When Callista opened her eyes again, she noticed the eerie silence. She was in a different place now, so unlike the one she had been in earlier.

  The scent of the ocean filled her nostrils, and the strong wind hit her face. The rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore echoed around her. She found herself standing on a cliff, staring down at the vast ocean below. As recognition dawned on her, she quickly turned around.

  "Die!"

  Those were the last words she heard before she felt herself being pushed. The woman’s face was obscured, but Callista knew better—this was all too familiar. The same suffocating feeling from years ago returned, like a storm washing over her.

  It was a sensation she never wanted to relive. She sank beneath the water, her body limp and unresponsive.

  Panic and fear consumed her, freezing her in place. She felt as though she were dying.

  Why was the world so cruel and unfair? Callista couldn’t understand. Somehow, she managed to reach the shore. By the time her hand touched solid ground, she was gasping for air. She knelt there, silent, catching her breath.

  Anastasia clenched her fists. "Please stop this already!" she exclaimed, turning to Hoshi, who blinked back at her.

  "Isn’t this punishment excessive just for trespassing on your territory? And why her, of all people?" Anastasia demanded.

  Hoshi tilted his head. "Unexpected. I thought you’d enjoy seeing a villain brought to her knees. After all, with everything she’s done to you, she’s nothing but selfish and arrogant. She claims to love, but it might just be obsession."

  Hoshi gave a knowing glance at Ignis who furrowed his brows at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

  His gaze was mocking. "You don’t really think she’s sincere, do you?"

  When Callista regained control of her breathing, she found herself in a black void—no sky, no ground, just endless darkness.

  Figures began to emerge from the shadows, their sinister smiles filled with malice. They leaned in, whispering cruel words.

  "Pathetic. Is this the Great Callista they speak of?" one figure sneered. "I see nothing but a miserable wretch, overshadowed by her sister."

  Another figure appeared, shouting in anger. "I hate you! Why don’t you just die? Die, die! I wish you’d never been born!"

  More figures surrounded her, shouting accusations and insults. Callista stood frozen, her expression vacant, as though she had given up.

  "No one wants you here, you traitor! Leave!"

  The voices grew louder, and the figures began to shove her violently.

  "Monster!"

  Spears materialized out of nowhere, stabbing her arms, legs, and finally her stomach. Blood dripped from her wounds as she fell to her knees, her head bowed.

  Anastasia couldn’t bear to watch anymore. "Enough!" she shouted, glaring at Hoshi.

  "Everything you said is based on your own perceptions! That’s why Callista told me to run, isn’t it? You were prying into her memories when you made eye contact!" she accused.

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  "Even villains don’t deserve this kind of cruelty!" Anastasia’s bold words echoed.

  "Let her go, now!" she commanded, locking eyes with him.

  Hoshi sighed. "Ah, youth and their blind faith in friends. But how can you be sure she feels the same?"

  "Why are you so bitter?" Ivan interjected, his brows furrowed.

  "Callista may be harsh and blunt, but she’s never harmed us. Labeling her a villain is an exaggeration," Denovan added with a smile.

  "You underestimated her too much," Ivan stated flatly.

  Hoshi looked back at Ignis, who spoke with conviction. "We trust her, and that’s all that matters."

  "Callista!" Ignis called out, his voice clear.

  The spears pinning Callista vanished in bursts of light. Gripping the spear in her stomach, she yanked it out and stood, grinning.

  Are they saying they never doubted her before? Despite all of the things she did?

  "Impossible!" Hoshi stammered, stunned.

  Callista smirked. "You gave me the tools to escape." She hurled the spear at them, shattering the barrier like glass.

  Hoshi stumbled back in surprise, almost tripping on his own feet as Callista slowly approached them with a villainous smile.

  'How... How is this even possible!?' Hoshi was horrified.

  "Gotcha," she said, landing a final blow that dissolved the fog. Callista looked at them but mostly zooming in towards Hoshi with a cold gaze despite her smirking lips, she rested a hand on her hip as she stared at him.

  "I didn’t enjoy what you showed me," she said, tilting her head with a sharp smile.

  Hoshi stared in disbelief, almost breathless. "What are you?"

  "A mage," Callista replied, flinching when Anastasia suddenly hugged her.

  "Don’t do that again!" Anastasia snapped, glaring at her.

  "Fine, fine. Now, let go," Callista muttered, gently pushing her away.

  "What we saw inside—" Ivan began but stopped when Callista gave him a sharp look.

