"What...?"

That was all Daion could say. His gaze locked onto Jack, but the man remained impassive—stern as always.

Haruka glanced at Jack. Two years with them, and she still hadn't gotten used to those words. She bit her lip, eyes lowered.

Finn's mouth hung open, but he said nothing. His fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white.

Minjae, on the other hand, didn't react. His eyes stayed fixed on the night sky, the orange glow of the burning town reflecting in his pupils.

Jack turned back to Daion. The faint tremor in his hands, the nervous twitch in his leg, the way his fingers curled into a fist—he wasn't as unaffected as he wanted to seem.

"Do I need to repeat myself? We're leaving."

Daion ran through the forest, dodging roots and undergrowth. His breath came in short bursts—not from exhaustion, but from sheer frustration.

SteelWall loomed ahead, growing closer with each desperate stride.

"What the hell am I doing?"

Sixty meters.

"What am I even planning? Am I really trying to play the hero? Yeah, right."

His boot caught on something, sending him face-first into the mud. Groaning, he pushed himself up and turned back.

No one was following.

For the first time since arriving in this world, he was alone at night.

He had been lucky until now.

Now, he was about to die for being an idiot.

He gritted his teeth, Jack's voice echoing in his head.

"It's not ideal to travel at night…"

The memory came unbidden—Jack's hands shaking as he packed up camp, Minjae idly flipping his knife between his fingers.

"But if we move now, we can reach a town before midnight."

Daion had stepped forward, seething.

"Quit talking nonsense."

Jack hadn't flinched.

"If that village is still under attack even after the Hellseeker's death, then it's a horde. We don't stand a chance."

"You don't know that. It could be anything."

Jack scoffed.

"Oh really? And where did you get that idea? From the bedtime stories your mother told you? Oh, wait…" His voice dipped. "You don't remember, do you?"

Daion's fist crashed into Jack's face.

Jack barely moved, only blinking in irritation. His voice remained level.

"How can you just leave them to die? It makes no sense."

"It's survival."

"It's cowardice!"

Daion trembled with fury. His gemstone pulsed, his arm burned, but he ignored it. He just wanted to see how far Jack's cynicism would go.

"If we go, we die."

"Is that all you people do? Run? Is that why you lost the war?"

Jack exhaled through his nose.

"We're not soldiers. And this isn't our war—it's theirs." He gestured toward the rising smoke in the distance. "We're just a bunch of nobodies who happened to die in front of the wrong god."

Silence.

And Daion understood.

He wasn't the first to think it.

They were all just kids. Thrown into a war they never asked for.

But still… something burned inside him.

The screams of the man he left behind pounded in his skull.

Jack sighed.

"We only have one goal: survive as long as we can in this shitty world."

Daion clenched his fists.

"You're not surviving." His voice was low. "Surviving is fighting to see another day. You're just running until there's no tomorrow left."

Minjae clicked his tongue, annoyed.

"And what's the difference?"

Daion ignored him. His eyes searched Haruka and Finn.

"You're really not going to say anything? Just accept this and run away with your tails between your legs?"

Haruka lowered her head.

"It's not like we have many choices… If we're not together, we'll die."

Finn hesitated, then stepped closer to Jack.

"It's a village, Jack. Are we really just walking away?"

His voice was quiet, but firm.

Jack didn't answer.

Finn didn't press further.

This wasn't the first time.

Not even his first time.

And yet, he still accepted it.

Daion turned away from them.

"Do whatever you want. I'm going to try something."

His legs shook. His body felt sluggish.

Haruka reached out, grabbing his hand.

"You don't have to do this… You can come with us."

She turned to Jack.

"He can, right? It's better to have help… it's better to fight together…"

Minjae scoffed and turned away.

Jack studied her for a moment, then exhaled.

"Summoned ones have to look out for each other, right?"

Daion chuckled bitterly.

"Even if it means abandoning everyone else?"

Haruka squeezed his hand. She was trembling.

Gently, Daion pulled away.

"Sorry. I can still hear that man screaming. I don't know if I can live with it… but if I run now, I know I'll let the next monster kill me."

Jack's eyes darkened.

"So you'll die out of guilt? Out of some stupid remorse for a guy you didn't even know?"

Daion shrugged.

"What can I say? Being human sucks."