Derek pushed deeper into Black Mist Valley, the quiet weight of the landscape pressing in on him. His encounter with the twelve mercenaries had shifted something inside him. He had come here for a single purpose: to find the Moon Vein Grass for Emily. Nothing else was supposed to matter. Yet, no matter how hard he tried to focus, his thoughts kept drifting back to Master James.​The surviving mercenary had recognized his technique, spoken his master's name, and admitted to working for someone named Viktor Volkov. Derek had never heard of Viktor, but the implication was clear enough. Whoever the man was, he was hunting for anything tied to Master James.​Derek slowed his pace at the edge of a rocky slope, scanning the vast, silent valley. "Where would they be searching?" he murmured.​Crouching near the dark stone, he began inspecting the terrain. A flash of silver-green tucked between two jagged rocks caught his eye. Derek leaned in, his gaze sharpening. Thin, pale veins ran through t

Sylvia Gomo returned to the Gomo estate later that evening. The moment her vehicle entered the compound, she could see the bright lights shining from the main house. Her grandfather was awake. That was unusual, as Petra Gomo rarely waited for anyone unless there was something genuinely important on his mind.Stepping out of the vehicle, Sylvia crossed the stone pathway and entered the quiet main hall. Her grandfather sat in his usual high-backed chair. The moment she crossed the threshold, his heavy gaze settled on her, studying her in silence for several long seconds."Sylvia."She stopped in her tracks. "Grandfather.""Come here," Petra said, his expression remaining grim.Sylvia walked closer, keeping her posture straight, though her pulse quickened under his sharp scrutiny."You've been acting strangely lately," he said, searching her face. "You disappear without explanation and return looking distracted. Even when you're sitting right in front of me, your mind seems somewhere els

Megan’s parents’ faces lit up instantly. Her mother clasped her hands together. "Really?""Yes," Sylvia confirmed.Megan’s father looked thrilled. "That is wonderful news."Megan, however, remained entirely silent. She could not comprehend why a military general had randomly shown up at her house claiming they were going to be friends.Her mother quickly gestured toward the hallway. "Please, you two sit and talk. We will leave you alone to get acquainted.""Yes, you should get to know each other," her father added, practically ushering his wife into the adjoining room.Before Megan could say a word, her parents vanished, closing the door behind them.The living room fell dead quiet. For a few seconds, neither woman moved. Sylvia remained standing, posture immaculate, while Megan gestured toward the sofa."Please, have a seat," Megan offered smoothly.Sylvia sat down, crossing her legs, and Megan took the armchair opposite her. An uncomfortable, heavy silence stretched between them unt

Megan sat quietly across from Derek, her eyes fixed on his face. The room had been still for several long minutes, heavy with the weight of the question she had just put to him."Who is Sylvia Gomo to you?"Derek leaned back slowly against the cushions, his expression unreadable. He had anticipated the confrontation ever since Sylvia’s unexpected visit to Megan’s home. He knew it was only a matter of time before she demanded answers."The answer isn't as simple as you think," he said at last, his voice measured.Megan folded her arms tightly across her chest, her jaw setting. "Then make it simple."Derek met her steady gaze. "Sylvia is connected to my master.""Your master?" Megan’s brows knit together in confusion."Master James," Derek clarified with a brief nod.Megan had heard the name uttered in passing before, but always in hushed, guarded tones. She had never fully grasped who the man really was or what he meant to Derek."You've mentioned him several times," she said, her post

Derek stared down at the photograph, his eyes locked onto the man standing beside Master James.It was his father, a man Derek had spent years believing had no connection to Master James whatsoever. Yet there they were, standing together, not in a hospital, a prison, or any ordinary setting. They were posed in front of an ancient stone building Derek had never seen, Master James's hand resting lightly on his father's shoulder. They looked comfortable with one another, like men who shared years of history.Derek's jaw tightened. "Why did you know them?" he whispered into the quiet room.Only the photograph stared back. Turning it over, his eyes caught the written line again: You deserve the truth now.He unfolded the letter, his gaze falling onto the opening lines.Derek, if you are reading this, then the time has finally come. There are things about your life that I deliberately kept from you. I did so because knowing the truth too early would have placed you in greater danger than yo