Nam, Luth, and Reina began to move forward, albeit cautiously. The city lay in ruins, and as they advanced, they searched for the source of the sound.

However, there was no one in sight. The complete absence of people was strange, but soon, a scream echoed through the streets. It belonged to a man. Without hesitation, Reina and Luth rushed toward the sound, with Nam following behind.

When they arrived, they found a man trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed house. Even if they managed to free him, his death from blood loss was inevitable.

Luth tried to lift the debris, and Reina helped him, while Nam stood behind them, motionless. He knew the man was beyond saving.

This wasn't a place where a heroic protagonist would go out of their way to help everyone in need.

Nam watched the man coldly and spoke.

"Do you really think you'll survive even if you get out of there?"

The man, still screaming, answered in the same desperate tone.

"N-No… but! There's still a chance, right?"

Reina understood what Nam was trying to do. Luth, however, continued struggling to move the rubble.

Nam fixed his gaze on the man.

"A chance? And what do you think the odds are? That chance does not exist. No matter what, you're going to die."

The man knew Nam was right, but he still didn't want to die.

Without another word, Nam turned and walked away. Reina hesitated for a moment, then followed him.

When Luth saw them leaving, he stammered, "H-Hey, wait! If we take him to a hospital—"

Nam shot him a sharp look. Luth, without saying another word, let go of the debris he had barely managed to lift. He glanced back at the injured man with regret before following the others.

The man, shocked by what he saw, screamed after them.

"Don't go! Please!"

But only Luth turned to look at him one last time.

The three of them continued on in silence.

Meanwhile, Larod and Ay were also moving forward. Ay remained quiet, while Larod scanned their surroundings.

"Nam is here, isn't he?" Larod asked.

Ay rubbed his eyes and looked around before replying, "Yeah." His gaze shifted forward.

A dead end blocked their path, but instead of worrying about it, they simply walked around it.

Back with Nam's group, he led the way, pointing towards the palace in the center of the city.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"We need to go there. What do you think?" He turned to Reina and Luth.

Reina glanced at the palace and then at Nam. "Fine," she muttered.

Luth hesitated slightly before responding, "Alright."

They headed toward the palace, but the surrounding walls made it difficult to enter. The first wall had partially collapsed, making it difficult but not impossible to pass through. The second wall had crumbled sideways, allowing them to cross more easily.

Nam pushed open the palace doors, and the others followed him inside. A straight corridor led to the throne room.

Luth felt uneasy. The palace was lined with red carpets, its walls painted gray, with blue banners hanging at intervals. Torches illuminated the halls, casting flickering shadows.

The three of them walked forward, Luth trying to suppress his fear, while Reina and Nam remained composed.

When they reached the throne room, they saw eight columns—four on each side. Several paintings adorned the walls. The throne itself was plain, made entirely of stone.

Nam and Luth approached the throne, while Reina examined the paintings.

The room was dusty, and its atmosphere was... difficult to describe. It felt as if every step carried them further from death.

Elsewhere, Larod and Ay continued their journey—until blackness itself appeared before them.

The entity wielded a scythe, black instead of white, and its voice was filled with anger.

"Because of you, I couldn't kill him!"

Before it could finish speaking, it lunged at Larod. He had only two seconds to react.

The best choice was to fall.

Larod kicked his own foot, making himself stumble backward. Seeing this, the entity hurled its scythe at him.

Ay quickly threw several potions, causing the scythe to change its trajectory.

The entity clenched its teeth and scowled. Using the remains of a shattered wooden beam as a foothold, it leaped up to retrieve its weapon.

Meanwhile, Ay grabbed Larod by the back of the neck and started running. Larod quickly adjusted to the situation and ran alongside him. It was as if Ay had foreseen all of this.

The entity sprinted after them. Its power had been sealed by an Expiria Spell, allowing it to use only a fraction of its strength.

Ay threw another potion—this one red. It spread throughout the area, though its effect was unclear. Perhaps it was meant to stun.

The entity staggered slightly. Seizing the opportunity, Larod veered to the side and began leaping over broken debris.

Ay noticed his sudden movement. "Hey, what are you—"

"Just follow me!" Larod's voice carried urgency.

Without questioning further, Ay chased after him. The entity pursued them relentlessly, its speed increasing.

Larod maneuvered through narrow paths, forcing the entity to struggle to keep up. He analyzed every step, knowing his mind would eventually fail to keep pace with his instincts. But for now, there was no other choice.

Ay checked his potions. Only one was useful in this situation. Timing his throw perfectly, he hurled it at the entity's head.

This potion revealed a person's deepest traumas.

The entity dropped to one knee, gripping its scythe tightly.

"Damn it! If only Ay weren't here, this would be easier!" It swayed slightly, overcome by the visions in its mind.

"They don't call him the Keeper of Forgotten Formulas for nothing."

It steadied itself and began running again—but by then, Larod and Ay had already disappeared.

Back in the palace, Nam inspected the area behind the throne but found nothing.

Reina, still observing the paintings, muttered, "Whatever happened here, it's shrouded in mystery."

Neither Nam nor Luth heard her.

Luth sat on the throne. It wasn't particularly comfortable, yet it had an oddly calming effect.

Nam, seeing that nothing else of interest was present, sighed. He was tired—and hungry.

Luth stood up. Reina had finished examining the paintings.

One depicted the sun and the moon. Another showed an octopus and a lion locked in battle, while a rabbit hid in the background.

On the opposite wall, a massive painting covered the entire surface. It showed three figures gazing down at the world.

Reina approached the throne and sat down. Meanwhile, Nam looked out the window behind it.

Then, a voice echoed through the room.

"N-Nam?"