Ak suddenly woke up in the middle of the night, breathing heavily as if he had escaped from a nightmare. The room was dark and silent except for the faint sound of the wind brushing against the wooden walls of the house. For a few moments, he remained still on the bed, staring into the darkness while memories flooded his mind once again. He remembered Max standing before danger without hesitation, remembered the red-haired killer, and remembered the feeling of helplessness burning inside him. His fists tightened unconsciously. Slowly, he looked toward Mike, who was still sleeping peacefully nearby. Ak quietly stood up, careful not to make noise, and picked up Max's sword resting beside the wall. The moment his fingers touched the sword's handle, a strange mixture of pain and determination spread through his heart. Without saying anything, he walked outside into the cold night air.
However, Mike was not fully asleep. The moment he heard the door move slightly, suspicion crossed his mind. He slowly opened his eyes and noticed Ak leaving with the sword. Curious and slightly worried, Mike quietly followed him from a distance, making sure Ak would not notice his presence. The night outside was calm, illuminated only by the pale moonlight spreading across the empty land. Ak walked far enough from the house before finally stopping in an open area. He closed his eyes for several moments, standing completely still as if listening to something deep within himself. Then suddenly, without warning, he unsheathed Max's sword and began swinging it wildly.
At first, his movements were rough and unstable, lacking the precision of a trained swordsman. Yet every strike carried emotion, anger, pain, frustration, and desperation. Ak continued practising relentlessly, swinging the sword again and again despite his weak body. Mike watched silently from the shadows, unable to understand what exactly Ak was trying to achieve. He had already noticed before that Ak was physically weak compared to most fighters, but seeing him now made Mike realize just how fragile he truly was. Still, Ak refused to stop. Sweat covered his face as his breathing grew heavier. His arms trembled from exhaustion, yet he forced himself to continue.
Finally, after countless swings, Ak screamed into the empty night with all the pain buried inside him. He shouted that he had to become stronger. He shouted that he needed power to save his friends and comrades. Most of all, he swore that one day he would take revenge on the red-haired man who had destroyed everything. His voice echoed through the darkness before his exhausted body finally collapsed onto the ground. The sword slipped from his hand as he lost consciousness completely.
Mike stood frozen for several seconds after hearing Ak's desperate words. He had never expected such resolve from someone who looked so weak physically. Slowly, Mike walked toward the unconscious Ak and stared at him silently. For the first time, Mike truly understood how much pain Ak was carrying inside him. Without hesitation, he picked Ak up carefully and carried him back home. He placed him gently onto the bed and covered him with a blanket. As Mike looked at the sleeping Ak, he quietly made a decision in his heart. He would help Ak become stronger.
The next morning, sunlight entered through the windows as Ak slowly opened his eyes. For a moment, he looked around in confusion. He clearly remembered collapsing outside during the night, yet somehow he was back inside the house. He sat up quickly and noticed that Mike was nowhere to be seen. Even stranger, many of the items in the room were missing. A sudden feeling of suspicion crossed Ak's mind. Thoughts of betrayal flashed briefly through his head, making him tense immediately. But before he could think further, the main door opened and Mike walked inside casually. Seeing Ak awake, Mike asked if he was feeling alright. Ak stared at him silently for a moment before replying with a firm yes.
Ak looked around again and asked where all the stuff had gone. Mike scratched the back of his head awkwardly before explaining that he had forgotten to mention something important. His assigned duty was finally over, and he had officially received a vacation period. Because of that, he planned to return home to his kingdom. Ak paused slightly before asking if that meant Mike would leave immediately. Mike smiled warmly and insisted that Ak should come with him. He even pleaded slightly, saying it would be lonely otherwise. Ak hesitated because he had no idea what he would even do there, but Mike encouraged him to stop worrying and simply come first. After remaining silent for a while, Ak finally nodded in agreement.
Soon afterward, both of them began traveling toward Mike's kingdom. Their journey lasted an entire day, and along the way they passed through many breathtaking places. They crossed green valleys filled with flowers, rivers shining beneath sunlight, forests echoing with birds, and hills touched by cool winds. Even though the scenery was beautiful, Ak's thoughts constantly wandered back toward Max. Still, the peaceful atmosphere helped calm his heart slightly.
