Behind me stood a pitch-black tree shedding black tears, holding a rotten wooden club.

A bang followed by a loud boom deafened my ears. With its arm still raised, the tree stood still for a while, emitting white smoke, then collapsed with a thud.

“Ah.”

A scream rings out. Who? Me? The monster? Those things that no longer have reason or self? Or these unconscious children?

−Aaaaaaaaaaah−!

“Ah.”

My nose started bleeding. The scream gradually became clearer before my deafened ears, dulled by the thunderous boom, could fully register it.

“Haha, the boss monster has begun its final rampage. If we don’t catch it in time, there’ll be a break, won’t there?”

The black thing said.

As if in response to that voice, everything in the forest went wild.

Cali, who had been fighting fiercely, froze in place.

“…This is.”

Chun Sin Woo covered one ear with his hand. Soon after, the sound transformed into a horrible noise that scratched at ears and brain.

“Ugh.”

It resonates. What used to be trees, what used to be guardians, what used to be the master of this forest.

“Do you have time to be distracted, elder brother?”

“How dare you, mere refuse…!”

As the man with an alien feel swung his greatsword, Chun Sin Woo raised his weapon to block it. With that single swing, everything around them was blown away. Chun Sin Woo’s clothes, unable to fully block the attack, were torn, and red blood welled up through the tears.

“Refuse, that’s harsh.”

Though it’s true. The man continued with a laugh.

And simultaneously, the scene froze.

Cali, Chun Sin Woo, the rampaging monsters that had lost their sense of self, everything.

It became a pure white space.

“…”

The song resumed. I approached the source of the song.

Those that had life fell asleep. The rampaging boss monster had pulled everyone into a nightmare.

It felt that way. That everyone here was having a nightmare. Except for that man who suddenly disappeared just before the space froze.

“…It’s alright.”

At the place I approached was a massive statue of a woman, frozen white.

“It’s alright now.”

Even though I couldn’t answer if asked what was alright, I said so.

The frozen woman tried to answer me. Not being able to understand made me sad.

The white form scattered into light and crumbled.

I simply took in the sight with my eyes.

Why does my heart ache so much?

“…Even after going this far, it’s still blocked, is it?”

The man who was darkness alone in a world oxidizing into light appeared again from somewhere and walked towards me.

“To think my authority to intervene is only this much, I’ll need to hurry.”

“…Who are you?”

“What kind of answer do you want?”

“…What should I call you?”

“Ah, my name. …A name, huh.”

The lonely man, black all alone, said.

“There are countless words to refer to me. Destruction, Demon King. Sin, or even refuse isn’t wrong.”

“…”

“But I’d like you to call me this.”

Extending his hand, he said.

“Ha Young. −Park Ha Young.”

The world faded to black.

[This is the timeline separator]

As my vision slowly returned, an unfamiliar yet familiar landscape formed in my eyes. A dried-up lake, bare tree branches, and a blood-red sky that seemed to speak of doom. And between them, a man collapsing to his knees with a thud, coughing up blood.

“…”

I approached him.

“…Safe.”

“Who are you?”

“…”

“Who are you, making such an expression while looking at me?”

It was an innocent question. And a foolish one too.

To dare ask ‘who are you’ to the number one ranker known to everyone in South Korea.

Even so, I had to hear the answer.

“…I’ll tell you once we get out.”

Chun Sin Woo said with a bitter smile. He got up and headed somewhere.

“The level of contamination is severe for everyone, so we need to leave quickly.”

“…”

Though I had a mountain of questions I wanted to ask, I obediently followed his words.

−Why, why, why us.

−Ah, our King. Our King…

−Please, avenge this grudge…

While ignoring the incessant screams that could be heard.

And that day, I received an unidentified egg as a reward for clearing the gate.

[This is the timeline separator]

‘You don’t need to sacrifice yourself, ██. Please…!’

He said. His voice was desperate. I already knew why he was saying such things.

‘But if I don’t step up, countless people will die. If they all die, there won’t be any way to face this ██… I can’t stand by and watch them. …So I have to go.’
‘███−!’
‘It’s okay. It’s not like I have to die.’

I know the words that follow. And I know what expression that person makes at those words.

I shouldn’t have said that. What I should have said were different words.

That I’m sorry for leaving him alone, that he can still manage well enough, that I believe in him.

That’s what I should have said.

I…

[This is the timeline separator]

When I opened my eyes, an unfamiliar ceiling came into view. It wasn’t completely unfamiliar. I had been here once before.

What dream did I have?

A sticky feeling enveloped me. Tears flowed endlessly down my cheeks. I couldn’t remember, yet why did I feel so sad?

I clenched and unclenched my palm. My voice wouldn’t come out easily due to my choked-up throat.

This place now is a hospital. Specifically, Cheonrang’s affiliated hospital.

