A dream.
He was dreaming.
Straight ahead stood a pristine white temple, crowned by a sun so dazzling it almost blinded him.
But the temple was ablaze, burning fiercely like hell itself. Around it, monsters and humans—creatures he had never seen before—were locked in a brutal struggle.
Massive whirlwinds tore through the air from every direction, and countless bolts of lightning crashed from the sky, shaking the very earth.
Unidentifiable screams echoed all around, filling the air with anguish, while sprays of crimson blood burst like fountains into the void.
Ansol stared blankly ahead.
A battlefield where friend and foe alike slaughtered each other.
The acrid smoke hung thick in the air, making it impossible to see even a step ahead.
Suddenly, a scorching wind filled the space, burning as if it could consume him from within. Then, without warning, his vision was flooded with blinding white light.
How much time had passed?
As his eyes gradually adjusted, a new scene unfolded before him.
“Memorize!”
A familiar voice suddenly rang out.
Where the voice came from stood a woman with fiery red hair.
Her hair whipped behind her as she dashed across the battlefield, running toward someone.
Right behind her, another woman was in hot pursuit.
When Ansol caught sight of the pursuer, he was stunned.
Short hair brushing her shoulder.
A pure white priest’s robe he recognized well.
The woman chasing the redhead was unmistakably his own image.
A strange feeling washed over Ansol.
How could this be?
He was dreaming, and yet he was watching himself.
How was it possible to see himself from the outside?
Before he could unravel the mystery, the scenery around him began to blur and shift.
Without his will, he was swept across the raging battlefield at a dizzying speed.
In the blink of an eye, the scene changed again—and Ansol felt his body lift off the ground.
Suddenly, a burning ache overwhelmed him, spreading through every fiber of his being.
Drawn by that feeling, he tilted his head back and stretched out his arms desperately, as if trying to reach someone.
But that was as far as he got.
The last thing he saw was a man kneeling, bound tightly from head to toe.
Before he could even identify the man, his vision blurred and faded.
Ansol’s special ability, the “Saint’s Prophecy,” ended there.
Whoosh. A gentle breeze stirred.
It drifted in through the terrace, lightly sweeping across the room. Kim Suhyun’s hair fluttered softly as he stared blankly ahead, and Ansol’s robe billowed briefly before settling.
In the room where they faced each other, a suffocating silence hung thick.
At last, Jegal Haesol, who had brought Ansol here, quietly stepped back. Folding his arms, he assumed the stance of a detached observer, watching with a curious glint in his eyes.
Kim Suhyun glanced sideways, then returned his gaze to Ansol and spoke.
“What is this madness?”
His voice was calm but cold, shattering the stillness.
Ansol swallowed hard. She was more tense than ever.
The grip on the sword tightened in Kim Suhyun’s hands, his eyes sunken with the weight of a decision already made.
Ansol was determined to overturn that decision.
…but how?
The question naturally arose, but this time, Ansol had no answer. The situation she faced now was vastly different from any her instincts had guided her through before.
“So you came here… is it about that again?”
Kim Suhyun didn’t focus on why she had tried to stop him. Having faced this many times before, he immediately understood the situation when Ansol appeared to block him.
Ansol nodded faintly in response to his questioning gaze.
For a brief moment, a shadow of loneliness flickered across Kim Suhyun’s face—as if confronting a fate he had hoped would never come.
He spoke again.
“Ansol. The user you’re trying to protect is a vagrant. The worst kind, in fact. Do you understand?”
“…Brother.”
Ansol called out in a desperate voice, but Kim Suhyun slowly shook his head, as if he still had more to say.
“He’s got great abilities, a sharp mind, and above all, meticulous self-control. Even with me and Goyeonju watching him closely, he shows no cracks. I’d rather lose him than let him into our clan.”
“……”
“I’ll give you one minute—no, three. Not just to save him, but to convince me with something more.”
“……!”
Kim Suhyun’s challenge left Ansol flustered.
It had been days since the dream. She only remembered fragments, the overall story hazy and elusive. All she truly trusted was the instinct: “He must not be killed.”
But now Kim Suhyun demanded more than that—he wanted her to persuade him beyond mere instinct.
Frustrated, Ansol bit her lower lip hard. She couldn’t think of anything beyond what she already felt.
