He stared at the message for a second, feeling a surge of power inside of him. He read the messages and shuddered.

'Rank... 4! And Ancient?'

He had actually done it... he had slain one of these wretched trees and from that he had actually gained new information. A new prefix of power hierarchy in this world.

The weakest were Blighted, then Infested and now he knew another one which was Ancient... But deep inside he knew there were more of them.

'10,000 Data Fragments and A new attribute.' He smirked. That was a worthy reward... unless the attribute was a total trash.

'Wait... wait... focus.'

He shook his head violently, scattering the intoxicating thoughts. The euphoria of victory was a trap. The Ancient Tree was dead, which meant its territory was now open season.

it was no longer protecting Yuki from the other ones. So, she was on danger.

He forced himself up and as he suspected... the other trees were deliberately trying to pull Yuki's body out of the dead branches embrace.

"Not so fast..." he frowned. "Or wait... go ahead free her, I don't mind. But you shit's can't take her."

He waited without moving until the branches ripped apart the dead and hollow embrace of the old tree. As soon as one of them tried to touch the princess's body. Ishiki scrambled forward and scooped Yuki's cold body into his arms.

She was light—too light for a normal human and as cold as a corpse. Well... that might have been because of her skill, but even her breath was cold. It sent shivers down Ishiki's body every time she let out a breath near his ear.

His heart was doing back flips...

He didn't let himself be distracted and ran.

The Crimson Canopy was a nightmare. Hundreds of hungry trees lashed out at him as he sprinted in a blur of motion through the gloom.

It was still tame as compared to the number of trees surrounding him. If not for the fact that he was constantly using [Ghost Blade] he would have been torn to pieces by now.

He dodged, weaved, and cursed under his breath as he sprinted between the trees, but branches still whipped his legs and tore at his already ruined clothes. He was bleeding from a dozen new cuts and his body was painted red.

But he didn't stop.

He ran for as long as his body allowed... towards, where? He didn't know where he was going. He was just running, praying to the corrupted gods, that he would stumble upon a Purity Epitome.

Terrifyingly Ironic.

Instead... what happened was what he feared the most. Running at such speed and using [Ghost Blade] simultaneously drained him much faster.

And soon, a root snagged his ankle. He went down hard, face-first into the dirt. Yuki rolled on the ground from his grip.

Ishiki scrambled up instantly, but a thick root wrapped around his leg. Another caught his wrist. Two more branches shot toward Yuki.

"Screw you!" he screamed, tearing at the wood with his bare hands. It was useless. More branches seized him and yanked him back.

Suddenly... an arrow flew from the darkness beyond.

It was wreathed in flame and trailed smoke as it struck one of the wooden serpents. Fire erupted on impact.

The tree shrieked and severed its own burning limb to save itself.

Thwip. Thwip.

Two more arrows came like missiles. One struck the branch holding Ishiki's leg and another hit the ones threatening Yuki.

The fire spread instantly in impact, driving the trees back in a panic.

'What... what is happening?'

Ishiki tried to activate [Ghost Blade] but it didn't, he was too much mentally strained. Although he didn't know what was happening... he was just glad it was happening.

The branches recoiled, leaving him alone in a smoldering circle of ash.

Ishiki stood up and went to Yuki within a second... and then his eyes widened as he stared at the darkness.

He heard a rhythmic sound. It was the heavy thud of boots. Many of them, like the march of an army.

Ishiki breathed slowly... he was yet not out of danger. the trees were just waiting for the smoke to be cleared and then they would attack again.

But before they did... something else happened.

From the shadows beyond the crimson glow, an army emerged.

At the front walked a man in pristine gray armor that seemed untouched by the filth of the forest. Behind him, there were five people with a less vigilant, but equally imposing armor's. One of them was holding a bow and it was stretched already.

A simple wooden arrow was lodged in it... and then suddenly it was set on fire out of nowhere.

Ishiki's eyes were fixed on the man in grey armor, he had long, pale pink hair tied in a high ponytail, with thick strands framing a face that was terrifyingly perfect.

