Layla smiled as another peaceful memory unfolded before her.
Arthur...
Lola...
The cherry blossom trees...
Their laughter echoed across the school grounds as sunlight painted the courtyard in gold.
For the first time in what felt like forever...
Everything was peaceful.
Then—
Glitch.
The sound of laughter abruptly distorted.
The sky flickered.
The cherry blossom petals froze in midair.
Arthur's face blurred.
Lola vanished.
The school buildings cracked apart like broken glass.
A violent ringing filled Layla's ears.
"...W-What?"
The dream shattered.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Not ordinary darkness.
It felt alive.
Breathing.
Watching.
Layla slowly stood, her heart pounding.
"...Arthur?"
"...Lola?"
"...Mom?"
"...Dad?"
Only silence answered.
Then...
A pair of crimson eyes opened in the distance.
Another pair.
Then another.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Each one staring at her from within the endless abyss.
A soft voice echoed from every direction at once.
"So..."
"...this is the one he cherishes."
Layla spun around.
"Who's there?"
No answer.
Instead...
A tall silhouette slowly emerged from the darkness.
Its form shifted constantly, never remaining the same for more than a second.
Sometimes it resembled a man.
Sometimes a woman.
Sometimes nothing more than a shadow with far too many eyes.
Despite its terrifying appearance...
Its voice was strangely gentle.
"There is no need to fear me."
"I have no desire to harm you."
Layla instinctively stepped backwards.
"...Who are you?"
The creature bowed politely.
"I have carried many names."
"Some call me a curse."
"Others call me a nightmare."
"But the name I was born with..."
"...is the Demon of Loneliness."
The words sent a chill through Layla's entire body.
She had never heard that name before.
Yet...
Something deep inside her soul told her to run.
"I..."
"I don't want to talk to you."
The demon smiled sadly.
"I know."
"No one ever does."
"But eventually..."
"They all do."
It slowly looked around the endless darkness.
"Loneliness has a way of finding everyone."
Its countless eyes settled upon Layla once more.
"Tell me, child..."
"Why do humans cling so desperately to life?"
"You call life a blessing, yet from the moment you are born, it begins taking things away from you. It steals your innocence, your dreams, your family, your youth. It gives you just enough happiness to make you fear losing it... then patiently waits until it does exactly that."
"It is curious."
"The world wounds you over and over again..."
"...yet every morning you thank it for another sunrise."
"Is that courage?"
"...or simply denial?"
The darkness rippled around them.
"And then there is love."
"Humans praise it as though it were their greatest treasure."
"They write poems for it."
"They build kingdoms because of it."
"They destroy kingdoms because of it."
"But they never speak of its true nature."
"The moment you give your heart to another..."
"You hand the world the sharpest blade it will ever use against you."
"Every goodbye becomes terrifying."
"Every promise becomes fragile."
"Every smile becomes something you fear losing."
"Love does not simply teach happiness."
"It teaches grief."
The demon took another slow step forward.
"And grief..."
"...is patient."
"It waits."
"It festers."
"And eventually..."
"It changes its name."
"It becomes revenge."
"Humans believe revenge is born from hatred."
"They couldn't be more mistaken."
"Revenge is simply love..."
"...with nowhere left to go."
"A daughter seeks justice because she loved her parents."
"A friend raises a sword because memories refuse to fade."
"A lover refuses to let go because the heart cannot accept silence."
"The world condemns revenge..."
"...yet never asks what created it."
The demon's countless eyes reflected nothing but darkness.
"So answer me, Layla Skywalker."
"If life promises suffering..."
"If love promises heartbreak..."
"And if revenge is all that remains after love has been torn away..."
"Why continue?"
"Why choose to keep living?"
"Why fight for a tomorrow that will one day demand everything from you?"
Layla stood frozen.
She wanted to argue.
To deny every word.
Yet...
She couldn't.
Not because she agreed.
But because she had no answer.
The demon's expression softened.
"I did not come here to break you."
"I came because one day..."
"...you will ask yourself these very same questions."
