Chapter 64 - Victory Turned to Ashes

The room was eerily quiet, broken only by the labored breathing of the Alliance members as they lay sprawled on the ground. The brutal battle had pushed each of them to their limits, leaving them utterly drained. Victory was theirs, but the cost was staggering, as none of them had the strength to celebrate, let alone stand without effort.

Jianfeng was on his knees, sweat dripping down his face, his body trembling. His once-pristine robe was tattered and stained with blood, his aura of fiery ki extinguished. He stared at his hands, his expression grim… Five hundred years of accumulated ki meant for Lord Varek were gone, and all to barely defeat one of his executives, what chance do they have now? The weight of his realization pressed heavily on him. He clenched his fists, but even that small movement sent a jolt of pain through his body.

Shen sat propped against a broken column near his father, his staff resting across his lap. His breathing was slow and deliberate as he tried to manage the sharp pain in his ribs. His thoughts were muddled with exhaustion, but a single, recurring idea kept surfacing.

“We won… But at what cost? If this was just one of them, how will we even face the rest?”

He glanced at Jianfeng, his usually sharp eyes now dulled by fatigue. Despite his own injuries, Shen mustered the will to push himself upright. His movements were deliberate and pained, every muscle protesting, but he managed to stand, gripping his staff tightly for support.

Kazue lay on her side, her body shaking from the aftereffects of her attacks. Her breathing was shallow, her hands still twitching involuntarily as residual sparks crackled along her gauntlet. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to center herself, but the pain and exhaustion were overwhelming.

“I can’t even move.”

She thought bitterly.

“Is this all I can do? Am I really strong enough to be here?”

Despite her doubts, she felt Katya’s hands gently supporting her, and she opened her eyes to meet her teammate’s concerned gaze.

Sebastian, seated inside the cockpit of the Goliath, was no better. The mech’s internal systems displayed numerous warnings, its frame battered from the intense fight. He gripped the controls tightly, his fingers trembling.

“Come on… Just a little more.”

He muttered, guiding the Goliath closer to the group. Every step the massive machine took groaned under the strain, but it obeyed his commands.

Drake lay flat on his back, staring at the cracked ceiling above him. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, his hands were raw and bruised, the knuckles bleeding from his final attack, and his mind was a storm of thoughts, racing between pride in their victory and the harsh reality of their situation.

“We made it through this, but what about the next time? Jianfeng’s ace is gone, and I barely held on…”

His jaw tightened as his thoughts drifted to Alonso, his younger brother.

“I promised I’d survive for him, but what am I supposed to do now?”

As his thoughts spiraled, a sudden chime broke through his haze. A translucent system window appeared before him, its golden text glowing faintly.

⌠The skill [Pinnacle Class Craft - Rank ?] has evaluated your potential and effort, it will be replaced with [Class: Enemy of Immortals - Rank B]⌡ [Reroll⌡

Drake blinked, his fatigue momentarily forgotten as he read the message. He analyzed the details quickly, his sharp mind piecing everything together even in his exhausted state.

“Enemy of Immortals, huh?”

He murmured, his voice hoarse. The class was tempting, but his resolve remained firm.

“Rank B… Not good enough. I’ve come too far to settle for anything less than an A-rank class.”

Without hesitation, he selected the reroll option. The system window flickered, its text shifting momentarily before vanishing altogether. As it disappeared, he felt a faint pulse within him, indicating that his skill had reset, ready to be rebuilt once more.

Drake chuckled dryly, though the sound was tinged with frustration.

“Figures.”

He thought… He half-expected a snide remark from his “otherworldly fans,” the mysterious entities that occasionally chimed in during his critical moments. Yet this time, there was nothing. No comments, no sarcastic remarks, no emojis—just silence.

Meanwhile, Jianfeng staggered to his feet, his movements slow and deliberate. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, but he forced himself upright, unwilling to remain idle. Shen, standing nearby, offered him a steadying hand.

