The sun was setting, and the sky was gradually darkening. Night was falling, marking the end of a long day for the members of the Azure Wood Family. Silence now reigned throughout the territory. It was time for everyone to return to their own homes and families—to sit down to dinner with their loved ones.
Inside a small hut, Finn sat quietly with his eyes closed, meditating on his wooden bed. An invisible energy circled around him, as if it were dancing. The young man was completely absorbed in his training. He had been in this state for several hours.
Hoo!
He exhaled deeply, and the invisible energy surrounding him abruptly disappeared. Even after meditating almost the entire day, he still hadn't managed to calm the violent soulforce raging inside his body.
He opened his eyes and forced a smile.
"I'm still going to need more time to stabilize and calm my soulforce," Finn muttered to himself, shaking his head.
Ever since Kurt had passed his power onto Finn, Finn's soulforce coil had become tangled and chaotic. And as long as it remained this way, it was impossible for him to increase his strength. No matter how many treasures and resources he possessed, he couldn't advance—using them now would simply be a waste.
He was about to start meditating again when a man's voice called to him from outside his small hut.
"Finn, my son, since you've returned, won't you join us for dinner? Your mother and little sister have been asking for you," the man said gently from outside.
Finn instantly recognized the voice. It belonged to the man who had raised and cared for him—how could he not know it by heart?
This was the man who had been his very first teacher, the one who taught him to read and write. This man had also been his first friend, always by his side whenever he was alone.
Though Finn was a member of the Azure Wood Family, he had never had any friends here. That was because of the competition among the younger generation of Adventurers. They all regarded each other as rivals. So Finn had always been alone during those times—but he never felt lonely. His family had always been there to bring him joy.
Finn quickly stepped to the doorway of the hut. Outside stood the figure of a man.
"Father…" Finn said softly, emotion flooding his eyes as he spoke the word.
No one could ever measure how much gratitude Finn held for this man.
Creed reached out and jumbled Finn's hair with a smile.
"You've only been gone for less than a month, yet you've already changed so much."
"Come along, your mother is probably finishing up your favorite roasted Red Boar meat." He turned and began walking away.
Finn followed beside Creed, and as they walked, he noticed something in his father. He could feel his father's emotions—and from what he could sense, Creed was deeply sad.
Since Kurt had passed his power onto Finn, his sensitivity to everything around him had grown sharper. Now, he could feel things so keenly that even the breathing of nearby creatures registered in his awareness.
Darkness had fallen, and only the lanterns hanging along the paths illuminated the Azure Wood Family's territory. As they walked, they passed a few other clan members, each one greeting Creed respectfully.
The two continued walking in silence, which puzzled Finn.
In the past, if Finn had done something reckless or kept a secret, he would always get a scolding—or even a smack on the head—from his father. But now, nothing.
He was uncomfortable with this quiet. He kept waiting for the flood of questions he'd normally get, but none came. Something felt wrong. It was as though his father was hiding something from him. Creed hadn't even asked how or why Finn had reached the 9th Level Gold Rank.
After a while, they finally arrived at their destination—the modest home of Creed and his wife, Olivia.
Only three people lived here: Creed, Olivia, and their youngest child, Meiyin.
When Creed opened the door, a little girl clutching a wooden toy immediately greeted them. She turned her bright eyes toward Finn.
"Brother!" she squealed, running to him and wrapping her arms around his waist.
Finn couldn't help but smile. He ruffled her hair fondly.
"Meiyin, you still haven't replaced that toy? Don't worry, I've brought you something new," he said with a grin.
"Hmph! You made this toy yourself, Brother. I don't want to replace it. It's the best toy in the whole world!" Meiyin pouted stubbornly.
Though she was only six, she had already shown remarkable intelligence in many areas. It might be normal for an Adventurer to have a sharp memory, but she was different—she could not only memorize everything easily, but she also quickly understood anything she was taught.
None of the Azure Wood Family members found this surprising. After all, talent was in Creed's blood.
