Ex rank talent Awakening: 100% Dodge rate

"So he's the killer, huh? But how... and why?" Arthur asked, his usual playful air completely gone. The weight of their fallen friends now hung in the room like a shroud.

"He's awakened an absolute concept," Daniel replied grimly. "A true prodigy... but he hid it well. Even I was deceived until recently. As for his motive—he simply chose the wrong group. That's all I can say for certain. He must have believed the ones he killed were those who'd chosen not to stand behind him."

Arthur's eyes darkened. "So, frankly speaking, he meant to kill us... but ended up killing the wrong people?"

"Yes. That's exactly how it is," Daniel confirmed.

Tunde's aura flared slightly, a silent expression of his restrained fury. "Then what about the promised child? How does he fit into all this? Do you even know who he is?"

"I do," Daniel said, leaning forward. "He's the one called Nemesis. Greg. The same Greg around whom everything in this world now revolves. My investigations revealed Sabbah visited him just before the killings—only a day apart."

"Hah!" Tunde scoffed. "Just when I was starting to reconsider betraying him, he decided to betray us first. That settles it. We capture him, extract everything he knows about absolute concepts and their evolution, and deliver him to the ones who want him. The reward... strength, knowledge, recognition—it's all within our grasp."

He looked around, eyes sharp, gauging the room.

"If anyone disagrees—if you've had a change of heart—you can walk away now. No one will attack. You'll be allowed to leave with dignity. But once we move forward, there's no turning back."

No one stood. No one moved. The silence spoke louder than any words.

Tunde turned to Daniel.

"And you? Are you with us?"

Daniel's eyes closed. For a moment, he looked ten years older.

"I've lost many dear friends, but this latest betrayal… it shattered something in me. To think the one we were meant to protect is behind their deaths..." He looked up, his eyes blazing.

"From today forward, I will no longer be the judge who walks the middle line. I choose a side—the side that demands the promised one's death."

"Well then," Tunde said, satisfied, "welcome aboard."

Arthur folded his arms, a slow smirk forming.

"Looks like we've all chosen... to become Greg's enemies."

"Our first move," he added, more serious now, **"is to deal with Sabbah. He's responsible for far too many deaths. So, what's the plan?"

"Shall I go after him directly or...?"

"No," Daniel interrupted. "We're not going to take the long route. We want him to suffer. So we'll stick to the original plan—lure him out with his precious daughter. If one girl isn't enough, we flatten his clan. He'll show himself then, one way or another."

Arthur nodded slowly, rising from his seat. "Very well. I'll see you all soon."

"Where are you off to, Arthur?" Logan asked, raising a brow.

"Fresh air," Arthur replied with a sigh. "And… to speak with Kate one last time. If she's to die soon, she deserves at least one beautiful memory to take with her."

Tunde scoffed. "The playboy wants one last shot, huh?"

"Let him be," Daniel said. "He was closest to Sabbah. Knowing we may wipe out the bloodline of his best friend... it must be weighing on him. Maybe a moment alone—or with her—will ease the guilt."

---

Meanwhile...

"Where am I...?" Greg murmured, standing alone on an island that felt like a dream twisted into reality.

Everything around him pulsed with surreal beauty—and danger. Towering trees bore strange, glowing fruits; their leaves shimmered with colors that seemed to defy natural laws. Monkeys with fur ablaze like living fire swung between branches. Bees buzzed past him, their wings forged of shining steel. Ants the size of dogs marched by, easily lifting boulders like feathers.

The air was warm but alive. Strange. The island felt more like a divine sanctuary—or a trap built by gods.

Greg's steps were cautious yet filled with wonder. Curiosity led him deeper into the island, toward its heart. There, nestled within a grove of glowing trees, stood a cave that had no business existing. But it was real. Somehow, impossibly, it was real.

He stepped inside, tension hidden beneath his composed expression. The passage was silent, ancient, and eerie, like walking through the forgotten dreams of the world itself.

Eventually, the path opened to a glowing chamber. There, at the center, was a bed woven from radiant flowers—each petal more vibrant than anything Greg had ever seen.

And on that bed lay a woman.

She was beauty incarnate. Her face was elegant, ageless—like something sculpted by divinity itself. In her arms, she cradled a child, gently stroking his hair with a love so pure it made Greg's chest ache.

Greg's breath hitched. He couldn't move. Couldn't look away. Something inside him stirred—something ancient, childlike, and deeply personal. His vision blurred as silent tears streamed down his face.

The baby in her arms was surrounded by a soft sphere of light. Ethereal. Pure. The child slept peacefully, untouched by the world's chaos.

Then the woman whispered to her child.

"Your mother has gifted some of this world's natives with powers," she said softly. "Think of it as a seed—one day, you'll devour them and become stronger. It won't be enough... but it's all I can offer without revealing our location. That strength should help you face the true battle ahead, my child."

Greg was struck silent. Her words echoed in his mind. Who was she? Who was the child? Was this a memory... or a vision?

Then he noticed them—fresh footprints embedded in the cave floor. Dozens of them. Different shapes and sizes. They hadn't been there long.

Someone had been here. Recently.

Greg's eyes slowly rose back to the woman—and froze. Her gaze had shifted. She was looking directly at him, their eyes making contact.

"Hm?" she smiled gently, her eyes locking onto his.

"It seems I have a visitor."