“We can’t afford to rest here.”

Shen said quietly, his voice strained but resolute. Jianfeng nodded, his expression weary yet determined.

The Goliath’s heavy footsteps drew their attention. Sebastian had managed to pilot the mech a bit closer to the group, its towering frame looming over them like a battered sentinel.

The group began to gather their remaining strength, each movement slow and pained as they prepared to leave. Despite their exhaustion, a sense of relief settled over them. For now, they had survived, but…

The air seemed to freeze the moment Don Park Zhen appeared, leaning casually on Adam’s shoulder with that infuriatingly calm and gentle smile. Every member of the group felt the weight of despair settle heavily in their chests, the reality of their situation was undeniable—after giving everything to defeat Bai Huolong, barely scraping by with luck, strategy, and Jianfeng’s ultimate sacrifice of five centuries of ki, here stood another equally powerful foe. And worse, he seemed entirely unbothered.

Adam felt his breath catch in his throat as his mind spiraled.

“This can’t be real. The information was wrong… Or it was false from the beginning?”

His heart hammered in his chest as doubt clawed at him. Every strategic calculation he had made, every decision up until now, seemed meaningless.

“How? Why? Why do I keep falling into other people’s schemes? I thought I was careful this time. I thought I learned…”

Frustration bubbled within him, mixing with a bitter anger directed squarely at himself.

“Am I truly incapable of discerning who to trust without it leading to disaster? I should just stop trusting everyone altogether as I had been doing all my life…”

The thought felt like a cold knife twisting in his chest, yet even as it crossed his mind, he saw flashes of Drake and Kazue risking their lives for him. They didn’t hesitate to act when his parasite hunger had nearly consumed him, they suffered for him, and for what reason? They didn’t have to—there had been other ways to manage the situation, yet they chose to endure pain to help him... Adam exhaled deeply, forcing his thoughts to steady.

“Maybe… Just maybe there’s a way out of this.”

He tried to calm the storm in his mind as he addressed Park Zhen, keeping his voice even and his tone polite despite the tremor in his hands.

“Don Park Zhen, it’s clear you could have killed us already if that’s what you intended. So what is it you want from us?”

The man chuckled softly at these words, his serene expression unchanging.

“Ah, no need to be so formal.”

He replied, his tone light, almost playful.

“I assure you, there’s no rush. But, do keep in mind that these new damages to my castle will, of course, be added to your tab when it’s time for me to collect what you owe.”

He continued, tilting his head slightly, his words were delivered with the ease of a joke, but the undertone carried a subtle, chilling weight. The unspoken implication wasn’t lost on anyone. Adam’s shoulders tensed as he tried to gauge whether Park Zhen’s gentleness was genuine or an act.

Jianfeng, however, could no longer hold his tongue. The exhaustion etched on his face was now overshadowed by raw anger and frustration. He staggered forward, barely managing to stay upright as he glared at the Don.

“You’re unbelievable.”

He growled, his voice low but shaking with rage.

“How dare you show up now, after everything we’ve just been through?”

Park Zhen’s expression didn’t waver.

“Come now. Is that any way to greet an old friend?”

Jianfeng’s composure cracked further.

“Friend? Do you dare call yourself a friend? Five hundred years ago, we stood side by side on the Council. We were allies! I trusted you! And now look at us.”

He spat, his voice rising as his breathing grew heavier and his anger surged, threatening to overtake him.

“You’ve become nothing more than a tyrant, lording over everyone like a god under the shadow of the traitor that killed our friend, our family… Our own master.”

Park Zhen’s smile remained unwavering.

“I seem to recall you were quite fond of the idea of power back then too, Jianfeng. Have the centuries changed you that much?”

The calmness of Park Zhen’s reply only stoked Jianfeng’s fury. He clenched his fists, his weakened body trembling as he yelled.

“You don’t get to mock me! Not after everything you’ve done!”

