He remained silent for a long time without answering. The boy stood up, grasped his sword, turned his back, and walked toward the door. In a broken voice he said: "So… no answers, right? It's fine… I couldn't bear the answers anyway."
He closed the door quietly behind him.
Lucian emerged, shock written across his face. He approached Borin slowly.
Borin spoke. His expression had not changed, and he still hadn't lifted his eyes from the floor. "Have you seen the result of trying to search for the truth in this world? Don't think about asking anything. In the end… you'll become like him. Be content with what you have now."
Lucian sat down quietly. "Then… why is the temple hunting him? Why does he suffer all these problems?"
Borin glanced up briefly. Pity for both young men reflected in his gaze. "That… perhaps we'll know in the future."
Later, atop the highest of the Ten Thousand Peaks, Cheonma and the Grand Guardian sat together.
Cheonma was in an unusual posture—relaxed, leaning his back against a rock. His eyes were no longer bloodshot; they were their natural black. The atmosphere around them was calm.
He poured two cups of tea, handed one to the Guardian, then took a sip from his own.
Cheonma: "So… did that child really do it?"
The Guardian: "Yes. He acted on his own, but in the end he stopped a very large part of that farce of a war."
Cheonma was quiet for a moment, staring into his cup. "Was I too harsh on that child?"
The Guardian: "Yes… but you already know. That harshness was the best choice."
Moon-woo smiled. A soft laugh escaped him, laced with sharp sarcasm. "Come on, man… the best choice? You give him advice and then say something this stupid?"
The Guardian laughed. "It seems we're still learning after all these years."
Silence fell for a few moments while the Guardian thought. Then he spoke quietly: "What will you do with the Demon Summoning Organization?"
Cheonma looked at his cup for a few seconds, then raised his eyes and replied in a tone of utter indifference: "The same thing I've done before the past twenty years."
The Guardian: "I've always wanted to know what happened at the dawn of the millennium. I missed the chance to witness that war." He smiled with nostalgia—even beings like them sometimes yearn for the past.
Cheonma let out a deep sigh. "You weren't the only one who missed it. Soon everyone will arrive. Then we can remember the past however we like."
At another time, in Origin Academy.
It was the middle of the school day. The classrooms were lively, students attending lectures. In one of them:
Martin rested his chin on his hand, elbow propped on the desk, a pen balanced between his lips and nose. "Guys, I'm thinking of dropping out. What's the point? I'm already good with the spear, and I'm pretty decent at politics. I feel like I've wasted three years of my life."
Reinhardt, bored: "I actually missed lectures. I sat in on a fourth-year class while I'm in fifth, and now I'm bored again."
Martin: "Bro, something weird is happening in the world. Why are they climbing the Tower so desperately?"
Reinhardt paused for a second. "Greed, I guess… I don't know. But what if the Tower is like the stories? What if after a certain floor there's suddenly a threat of human extinction in ninety days, or a stellar broadcast starts and those things called asteroids from the legends appear?"
Martin laughed, trying to stifle it so he wouldn't get scolded. "Then we'd die too. What do you think, Kevin?"
Kevin looked at them seriously, narrowed his eyes, raised his eyebrows, and said: "Smash burger."
"Ah, damn it… still the same Kevin from first year."
At the same time, in Aileen's room.
The young woman sat on the sofa scrolling through her phone, sadness reflected on her delicate face. Lily rested her head on her shoulder.
Lily: "Mama."
Aileen: "What?"
Lily: "Mama."
Aileen: "What??"
Lily: "Mama."
Aileen shouted: "Whaaaat?!"
Lily giggled a little, then turned off the TV.
The child spoke shyly: "Are you still mad at Papa, Mama?"
Aileen was quiet for a moment, then let out a deep sigh. "I'm not mad at him… I just… wanted him to be with us."
Lily smiled mischievously. "Mama is so cute."
Aileen's cheeks flushed. She asked nervously: "You… why do I feel anxious when you say that?"
Lily paused, then looked at the ceiling and spoke like a hundred-year-old sage (exactly like Jin when he's at peak nonsense mode): "Because my words make people anxious."
Aileen laughed and hugged Lily tightly. "Haaa? You're really imitating Jin right now, huh?"
Shuang Yu opened the apartment door and entered. She glanced at Aileen and Lily.
Aileen immediately lay down on the sofa, turned her back to the room, and hid under the blanket.
Shuang stood in front of her for a moment, looking at her with pity. "You idiot… it's spring. Why are you under a blanket?"
...…
Her gaze deepened with pity. "Hey, why are you acting like a child?"
...
Lily climbed onto the sofa and whispered loudly into Shuang's ear: "Mama, Mama is super childish."
Shuang lifted the blanket off her head and poked her cheek. "Look at this cutie acting childish—it's adorable!"
Aileen, annoyed: "Shut up and get away from me."
Shuang teased: "Look at this cutie. She's still sad because she's not married."
Aileen grew even more irritated: "You annoying woman, stop it."
Shuang smiled softly, then leaned in and hugged her. "You idiot… you're not just my friend—you're my sister. Stop this."
Aileen fell silent for a moment, then finally smiled.
At another time, at the headquarters of the Blood Sword Division.
On the balcony above the main building, Yuan sat on the sofa—his new habit—reading a comic.
When someone sat in the chair beside him, he rested his head on his hand and gazed at the stars.
His face was blank, unusually distant, though he wasn't really thinking about anything.
Yuan spoke: "What brings you here at a time like this?"
He looked up in surprise. At that moment, the Grand Guardian appeared.
The Guardian: "That's strange. How didn't the Demonic Dragon sense me? I didn't even try to hide my presence."
Jin glanced at him for a moment, then returned to staring at the sky.
Yuan: "He found a drug in Tower's shop. It numbs his senses and weakens the energy inside his body."
The Guardian paused, looking at him in astonishment at his state.
He let out a deep sigh: "Get ready. Tomorrow we're going to the Kingdom of Tinggai."
End of chapter.