The skies of Shin World were unusually clear that day.
Soft clouds drifted lazily across an endless blue horizon while warm sunlight poured over the floating lands and silver rivers below. It was peaceful. Almost too peaceful. The kind of tranquility that made it difficult to believe that countless battles, tragedies, and miracles had occurred within this world.
A portal suddenly tore open in the air.
Space twisted before releasing one familiar figure.
Zeo stepped out.
The moment his boots touched the ground, Zeo instinctively scanned his surroundings. Everything appeared normal. There were no alarms, no disturbances, no signs of disaster. Just the quiet atmosphere of the Headquarters.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Looks like nothing exploded while I was gone."
Without wasting time, he began walking toward Shin's office.
However, before he could reach it, something caught his attention.
A garden.
Nestled between several elegant structures was a vast field of flowers dancing beneath the sunlight. In the center sat Shin, calmly enjoying tea as if the universe itself could not disturb his peace.
Across from him sat a young woman.
The moment Zeo saw her, his steps unconsciously slowed.
As he approached, her appearance gradually became clearer.
Long black hair flowed down her back like a waterfall of midnight silk, yet faint shades of blue shimmered within it whenever sunlight touched the strands. Her dress descended almost as far as her hair, elegant and graceful enough to make her seem more like a dream than a person.
Then she turned.
Her eyes landed on him.
There was no surprise in her gaze. Only warmth.
A gentle smile bloomed on her lips.
For some reason, the entire garden seemed brighter because of it.
She slowly stood.
"Hello!" she greeted cheerfully. "I am Lusy, the Fourth Creator. The Creator of Love."
Her smile widened.
"This is our first meeting, right?"
Zeo froze.
His brain simply stopped functioning.
Beautiful.
That was the only thought remaining inside his mind.
The way she smiled.
The softness in her eyes.
The peaceful aura surrounding her.
Everything combined into a devastating attack against his poor heart.
Fortunately, Razya's voice exploded inside his head before permanent damage could occur.
Wake up, idiot!
Zeo nearly jumped.
He coughed awkwardly.
"Y-Yes... I'm Zeo. The Eighth... no... Ninth Creator and..."
He suddenly paused.
Silence followed.
Then he mentally whispered toward Razya.
What was my title again?
Both Shin and Lusy watched the exchange unfold.
Lusy covered her mouth before a small laugh escaped her.
"It was Creator of Life."
Her voice carried a strange gentleness.
"It's a beautiful title."
Then she began walking toward him.
Zeo's confusion only deepened.
She stopped directly before him.
Far too close.
Then she started circling around him.
Observing.
Studying.
Like a curious scholar examining an interesting discovery.
Her eyes moved from his shoulders to his hands before finally settling upon his face.
Then she looked directly into his eyes.
Zeo immediately began blushing.
His body reacted before his mind could.
He took several steps backward.
"S-Sorry! I think I'm interrupting something! I'll come back later!"
Just as he prepared his escape, Lusy casually raised a hand.
A signal to stop.
She then glanced toward Shin.
Shin looked back at her.
Some silent conversation seemed to pass between them.
Eventually, Lusy sighed.
"I'll be waiting for you, Shin."
Shin closed his eyes.
A look of surrender appeared on his face.
"I suppose I can't avoid it forever."
Lusy nodded before turning away.
As she passed Zeo, she suddenly stopped.
Taking one step backward, she looked directly at him once more.
"You are talented, Zeo."
Her voice was calm.
"But don't allow that talent to become a burden."
The warmth in her expression made every word feel sincere.
"You are still a newcomer. Don't force yourself to carry everything."
Then her eyes shifted toward Shin.
"And if he starts pushing you too hard, tell me."
For some reason, hearing those words made the tension inside Zeo's chest disappear.
A comforting feeling settled over him.
Then Lusy smiled one last time and left.
Zeo stood there for several moments, staring after her disappearing figure before finally turning toward Shin.
The man was sitting exactly where he had been before.
Drinking tea.
