The night was still, like the moment before a storm. Under the pale moonlight stood a young man named Kaiser, his body enveloped in an aura of silence and cold.

  From afar, the nobleman's palace stood tall and magnificent, but to Kaiser, it was merely another target on a long list of victims.

  Kaiser, the new member of the Assassin's Guild, the sixteen-year-old who had quickly earned a terrifying reputation among killers, was not one to hesitate or doubt. His sharp eyes watched the palace intently, never blinking. Here, outside the luxurious palace walls, where tall windows glowed with light and guards patrolled its perimeter, the time had come to end another life.

  Darkness was Kaiser's ally, seeping into every corner, wrapping around the place as if protecting him from any eye that might dare to look. He moved with such lightness that even the air itself couldn't grasp his traces. His steps made not the slightest sound, and his presence was like the darkness itself—unnoticeable until it was too late.

  The first guard was patrolling near the palace wall, unaware of death's imminent approach. In a fleeting moment, without warning, the air around him vanished. Kaiser appeared, and in an instant, slit the guard's throat. The man collapsed to the ground, dead.

  Kaiser moved toward the next guard, who stood mere steps away, but time was not on his side. Before the man could realize his companion had vanished, he felt a coldness sweep through his body. He looked down at his chest to see a dagger embedded there. Suddenly, his throat was slit before he could comprehend what was happening.

  Kaiser moved among the guards with speed—no one saw him, no movement preceded his attacks. One by one, the guards fell dead in silence. He entered the palace and killed everyone within.

  The nobleman lay deep in slumber, unaware that all who protected him had fallen without a sound or sign of change. Kaiser now stood before the main chamber's door, watching in silence, as if time had stopped for a moment.

  Kaiser opened the door slowly and entered the room without making a sound, as if darkness itself followed him with light steps. He stood beside the nobleman's bed, staring at his sleeping face with empty eyes, yet he seemed to savor that moment before the victim would awaken to his nightmare. That moment when he would know everything was about to end.

  Kaiser extended his cold hand and gently touched the nobleman's shoulder to wake him. The man trembled as if an invisible hand had pulled him from the world of dreams into a world of terror. His bewildered eyes widened in the darkness, trying to understand what was happening. He saw Kaiser standing there beside him, his face expressionless, but those sharp eyes pierced his soul directly, telling him without words that this was his end.

  "W-who are you?!" His voice came out stammering, choked with fear. The words emerged with difficulty, as if the air had betrayed his throat.

  Kaiser didn't answer. He simply continued to stare at him coldly. That moment, those tense looks—this was what he wanted. It was his pleasure, the sight he loved to witness again and again.

  The nobleman, despite his terror, leaped from the bed trying to escape. He rushed toward the door and burst out of the room, panting, screaming: "Guards! Guards!"

  His voice echoed throughout the palace, but the place remained silent, as if the entire world had died.

  Real fear began to take hold of him. He turned around with wide, trembling eyes and stopped for a moment, his body shaking, his hand covering his mouth as he could barely breathe. He looked ahead and saw corpses scattered across the corridors. Those who had been guarding him, who he thought could protect him from any danger, had all fallen in silence.

  Tears began to gather slowly in his eyes, from fear and helplessness. But suddenly he felt a presence behind him. He froze in place, as if the air had disappeared around him. He turned slowly to find Kaiser standing there, just a few steps away, his eyes gleaming in the darkness, a cold smile drawn on his face.

  "This reaction..." Kaiser said in a calm voice that carried an undeniable threat. "Is the most beautiful thing I see."

  The nobleman took a step back, but he knew there was no escape. The next moment was agonizingly slow. Kaiser moved with lethal lightness, and before the man could respond or even think of fleeing, Kaiser's dagger pierced his heart with one decisive thrust.

  Kaiser, without the slightest expression on his face, looked at the corpse for a moment. He wiped his dagger slowly, as if this was part of his usual ritual, then turned to leave the corridor now drenched in blood and silence.

