His whole body trembled, and he froze in place for a moment, refraining from striking the Silent Golden Sword Centipedes. Then he said in a firm voice, "I will not abandon any comrade… I promise you that you'll be alright—just hold on a little longer!"
He bent into a stance to draw his sword from its sheath, closed his eyes, and concentrated all his energy. The winds gathered around him, and blood began to flow from his seven orifices. Then he began to count:
"One… Two… Three…"
With one swift strike, all the Silent Golden Sword Centipedes around him were torn apart—even the surrounding trees were split in half.
Yet the power he had used was overwhelming, and Rin collapsed directly to the ground, exhausted, with Celine still on his back.
In a weak voice, he asked her, "Did you see that? You'll be alright…"
Celine smiled faintly and said, "I saw it… Thank you, Rin…"
Then she closed her eyes once more.
Rin rose with a pale face, feeling for her pulse. When he confirmed that she was still alive, he finally sighed with relief. Then he resumed the ritual of absorbing the blood of the Silent Golden Sword Centipedes so that no violent reaction would occur. After he finished, his combat efficiency reached 5000.
He carried Celine in his arms and walked with her until they reached a nearby cave. He laid her down gently, then tore a piece of her clothing at her chest to examine the wound. He felt a bit of embarrassment, but he had no choice—if he did nothing, she would continue bleeding to death. He began by cleaning the wound, then bandaged it tightly.
He thought to himself, "It seems that the blow did not hit her vital organs; that is reassuring…"
But suddenly, another Silent Golden Sword Centipede burst out from inside the cave, charging toward Celine!
Rin acted swiftly and cut the creature in one blow. Yet he wondered in astonishment, "How did this happen? I had inspected the cave beforehand and killed all the Silent Golden Sword Centipedes!"
He advanced a little further inside and discovered a hole that extended underground. Then he realized that some of these Silent Golden Sword Centipedes had made their way up from below.
"These Silent Golden Sword Centipedes are more dangerous than I expected… I cannot neglect Celine even for a moment."
Rin quickly returned to her side, then went out to light a fire as a signal to the other group before sitting next to her against the cave wall. He tore off the upper part of his clothing and placed it over her to shield her from the cold, while he remained naked, despite the bitter chill.
Some time passed, yet no one from his group appeared. Anxiety crept in.
"What happened to them? I sent the signal already… Did the Silent Golden Sword Centipedes stop them too? Were they injured?"
But he quickly dismissed those thoughts, knowing that Oran and Leon were strong—and that Leon would not allow any harm to come to Mona and Lina.
Lost in his thoughts, he heard Celine open her eyes and look at him.
Rin smiled and said, "It seems you've awakened… Didn't I tell you that you'd be alright? I won't let you die."
Celine looked at him happily and said, "You kept your promise… I'm so happy… but why are you naked?"
He replied, avoiding her gaze, "I was worried about you getting cold, so I covered you with my clothes…"
She tried to get up, but felt pain in her chest and clutched her wound in agony.
Rin said with concern, "What are you doing? You've sustained a serious injury—go back to sleep!"
But she refused, taking his shirt from him and saying, "Take it, wear it… It's so cold; don't worry about me—I'll be alright."
She looked away, embarrassed by the sight of his naked body.
When Rin put his shirt back on, Celine spoke, "Where are the others, Rin? And who bandaged my wound? I would like to thank her for that."
Rin's face flushed with embarrassment as he stuttered, "I sent the signal already, but no one came… They must have encountered some difficulties."
Celine shook her head and said, "I understand that now, but… why does your face look so red? You look like a tomato!"
She began laughing despite her pain, but suddenly her expression changed as she realized something. She looked at Rin and asked, "Tell me, Rin… did you bandage my wound?"
Rin replied shyly, avoiding her gaze, "I'm… very sorry, but if I hadn't acted, you would have died…"
Celine's face immediately turned red upon hearing that, and silence fell over the place for a moment. After she calmed down a bit, she said softly, "It's alright… I understand. I'm truly grateful to you."
Rin looked at her seriously and said, "There is no need to thank me… Your injury was my fault, for I was not vigilant enough about the presence of demonic beasts."
Celine smiled gently and said, "It isn't your fault at all; do not blame yourself."
