"Jean, take your men and go to Soul World," ordered Jake.
Jean bowed to Jake and said, "Yes sir, I will surely fulfill my mission."
"That's all for today. Galen, come meet me and give the details. The rest of you, go to your positions and wait for further orders," said Jake.
Jake vanished.
"I have to go now. James, come with me. Guys, see you soon," said Jean.The other commanders also stood up and began heading toward their assigned positions.
"James, is it ready?" asked Jean as they left the shop."Yes, it is. I've ordered our men to stay close to this place," replied James."Good," Jean praised.
Jean and James went to explore the area.
[The Next Day – Kael's Room]
Kael was sleeping... having a terrible dream.He suddenly woke up, panting.
"Wh... what was that... Why... why?"Tears streamed down his face."Why am I crying..."He slowly got up and tried to calm himself.
Meanwhile, at the Medical Center, the doctor in charge, Ossban, Lem, and a few others were gathered.
"How is Sir Victor?" asked Ossban."He's stable now, but it'll take time for him to regain consciousness," replied the doctor."Oh, I see," said Ossban. He turned to Lem,"Did you find anything about that girl?"
"No. We still couldn't find anything. Maybe she's not from Ivan," said Lem.
"Alright. Let's wait for her to wake up. Doctor, how long will that take?"
"She should wake up in 2–3 days," replied the doctor.
"You'll have to report this to His Highness. I don't think it's wise to tell others about Kael," Lem suggested.
"I'll wait. If Sir Victor wakes up early, I'll ask for his decision," said Ossban.
"That boy did surprisingly well. The girl had no injuries, and Victor suffered only moderate wounds. But when I examined Kael's body, it showed signs of severe, sudden muscular contractions.""It was as if every muscle seized at once—violent, involuntary, and extreme. The pain must've been unbearable. His injuries were fatal and painful—about four times worse than Victor's. And yet, he endured a mental breakdown too," said the doctor.
"He has an incredible healing factor—likely due to the Blood Beast. But even then, the pain doesn't just disappear. He faced the breakdown, fought back, and is currently in control," said Ossban.
"He's an interesting boy," Lem added.
[After 2 Days]
For the past two days, Kael had been training with Ossban. Mia and Victor remained unconscious.
[Training Ground – Afternoon]
Ossban was training Kael, who was now exhausted.
"Kael, take a rest," said Ossban.
"(Panting...) No, no. I'll keep going..." Kael insisted.
"Kael, take a break. Go for a walk to the Ivan Market. Lem will go with you. Go—" he smiled, "—enjoy your time."
"S-Seriously? I can go—" Kael said excitedly."Yes, you can," Ossban replied.
Kael beamed with happiness."Yes! I'll go—"
"Lem, take Kael with you," Ossban requested.
"As you wish, my lord," said Lem.
"Kael, get ready. I'll prepare the—" Lem began, but Kael interrupted.
"Wait—Lem—I want to go like a normal person. So please... just the two of us?"
"But—!" Lem hesitated."It'll be okay," Kael said confidently.
[Inside Night Ray's Hideout]
"Jean, the preparations are complete. Our men are stationed across the area, and they all have the badge to travel to Soul World," said James.
"Good. What about the range?" Jean asked."The whole market is within range," replied James."Alright. Wait for the order. I'll take a round around the market..."
While Night Ray was preparing, Kael and Lem arrived at the crowded market.
"Boy, listen. Something is off in this market," said the Blood Beast.
Kael, walking beside Lem, whispered, "What are you trying to say?"
"This presence... it's them—the Soul Division. I can feel them all around."
"(Seriously? Confused and tense...) Then why are you telling me this?"
"(With a wicked tone) I have a grudge against them. I'll kill them all," the Blood Beast said angrily.
"Ah... I got it," Kael whispered to himself.He thought, "I can use this excuse. I'll make it seem like I got separated from Lem."He whispered again, "But promise me, until we complete this mission, you won't hurt anyone except them."
"I won't let him take over me," Kael thought.
"So, you want to use my power, huh?" asked the Blood Beast."No, I won't. Just guide me to their location."
Kael executed his plan. He quietly got separated from Lem.
Lem noticed a bit too late."Kael... Kael, where are you?!" he shouted.With growing desperation, he muttered, "Kael, where are you?"He started looking around frantically.
Meanwhile, Kael slipped into the crowd, heading toward Night Ray's hideout.
[Inside the Hideout]
"James, where is Jean?" asked the shop owner.
"He went for a walk. But it doesn't matter. We all have the badge. Once I activate the machine, we'll all teleport to the same location," James explained.
"But... can someone without a badge be teleported by mistake?" the man asked.
"No... I don't think so. Maybe—I'm not sure..." James replied."Anyway, Jean ordered me to activate it. See you soon, old man. I'm going to start it now."
"See you soon, James," said the man.
Kael was close to the hideout.
"Why is this road so quiet and deserted..." he wondered aloud.
[Inside the Shop]
James approached the machine and pressed a button."Okay, it's activated..."
(A magic circle appeared on each badge—visible only to those carrying one.)
The process had begun... [20 seconds left]
[Outside the Shop]
"Stop, Kael! Boy! They're teleporting!" warned the Blood Beast.
"W-What is this? Why am I disappearing?" Kael asked, shocked.
[Black...]