Arthur stood back up, brushing the remaining snow from his shoulders, then took a fighting stance. His breathing was heavy, but his eyes remained sharp, fixed on the opponent before him.
"This bear… has strong mana energy," he muttered.
He could feel the pressure radiating from the massive creature. It was possible this bear was on a much higher level than he was.
===
Meanwhile, in the human world, an intersection was tightly guarded by special forces. The area had been classified as a danger zone—one small mistake could lead to a catastrophe.
Inside the same building where the earlier meeting had taken place, Artoria walked down a quiet corridor. She moved alone, her eyes focused straight ahead, cold as ever.
Suddenly, a hand tapped her shoulder from behind.
Artoria stopped and turned. Standing before her was a familiar face—S-Rank Hunter, Emperor Sight. The man was strikingly handsome, tall at 182 centimeters, and a heartthrob to many women.
"You... what do you want?" Artoria said coldly.
Emperor smiled casually. "No need to be so serious."
Artoria glared at him, her gaze filled with disdain.
"I just wanted to ask a simple question," Emperor said, his tone growing heavier. "Is it true... one of the victims of the Red Gate incident was your own younger brother?"
Artoria's expression changed instantly at the word "brother."
"What are you trying to say?" she replied, her voice strained with emotion.
Emperor simply smiled. "Nothing... I just hope your brother can hold on until that Gate opens again."
Artoria said nothing.
Emperor walked ahead, leaving her behind. "I'll be going now," he said, waving casually.
But behind that smile, there was a subtle, sinister smirk—as if everything was going according to his plan.
===
Evening arrived.
Evelyn remained locked in her room. She sat in silence, lost in her thoughts. The truth she had just learned hit her like a harsh, painful slap. She was confused. Unsure of what to do next.
Suddenly, her phone rang.
A notification from the Guild had come in—a mission to conquer a Rank-C Gate. Evelyn opened the detailed info. Nothing special, just a standard mission.
Despite her shaken mental state, Evelyn decided to go.
The raid would take place after sunset. She began to prepare—showering, checking her gear, then heading toward the designated location.
Elsewhere, Ababil was relaxing at home when he received a message about the appearance of a Rank-C Gate near his area. He scrolled through his phone, scanning the list of registered names.
His eyes stopped on one: Evelyn.
He read the name again, just to be sure. A wave of worry swept over him.
Will she be okay? he wondered.
The recent events had left both Ababil and Evelyn mentally shaken. They had lost someone… someone irreplaceable.
Arthur.
He wasn't just an old friend. He was different. Very… different.
Ababil recalled a time in the past, when Evelyn was being harassed by some guys at a shopping center. Arthur appeared, standing between them without fear, and drove the men away with his commanding presence.
Ababil never knew what Evelyn truly felt that day. But he knew one thing—he wouldn't stand in the way. Maybe… this friendship could grow into something more.
Arthur was the kind of person who always showed up when he was needed. When Evelyn was down. When Ababil was lost. He always came… and saved them.
But now, a question came to Ababil's mind. One he had never considered before.
If Evelyn and I needed Arthur…
…then who did Arthur need?
At that moment, Evelyn arrived at the location where the Gate had appeared—it was situated in a densely populated residential area.
For this raid, the team consisted of one Rank-A Hunter, four Rank-Bs, three Rank-Cs, and two Rank-Es.
Throughout the walk to the site, Evelyn was lost in thought. Her gaze was blank, her mind drifting elsewhere. She even bumped into an old man on the street, who immediately scolded her with an annoyed tone.
Evelyn quickly apologized and continued walking, but the apology didn't clear the chaos in her mind.
Once she arrived at the neighborhood where the Gate was located, she began to snap out of her daze—just a little. That was when someone called her name from behind and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Yo," greeted Ababil with a smile. He looked ready, his gear already in place.
Evelyn turned to look. "Ababil? I should've known."
Ababil gave her a wide smile, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, since it's close to my house, I figured I'd join in."
But Evelyn's response was bittersweet. Her smile was forced, and her eyes remained empty.
Ababil noticed it. "What's wrong? You're still going through with this raid, right?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Evelyn replied softly.
It was a clear lie. Her voice and expression didn't match.
Ababil looked at her seriously. "Are you afraid?"
Evelyn turned quickly. "Afraid of what?"
"Afraid that this Gate… might turn into a Red Gate?" Ababil asked cautiously.
His words immediately struck a nerve. Evelyn's face tensed, and then slowly shifted into anger.