Suddenly, Celine's expression changed; her eyes widened, and then silence reigned over the place. But after a few moments, she smiled gently and said, "It's alright… I understand. Thank you, Rin."
Rin looked at her and said, "There is no need to thank me… Your injury was my fault because I did not detect the monsters in time."
She replied quietly, "That isn't your fault; do not blame yourself."
Then he asked, "Are you hungry?"
She shook her head in denial, but suddenly her stomach made a loud noise—causing her face to flush with embarrassment—while Rin smiled for the first time in a long while.
Celine looked at him and said, "You know, Rin? You have a beautiful smile."
Rin felt embarrassed and rose to prepare dinner, but with each step, his smile and the sparkle in his eyes faded—as if that warm moment had been nothing more than a fleeting dream in a merciless world.
Celine kept smiling until Rin brought dinner. He had caught a rabbit while searching with her for a place to camp and had roasted it. Then he offered her a tender portion to eat.
After dinner, Celine lay on her back while Rin sat beside her, leaning against the cave w
all. They spent the night together, and Celine knew that Rin could not sleep, so she closed her eyes, waiting for the dawn to begin their journey anew.
---
Indeed, when the bright morning arrived, she saw Rin beside her still awake. Looking at him and then at the brightness of the sky, she felt as if what had happened yesterday was nothing more than a dream.
"Good morning, Rin."
He replied,
"Good morning. How are you? Have you improved?"
Céline answered,
"I'm fine—don't worry about me. Weren't you the one who said I'd be okay? Why do you look so concerned now?"
He said,
"Oh, I'm sorry… can you sit up?"
As Céline struggled to sit up, Rin sprang to his feet in alarm:
"What are you doing? You're still tired. You can lie back down, then afterwards we'll go search for the others—so don't worry."
Céline was surprised by his reaction, then began to laugh, clutching her chest:
"You're so funny, Rin."
As she laughed, Rin's expression softened into relief, and he said,
"I'm glad I made you laugh, Céline."
Céline smiled at him, and he smiled back. They exchanged glances for a moment until Rin, a little embarrassed, spoke,
"Shall I make you breakfast?"
They both looked away, cheeks flushed. Céline stammered,
"I'd be bothering you…"
Rin went out to find ingredients for breakfast while Céline watched him go as if he might never return.
---
Meanwhile, the rest of the group had gathered, exhaustion and injuries evident on their faces and bodies. They sat to catch their breath, and Leon asked,
"What happened to you, Oran?"
Oran replied,
"Theron and I were scouting for a place to stay when we didn't even notice we'd been surrounded by endless hordes of those centipedes. I spent the whole night killing them, but their numbers never diminished! At dawn I found a gap and escaped, but we couldn't sleep and immediately set out to find you. That's all… but what about you? You look in bad shape."
Leon, puzzled, said,
"The same thing happened to us… If this keeps up, we won't make it to the western desert. We need a safe place to sleep so those centipedes can't crawl on us while we rest. This disaster is worse than the first. We must stay on guard even when hidden. Mona and Lina didn't sleep last night—I told them I'd watch over them, but they refused, so they're exhausted. So what do we do now? Where will we spend the night?"
Oran agreed,
"You're right. We can't be careless and sleep in a cave or tent—those centipedes are too dangerous. They make no sound walking or burrowing, and they swarm like an endless flood."
Theron, worried, asked,
"Haven't Rin and Céline returned? I'm very anxious—they might have had trouble. Didn't they send any signal?"
Oran answered,
"Don't worry about them, Theron. Rin is strong and will protect Céline. They must have faced difficulty or wandered off. We were busy all night and may have missed their signal."
Mona and Lina, reassured by Oran's words, relaxed.
Leon stood up,
"Let's move on and find a safe place for the night. No need to worry about them—Rin will handle things and protect Céline."
Everyone agreed, and after a brief rest, they set off toward the western desert.
---
Rin entered the cave. Céline's worry eased, and she greeted him,
"Welcome back, Rin."
He smiled,
"Thank you, Céline. Here—take this. I found it on my way."
He handed her an apple, and joy lit her face,
"Thank you, Rin."
He replied,
"No thanks needed. It's my duty to protect you."
Rin prepared breakfast, having caught fish to make soup. Céline watched him with her violet eyes the entire time.