Before anyone could react, a low mechanical rumble echoed across the ruined hall as the ‘Steamtread Goliath’ took a step forward. Sebastian, still inside the cockpit, maneuvered the massive machine closer to Park Zhen and Adam. The mech’s giant claw raised, the intention clear. Even from a distance, the group could feel the power behind its looming attack.

But as the Goliath’s punch descended, a sudden impact from below sent it reeling. A thunderous crash filled the air as the massive mech was thrown off balance and slammed onto its back, its enormous weight cracking the stone floor beneath it. The group stared in shock as a figure gracefully landed atop the robot’s spherical body.

Adam’s eyes widened as he focused on the new arrival. She was strikingly beautiful, her features youthful yet carrying a sense of wisdom that belied her appearance. She wore elegant Shaolin robes of vibrant gold and crimson, their flowing fabric adorned with intricate patterns that shimmered faintly with an otherworldly glow. Her long, dark hair was tied back into a sleek braid, emphasizing her sharp, symmetrical face. Her deep, piercing eyes scanned the group with calm intensity, as if weighing their very souls.

A system window materialized before her, and Adam caught a glimpse of the text glowing in front of her.

⌠Name: A̷͚͚͝b̴͋̒͜b̶̞̃̊e̵̠̤̓͠ś̷̩̜s̴͇̻̎̿ ̴̨͝X̶̹̃̏ì̷̘̀n̵̳͒h̸̥͕̐̊ù̵̩͎ĩ̸̘͖⌡ ⌠Age: 5̴̵̷̵̵̷̶̵̱͓̟͐̌2̶0̷̶̵̶̴̸͂̽͜⌡ ⌠Species: H̵̛̤͂͋̿u̵͔͖͈͎̾m̴̡̹̹̪̈̿͝ă̸͚͎̠͆͆̇n̵̼͈̲͒ ̶̞͎͐̓͠-̵̮͖́̄̄̚ ̶͉̤̲͒́̚R̷̹̩̘̈́a̵̱̳͕̍̂ͅṇ̵͓̐k̴̠͋ ̸̱̘̩̰͌A̴̜̾̄̉̄+̴͔̼̳̆̉͝͠⌡ ⌠Points: 0̶̨̮̝͎̣́̿͐ͅ⌡ ⌠Potential: A̸̲̽͑̈̕+̷̪̱͗⌡ ⌠E̴̬̅̕r̸͑̊͜ͅr̷͎̅o̷̹͆̓r̶͇͘⌡

Adam’s heart sank as he processed the glitchy window, the same as the deceased Bai Huolong. Another Don, and one even more intimidating than Park Zhen to some extent. The woman’s serene yet commanding presence radiated a sense of control, as if the entire room belonged to her and no one else. The soft light reflecting off her robes only heightened the impression of untouchable beauty and deadly precision.

Park Zhen’s calm voice broke the tense silence.

“Ah, Abbess Xinhui, always with the dramatic entrances.”

He chuckled lightly, as if the scene before them was merely a casual gathering. The woman smiled faintly, her tone polite but firm.

“And you, Park Zhen, always testing the limits of your hospitality.”

She turned her attention to the battered group below.

“It seems you’ve done here, I’ve also done with the ones around the city.”

Adam’s fists clenched at his sides as despair threatened to overwhelm him once more, the weight of despair crushed down on the boy and the others like an unrelenting tide. The presence of two Dons—an insurmountable force, even in their wildest imaginations—made the very idea of escape a foolish dream. Park Zhen alone had been an impossible challenge, but adding Abbess Xinhui to the mix turned the situation into a grim farce. There was no point in even imagining a scenario where they could succeed.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Adam could feel it—their bodies slumping, their spirits shattering. They had poured everything into defeating Bai Huolong. Every ounce of strength, strategy, and luck had gone into that one victory, only to find themselves utterly outmatched in the end. It was as if the universe itself had conspired to ensure their failure.