  To him, there was nothing unusual about it. It was another night, another victim. But that moment, that last look on the nobleman's face as he faced death, was enough to satisfy his dark passion, if only for moments.

  **Present Time. Inside the Assassin's Guild**

  Kaiser stood in a dark corner of the training hall within the Assassin's Guild, playing with his dagger in a repetitive motion, watching the weak light reflect on the blade. Silence dominated the place; no sound could be heard except the breathing of training assassins finishing their harsh exercises. The atmosphere was charged with constant tension—everyone here knew that one mistake meant the end.

  From afar, heavy footsteps began echoing on the solid stone floor, their distinctive sound telling Kaiser who was approaching. It was the guild leader, Octave, a tall man with an overwhelming presence, his face marked with strength and cruelty acquired from countless years of leading the organization. Octave approached Kaiser with confidence. In a dry, sharp voice, Octave said: "Kaiser-kun."

  Kaiser slowly raised his eyes, and the dagger's movement between his fingers slowed before stopping completely. He didn't utter a word, but stood upright, ready for what was to come.

  Octave continued, a cold smile appearing on his lips: "Come with me... we have business to discuss in the office."

  Kaiser didn't answer, but followed the guild leader with quiet steps, leaving the hall behind. They walked through narrow, dark corridors, the dim lamplight casting strange shadows on the ancient stone walls, reflecting the guild's power as if it were an entity pulsing in the darkness.

  They finally reached a large door of heavy wood, carved with the guild's emblem: a dagger plunged into a heart, embodying the organization's creed.

  Octave opened the door smoothly and entered the office, where the atmosphere was dimmer. A single window overlooked the city below, and shelves filled with books and maps covered the walls.

  Octave gestured for Kaiser to sit in a leather chair before his wide desk. While Octave sat in the seat behind it, placing his interlocked hands on the table, his eyes focused sharply on Kaiser.

  "A request has come in, with an astronomical sum," Octave said, adding: "I was asked to assign the strongest assassin in the guild, and naturally, there's no one better than you."

  Kaiser asked: "Who is it? Am I to assassinate the king?"

  Octave laughed softly, saying: "No. The request is to assassinate an adventurer."

  "An adventurer? Are you joking with me?" Kaiser said in an angry, scowling tone, while his hand gripped the chair's armrest, his eyes burning with suppressed rage. "I don't accept such missions. You know well that I only move when the target is significant enough to satisfy my appetite... There better be more to this."

  Octave raised his eyebrows slightly but didn't back down before Kaiser's anger. He said in a calm tone: "Payment has already been made; there's no backing out. You won't lose anything—just eliminate the young man quickly and return."

  Kaiser didn't hide his displeasure. He yearned for a bigger, more chaotic and bloody mission, but he said: "Fine, I'll enjoy seeing his despair when he watches his team members being killed." And asked, "Where is this young man?"

  Octave smiled, his usual cold smile, and said: "He's in the city of Seras." Then he presented a paper with Hikari's face drawn on it.

  Kaiser memorized Hikari's face at first glance, rose slowly, and left the office.

  ***

  On a quiet night under the moonlight, Hikari was walking beside Mirai through the city streets. The peaceful lights of the lamps cast their dim glow on the stone path. Hikari was talking enthusiastically, filled with happiness, his eyes sparkling and his features radiating joy, while Mirai listened quietly, smiling lightly, showing only normal expressions on her face, following him in silence.

  From a dark corner atop one of the buildings, Kaiser watched them patiently. When Kaiser arrived in the city, he stood watching outside the Adventurers' Guild building until he saw Hikari and began following him. His focus was entirely on Hikari's features, especially the smile adorning his face. A deadly smile formed on Kaiser's face as he imagined Hikari's reaction when he would see his companion die before his eyes. The thought stirred a feeling of vindictive pleasure within him; he was savoring the idea of shattering Hikari's happiness and turning it into deadly despair.

