Ray walked away from Rudra and Vidar swiftly, maintaining a certain distance. As he turned to look at them, he found something fascinating about their presence. He wasn’t sure why, but watching them felt almost captivating.

With a quiet breath, Ray allowed his tense body to relax, the strain of half a month of relentless training finally easing. His muscles loosened, and his mind began to settle into a rare moment of calm.

Then, a sudden cold swept through the group. The air shifted, an icy breeze flowing in with Ray’s movement. Everyone felt it—a chilling sensation wrapping around them.

Ray felt the cold brushing against his skin, crisp and sharp. And in the next second, without hesitation, he chose to close his eyes.

As he did that, he felt a sudden tension rising in his body. In just a second, his entire being reacted—his body growing hotter and hotter, as if an unseen force had ignited something deep within him.

The heat surged, intensifying with each passing moment. But just as quickly as it had come, it began to fade. The burning sensation gradually settled, his body returning to normal.

As the heat dissipated, he regained his composure, his stance becoming calm and steady. But then, in the very next second, a realization struck him.

He wasn’t shocked by the sudden tension.

He wasn’t shocked by the unbearable heat.

It was because of…

Vidar spoke, his voice laced with concern.

"Something seems wrong with him."

Rudra, however, couldn't grasp the situation. He had no knowledge of what was happening—he simply stared at Ray, his expression unreadable.

As for Ray, he closed his eyes again. A second passed. Then he opened them. And again, he shut them—repeating the action a few times, as if trying to make sense of something.

Vidar, watching from a distance, finally spoke up.

"What's wrong, Ray?"

At the sudden question, Ray turned toward the voice, his gaze lingering as he thought carefully. After a brief silence, he finally answered.

"Something isn’t right... There... there’s nothing. I can’t recall any memories at all."

Vidar asked, "What...?" but then paused.

He couldn’t hear anything.

That was right—he couldn’t hear a single word Ray had just said. It wasn’t that Ray had spoken too softly, nor had he deliberately lowered his voice. It was as if Ray’s words had been meant only for himself, locked away beyond anyone else's reach.

But Ray wasn’t doing it on purpose.

He, too, was lost in his own thoughts, drowning in the questions swirling inside his mind.

"What’s wrong with me?" he muttered to himself.

As the question left his lips, he exhaled deeply, forcing himself to let go of unnecessary thoughts. He needed to try again. He needed to focus.

Closing his eyes, he allowed his mind to settle, fading into a deep state of calm. Seconds turned into minutes, yet no matter how long he waited, no memories surfaced.

Nothing.

Even now, after all this effort, after reaching such stillness, he couldn’t access anything.

Finally, he opened his eyes.

But his eyes spoke louder than any words could.

"What’s wrong with me...?"

Even after all of this, after pushing himself to the limit, there was still nothing. Not a single memory.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Disappointment settled deep within him.

As Ray snapped out of his thoughts, the first thing he saw was Vidar’s face—pale, frozen, as if he had just seen a ghost.

Confused, Ray’s gaze shifted to Rudra. Unlike Vidar, Rudra’s expression remained flat, unreadable as always. But the moment their eyes met, something changed.

Rudra’s slowly made a face of shock

Ray’s mind raced. Why are they looking at me like that? What had happened in the few moments he was lost in thought?

Before he could voice his confusion, something caught his eye.

A shadow.

A large, looming shadow near him.

His body tensed as he instinctively tried to turn and see what was behind him. But just then, his gaze locked onto Vidar again.

Vidar’s expression had worsened—his terror was unmistakable.

Ray’s thoughts wavered for a second. Should I even dare to look behind me?

It wasn’t normal for Vidar to make that kind of face. If even Rudra looked shocked, then whatever was behind him… wasn’t ordinary.

A cold sensation crept over him as he hesitated, staring down at his own feet.

Slowly, carefully, he started turning, moving just a little at a time. Every movement felt heavy, deliberate. Even as he fully turned his body to face the other direction, his eyes remained locked on the ground, unwilling to look up.

His breath felt shallow. He could feel it—something was there.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally took a long, steady breath. Then, mustering every ounce of courage, he swiftly lifted his head.

The first thing he saw was skin.

For a fleeting moment, he thought it belonged to a person—but in the next second, his mind shifted.

No.

It wasn’t skin.

It was a pair of boots.

Boots made of skin.

"What kind of skin looks like that? It’s like... a beast’s." Ray thought as he continued moving his gaze upward, his curiosity growing with each second.

First, he saw pants made of a different type of skin—gentle yet sturdy, crafted with careful attention to detail. The material seemed both durable and refined.

But his focus quickly shifted to something else.

Hanging from the belt at the individual’s waist were two blades—gleaming, deadly. He could only see the hilts, but even from this angle, he could imagine how sharp and expertly crafted they were. Despite his desire to look at other details, his eyes kept gravitating toward those blades. He wanted them.