He looked at Yuki with narrowed eyes. Ishiki stared back, breathing hard, his own eyes narrowing in suspicion.

The man didn't speak to him. Instead he walked past Ishiki slowly and knelt, then he scooped Yuki up in a gentle princess carry.

He turned to the soldiers behind him—five figures in unique armor standing at the front of a mundane regiment.

"Secure the boy," the man ordered coldly.

The five elites moved instantly, unleashing unique skills that barely kept the encroaching trees to create a safe corridor. Behind them, the mundane soldiers struggled, some falling to roots and thorns, but the path held.

Ishiki found himself being herded along. He was too exhausted to fight, and honestly, they weren't hurting him. But his paranoia didn't rest.

"Who are you?" he managed to ask a soldier next to him.

"Outer Regiment, squad 2" the soldier grunted, eyeing Ishiki's ruined state with a mix of pity and revulsion.

Ishiki blinked a couple of times. "That... doesn't tell me anything you know."

The soldier's eye twitched visibly... but he said evenly. "We are from Aethelburg's Army."

Ishiki froze for a second... a sound bubbled up from his chest. A laugh.

Then he laughed loudly, hysterically even. Most of the soldiers looked at him with repulsive looks. But he couldn't care less.

He was relieved... he was relieved beyond words.

They all moved fast, leaving the chaotic heart of the forest behind.

Soon, the trees thinned and ahead, stretching into the gloom, was a massive metallic bridge. It didn't start at the edge of the forest, just like Ishiki had seen all those days ago, it plunged deep inside it.

To Ishiki it felt like a lifeline of steel.

They had reached it.

They had reached Salvation.

Thinking about it... Ishiki couldn't help but feel gloomy and disappointed. Out of 32... people.

'Only two made it here.'

He gave the Crimson Canopy a last look behind. 'Filch... Nina, Alex... Liu Xi. Rest In Peace.'

'Your Scenario is Completed...'

The journey across the bridge was a blur. ten kilometers of suspended steel over a drop that vanished into darkness. Ishiki stumbled more than walked.

At some point the Crimson Night ended and the sky was once again adorned with the pale, indifferent beauty of the Silver Moon. And at the same time another notification appeared in front of him.

[The Personal Quest is complete]

[You have received 10,000 NC]

He had almost forgotten about it. But he didn't care anymore. His eyes were fixed on the destination ahead.

At the end of the bridge, rising high into the sky, was the Floating Island.

Its golden walls towered hundreds of meters above, impenetrable and radiant. In front of them stood a gargantuan gate made of obsidian material.

when they reached it... the warrior in grey, whom Ishiki suspected to be Yuki's brother pushed the doors open with a single hand.

A roar of sound hit Ishiki—voices. Hundreds and thousands of them.

Inside, a sea of faces waited in anticipation. Old, young, rich and poor. Refugees and residents all united in the face of hope.

As the small army marched in, the crowd parted and let them through.

Ishiki walked behind them, his vision swimming around the groups of people. His eyes widened as he saw familiar faces there... from a life that felt centuries ago.

Kenji and Kaori stood there, watching the unconscious Princess with a strange glint in their eyes.

His vision moved further along the the sea of strangers, and then froze at one face that, instantly turned his world upside down.

'No... No way.' A grin found its way on his face without him realizing—a genuine and broken, but beautiful grin.

It was as if his whole crumbling world had just stopped crumbling and stabilized.

Among the myriad of faces, there stood a woman with worried eyes—His mother.

She was there. She was alive...

As the soldiers in front of him went ahead... Ishiki looked up and squinted his eyes.

Far away, above the city, suspended inside the protective embrace of the golden walls, a star burned bright and radiant in the sky.

It was not the cold Silver Moon, it was neither the bloody Crimson Moon. It sent a warmth through his body that melted the lingering chill of the forest.

It illuminated the sanctuary with golden, pristine light, chasing away the shadows of death, doubt and insecurities.

Ishiki closed his eyes, letting the warmth wash over his face.

The long night had finally come to an end.

[End of Volume 1 - The Endless Night]

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