"What did you just say?" she muttered, her voice shaking.
Ababil stayed silent, staring at her with meaningful eyes.
"What did you say!?" Evelyn repeated, louder. "Don't you have any empathy!?"
She began to lose control. "You talk like you don't know anything!" she shouted, her voice breaking, finally letting out all the emotions she had been holding back.
"Then why are you just standing there sulking!?" Ababil shot back, his tone sharp and firm. His face showed that his patience was wearing thin.
His words jolted Evelyn a bit.
"If you keep acting like this—moody, silent, frozen in place—then what do you think will happen, huh?" he continued with determination. It was clear he could no longer bear seeing Evelyn in that state.
"Then what should I do!?" Evelyn retorted, frustration in her voice.
Ababil took a step closer. His gaze was sharp, yet deep.
"Evelyn… have you ever realized that we… needed Arthur?" he said slowly but clearly. "But have we ever thought about… who Arthur needed?"
Evelyn went silent. Those words hit her like a blow to the chest.
"You already know the answer, don't you?" Ababil continued, his tone now gentler. "Evelyn, don't we want Arthur to still be alive in there, even if… the chances are slim?"
Ababil's eyes softened. "Right now… Arthur needs us. And we have to help him. This time, it's our turn to save him."
Evelyn could no longer hold back her tears. She broke down, crying hard, letting all the emotions she had been bottling up finally pour out.
From afar, on the rooftop of one of the houses, Artoria watched them in silence.
She observed everything calmly, her eyes gentle.
"Looks like those two… are doing just fine," she whispered softly. "Nothing to worry about anymore."
She descended from the roof, taking a detour to avoid running into them.
"At first… I was planning to comfort both of them," she murmured, before slowly vanishing behind the buildings.
===
In the midst of a vast, cold snowy field, an intense battle raged. Arthur stood facing an Ice Bear—a ferocious creature twice the size of a normal ice bear.
Arthur appeared to be struggling. His breaths came in quick gasps, and his body was covered in wounds.
"Damn… this one is truly difficult," he muttered. Both of his fists were as blue as frozen ice. "And my ice attacks… don't seem very effective against it."
He gritted his teeth. Frustration was clearly etched on his face.
"If only I hadn't been cursed with this strange affliction…" he hissed. "There really are downsides, aren't there?"
Yet, amid the suffocating pressure of the battle, Arthur suddenly got an idea—a plan that was complex, risky, and crazy. But if it worked, it could save him.
This plan could only be executed if his physical body remained largely undamaged. Fortunately, so far he was still moving perfectly well.
Arthur grinned, his gaze fixed on the bear before him.
Then, in one swift motion, he spun around and—without warning—ran away.
"Nigerundayo!!" he shouted as he fled as fast as he could.
Of course, the Ice Bear wouldn't just stand still. The beast roared loudly and began chasing Arthur, who was now sprinting into the forest.
Arthur kept running, with no clear direction in mind—only one goal: to escape.
Several minutes passed. His breath came in ragged bursts. Finally, as he stopped and leaned against a large tree trunk, a subtle gurgling sound caught his attention.
Curious, he stepped out of the forest and… found himself standing at the edge of a vast body of water—an ocean, or perhaps a lake? He wasn't sure; it was difficult to tell, as the water stretched out endlessly.
What was strange was that the water wasn't frozen, even though it was surrounded by snow. Arthur looked down, dipped his hand in, and then tasted it.
"Ekkhh… seawater," he murmured with a puzzled expression.
But that wasn't all.
He noticed shadows moving in the water. "Are those… fish?" he furrowed his brow and observed more closely. Indeed, fish were swimming calmly there, appearing quite ordinary. Yet, the atmosphere felt… unusual.
Arthur stood upright, scanning his surroundings. "This sea… feels strange."
Just as suspicion crept in, an explosion erupted in the water. Water shot high into the sky. Arthur was startled and quickly stepped back a few paces, but it was in vain—a wave of energy slammed around him.
Then, from behind the burst of water, a resonant, powerful, and trembling voice boomed.
"What sort of human dares to come here?"
The voice was deep and filled with authority, as if it belonged to a majestic being who had lived for thousands of years.
The water began to recede, and slowly—rising from the depths of the sea—a young woman emerged. Her body was slender, her skin as white as snow, radiating a mysterious and captivating aura.
Arthur was transfixed. His eyes went wide.
He couldn't utter a word. His mouth opened, yet not a single sound came out.
To Be Continued~ (wait till' next monday)