Narihu

When the World stopped breathing

The day had finally come. Getting out of bed was harder than usual.

That old, long-forgotten feeling — uncertainty — crept back into me.

Can we really pull this off? Without Bloodweave, we don't stand a chance.

They're all at least Green or even Purple level… and 1283… he might be far beyond that.

I got ready in silence. Strapped my sword to my back, fastened the necklace around my neck.

Then I heard voices — my parents talking to someone in the kitchen.

Curious, I walked closer. Two guests sat with them, a man and a woman.

As I stepped inside, their conversation stopped.

"Ah, so this is your son, Olig," the man said, smiling wide. "You've told me so much about how talented he is."

The woman turned to me and smiled. "Hello, Narihu. I'm Siena, and this is Arthur."

Her eyes studied me with a curious warmth, as if she was trying to see the truth in my father's stories.

"Go on, Narihu, introduce yourself," my mother said.

"I'm Narihu… thirteen years old. There's not much else to say," I muttered awkwardly, not used to introductions.

In my previous life, everyone knew who I was. My reputation spoke louder than words and those who didn't know, I made sure they learned the hard way.

I sat down beside my parents, listening as the adults talked.

"I heard you're skilled at controlling mana," Arthur said. "Your parents told me you reached the seventh mana orb by the age of twelve. That's… remarkable."

"I recently reached Green Rank," I said quietly. "I've already formed the fourth orb there."

"What!?" My mother shot up from her chair.

"And you didn't tell us that!?" she pouted, half angry, half proud.

Siena's eyes widened. "Olig, you were right. Your son's a rare talent indeed."

"Even I didn't expect him to progress that fast," my father said, laughing. "Too bad his swordsmanship hasn't caught up yet."

Arthur chuckled. "Like father, like son, huh?"

I smiled faintly. Then curiosity got the better of me. "How do you all know each other?"

My mother answered, "We explored Elysea together — a long time ago."

"You were adventurers!?" My eyes lit up. "Why didn't you ever tell me that!?"

Silence.

Then my mother's voice softened.

"We were young and reckless," she said quietly. "We didn't take the warnings seriously… thought we could handle anything."

The air grew heavy — as if I had stepped on a memory too painful to touch.

Arthur broke the silence. "Narihu, we also came here for another reason."

Siena smiled. "We heard you'll be attending Asterin soon. We'll be your teachers there."

That caught me off guard — but a spark of relief flickered in my chest. I wouldn't be alone.

Arthur continued, "We wanted to see your skills for ourselves. Your parents asked us to pull some strings for your admission."

He chuckled softly. "I'd test your combat ability too, but we promised your parents we'd go hunting for old times' sake."

After some final words, they stood to leave.

Siena's staff shimmered with a glowing sphere of mana. Arthur's sword radiated the kind of presence that only comes with long history — a weapon with memories.

"Be careful while we're gone," my mother said, her voice tinged with worry. She had no idea what I was planning.

Once they were gone, I waited a little… then I left too. The fear settled deep in my stomach as I walked. Our plan was risky — based almost entirely on luck. If we were discovered, it would all be over.

When I reached the cave, Rei wasn't there yet.

I sat by a tree, trying to calm myself. The wind brushed the leaves; insects chirped quietly. The world was calm — but my heart was pounding out of control.

What if we fail? Will we die here? Is it really right for just the two of us to face them? I could've told my parents… or Arthur and Siena… But no. I won't drag them into this.

I looked at the dark entrance ahead.

"I'll stop them. With my own hands," I whispered, fire in my eyes.

"How long have you been waiting?" Rei's voice came from behind.

"Half a day, maybe," I said with a tired smile.

"Then you've had plenty of time to rethink our plan," he replied, trying to sound confident — but I saw the tension in his eyes.

We both stared into the cave. Neither of us moved. Neither of us wanted to lose that last moment of quiet.

"Let's go," I said finally, forcing myself forward. As we walked deeper, our footsteps echoed softly.

"Once we reach the hidden structure," I reminded him, "we go straight for the gate and destroy it. Can you handle that?"

"I can," Rei said firmly — but I could sense the doubt beneath the surface.

We reached the inner chamber.

Took a deep breath… and stepped inside.

"It's only been a week since the last recon, right?" Rei asked quietly.

I couldn't answer.

Because in front of us — there were hundreds of soldiers.

Far more than before.

" A week…" I whispered. "Just one week…"

"Let's move," I said, though my hands were shaking.

I extended my mana sense — and froze.

From one of the tents came a mana so overwhelming it was suffocating. Even through the walls, I could feel it — the despair, the screams trapped in it....1283.

We crept closer to the gate — but before we could reach it, someone grabbed us and pulled us into a tent.

It was Zey. Rei's father.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" he hissed. "You need to leave. Now."

"NO!" Rei shouted, his voice trembling with rage. "Why did you betray the village? Why did you betray me!?"

"I didn't betray anyone," Zey said quickly, desperation in his tone.

"Then what are you doing here? Surrounded by Veldori soldiers!?" I snapped.

"You don't understand… I had to do this. You're just kids."

