After the meal, the atmosphere in the village gradually settled down. The man in the red suit leisurely stood up, lightly brushed his coat, and politely thanked the villagers for their hospitality.
He walked past Noir. It was only a brief moment, but that gaze felt like it pierced deep into her mind. His voice was low, meant only for her to hear.
"Little girl… your path is still long. With your uniqueness, be careful." *gentle smile*
Noir froze for a split second, her heart tightening. Specter, standing beside her, immediately noticed, but the man had already turned away, smiling, bowing to everyone, and leaving the village as if he had never left a trace.
But inside Noir, the echo remained. Those words felt like a prophecy, like a suspended sentence. He was definitely not simple. The sense of unease only grew stronger.
At that moment.
At the VOID headquarters, Viper returned in silence. As he stepped into a dark room, he casually sat down and gave a brief report.
"Noir is still alive—and even better than that. I'd say she's quite skilled at gathering other people's sympathy, ha..."
The one listening was none other than the Supervisory Council—the figures hidden in the shadows who controlled the entire organization. That information spread quickly, and it reached Lysander.
In a detention room, under harsh white light, Lysander sat motionless, his crimson eyes burning with hatred. His nails dug into his flesh until blood seeped out.
"Noir…"
The madness inside him, the possessiveness, was devouring what remained of his sanity. It was no longer a desire to win, but an obsession to destroy—or to drag Noir down with him, no matter the cost.
Back at the quiet little village.
Noir walked along a narrow path outside the village, her sharpened instincts telling her something was wrong. Every sense felt honed to the extreme, making it impossible for her to ignore.
When she returned to the small house where the group was staying, Noir looked straight at Specter and Orion, her voice low but firm.
"Let's go. We need to leave. Staying any longer… won't end well."
Specter frowned, about to ask more, but Noir's eyes were too resolute. He simply nodded and began preparing. Orion let out a playful whistle, but still followed along. Kaelith remained silent, watching Noir with a complicated gaze.
Before they left, the villagers gathered to see them off. The atmosphere was heavy with reluctance and worry. An old woman stepped toward Noir. Her trembling hand rested on Noir's arm, her cloudy eyes holding a strange clarity. Then she gently patted the top of Noir's head—her wrinkled hand frail, yet strangely warm.
She spoke softly, like a prophecy.
"The road ahead of you… will not only be stained with your enemies' blood, but perhaps your own as well. Don't let it devour your soul, child."
Her words made the whole group pause. Noir lowered her head and replied quietly.
"Thank you… I understand."
She leaned in and hugged the old woman like family, perhaps trying to hold onto that fleeting warmth.
As they left the village, a cold wind swept through, echoing the old woman's words. Inside Noir, a heavy premonition rose—her future would not only be dark, but far bloodier than she had imagined.
The path leading out of the village was swallowed by darkness, only the sound of dry leaves crunching underfoot remained, along with a few bats hiding in the trees. Everyone moved cautiously—Specter carrying essential supplies, Orion guarding the rear, while the two doctors and Kaelith were protected in the middle.
The air suddenly thickened. Noir stopped slightly, her red-blue eyes flashing.
"Someone's here!"
Before she could signal further, shadows burst out from both sides of the forest. VOID hunters. Gunfire exploded, bullets tearing through the night.
"Protect the doctors!"
"Kealith come here!!"
Specter shouted, pulling Ari, Aurel and Kealith behind a large rock. Orion charged forward, spinning his weapons with ease, mocking even through the gunfire.
"We're just taking a walk, you know. Showing up in a crowd like this—don't you think it's a bit overwhelming?"
Noir lunged forward. Old wounds still marked her arms, but they couldn't suppress the surge of power rising within her. Her abnormal eyes scanned every target—every movement of the enemy was read instantly, making her counterattacks precise to perfection.
Yet, in the chaos, a heavy set of footsteps echoed. The subordinates immediately parted, as if making way. From the mist, Lysander appeared. His dark outfit reflected the moonlight, a scar stretched across his face, his eyes cold as his voice cut through the air.
"Noir… I've been looking for you for so long. I really missed you…"
The air froze, suffocating with tension. Specter and Orion immediately stepped forward to shield Noir, weapons raised. But Noir simply lifted her hand slightly, stepped forward, her calm voice cutting through the night.
"Hah… so?"
Though the unwanted reunion happened deep within the forest, every sound felt crystal clear. Back in the small village, the people were listening, their hearts tightening.
A few voices whispered anxiously.
"I wonder if they're okay…"
"The gunshots are this clear even from here… if they had left just a bit later…"
"Shh! Don't say that. That girl with the two-colored eyes… she seemed strong."
Their whispers overlapped, and at the large table in the center of the village, the old woman sat calmly, gazing at the sky.
"I hope… for you, child…"
A peach blossom petal drifted down, floating through the air, gently tearing through the night.
Gunfire, leaves ripping, hearts pounding. The inevitable clash had begun—harsher, bloodier than ever.