  He continued watching them as they made their way through the city until they finally stopped at a small inn. They talked for a few moments at the entrance, then each entered their own room. Kaiser stood in the shadows, watching the lit windows until they went out one by one.

  He could easily enter and eliminate Hikari, but he preferred to wait until Hikari was alone with Mirai in an empty place.

  The next day, Kaiser watched them leave the inn. He followed them silently until they reached the Adventurers' Guild, where they accepted a new mission: eliminating monsters threatening nearby villages. This was the opportunity Kaiser had been waiting for.

  They left the city heading toward the surrounding forest, toward the mission site. Kaiser followed them quietly, using his knowledge of the terrain to choose the perfect spot to execute his plan. Darkness fell upon them, making it easier for Kaiser to sneak unnoticed.

  As Hikari and Mirai walked through the forest, dry leaves made a faint sound beneath their feet. Hikari was talking while Mirai followed him quietly as usual.

  At a considerable distance, Kaiser watched them with his sharp eyes. In one step, he moved with incredible speed, like a phantom. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance between himself and Mirai, standing directly behind her, his dagger rising in the air to target her head. But before his strike could fall, something unexpected happened. Mirai suddenly stopped walking, and without looking or moving, she reached her hand back and easily and firmly grasped Kaiser's wrist. All of this happened in a fraction of a second, as if she knew he was coming. Her grip was strong, as if she had been waiting for him all along.

  Hikari, who had been talking, noticed Mirai's stop and raised his eyebrows in surprise. But when he turned to see what was happening, the words stopped on his lips, and his eyes collided with the strange scene. Kaiser standing behind Mirai.

  "When...? How?" Hikari muttered in a low voice, his face completely shocked. "When did he get here?"

  Kaiser, who thought his attack would be lethal and swift, found himself frozen in place, unable to understand how Mirai had stopped him so easily. She hadn't moved, hadn't looked—she just gripped his wrist as if what happened was merely ordinary to her.

  Mirai smiled calmly without turning around and said in a cheerful tone: "It's been a long time since someone tried to assassinate me."

  These words were enough to ignite confusion in Hikari's mind. "Assassination?" he thought to himself. He didn't know who this person was or what he wanted, but he knew that what was happening exceeded his expectations.

  Mirai released Kaiser's wrist, and in a fleeting moment, Kaiser retreated several meters backward.

  Mirai said: "You have good speed."

  Kaiser, still shocked by what had happened, asked her: "How did you know I was there?"

  Mirai answered: "Your killing intent is as clear as the sun. From the moment I left the guild with Hikari, you've been watching us."

  Kaiser said: "Even knowing of my presence, it's impossible for you to catch my attack so easily."

  Mirai answered: "A while ago, I almost died from an arrow. So I trained myself to be cautious at every moment, even while sleeping. I won't receive another surprise attack again."

  Then she asked him: "So? Can you tell me who sent you after me?"

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Kaiser replied: "I'm not obligated to answer."

  Suddenly he vanished, throwing dozens of daggers from all directions at Mirai. Mirai remained standing and easily deflected all the daggers with her sword.

  She moved quickly and stood before Kaiser, saying: "Is that all you have?"

  Kaiser took a few steps back, his sharp eyes examining Mirai carefully. It wasn't easy for him to be surprised or confused, but he realized this time was different. This girl before him wasn't like any of his previous victims. She had countered him easily, as if she had anticipated all his movements. This feeling of mystery and superiority disturbed him.

  He suddenly disappeared, hiding in the shadows again. But this time, he didn't intend to use his usual methods. He now chose to rely on his true power, summoning the surrounding shadow energy. He raised his hands and whispered faint incantations, and soon the shadows around him began to change. The trees and ground around them were engulfed in thick darkness.

  "I'll show you the true power of darkness!" Kaiser shouted, and in a moment, the shadows began transforming into sharp swords. Hundreds of black blades gathered around Mirai from all directions, surrounding her with no escape.