Looking entirely too relaxed.
As if nothing had happened.
Shin casually lifted another cup.
"Tea?"
"...Yes."
Zeo sat down.
The tea was warm.
Comforting.
For a while, nobody spoke.
Then Shin broke the silence.
"How are your injuries?"
"They hurt before," Zeo replied honestly. "But I'm fine now."
"Good."
Shin nodded.
Then his gaze shifted elsewhere.
"What about Razya? Is she injured?"
Zeo blinked.
"What?"
Shin calmly took another sip.
"Her report didn't mention anything."
The moment those words left his mouth, Zeo slowly turned toward Razya.
Very slowly.
Razya suddenly appeared from behind him.
Bandages were still wrapped around her forehead and cheek.
She forced out a laugh.
"Haha..."
Silence.
Neither Shin nor Zeo spoke.
Several uncomfortable seconds passed.
Eventually, Razya cracked.
"Fine!"
She threw her hands into the air.
"I lied, okay?!"
The confession exploded from her mouth in one breath.
"If I reported everything, I'd get charged for staying outside battle zones and getting injured! So I omitted a few details!"
Her face turned bright red.
Zeo stared.
Shin stared.
The pressure became unbearable.
Finally, Zeo sighed.
"You healed me."
Razya froze.
"But you exhausted yourself so much that you couldn't heal your own injuries."
She lowered her head.
Unable to answer.
"Haa..."
Zeo rubbed his forehead.
"You're way too careless. You deserve a serious lecture."
Razya looked away.
At that moment, Shin suddenly reached out.
Pat.
His hand landed on her head.
Razya froze completely.
"You did well."
His voice was gentle.
Genuine.
For a second, her heart skipped a beat.
"W-What?"
She blinked repeatedly.
"What did I even do?"
Shin smiled.
"Zeo is sitting here because of you."
Razya's eyes widened.
"You guided him through a situation that could have killed him."
The smile remained.
"You were the real star."
A faint blush immediately spread across her face.
Meanwhile, Zeo nodded.
"I'll repay that debt someday."
The atmosphere became quiet again.
Then Shin's expression slowly changed.
The warmth remained, but something serious appeared beneath it.
His gaze settled on Zeo.
"We need to talk."
The weight of those words settled over the garden.
Zeo remained silent.
Meanwhile, Shin casually pushed a plate of snacks toward Razya.
Without hesitation, she began eating.
The contrast was absurd.
A serious conversation on one side.
A girl happily eating cookies on the other.
Finally, Shin spoke.
"Why did you become a Creator?"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Was it because it was dangerous?"
Zeo's fingers tightened around his cup.
The pleasant afternoon suddenly felt heavy.
Very heavy.
After several moments, he inhaled slowly.
"Master..."
His voice was quiet.
"You were right."
Shin listened.
"I wasn't giving everything I had."
The confession felt painful.
"I always kept a path of retreat inside my mind."
His eyes darkened.
"If things became too difficult... if the burden became too heavy... I planned to leave."
Razya stopped eating.
The seriousness in his voice forced her attention toward him.
Zeo stared at the tea in his hands.
"But eventually I realized something."
His voice grew lower.
"I hated seeing those characters become the people I never wanted them to become."
Memories surfaced.
Painful memories.
"It felt familiar."
A bitter smile appeared.
"Like my own life."
His fingers trembled.
"Everything predetermined."
"Everything decided."
"Like a puppet."
"A doll."
"No matter how much it struggled, fate always dragged it toward the same ending."
The air itself seemed heavier.
His emotions were no longer words.
They were becoming real.
The world around him seemed to resonate with his feelings.
Shin remained silent.
Listening patiently.
Like a father hearing a child finally reveal a wound hidden for years.
"I thought my life was hell."
Zeo laughed softly.
"But after coming here, I realized something."
His eyes slowly lifted.
"I had done the same thing to them."
The guilt in his voice was unmistakable.
"At that moment..."
He clenched his fist.
"I hated myself."
A burden.
A crushing burden.