"When that day comes..."
"...remember this conversation."
The darkness began swallowing the creature once more.
Its voice grew quieter.
"...And when fate finally places the world in one hand..."
"...and the person you love in the other..."
"...tell me which one you'll choose."
Everything around Layla collapsed into blinding white light.
The dream resumed as though nothing had happened.
Yet somewhere...
Deep within her heart...
The Demon of Loneliness had left behind a question she would carry for the rest of her life.
The darkness disappeared.
The crimson eyes slowly faded.
The Demon of Loneliness's voice became more distant until only silence remained.
Then—
"...Layla."
A familiar voice.
Soft.
Concerned.
"...Layla."
A gentle hand lightly shook her shoulder.
Her eyelids slowly opened.
The warm glow of the kitchen greeted her.
Rain continued falling outside, tapping gently against the windows.
For several seconds, she simply stared ahead, her breathing uneven.
"...Arthur...?"
Arthur was kneeling beside the chair she had fallen asleep in.
His expression wasn't his usual calm one.
He looked... worried.
"You finally woke up."
Layla blinked.
"...How long was I asleep?"
"A little while."
Arthur hesitated before speaking again.
"You were crying."
Layla instinctively touched her cheek.
Her fingertips came away wet.
"...I..."
"I was?"
Arthur nodded quietly.
"There were tears running down your face."
"You looked like you were trying to call out to someone."
"...But no words came out."
Layla lowered her head.
Fragments of the dream flashed through her mind.
The endless darkness.
The crimson eyes.
The Demon of Loneliness.
"If life promises suffering..."
"If love promises heartbreak..."
"Then why continue?"
Her heart tightened.
Arthur gently sat down on the chair opposite hers.
"...Nightmare?"
Layla forced a small smile.
"...Yeah."
"I think so."
Arthur studied her for a few moments.
He could tell she wasn't telling him everything.
But...
He also knew better than to force someone to speak before they were ready.
Instead, he quietly stood and walked over to the kettle.
He poured a cup of warm tea before placing it gently in front of her.
"My mom says warm tea helps after bad dreams."
Layla wrapped both hands around the cup.
The warmth slowly spread through her fingers.
"...Thank you."
Arthur gave a small nod.
Neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable.
Outside...
The rain grew heavier.
Arthur eventually looked out the window.
"...Dreams are strange."
Layla looked up.
"...Why?"
Arthur smiled faintly.
"My dad used to tell me..."
"'Some dreams are just memories you've forgotten.'"
"'Others..."
"...are questions your heart doesn't know how to answer yet.'"
Layla's eyes widened slightly.
Questions...
That was exactly what the demon had left her with.
Arthur looked back at her.
"You don't have to tell me."
"...Not today."
"...But if you ever want to..."
"...I'll listen."
For a moment...
Layla simply stared at him.
Then she smiled.
A genuine smile this time.
"...Thanks."
Arthur stood and stretched.
"C'mon."
"Sunny's waiting outside."
"He said today's training is going to be 'fun.'"
Layla laughed softly.
"...That usually means someone gets hurt."
Arthur sighed.
"Probably me."
The two quietly walked toward the kitchen door.
Neither of them noticed...
Just before Layla stepped outside...
Her reflection in the rain-covered window lingered for a single second longer than it should have.
And somewhere...
Far beyond dreams...
A pair of crimson eyes slowly closed.
As though patiently waiting...
For the day Layla would remember every word.
The morning passed quietly.
Arthur and Layla stepped outside just as the others were beginning to gather.
Sunny lazily stretched beneath a nearby tree, yawning loud enough for everyone to hear.
Rivien immediately poked him in the side.
"You've done nothing all morning."
Sunny opened one eye.
"...Exactly."
"And I'm exhausted."
Rivien stared at him in disbelief.
Tom couldn't help but laugh while Alexi shook her head with an amused smile.
Kierran and Lucas were already sparring in the clearing, wooden swords colliding again and again.
Every strike echoed through the forest.
