WHOOSH!
The radiant light of the spatial teleportation dissolved, carrying a final swirl of energy that rustled through the surroundings.
Before the eyes of the three siblings—Shin, Kento, and Loona—the suffocating atmosphere reeking of blood and garbage from the Dark Zone was gone.
Instead, a cool, lush green meadow stretched infinitely toward the horizon under a gentle, warm sun.
Yet, Shin did not allow himself to let his guard down for even a single second.
He knew exactly what kind of monsters their enemies were, and this random location was by no means guaranteed to be completely safe.
Suppressing the throbbing aches racking his body, Shin readjusted the unconscious Kento on his back and tightly gripped Loona’s small hand with his free hand.
— “Run, quickly!
We can’t stay here long!” Shin urged in a low, tense voice.
The three embarked on a frantic flight.
After wading through knee-high grass for a while, Shin discovered a narrow dirt trail.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he chose to follow it, stepping onto an aimless journey with no known destination.
The Weight of Grief
Loona’s steps grew progressively slower.
The small legs of the thirteen-year-old girl were utterly exhausted and numb after non-stop movement.
Lifting her smudged, weary face toward her brother’s back, she asked with a trembling voice:
— “Brother Shin…
will the old man be alright?
He will come find us, won’t he?”
His sister’s innocent question stabbed straight into Shin’s heart like a knife.
He knew all too well that the old man stood absolutely zero chance of survival.
The old geezer who always chugged wine and scolded them, yet loved them more than his own life…
was gone forever, buried in that desolate junkyard.
Shin inhaled deeply, straining to keep his voice steady as he softly replied:
— “Our old man will be fine…
I believe so.”
Saying this, Shin quickly averted his eyes.
For a fleeting moment, hot tears rolled down the teenager’s cheeks.
The only family member, the solid pillar they had relied on to survive through years of crushing poverty, was gone.
Looking back at his two young siblings, Shin gritted his teeth and swore to himself:
Even if it costs me my life, I will protect them!
Their flight dragged on from the morning through the sweltering afternoon.
The scorching sun withered what little energy they had left.
The wound where the scrap metal had grazed Shin’s shoulder began to bleed again; he had to tear a strip from his ragged shirt, wrapping it crudely to stem the flow before continuing on.
Truth Revealed
On Shin’s back, Kento stirred.
The boy showed signs of regaining consciousness after being knocked out cold by the psycho Fengmo’s devastating blow.
Kento’s dark eyes fluttered open dazedly, taking in his unfamiliar surroundings.
Walking beside them, Loona immediately cried out in joy, though she carefully kept her voice down:
— “Brother Kento is awake, Brother Shin!”
Hearing this, Shin gently lowered Kento, propping his younger brother against a tree trunk by the roadside.
Clutching the back of his throbbing neck, Kento rasped out weakly:
— “Brother Shin…
where are we?
This place…
looks so different from the Dark Zone junkyard…
Where is the old man?”
Shin stared at Kento in silence, his eyes heavy with sorrow.
He knew he couldn’t hide the truth any longer.
In a low tone, he replied:
— “We had to escape.
The old man used the absolute last of his strength to give the three of us a chance to break out.
Perhaps…
our old man has…”
Kento flinched, his face draining of color.
He clutched the hem of Shin’s shirt, demanding urgently:
— “Has what, brother?!
Tell me clearly!
What happened to the old man?!”
— “Perhaps the old man is truly gone, Kento,” Shin lowered his head, his voice choking up.
The surroundings abruptly plunged into a dead silence.
Kento froze, his hands clenching the roadside dirt.
A profound wave of resentment and indignation welled up within the fourteen-year-old boy.
He slammed his fist into the ground, grinding his teeth fiercely:
— “It’s because of that perverted bastard…
because of those animals that we’ve been pushed to this state!
We didn’t do anything to cross them!
Why do we have to suffer like this?
Our…
our home is gone too…”
Shin stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on his brother’s shoulder.
