The white void returned—the same one that had haunted Acki’s dreams since the day he unlocked his Soul Weapon. At first, it seemed no different. Acki felt calm, floating weightlessly in the emptiness. But that calm shattered when the void shifted.

The white broke into a deep darkness.

“What…?” Acki muttered, his voice echoing.

A figure appeared before him—Shifa, the God of War, her body engulfed in black flames.

“This isn’t normal..? What does this mean?!” Acki shouted, his voice cracking.

Shifa didn’t answer. Her wide eyes stared into him with a cold gaze.

Suddenly, the black void shattered, the sound like glass breaking all around him.

“What’s happening?!” Acki yelled as the ground beneath him crumbled. He started falling. Shifa remained motionless, her eyes locked on him as he fell deeper into the abyss.

Acki woke up with a gasp, his heart pounding as if it was going to burst. Sweat dripped down his face, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

“I have a bad feeling….” he whispered, staring at his shaking hands. His thoughts raced.

What does this mean? Why do I keep dreaming about the trial? Why was this dream so different?

He clenched his fists and exhaled deeply, trying to steady himself.

“Calm down,” he muttered. “It’s just a dream. That’s all. Stop letting it get to you. The group needs you to focus.”

He pushed himself to his feet, shaking off the fear, and stepped outside.

“Morning exercises, everyone!” he shouted.

The groans of the group were loud from their tents. Thorin, of course, was the first to get out, looking far too energized for the early morning.

“Good morning, everyone!” Thorin said, stretching his arms.

“Morning, Thorin,” Acki replied.

Thorin squinted at him. “You look pale. Did you even sleep?”

“It’s nothing, just focus,” Acki said quickly, brushing it off.

Thorin smirked. “Nothing, huh? Maybe you saw something? A ghost, perhaps?”

“Enough, Thorin,” Acki said, narrowing his eyes.

Thorin chuckled but didn’t push further.

The rest of the group eventually dragged themselves out of their tents, and Acki wasted no time.

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“Same exercises as yesterday,” Acki instructed. “But I want everyone to push harder. Do more than you did yesterday. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!” the group groaned.

The morning exercises went as planned, with Thorin once again showing off by doing twice as many exercises as he did the previous day. The rest of the group followed his example, pushing themselves.

After exercising, Acki called out, “Alright, Thorin, take two people and go hunt. Pick different people this time.”

Thorin nodded. “You got it.”

The trio left, returning about an hour later with meat and fruits. They quickly prepared breakfast, everyone ate together, recharging their energy.

Once the meal was over, Acki stood. “Alright, pack up. We’re covering more ground.”

The group gathered their belongings and set off. As they traveled, small conversations started here and there. Thorin stayed close to Acki, occasionally teasing him about looking distracted, but Acki ignored it.

After hours of walking, they reached a clearing surrounded by thick trees. Acki raised his hand, signaling the group to stop.

“We’ll camp here for the night,” he announced.

They quickly set up their tents, and Acki wasted no time calling for tonight’s training.

“Tonight’s training is going to be tougher,” he said, crossing his arms. “We’re stepping it up. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

The group groaned but got to work.

This session pushed them harder; the progress was undeniable. Everyone was starting to show real improvement, their movements sharper and more coordinated. Even Thorin, already the strongest among them, seemed to improve.

When the training ended, everyone was exhausted but proud of their growth. They gathered around the campfire, chatting as they caught their breath.

For the first time, Acki joined them at the fire. The group exchanged curious glances, sensing something different.

One of them spoke up. “Acki… can you tell us where we’re exactly heading?”

“I can,” Acki said simply. “We’re heading to the place where I first started to train with my teacher. I know for a fact we won’t get disturbed there.”

Another voice chimed in hesitantly. “If you don’t mind… could you tell us about yourself? About your past?”

Acki hesitated but then nodded. “Alright. I’ll tell you everything.”

He told his story, sharing the pain of losing his parents, the brutal training he went through, and the bond he formed with Ian. The group listened in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of sympathy and admiration.

“No wonder you’re so determined,” one of them said softly.

Acki shook his head. “We’ve all faced hardships. Strength comes from those struggles. Why don’t we all share our stories?”

The group hesitated at first, but one by one, they began to open up.

Asha was the first to speak up. She took a deep breath and began, her voice steady but heavy. “I was born into beast-men royalty, but slavers attacked when my mother was weak after giving birth to my siblings. They killed my people, my siblings, and my father. They enslaved me and my mother. And to be honest, I don’t even know if my mother’s still alive.”

Acki could feel the weight of her words. It struck him how resilient Asha was, yet how much pain she carried inside her. He admired her strength, but a deep sadness crept into his heart. How much had she lost? How much had they all lost?

Crimson was next. his voice was flat, but there was a sharp edge to it. “Hey, I’m Crimson, as some of you might know, and this is my backstory. I wasn’t anyone special. Just a farmer in a quiet village, helping my family tend to the fields. I was young when the war came. Enemy soldiers tore through our village, killing my parents and siblings… I was the only one left. The rest of us, the survivors, couldn’t fight back. We were starving, weak, barely hanging on. That’s when the slavers came. They rounded us up like cattle, without a second thought. That’s how I ended up here. I don’t even remember how many years it’s been since I last saw my home… or what’s left of it.”

Acki clenched his fists at his sides. Acki couldn’t help but remember the pain when he found out his father died… Thorin And Acki related to his story. Crimson had been through the same hell, and yet he still carried on, fighting. That resilience made him an invaluable ally.

Viora spoke next, her voice low but tinged with bitterness. “I’m Viora. I used to be a mercenary. Me and my team took on a dangerous mission, the kind where the reward was worth the risk. But when it all went wrong, my so-called friends chose to save themselves. They left me behind, and I was the one who got caught. I was beaten, broken, and sold into slavery. It hurts to think about, but if that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have met Acki. And I know it’s strange, but I can sense that he’s a good person. I’m glad to call him my friend.”

Acki met her gaze, his chest tightening. He hadn’t known Viora’s past had been difficult, but hearing her say it brought a new level of understanding. The betrayal she had suffered it cut deep. But the trust she had in him now meant everything. He nodded silently in acknowledgment.

One after another, they all shared their stories of loss, betrayal, and survival. Acki listened intently, his heart heart grew heavier with each story, yet also growing respect for each of them. They had all been through so much and yet continued to fight, he was extremely proud of everyone.

When the last story was told, Acki stood, his expression serious yet proud.

“We’ve all been through hell,” he said, his voice steady. “But we’re still here, and we’ll get stronger because of it. We’re more than just a group now. We’re a Unity. And I think it’s time we had a name.”

The group leaned in, curious.

“From this day on,” Acki continued, “we are the Crownless Unity a symbol of our shared pasts and our future.”

The group erupted in cheers, with Thorin shouting the loudest. The sound echoed into the night, a declaration of their bond and their resolve.

Acki smiled, proud of the people they were soon going to become.