She wanted to split open her skull, to tear her chest wide open and bare everything inside—anything to feel some relief.
But in the end, she said nothing, and the three minutes slipped away meaninglessly.
“Three minutes are up.”
The voice snapped Ansol’s head up.
At that moment—
Klang!
Before she could even scream, Ansol staggered backward.
Kim Suhyun’s hand, which had been raised toward the ceiling, now pointed downward, the sword’s hilt aimed at the floor.
A light strike sent Ansol reeling.
Watching her withstand two strikes, Kim Suhyun murmured with admiration.
“To endure twice… it wasn’t a coincidence you stopped me before.”
It wasn’t arrogance or pride.
Kim Suhyun was the strongest user among them.
His secret class, “Swordsmanship Expert,” wielded the power “Kyeol,” capable of cutting through anything.
That Ansol could withstand two blows meant she was, at least among support-type users, the strongest.
But that was all.
Ansol knew the previous attacks were mere warnings.
If Kim Suhyun truly wished, he could shatter her protective shield in an instant.
So she simply stared at him, stunned.
Goosebumps prickled her skin, and her arms trembled uncontrollably.
She never imagined she’d be so powerless, never thought she’d stand against the brother she cared for.
Perhaps sensing her turmoil, Kim Suhyun called her name.
“Ansol.”
His voice softened, different from before.
“Do you remember what I told you when you graduated from the User Academy?”
Ansol cautiously lifted her eyes to meet his.
“Never trust a vagrant…”
“You remember well.”
“But—”
“Yes, I know.”
Before she could plead, Kim Suhyun cut her off.
“You have a lot to say. I was the one who recommended you, and I’ve benefited from you many times. I don’t deny that. I’ve always trusted you.”
Ansol’s expression twisted subtly, a complex mix of emotions, but above all, a silent question: “Then why?”
Kim Suhyun continued.
“But just as I trust you, I trust myself. I have my own convictions—beliefs forged through my experiences in the Whole Plane. And now, you’re asking me to break those convictions.”
“……”
“You might say it’s for me. Fine. But I say it’s for us.”
“……”
Ansol felt as if she’d been struck dumb.
Until now, following her instincts hadn’t caused much trouble.
But this was different.
If she chose to save Ha Seungwoo, as she felt she must, the Mercenary clan would face enormous risks.
That “us” Kim Suhyun spoke of meant exactly that.
“I expected this, to some extent. That your instincts and my convictions would clash someday…”
Kim Suhyun’s voice grew a little hollow.
“But if I have to choose one here and now…”
Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, locking onto Ansol’s.
“I want to choose the path I can be more certain of.”
Slowly, he raised the sword’s hilt once more.
Flare!
A clear flame ignited in midair, wrapping around the invisible blade.
“I won’t say who’s right or wrong… this is my true conviction.”
With that, Kim Suhyun took a step forward.
As he closed the distance, Ansol squeezed her eyes shut.
She understood this time—he was sincere.
And above all, she had no confidence she could withstand an attack wrapped in that pure flame.
No, more precisely, she no longer had the strength to change Kim Suhyun’s resolve.
“It’s okay. Step aside now. You’ve done well.”
At those words, Ansol almost moved without realizing it.
Tears threatened to spill.
Just a simple “You’ve done well” felt like it melted away the torment she’d carried for days.
But Ansol could barely shake his head. At the edge of understanding, he chose to trust the subtle intuition still gripping him.
“Ansol…?”
“Memorize…!”
Just as Kim Suhyun frowned, Ansol shut his eyes tight and shouted out whatever came to mind. It was essentially a meaningless cry—just a desperate grasp at the scattered fragments of his fading dream memories. Kim Suhyun tilted his head in confusion but didn’t stop walking.
“A bound man…!”
Step, step.
“A woman with red hair…!”
Step, step.
“Screams! A black monster…!”
Step, step.
“Another me…!”
Step, step.
Words poured out like a flood. Ansol was that desperate, but Kim Suhyun showed no sign of halting. Meanwhile, Jegal Haesol quietly crossed his arms, watching the unfolding ‘night of decision’ with keen interest as it raced toward its climax.
Before long, Kim Suhyun reached right in front of them. Though Ansol’s eyes remained closed, he could feel it.
Soon, very soon…
“Ah.”
