Jade stood there for a long moment, the blood-stained leaf still in his hand, his emotions slowly settling back into something colder… sharper.
The tears stopped.
His breathing steadied.
The fragile expression that had briefly appeared on his face faded, replaced once again by the calm, calculating gaze that had kept him alive in the trial.
Across from him, Silent Slayer—Aaron—watched quietly.
Neither of them spoke at first.
The silence stretched, thick and heavy, filled with unspoken thoughts.
Then Jade moved.
He walked back into the shelter and sat down across from Aaron, the faint light casting shadows across both of their faces. The distance between them wasn't large—but it felt like a line drawn between two predators.
Jade's eyes were cold now.
Focused.
"Why did you save me?"
His voice was steady, direct.
No hesitation.
"You had the perfect opportunity to kill me."
The question hung in the air.
Aaron looked at him for a second.
Then—
He grinned.
Not widely.
Just a slight curl of his lips.
A dangerous kind of amusement.
"Relax," he said, his tone calm, almost lazy. "I didn't save you because I like you."
He leaned back slightly against the bone wall.
"I just didn't want to watch someone die before they even become useful."
Jade blinked.
For a split second, the words caught him off guard.
Then—
Something unexpected happened.
A small urge rose in his chest.
A laugh.
He suppressed it almost immediately, but the faint shift in his expression gave it away.
"…Did you just make a joke?"
Jade tilted his head slightly, studying him.
"Because from what I've heard… you kill humans, not monsters."
Aaron's smirk deepened slightly.
"I'm one of a kind."
The way he said it wasn't boastful.
It was simple.
Like a statement of fact.
Jade stared at him for a moment longer.
Then he asked another question.
Direct.
Sharp.
"Is your real name Aaron?"
For the first time, Aaron's expression shifted—just slightly.
Not shock.
But interest.
"…Yeah," he said slowly. "Why are you asking?"
His eyes narrowed a little.
"It seems like you already know something."
Jade didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he extended his hand.
The leaf.
Still stained with blood.
"It seems this letter is for you."
Aaron's gaze dropped to the leaf.
Then back to Jade.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Aaron reached out and took it.
His movements were calm.
Controlled.
He unfolded it and began to read.
Jade watched him closely.
Carefully.
He was waiting.
Waiting for something.
Shock.
Pain.
Anger.
Anything.
But—
Nothing came.
Aaron's face remained unchanged.
Completely still.
His eyes moved across the messy lines of blood-written words.
Slowly.
Patiently.
Until he reached the end.
Then he folded the leaf again.
Neatly.
Silence followed.
Jade frowned slightly.
"…I'm sorry for your loss."
He said it simply.
Not out of obligation.
But because—just moments ago—he had felt that loss.
Even if it wasn't his.
Aaron stared at him for a second.
Then—
He laughed.
Not loudly.
But enough to break the stillness.
Jade's eyes narrowed.
"…What?"
Aaron shook his head slightly, still amused.
"I didn't lose my brother."
Jade blinked.
For the first time in a while—
He was genuinely confused.
"…What do you mean?"
Aaron leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on his knees.
"That…" he said, lifting the leaf slightly, "was just a reflection."
Jade frowned.
"…A reflection?"
Aaron nodded.
"My real brother is already at Master rank."
His tone carried a hint of respect—but no doubt.
"That thing… was just his clone."
Jade stared at him.
Silent.
Processing.
Everything he had just read…
The desperation.
The sacrifice.
The farewell…
"…A clone?"
Aaron shrugged lightly.
"Still doesn't make it weak."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"If anything, it means whatever killed it… isn't something we should take lightly."
Jade leaned back slowly.
The emotional weight he had felt earlier shifted into something else.
Something sharper.
More dangerous.
Then Aaron continued.
"But the important part isn't him."
His voice lost its amusement.
It became serious.
"My sister is trapped."
Jade's gaze sharpened again.
Aaron looked directly at him now.
"And I'll need your help to rescue her."
The words were simple.
But the meaning behind them wasn't.
This wasn't a request.
It wasn't a command either.
It was something in between.
An acknowledgment.
Of Jade's strength.
Of his importance.
"…Besides," Aaron added, lifting the leaf slightly, "that's what the letter says."
Jade exhaled slowly.
His mind moved quickly.
Pieces connecting.
A trapped girl.
Ancient ruins.
A key.
The shadow area.
The end of the trial.
And now—
Him.
At the center of it.
"…So that's it…"
Jade muttered quietly.
For a moment, he said nothing more.
Then—
He let out a small breath.
"…You know…"
He rubbed the back of his neck slightly.
"I actually felt bad."
Aaron raised an eyebrow.
"For your 'dead' brother."
Aaron chuckled softly.
"That's on you."
Jade shook his head faintly.
"…Yeah."
Silence returned again.
But this time—
It was different.
Less tense.
Less hostile.
Not friendly.
But… balanced.
Two survivors.
Two fighters.
Both dangerous.
Both aware of it.
Jade's body suddenly felt heavy.
The exhaustion he had been holding back finally caught up to him.
His eyelids drooped slightly.
"…We'll talk tomorrow."
His voice was quieter now.
Tired.
"We'll figure out what to do next then."
He glanced at Aaron one last time.
Aaron didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he simply lay back down against the bone wall, placing one arm behind his head.
"Sure."
His voice was calm.
Like the conversation had already ended for him.
Within seconds—
He closed his eyes.
As if nothing in the world could disturb his rest.
Jade stared at him for a moment.
"…This guy…"
He muttered under his breath.
Then he shook his head slightly and lay down as well, not too far away.
The bone shelter creaked softly in the wind.
Outside, the forest remained dark and dangerous.
But inside—
For the first time in a long while—
There was something close to peace.
Jade closed his eyes.
His thoughts slowly faded.
The pain.
The fight.
The questions.
All of it drifted into the background.
And eventually—
Sleep took him.
Beside him, Aaron remained still.
Silent.
But not unaware.
Even in sleep—
Both of them were ready.
Because in this trial—
Peace never lasted long.