His eyes blazed with a fierce determination that embraced their shared agony:
— “If our home is gone, we will rebuild it.
The old man may be gone, but we must keep living.
I told you, the three of us…
from now on, we are a true family.
Don’t let his sacrifice be in vain!”
Sanctuary in the Old Town
Pushing past the grief of separation, the three children forged ahead together.
The deep night gradually rolled in, swallowing the landscape in a terrifyingly quiet stillness.
Ravenous hunger and bone-deep fatigue assailed their bodies.
Kento was too severely injured, his body wracked with pain and completely drained of the strength to walk on his own.
Shin hoisted his brother onto his back once more, holding Loona’s hand with his free hand as they trudged through the dark.
Onward they walked, as though the journey would stretch out forever, until Loona suddenly tugged on Shin’s sleeve.
Her voice was tiny and faint from utter exhaustion:
— “Brother Shin…
I’m so sleepy…
I can’t walk anymore…”
He scanned the horizon.
Suddenly, in the distance, a few flickering oil lamps pierced the darkness.
— “Hang in there, just a little further!
I think I see houses ahead!” Shin offered a burst of encouragement.
The three siblings quickened their pace.
As they drew closer, a small town materialized before them.
Its architectural style was relatively simple yet heavily steeped in an ancient European aesthetic, featuring buildings crafted from timber and weathered gray stone.
However, it was already late at night; the residences were tightly shut, and the storefronts and eateries lining the streets were dark and completely deserted.
Unwilling to risk trouble by knocking or exposing their tracks, Shin led his siblings into a secluded, dimly lit alley to establish a temporary refuge.
The resourceful boy quickly gathered some discarded old newspapers and cardboard boxes from a corner of the alley, laying them over the freezing stone floor to fashion a makeshift bed for Kento and Loona.
— “You two rest here for tonight,” Shin said softly.
After an exhausting day, Kento and Loona quickly lay down, huddling close together to share what little warmth they could find.
But Shin did not sleep.
Sitting with his back against the frigid stone wall, his dark eyes remained locked onto the alley entrance, silently watching over his sleeping siblings.
An Unexpected Encounter
Who knows how much time passed, but the bone-chilling night mist made it impossible for Loona to fall asleep.
She scrambled up, tiptoeing over to Shin before sitting flat beside him.
Hugging her knees close, she whispered softly:
— “Brother Shin…
are the three of us…
going to die here?”
Startled, Shin turned to look at his sister, his voice stern yet laced with deep care:
— “What are you saying, Loona?
No matter what happens, we must live.
We absolutely cannot give up!”
Loona buried her head in her knees, her voice choking up:
— “Before, when I was all alone…
I used to think that even if I lived today, I might die tomorrow.
But then, you saved my life and brought me home…
Your words back then gave me the hope to keep living.
But now…
are the three of us just like I was back then?
We managed to survive and flee here today, but what about tomorrow…
what will become of our tomorrow?”
Shin looked at his little sister slipping into a state of panic.
He gently draped his arm over her shoulders, pulling her close into his chest to share his warmth, comforting her in a low tone:
— “Don’t overthink things.
Focus on better thoughts.
A person needs faith to keep moving forward.
We must live well so that the old man’s passing isn’t in vain, do you understand?
Tomorrow, I will definitely find a way…”
TAP…
TAP…
TAP…
Shin’s comforting words froze mid-sentence.
In the quiet dead of night, the distinct, rhythmic sound of footsteps echoing against the stone street rang out, drawing closer and closer toward their narrow alley.
Who could be wandering around at this hour?
Has the enemy tracked us down?
The sudden thought caused Shin’s entire body to tense up.
He bolted to his feet instantly.
The crimson-and-black Sophion within his frame stirred, shifting to stand as a barrier in front of Loona and Kento, primed for the worst possible outcome.
The footsteps stopped right at the alley’s threshold.
Under the faint, amber glow of the old town’s oil lamps, a figure slowly stepped inside.