Before he could even fully register the thought, the silent blade descended with terrifying calm.
Crack!
Ansol’s protective barrier shattered like glass, breaking apart with ease. It wasn’t over yet. The blade that had broken through the shield came down again, striking Ansol and knocking him down.
Just as the tip of the sword was about to split Ha Seungwoo’s crown—
“A white temple with the sun hanging at its peak…!”
“……!”
In that split second, the blade froze midair as if caught in a spider’s web.
A deep breath echoed. Kim Suhyun pressed his lips tightly together, his eyes revealing a rare, intense confusion. The reason he suddenly stopped was clear.
“A white temple with the sun hanging at its peak…?”
Though it seemed like a random utterance, that final phrase had effectively halted his action. Memories from his first run in Terra surfaced in Kim Suhyun’s mind.
“That’s… the Temple of Promise.”
The Temple of Promise—the resting place of the Zero Code. A temple with a peculiar energy that opens its doors only when the sun is at its zenith, right above the temple’s peak.
Of course, it was possible Ansol had just blurted it out. But the accuracy was too precise to dismiss as coincidence. It nagged at him. No one else knew about that place except him.
“Waaah… waaah…”
Suddenly, someone collapsed to their knees, sobbing bitterly. Unable to hold back any longer, Ansol crumpled down and broke into tears. The sorrowful sounds quietly filled the still room.
Kim Suhyun frowned deeply, fingers twitching around the hilt of his sword.
Then—
“Wait a moment.”
Jegal Haesol, who had been silently observing since entering the room, suddenly stepped between them.
“Hey, Clan Lord.”
He gently placed a hand on the crown of the sobbing Ansol’s head, then turned to Kim Suhyun with a bold expression.
“Look, sometimes you can stop things from happening. Why do you have to crush the spirit of our kid like this?”
“…Are you joking?”
Kim Suhyun growled.
Clearing his throat, Jegal Haesol shrugged lightly.
“Ah, it just seemed too serious. Anyway, I’m joking.”
“Joking? If you want to stand by, then just watch quietly. Like before.”
“That’s what I was going to do… but now I get why you two are fighting.”
“What did you say?”
Kim Suhyun snapped sharply.
“This is the core issue. Ansol wants to save this man. The Clan Lord doesn’t trust him.”
“So?”
“Then why not combine the two? Save him, but make him trustworthy.”
“There’s no way to do that, or we wouldn’t be here.”
Kim Suhyun said, frustrated. Jegal Haesol hummed thoughtfully, half teasing, half pondering, rubbing his chin with one eye slightly open as if lost in deep thought. Then he walked over, beckoning Kim Suhyun closer with a subtle wave of his hand. But when Kim Suhyun glared, he quickly tiptoed over and whispered something in his ear.
A moment later—
“You…?”
Kim Suhyun narrowed his eyes and glanced sideways.
“Somehow… I think the Clan Lord already knows.”
Jegal Haesol smiled slyly and took a step back. Grasping Ansol’s arm, he continued.
“Well, we’ll be going now.”
Though Kim Suhyun had asked, no reply came. Yet a look of confusion mixed with contemplation appeared on his face.
What could he have heard to make him look like that?
Ansol stopped crying and looked between the two men in puzzlement. But Jegal Haesol just smiled gently, held Ansol’s arm firmly, and without hesitation used spatial teleportation. Since he had failed to change Ansol’s mind, the choice now rested solely with Kim Suhyun.
In an instant, Ansol and Jegal Haesol vanished as suddenly as they had appeared. The room, still echoing with the fading sound of magic, was left with only two people.
Ha Seungwoo stared blankly, his eyes wide with shock. Kim Suhyun glanced up briefly and fixed his gaze on Ha Seungwoo.
After a long, silent moment, Kim Suhyun spoke softly.
“Ha Seungwoo.”
“……?”
“I have a few more questions for you.”
“…Questions?”
Ha Seungwoo tilted his head briefly but shrugged as if it didn’t matter. Seeing this, Kim Suhyun quietly began.
The questions seemed to catch Ha Seungwoo off guard. A flicker of confusion crossed his calm face, but he answered earnestly nonetheless. There was no choice, and now that his safety was assured, he seemed indifferent.
When all the questions were done, Kim Suhyun exhaled deeply and nodded slowly. Ha Seungwoo, however, still looked puzzled.