Still, forcing himself to look higher, Ray finally lifted his gaze to meet the stranger’s face. What he saw made his breath catch.

Four golden eyes.

They were not just eyes; they seemed to peer deep inside him, as if they could see parts of him he himself didn’t understand.

And yet, despite the unnatural number of eyes, Ray was entranced by their beauty. The golden gleam in them was hypnotic, shining with a divine, almost otherworldly radiance.

Ray couldn’t look away. He stared, mesmerized by the piercing, yet captivating gaze.

After a long, tense moment, he finally let a voice slip from his mouth—a voice laced with a playful tone, as if the awe hadn’t fully registered yet.

"Who are you?"

Ray’s voice carried a hint of curiosity, yet there was an underlying weight to his words.

The figure looked at him, his golden gaze both mesmerizing and unreadable. It was beautiful—yet within it lay something cold, something distant.

A cold respect.

It wasn’t the kind of respect that came from admiration or warmth. No, it was a respect stripped of all emotion, a respect that existed simply because it had to.

Without much hesitation, the figure answered.

"I... the Guardian of Life, greet my 1,777th master."

Silence.

The words hung in the air like an inescapable truth.

Everyone who heard them was struck with shock so profound it seemed to steal the breath from their lungs. Everyone—except one.

Rudra.

Why would he be shocked when he didn’t even understand what was happening? While the others reeled from the revelation, his expression remained as flat as ever.

But for one person, that shock carried something else—fear.

Jaipa.

As Rudra turned back to look at the figure calling himself the Guardian of Life, a question formed in his mind. But before he could voice it, his gaze instinctively shifted toward Jaipa.

And the moment he saw him—

The question in his mind vanished.

Instead, a new question took its place.

"What's wrong with you… why are you tumbling?" Rudra asked, his tone as flat as ever.

Jaipa looked at him, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, without a second of hesitation, he darted behind Rudra, using him as a shield.

Rudra remained still, unfazed. He didn’t flinch, nor did he move to push Jaipa away. He simply stood there, confused.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Jaipa didn’t answer. His body was tense, his breathing uneven. He wasn’t just hiding—he was terrified.

Then, in a whisper, barely audible, he muttered, "Why… why…?" His voice trembled. "Why did it have to be here?"

It was as if he was reliving something—a nightmare he couldn’t escape. His voice, his body, even his very presence seemed consumed by fear.

Rudra said nothing. He didn’t ask questions. He didn’t offer comfort. He simply stood there, watching.

Meanwhile, Ray was still fixated on the figure before him, his golden eyes sparkling with excitement. his focus was entirely on the being standing in front of him.

With barely contained eagerness, he finally asked, "Are you my key?"

A cold voice responded, its tone laced with a strange, distant weight.

"Yes."

Ray wasted no time, jumping straight to the most important question.

"What is my ability?"

A heavy silence fell over them. The figure stood still, as if waiting for the right moment. Then, at last, he spoke.

"I belong to you."

Ray's excitement faded, replaced by confusion. "What?" he asked, his brows furrowing.

The figure remained composed. "I belong to you," he repeated.

Ray sighed, waving a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, I get that. You belong to me. But what about my ability?"

The figure didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he simply stared at Ray.

And in that silent stare, something was clear.

"This time… a cheerful brat, huh?"

The figure spoke again, his voice steady and unwavering.

"I belong to you as a form of your ability."

Ray was utterly stunned.

For a moment, his mind went blank. He understood the words, yet at the same time, he didn’t. A key—but in the form of an ability? It was something he had never heard of before.

After a long pause, he finally gathered his thoughts and, in a slow and steady voice, asked, "What are you, then?"

Without hesitation, the figure responded.

"I am the truth. I am the lie. I am the companion of your life and the loner of eternity

I am the voice in silence,and the guide in darkness,

Through battle and blood,

through time and trials,

I remain—unwavering, eternal

I am the form of your belonging—

And the truth of your belonging."

Ray blinked, then let out a small, amused smile.

"You’re good with words, huh?" He exhaled, scratching the back of his head. "I’m not exactly the poetic type. Can you explain it more simply?"

The figure remained composed, then answered.

"I am like a physical body that can fight alongside you as a companion and protect you as a shield."

Ray’s eyes lit up. "Ooooh! Like a bodyguard?"

The figure sighed at Ray’s sparkling expression but nodded slightly before adding, "And I can be your teacher."

On the other hand, a silent listener—Rudra—stood in the background, observing everything.

His mind processed the information, and for the first time, a thought flickered through him:

"So, that's his ability… A key that manifests in the physical world, with an intact body, a decade of experience, and thousands of skills…"

Rudra whispered to himself, his voice barely audible.

"That’s a whole bunch of diamonds he just found there."