Arthur smiled.
"...Looks like they started without us."
Layla nodded.
"They're getting faster."
Before Arthur could reply—
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
A translucent blue screen materialized before every awakened being.
The familiar chime echoed throughout the forest.
---
"The Grand Tournament of Ascension"
Remaining Time: 3 Days 00 Hours 00 Minutes
Participants are advised to make their final preparations.
The Survival Trial will begin immediately upon arrival.
Failure to prepare may result in death.
Remember...
The weak are not eliminated.
They simply fail to survive.
Good luck.
---
The notification slowly disappeared.
Silence followed.
Even Sunny no longer looked relaxed.
"...Three days already."
Lucas scratched the back of his head.
"That came fast."
Tom folded his arms.
"Which means our training here is over."
Everyone instinctively looked toward Alex.
He had been leaning quietly against a nearby tree the entire time.
His expression remained unreadable.
"...I was waiting for that notification."
He reached into the inner pocket of his long white coat.
After a moment...
He pulled out a crystal unlike anything Arthur had ever seen.
It shimmered with deep violet light.
Inside it...
Tiny stars appeared to drift endlessly through empty space.
Layla stared in amazement.
"...What's that?"
Alex looked at the crystal for a moment.
"A Teleportation Stone."
"I found it several weeks ago while hunting beyond the eastern forest."
"It belonged to someone..."
"...who no longer needed it."
Tom raised an eyebrow.
"You mean the other corrupted awakened ?"
Alex simply smiled.
"...Something like that."
Arthur's attention never left the crystal.
"It can teleport us?"
Alex nodded.
"Not just anywhere."
"It has already been attuned to one location."
He slowly closed his hand around the stone.
"...Voidspire."
The name alone caused everyone to stiffen.
Sunny frowned.
"The city hosting the tournament."
Alex nodded again.
"Exactly."
"If we're going to compete..."
"We should become familiar with the environment beforehand."
"There are stronger awakened there."
"Guilds."
"Merchants."
"Hunters."
"And creatures you've never encountered."
He looked at each of them in turn.
"I'd rather you face those things now..."
"...than for the first time during the tournament."
Arthur couldn't help but smile.
"So..."
"We're finally leaving the forest."
Alex looked toward the towering trees surrounding their camp.
"This forest has served its purpose."
"You've grown stronger here."
"But growth only happens when the scenery changes."
He lifted the crystal into the air.
Its violet glow intensified.
Space itself began to ripple around the group.
Leaves floated upward.
The wind fell completely still.
Even the rain seemed to freeze for a heartbeat.
Alex's voice echoed through the silent forest.
"Gather close."
"No matter what you see..."
"Don't let go of one another."
"Voidspire..."
"...isn't like anywhere you've ever been."
One by one, everyone stepped closer.
Arthur instinctively reached for Layla's hand.
She gently intertwined her fingers with his.
The crystal erupted with blinding violet light.
The world twisted.
The forest disappeared.
And their journey toward Voidspire...
Finally began.
When they arrived they were surrounded by lots of awakens people who were forced to adapt the group decided on taking a tour of the place to scout ahead and maybe gain information but also relax .
The group gradually dispersed into the lively streets of Voidspire.
Sunny had already disappeared toward the food district with Rivien trailing behind him, complaining that he was about to waste all their money.
Tom and Alexi wandered toward the bustling marketplace, eager to explore the city's rare ingredients and unusual spices.
Kierran and Lucas immediately challenged each other to find the strangest weapon shop in the city before sunset.
Within minutes...
Only Arthur and Layla remained.
The two stood quietly at the entrance to the city, watching thousands of awakened move through the streets.
Arthur rubbed the back of his neck.
"...Looks like it's just us."
Layla smiled.
"I don't mind."
Neither of them spoke for a few seconds.
The silence wasn't awkward.
It never had been.
Arthur glanced sideways at her before quietly asking,
"...Would you... like to explore the city together?"
Layla looked at him with a playful smile.
She folded her hands behind her back and leaned forward ever so slightly.