Creed smiled and sighed softly, watching how happy Meiyin was to see her older brother. He left them to play and went to help Olivia prepare dinner.
Finn and Meiyin played together until Finn finally brought out a soft, furry toy. It was made of cotton wrapped in plush fabric. This came from inside the Myriad World Mirror, a mortal-world item they called a "teddy bear."
Meiyin was overjoyed, but Finn noticed that even though she loved her new toy, she still clung to the wooden one he had made for her.
Finn wondered to himself—if only all Adventurers could learn to be content with what they had, would there still be so much killing and war in this world?
But he quickly shook his head. Such a thing was impossible here. In this world, there was no such thing as contentment—only ambition, dreams, greed, and contempt. Animals died for food, while Adventurers died for wealth and power.
As he watched his little sister's happy smile, Finn silently vowed he would never let that smile disappear.
"Children! That's enough playing for now. Come, dinner is ready."
They both stopped at the sound of Olivia's gentle call. Finn led Meiyin to the table, where they took their seats.
Finn noticed a pair of eyes watching him tenderly.
"You've truly grown up. Even in the short time you were gone, you've changed so much," Olivia said warmly.
Finn smiled at his mother.
"Mother, I'm the eldest. I have to grow strong, so that in the future, I'll be the one to protect you all. No one will ever hurt you again as long as I'm here."
Olivia was stunned by his words, and a tear slipped from her eye. She quickly wiped it away and changed the subject.
"Let's eat first."
Finn still didn't understand what was different about his parents that day, but he decided not to dwell on it, thinking it was just the aftereffect of their time apart.
--
After about half an hour, dinner was finished. Meiyin soon became sleepy, so Olivia took her to bed. But before she left, she gave Finn a look full of sorrow he didn't understand.
He noticed it—and when he and Creed were alone in the kitchen, he finally worked up the courage to ask.
"Father, I've noticed you and Mother seem sad. Is it because I annulled the engagement between you and Uncle Cleo? Father, I'm sorr—"
"When I saved Cleo's life all those years ago, I never imagined he was an important member of a Noble Clan. I didn't ask for anything in return, because for me, helping doesn't always need repayment. I treated him like a true brother—because that's how he treated me. When he decided to betroth his daughter to my son—you, my boy—I wish I'd never accepted. Because of that agreement, many people were caught in the crossfire, many suffered, and some even died. And because of that, I can't help but blame myself," Creed said somberly.
"If I had just refused Cleo's offer with all my strength, none of this would have happened."
"But Father, it's not your fault! The Nine Ice Family—they're the ones to blame! They're selfish and arrogant! If there's anyone responsible for this, it's them!" Finn said passionately.
Creed didn't reply. Finn continued.
"Father, have you ever thought of fleeing—of taking the whole clan away from all this?"
Finn had considered this ever since he learned who their true enemy was. He had a way to save everyone—he could bring the entire Azure Wood Family into the Myriad World Mirror and have them grow stronger in secret.
Creed slowly shook his head and looked Finn firmly in the eye.
"Remember this, my son: our clan may be weak, but we are not cowards. If the Nine Ice Family truly wishes to destroy us, then we will fight. Because if we don't, how could I ever face our ancestors in the afterlife?"
Finn sighed. Deep down, he had suspected this would be his father's answer.
He managed a small smile.
"Father… two months from now, I will become an official core member of the Cloud Soaring Sect. When that happens, we'll be under the protection of one of the Seven Great Factions. And when we're strong enough… we will take revenge for everything they've done to us."
"The Seven Great Factions…" Creed echoed quietly, staring at Finn. "Son… do you know why I was so hesitant to accept Cleo's offer back then? You're old enough now, and you have the strength, so perhaps it's time you learned the truth."
Finn frowned in confusion. He noticed tears suddenly welling up in Creed's eyes. He was about to ask what his father meant when the words that came next froze him to the spot.
"Finn, my son… I am not your real father."