High on a quiet mountain in Yan, the Scholar sat alone, a cup of tea resting between his fingers.
Steam curled upward, thin and steady.
Cup after cup.
Unbroken.
Across from him, Grrovae'zzeal shifted uneasily, watching the growing line of empty cups.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: Teacher… that's your hundredth cup.
A small pause.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: In the past two hours.
He hesitated.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: Is something happening… or about to?
The Scholar didn't answer immediately.
He lifted the cup.
Drank.
Set it down.
Only then—
A quiet breath left him.
[Scholar]: Fate decided to be an asshole.
A pause.
His gaze drifted toward the horizon.
[Scholar]: It changed.
Silence settled between them.
The wind moved softly across the mountain.
[Scholar]: This is my last day here.
Grrovae'zzeal froze.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: …Then where are we going?
For the first time—
The Scholar closed his eyes.
Not in thought.
In restraint.
A long breath.
Then he opened them again.
Clear.
Decided.
A small pause.
[Scholar]: Not "we."
He reached beside him and picked up a worn bag, tossing it lightly toward his student.
Grrovae'zzeal caught it without thinking.
[Scholar]: There is no "we" anymore.
The words landed heavier than anything before.
[Scholar]: Inside—there's a map.
A beat.
Another.
[Scholar]: Enough to get you to Columbia.
Grrovae'zzeal didn't move.
Didn't speak.
[Scholar]: Start a new life.
The Scholar picked up another cup of tea.
But didn't drink it.
[Scholar]: Stay alive.
A faint pause.
His voice lowered slightly.
[Scholar]: And don't look for me.
Silence.
The mountain felt colder now.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: So… you're abandoning me.
A small pause.
His voice tightened.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: Just like my father did.
Another beat.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: Left me for Ursus… and never looked back.
The Scholar didn't react.
Not immediately.
[Scholar]: I'm saving you.
Grrovae'zzeal let out a sharp, disbelieving breath.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: From who?
Another step.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: You told me yourself—
His voice rose.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: You're the second strongest living being on Terra.
A beat.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: —who is so dangerous…
Another step.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: …that I can't even stand next to you?
Silence.
The wind moved again.
Colder now.
Then—
[Scholar]: I'm saving you.
A pause.
Longer this time.
He finally looked at him.
Not as a teacher.
Not as a guide.
But as someone who is already letting go.
[Scholar]: …from Fate.
Grrovae'zzeal froze.
[Scholar]: And from the script of death.
The words felt wrong just hearing them.
Ancient.
Final.
The Scholar finally turned his head slightly.
Not enough to meet his student's eyes.
Just enough to acknowledge him.
[Scholar]: Fate has never moved in my entire life.
A slow breath.
[Scholar]: Not once.
His fingers tightened faintly around the cup.
[Scholar]: And now it has.
A pause.
[Scholar]: That terrifies me.
Silence pressed in.
[Scholar]: Everyone connected to me…
A faint, bitter edge crept into his voice.
Another pause.
[Scholar]: One by one…
A pause.
This one is longer than the rest.
[Scholar]: …they disappear.
The wind passed through the mountain again—
Colder than before.
[Scholar]: Avenger. King. Hero.
A pause.
[Scholar]: All of them disappeared because of Fate.
His fingers tightened faintly around the cup.
[Scholar]: And now it's moving again.
A beat.
He exhaled slowly.
[Scholar]: Listen carefully.
For the first time, his voice carried something firm.
Final.
[Scholar]: Your script of death—
A slight pause.
[Scholar]: It runs through Ursus… Kazdel… and a dozen other places.
Another breath.
[Scholar]: Columbia is safe. I've already burned it clean from fate.
A beat.
[Scholar]: That's why you're going there.
Silence.
Grrovae'zzeal didn't argue this time.
Didn't step forward.
He just stood there.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: …Where will you go?
A pause.
Quieter now.
[Grrovae'zzeal]: Will we meet again?
The Scholar turned slightly, the wind catching the edge of his coat.
[Scholar]: There's a friend…
A beat.
[Scholar]: And a doctor.
Another.
[Scholar]: They'll need a good sniper in Kazdel.
A faint pause.
Then—
[Scholar]: As for us…
He didn't look back.
A small breath.
[Scholar]: We'll meet again.
Silence.
Grrovae'zzeal didn't reply this time.
After a long moment—
He took the bag.