"Are you asking me on a date?"
Arthur's ears immediately turned red.
"I..."
"I wasn't..."
Layla giggled.
"I'm teasing."
She gently reached for his hand.
"I'd love to."
Arthur smiled sheepishly as their fingers intertwined.
Together, they stepped into the streets of Voidspire.
The city was unlike anything either of them had ever seen.
Crystal lamps floated above the roads without chains or poles.
Musicians played strange instruments whose melodies seemed to shimmer in the air.
Street vendors sold foods from every continent, filling the streets with aromas neither of them could recognize.
Layla stopped in front of a small stall where colorful glass charms hung from delicate silver threads.
"They're beautiful..."
The elderly shopkeeper smiled warmly.
"Each one is made by hand."
"They're said to bring good fortune."
Arthur examined one shaped like a tiny raven.
Beside it hung another shaped like a blooming flower.
Without saying a word...
He quietly purchased both.
The old man carefully wrapped them before handing them over.
As they continued walking, Arthur stopped beside a small stone bridge overlooking one of Voidspire's canals.
The water reflected the afternoon sunlight like liquid silver.
He held out the flower-shaped charm.
Layla blinked.
"...For me?"
Arthur nodded.
"I know it's not much..."
"...but I thought it suited you."
Layla carefully accepted it.
For a long moment...
She simply stared at the tiny glass flower resting in her palm.
Then she smiled.
Not the playful smile she often wore.
A softer one.
The kind that reached her eyes.
"I love it."
She looked back at Arthur.
"...Thank you."
Arthur rubbed the back of his neck again.
"I'm glad."
Layla suddenly stepped closer.
Without warning...
She wrapped her free arm around his.
"So..."
"Where to next?"
Arthur looked down at her before smiling.
"...Anywhere."
"As long as we're together."
Layla laughed softly.
"Good answer."
The two continued wandering through the streets, stopping to watch performers, tasting unfamiliar desserts, and laughing whenever Sunny's communication device buzzed with another complaint about Rivien refusing to buy him food.
For a little while...
The tournament...
The System...
The dangers waiting beyond the horizon...
All of it faded into the background.
They weren't awakened.
They weren't future competitors.
They weren't people burdened by fate.
They were simply two teenagers enjoying a peaceful afternoon together.
Neither of them realized...
That somewhere high above the city...
Hidden atop one of Voidspire's ancient towers...
A lone figure watched them in complete silence.
Then...
Without a word...
The figure turned away and disappeared into the shadows.
The afternoon sun cast long golden rays across the streets of Voidspire.
Arthur and Layla wandered side by side through the city's bustling avenues, their hands gently intertwined as they admired the countless stalls lining the streets.
Merchants enthusiastically called out to passing adventurers.
Children darted between the crowds, laughing as they chased one another.
The entire city felt alive.
Layla paused for a moment, her eyes widening at the sight of a vendor roasting fragrant skewers over glowing blue coals.
"...That smells amazing."
Arthur chuckled.
"It does."
"You hungry?"
She nodded without hesitation.
"...A little."
Arthur laughed softly.
"I figured."
As they walked toward the food stalls...
Two young men stood only a few meters away at another vendor.
One had striking silver-white hair tied loosely behind his head and calm sapphire-blue eyes that carefully observed everything around him.
The other possessed dark crimson hair and sharp amber eyes, casually leaning against the counter while finishing the last bite of a meat skewer.
Neither group paid much attention to the other.
To them...
They were simply strangers passing through the same city.
Azrion wiped his hands before glancing around the busy streets.
"This place is crawling with awakened."
Eldric accepted a small paper bag filled with roasted meat from the vendor before replying.
"It should be."
"The Grand Tournament begins in only a few days."
Azrion frowned.
"...We've trained."
"We've hunted."
"We've survived."
"But we're still missing something."
Eldric nodded.
"...Information."
He looked toward the enormous arena that towered above the city skyline.
"Strength alone won't win the Survival Trial."
"If we don't understand the rules..."
