Emmet gently comforted her. "There, there. Hush now. You're okay. You can rest for now; we are out of the dungeon."

  "Can you tell me your story?" he asked.

  Haya began: "Well, I was saved by people from that dark place... I remember they said they could make me 'different.' I was dying; my village was burned down due to some accident. It was the fire that took my sight. They were the ones who saved me. They said if I was willing, they would do something to save me, but it might come with a cost. I willingly accepted it... and..."

  Emmet interrupted, his voice soft but firm. "It's okay. You have me now. Right now, you have a new life, but I'm afraid it's not a safe life I can offer. It's a life filled with dangers."

  Haya replied, her voice steady. "I don't mind, Big Brother. I have already died, so I don't fear anything anymore. I promise I will protect you too from whatever danger might come. I am strong."

  A flicker of surprise crossed her face. She truly felt a sensation of strength coursing through her body, and it shocked her. This feeling—this sheer, raw strength—reminded her of the terrible journey that led her here.

  The air was thick with smoke and the screaming of the dying. Little Haya, no older than seven, huddled behind the ruined market stall. Bandits came like a plague, leaving ruin and fire in their wake.

  A sudden, blinding heat flared. A cruel lick of flame, red and orange, wrapped around the splintered wood, then darted toward her face. The blinding light was the last thing she ever saw. CRACK! A massive timber beam, blackened and heavy, gave way, crushing her tiny body against the cobblestone.

  Strong hands, clad in black, shifted the debris. She was lifted gently.

  Later, she lay in a cold room, bandages covering her eyes. She picked up hushed voices: "...her body will soon give up on her. The structural damage is too severe..." A tear slipped beneath the bandages.

  The following day, a calm voice spoke. "Hello, Haya. My name is Mr. Black... Your body is giving up. But we can do something about it. It is an experiment, but it will save you. You will be reborn."

  "Please do it," she whispered. "I don't mind the pain."

  Mr. Black continued, his voice heavy with finality. "Your sight, it's gone. We can't do anything about that."

  "I understand. Please, do your experiment with me."

  The operation left her changed—and alive. Her body was infused with a new, dark energy. Years of training followed, isolating her, forging her into a skilled fighter, proficient with the dagger. She grew used to the Chaos power infused within her, a domain where her speed and thought processes accelerated exponentially.

  But as her skill with Chaos deepened, a harrowing side effect occurred. She started hearing things. First, faint whispers, then louder and louder: the thoughts of those around her, their deep-seated fears, and their cold, festering malice.

  "Back in the Chaos Domain, they trained me," Haya continued, bringing her mind back to Emmet. "The power of Chaos is inside me, but as time went on, I started hearing things. It became uncontrollable. As my control over Chaos became better, my hearing... I could hear their thoughts, the malice. It wasn't always clear, but I could hear their emotions."

  Emmet was curious. "Tell me about the darkness in that room. Was that your doing?"

  Haya replied, "Yes, it was some kind of area skill. Inside, I can't be seen, I can slow down the movement of anyone, and I can hear their thoughts properly. Mr. Black said it's not thoughts, it's malice. There are beings I can see; they are creatures harvesting from their malice. There were more of them before, but now, I rarely see them, as if they disappeared. It's a domain where I am faster, and my mind seems faster. Mr. Black said it's called anomalous instinct. The darkness, that's my sight."

  Emmet thought, Amazing, what a powerful ability. He then explained how the Rend network worked. After influencing her with the Rend that may have cured her, Emmet explained that she also received a boost in strength as part of his own peculiarity.

  Haya said, "So that's why I feel so strong all of a sudden."

  "Yes," Emmet replied. "I also received some of your peculiarity, a weaker version, and it's our hearing—your ear. There are others too; we are called the Unwoven, but you... you are the youngest of us. I can't wait to introduce you to them. Right now, we are waiting for your big sister, Tierra. And... we are currently on a mission. We use code names for this mission. Right now, you should call me Mr. Craft, and Tierra is Locks. We stay here until she comes out from that dungeon. The others are Jasper as Skull, Cliff as Gale, and Lenka as Seeri. And you, Haya... let's call you Echo."

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  Haya said, "Echo? I like that."

  Emmet continued, explaining each of the Unwoven's gifts and how the Rend worked with each of them.

  Haya said, "So you are a product of the cult, while I'm from the Chaos Domain?"

  Emmet said, "Yes, and now you are one of us, the Unwoven. I still have much to learn about Rend too. But the more I learn, the stronger I get, and the stronger and more powerful I become, the more powerful the others become. I think they are more powerful than me in a way; their Unwoven skills have evolved more than I can comprehend."

  After hearing that, Haya was amazed by how wonderful and powerful the Unwoven were. "Oh, I can't wait to meet all of them; they seem like good people."

  Emmet said, "Yes, they are."

  Then a portal opened behind them, and the figure of a white-haired lady appeared. "There she is," said Emmet. "It's Tierra, I mean, Locks."

  Tierra surveyed the area, carrying a bunch of stuff. Her hair acted like extended arms, carrying many bags and items, some blades protruding from it. As Tierra saw Emmet, she cried, "Oh, Master! I was worried..." Locks acted cutesy while running toward Emmet and choking him in a hug, her bosom seeming to lock onto his face.

  Emmet gasped, "Can't breathe, too tight..."

