressed in black, revealing nothing but his tall figure and calm eyes—eyes that didn't belong to someone who came to fight.
A brief silence.
Then he spoke, looking directly at Baran:
"The Grand Elder wishes to meet you."
---
Baran didn't move.
Hands in his pockets, he stared at the man with that empty gaze that revealed nothing and hid nothing at the same time.
A second passed.
"The Grand Elder… of the Koryon Clan?" Baran asked without the slightest hint of surprise.
The man nodded slowly.
Baran glanced at Suleiman.
Suleiman was studying the man carefully. Then he raised an eyebrow slightly—a silent question:
What do you want to do?
Baran looked back at the masked man.
"Why does he want to meet me?"
"I don't know." the man said simply. "I was only sent to deliver the message."
"And if I refuse?"
The man didn't answer immediately.
But his silence was an answer.
Baran sighed softly, glanced at the sky for a moment, then looked back.
"Fine."
The masked man led the way.
His steps were steady, confident, like someone who had walked this path thousands of times. He knew every turn, every stone, every shadow.
Baran and Suleiman followed at a measured distance—not too close, not too far—just enough to say: We follow, but we are not yours.
They gradually left the market. The noise faded into whispers… then into silence.
The path began to rise.
---
The Koryon Clan headquarters was not what anyone expected.
Not a castle.
Not a fortress.
It was a massive old building sitting at the heart of a hill, as if it had grown from it. Dark stones absorbed light instead of reflecting it, and tall trees surrounded it like silent guards.
Two guards stood at the main gate.
They looked at Baran.
Then opened the door.
---
Inside was larger than it appeared.
Long corridors lit by wall lanterns. Smooth stone floors reflecting footsteps like a silent mirror. Clan banners hung on the walls—a black eagle gripping a sword.
Warriors stood along the hallway.
None moved.
But their eyes followed Baran—not hostile, not friendly. Evaluating.
Suleiman whispered:
"Looks like your reputation arrived before us."
"It always does." Baran replied calmly.
---
They stopped before a large double door. The masked man knocked twice.
"Enter."
A deep voice came from inside—calm, commanding without effort.
The door opened.
---
The hall was vast.
At the far end sat an old man—not a king, yet he held the same presence.
White hair. A face carved by time. But sharp eyes, like newly forged blades.
Advisors stood beside him.
He looked at Baran.
Baran looked at him.
---
Silence.
Not tension.
But two men measuring each other.
Then—
"Sit."
Baran pulled a chair and sat calmly.
Suleiman sat beside him.
---
"I heard what you did to my warriors." the Grand Elder said.
"News travels fast." Baran replied.
"I hear everything in this city." he said plainly. "The man you killed was one of our strongest."
"I know."
An eyebrow lifted.
"And you don't seem sorry."
"I'm not. He wanted a fight. I gave it to him."
Silence.
Then—
The Grand Elder smiled.
Not warmly… but with interest.
---
Damn… this eye. In the Connected World, there are four—not three. We need to find Narvik… no matter the cost. Baran thought to himself, as the Grand Elder smiled.