Turning
chapter-719

‘Kishiar.’

‘As long as he is alive, as long as his life clings on, the rest could somehow be handled.’

Yuder had repeated this to himself countless times as he hurried. Whether it was due to his wishes or not, Kishiar was indeed alive, standing on his own feet, seemingly unharmed.

But to say he was in the same state as before would be incorrect.

Kishiar's previously uncreased clothes were now stained with dirt and smudges. In some places, faint traces of red blood were visible. It seemed less like his own blood and more like splatters from somewhere else. The mere fact that he was wielding a sword stained with blood made Yuder feel a heavy, dark sensation in his chest. His head grew cold, and his heart beat rapidly, yet disquietingly.

In that brief moment, Yuder, who had scanned Kishiar from head to toe, noticed that Kishiar was also gazing intently at him from afar. Kishiar's red eyes clearly noticed Yuder's dirty cheeks and the torn clothes from battle, yet unlike Yuder, he didn't show his emotions openly.

"Yuder!"

"Where?"

"Over there, on the roof! Yuder is here!"

At that moment, people around, who had turned to see what Kishiar was looking at, spotted Yuder and began pointing and shouting. Only then did Yuder realize that he was not alone with Kishiar; there were numerous people around them.

It was in front of the Southern branch of the Cavalry, so it was natural for many people to be there, but Yuder had seen nothing but Kishiar. This realization brought a sense of absurdity and, with it, a return of rational thought.

"Sigh..."

Yuder exhaled deeply and began to scrutinize below more sharply and thoroughly.

Among the many around Kishiar, some wore the uniforms of the Cavalry, others were in imperial military attire. So far, it was understandable, but there was an unusually high number of people in civilian clothes, armed with weapons.

Those in civilian attire within the branch were mostly Cavalry applicants or those who had yet to be formally admitted.

'But there aren't that many of them, are there?'

Most of those in civilian clothes, not mingling with the Cavalry or the imperial army, stood opposite Kishiar, as if in a standoff, weapons in hand.

Strangely, even among these opposing groups, there was a vague division into two factions.

'What's going on?'

The atmosphere was chaotic, as if a battle had taken place. Yuder, realizing that further observation would be futile, leaped down, stepping on the wind. As the wind tousled his hair and clothes, he landed softly, quietly observing the writhing dark crack in the air.

"Ah!"

Those who seemed to see Yuder leap from such a height for the first time uttered sounds of either astonishment or alarm.

Yuder, seemingly oblivious to the glances of those concerned about his legs, strode forward with long steps. His demeanor was so cold that those who tried to approach and call out to him dared not interfere. Naturally, his destination was where Kishiar stood.

"..."

Despite the multitude of thoughts and surging emotions he had felt while running, when he finally faced Kishiar, he found himself speechless. It felt strangely like a long-awaited reunion, even though they had only been apart for a few hours.

Instead of words like 'glad you are safe' or 'I was worried when the magic tool suddenly activated,' the only thing that slipped out between his lips was a single word.

"...Commander."

Upon hearing the faint call, like a sigh, Kishiar slowly lowered his eyes and smiled. In that moment, as their gazes met, Yuder realized there was no need for further words.

Kishiar already knew everything Yuder intended to say.

"Did you return because of the abnormal condition of the magic tool?"

"...Yes."

"I see. You must have been quite startled. Unexpected events here caused some of my magic tools to react on their own. As you can see, there hasn't been any serious issue so far."

Indeed, the activation of the magic tool was not a distress signal. The fact that Nathan Zuckerman's speculation was correct brought Yuder a sense of relief. The sharp, knife-like atmosphere that had enveloped him finally began to calm down.

Yuder's gaze fell on the sword Kishiar was holding. It was the divine sword Orr, wrapped in cloth around the handle, which he had not drawn since leaving the capital. Was the situation here so dire that he had to unsheathe his divine sword?

"It seems a battle took place. Could you tell me what happened?"

"Before that, I'd like to know why the one who promised not to get hurt left in such a disheveled state."