Turned.
And left.
He didn't look back.
—
The Scholar remained where he was.
Alone.
The wind moved softly across the mountain.
He reached down, picking up a bow.
Nineteen arrows.
One by one—
He set them.
Drew.
And released.
The sky swallowed them whole.
No sound.
No impact.
Just… gone.
The Scholar lowered the bow.
And walked away.
—
[Yan — Dahuang City]
Fields stretched beneath the afternoon light.
Golden.
Peaceful.
Shu smiled softly, gathering the last of the harvest into her basket.
For a moment—
Everything was quiet.
Then—
The air changed.
Her hands froze.
Slowly—
She turned.
And saw him.
Standing there.
Watching.
Smiling.
Her blood ran cold.
[Shu]: …You're here.
A pause.
Her grip tightened slightly around the basket.
[Shu]: Let me finish the harvest.
Another.
Quieter.
[Shu]: Then you can kill me.
Silence.
Her eyes flickered.
Just once.
[Shu]: Did Chongyue… and the others—
A breath caught in her throat.
[Shu]: …did they suffer?
The Scholar tilted his head slightly.
Still smiling.
A step forward.
[Scholar]: I'm not here for that.
A pause.
[Scholar]: Not yet.
Another step.
His gaze didn't leave her.
[Scholar]: And second—
A faint shift in his tone.
Not kinder.
Just… measured.
[Scholar]: I haven't killed them.
A beat.
Silence.
Then—
[Scholar]: But when I do…
A small pause.
His smile didn't change.
[Scholar]: I'll try to be gentle.
A pause.
Then his gaze drifted.
Past her.
Across the fields.
Until it settled on a lone tree.
Pink bark.
Red blossoms.
Standing quietly at the edge of the harvest.
For a moment—
He said nothing.
[Scholar]: You took care of it.
A small step closer.
Not toward her.
Toward the tree.
[Scholar]: And even now…
A faint pause.
[Scholar]: It still hasn't borne fruit.
Silence.
The wind moved through the branches, scattering a few petals.
[Scholar]: Green would have cried if he saw this.
His voice didn't soften—
But something inside it did.
[Scholar]: Too bad he was infected…
A beat.
[Scholar]: Lost his sight in Ursus before he ever made it here.
Another pause.
Longer this time.
[Scholar]: I still wonder…
His eyes lingered on the blossoms.
Unblinking.
[Scholar]: What kind of man makes an oath like that?
A breath.
[Scholar]: To feed the world.
Silence settled again.
[Shu]: A great fool.
A pause.
[Shu]: One who burned himself just to make others smile… even when he couldn't see it.
The Scholar said nothing for a moment.
Then—
[Scholar]: …How is Ling?
The air shifted.
Subtly.
Awkward.
[Shu]: She struggled.
A small pause.
[Shu]: After you left.
Another.
[Shu]: But now… she's the same as always.
A faint, tired smile.
[Shu]: Drinking until she passes out—or on her way to it.
A beat.
[Shu]: Still hard to believe you two were going to get married.
The Scholar poured tea into a cup and handed it to her.
Then took another from his sleeve.
Drank.
[Scholar]: We had something.
A pause.
[Scholar]: Until… everything else happened.
Shu looked at him.
Steady.
[Shu]: No one blames you.
A beat.
Softer—
[Shu]: Not after what we did.
Silence returned.
Heavier this time.
[Shu]: Then why are you here… if not to kill me?
The Scholar took another quiet sip.
[Scholar]: Because I hate you the least.
A pause.
[Scholar]: And I need your help.
His gaze dropped to her hand.
[Scholar]: More precisely—
A beat.
[Scholar]: The ring.
Shu glanced down.
A small band of silver reed rested against her finger, faintly gleaming.
[Scholar]: Green's ring.
Another sip.
[Scholar]: It can purify anything.
A pause.
[Scholar]: A friend of mine will need that… soon.
Silence.
Then—
He turned.
[Scholar]: That's all.
A step.
And just like that—
He was gone.
—
A moment passed.
Then—
The ground trembled.
Steel and footsteps closed in from every direction.
The Yan standard army surrounded the city.
At its front—
A figure moved faster than the rest.
Relentless.
Chongyue.
The eldest of the Sui fragments.
He didn't slow.
Didn't speak.
Only ran—
To see if his sister was still alive.
[Chapter end]