The Next Day
"What did you say? Aron is still out there?" Sima Kong, sitting in his office, turned pale with fury upon hearing the report from Kim Yoon.
"Didn't you promise to protect him? How could you leave him alone?!" Sima Kong's face darkened with anger so intense it looked as if he might devour Kim Yoon where he stood.
Kim Yoon didn't retaliate against Sima Kong's outburst—perhaps because he couldn't. As the team leader, he knew this was his responsibility, yet he had been powerless.
"It's not that I didn't want to bring him back," Kim Yoon said with a bitter sigh, his expression marred by guilt. "But I truly don't know how I could've found him. The flames were endless—they refused to die. There was no path left to follow. Even if I had jumped in, I wouldn't have survived the heat. The situation was too dire. Two mythical birds were still battling in the sky, and the ground was overrun with panicking monsters. I… I was powerless."
The normally confident man now looked like a broken figure. His clothes and hair were scorched, his skin blistered and charred in places, still raw and unhealed. Anyone who saw him now would pity him—the dignity and prestige of a flesh-tempering martial artist had completely vanished from his demeanor.
Burdened by guilt and shame, Kim Yoon had rushed to report Aron's situation to Sima Kong, not even sparing a thought for his other subordinates, including Yuuna, who had perished in the chaos.
But Sima Kong, consumed by rage, cared nothing for Kim Yoon's thoughts. Instead, hearing his explanation only stoked his fury further, his eyes bloodshot with rage.
"You—!" Sima Kong's chest heaved erratically, his breath unsteady. "You knew two terrifying creatures were still fighting, and monsters were swarming everywhere—yet you left Aron, a mere civilian, alone?! How could you, Kim Yoon… You're truly…"
Overcome with anger and sorrow, Sima Kong collapsed into his seat. The faint hope that Aron might still be alive vanished the moment he heard Kim Yoon's final words.
"I never should have let him go. This is all my fault…" He clutched his head, agonized. "How am I supposed to explain this to Jiajia when she wakes up?" The mere thought of her made Sima Kong burn with the urge to tear Kim Yoon apart.
Kim Yoon, hearing his words, only grew more guilty.
"I'll take full responsibility for Jiajia's treatment," he blurted out, hoping to alleviate some of Sima Kong's anger—or perhaps his own shame.
But Sima Kong only roared back, "What use is paying for his sister's treatment? Do you think I can't afford it myself? Even if that works, what do I tell the girl when she asks for her brother?! That he was torn apart by monsters or burned alive until nothing remained? Kim Yoon, tell me—what am I supposed to say to her?!"
Kim Yoon fell silent this time, unable to answer. He didn't even try to defend himself, letting Sima Kong unleash his fury.
After a long while, when Sima Kong had finally calmed somewhat, Kim Yoon spoke cautiously. "Aron is smart and far from naive. Before he left, he promised he would come back, that he'd find a way. I believe he's still alive, hiding somewhere. If we go now, we might find him before it's too late."
Hearing this, Sima Kong, though still furious, visibly paused. After a moment of silence, he nodded grimly.
"Given Aron's resilience, I refuse to believe he'd die so easily. I'm going after him." With that, Sima Kong stormed out, not caring whether Kim Yoon followed.
Truth be told, Kim Yoon had no desire to go—his injuries were severe—but remembering that this disaster had begun by his suggestion, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to move, despite the grotesque burns covering his body.
___
Perhaps because of the sheer rarity and scale of the battle between the two mythical birds, many people—like Kim Yoon and Sima Kong—rushed out of the city to witness the aftermath.
Among those who ventured out were powerful martial artists, their blood and qi abundant. This was evident in the way they moved—some leaped distances of nearly fifty meters in a single bound. A few even traveled by soaring through the air itself.
When they reached the scene, both middle-aged men were stunned by the number of martial artists already gathered, all staring at the roaring flames that showed no signs of fading.
Though the two legendary birds had vanished, the scorching heat remained. Even from a hundred meters away, the temperature was lethally intense—enough to reduce anything to ashes with mere proximity.
"Is… this where he was left?" Sima Kong asked Kim Yoon, his voice thick with doubt and frustration.
Kim Yoon only nodded grimly, understanding Sima Kong's despair.
The area was now under the control of Cloud City's military, with elite martial artists—some of whom hovered in the air—preventing outsiders from getting any closer.
"With this kind of military presence—fighters who can fly, no less—how are we supposed to get in and search for him?" Sima Kong slumped to the ground, his face twisted with defeat.
Staring into the inferno, the middle-aged man's eyes welled with tears. In such conditions, finding Aron was impossible. They couldn't even get past the blockade. And as for what had become of Aron… who could say?
But Kim Yoon wasn't ready to give up. He glanced at the guards and murmured, "There's still a chance. Wait here—I'll talk to some acquaintances."
He strode toward a group of soldiers and exchanged hushed words. However, within moments, he returned, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
"No one's allowed in. Even innate-level martial artists can't pass freely. So…" His voice trailed off as he saw the last flicker of hope die in Sima Kong's eyes.
Sima Kong stared blankly into the flames, his already-pale face growing even paler. No one could guess what thoughts churned in his mind.
"I'll wait for him." After an unknown stretch of time, Sima Kong suddenly spoke, a fragile glimmer of determination lighting his eyes.
Watching him, Kim Yoon could only sigh silently before settling down beside him to wait.