The Rise of the Lost

Strangely, and quite unexpectedly, **three days** had passed for **Kalm**—

three long days trapped within the body of the unknown warrior.

If this wasn't hell, he truly didn't know what was.

As a boy from the outskirts, **violence and blood** weren't foreign to him…

But the *sounds*, the *screams*, the *horrifying sights* of the battlefield—

that was something else entirely.

Had it not been for his balanced mind and calm nature,

he might have completely lost his sanity on the very first day.

Somehow, the soldiers managed to protect the city behind the **second black wall**,

which was also the *last one*.

But many—*no, far too many*—of them died defending innocent lives:

their families, friends, siblings, and most importantly—**their homeland**.

Their deaths weren't glorious or tragic like those in fictional stories.

Some died in horrific ways.

Some were careless and made fatal mistakes.

Others fell into clever traps set by the monsters.

But deep within Kalm's heart,

he saw **their courage** and **strength**—

their decision to fight instead of run.

Even if they were killed in such brutal ways,

each of them was undoubtedly a *true warrior*.

That… was the true meaning of **honor**, **bravery**, **loyalty**, and **patriotism**.

Far from the hollow, glittering words used like tools to sell death.

On the other hand, for **Kalm** himself,

these days had been a **war of a different kind**—

trapped, with no clue how to escape,

no thread to follow.

There were moments when he felt like he was drowning in the warrior's emotions,

**stacked one on top of another**:

his fear, pain, suffering, his endless fighting…

but also his **desire**, **ambition**, **hope**, and **dreams**.

Kalm saw and felt them all—

clearly, vividly.

And that made him even more afraid.

Terrified of what might happen if he stayed trapped for too long…

Still, if there was one good thing,

he managed to gather a few **pieces of information** about where he was.

He didn't know whether it would help or not,

but he tried to remember them, hoping to make something out of it.

From what he overheard in conversations between the warrior and the soldiers,

this city was the **last remaining human stronghold**.

All the other cities, kingdoms, and empires once ruled by humanity

had already been destroyed by the monsters they were now facing.

And the worst part—

these monsters had only appeared **a hundred years ago**.

The only reason this city was still standing…

was thanks to **one single person**.

The soldiers called her **the strongest warrior in the world**,

and she was also the **mistress of those eerie shadows** that fought alongside humans—

**the Queen**.

But even with her strength and the terrifying forces under her command,

it was only a matter of time.

The city would fall.

Everyone would die.

A sad, terrifying reality.

Just **one century** had been enough to bring humanity to the brink of extinction.

Now, those who remained were trapped, waiting to die slowly…

With all this new information racing through his mind,

Kalm asked himself:

**Is this… what's happening out there in the real world too?**

**Is *his* world also nearing this dreadful stage?**

If so, *how much time* did humanity have left?

And more importantly…

**Was there any way to stop it?**

As always—

**too many questions**…

and **no answers**.

He let out a heavy sigh of frustration.

And there was something else **Kalm** noticed:

the strange entity called the **World's Voice**—

wasn't here.

Even though he knew very little about it,

he could tell that the people in this trial had **awakened powers**,

just like in his original world,

and they even used the same name—**Awakened**.

But… they weren't connected to the World's Voice at all.

**Why?**

Was it because he was *inside* the trial?

Was it that the World's Voice didn't exist *yet* in this era?

Or… had humans rejected its use altogether?

If his questions were right,

then who created that thing?

And for what purpose?

Was it meant to help humanity avoid extinction like what was happening in this kingdom?

To make them realize the threat was coming?

Or…

**was it the cause of all of this?**

Kalm scratched the back of his head and sighed again,

deeply annoyed.

**So many questions… and no one to answer them.**

Worse still—he was **still trapped** with someone who might die at any moment,

and he **still didn't know** what he was supposed to do.

**'Could there even be something worse than this…?'**

Over the past three days,

he had tried multiple times to separate himself from the warrior,

by physically forcing himself out—

but all it brought him was **excruciating pain**,

so intense that he made a vow never to try it again.

And the problem of **losing himself** to the warrior's overwhelming emotions still loomed ahead.

**One mistake…

One slip…

and he might disappear completely.**

So, all his thoughts led him back to **the starting point**:

**Observe. And wait.**

Watch the warrior and his soldiers die one by one…

Watch the people of the city tremble in fear,

awaiting the future that was almost certainly doomed.

If someone were to ask Kalm what **wisdom** he'd gained from this terrifying, twisted experience,

he'd say—without hesitation:

**"In this insane world…

weakness is a deadly sin."**

How could it not be?

He had seen a father

gently embrace his children and whisper to them that they would be okay—

while deep down,

he knew they would all die horribly within a few days.

**"Ugh... this is just... too much."**

Kalm grabbed his head, rubbed his eyes with his fingers,

and tried to recall the man's words before entering the trial.

