Chapter 10: The Child with a Dream
A raging fire engulfed the vast field, painting the night sky in hues of red and orange. The full moon shone above, casting a pale glow over the devastation. In the midst of the burning chaos, a lone child ran frantically, his voice trembling as he screamed, "Father! Where are you?!" Tears streamed down his soot-streaked face as he stumbled forward, desperately searching.
Suddenly, his foot struck a small stone, sending him tumbling to the ground. Lying there, he sobbed, his cries filled with anguish. "Father, please don't leave me! Help Mother!"
A voice emerged from the flames, deep and unwavering. "Peter, stay still. Get a hold of yourself. This is your destiny. I do not know if what I am doing is right or wrong, but one day, you will be the one to judge."
Peter's eyes widened, searching desperately for the source of the voice. "Father! I can't see you!"
The voice continued, its tone heavy with an eerie finality. "One day, we will meet again. But when we do, the sun will not shine. We will stand against each other, fighting for what we believe is right. Yet, in the end, only one of us will survive. And whoever remains will have the power to rewrite history in his own vision of righteousness."
Peter's small body could no longer bear the weight of exhaustion and grief. His vision blurred, and before he could say another word, darkness consumed him.
As the fire slowly died down, a lone figure emerged from the shadows, stepping cautiously over the scorched earth. He knelt beside the unconscious child, gazing at him with quiet contemplation. Without hesitation, he picked Peter up and carried him away.
Peter's eyes fluttered open to the sight of a wooden ceiling, the scent of burning wood lingering faintly in the air. His body ached, but his mind was clouded with confusion. He turned his head slightly, his voice weak. "Where am I?"
A deep voice answered from nearby. "In my house."
Peter sat up slowly, his gaze falling on a man standing by the door. "Who are you?"
The man smiled faintly. "My name is Kakao."
Peter's brows furrowed. "Why am I here?"
Kakao sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. When I found you, you were lying in the middle of that burned field, barely breathing. I thought everything there had turned to ash… and yet, somehow, you survived."
Peter's head throbbed. "Burned field? What are you talking about?"
Kakao shook his head. "Forget it for now. What matters is that you're safe. But listen, kid… I can't just leave you to fend for yourself."
He stepped forward, his expression turning serious. "From today onward, you'll be training under me."
Chapter 10: The Child with a Dream (Part 2)
The scene shifts back to the present.
The Unknown Person smirks, his voice filled with mockery. Unknown Person: "Do you all really think your own king is reliable? The one who carries the blood of the most terrifying man? You all—"
Before he can finish, Aqua moves at lightning speed and delivers a powerful kick straight to his face, sending him crashing to the ground.
Unknown Person: "You bastard…!"
Meanwhile, Ethan's team is still on their way to Shinobu. Listening to the battlefield conversation through the communication system, they are shocked and unsure how to react. They are deeply concerned, but for now, their main objective is to reach Shinobu as soon as possible—especially since Fiery's condition is worsening.
Aqua turns to Peter, who is still frozen in disbelief. Aqua: "Peter!! Is this really the time for hesitation?! I don't know who you are, but I know one thing—if we don't take this guy down now, we're all going to die!"
Peter remains silent, clearly struggling with his thoughts.
Aqua: "Don't forget! You're the one who will lead us! He's trying to break you because he knows that if you fall, we all will! Come on, we're all fighting—we'll deal with your issues later!"
Goldie, standing on Peter's right, nods in agreement. Goldie: "Aqua's right, Peter."
Peter clenches his fists and finally speaks. Peter: "I don't know what you all think of me… but I do know that he is our biggest threat right now."
With those words, a renewed sense of motivation spreads across the battlefield. Even Ethan's team, still en route to Shinobu, feels a surge of determination. But little do they know, something far worse awaits them.
Scene Shift
A mysterious swordsman enters Shinobu's grounds.
Meanwhile, Ethan, Alyssa, Scarlet, and the injured Fiery rush toward the Shinobu base. From a distance, they spot a huge army.
Scarlet: "We're saved!"
Ethan, holding his binoculars, suddenly tenses up. Ethan: "No… something's wrong. Their eyes… They're covered in darkness."
Just then, their fear intensifies as they spot Zimbraya walking at the center of the army. It feels as if they're all under his control.
Alyssa: "Ethan… what is happening?"
Ethan's voice is serious. Ethan: "Stop the horses. Now."
Scarlet: "What's going on?!"
Ethan grits his teeth. Ethan: "Our suspicions were right. The Zimbraya who returned to Shinobu… was never real. He faked everything. When we left and he was under investigation, he revealed his true colors. I knew from the start that something was off about him."
Scarlet: "How could you tell?"
Ethan: "When I was testing him, I noticed abnormal fluctuations in his EPS. It was like he was being controlled. I wanted to tell Peter… but before I could, Alyssa rushed in to inform me that Reynold had gone missing. We left immediately, so I never got the chance to explain."
Alyssa glares at him. Alyssa: "And you're telling us all this now?"
Ethan: "Because at that time, it was just a suspicion… but now it's reality. This 'Zimbraya' is nothing but a clone of the real Zimbraya-sensei. And now, he is our enemy."
Suddenly, a distress call comes in from Shinobu's base—broadcasting to everyone, including Peter's team.
Soldier (panicked, over radio): "Sir!! Sir!!! Ethan—! Chaos has broken out!! Zimbraya isn't real! He's killing everyone!! He's taken complete control over the base! Even the commander has been captured!"
Ethan's face darkens. Ethan: "This is getting worse…!"
From afar, Zimbraya smirks. With a single motion, he commands his army to march toward Ethan's team.
200 soldiers, all under Zimbraya's control, advance toward Ethan's team of only 20—many of whom are already injured.
Alyssa: "We should retreat!"
Ethan: "That's not an option. They'll catch up to us in no time."
Meanwhile, Peter's team listens in on the call. Tension grips the battlefield. Goldie wants to rush to help Ethan's team, but the Unknown Person refuses to let them go.
The situation is growing worse by the second. As the clock ticks, Zimbraya's army is closing in on Ethan's team—intent on wiping them out.
Scene Shift
High above the chaos, the Unknown Swordsman, who just entered Shinobu, sits calmly on a rooftop.
He smirks as he watches everything unfold. Unknown Swordsman: "Just as expected… You really are intelligent."
End of Chapter 10