  The swords made of shadows moved slowly at first, then began rushing toward her at lightning speed, surrounding her from every angle. Kaiser, confident that this time would be the end, looked at Mirai with a cold gaze. There was no escape, no room for maneuvering. The circle had been completely closed around her.

  But Mirai didn't move, didn't try to avoid the attack. She remained in place, watching the swords approach her without concern.

  Calmly, she drew her Spiritual sword, smiled a small smile as she saw the swords approaching. Peacefully, she made herself completely exposed to the attack.

  Kaiser thought it was over, that he would finally witness her fall. For a moment, the place fell completely silent, nothing but the sound of wind blowing through the trees, as if everything had stopped.

  But shock awaited Kaiser. Mirai stood there, amid the shadows that formed the swords, completely unaffected. The swords that should have killed her had no effect on her at all.

  Kaiser's eyes widened in shock as he watched the scene before him. "Impossible..." he muttered in a faint voice. "How... how are you unharmed?"

  Mirai dusted off her clothes as if nothing had happened, then looked at Kaiser with a calm smile and said: "That's somewhat impressive—Shadow Swords is an eleventh-level spell. Mastering it isn't easy. Do you have more?"

  Kaiser, who had always derived his confidence from his unbeatable abilities, now found himself in an inexplicable situation. All his attacks, which would have been enough to destroy stronger enemies, had no effect on Mirai. He had seen the unbelievable. This woman wasn't just an ordinary adventurer, but something beyond his abilities and understanding.

  Mirai took a step toward Kaiser, her confident gaze unchanged. "You're not the first to try using these methods against me. I've been through many experiences. What you've done here is merely trivial to me."

  Kaiser felt worried for the first time. Everything he had done was useless; he couldn't even scratch her.

  After Kaiser realized he couldn't win this confrontation with Mirai, he decided to change his target, directing his power toward Hikari. He raised his hand and began summoning shadows again, whispering faint incantations. The shadows began moving once more, this time more violently, gathering to form dozens of sharp swords, each aimed at Hikari.

  Quickly, Kaiser launched those dark swords, heading toward Hikari from every direction. The swords moved at incredible speed, trying to pierce him before he could even realize what was happening. Hikari wasn't prepared for this speed, nor for this amount of attack.

  In the next moment, Mirai vanished from her place like a bolt of lightning, appearing before Hikari just one moment before the swords reached him. She stood firmly and raised her Spiritual sword to block the attack. In a series of perfectly swift movements, she deflected all the shadow swords, the sound of clashing metal filling the place like continuous thunder, while sparks flew in every direction like falling stars.

  After blocking the entire attack, she slowly turned toward Kaiser.

  There was no longer any trace of the calm smile on her face.

  What Kaiser saw in that moment wasn't Mirai's face... but the face of Death itself.

  Her crimson eyes had become pools of frozen blood, carrying in their depths a silent promise of indescribable pain. The air around her seemed to tremble from the intensity of her suppressed rage. Even the shadows Kaiser had summoned seemed to retreat in fear of her.

  "I am your opponent."

  Just four words, but they carried the weight of a death sentence.

  Hikari, standing behind her, couldn't comprehend what was happening. He could only see Mirai's back, but even from his position, he felt chills running down his spine. This wasn't the Mirai he knew.

  As for Kaiser...

  For the first time since becoming a killer, he felt what he had been planting in his victims' hearts—absolute terror.

  Without thinking, without pride, without anything but basic survival instinct, Kaiser turned and ran.

  He ran like he had never run in his life.

  His feet barely touched the ground, shadows scattering around him like dead leaves in a storm. He was covering distances at insane speed, crossing the dark forest and tangled trees, jumping over roots and sliding between branches. His heart pounded in his chest like frenzied war drums, and his lungs burned with every breath.

  He didn't dare look behind him. He didn't even dare to think.