Standing before Shin was not a bloodthirsty freak, but a young woman clad in modest, solemn attire.
Her face radiated gentle benevolence as she stared in astonishment at the three grimy children huddled in the dark corner.
Shin did not lower his guard, his wary eyes locked onto the newcomer as he demanded coldly:
— “Who are you?!”
The young woman startled slightly at the teenager’s sharp hostility.
Glancing at the discarded cardboard boxes on the floor and then back at the three children, her voice filled with deep pity and concern:
— “Oh…
why are you children out in this freezing alley so late at night?
Do you have no home to return to?”
Shin clenched his fists, entirely unmoved by her gentle appearance.
He barked back:
— “My siblings and I just arrived here.
And yes, we’ve lost our home!
Why do you care?
Answer my question first…
Who are you?!”
The woman offered a soft smile to diffuse the boy’s tension, clasping her hands before her chest.
Her voice was as soothing as a cool stream:
— “My name is Clara…
I am a sister working at this little town’s church.”
The Touch of Kindness
Shin froze for a moment, his entire body locking up at the abrupt arrival of the woman claiming to be Sister Clara.
The crimson-and-black Sophion around him continued to ripple defensively, pulsing like a cornered beast.
Yet, Sister Clara didn’t seem to mind his hostility.
Her gentle eyes swept over Shin’s torn shoulder, where a bleeding wound was crudely bound by a tattered rag.
Her gaze shifted deeper into the dark alley, spotting Kento writhing in pain on the cardboard, and little Loona with her mud-stained face, her eyes wide with terror.
The nun’s heart wrenchened at the utterly pitiful plight of the three children.
Stepping forward gently, she knelt on one knee on the cold stone floor, extending her slender hands toward Shin:
— “You boys seem to be severely injured…
Let me help heal you.
Though my healing capabilities aren’t exceptional, I can at least be of help to you and your brother back there!”
Gazing into Clara’s clear, pristine eyes—utterly devoid of malice or hidden agendas—the ironclad defense Shin had maintained throughout their day-long flight collapsed in an instant.
He slowly relaxed his fists, his defensive shroud fading away.
Clara offered a grateful smile for the boy’s trust.
She placed a gentle hand on Shin’s shoulder, softly closing her eyes.
From her palm, a soft, pale green light infused with the essence of flora and vitality began to radiate, enveloping Shin’s wound.
WHOOSH…
A soothing coolness surged along his shoulder, instantly dissolving the burning heat and sharp aches that had plagued him for hours.
The pain vanished entirely!
Realizing she was a genuine savior, Shin dropped to his knees, his eyes glistening with tears as he pleaded desperately:
— “Thank you…
I beg of you, please save my brother!
He was struck by an incredibly powerful person, and he’s in immense pain right now!”
Clara turned her gaze toward Kento, her expression turning solemn:
— “Let me see what I can do.
It looks like his injuries run deep internally; it’s quite severe.”
She hurried over to Kento, pressing both hands against the boy’s chest.
Biting her lip, Clara began to channel the entirety of the healing Sophion within her body.
The green light erupted with far greater brilliance than before, wrapping completely around Kento’s form.
Beads of sweat trickled down the young sister’s forehead, her complexion turning pale from the excessive energy expenditure.
Under the soothing influence of the warm Sophion current, the deep bruises marring Kento’s body gradually dissolved.
The boy’s ragged breathing stabilized, and his body grew limber and light, no longer tormented by excruciating pain.
PHEW…
Clara let out a long breath.
Utterly drained, she slumped down onto the stone floor of the alley, her legs completely devoid of strength.
A New Chapter
Seeing that his younger brother was out of critical danger and visibly recovering, Shin’s heart practically leaped out of his chest with joy.
He bowed his head repeatedly, showering her with gratitude:
— “Oh…
he’s better!
This is miraculous!”
Beside him, Loona jumped up and down, clutching Kento’s hand in sheer happiness:
— “Whoa!!!
Brother Kento really looks so much better!