Jianfeng’s voice trembled with desperation as he broke the suffocating silence.

“How did you know about the plan?”

He demanded, his words sharp but tinged with disbelief.

“We spent years preparing! Every movement, every attack, every misdirection—it was all meticulously planned! Our most loyal men… This—this is impossible!”

Park Zhen chuckled softly, his ever-present smile radiating an unsettling calm.

“Ah, my old friend, you truly underestimate us. Or perhaps overestimate yourselves. None of what you said is true.”

The Don’s words stung like a whip. Jianfeng’s face twisted with confusion and anger, but Park Zhen continued before he could interrupt.

“You see, we’ve known about your little games for quite some time.”

Park Zhen said with a disarming wave of his hand.

“It’s no grand feat. A deal was made—long ago, I might add—with someone very close to you.”

The realization struck Jianfeng like a lightning bolt. His face contorted in fury.

“With who?!”

He roared, his voice echoing through the battered hall. Park Zhen’s smile widened ever so slightly.

“Oh, don’t trouble yourself, Lord Varek was quite sincere in keeping his end of the bargain. That’s why all of you are alive right now.”

He replied, his tone almost fatherly. At first, Jianfeng couldn’t make sense of the statement and his mind raced to grasp its meaning. Then, slowly, his gaze drifted to Shen, who stood beside him; the younger man was battered and bloodied from the fight, yet his eyes were locked on the ground, fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white and his palms bled. His expression—a mix of frustration, guilt, and anguish—made the truth clear.

“No…”

Jianfeng’s voice was barely above a whisper, disbelief turning to horror.

“Shen… You?”

The young master flinched at the sound of his father’s voice, but when he raised his head, his face was a mask of frustration and pain.

“Yes!”

Shen shouted, his voice cracking with emotion.

“Yes, it was me! It was the only way, Father!”

Jianfeng stumbled back a step, shaking his head in denial.

“You—No, this—”

“What choice did we have?!”

Shen cut him off, his voice raw with anger.

“Do you honestly think we had any other option? Yes, we killed Bai Huolong. But that was a miracle! One in a billion! The rest of the Dons… Lord Varek… Do you really think we could’ve won?!”

Jianfeng’s face darkened, his emotions warring between anger and devastation.

“You betrayed us… You betrayed me.”

Shen’s frustration boiled over. He turned away from his father and fixed his glare on Park Zhen.

“And what about the vice-captains?! The noble warriors! Bai Huolong killed them! That wasn’t part of the deal! The price was that no one would die, only be captured!”

He shouted and a soft thud interrupted the argument. Abbess Xinhui landed gracefully near them, her robes flowing around her. Her presence, though serene, carried an undeniable weight. Her youthful appearance was striking—smooth, unblemished skin, delicate features, and piercing eyes that seemed far too wise for someone who looked barely older than Shen.

“That was indeed unfortunate, among the fallen, one of these “vice-captains” was from my Shaolin faction, a traitor, yes, but his loss saddens me deeply.”

Xinhui said, her voice smooth as silk, placing a hand over her heart in a gesture of sympathy, her eyes meeting Shen’s.

“But you must understand, Bai Huolong was always… Unpredictable. A loose cannon, as they say. His actions, though regrettable, were beyond our control. We apologize, but there is nothing we can do to change what has happened.”

Her tone was gentle, but her words struck Shen like a hammer. He let out a guttural cry of anguish and rage, collapsing to his knees.

Jianfeng stood frozen, staring down at his son. Disappointment, anger, and heartbreak twisted his features. The betrayal was a dagger to his very soul, and he could only look at Shen with an expression of utter contempt.

“You…”

He began, his voice low and shaking with emotion.

“You’ve destroyed us. You’ve destroyed everything.”

Park Zhen finally released Adam, stepping back with his usual calm demeanor as if the overwhelming situation were nothing more than a casual inconvenience. His voice, gentle and composed, carried effortlessly across the room.