“I see. You’re not lying, are you?”
“Lying? What are you talking about…”
“Are you sure you won’t regret what you just said?”
“Regret? Why the sudden question…?”
“Fine. I’ll let you live.”
“……!”
Kim Suhyun’s voice was sharp, almost like a command. Taken aback, Ha Seungwoo doubted his own ears, disbelief flooding his expression.
“You’re… going to let me live? Really?”
“Yes. But there’s one condition.”
Kim Suhyun stated firmly, then took a few steps forward, stopping right in front of Ha Seungwoo.
“If you accept this condition, you’ll live. From this moment on, you’ll break free from the past and be able to start anew with Ha Seungyun.”
“……?”
“Tell me. Will you accept the condition?”
“Well…”
Ha Seungwoo wanted to ask what the condition was but instinctively shut his mouth. His downward gaze was filled with hatred and disgust. Unable to meet that look, he lowered his eyes further. Still, the chance to escape the past and start fresh with his sister was tempting. As a human being, it was natural to want to live.
“I don’t know what the condition is… but I’ll accept it for now.”
“Good. Then…”
At that moment—
Swish.
Kim Suhyun’s blade twitched and swiftly severed Ha Seungwoo’s neck in a single stroke. The head separated from the body with eerie ease, and Ha Seungwoo died instantly, his eyes still gazing downward. The cut was so clean that not even a sound escaped. Kim Suhyun watched the rolling head and then coldly observed the blood trickling from the severed neck.
A moment later.
With Ha Seungwoo’s body collapsing to the floor, the curtain fell on the stage of the ‘Night of Decision.’
At dawn, as the sun rose and its rays began to shine, the city stirred to life. Among the busiest places was undoubtedly the temple. From exploration reports to summoning chamber calls, countless users arrived early in the morning with business to attend to. Because of this, residents granted ‘authority’ to live in the temple, as well as part-time workers, had to rise early and prepare diligently.
Amid the hectic morning, two men walked steadily into the temple. Though still some distance away, their features were visible: one with jet-black hair wearing a martial arts uniform, the other with silver-gray hair draped in a robe.
A woman who had just guided a group of users sighed but greeted the two men with a smile. Though she held ‘authority’ as a resident, she was still just a tenant. It was never wise to antagonize users.
“Welcome. What brings you here?”
“We’re here to sign a contract.”
The man with jet-black hair replied.
“A contract?”
“Yes. Here is the contract.”
He produced the document as if prepared in advance. While quick processing was appreciated, notarizing contracts through the temple—where ‘authority’ was involved—was no trivial matter. It was rare to see such cases. The woman’s expression grew serious as she carefully took the contract.
“Are you residents granted authority?”
“Yes. That’s true, but…”
The woman glanced over the contract with a distracted air as she spoke.
“Contract.”
Ha Seung-woo shall unconditionally obey Kim Soo-hyun. (Hereafter, Kim Soo-hyun is referred to as A, Ha Seung-woo as B.)
B shall not lie to A and must always speak the truth.
B shall not harm anyone in A’s clan by any means or method.
B shall not harm the continent where A operates by any means or method.
However, with A’s permission, clauses 3 and 4 may be exempted.
Five clauses, simply written.
But their content was anything but simple.
“This is…”
The woman quietly lifted her gaze and looked at the man who had spoken beside her.
“…a slave contract. You agreed to this?”
“…Yes.”
The silver-haired man gave a bitter smile, clearly reluctant. The woman’s expression twisted subtly, and she shrugged.
“Well… if you agree, I have nothing more to say. But even if I notarize this under my authority, it won’t hold much weight. I don’t know if you’re aware, but between a user and a resident—or others—it might matter, but between users, the protection of the setting takes precedence over my authority…”
“Ah, yes. I’m well aware. I understand your concerns perfectly.”
Sensing the explanation was about to drag on, the man in the martial arts uniform cut in.
“You know all that, and you still want to sign the contract?”
The woman’s voice sharpened slightly, clearly annoyed at the interruption.
“Yes. It’s fine.”
As she said it was fine, the man’s eyes flicked sideways. Then, with a faint smirk tugging at one corner of his mouth, he spoke quietly.
“This man… became a resident just before dawn today.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello everyone, it’s been a while~. ‘- ^*