  Locks kept hugging him. "Oh, Master, you don't know how worried I was! I knew you were safe since you are super strong. I saw everything when you killed those white-robed elementals. Oh, how touched I was when I saw you cry and weep thinking I was gone. I was so touched! I knew you cared for me too, Master... Oh, Master..."

  Emmet, still being choked by Tierra's bosom, managed to say, "Can't breathe..."

  Tierra continued, "And so I decided to gather as many points as I could to buy those demons you so longed for, but... ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo... Oh, Master, forgive the demons... they're gone! I couldn't purchase them in time; somebody must have bought them ahead of me! Don't worry, Master, I will find them, and I will take them from whoever bought them, even if I break them!"

  Emmet finally managed to speak clearly, "It's okay, Tierra, I bought them already." (His voice was still unclear since her bosom was covering his face.)

  Tierra said, "Say what?" She then released Emmet.

  Emmet said, "I managed to acquire those demons. And look what else we have?" He presented the young Haya with both arms. "See, Tierra, I mean Locks, this is Haya, a new member of our family. She's called Echo for this mission, so don't forget that. She is an Unwoven like us, with the gift of hearing."

  Tierra got closer to Haya, inspecting her. "She's cute! Is she too young?" Tierra looked at her eyes and felt bad, knowing Haya was blind. She knew she couldn't heal it since the sight had been gone for a long time. But Tierra then hugged Haya. "A new sister! Hi, I'm your big sister, my name is Tierra, but you know already, right? I should be called Locks for the meantime. I'm a healer." Then she moved backward and acted cute like an idol.

  Haya then replied, "I am Haya."

  Tierra exclaimed, "That's great! You don't seem to be a shy girl like Lenka. Oh, you will love her, but be warned, though, she is antisocial."

  Haya could feel the thoughts of Tierra and knew that she was truly happy to have met her. This made Haya feel loved and welcome. The Unwoven really is a family, she thought. I'm glad I'm part of it now.

  Tierra then remembered, "Oh, I got stuff! I bought dresses! I'm sure there are things you can wear from here." Tierra covered Haya with her long white hair, making a room for just the two of them while she dressed Haya quickly, and Haya was happily playing along.

  Tierra said, "Nope, not that," then changed the outfit again. "Nope, not that one either," and then changed it again.

  Haya then said, "I like this one!"

  Tierra said, "You like that?" Tierra thought, It looks like an assassin would wear. Well, if she likes it... Then Tierra said, "Great, that looks cute on you! In time, yours will grow bigger too," while pointing to her bosom. She then released her hair, presenting Haya to Emmet. "Look, Master, look! Tadaah!"

  Haya looked confident, showcasing her outfit. Emmet thought, She looks cute and fierce. Is that the outfit she likes? It's like she is ready to kill anyone anytime.

  Emmet said, "That looks good on you, Haya."

  Haya said, "Really? Thank you, Big Brother. Thank you, Big Sister."

  Tierra hugged her again. "Oh, I like the way you call me Big Sister!" Tierra then remembered, "Oh, Master, I brought a lot of stuff."

  Emmet said, "I can see it." He then checked the bags and other items Tierra brought. "Let's see, most of them are clothing, weapons, amulets, and others. Ahhh. I think my dimensional ring can store them now. It seems I can coat them with Rend and..." Then he stored all of them in his ring, and Haya was shocked.

  "What just happened? It disappeared."

  Emmet stood up and explained, "It's my dimensional ring. I crafted it using the glow crystal of a Dimensional Storage Demon."

  "You're amazing, Big Brother."

  Emmet said, "Well, it's one of my skills." He then added, "Now it's time to help the others."

  Emmet looked from Haya's hopeful, young face to Tierra's beaming, affectionate smile. The new addition, Echo, brought a sense of powerful, necessary hope to their turbulent lives. The Unwoven family was complete, for now.

  He finally stood fully, turning his gaze toward the distant, hidden entrance of the dungeon. His thoughts quickly shifted from his two sisters to the precarious state of the world they were about to re-enter.

  We have a new member, a new path, and a renewed purpose.

  He thought of the other Unwoven: Skull, Seeri, and Gale, who were all currently scattered across the Rongan Kingdom, working their own dangerous missions. Their synchronization through the Rend network demanded his attention and strength.

  Then, the shadows of recent events crept into his mind. He had eliminated the Northern Elementalist squad, but certainty was a luxury he couldn't afford. The North will likely be hunting the one responsible for the attack, but they don’t know it was me, he rationalized. I hope.

  But the bigger play lay with the Red Empire.

  Emmet’s eyes narrowed, a new plan already forming. Those Red Empire contingents he had encountered—those were not enemies to destroy, but tools to be utilized. He needed leverage, and they had just provided him with the key.

  The new path leads through the Red Empire, Emmet decided, the thought igniting a cold, precise determination in his core. We have the power now. The network is stronger, and Echo is proof of the evolution of the Unwoven. Our survival depends on becoming indispensable, unstoppable.

  He looked at Tierra and Haya one last time, a silent promise in his gaze. He wasn't just saving them anymore; he was building an instrument of influence.

  "Locks," Emmet said, his voice crisp and focused, the 'Master' demeanor returning. "It's time. We have a family to secure, and a world to step into. We move out."

  2026 be a year that is unequivocally better—full of joy, peace, and bountiful with wealth, love, supportive people, and all the good things life has to offer.

  Happy New Year, everyone! Thank you so much for reading and supporting the story through another year.