“All of you will be placed under the custody of Abbess Xinhui and escorted to the ‘Obsidian Lotus Domain’. It’s a fine place, truly, and the central monastery of the Shaolin faction.”

He began, his eyes scanning the battered and defeated group. Adam, still on his knees, tried to steady his breathing as he listened, the mention of the domain felt like another nail in the coffin. He knew nothing of this world’s intricacies, but even the name carried an ominous weight.

Park Zhen’s smile deepened, an unsettling mix of warmth and command.

“Lord Varek himself is most eager to meet with all of you, otherworlders. He has left very specific instructions to ensure this meeting happens. I can assure you…”

Park Zhen paused, his gaze locking with Adam’s for a brief moment.

“...He will make it worth the wait.”

Adam tried to push himself to his feet, his limbs trembling from the effort. His mind raced. Was this the moment to fight back? To resist, no matter how futile it seemed? It was impossible, but meeting Lord Varek was akin to suicide in itself either way.

Park Zhen, however, as if reading his thoughts, tilted his head slightly.

“Of course, to avoid any... Unfortunate complications, I believe the best course of action would be to render everyone unconscious for the journey. Don’t you agree?”

The words struck like a hammer, and Adam’s body instinctively tensed.

“Wait—”

He managed to say, but the words barely left his lips before the Don moved.

With blinding speed, Park Zhen delivered a sharp blow to the back of Adam’s neck. The world spun violently, and the boy’s knees buckled, but before he could hit the ground, the Don caught him with ease, lowering him gently to the floor as if handling something fragile.

“Rest well.”

Park Zhen said softly before turning his attention to the next target.

Kazue and Katya were still huddled together, their injuries and exhaustion making any thought of resistance impossible. Kazue’s heart raced as she watched Park Zhen move methodically, one by one, knocking her comrades unconscious with effortless precision. Her mind screamed at her to do something, but her body betrayed her. Her limbs felt like lead, too heavy to move, and the pain coursing through her made even breathing difficult.

Katya’s entire focus, however, was on Kazue, her trembling hands gently but firmly gripping her injured companion’s arm as if holding on to her would somehow keep her safe. Her blue eyes flicked anxiously between Kazue’s pale, bloodied face and the approaching figure of Park Zhen, who moved with deliberate, unhurried steps like an executioner savoring his task.

Her breathing was shallow and rapid, each exhale punctuated by the tension she tried to keep bottled inside. The sight of Kazue struggling even to stay upright filled her chest with a suffocating mix of helplessness and anger. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to act, to fight back, but she knew deep down that it would be useless. Park Zhen and Abbess Xinhui together were unstoppable, a force beyond anything she could hope to challenge in her current state.

“K-Kazue…”

Katya’s voice cracked as she leaned closer, her protective instincts overwhelming every other thought.

Kazue’s eyes fluttered open at the sound, glassy with pain and exhaustion. Her breathing was faint, barely audible, and it took every ounce of strength she had to lift her gaze toward the blonde. Even at this moment, even as her body cried out in agony, she could see the worry etched into Katya’s face.

“Katya…”

Kazue’s whisper was so weak that it almost didn’t come out. She swallowed hard, forcing her voice to rise, though it was still a faint echo of its usual self.

“Don’t…”

The single word hit Katya like a blow. Her jaw tightened, her teeth clenching as she struggled to suppress the raw frustration building inside her.

“B-but… I c-can’t just s-sit here.”

She hissed, her tone shaking with suppressed emotion. Kazue shook her head slowly, the motion making her wince in pain, her trembling fingers reached out weakly, managing to clutch her friend’s sleeve. The grip was light, barely there, but it carried a desperate plea.

“Don’t do anything reckless.”

Kazue murmured, her words barely audible but filled with the weight of her sincerity.

“We’ll be fine… They promised, remember?”