  Just run... run... run...

  He continued running until the forest changed to plains, and the plains to barren land. The air became dry and scorching, and the ground beneath his feet transformed from moist earth to coarse sand. His muscles screamed for rest, but fear was stronger than any physical pain.

  Finally, after what seemed like hours of continuous running, Kaiser collapsed to his knees in the middle of a deserted plain. His chest rose and fell violently, and sweat poured from every pore in his body. He raised his head and looked around with feverish eyes—nothing but the extending horizon and clear sky.

  He allowed himself to fall on his back, looking at the sky. For the first time since he started running, he allowed himself to take a real deep breath.

  "I survived..." he whispered to himself, and a trembling smile began forming on his lips. "I survived that mons—"

  A hand cold as ice was placed on his shoulder.

  The world stopped.

  His breathing stopped.

  Very slowly, Kaiser turned his head.

  He saw Mirai standing behind him, no trace of fatigue or sweat on her. As if she had never run. As if she had been there all along, waiting for him with deadly patience.

  "Did you think you could escape?"

  Her voice was calm, cold, devoid of any emotion. And that precisely made it more terrifying than any scream or threat.

  With deadly calm, she reached out and grasped his thin neck, lifting him up as if he weighed nothing.

  His light body flailed in her hands, his breath catching, his eyes widening in terror.

  When his eyes met her crimson ones... something happened inside him.

  For the first time in his life, he saw true terror.

  Terror not created from fear for the body, but from fear for the soul.

  Pure terror that broke something deep within him.

  Tears slowly began gathering in Kaiser's eyes, then flowed, silent, down his pale cheeks.

  Everything he had been disappeared—no killer, no assassin... just a small, lost boy.

  In a hoarse, trembling voice, Kaiser whispered:

  "I'm afraid... forgive me..."

  His words came out mixed with genuine trembling, as if his heart was beating with life for the first time.

  In a fleeting moment, all the images fell before his eyes...

  The faces of victims he had terrified before they died...

  The tears, the trembling, the suppressed screams...

  "Was I doing this... to them?"

  "Was this pain... what I was planting in their chests?"

  For the first time, he realized that what he had considered "strength" was merely "injustice." What he thought was a "game" meant to others "the end of life."

  And for the first time too, a silent question echoed within his torn soul:

  "When did I start being like this...? When did I lose my right to be human?"

  Something deep within him... a memory buried under layers of blood and darkness... tried to surface, but it drowned again. He no longer remembered who he was before becoming... this.

  When Mirai saw the flowing tears and his broken silence, she loosened her grip slightly and dropped him to the ground gently.

  She stood over him, her shadow overwhelming him, and said in a rigid voice:

  "Who sent you to kill Hikari? Your last attack meant he was your target from the beginning. Though your killing intent was completely focused on me."

  Kaiser slowly raised his head, his eyes drowning in tears.

  Without any resistance, without any attempt to lie, he answered in a trembling voice:

  "The Assassin's Guild... their headquarters is underground... in Darkfall..."

  This was all Mirai needed to hear. A city and a location.

  She turned silently and left without looking at him again.

  She didn't need to say anything.

  Kaiser knew on his own... that the greatest punishment he received today... wasn't death.

  But to live knowing who he had become... without remembering who he was.

  Mirai spread her wings and flew back to Hikari.

  When she returned, Hikari said worriedly: "Mirai, are you alright?"

  Mirai smiled lightly, saying: "Yes. And I've dealt with him."

  Hikari breathed in relief, saying: "I'm glad it ended well."

  Mirai began walking, saying: "Let's move, we still have a mission to complete."

  They resumed walking together, and while walking, Mirai turned to Hikari and asked him: "By the way, do you know where the city of Darkfall is located?"

  Hikari began thinking, saying: "I've heard of this city, why do you ask?"

  Mirai answered: "I'm curious about this city. Tell me everything you know."

