Kim froze.
His hand was still gripping the silver ring.
As for that voice...
It was calm.
Painfully calm.
As if it carried the sorrow of a thousand years.
> "If you can hear me..."
>
> "It means I have failed."
>
Then silence fell.
Nothing else appeared.
But after a few seconds...
The voice returned.
Weaker this time.
> "I do not know who you are..."
>
> "Nor from which world you came..."
>
> "But if this message has reached you..."
>
> "It means you are like me."
>
Kim's eyes widened slightly.
*Like me?*
So...
The owner of the voice wasn't from this world either.
But before the voice could finish...
The message cut out.
As if a portion of it had been destroyed.
Then, the woman's voice returned.
But this time...
It was trembling.
> "Never trust..."
>
*Tsssssh!*
The audio snapped.
Then absolute silence reigned.
Everything vanished.
Meanwhile, Kim...
Remained seated.
No.
He wasn't bothered because the message was cut short.
He was bothered because the woman...
Had been afraid.
Terrified.
And in his old world...
He knew one thing.
True fear...
Does not come from death.
But from something far worse than death.
He closed the box slowly.
Then raised his head toward the window.
Night was beginning to fall.
The beautiful lights of the Academy were gleaming outside.
Students laughing.
Professors talking.
A world that seemed tranquil.
But beneath that tranquility...
Kim was starting to see something else.
Riddles.
Secrets.
And ancient shadows.
Then, he stood up.
At that exact moment...
There was a knock on the door.
*Knock.*
*Knock.*
*Knock.*
> "Enter."
>
The door opened.
An old man stepped inside.
A servant.
Dressed in the Academy's uniform.
He bowed respectfully.
> "Master Kim."
>
> "Your room has been prepared."
>
Kim nodded calmly.
Then followed the man.
But as they walked...
He noticed something.
The old servant...
Was limping slightly.
His right hand bore an old scar.
And his gait...
Was not that of a servant.
But that of someone accustomed to battle.
Kim smiled inwardly.
Even the servants here...
Are hiding things.
Interesting.
A few minutes later...
They reached the student dormitory.
But before the servant could depart...
He stopped abruptly.
Then spoke without turning around.
> "Master Kim."
>
> "Some people..."
>
> "The more they know the truth..."
>
> "The shorter their lifespan becomes."
>
Kim's eyes narrowed.
As for the old man...
He smiled.
> "Just advice from an old man."
>
Then he left.
But Kim didn't move.
Because that man...
From the very beginning.
Had no aura of a servant.
Nor the aura of a mage.
Nor the aura of a warrior.
Rather...
He had no aura whatsoever.
And that...
In itself.
Was impossible.
Elsewhere...
Inside a dark room.
Leon was sitting alone.
A chessboard laid out before him.
Between his fingers, he held a black piece.
Then, he smiled.
And placed it onto the board.
> "So..."
>
> "The wolf has finally arrived."
>
Then he looked at a white king piece.
The one symbolizing himself.
Before chuckling softly.
> "Let's see, Kim..."
>
> "Will you be an opponent..."
>
> "Or a partner?"
>
And in the depths of the black sea of nothingness...
The exact same colossal eye snapped open once more.
But this time...
It was not alone.
Behind it...
Other eyes opened.
One.
Then ten.
Then thousands.
And an ancient voice emerged.
A voice that made the darkness itself shudder.
> "The Son of Chaos..."
>
Silence fell.
Then...
> "Has grown."
>
> *"Some eyes do not sleep...