Katya’s resolve faltered. The tightness in her jaw loosened as her lips parted slightly, her breath coming in uneven bursts. Her hands trembled where they hovered over Kazue, as if unsure whether to hold her steady or prepare to fight. Her eyes locked with her companion’s, filled with conflicting emotions—fear, helplessness, and something deeper, more personal.

“I…”

Katya began, but the words caught in her throat. She bit her lip, her teeth pressing hard enough to leave a faint indentation as she tried to regain control of her emotions. Finally, she whispered, her voice soft and unsteady.

“N-no matter w-what happens… I’ll s-stay with y-you.”

Her words stumbled, her usual composure replaced with vulnerability.

“I…”

But the sound of a light footstep was the only warning they received. Before Katya could finish, Park Zhen was suddenly there, his presence suffocating in its swiftness. He didn’t say a word, his calm demeanor unchanged as he raised his hand.

“No!”

Katya screamed, her voice filled with a mix of rage and panic, but it was too late.

The Don’s hand struck the back of Kazue’s neck with practiced precision, his movements fluid and effortless. The blow was perfectly measured—not brutal, but firm enough to rob the girl of consciousness instantly.

Kazue’s vision blurred immediately, the edges of her world fading into a dark haze. She felt her body go limp, her strength completely gone as she slumped forward. The last thing she registered was Katya’s face, close and sharp in her hazy vision.

The blonde’s wide eyes were locked onto hers, brimming with an emotion Kazue could barely identify in her fading state. Shock, anger, and perhaps even despair flickered across Katya’s expression, her lips trembling as if caught between a scream and silence. For a fleeting moment, Kazue thought she saw something odd—Katya’s irises seemed to shift, the blue giving way to a deep, unnatural hue that she couldn’t place.

Her mind tried to process it, but the effort was futile. Her last thought was of her friend’s face, framed in a blurred, indistinct light, before everything went dark.

Katya’s lips finally parted, a guttural, almost inaudible growl escaping as Park Zhen turned toward her next. The rage she tried so hard to suppress flickered in her gaze, a barely visible ember beneath the layers of fear and anguish. But for Kazue, that brief, fiery glimmer was lost to the encroaching void of unconsciousness…

Who knew how much time had passed since then? Kazue’s consciousness stirred slowly, pulling her out of a dark, heavy slumber. Her eyelids fluttered, heavy and uncooperative, as she struggled to open them. The world beyond was blurry at first, shapes and colors swirling without form. Her head throbbed with a dull ache, and a wave of dizziness hit her, making her stomach churn unpleasantly.

She tried to take a deep breath, but her chest felt constricted, as if something heavy pressed against it. It took a few moments for her senses to align themselves, the disorientation gave way to a growing awareness of her surroundings.

Her first coherent thought was confusion. Where was she?

Kazue blinked a few more times, her vision gradually sharpening. She was lying on her side, the cold, smooth surface beneath her unfamiliar, so she pushed herself up onto her elbows, the effort making her head spin momentarily. As she sat up fully, she instinctively checked herself.

Her injuries were… Gone.

Her hands trembled as she touched her side, where she distinctly remembered the pain of bruises and cuts. Nothing. Her body felt fine—no wounds, no fatigue, no lingering aches. She flexed her arms, touched her face, and pressed against her ribs, but everything was whole and unbroken.

However, the sense of relief was short-lived. She noticed the cold metal encircling her wrists, ankles, and neck. Her eyes widened as she raised her arms to examine the shackles. Thick, sturdy bands of polished steel bound her wrists, connected by long chain lengths. She quickly glanced down at her ankles and felt the weight of a similar restraint around her neck.

Panic crept into her chest as she looked around the room. The space was small, not cramped but far from spacious, and the walls and floor were an unblemished light gray, almost sterile in appearance. The cell was surprisingly clean, with none of the damp or darkness she would have expected from a dungeon, against one wall was a simple, thin blanket folded neatly, and to her left was a small adjoining room with an open doorway. The walls of that room weren’t made of the same metal bars enclosing her cell, suggesting it might be a bathroom.