When he finished, he served the soup in a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon. She took it and ate, satisfaction on her face as she said,
"It's really delicious, Rin."
Embarrassed, Rin scratched his head. Céline asked,
"Why are you so nervous? I only said the soup is delicious—no need to be embarrassed."
He looked away,
"Shh… I'm just not used to compliments."
Céline laughed,
"I told you—you're funny! I can't stop laughing."
Rin smiled,
"Come on, close your mouth and finish your meal."
She wasn't offended; she saw the light return to his eyes and his smile as he spoke to her.
---
After eating, Rin asked,
"Do you feel well? Shall we go look for them?"
Céline replied,
"They must be worried. We need to hurry. I can stand—can you pack my things?"
"Of course," Rin said. "I'll gather them now. You can get ready."
As they walked, Rin noticed Céline slowing. He dropped everything and carried her on his back.
She cried out,
"What are you doing? Wait!"
Rin ignored her and carried the bag in one hand. Céline, surprised, rested her head on his shoulder and said softly,
"Thank you for everything you do for me, Rin."
He answered,
"It's my duty. Your injuries would worsen if you pushed yourself. This way you'll be safe."
He continued up the trail with Céline on his back.
At midday, under the blazing sun, Oran pointed to a towering mountain,
"We'll head there. It should be the safest spot and help us continue our journey."
They all nodded in agreement.
The mountain was covered in greenery like the surrounding plains, grass growing everywhere—even atop wooden village roofs. It had no name; no one lived near the border. They had reached the edge of the western desert.
---
Rin pressed on alone with Céline on his back, scanning for any sign. In the distance he saw smoke and hurried toward it. At the fire he found no one, but a paper pinned under a stone. He picked it up and read aloud:
"We've gathered and are safe. We're seeking a place where those silent centipedes can't reach us. We'll send signals—follow them. We'll wait for you."
Written in blood and hard to read, Rin wondered who'd written it.
Céline said,
"It must be Oran—his handwriting is unclear. He's been asleep for thousands of years, so he struggles writing. They're safe. Let's follow the signals… My father must worry about me."
Relief washed over them both.
Rin moved on, finding a second signal but no paper, then continued.
---
As the sun turned golden, the group reached the mountain and searched its hollows for shelter. They climbed until they stopped at a high ledge overlooking the sunset, where a huge cave yawned before them.
They marveled at the view, but worry returned—sunset meant the demonic gate would soon open.
---
Rin finally reached the mountain's base signal: a note reading, "We'll be on the mountain." He hurried up.
As the sun dipped, Rin climbed with Céline still on his back. Though unwearied, Céline worried and said,
"Rin, you can put me down now… You must be tired. I'll climb beside you."
Rin did not answer but quickened his pace until he reached the cave. Inside, the crimson moon rose and the sky bled red. Unfazed, Rin entered and saw everyone gathered around a fire.
They stared in shock at Rin carrying Céline. They all rose to greet him. Céline slid off his back. Theron rushed to her side, inspecting her wounds anxiously:
"Céline, are you alright? I was so worried!"
Céline replied,
"I'm fine, Father… If not for Rin, I would be dead."
Theron turned to Rin to thank him. A hush fell until Lina spoke,
"Are you okay, brother? Mona and I were so worried."
Mona added,
"Yes, we were truly anxious for you!"
Rin said quietly,
"I'm fine… How are you all?"
Oran gestured to seats,
"Mona has prepared dinner. We were waiting for you. After we eat, we'll discuss what happened."
Rin nodded and sat beside Céline on stone benches. Leon remained silent, confident Rin was safe.
---
After dinner, Mona and Lina cleared the dishes while everyone sat around the fire. Oran asked,
"So, Rin, what happened?"
Rin took a deep breath and explained:
"Céline and I found this cave and I was about to send a signal when Céline suddenly fainted. Before I could react, silent centipedes attacked. I fought them while carrying Céline, but their numbers were endless. Two hours in, drenched in her blood, I remembered your advice, Oran, about using their fighting style. I focused my strength into one strike and tore them all apart at once. Exhausted, I carried Céline inside and bandaged her. I found more inside the cave and killed them too, then sent the signal—but no one saw it. I stayed awake guarding Céline all night. That's it."