Zephyr nodded slowly, understanding flashing in his eyes.
He'd seen it too—Aeron's potential, and how he'd been coasting on natural talent rather than true dedication.
Honestly, I wasn't really sure about it.
Would my death truly have the same impact as Livia's injury would have? We weren't close like Aeron and Livia were, and we were just friends. They had that childhood and best friends bond, that unshakable connection. What was I? Just some guy who trained and ate with him occasionally, traded sarcastic remarks with him, and helped him out a few times.
Yet now, seeing how Aeron had been pushing himself to the brink these past days... I knew I'd made the right choice.
It was also true that guilt still gnawed at me, but the results spoke for themselves.
The way he'd thrown himself into training, the intensity in his eyes—it seemed we'd been closer than I realized. Or maybe my death had simply shaken him more than I'd anticipated.
"I hope he won't overdo it," I muttered, more to myself than to Zephyr.
Zephyr's gaze met mine, steady and certain. "It's alright. He's recovered now. He can take a break once we take off."
I nodded, but my thoughts were already elsewhere.
Because there had been another reason, a bigger one, behind my actions that day.
The harsh truth that no one else aside from me would ever know.
That day, when chaos erupted, I'd used [Narrative Glimpse]—and saw two events unfolding:
Scenario One (Aeron's Storyline):
- Livia would be gravely injured in a monster attack
- Falls into coma-like state
- "Wakes" Aeron to harsh realities of life and the world
- Becomes catalyst for his growth
Scenario Two (Zephyr & Luna's Storyline):
- Luna overexerts herself trying to protect others and gets injured in the process
- Zephyr will be forced to make a dangerous bargain to save her
- He would be the one to destroy the spatial tear, getting himself severely injured in the process
Obviously, neither outcome was acceptable.
So I'd made a third option.
That would suit my plans and path.
First, I had to save the girls.
The worm monster—a grotesque, pulsating thing with too many teeth—would have been the one to injure them. I even imagined the possible scenario - Livia would push Emilia out of the way at the last second, Luna would throw herself between them and the monster's maw, Zephyr forced to sacrifice something to save them, but it would be too late, and he would only save Luna. Livia would either die or end up in the said situation.
Thankfully, I'd been on high alert since the start of the plan, [Echo of Life] and [Observant Eye] stretched to their limits. The moment the worm surged toward them from underneath, I was already moving while alerting Zephyr.
And just like that, I managed to avert the first disastrous outcome.
Second, Zephyr didn't have to intervene, which meant he didn't get injured.
But then came the spatial tear.
If I were to be honest, I had no clear idea how to handle it—this was far beyond my capabilities. I only had my master in mind but he already told me that he wouldn't interfere unless absolutely unecessary.
So, I had asked for Zephyr, hoping for guidance, but he just shook his head sharply. "Monsters first," he barked, already moving to an injured monster not far.
Anxiety had coiled in my chest, but there was no time to argue.
Then, like some twisted stroke of luck, the solution came crashing into the scene—literally.
The mad alchemist, wild-eyed and screaming, hurled vial after vial into the spatial tear, his movements frantic. The volatile mixtures reacted violently with the unstable energy, causing the rift to shudder and convulse. It was working—the tear was destabilizing, on the verge of collapse.
Zephyr wouldn't have to sacrifice himself to seal it.
It would disappear on its own.
And that's when the realization struck me.
'This is my chance.' I thought.
The tear was going to explode.
If I "died" inside it, there would be no body left—nothing to question, nothing to doubt. No one would suspect a thing, as long as I played my part perfectly.
As the alchemist lunged forward again, dangerously close to the rift, I grabbed him, yanking him back. In that split second, I activated [Character Insight], confirming what I already suspected—this was no ordinary madman.
Affiliation: Black Star
The other info was filled with question marks, probably because my skill was a bit low to work on the guy. But the affiliation and threat level alone confirmed his identity.
He was the culprit, the assassin.
It was a perfect scenario.
Not only was I securing my own "death," but I was also capturing the assassin in the process. He would be the perfect witness to my death while being the killer, and he would also spread it accordingly.
Two birds, one stone.
The explosion built, the spatial tear writhing like a dying beast. I shoved the assassin toward Zephyr's waiting portal—just as planned—but then, for the sake of authenticity, I let myself get caught in the surprise attack. Thankfully, I hadn't used the Interception Step before, to not to create any suspicions later.
The pulling force yanked me backward, my body slamming into the explosion. I was 'shocked'.
For a heartbeat, I saw Zephyr's face twist in horror. Aeron's scream tore through the chaos.
It was absolute cinema.
"Even though I was surprised by the sneak attack, I was somehow glad it happened. Because, thanks to it, I died in the best way possible," I finished, the words tasting bitter even as I spoke them. "In a way that even I hadn't fully anticipated. Now? Nobody will suspect a thing. I'm officially gone."
Zephyr nodded slowly, his fingers curling into fists so tight his knuckles turned white. The air around us grew heavy with unspoken tension, the weight of everything I'd just confessed pressing down between us.
Then, in a voice softer than I'd ever heard from him, he asked: "You... You still haven't told me how you... survived."