Her breathing quickened as she tried to make sense of her situation, so she turned her attention outward, beyond the steel bars that lined the front of her cell, her eyes scanning the area.

To her right, in a similar cell, she spotted Nikolai. He was slumped on the floor, his back against the wall, his head tilted to one side as he remained unconscious. His wrists, ankles, and neck were also bound in the same manner as hers, the chains clinking softly whenever he moved slightly in his sleep.

Kazue’s chest tightened, but before she could call out to him, her eyes caught movement in the other cell.

Her breath hitched when she saw Chloe.

The pink-haired girl was awake, sitting on the floor with her back resting against the bars. Her hands were resting loosely on her lap, weighed down by the same kind of shackles, and her posture looked stiff and weary. She seemed lost in thought, staring ahead without noticing Kazue.

Gathering her courage, Kazue crawled closer to the edge of her cell, her chains clinking softly as she moved. She gripped the bars, her knuckles whitening.

“Chloe!” she called out, her voice hoarse and uncertain.

The girl flinched, snapping out of her daze. Her head whipped around, her expression surprised as she noticed Kazue for the first time.

“Kazue?!”

Chloe’s voice was quiet, but there was a palpable mix of relief and worry in her tone. She straightened up, shuffling closer to the bars of her own cell.

“What… What happened to you?”

Kazue asked, her voice trembling. Chloe exhaled sharply, leaning her forehead against the bars for a moment before responding.

“I… Don’t know exactly.”

she admitted. Her voice was tinged with frustration and guilt.

“The last thing I remember is that a woman showed up. She was beautiful, almost unnaturally so, with long black hair and eyes that felt like they could see through you.”

Chloe’s voice dropped, laced with a deep unease.

“She took down everyone—every soldier, every ally. It didn’t matter. No one could stop her.”

Kazue’s heart sank.

“You mean… Don Abbess Xinhui?”

Chloe hesitated, clearly unfamiliar with the name, but she nodded slowly.

“If that’s her name, then yes. She was… terrifying. I couldn’t even do anything. She knocked me out like nothing.”

Kazue swallowed hard, trying to process what she was hearing. Before she could respond, Chloe’s gaze shifted, and her expression turned grim.

“But honestly, we’re not the ones who need help the most.”

She said, her tone heavy. Kazue frowned, confused.

“What do you mean?”

Chloe lifted her chin, gesturing toward a cell directly across from theirs. The cell was darker than the others, shrouded in shadow, with only faint glimpses of what lay inside.

Kazue squinted, stepping as close to the bars as her chains allowed. She leaned forward, peering through the dim light. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the figure chained to the wall.

“Katya…”

The name escaped her lips in a whisper, filled with disbelief and mounting horror.

Katya’s arms were suspended above her head, shackled tightly to the wall behind her. Unlike Kazue and the others, her chains didn’t allow her any freedom of movement. Her body hung limply, her head bowed, and her golden hair fell messily around her face. Blood dripped steadily from cuts along her forehead and cheek, staining her pale skin and pooling beneath her.

“No… no, no, no!”

Kazue’s voice rose into a desperate scream, her knees buckling as she clung to the bars. Her voice echoed through the chamber, filled with anguish and fury.

Katya didn’t stir. The sight of her battered and unconscious friend, utterly defenseless, tore at Kazue’s heart like nothing else. She slammed her fists against the bars, tears streaming down her face as she shouted her name again, but there was no response.

Chloe’s voice cut through the chaos, quiet but firm.

“She’s alive, but we need to figure out how to get out of here before it’s too late.”

She said, her words meant to comfort, though her expression remained grim.

Kazue’s hands trembled as she gripped the bars, her tears falling freely. Her mind raced with questions, but one thought drowned out all others: Katya, her friend, her first real friend, needed her, and she would do whatever it took to save her.