Kishiar gestured with his eyes towards Yuder's torn clothes.

"Could you tell me how it came to be like this?"

Though smiling softly, his eyes indicated that he wouldn't move on to another topic without first getting an answer to this matter.

"...That is."

How could Yuder explain in a way that wouldn't discomfort Kishiar that he ended up in this state after a fight with southern merchants he had encountered? Moreover, the memory of the candies given by Kishiar, now shattered to pieces, almost reignited his anger toward the men he had beaten to the point of fainting.

'Don't think about it. Dwelling on it now won't help the situation.'

Yuder pushed the memory of the candies deep inside and began to speak.

"I found the missing servant and horse of Duke Herne's second son, and the Southern merchants we were pursuing. They were indeed all in cahoots."

Deciding that swift suppression was better than just observing and returning, Yuder had engaged in combat. Amidst the unsettling words spouted by Aton, who seemed to be their leader, and the sudden abnormality of the magic tools, he had hurried back. Kishiar nodded, listening to Yuder's objective, concise explanation.

"So it was as expected. Then Nathan is handling the aftermath?"

"Yes. Sir Zuckerman said he would follow shortly."

"Good. I trust Nathan. This confirms the connection between what happened here and their involvement."

After responding, Kishiar paused to look at Yuder before continuing.

"Securing evidence and witnesses instead of just observing them was a wise decision. It was somewhat reckless, of course, but we can discuss that in detail after this matter is resolved."

Kishiar must have immediately understood why Yuder made such a decision. Still, as Yuder hadn't perfectly adhered to the command to avoid injury, he bowed his head without a word.

"Yes."

"Nevertheless, I am even more pleased that, just as I was worrying about you both due to the strange happenings here, as if you read my mind, I get to see your face again."

Kishiar let out a small sigh and smiled.

The tension in the air, frozen from the worry that the conversation between Kishiar and Yuder might escalate, melted away instantly with his gentle smile.

"Phew. What a relief. I was wondering where Yuder had gone, but it turns out the Commander had sent him."

"Anyway, with the arrival of the best of our Cavalry, it's the end for them now!"

Yuder turned his gaze upon hearing the bellicose voices around him, to assess the plainly dressed people standing in opposition.

'Are they all Awakeners, as I thought?'

They seemed utterly bewildered by Yuder's sudden descent from the sky. Although it was difficult to discern at a glance, Yuder had noticed from above that there were two distinct groups among them, each with a slightly different atmosphere.

The first group appeared eager to turn and flee at any moment, their eyes betraying anxiety amidst low curses and conversations resembling signals.

The second group, however, was generally very quiet. They stood in vigilance and silence, their hands tightly gripping weapons or fists, ready to spring into action. Among them were a few individuals thoroughly cloaked from head to toe.

'Are they the ones Aton mentioned... the ones targeting us? Whether it's just some of them or all, I'm still unsure.'

As he made these observations, Kishiar spoke at just the right moment.

"Those people are the first and second batch of today's test applicants who entered our branch early this morning. Or, 'were' would be more accurate to say."

Before the news of Duke Herne's second son's death brought knights storming into the southern branch of the Cavalry, there were already applicants present. While the knights had searched the premises, they didn't excessively scrutinize or question these applicants. Their priority was to find any trace of Duke Herne's son, his servant, and their horse, which might be hidden somewhere in the branch. They also considered it highly unlikely that the culprits were commoners or foreigners, who wouldn't even know who Duke Herne's son was.

After Kishiar and Yuder left with the knights to see the body of Duke Herne's son, all operations at the Cavalry branch were temporarily suspended. The members supervising the applications and tests apologized to the applicants and ceased their work until the Commander's return.

Everyone, forced into an abrupt break, had nothing to do but gather in small groups and discuss the ominous incident.

Under normal circumstances, the Cavalry would stick with their own, applicants with other applicants, and imperial soldiers with other imperial soldiers, chatting among familiar faces. However, in the face of a horrifying and shocking murder, such distinctions became meaningless. The majority of those inside the branch were outside due to the investigation, contributing to this mingling.

