We had left the village behind and continued our journey toward the city. A few days had already passed. I told the girls we were still about two days away, assuming I hadn't misjudged the distance. They nodded in understanding. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in hues of amber and crimson, and we decided to set up camp for the night.
I caught a few fish from the nearby stream and managed to kill a lone wolf that had been prowling nearby. The girls praised me, calling me impressive. That had become our unspoken routine—Amelie and Isabelle cooked while I hunted. Watching them laugh and enjoy the journey made me... happy. Genuinely.
Their smiles felt like tiny flames burning away the darkness inside my heart.
I recalled the old man's words—that hope was dangerous, that light only betrayed you in the end. But if you never let any light in, if you live your whole life in darkness and emptiness… then what's the point of living at all? What kind of life is it to feel nothing, to keep moving forward like a corpse just going through the motions?
I don't know the answer to that question.
But I do know one thing: I want to keep moving forward. To live. To feel. To chase happiness—even if it's fleeting. After all, this is my second life, and I refuse to waste it in despair.
That night, as we sat by the fire, I looked at the girls and murmured, "Maybe it's fate… that we met."
They blinked at me, confused at first, then curious, waiting for me to explain. I smiled softly. "I'm just glad you're both alive… and that we get to share this time together."
They blushed—both of them. Isabelle turned away, while Amelie, without lifting her gaze, poked at the fire with a thin stick—anything to avoid meeting my eyes. But they smiled, and that was enough.
We ate in peace and slept under the stars.
The next morning, we resumed our journey. As we neared the final stretch, I spotted a group of people in the distance—eleven of them, dressed in the same type of combat outfit that my group and I wore. It was standard issue for beginners—sturdy, flexible, good for movement in
battle. I hadn't paid it much attention before; I just wore it without thinking. Honestly, I don't care what I wear. Clothes are just clothes.
From what I'd seen, regular people didn't seem to recognize our uniforms. Which was probably for the best.
As we approached, I called out to them. "Hey! Are you guys Awakened too?"
A tall guy with sharp eyes stepped forward and nodded. "Yeah. We're from a different group though. Headed to the same city, I assume?"
I nodded. "Two days' walk that way, right?"
"That's the one," he confirmed. "My name is Jinwoo Park. I am the leader of this group."
He looked strong. Confident. His rank was also Awakened, but there was something about him—he radiated experience. He carried a one-handed sword with ease, like it was part of his body.
I asked, "Why are you just standing here?"
He gestured toward the open field ahead. "Monsters. They are blending into their surroundings, hiding carefully, and we didn't want to risk walking into an ambush."
I narrowed my eyes, analyzing the terrain. Flat grasslands. Open skies. Seemingly peaceful. But I could feel the tension in the air. Like invisible eyes were watching.
"Smart," I said. "How many in your group?"
"Ten here. Our full team was twenty. We split into two subgroups. The others—ten of them—should arrive at the city a couple days before us."
I nodded and briefly explained where I came from.
As we spoke, I had a nagging suspicion. If Jinwoo and his people were held up here, it wasn't just a few monsters. Normal-rank monsters wouldn't be enough to scare off this many Awakened.There had to be more.
At least twenty-five. Maybe more.
Jinwoo's eyes shifted to the girls beside me.
"And who are they?"
Everyone turned to look. The stares made me uncomfortable. I couldn't say for sure who they really were or how I met them. And I couldn't tell the truth either, for their sake.
"They're my sisters," I said quickly. "They're not Awakened. Our village is several days' journey from here, and I brought them with me… for their safety."
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, trying to smile.
Both Isabelle and Amelie puffed out their cheeks, clearly annoyed by my explanation. But they didn't say anything.
Jinwoo nodded, satisfied.
"If we kill the monsters, we'll be able to absorb their essence spheres," he added.
"Good," I said simply, stepping forward. "Stay here and protect my sisters. I'll handle the rest."
He frowned. "Alone? Are you sure?"
