– Frey Starlight's POV –
Every passing second brought with it a storm of thoughts ..
a whirlwind of negativity I simply couldn't shake off.
The last time I faced the horrors of the Eastern Nightmare Lands, it took everything I had .. alongside Smiley and Sad .. just to survive.
And now, I wondered...
What kind of challenge awaited me this time?
What kind of threat would be so overwhelming that I was forced to ask others for help?
I was lost in those dark thoughts when the sound of the door creaking open snapped me back to reality.
The young man who entered was instantly recognizable ... white hair and golden eyes that studied me with quiet curiosity.
I could see myself reflected in those clear eyes…
Eyes that mirrored just how desperate I looked.
"Sorry for the delay. It took me a bit to get your message,"
were the first words out of Snow Lionheart's mouth, spoken with his usual serious expression.
I simply waved my hand in dismissal.
"There's no need to apologize. If anything, I should be the one saying sorry for dragging you into this."
The message I sent Snow only said that I needed help. No context, no details.
He must've been completely in the dark.
Yet, all it took was a single glance at my face for him to grasp how serious this was .. and he didn't complain once.
"What happened?" he asked.
In response, I nodded.
"Well, since you're both here, I can finally explain everything."
"Both of us?"
Snow blinked, surprised ..
Just as another young man stepped out from the shadowed corner of the room.
Lean frame. Sharp features.
Ghost Umbra had actually arrived first.
The two locked eyes for a second before Snow offered a polite greeting ..
which the silent assassin returned in his usual cold manner.
Snow and Ghost.
These two were the ones I'd chosen for the journey ahead.
Snow Lionheart... If he went all out without holding back, he might even be as strong as me ... maybe stronger. He was the first person I thought of.
Ghost Umbra, on the other hand, might not match our raw power, but his ability to survive anywhere and fight from the shadows made him the perfect support while Snow and I held the front line.
I considered others ..Danzo, Dawn ..
but I didn't believe either had what it would take to survive what was coming.
There was also Sansa, but far too many eyes were on her at the moment, and she had only just begun to gain control over her power. She wasn't an option either.
Truth be told,
even I might not be strong enough to survive this.
I was gambling not only with my life,
but with Snow and Ghost's as well.
That made me a hypocrite.
Everything I claimed to stand for, I was about to betray.
With that thought, I lowered myself into a deep bow in front of them ..
kneeling to the ground without hesitation.
Neither of them expected that.
But it was the least I could do.
"Before anything else... I'm sorry.
Truly sorry for what I'm about to ask of you."
My head nearly touched the floor as I stared down, forcing the words out.
"To start... you need to know the truth.
You're both aware of what lies on the other side of the world, aren't you?"
They both nodded in unison.
"The Ultras."
"That's right.
But they're not the only threat.
Every tragedy that's ravaged this world... all of it stems from the demons ..
Not the Ultras."
"The existence of demons proved something ..
That this vast universe hides more than we can comprehend.
Things far beyond the minds of us humans who've lived our lives shrouded in darkness."
I started laying out truths that everyone already suspected ..
Which prompted Snow to interrupt.
"What are you getting at, Frey?"
In response,
I revealed what I hadn't told anyone.
"There's a being… an overwhelming presence that stands at the peak of this world.
A monster among monsters.
A creature beyond human understanding."
Snow and Ghost knew parts of my story with the Shadow Sect.
But they had never heard the full truth.
And now that the System had gone so far as to involve others in my mission,
I decided to take a risk as well.
"I'm being targeted by that entity.
A being whose strength makes even the mightiest humans look like toys in comparison."
Slowly, I lifted my head to meet their eyes.
"He's the one pulling the strings behind everything .. The demons... even the Ultras."
Had I said that anywhere else, people might've thought I'd gone insane.
But neither Snow nor Ghost said a word.
Especially Snow . he was dead serious when I claimed to know the true mastermind behind the enemies he sought to destroy.
The final boss.
The ultimate threat.
"To survive against that monster,
I have to embark on a journey.
A journey into the unknown ..
I don't know what I'm searching for,
I don't know what awaits me,
I don't even know the dangers I'll face."
A journey into complete uncertainty.
"All I know…
Is that I can't survive it on my own."
Otherwise, the System never would've asked me to seek help.
And now came the hardest part.
"What I'm about to ask of you… is to come with me .. on a journey into the Eastern Nightmare Lands."
"I know how selfish this is…
how unrealistic…"
"But I'm begging you."
My remaining family… and everyone I'm trying to protect… they're all in danger.
"Please… lend me your strength for this journey."
What I told them was unbelievable .. like a fairytale.
A ridiculous tale about a young man whose existence meant nothing, somehow becoming the target of the most powerful demon in the world… the final boss whose face not even the heroes of the old era had ever seen.
And yet, that entity now had its sights on someone as powerless as Frey Starlight.
So there I was, asking them to join me on a suicidal journey deep into the Eastern Nightmare Lands.
I wouldn't have been surprised if either of them laughed in my face… or called me insane.
And honestly, a part of me hoped they would. That they'd say no, and I'd go alone.
But the hand Snow placed gently on my shoulder crushed that hope.
He looked at me seriously.
"Why are you apologizing, Frey?"
He pulled me up from the ground.
"Why would you even feel sorry? I should be thanking you."
"…Thanking me?"
Snow nodded.
"We've finally found him, Frey. Or rather, he found you .. the Demon King. The one responsible for everything we've endured."
Hearing him say what I expected brought me no joy...
"That monster isn't just your enemy, Frey. He's mine too. He's the enemy of everything still breathing in this world. And if your success on this journey can give us even the slightest chance to fight back…"
Snow, in his usual heroic resolve, raised his sword.
"That's more than enough reason for me to lend you my blade."
It was the kind of answer you'd expect from someone like him .. but what meant the most was that he actually believed me.
I was about to thank him when I remembered the other person standing in the room.
Ghost Umbra crossed his arms and sighed.
"That story of yours sounds like pure fantasy."
Something straight out of a delusional dream.
"But then again… everything I've seen from you so far also felt like fantasy."
He'd witnessed the impossible become real—again and again—and all of it centered around me.
Ghost wasn't one for speeches. As usual, he kept it short.
"There's no light without shadow, right? I'll be that shadow for you."
That sealed it. They were both coming with me on this journey.
"Thank you… really. Thank you both."
Their willingness to follow me into the unknown brought me both relief .. and guilt.
That night, a temporary team was formed: two swordsmen, and one assassin.