Without exception, they all mixed together, sharing their worries and speculations. They wondered if anyone had seen anything suspicious, or if there had been any odd occurrences since the day before. Among them were those who had just yesterday been discussing the legend of Yuder Aile.

Among them, a young boy named Jack, who had narrowly escaped a duel with Yuder Aile, suddenly seemed to remember something and cautiously spoke up.

“Well, now that I think about it... I saw someone the other day while walking... someone who shouldn't be here. That's the only suspicious thing I can think of…”

“Someone who shouldn't be here?”

“But I might be mistaken. It's just too unbelievable…”

“Who is it, Jack?”

Jack hesitated, wondering if he should speak, then responded softly.

“It's, uh, Sera... my sister.”

“What? Sera?”

“Impossible!”

Those who had escaped with Jack from the Star of Nagran's southern stronghold unanimously rebutted his statement. Then, a young Awakener who had gone with Jack to submit an application to the underground fighting arena that day timidly raised his hand with a subdued voice.

"I saw it too. At first, I thought I was mistaken and didn't say anything... but if Jack saw it too, it must be true."

"...Really? In this world?"

"Could it be that she followed us here..."

"But, actually, I was more concerned about someone else rather than Sera..."

"Someone else? Who else did you see?"

The young Awakener hesitated, then, gathering his courage, he finally spoke.

"Before I met all of you... I was briefly in the Central region."

Although he spoke vaguely, those affiliated with the Star of Nagran immediately understood what he meant. It implied that before coming to the southern and western strongholds, the boy had briefly stayed in the central stronghold.

"That time... I think I saw those people from there... this morning, when I stepped out briefly. Among the applicants..."

"What? Really?"

"No, what are you all talking about? South? Central? Sera? What does all this mean? Are you saying you saw some suspicious people we don't know about?"

Those unaware of their origins were puzzled, trying to understand, while the former the Star of Nagran Awakeners were momentarily caught in their own astonishment.

Had it been before, they would have never revealed their origins to the Cavalry. However, the situation had changed; the children who had nearly died in the secret fighting arena had safely returned, and the Cavalry had not blamed them, instead offering them a way to live. This instilled a newfound sense of trust in their hearts.

Crucially, those who remembered the conversation from the day before exchanged glances and nodded firmly.

"That is..."

[BL] Cloudless Sky

Jin Soram, the top-ranked hunter representing South Korea's Rift Phenomenon Management Headquarters, is stronger than anyone else and lazier than anyone else. As soon as he arrives at the office, he buries himself under a blanket and falls asleep. When he goes out on a mission, he causes accidents and returns to the office, often shirking his duties.

"Do you know how it feels to play a game that's already messed up? ...Anyway, the next round will come, so this time, I'm just going to play it recklessly."

In fact, his true identity is someone who has regressed through three lives, trying to save the world from the Great Rift but failing each time. After repeating a life where he couldn't sleep peacefully even for a day, he became completely exhausted before this life even began.

"I know. You worked hard, Jin Soram."

And then there's Han Tae-un, the man who saved Soram and died in all three previous lives. As he did in every life, he comes to Soram's side once again. The Great Rift is approaching soon. It's impossible to resolve it in this life without any preparation. Soram vows to save Tae-un in this life and die himself. At least, he won't let Tae-un save a failure like himself again.

"For now, until then, let's sleep..."

As Soram sluggishly lives his life waiting for that moment, a gradual change occurs in his heart.

'I thought this was a messed-up round... but I want to live a little longer here.'

[BL] Bermuda

Leonardo Blaine, the true war hero of the Raina Logia Empire and the commander of the Armsilver 11th Squad, is dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders during the final battle that could have led the Empire to victory in the territorial war. People criticize and point fingers at him, and after being released on parole from prison, he disappears without a trace.

