The group composed themselves to fulfill one final duty for the dead. Battling the nausea in their stomachs and the weight pressing down on their minds, they began collecting what was left of their loved ones.
With Adyr's help, they dug a single grave—a place that, in ti, might be called ho to their mories. Torn bodies, like their grief, were brought together and laid to rest in one shared pit.
As they stood before the mass grave, the pain inside them only deepened. The deaths had been too sudden, too brutal. Their loved ones didn't even have the dignity of a grave to call their own.
After a mont of quiet mourning, the group returned to the underground shelter, following Adyr's suggestion.
There wasn't much ti left until the logout. He didn't fully understand the wolves' behavior or what had driven them to attack the village, and he couldn't be certain they wouldn't return. The shelter was the only place secure enough to leave his body behind.
The space was surprisingly large, likely designed as a food cellar, but it was clear it had been built with ergencies in mind. It could easily house the entire village if needed.
After exchanging a few quiet words with Vesha, he settled onto the makeshift bed the villagers had prepared for him. A layer of dry grass softened the cold earth beneath, and a thick blanket was laid over it. Without hesitation, he lay down and disconnected.
—
When Adyr ca to his senses and opened his eyes, the glass lid of the ga pod slowly lifted. He sat up slightly, taking in his surroundings, then paused.
Aside from the familiar doctor who had been there when he entered the ga, there were new faces in the room.
Three figures in lab coats stood nearby, more like researchers than physicians. Their posture and composure left no doubt—they outranked the doctor who had been overseeing Adyr.
Standing beside them was a man in a tailored suit, with neatly trimd black hair and sharp, commanding light-brown eyes. Henry Bates watched Adyr with interest.
The glass front door had turned opaque, shutting the room off from prying eyes—whatever they wanted to discuss, they didn't intend for anyone else to hear it.
"You're finally back, boy," Henry said with a warm smile.
"Mr. Bates. That's a welco I didn't see coming," Adyr replied, stepping out of the pod with a grin.
"It's been a while since I last saw you. Thought I'd drop by and check in," Henry said, giving him a light pat on the shoulder. Despite his authoritative appearance, there was sothing fatherly in his tone.
Ever since that day ten years ago, when Victor was kidnapped by ard n and Adyr, only eight years old at the ti, stumbled upon him by pure chance and, almost miraculously, managed to save his life with quick thinking, Henry had been visiting him regularly.
He had initially offered the family several rewards for what Adyr had done, but both Marielle and Adyr refused them, saying they already had everything they needed. In the end, Henry chose a different way to show his gratitude by simply staying in touch.
What began as a way to repay a debt slowly changed. As Adyr grew older, Henry ca to admire his calm mind and quick wit. Eventually, he began to see him not just as a savior, but almost as a son.
"I doubt that's the only reason, Mr. Bates," Adyr said with a smirk, glancing at the others in the room.
"Well, I won't lie. There is a more important reason I'm here," Henry said, then added with a chuckle, "I'll have to get my revenge for our last chess match another ti."
"Whenever you feel like losing," Adyr replied, then fell silent, waiting patiently for Henry to speak.
"You see, Adyr," Henry began, taking a tablet handed to him by one of the n. "The doctor overseeing your physical checkup, along with these gentlen here, told sothing rather interesting."
He glanced down at the tablet, scanning the data.
"According to this, your genes mutated in a way that's almost miraculous. But that's not what caught off guard. What surprised is that it's not just your physical developnt. Your brain activity, your body's resistance to toxins and harmful substances, even your cellular responses—none of it looks like a normal mutation."
He paused, eyes still on the screen, then glanced up at Adyr and gave a chuckle. "It's almost like you didn't just boost your physique stat... but will, resilience, and sense as well."
Henry looked at him directly now.
"What I want to know is this, boy—did you choose all four Paths in the ga?"
Adyr tilted his head slightly. "Would that make special?" It was finally ti to ask one of the questions that had been quietly troubling him.
"Special?" Henry let out a hearty laugh and clapped him on the shoulder. "Oh, boy. It makes you more than special."
"There are players in your group with two chosen Paths. So in other cities have even managed three. But you? Four Paths, all four stats unlocked and accessible? Of course you're special." He looked genuinely pleased, almost proud.
"So I'm the only one who managed to choose all four Paths?" Adyr asked, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. He didn't ntion the fifth. He had no intention of doing that—this was just to gauge Henry's reaction.
"Exactly. I was starting to feel disappointed that we didn't even have anyone with three," Henry said with a laugh. "But with you in the ranks, our shelter city 9 is already ahead of the rest."
And with that, Adyr got the answer he was looking for. Clearly, they had no idea about the existence of a fifth Path—or at least, Henry didn't.
"I'm glad you've finally got a card to play against the other cities," Adyr said, his tone laced with quiet sarcasm. "Which is ."
Henry's laughter stopped at once. "I never said that. Can't you let be proud for once?" He replied, ruffling Adyr's hair with a half-smile.
In that mont, Adyr was reminded of just how much Henry and Victor resembled each other. For all his authority and control, Henry could be just as absent-minded as his son.
"Since you're already here and clearly making good use of for your own interests, there's sothing I want to ask," Adyr said. When he saw Henry paying close attention, he continued.
"Can you tell the origin of the ga?"
It was ti for him to collect the interest on everything he had invested so far.
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