By evening, they finally arrived at Mike's house. It was a modest yet warm home located near the edge of the kingdom. As they approached, a pretty young girl rushed outside excitedly the moment she saw Mike. Mike immediately hugged her happily before introducing her to Ak. Her name was May, and she was Mike's younger sister. Ak greeted her politely while May smiled warmly at him. Despite the peaceful atmosphere of the house, Ak still felt restless inside.
After spending some time there, Ak quietly picked up Max's sword once again and stepped outside. Under the fading light of dusk, he began practising with the sword repeatedly. He tried copying movements he remembered from watching Max fight. Each swing was filled with determination, though his technique remained clumsy. Suddenly, without warning, another sword came crashing toward him. Instinctively, Ak reacted and dodged backward just in time.
Startled and angry, Ak shouted at Mike, asking whether he was trying to kill him. Mike laughed lightly before explaining that he wanted to train him. He admitted that the reason he invited Ak to come with him was partly to repay him and partly because he wanted a friend. Without waiting further, Mike swung his sword again, forcing Ak to defend himself. Ak quickly realized how skilled Mike truly was. His movements were smooth, precise, and controlled like a professional warrior. Shocked, Ak asked how he could fight so well.
Mike scratched his cheek awkwardly before casually revealing that he was actually a knight. The revelation completely shocked Ak. Mike admitted that even he found it funny sometimes because he did not look or act like a typical knight. He explained that most of his assignments were peaceful tasks that rarely involved combat, such as searching for rare medicinal herbs and helping with small kingdom duties.
Confused, Ak immediately questioned him further. If Mike was truly skilled enough to fight like that, then why did he avoid combat so much? Mike looked away slightly before answering honestly that he hated blood. He admitted that witnessing death and violence terrified him deeply. Even though he possessed the skills of a knight, fear still controlled part of his heart. Ak listened silently, understanding that strength alone did not erase fear.
After that, both of them continued practising together until dusk completely disappeared into night. Eventually, Mike called out toward the house, and May informed them that dinner was ready. The three of them sat together and shared a peaceful meal. For a brief moment, the warmth of the house almost made Ak forget everything he had lost.
Later that night, Ak and Mike prepared to sleep. But no matter how hard he tried, Ak could not calm his mind. He kept thinking about Max. He blamed himself repeatedly, believing that Max might have died because of him. Countless thoughts flooded his head. He wondered whether his family and friends were safe, whether they were searching for him, and whether they believed he was still alive. The fear of losing everyone slowly consumed him. Eventually, unable to remain inside anymore, Ak quietly stepped outside and sat alone beneath the night sky.
The cool wind blew softly as he stared upward in silence. Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning slightly, he saw May standing there quietly. She looked at him curiously and asked what he was doing awake so late at night. Ak casually replied that it was nothing before pointing out that she should not be awake at such an hour either. Slightly annoyed, May crossed her arms and questioned whether only men were allowed to stay awake at night. Realizing how his words sounded, Ak quickly clarified that he had not meant it like that. May continued staring at him expectantly, waiting for a proper explanation.
After a short silence, Ak looked at her carefully before saying that she was very different from her brother, perhaps even his complete opposite. Confused, May asked what exactly he meant, but Ak simply shook his head and said it was nothing important. Then, after another pause, he quietly asked if she could help him with something someday. Before May could fully respond, Ak slowly stood up and wished her good night. Just before leaving, he asked her to thank Mike for everything on his behalf. Then he quietly walked back toward his room, leaving behind an atmosphere filled with unspoken emotions and thoughts.
The next morning, Mike woke up and immediately realized that Ak was missing. Panic instantly spread across his face. He quickly rushed toward May and asked if she had seen him. May explained that she had no idea where Ak had gone but mentioned the small conversation they had shared during the previous night. Hearing this, Mike suddenly remembered the wandering trader and the mysterious mountain he had mentioned earlier. Realization struck him immediately. Mike apologized quickly to May before gathering a few belongings in a hurry. Without wasting another second, he left the house and began recalling the directions toward the mountain, believing that Ak had likely gone there alone.