Morning rolled in without fanfare. The crimson mists had lifted from the forest, but an eerie silence hung in the air like leftover incense from a funeral. Baek Sun-Ho stood near a half-burnt log, rubbing a knuckle beneath his chin.
"None of the Pavilion agents are pursuing us," said Master Jang, walking up behind him. "Either they're smart or… really smart."
Sun-Ho gave a small smirk. "They got a peek at the Sovereign. I'd stay quiet too."
From behind them came the loud crunch CHRRK of Ma-Rok snapping open dried rations with both hands. "They weren't that strong."
Yul-Rin rolled her eyes. "You broke a cart in half and used it as a weapon."
"Because it was there," Ma-Rok said, genuinely confused.
Ji-Mun added, "Pretty sure it wasn't even theirs."
So-Ri sat cross-legged, gently braiding Yeon's unruly hair. The boy didn't squirm or speak but allowed it with a stillness only he could maintain. His outburst had left his hands trembling ever so slightly, but no one said a word about it.
---
Rumors Begin
They moved before noon, quietly descending from the cliffside into lower woodlands. Birds began to return to the sky as if signaling the end of danger. But in the villages they passed, whispers were already spreading.
"Did you hear? A ghost in a white mask destroyed a Crimson camp."
"They say his aura is made of five elements!"
"No... he's the Elementless Sovereign. A ghost warrior with no clan."
Sun-Ho walked a step ahead of the group, head bowed slightly.
So-Ri leaned over. "You hear that?"
"I'm trying to ignore it," he mumbled.
"You're awful at being subtle."
"Then why are they falling for it?" he muttered under his breath.
Yul-Rin, ever the instigator, shouted toward a nearby merchant. "Hey! Any news of the Sovereign of Balance?"
The man paled and fled behind his ox cart.
"See? Famous," she said smugly.
---
Setting Up Camp – Again
By evening, the party reached a shallow canyon carved between two crumbling stone ridges. So-Ri scouted the cliff edges for visibility, Ma-Rok set up perimeter alarms using string and small bells, and Ji-Mun attempted to cook stew with questionable results.
Blub. Splot. Blub.
"Why is this green?" he asked, poking the soup with a stick.
"It's not," Yul-Rin replied. "It's just aggressive yellow."
Yeon sat beside Sun-Ho, who was reviewing an old martial text recovered from the pavilion raid. The pages held hints of movement patterns, elemental harmonies, and… contradictions. Someone had tampered with it.
"A false technique?" he muttered.
Master Jang leaned in. "It's a trap. Those manuals are meant to mislead anyone who isn't part of the inner circle."
Sun-Ho grunted. "Then they weren't trying to teach. Just filter who survives the learning."
"Welcome to real power," Jang said with a shrug. "Now you see why we burn more than we read."
---
Reinforcements or Rivals?
Just before nightfall, a runner arrived. A boy, dusty and panting, held out a letter with both hands and didn't speak. Master Jang read it silently, then passed it to Sun-Ho.
"A neutral sect wants to meet?" So-Ri asked.
"It's the Broken Sword Sect," Sun-Ho replied. "They heard rumors. And apparently, they want to talk. Peacefully."
Ma-Rok cracked his knuckles. Kwak. "That usually means unpeacefully."
Ji-Mun quirked an eyebrow. "Why us?"
"Because no one else is stupid enough to get involved with five-element ghosts," Yul-Rin offered.
Sun-Ho folded the note and tucked it into his sleeve. "Let's go. Maybe they're enemies. Maybe they're allies."
"Maybe," So-Ri said, "they're like us."
Sun-Ho smiled faintly. "Then they're probably confused."
---
An Unseen Flame
Later that night, when all others had drifted to rest, Sun-Ho sat alone near the fire. His fingers traced a faded marking on his wrist—the last remnant of a forbidden technique from his past life.
He stared into the fire, not seeking warmth, but recognition.
You were not the only one who returned.
The voice echoed in his memory again. From that boy who'd confronted him in the early chapters of this journey.
Another one like me… or worse?
The thought lingered. There was someone else, tangled in time and fate—someone who had also broken the cycle of life and death. But unlike Sun-Ho, their intentions had yet to be revealed.
He clenched his fists.
No matter what the future brought, he had his resolve now. His party. His path.
And the flame inside him no longer burned in silence.
---
End of Chapter 43