One that had refused to leave him.
"But then you all appeared."
His eyes moved toward Razya.
"You."
Then toward Shin.
"And him."
A faint smile appeared.
"I found new experiences."
"New perspectives."
"And eventually..."
A spark of light appeared in his eyes.
"Hope."
Razya completely stopped eating.
Now she finally understood.
The reason he refused to return.
The reason he continued moving forward.
He wasn't running away anymore.
He was searching for a way to save them.
To break the fate he himself had written.
Zeo continued.
"When I returned, I realized something."
His voice became stronger.
"I wanted them to do what I couldn't."
A bittersweet smile appeared.
"And one of them actually did."
His eyes drifted toward a distant memory.
"She fought harder than I ever did."
His fist tightened.
"So how could I run away?"
The answer was simple.
He couldn't.
"I decided to accept whatever comes."
His gaze became steady.
"But on my own terms."
Silence followed.
A meaningful silence.
Even Razya found herself unable to speak.
Meanwhile, Shin appeared deep in thought.
Eventually he sighed.
"Well."
A small smile appeared.
"I suppose you're still leaving."
Razya nearly jumped from her seat.
"What?!"
She stared at Zeo.
"Who's leaving?!"
Zeo smiled sadly.
"You guessed correctly."
His eyes became determined.
"There is a shell I need to break."
A shell he had hidden inside for years.
"The courage wasn't there before."
His smile sharpened.
"But now it is."
"And I intend to destroy the life of that puppet once and for all."
"You know, Zeo... people often think courage means charging forward. It doesn't. Courage is looking at something that terrifies you and choosing not to run. That's why I'm proud of you.Now that's something I can approve of."
He pointed forward.
"And give that shell a beating from me too."
Razya lowered her head.
The thought of him leaving still hurt.
Zeo noticed immediately.
He smiled.
A genuine smile.
"Don't worry, Captain."
She looked up.
"Your successor will return."
Her eyes widened.
"I'll come back."
Confidence filled his voice.
"After I settle everything."
Then he grinned.
"Besides..."
He looked toward the endless sky.
"I have an entire world waiting for me now."
His gaze returned to her.
"Right, partner?"
The sadness vanished from Razya's face.
A brilliant smile replaced it.
"That's right!"
She pointed at him.
"You already created enough problems for us. You still have to fix them!"
Laughter echoed through the garden.
Then Zeo stood.
"It is time."
He looked at Shin.
A mixture of gratitude and sadness appeared in his eyes.
"Thank you, Master."
Shin nodded.
"I'll be waiting."
The wind passed through the garden.
Warm.
Peaceful.
As Zeo began walking away, Shin suddenly spoke from behind him.
"Tell me, Zeo."
Zeo stopped.
"Does all of this have meaning?"
The question struck him.
Once upon a time, he had asked the same thing.
Back then, he didn't know the answer.
Now he did.
Without turning around, he smiled.
"Yes."
His voice carried absolute certainty.
"More than burden."
"More than responsibility."
His eyes reflected countless memories.
"And more than pain."
A gentle smile appeared.
"It is hope."
Shin slowly closed his eyes.
Acceptance settled over him.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"That answer works too."
Zeo nodded.
Then he continued forward.
Without looking back.
Because he knew this wasn't goodbye.
Not truly.
Some farewells were endings.
This one was merely a promise.
A portal opened before him.
Before stepping through, a certain girl's face appeared in his mind.
A promise.
One he had yet to fulfill.
"I still need to meet her."
Then he stepped through the portal.
And disappeared.
Back in the Headquarters, Shin remained standing for a while.
The garden felt strangely quiet now.
Eventually, he sighed.
His gaze shifted toward the distant building where Lusy was waiting.
Waiting for answers.
Waiting for him.
A slight shiver traveled down his spine.
"...This is going to be troublesome."
He rubbed his forehead.
Then began walking.
After all, there was no escape left.
And unlike world-ending disasters, an angry Lusy was something even Shin preferred not to challenge.