Suddenly, an old lady stood up and walked toward the cave’s exit. She looked outside—and froze. Her eyes widened in shock, her entire body stiffening.

Luca noticed her reaction and called out, “Hey, Kenzo, look over there.”

Kenzo turned his head toward the old lady. Everyone—Ming, Sofia, Akiko, Ash, and the other passengers—followed his gaze. They stood and slowly walked in her direction. As they followed the direction of her stare, they saw it.

A dead deer lay just outside.

The animal had been brutally killed. It was clear that the monstrous creatures were responsible. What made it even more disturbing was that they hadn’t seen a single animal around until now—and the first one they did see was slaughtered.

Everyone stared in stunned silence.

“We’re leaving. It’s not safe here anymore,” Ming said firmly, stepping forward.

Everyone nodded. Grabbing their bags, they began to follow him.

They continued walking deep into the forest, the group moving in heavy silence. Some were still visibly frightened. They walked for an hour, maybe two, without rest or pause. Then, in the distance, they saw a glow—bright light at the end of the forest path.

As they got closer, a massive gate and towering walls came into view.

They looked at each other wordlessly. Finally, Ming stepped forward and knocked on the gate—loudly. They waited.

After a moment, the gate creaked open. Two men appeared and motioned for them to enter.

A flicker of hope sparked in their eyes. Maybe… just maybe… this was a safe place.

Inside, they were greeted by the sight of a vast, ancient building with traditional architecture. Around them, people were training—not ordinary training, but something magical.

They watched in awe as trainees wielded uniquely designed swords that crackled with thunder and light. The young trainees wore uniforms of sky blue and white. The instructors wore black and white.

Ming, Luca, Akiko, Sofia, Kenzo, Ash, and the other passengers stared in disbelief at the glowing swords and the magic-infused training.

Then, two figures approached the group.

One was a tall man with white-and-blue hair. A few strands fell across his cold face. His dark brown eyes were intense, and his expression unreadable. He appeared to be around Ming’s age.

Beside him was a woman, also about the same age, with long black hair that fell across her shoulders and warm hazel eyes. She smiled gently.

Both wore the black-and-white uniforms of the trainers.

Ming stepped forward, about to speak, but the man raised his hand and spoke first.

“We know why you’re here. There’s no need to explain. You’re seeking safety—and yes, you can stay here. It’s safe.”

Ming, Luca, Akiko, Sofia, Kenzo, and the others nodded in relief.

Then the woman stepped forward and introduced them both.

“My name is Amaya Tsukiko,” she said kindly. “And this is Rin Kurogai. Nice to meet you all.”

Amaya smiled warmly, while Rin continued to study them coldly.

The group began to introduce themselves.

“I’m Ming Liu,” Ming said calmly.

“I’m Kenzo Demir, and this is my friend, Luca Kaya,” Kenzo added with a smile. Luca nodded.

“I’m Akiko Sato,” said Akiko, offering a soft smile.

“I’m Sofia Sayyed,” Sofia said with a gentle nod.

“I’m Ash Wilson,” Ash said nervously, managing a small smile.

The other passengers introduced themselves one by one.

“I’m Marla Venn.”

“I’m Nolan Crest.”

“I’m Elias Dray.”

“I’m Jaren Holt.”

Amaya continued smiling warmly at each of them. Rin, however, remained expressionless.

Ming met Rin’s gaze—and the coldness between them was unmistakable.

Rin spoke coldly, “Follow us.”

Rin and Amaya turned and walked inside the building, and the others followed. As they moved deeper inside, they noticed more people watching them with suspicion. The group continued following Rin and Amaya until they arrived at a large wooden door. Rin opened it and stepped inside. The others followed.

Inside, three men around the age of forty sat waiting. They wore different colored robes—brown and black. Their hair was black, and their eyes were a deep brown.

Amaya stepped forward and introduced them. “These three are our leaders: Sir Hikari Sasaki, Sir Daisuke Yamada, and Sir Fubuki Tanaka.”

The three men nodded. Hikari then said, “Take your seats.”

Everyone sat down, including Rin, Amaya, and the three leaders.

Hikari looked at them and asked, “You’re all running from the monsters, correct?”

Ming, Luca, Akiko, Kenzo, Sofia, and the others nodded in agreement.

The five leaders exchanged glances, and then Fubuki spoke.

“You may all stay here, but you’ll be trained—just like the others you saw outside.”

The group looked at one another, unsure.

Daisuke added, “Yes, all of you will be trained—except the old lady.”

Sofia raised her hand. “What about the child?”

Rin responded coldly, “He’ll be trained as well.”

Sofia’s eyes widened in shock. “But he’s just a kid!”

Hikari interjected gently, “Calm down, young lady. We know he’s just a child, and he will be under our protection. But he will be trained for his own safety—so that, if one day he finds himself alone, he can protect himself.”

Sofia looked down in silence.

Then Ming asked, “What exactly is this training for? Is it to fight the monsters?”

Hikari sighed and stood up. He spoke calmly. “Yes, it is to fight the monsters. But that’s not the only reason. This training is to prepare you for someone far more dangerous—the one responsible for creating these monsters.”

Rin, Amaya, Daisuke, and Fubuki all nodded.

Ming, Luca, Akiko, Kenzo, Sofia, and the other passengers were stunned.

Ming’s thoughts swirled with questions. Who is this person? Who is behind all of this?

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