Roma sat casually near Arun, who was now in much better condition, his face no longer pale and his breathing steady as he recovered from the brink of death. The atmosphere between them was calmer now, no longer tense or unfamiliar, but carrying a faint sense of trust that had formed naturally over the past few days.
Arun looked at him for a moment before asking hesitantly, "…Last night… why did you scream?"
Roma froze for a fraction of a second, but his expression quickly returned to normal as he leaned back slightly and replied in a casual tone, "…Nightmare."
Arun blinked.
"…Nightmare?"
Roma nodded without hesitation.
"…Yeah… pretty bad one."
Arun didn't doubt him and simply nodded slowly.
Roma, on the other hand, had already shifted his focus elsewhere as the system interface appeared faintly before him, something he had only just noticed.
"…Hm?"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…There's something new."
As he focused, the panel expanded, and for the first time, he could see not just his own status—but Arun's as well.
Roma's expression changed slightly.
"…I can see his status now?"
He read it carefully.
Cultivation: Stage 6.
Current condition: Stage 4 due to injury.
Roma paused.
"…Stage 6?"
He glanced at Arun, who was sitting quietly in front of him, looking completely harmless.
"…So he was stronger than me…"
Then he leaned back again.
"…Good thing he almost died."
At the same time, in another part of the camp, Dharan stood inside a dimly lit room, his expression serious as he faced a figure dressed entirely in black robes. The man's face was hidden, his presence cold and restrained, yet carrying an invisible pressure that made even Dharan stand respectfully.
"…You've delayed long enough," the black-clothed figure said calmly.
Dharan didn't respond immediately.
"…We just finished a fight not long ago," he said after a moment, his voice steady. "…The men need rest."
The black-clothed figure remained unmoved.
"…That is not your concern."
Silence followed briefly before the figure continued, "…Hand over the Stage 5 member."
Dharan's eyes flickered slightly.
"…For what purpose?"
"…He will become a Death Envoy."
The words carried weight.
This wasn't a request.
It was an order.
The truth was simple.
Dharan himself was part of that organization.
The Black Wind Bandit Gang—
Was merely a proxy.
The black-clothed figure spoke again, "…And prepare to move."
Dharan's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…Target?"
"…Another gang."
A brief pause.
"…Their proxy."
Dharan understood immediately.
Enemy organization.
He exhaled slowly.
"…Give me time."
The black-clothed figure's tone turned colder.
"…You have already taken too much time."
Dharan remained silent.
"…One week," the figure said. "…Attack within one week."
Then—
Without another word—
The figure turned and left.
The door closed.
Silence filled the room.
Dharan stood there for a few seconds, his expression dark, but he didn't say anything.
He didn't shout.
Didn't react.
Slowly—
He turned his head.
Toward the door.
"…Come in."
The door creaked open.
A young man stepped inside.
Around twenty years old.
Calm.
Steady.
Dharan looked at him.
"…How long were you listening?"
The young man didn't hesitate.
"…Long enough."
Dharan's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…And?"
The young man's expression didn't change.
"…I don't want to follow him."
Silence.
"…I only follow you," he continued. "…You're like an elder brother to me."
Dharan stared at him for a moment.
Then—
"…Enter late stage first."
The young man paused.
"…You're already at the peak," Dharan added.
It was clear now.
He wasn't Stage 5.
He was Stage 6 peak.
"…With the resources we gathered, you can break through."
The young man shook his head slightly.
"…I'm waiting."
Dharan frowned faintly.
"…Waiting for what?"
"…For you."
Silence filled the room again.
Dharan looked at him quietly.
Then—
He smiled.
"…Breaking through to Stage 7…"
He spoke slowly.
"…Is just a thought."
The young man's eyes narrowed slightly.
Dharan continued, his voice calm but carrying a deeper meaning.
"…That man…"
"…doesn't want us to succeed."
"…This attack…"
"…is just an excuse."
"…Kill another gang…"
"…and remove us at the same time."
The young man's expression changed slightly.
"…Two birds with one stone…"
Dharan nodded faintly.
"…He wants me dead."
Silence.
"…Then we leave," the young man said immediately.
Dharan shook his head.
