Kai forced himself upright on the narrow bed inside Dorum's cabin.
Pain shot through his shoulder, spreading down his spine like a slow-burning flame. His breath caught for a moment—but unlike before, it didn't collapse completely. It was steadier now. Controlled.
That alone meant he survived.
Near the door, Nyari sat quietly. Her hair was tied back, her posture straight—but the exhaustion under her eyes betrayed her. Still… she smiled the moment she saw him move.
"You're awake."
Her voice was soft, careful.
"How do you feel?"
Kai let out a slow breath, his throat dry.
"Like a mountain ran over me."
A small pause.
"But… I'm fine."
His eyes shifted to her.
"You?"
Nyari lowered her gaze slightly.
"I'm fine… because you're still here."
That hit harder than the pain.
Kai didn't answer immediately. He just leaned his head back, letting that sentence sit in his chest.
A strange kind of weight.
Not heavy… but real.
A cold, metallic presence echoed deep inside his mind.
"Carrier. Consciousness stabilized."
Kai's eyes narrowed slightly.
— Jinwi…
The voice was back to normal.
Cold. Calculating. Detached.
"Emotional interference during combat has been recorded. This error will not be tolerated again."
Kai almost smirked.
There it was.
The old Jinwi.
"Survival probability against the Light Deity in the next encounter: twenty-eight percent."
Kai exhaled through his nose.
"Nice. That's higher than I expected."
"Detected: irony. Value: irrelevant."
Nyari tilted her head slightly.
"Jinwi again?"
Kai nodded.
"Yeah. Same old psychopath mode."
That made her let out a small laugh—quiet, but real.
"You seem… more stable with it."
Kai thought about that for a second.
"I'm not controlling it."
A pause.
"But… it feels like we're breathing together now."
"I do not breathe," Jinwi responded instantly.
Nyari couldn't help it—she laughed again.
The door creaked open.
Dorum stepped inside, holding a bundle of herbs, his expression serious but relieved.
"Kid… your body is still human."
He placed the herbs aside.
"Surviving a direct clash like that? That's not normal."
His eyes shifted briefly toward Nyari.
"If she wasn't there, you'd be dead."
Kai followed his gaze.
Nyari immediately looked away.
Dorum crossed his arms.
"The real problem isn't over."
"The Light Deity will keep pushing her. It won't stop until she becomes a complete vessel."
Silence settled in the room.
Kai clenched his jaw slightly.
"Then I'll stop it."
Simple.
Direct.
No hesitation.
A faint golden ripple suddenly appeared in the air.
Nyari froze.
Kai straightened immediately despite the pain.
The light twisted, forming a symbol—something only Nyari could fully see, but its presence weighed on the entire room.
A voice followed.
"Vessel… prepare yourself. The night of ascension approaches."
Nyari's face went pale.
Kai's expression darkened instantly.
"Is that thing seriously talking to you again?"
Jinwi's tone sharpened.
"Carrier. The Light Deity is asserting dominance over its vessel."
"This is no longer passive influence. This is pre-war behavior."
Kai's fingers curled into a fist.
"Then it's a war."
Nyari turned to him immediately.
"No!"
Her voice cracked.
"You just woke up! You can't fight something like that again—"
Kai slowly stood up.
His body shook slightly—but he stayed on his feet.
Nyari instinctively moved closer, supporting him.
Kai looked at her, his voice calm.
"He's not trying to help you."
"He's trying to take you."
A small pause.
"And I'm not letting that happen."
Nyari's heart skipped.
She looked away quickly, unable to hold his gaze.
Kai sat back down, and this time, Nyari moved closer—kneeling beside him.
"Kai…"
Her voice dropped.
"I don't want you to end up like this because of me."
Kai reached out and took her hands.
For the first time… properly.
Firm. Real.
"Nyari…"
He exhaled slowly.
"You're not the worst thing that's happened to me."
A small pause.
"You're the best."
Her breath caught.
Completely.
"You're like light."
"…the only thing balancing my darkness."
Nyari's face turned completely red.
She couldn't respond.
Not immediately.
Instead, her fingers tightened slightly around his.
"…I'm staying with you too," she said quietly.
"No matter what."
Kai didn't smile.
But something in his eyes softened.
That was enough.
From the doorway, Selvan leaned casually against the frame, arms crossed, watching with a faint grin.
"Not gonna lie… something's definitely cooking here."
Dorum sighed beside him.
"Let them."
His tone was calm.
"They'll need that bond."
"Because the next battle…"
His eyes darkened slightly.
"…won't be something they can walk away from."
Kai lifted his head.
"The 'ascension night'… that's what it said, right?"
Nyari nodded slowly.
"…Yeah."
Kai took a deep breath.
Then stood up again.
This time more stable.
"Then we prepare."
His gaze hardened.
"We finish what we started with that god."
Jinwi's voice echoed once more.
"Carrier…"
"As conflict approaches… your emotional output is increasing."
Kai raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"Emotion is not a power source."
A short pause.
"But in you… it produces abnormal results."
Kai smirked slightly.
"Good."
"Then we use that too."