Thank you so much, Sister Clara!”
Choking back tears, Shin looked at the nun with watery eyes:
— “Thank you, Sister Clara.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
If we hadn’t crossed paths with you tonight, perhaps…
perhaps my brother would have died!”
Though Clara was so exhausted she could barely draw breath, the smiles on the three children’s faces brought a warm, gentle grin to her own.
She waved it off:
— “Hehe, it’s alright, don’t worry about it.
Saving him makes me just as happy.
You children don’t need to be so formal.”
— “This life-saving debt…
I will engrave it into my very bones!
Once we’ve settled down, I will find any way possible to repay you!” Shin declared with unyielding resolve, his teenage eyes reflecting a maturity far beyond his years.
Sister Clara chuckled softly, reaching out to pat Shin’s head:
— “Oh, there’s no need, little brother.
I belong to the church; aiding those in distress is simply my duty.
No repayment is necessary.
By the way…
you children currently have no home to return to, right?”
She glanced at the tattered cardboard boxes strewn on the floor before gently proposing:
— “Why don’t you come back to the convent with me?
It’s very spacious, and it can be a shared home for you all from now on.
Sound good?”
Shin hesitated for a moment.
He looked down at their tattered, filthy clothes, heavily stained with dried blood and garbage dust, before asking hesitantly:
— “But…
is that really alright?
We look so wretched…
will the people at the convent actually accept us?”
— “It’s perfectly fine, little brother.
The doors of the Divine are always wide open to good children.
Come, let me help this boy up, and let’s head to the convent together!” Clara cut through Shin’s self-doubt, using what little strength she had recovered to support one of Kento’s arms.
Seeing this, Shin quickly lunged forward to support his brother’s other side.
And so, guided by Sister Clara, the four figures walked slowly beneath the quiet, deep night sky, heading toward the pointed spire of the ancient church resting at the town’s edge.
At midnight, the convent was steeped in a tranquil, solemn atmosphere.
Sister Clara gently guided the three siblings through the back door to avoid waking the other sisters.
Knowing the children were famished after their day-long flight, she hurried down to the kitchen, bringing up a simple meal of warm barley bread and a few bowls of steaming vegetable soup.
To Shin and his siblings, this was nothing short of the most magnificent feast on earth.
They fell upon the food, eating ravenously to combat the gnawing hunger enveloping them.
Once they finished eating, Clara thoughtfully brought warm water, helping the three children wash away the layers of mud and junkyard grime.
Finally, she led them into a vacant bedroom containing exactly three small but clean wooden beds that carried the fresh scent of sunlight.
Following so many horrific events, the passing of the old man, and their breathless escape, Shin and his siblings finally secured a safe haven to rest.
Sister Clara gently pulled the blanket over Loona, then turned to look at the three of them, smiling warmly as she whispered:
— “Sleep well, you three.”
— “Yes, thank you, sister.
Goodnight!” Loona murmured sleepily, her eyelids already heavy.
Clara softly closed the door behind her, returning the room to its peaceful silence.
Shin lay upon the plush, soft mattress—a sensation of pure comfort he had never once experienced throughout his entire life in the Dark Zone junkyard.
Resting his arm over his forehead, he gazed up at the stone ceiling, whispering subconsciously:
— “Could all of this…
just be a dream?
If this truly is a dream…
I wish to dream it forever, never wanting to wake up…”
He turned his head to look at the two neighboring beds, where Kento and Loona had already begun to sink into a peaceful slumber, free of agonizing groans or startled twitches of fear.
Shin smiled softly, whispering:
— “Goodnight, Loona, Kento.”
From the adjacent beds, a drowsy, warm response drifted back:
— “Goodnight, Brother Shin…!”
The room dissolved into a tranquil darkness.
The bloody, tear-stained old chapter of their lives in the Dark Zone had closed behind them, and a brand new chapter, right here in this ancient town, lay waiting for the three siblings ahead.
END OF CHAPTER 11