He had told him to be cunning, deceitful—

even if it meant twisting everything—just to stay alive.

Everyone values their life, of course.

Everyone wants to survive.

Even **Kalm**, who had never really seen anything *good* from life…

At that moment, **Kalm's eyes faintly glowed.**

*"The trial is designed to force teenagers, violently,

to either abandon something… or acquire something…"*

It all heavily revolved around **emotion**.

Kalm scratched his head roughly.

Was there something he had to let go of…?

Or was it a certain **trait** he needed to gain?

Looking at himself objectively,

he was neither suited—nor would he ever be suited—to become some great hero.

He lacked the drive, the conviction,

and even the hatred needed to become a cold-blooded villain who kills for pleasure or purpose.

He rubbed his chin, murmuring in thought.

Could the trial be forcing him to become one of those two…

and discard his way of thinking entirely?

He contemplated and weighed all the possible outcomes,

until the sound of **approaching footsteps** broke his focus—

> "Brother, the Queen is summoning you..."

The warrior turned his head, his expression firm and sharp,

and gave his younger brother a small nod.

He sheathed his sword and walked forward with steady, assured steps.

The area had been relatively calm for days.

The monsters were no longer a threat—

thanks to the **Queen's terrifying shadows**.

As they walked, a soldier opened his mouth and asked in a quiet voice:

> "What do you think Her Majesty wants from you, brother…?"

The warrior exhaled deeply,

his eyes sharp, fixed ahead of him.

After a moment of silence, he replied in a bitter tone:

> "The city is going to fall soon. It's only a matter of time..."

He paused again, his eyes glancing toward his brother.

> "Whether it's from a monster breaching the black stone walls…

> Or from a shortage of food and water…

> Or from the fear that's spreading among the people—

> The end is near. Humanity will fall.

> And not even Her Majesty's great power can buy us more time.

> Her summoning me… isn't surprising."

His younger brother raised an eyebrow in confusion.

> "Then… you expected this? In other words, you *know* what's coming?"

The warrior nodded and spoke again:

> "Of course. The royal family anticipated things reaching this level of danger

> ever since the first Gate appeared a hundred years ago.

> They've spent decades trying to delay humanity's extinction:

> strategies, conspiracies, strengthening the army,

> building shelters, training children to become Awakened...

> But all they ever did was stall the inevitable.

> And now, it seems Her Majesty has come up with a plan—

> or perhaps discovered something new…"

The younger warrior echoed the word:

> "A plan…?"

The older brother nodded, then asked with a respectful and serious tone:

> "Have you ever heard the name… **The Lost One**?"

The younger one nearly stumbled, looking at his brother with a long, puzzled stare.

> "You mean that vile being who doesn't belong anywhere?.... I heard a lot of stories about him after we split up..."

The warrior gave him a skeptical look and sighed in frustration:

> "If you're calling him 'vile,' then you've only heard lies.

> And I advise you to *watch your tone* when speaking of things beyond you—

> especially near the Queen's shadows..."

The younger brother's body stiffened,

his hand instinctively covering his mouth.

A moment later, they stopped.

The older warrior looked out over the **beautiful black city**—

its narrow streets, its small buildings,

and its people running in fear and panic.

After a heavy silence, he finally spoke:

> "**The Lost One** is a transcendent being.

> Almost nothing is known about him.

> All the stories are fabricated myths created by mankind.... But when he vanished—along with his partne_ he left behind **two weapons**. Whether it's a blessing or a curse, those weapons lie deep inside a hidden underground cave, a place known only to the royal family... No one knows why he left them there."

He continued walking.

> "Apparently, the Queen may have discovered a way to retrieve them. Let's go find out."

The younger brother looked at him strangely.

> "How do you even *know* all this, brother?

I've never heard anything like that before…"

The warrior's eyes darkened slightly.

> "Because no one *should* know. I came across that information from someone _someone who told me on a whim. And I advise you… to forget it as well."

That short conversation sent **a cold shiver** crawling up **Kalm's spine**.

His eyes widened from the weight of the mysterious information.

A *transcendent entity*…

**The Lost One**, and his *partner*…

**Two weapons**…

A **fallen kingdom**, and a **secret cave**…

It seemed his destination had already been set.

His trial was somehow connected to those weapons—

maybe even to that entity itself…

But even the **strong warrior** had spoken of those things with a hint of fear.

So… what chance did **Kalm** have?

Looking at his current state,

he didn't really have much of a **choice** either.

> **'What's the worst that could h—'**

He instantly raised his hand and **covered his mouth** before finishing the sentence.

The **last time** he said those words,

he found himself in the middle of a massive explosion…

*"Yeah… yeah. Best not to use that line ever again. For the sake of personal and public safety."*