  **Inside the Assassin's Guild Headquarters, in Octave's Office**

  Octave sat behind his desk, examining the papers before him while occasionally picking up a small dagger and playing with it in a routine motion. His eyes moved between the documents, though he couldn't ignore the growing feeling of puzzlement.

  "Strange... it's been a long time and Kaiser hasn't returned yet," he said to himself.

  While he was thinking, suddenly, the sound of loud screams echoed from outside his office.

  Octave quickly rose and left his office. The screaming wasn't normal; it was filled with terror and fear, something never heard before in the corridors of this guild filled with killers who rarely felt fear. He violently opened his office door and rushed into the dark corridors lit by dim lamps.

  With each step toward the source of the sound, the screams became clearer, and when he approached the main training courtyard, he suddenly stopped, his eyes widening in horrific shock. There, in the middle of the hall, the bodies of several guild members lay on the ground, drowning in their blood, killed brutally. Everything had happened with unbelievable speed.

  Amid this chaos stood Mirai with her grim features and deadly gaze. Her eyes sparkled with cold anger, and her blood-stained sword gleamed in the lamplight. She was a sight that inspired terror.

  Octave froze in place for a moment before trying to regain his composure. He stared at her with eyes filled with shock.

  "You... who are you?!" Octave asked in a loud voice.

  Mirai slowly turned toward Octave, her cold eyes meeting his. She didn't speak at first but moved with invisible speed, killing everyone present in the place except Octave. All this happened in counted moments. Mirai stood before Octave and grabbed him by the neck just as she had done with Kaiser.

  "Who requested Hikari's assassination?" Mirai said in an icy voice.

  Octave felt a terror he had never felt before and said to her with difficulty: "I don't know what you're talking about."

  Mirai drove her Spiritual sword into Octave again and again, each strike more merciless than the last. Unable to endure the pain, he let out a scream that echoed through the chamber.

  Mirai said: "A young man with white hair, located in the city of Seras. Who requested his assassination?"

  She added in a deadly voice: "If you don't want to suffer, answer me."

  Octave was terrified, so he answered immediately: "A man... named Darian. A nobleman who also lives in the city of Seras."

  Mirai asked him: "Where does he live?"

  Octave answered: "He lives in a palace... in the south of the city."

  Afterward, Mirai stabbed him in the heart. She left the Assassin's Guild, having killed every individual present in the guild at that time.

  Upon leaving, she spread her wings and launched at speed toward the city of Seras.

  **At night, inside Darian's palace.**

  Darian was pacing back and forth, his features showing impatience, his eyes burning with anger. "Hasn't that assassin finished yet?!" he said in a sharp voice, striking the floor with his cane in a moment of agitation.

  Beside him stood Sanri, his features calm, far from the tension Darian displayed. He watched his movements calmly without showing any effect.

  The young servant standing before Darian in submission answered in a faint voice: "Darian-sama, the young man with white hair is still in the city. Perhaps the assassin is waiting for the right moment to move."

  Darian stopped pacing, his eyes gleaming with anger. "Perhaps waiting?! I paid a fortune to that assassin! He should have finished the mission long ago! I don't want perhaps... I want confirmation!" he said in a raised voice, striking the ground again with his cane.

  Sanri intervened calmly: "Calm down, Darian-sama. Waiting won't harm you; the result is inevitable."

  But Darian wasn't entirely convinced; anger was still evident on his face. He stood before the large window looking at the city and said angrily: "Those worthless poor! Mere scum living on the world's crumbs. I can build a better, cleaner city, free from the hungry and beggars who fill the streets with rot. All I need is to cleanse those areas of them. Then my wealth will double."

  While he was speaking, his eyes caught something unusual at the palace gate. He focused his gaze, trying to verify what he was seeing. There stood a woman with mysterious and grim features. Darian narrowed his eyes trying to identify her. Who is this? And why is she here?