"…Not yet."
"…We're still within their grasp."
He turned slightly, looking outside.
"…We need the right moment."
"…The perfect escape."
The room fell silent again.
Outside—
The camp continued as usual.
Unaware.
Dharan stood quietly, his eyes steady.
"…Until then…"
"…we wait."
Roma sat quietly for a while, staring at the faint system panel in front of him, his brows slightly furrowed as a thought kept bothering him.
"…How exactly does this loyalty work?"
He leaned back, thinking seriously for once.
"…Is it 9 out of 10… or 9 out of 100?"
The difference was huge.
If it was out of 10—
Then Arun was already extremely loyal.
But if it was out of 100—
"…Then he's basically nothing."
Roma clicked his tongue softly.
"…This system really doesn't explain anything properly."
Still, instead of complaining further, his eyes slowly lit up.
"…Then I'll just test it."
Roma stood up and walked toward Arun, who was still recovering, though now visibly much better than before. Without saying much, Roma took out one of the spiritual fruits and casually tossed it toward him.
"…Eat this."
Arun caught it instinctively, but the moment he saw what it was, his eyes widened in shock.
"…This… this is a spiritual fruit?"
He looked up at Roma in disbelief.
"…You're giving this to me?"
Roma shrugged casually.
"…Recover faster."
Arun stared at him for a few seconds, clearly unable to process it.
"…Are bandits… this rich?"
Roma burst out laughing.
"…You wish."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"…This is from the recent gang fight… everyone got a share."
Arun slowly nodded, still somewhat stunned.
"…I see…"
At that exact moment, a small notification appeared in Roma's vision.
+3 Loyalty.
Roma froze.
Then—
His expression darkened.
"…Only three?"
He looked at Arun.
"…You ungrateful guy…"
He checked again.
Loyalty: 12.
Roma almost coughed blood.
"…Twelve?"
"…After all that?"
He rubbed his forehead.
"…This is definitely out of 100…"
"…So much effort…"
"…for twelve…"
He sighed deeply.
"…This is going to take time."
Meanwhile, Arun had already begun eating the fruit, carefully at first, but as soon as the energy entered his body, his expression changed.
"…This…"
He immediately sat down and began refining it.
Roma watched quietly.
"…Let's see."
After some time, Arun opened his eyes again.
His aura—
Had changed.
"…Stage 5."
Roma blinked.
"…Recovered?"
Arun exhaled slowly.
"…Yes… I've recovered most of my strength."
But then—
Something strange happened.
His aura began to drop.
Roma's eyes widened.
"…What?"
From Stage 5—
It fell.
Stage 4.
Stage 3.
Stage 2.
Roma stood up immediately.
"…Where did your cultivation go?!"
Arun looked at him calmly.
"…I concealed it."
Roma froze.
"…You what?"
Arun replied naturally, "…It's common."
"…Common?"
"…In the cultivation world," Arun explained, "…keeping your cultivation level hidden is basic etiquette. Showing your full strength openly is considered impolite… and sometimes dangerous."
Roma stood there, stunned.
"…There's etiquette for this too?"
Arun nodded.
"…Yes."
Roma immediately stepped forward.
"…Teach me."
Arun paused for a moment, then nodded.
"…It's not difficult."
Roma leaned in slightly, listening carefully.
"…Think of it like breathing," Arun said. "…You don't release everything at once. You control it… slowly… holding back most of it, and only letting a small portion flow out."
Roma frowned slightly.
"…Like holding breath?"
Arun nodded.
"…And releasing less each time."
Roma tried it immediately.
He focused.
Controlled his chakra.
Held it back.
Then—
Released just a little.
His aura—
Lowered.
Roma's eyes widened slightly.
"…It worked."
Arun added calmly, "…But this won't fool strong people if they deliberately check you."
Roma looked at him and asked "Meaning?"
"…If someone stronger probes you, they can still see through it," Arun explained. "…But you'll also feel it when they do."
Roma nodded slowly.
"…So it's not perfect…"
"…But useful."
Roma stood there silently for a moment.
Then—
A faint smile appeared.
"…Good."
Roma looked at Arun with a thoughtful expression.
"…You're more useful than I thought."