After escaping the gate, I was rescued by people who arrived belatedly and passed out while being questioned about the incident. I was told the students would undergo the same questioning once they regained consciousness after being transferred to the hospital.

I’m not sure what happened to Cali.

Chun Sin Woo only glared at the association staff trying to ask him various things, not answering anything.

I heard that some association staff were dispatched to recover the bodies. I remember fainting after answering how many bodies there were and where they were located.

They said it was unclear who had the gate stone…

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“…Where’s Chun Sin Woo?”

Just then, a doctor entered. Instead of answering, I asked something else.

“Pardon?”

“I asked where Chun Sin Woo is.”

After recollecting the situation, what I had to do was already decided. The doctor smiled with a troubled expression.

“Well, even if you were admitted under the guild leader’s name, it’s problematic to call out names like that.”

“So you don’t know?”

I pulled out the IV needle stuck in my body.

“Huh? Your body hasn’t recovered yet, so such a reckless act… Huh? You’re walking?”

And I started walking.

People’s gazes fixed on me. Patients who were admitted, patients who came for treatment, doctors, nurses, everyone’s eyes gathered on me.

“Hey! You shouldn’t move around like that in your condition! I’ll inform the guild leader separately, Ha Young! Park Ha Young!”

I heard a voice calling me from behind, but I ignored it.

My goal was clear from the start.

I passed through the second-floor corridor leading to the affiliated hospital, not caring whether other guild members saw me in patient clothes, and pressed the elevator button. The descending speed was slow. I moved floors using the stairs.

The place I arrived at. My intuition told me. Chun Sin Woo is beyond this door.

Kicking the door open, inside was.

“Ack, ah! Hey! Enough, enough! Hic, don’t you know when to stop?! If you had just cooperated with us from the start, this wouldn’t have… Urgh. You bastard! Are you asking for it?!”

“Your mouth is still working. Want me to throw you back into the gate?”

There were Cali screaming and Chun Sin Woo with an indifferent expression.

“Oh, you.”

Gazes gathered. Despite the gathered gazes, Chun Sin Woo didn’t look at me.

I walked towards him.

“…You’ve already recovered. If you’re not fully healed, it would be better to go rest.”

Chun Sin Woo said while stepping on Cali. I grabbed his collar.

“…Wow.”

“That little lady is…?”

I heard breathing sounds from around. A locked voice sprang from my mouth.

“You said you’d explain.”

“…You seem agitated, why don’t you calm down a bit.”

“Did you think I’d understand if you just put me in the hospital without explaining anything? Explain properly!”

“…Sin Ah.”

“What exactly are you, and what are you thinking to be doing this around me!”

“…”

Despite my daring to grab his collar, Chun Sin Woo said nothing. He just gently took my hand gripping his collar and put it down.

“Why on earth…!”

My vision blurred like an afterimage, then cleared again. Tears fell drop by drop, independent of my will.

“Why…”

Without saying anything.

“…Sin Ah.”

“My name is not Sin Ah.”

“I know, Park Ha Young. …It’s the name temporarily registered with the association after you lost your memory. But that’s not your real name, is it.”

“…”

Chun Sin Woo smiled. That smile rather made all the strength in my body drain away.

Ha, haha. Really, there was one speculation I had given up on, just in case.

Really, perhaps. Perhaps, that is.

Had I stepped back a couple of steps, my toes caught on something. I fell backwards.

“…What should I have done.”

Chun Sin Woo, standing up, reached out his hand as if for me to grab. I ignored that hand and got up on my own.

“What should I have done.”

Despite being ignored, Chun Sin Woo showed little reaction. He just stroked my head with that same hand.

“What, how…!”

“I won’t harm you.”

“…”

I swatted that hand away, but Chun Sin Woo only withdrew his hand, standing rooted to the spot. Intense emotions welled up to my throat.

The sensation of not being able to control myself made me feel dizzy.

“Just, explain properly…”

My head is spinning. This wasn’t what I meant to say. I should ask if you’re really my family, if you’re really my elder brother.

Something I had desperately hoped for, but had now given up on.

I don’t know what more I should say here.

“…”

Chun Sin Woo stroked my head again. I swatted his hand away once more.

The gaze looking down at me was indifferent. The breathing sounds from around were particularly quiet.

“…I still don’t know.”

Chun Sin Woo, making a bitter sound, stepped back a couple of paces.

“How I should have properly protected you.”

When I suddenly looked up, Chun Sin Woo’s expression held a faint sense of self-reproach.

“So they were lovers after all!”

“Shut up, can’t you read the atmosphere?!”

Sounds of ruining the mood came from the side. A chuckle escaped at the sight of Cali scolding Dan.

Ah, what have I done.

Intense emotions blurred my vision. The blurred vision soon rippled with falling tears.

The dream I had just before made my emotions particularly uncontrollable. I’m in no position to be angry at Chun Sin Woo.