Three years later, his name has been forgotten by the world. The Council has been persistently pursuing him, but he has proven difficult to capture. Frustrated by this, Hugo Agrizendro, the commander of the Council's army, decides to personally apprehend him.

"Since when have you been watching me?"

Leonardo was calculative and astute, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had been observing Hugo for some time now. However, Leonardo's answer was something that even Hugo had not anticipated.

"From the very beginning."

[BL] The Mist (Same author as Turning)

In the autumn of his 18th year, after winning the high school kendo championship finals, an unexpected accident occurred.

Due to that incident, Kang Mu-heon lost one of his legs, his closest friend, and his promising future. He closed off his heart and shut himself away alone.

A few years later, the world's first real virtual reality game <THE MIST> was announced, where even those with physical disabilities could play in healthy bodies.

By chance, Kang Mu-heon encountered it and began a new life as the mage Kapros, facing unexpected meetings, reunions, and days of change....

***

"Why was someone like you born into this world to make me so miserable? Do you understand when I say it like this?! You were born with talent for the sword, a bright personality, everything - you must have been laughing at me always lagging behind! Did you even know how pathetic I felt because of your stupid hypocrisy? A genius? What does any of that matter!"

Seung-jo's cries stabbed at his heart, wailing as if he were crying even though he wasn't, but there was no time to think further. He quickly clutched my stomach, got up, and ran towards him.

He looked surprised for a moment, but he was desperate.

Just as the car was about to reach us, he shoved Seung-jo hard. Right after Seung-jo fell and rolled away with wide, startled eyes—

Screech!

Bang! With an impact that felt like his whole body was being shattered, he flew through the air.

And in that brief yet long moment of floating in space, he remembered his reflection in Seung-jo's eyes for the last time.......

***

[ Then in THE MIST, may you become the master of infinite possibilities. ]

Whoosh!

When his vision returned after everything went white, he was standing in the middle of a bustling town. Amidst the clamor, countless people were busily going about their business here and there.

He looked down at himself, standing dazed and wearing clothes of unknown origin. When he touched the sleeve, he felt the texture of fabric as real as reality. His hair felt the same, and even when he touched the wall of a nearby house, he could clearly feel the solid, cold surface.

Is this... VT?

It seemed like a joke. It truly felt as if he had come to another world and was touching everything.

As he stood there unable to think due to the shock, he suddenly remembered the biggest reason he had decided to play this game, and snapped back to attention. His two legs were still as they had been when he first stood.

'Can I really walk?'

He first stepped out with his left foot, then very slowly put strength into his heavy right foot. It felt like cold sweat was running down his spine.

And then,

He lifted it,

Moved it,

And took another step to touch the ground again.

So easily. As if there had never been any problem with this leg from the beginning.

"Ah..."

At that moment, something that was neither joy nor emotion shot up his spine. Suddenly feeling a lump in his throat, he lowered his head and leaned against the wall. His right foot, bearing his weight, was doing its job perfectly.

"..."

Holding back the tightness in his throat, he took another step.

It didn't hurt. It wasn't heavy. His leg was no longer a useless piece of wood that ached.

Damn it, to be able to walk so easily like this.

To be able to run so easily like this.

He had wished even in his dreams for the day to come when he could walk and run like this again.

And so he walked again, kept walking, slowly getting faster, until finally he started running like a madman through the entire town.

***

"Kap. ...There seems to be a misunderstanding. That's not what I meant."

Just as he was thinking he should throw a punch, Yu-wan sighed with a troubled look and said.

A misunderstanding? How could it be a misunderstanding when he said with his own mouth that he didn't think of me as a friend?

"I didn't expect to receive such a question suddenly, so my explanation was probably too brief. Let me rephrase."

Yu-wan reached out his hand, his face completely changed from before - intense yet resolute - as he stared at him. As he didn't reject the hand suddenly approaching his face and kept his gaze fixed, his cool large hand touched his cheek completely.

A shiver ran down his spine at that moment.

"I'm sorry to say this to you, but I don't see you only as a friend. ...This is the complete answer."

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