"...or our opponents..."
"...we'll lose before the fighting even begins."
Azrion crossed his arms.
"So..."
"What's the plan?"
Eldric remained silent for a few moments before answering.
"We gather information."
"Everything we can."
"The terrain."
"The flags."
"The special flags."
"The bots."
"The strongest teams."
"The participants everyone fears."
He took another bite before continuing.
"And most importantly..."
"...we learn who not to underestimate."
Azrion smirked.
"I like that plan."
"Beat them before they know who we are."
Eldric shook his head.
"No."
"We only fight when we have to."
"The smartest person isn't always the strongest."
"It's the one who understands the battlefield before stepping onto it."
Azrion sighed dramatically.
"Sometimes I forget you're the brains between us."
"And sometimes I wonder if you have any fun."
Eldric smiled faintly.
"I'll have fun..."
"...after we've survived."
At that exact moment...
Arthur and Layla walked past them.
No introductions.
No exchanged glances.
No dramatic meeting.
Just four strangers passing each other in the endless flow of people.
Arthur was too busy listening to Layla laugh at one of Sunny's ridiculous messages.
Azrion was too busy complaining that Eldric was already planning for every possible outcome.
Within seconds...
They had disappeared into opposite directions of the street.
None of them realized...
That before the tournament came to an end...
Their paths would cross again.
And when they did...
They would no longer be strangers.
Meanwhile...
Several streets away...
"Sunny."
"No."
Sunny froze in the middle of the crowded marketplace before slowly turning around.
"...What do you mean, 'no'?"
Rivien folded his arms.
"I mean..."
"No."
Sunny pointed dramatically toward a food stall where mountains of grilled meat, roasted vegetables, and steaming dumplings covered nearly every inch of the counter.
"...But look at it."
Rivien looked.
"...I'm looking."
"...Exactly!"
"How can you look at something that beautiful and say no?"
The elderly vendor couldn't help but chuckle.
"You've got good taste, young man."
Sunny placed a hand over his chest.
"Finally."
"Someone understands me."
Rivien pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You've already eaten."
"That was..."
Sunny looked toward the sky, pretending to calculate.
"...Nearly twenty minutes ago."
Rivien stared at him.
"...Twenty minutes."
Sunny nodded confidently.
"I'm practically starving."
The vendor burst into laughter.
"I like this kid."
Rivien sighed.
"You would."
Sunny leaned closer to the stall.
"So..."
"How much for..."
He looked over every dish with sparkling eyes.
"...Everything?"
The vendor blinked.
"...Everything?"
Sunny nodded enthusiastically.
"The whole menu."
Rivien immediately grabbed Sunny by the collar.
"Absolutely not."
Sunny pointed accusingly.
"See?"
"This is oppression."
"I have rights."
"You have an appetite."
"Same thing."
The two continued bickering as they wandered deeper into the food district.
The streets became increasingly crowded.
Awakened from countless nations filled every corner.
Some proudly displayed massive swords across their backs.
Others wore elegant robes embroidered with glowing symbols.
Everywhere Sunny looked...
He saw someone interesting.
"...This city's incredible."
Rivien nodded.
"It is."
Sunny suddenly stopped walking.
His playful expression disappeared.
"...You feel that?"
Rivien immediately became alert.
"...Yeah."
A heavy pressure spread through the street.
Not enough to frighten civilians...
But enough for awakened to notice.
People instinctively glanced toward the rooftops.
A lone figure had landed silently on one of the nearby buildings.
A long black cloak concealed most of their appearance.
The pressure vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
The figure simply continued walking across the rooftops before disappearing from sight.
Sunny narrowed his eyes.
"...Strong."
Rivien quietly agreed.
"...Very."
Neither of them noticed...
An elderly man sipping tea outside a nearby café had watched the entire exchange.
He smiled to himself.
"So..."
"They noticed."
"Interesting."
He took another sip before looking toward the tournament arena in the distance.
"It seems this year's participants..."
"...may be more entertaining than I expected."