"Just watch," I said with a grin. "And enjoy the show."
The grassland seemed empty under the blazing sun, but I could still feel them. Faint distortions in the air. Movement without sound. They were hiding well—like chameleons, but more advanced. No color, no shadow. Transparent. Like ghosts.
But I could see them.
Maybe it was because I was stronger than them. Or maybe… something inside me had changed.
One lunged at me. I grabbed its throat mid-air, squeezing hard. Its camouflage faded immediately as I crushed its neck. One down.
Amelie and Isabelle were watching. I was afraid they might feel disgusted — afraid of who I really am. But their eyes held no fear. Only trust.
The rest of the monsters struck all at once, a coordinated wave of invisibility. I moved through them like a blade through paper. My fists and legs cut the air like swords. This was my technique—my own martial path, my own sword style. Born not from steel, but from will and instinct.
Each time I struck them, their disguise shattered.
I collected their essence spheres one by one, using my ring to store them safely. The group behind me watched in awe. The girls smiled with quiet pride.
I started to walk back—but something felt off.
A chill ran down my spine.
Where was the leader—the one who kept the monsters in check?
He was gone.
"Everyone!" I shouted. "Behind you!"
The air grew heavy, pressure building as a faint tremor rippled outward.
Then a figure emerged—tall, vaguely human in shape, but twisted and wrong in every possible way.
It wasn't a monster.
It was a demon.
Its head was nothing but a gaping mouth. Its arms were a grotesque fusion of human and reptilian flesh, ending in razor-sharp claws. A thick tail swayed behind it like a whip.
The group tried to fight back, but the demon flung them in all directions within seconds—everyone except the girls. They were standing behind all the others.
And I was grateful that they did exactly what I'd asked—protect them.
Because those precious seconds they managed to hold them off were just enough.
The moment the demon lunged toward them, I intercepted with a fist to its jaw. I heard the crunch of the demon's jawbone. It flew backward, snarling in pain.
I now understood: demons could work with monsters.
"I'm going to kill you," it hissed, raining furious slashes at me.
I dodged easily. He was skilled—stronger than the last demon I'd fought—but not enough to push me to my limit.
He used his tail next. It lashed like a whip, sharp and fast, like a thrusting rapier. I evaded again. Then he opened his mouth and flicked out a thin tongue—cutting my cheek.
"Poison," he grinned. "You're done. I just have to wait now."
I said nothing.
I remembered the poison from before—how close I'd come to death. This one was weaker. Much weaker. It wouldn't stop me.
He struck again. Another tongue. Another cut—this time on the other cheek.
I moved in, ignoring the pain.
"This is the end," I whispered—and with one clean strike, I severed his head.
His essence sphere gleamed dark red. A rank above the others.
The group behind me watched in stunned silence. Then they cheered with joy.
I walked back slowly. "Thanks," I said. "For protecting my sisters."
Jinwoo shook his head. "We didn't protect them. You did. Without you, this could've ended… differently."
I smiled.
There were no casualties. Just as I had hoped.
After that, we set up camp—Jinwoo's group, or rather his subgroup or team, had tents—so we rested around the fire, sitting in a circle. We agreed to travel together the rest of the way, with no stops until we reached the city.
It means walking all day and even through the night. We'll reach there in the morning.
It wasn't ideal. But it was manageable.
Everyone was in high spirits—except Amelie and Isabelle. They looked worried. I leaned in close and whispered, "Don't worry. I'll figure something out."
They gave me soft, downcast smiles.
I knew why they were worried. Once we reached the city, their problems would truly begin. TTheir father will find out that the plan has failed. Others connected to him—and he himself—will probably come up with a new, even more dangerous plan. At least, that's what I think.
But I wasn't going to let them face that alone.
We sat around the fire, sharing stories of where we came from, what we'd survived. For a while, it felt almost… normal.
And for the first time in a long, long time…
I was happy.
Truly happy.