The ring radiated something deeply unsettling.
Not aura.
Not killing intent.
Something older.
The moment Cyan held it, a cold sensation crawled across his skin like frost spreading beneath flesh. The crimson jewel embedded within the black circlet pulsed faintly, almost like a heartbeat.
His eyes narrowed.
"What is this thing…?"
The artifact felt wrong in his hand. Heavy. Suffocating. As though it carried traces of something buried far beneath human understanding.
Then it vanished.
Cyan's expression shifted instantly.
The ring reappeared around his right hand in a blur too fast to follow. Thin silver chains wrapped tightly across his middle fingers while the black circlet locked itself into place around his knuckles.
Cyan grabbed it immediately and tried to rip it free.
It didn't move.
The metal clung to his skin like it had fused directly into bone.
A sharp pressure spread through his fingers.
Cyan's aura erupted violently.
The Ord Rings around him accelerated into spinning streaks of crimson light while raw energy burst outward hard enough to fracture the ground beneath his feet. Wind distorted around him as loose debris lifted from the earth.
Still—
The ring remained motionless.
Instead of resisting the aura, it absorbed it.
The crimson jewel pulsed once.
Then silence returned.
Cyan stared at the artifact for several seconds before exhaling quietly through his nose.
"…Annoying."
He lowered his hand slowly.
Forcing it off was pointless.
At least for now.
The surrounding forest had already begun growing quieter as dawn settled fully across the horizon. Remaining near the dungeon ruins any longer would only attract attention.
Then the air ahead distorted.
A portal formed several meters away, black currents spiraling inward like a collapsing void. The surrounding wind bent toward it while loose dust and fragments of stone drifted into the swirling darkness.
Cyan approached without hesitation.
Both swords floated beside him soundlessly as he
stepped through the portal.
The world shifted instantly.
Cold morning air brushed against his face as he emerged from the cave entrance overlooking the forest beyond. Dawn had already broken across the horizon.
The scent of pine and damp earth filled the air.
For the first time in what felt like days—
Silence.
Cyan stepped forward slowly, boots pressing against wet grass while faint sunlight filtered through the trees. His coat moved gently beneath the morning wind as loose strands of black hair drifted across his eyes.
The forest stretched endlessly before him
beneath pale gold light.
He glanced upward briefly.
"Morning already…"
One of the floating swords tilted slightly beside him, its damaged edge reflecting the sunrise in fractured streaks.
Aris' blade.
The chipped steel remained embedded with cracks from the battle against the Spider Queen.
Cyan studied it quietly.
Then looked northeast.
"Orion."
A faint mechanical voice answered within his mind immediately.
"I have located the nearest large settlement. Otley. Estimated population: three hundred eighty-nine thousand. Probability of locating a high-grade blacksmith: seventy-eight percent."
Cyan nodded once.
"That's enough."
"The journey will require approximately one week on foot," Orion continued. "The surrounding region remains unstable. Caution is advised."
Cyan began walking toward the forest line.
"A week changes nothing."
His tone remained calm. Flat. Certain.
"If something gets in my way, I'll kill it."
The swords followed behind him soundlessly.
Then he moved.
Cyan leapt onto the nearest tree branch with effortless precision before launching himself deeper into the forest. Leaves scattered violently beneath the force while branches bent and snapped in his wake.
The world blurred into motion.
Far away from the collapsing dungeon—
Far away from the battlefield beneath the tower—
Life continued.
…
The Ranon settlement had already begun rebuilding.
Morning sunlight spilled across rows of newly erected tents while smoke drifted upward from small campfires scattered throughout the clearing. Workers moved slowly through the settlement carrying timber, tools, and supplies salvaged from the destruction.
The atmosphere remained quiet.
Heavy.
Randell stepped out from one of the larger tents, his boots pressing against damp earth as he surveyed the camp in silence. Exhaustion lingered across nearly every face he passed.
No one complained.
An older man approached him soon after.
Mr. Eamon.
The owner of the horses stationed near the western side of camp.
His straw hat shifted slightly beneath the wind as he stopped in front of Randell.
"The horses are prepared," Eamon said. "Chief Ryker is waiting."
Randell nodded once.
"Understood."
Before leaving, his eyes settled briefly on the older man's face.
"You should rest."
Eamon gave a tired smile.
"There's too much work left."
"That won't change if you collapse."
Randell's voice remained calm, but firm.
"Everyone here has already lost enough. Rebuilding takes time. Don't force yourself past your limits trying to rush it."
Eamon stared at him quietly for a moment before lowering his gaze.
"…Understood, young master."
Randell turned and continued through the settlement without another word.
Eamon watched him leave in silence.
Hard to believe he's only ten…
Nearby, inside one of the medical tents, Ryan lay beneath thin blankets soaked with fever.
A damp cloth rested across his forehead while shallow breaths escaped his lips unevenly. Beside him sat Mirai, her small hands gripping the edge of the bed tightly.
"Big brother…"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"When are we going home?"
Ryan's eyes remained fixed toward the ceiling.
"…Mirai."
His voice sounded weak.
"We can't go back."
The words barely left his mouth before emotion caught in his throat.
Mirai blinked in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Ryan turned his face away from her.
Silence filled the tent.
Outside, the wind moved softly through the settlement while distant voices carried faintly across the morning air.
Inside—
Ryan's hands trembled beneath the blankets.
"How am I supposed to tell her…?"
His breathing became uneven.
"That our home is gone…"
Tears slid silently across his face.
"That grandmother died in those flames…"
Outside the tent entrance, Marilyn stood frozen in place after hearing everything.
One hand covered her mouth while tears gathered slowly in her eyes.
Neither of them noticed her standing there.
And beyond the settlement....
Far within the endless forest...
Cyan continued moving northeast beneath the rising sun.