Morning ignited, illuminating the clear blue sky.
Across a vast expanse, brown and gray buildings—ranging from one to three stories—were spread out in an orderly fashion.
At the center stood a dark green palace. Surrounded by lush green trees, it looked as if it were the main character of the scene.
The palace's ground floor was spacious and well-lit.
Inside the hall, a tall young man with long, silky black hair walked forward, dressed in a white shirt that matched perfectly with his black trousers. Beside him was a man in a brown robe, most distinguishable by his ponytail-like hair.
They were Kogan and the squad captain.
They had come to meet the ruler of the city.
They stood before a massive golden door, waiting for it to open.
The captain sighed, beginning to feel the pressure.
As for Kogan, he had no idea what was happening in the first place. He felt like a prisoner—or perhaps he truly was one.
After a short while, the doors creaked open.
The two men stepped into the throne hall.
It stretched across a vast space, with a high ceiling adorned with intricate golden engravings.
Directly ahead stood a towering golden throne, elevated by several steps. On either side below it, two comfortable chairs rested on each side.
As Kogan and the captain entered, two attendants closed the massive golden doors behind them.
They walked quietly along an ornate carpet until they reached the golden throne.
The captain knelt on one knee and swiftly pulled Kogan down with him.
"We salute the Lord," the captain spoke with respect.
On the throne sat a man with hair and a beard mixed with black and white. His face bore no distinct wrinkles, making him look like both an old man and a young one.
He wore a loose gray robe.
"You may stand, Rai Kang," the ruler said.
The captain immediately stood up, pulling Kogan up with him.
"What have you done, Rai Kang? You have disappointed me," the ruler spoke in a cold tone, his hands resting on the armrests of the throne.
The squad captain felt that icy coldness pierce his heart.
"We were ambushed by cowards. I deeply regret the losses we suffered, and I will accept any punishment you decide."
"Why didn't you report the incident? I would have sent two squads to secure your way back, yet you came without accounting for possible attacks."
The ruler's voice was calm, yet terrifying at the same time.
Squad Captain Rai Kang began sweating profusely, his heartbeat rising.
"I wanted to make it… a surprise."
"A surprise? Are you mocking me?"
"This servant would never dare! Besides, I didn't expect us to be attacked so quickly," Rai Kang knelt on the ground once again.
Kogan followed suit, kneeling as well, still clueless about the situation.
"Hmmm… Why did they take the girl and leave him behind?" The ruler tapped his fingers calmly on the armrest.
"Perhaps they realized he was deficient and wanted to get rid of him."
"You knew he was deficient, yet you didn't dispose of him. Why?" The ruler narrowed his eyes.
Rai Kang swallowed hard.
"If we had found him alone, I would have gotten rid of him. But I brought him because of his young partner. And now that I already have him, why would I bother disposing of him?"
The ruler rose from his throne and began descending the steps.
With each step he took, Kogan and Rai Kang found it harder to breathe.
The ruler's feet appeared before their bowed heads. Rai Kang swallowed hard in fear.
Suddenly, Kogan felt something pulling him from behind.
The ruler had grabbed him by his clothes and lifted him effortlessly. His thick hand looked as if it could crush stone.
He gazed at the deaf young man with deep brown eyes, resembling the trunk of an ancient tree.
A bead of sweat rolled down Kogan's forehead.
The ruler extended his left index finger toward Kogan's ear. Pale gray waves gathered, forming a small, radiant sphere.
'Second-rank essence…' Rai Kang swallowed hard.
Suddenly, the gray sphere silently exploded. A gust of wind surged through the hall, sending Kogan's and the captain's hair flying in different directions.
"Ugh!" The captain clutched his head, collapsing to his side in unbearable pain, coughing up blood.
The ruler's gaze remained fixed on Kogan. His -kogan- eyes turned bloodshot in a terrifying manner, and two streams of blood trickled from his nose and lips.
He looked as if he had been struck by a deadly poison—yet his face remained completely expressionless.
The ruler sighed and set Kogan down. Then, he extended his hand, emitting a pale gray light that enveloped Kogan, the captain, and the two fallen guards near the gate.
"Give him ten thousand essence."
As the ruler lowered his hand, the healing light faded.
Rai Kang lifted his head in disbelief. "But..."
"How do you plan to communicate with him if he isn't in the first rank? Are you planning to learn sign language?" The ruler's tone was cold.
He could have communicated with him internally, but it was limited.
Since Kogan was a transfer from another world, they preferred full communication rather than just listening.
"I mean... that could cause problems..." the captain spoke with difficulty.
"Treat him as an ordinary person. Don't teach him anything about the first rank. This way, he'll take on any task and perform it more efficiently. Once he gathers ten thousand essence through his own effort, then you may tell him."
The ruler turned his back and ascended the steps, returning to his throne.
"And one more thing—losing his partner was your fault. Take responsibility for it."
"Don't worry, my lord. I have already thought of a humble solution." The captain bowed his head.
"You may leave now." The ruler waved his hand.
"We'll take our leave."
The ruler paid no mind to Kogan. The matter of Transferred Ones was neither new nor special.
Every major city that had claimed a spot along the riverbank had received at least one Transferred One in its history.
The ruler sat on his throne, resting his cheek against his fingers, sinking into deep thought.
Now, a looming problem was on the horizon—one that could bring the city and its inhabitants to complete ruin.