"SHUT UP!" Rei roared. I had never seen him like that. "You betrayed me… just like everyone else!"

Zey's expression broke. "Rei, you're my son. Everything I've done… was to protect you."

"Then explain," Rei demanded. "Tell me why."

Zey sighed. "Two months ago, I saw strangers entering this cave. I tried to warn them of the danger. But the monsters didn't attack them. They… followed them. And then I saw it — this entire place was filled with beasts they'd gathered for transport to Veldori. They're using monster taming magic for war."

"So they caught you spying," Rei said bitterly.

Zey nodded slowly. "1283 found me. He… paralyzed me with his mana. Told me that if I disobeyed, he'd slaughter everyone in the village before my eyes. I had no choice."

Rei's anger shifted to grief. His father wasn't a traitor — just a prisoner.

"The Veldorians…" Rei muttered. "They ruin everything they touch. I'll kill them all." His voice was pure rage — enough to shake me.

"Rei, no—"

But Zey stopped me. "He's right. We can't let them continue. I'll destroy the gate myself."

"What?!" Rei shouted. "They'll kill you!"

"I've already set mana bombs throughout the cave," Zey explained. "They're useless while the gate's active — its barrier magic protects everything inside. But if I destroy the gate, the bombs will ignite. You two… need to escape."

Rei's voice cracked. "If you do that… they'll kill you."

Zey smiled weakly. "Better me than my son."

He placed a hand on Rei's head. "This is my mess to fix."

"Father…" Rei's voice broke. Tears spilled down his face. "I don't want to lose you too…"

Zey looked at me. "Please, Narihu. Protect him — for me."

I couldn't speak. I just nodded. We turned and ran toward the exit. Behind us, the cave shook. Zey had done it.

Then — I saw him, surrounded by Veldori soldiers. 1283 stood before him.

"So," the man said, smiling cruelly, "your sense of justice finally woke up. You know you won't survive this, right? Then why bother?"

Zey didn't answer. He only glanced our way.

His lips moved silently — Take care of him.

"No… no, don't—" Rei whispered. I held him back before he could run.

1283 noticed the glance.

"Oh… so that's your son," he said, grinning. "How touching."

Then, without a sound —

Zey's head fell to the ground.

Rei's scream tore through the cave.

I couldn't move. None of it felt real.

"Run!!"

The voice — that same mysterious woman's — echoed in my mind.

"Rei, activate the bomb!" I yelled.

But Rei just knelt there, frozen, tears streaming down his face.

1283 turned toward us, his smile twisted. "Children shouldn't be here. But don't worry you'll see your father soon enough."

"You son of a bitch!" I grabbed the detonator and slammed it.

The world exploded. The ground trembled.

Stone rained from the ceiling as we ran, dragging Rei with me.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?" 1283 roared.

I didn't look back. The exit's light came into view — but he was faster than humanly possible. Just as we reached the mouth of the cave, I triggered the second blast.

The explosion swallowed the tunnel, half-burying him in rubble.

For a moment, everything went still. The wind. The sound. The world.

Rei looked at me, shaking.

"We did it… right? We avenged him… right?"

I stared at the rubble.

Too quiet.

Too still.

The rocks began to shift.

"You think I'd die that easily, you idiots?"

1283 emerged, half his body crushed — yet alive. His aura was suffocating.

"Damn it… I can't move," I gasped.

His killing intent pinned me where I stood.

"You little worms… look what you did to my face," he snarled.

Rei roared and charged, his eyes wild.

"I'll kill you!!"

But 1283 didn't even flinch. He struck once — and Rei's body flew like a rag doll, crashing into the stone wall.

I raised my sword, but his next strike hit me before I could even react.

Pain exploded through my ribs. I hit the ground hard, vision fading.

"You disappoint me," he sneered. "Even with one arm, you're barely worth my time."

He turned to Rei — unconscious — and began stabbing him. Again. And again.

"STOP! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I screamed, my voice raw.

Blood. Rei's blood.

Dripping.

And then— The memory hit me.

Senna Lee.

The door.

The soldiers.

The betrayal.

The blood.

I saw it all again.

Senna stabbed through, her life fading in my arms.

"Don't cry," she had said.

"If you want to mourn me… then promise me one thing."

"Anything," I had said.

"Don't die."

Her hand went limp.

Not again.

I won't let it happen again.

The air around me shifted — tense, electric.

My breath froze in my lungs.

My vision burned purple, pupils narrowing like a predator's. Golden symbols flared along my arm. My blood began to move — alive — answering my will.

1283 stepped back. "What… what are you doing? Stay down!"

But his voice was trembling now.

I walked toward him slowly.

The fear in his eyes was almost… sweet.

"You know what the difference is between us?" I asked, voice low, shaking with power.

He didn't answer.

I smiled.

"I don't let my prey run."

My blade shimmered red — my blood wrapping around it — and in one motion, his head fell.

I stared down at the corpse.

"Wasn't that fun?" I whispered.

Then the exhaustion hit me all at once.

I laughed — broken, delirious — and the world went dark.