  Two guards standing at the gate approached her, heading toward her to send her away. But what happened next made him feel a terror he had never known before. Mirai moved with lightning speed, and in one moment, both guards had fallen to the ground motionless, drowning in their blood.

  Darian's eyes widened in terror, and his face paled. He took a step back in fear and shouted in a trembling voice: "What... what's happening here?!" His scream was filled with fear as his steps retreated quickly, colliding with his cane and falling to the ground, stunned by what he had just seen.

  The servant standing in the room quickly turned toward Darian, confusion evident on him. Even Sanri, the usually calm sorcerer, raised his eyebrows slightly and cast a quick glance at the window before asking in a faint, cold voice: "What did you see?"

  Darian couldn't speak at first, his hand trembling as he pointed toward the window. "There... there's a woman... she killed the guards in an instant! She's coming here!" he said in a trembling voice, barely believing what his eyes had seen.

  Sanri slowly approached the window, looking outside to see Mirai walking with steady steps toward the palace, leaving behind the guards' corpses. She wasn't stopping but moving steadily inward, as if she knew her destination well.

  "Who is that woman?" the servant asked in a trembling voice.

  Sanri didn't answer directly. He stared at Mirai for a few more moments, then said calmly mixed with caution: "It seems we have an unwelcome guest... but there's no need to worry yet, Darian-sama. Let me handle this situation."

  Mirai entered the palace, and guards gathered ready to intercept her. But in a fleeting moment, she moved with invisible speed and pounced on the guards with her sword. There was no long battle, just flashes of pain that disappeared as they appeared. The guards fell to the ground one after another, their blood flowing on the marble floor. The screams of pain lasted only a few seconds before silence fell over the place once again.

  Within minutes, Mirai had eliminated everyone in the palace, and the corridor leading to the room where Darian and Sanri stood became devoid of life.

  Inside the room, Darian was trembling with fear from hearing the screams. Sanri rose and moved toward the door, saying: "I'll handle her, but of course, you'll pay me."

  As soon as he opened the door, his head was cut off immediately and fell to the ground.

  Darian froze in place, his eyes widening in shock and terror.

  Mirai entered the room with steady steps. She looked at him coldly and took a step toward him.

  Darian, seeing her heading toward him, felt terror invade his entire body. "Wait! We can reach an agreement! I have money, I have influence... you can take whatever you want!" Darian said in a trembling voice as he retreated toward the wall.

  But Mirai didn't respond. She approached him with deadly calm, stood before him, raised her sword high, and brought it down to split Darian in half.

  Mirai stood looking at Darian's corpse for a moment before turning and leaving the room, leaving behind the palace filled with destruction and death.

  Outside, Mirai walked through the dark corridors, the air carrying a light coldness that seeped to the bones. She walked with steady steps through the dark alleys, as if searching for a hidden corner to catch her breath.

  Calmly, without turning around, she spoke in a sharp voice:

  "Come out. I know you've been watching me for some time."

  After moments, suddenly, a young man appeared from nowhere before Mirai. The young man was nineteen years old, with short golden hair and crimson eyes, wearing elegant royal attire. His left arm was completely wrapped in white bandages.

  The young man raised his head and looked into Mirai's eyes, saying with happiness and a sly smile:

  "It's been a long time! Mirai-onee-sama! Your little brother Nanaki has come to see you."

  (To be continued)

  Thank you so much for reading this far.

  As a reminder for those who might have missed it earlier: Volume 1 has already been completed.

  So no worries about sudden breaks — everything has already been written, and I’m currently just polishing and refining the chapters.

  The next chapter will be uploaded next Tuesday, between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM (UTC).After that, I’ll continue uploading one chapter every week — always on Tuesdays at the same time.

  Stay tuned! I’m truly excited for you to meet the new characters and uncover the secrets waiting ahead.Your support — through comments, favorites, and ratings — genuinely means a lot to me.

  Thank you again for being part of this journey — for reading, exploring, and judging the story with an open heart.