  "I’d rather not talk about it," she said curtly, shifting the focus.

  "I would rather know why you forced us here," Callista said, her tone sharp but controlled. "You could’ve simply spoken to us or forced us out of your territory, yet you chose to push us into this valley instead. Let me remind you—I don’t appreciate being used as an example of a villain, a bad person. It’s hardly a revelation. But what I don’t understand," she added, her eyes narrowing, "is why you chose me for the role of villain."

  Her unwavering gaze bore into Hoshi, and for a moment, he said nothing. Then, with a sigh that carried centuries of weariness, he finally spoke.

  "You’re right," he admitted quietly. "And perhaps you already suspect who I am."

  Callista didn’t waver. "The ninth hero," she said.

  Hoshi nodded, his face darkening. "Yes. I was one of the ten who defeated the tyrant god long ago. And for that, we were cursed." His voice softened, but the bitterness behind it cut deep. "After the battle, we were granted immortality—or so we thought. It was supposed to be a gift, but one by one, the others began losing their sanity. People said it was the god’s vengeance, but whatever the truth, it tore us apart."

  He hesitated, the memories visibly weighing on him. "One of the fallen heroes was my closest friend. He ruled the Southern Kingdom before madness claimed him. At first, I didn’t understand his erratic behavior—until he took my lover and forced her into his 'Palace of Pleasure.' A cruel mockery of what it once meant to rule."

  Denovan’s face paled. "The Palace of Pleasure? You mean that place known for its… its—"

  "Sex slaves," Hoshi finished bluntly, his eyes distant. "Yes. My lover was among them. I was blinded by rage, desperate to save her. But he… he had her under his control. He threatened to kill her if she tried to leave, and I—" His voice broke slightly, and he let out a bitter laugh. "I couldn’t even wield a sword to protect her. I was the weakest of us all, blessed with power that couldn’t save the one person who mattered."

  The group remained silent, each word from Hoshi’s lips cutting deeper.

  "In my desperation," he continued, "I cast an illusion over the entire Palace. It drove everyone inside to madness, including him. When I finally fought my way through the chaos to find her, the Palace was already filled with corpses. And there she was." His voice faltered, a flicker of anguish crossing his face. "Dead. A stab wound to her chest. I could only assume she fought back in those final moments, but he… he must’ve killed her before I could reach her."

  For a moment, the forest was silent, the weight of his confession settling over them like a heavy fog.

  "And so you’ve lived here ever since," Anastasia said, her voice softer. "Punishing trespassers to remind them that not every friend is an ally."

  Hoshi nodded slowly, his gaze heavy with regret. "Yes. To make them see what I learned too late. That trust is a fragile thing—and betrayal can destroy everything."

  Anastasia held his gaze, while Callista's expression was unreadable. "Perhaps it’s time you stopped trying to teach others your pain," Anastasia said finally, her tone almost warming the air around them. "And started letting it go."

  For the first time, Hoshi’s shoulders slumped, the weight of her words hitting him harder than any spell ever could.

  "Maybe... your right..." Hoshi bitterly smiled as he looked down.

  "You still didn't answer my question though.." Callista raised a brow, crossing her arms against her chest.

  Hoshi smiled bitterly at Callista’s words. "A man came here and told me that five people would wander into my territory, trespassing. He said we both might find something… interesting."

  "What did he look like?" Anastasia asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.

  Hoshi furrowed his brows as he tried to recall. "He wore a cloak, had messy hair, green eyes, and a large, muscular build. I remember he was floating mid-air when I saw him."

  The group exchanged wary glances.

  "Did he sound… cocky?" Anastasia ventured, a particular individual coming to mind.

  "Yes, very much so," Hoshi replied with a slight frown.

  All at once, they facepalmed.

  "Professor Dan." they agreed in unison, nodding to each other.

  "Just what is Professor Dan thinking?" Ivan muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

  The conversation was interrupted by a sudden gagging sound from Callista. Everyone turned to her in alarm. Hoshi instinctively took a defensive stance, his gaze darting to the horizon.

  "A large group is approaching," he said sharply. "And they don’t seem like allies."

  Callista’s expression twisted with disgust as she waved her hand through the air. "It must be the Xayahs. I’d recognize that putrid stench anywhere."

  "What?!" Anastasia exclaimed. She turned to Hoshi, urgency clear in her tone. "Sir Hoshi, can you conjure that fog again?"

  Hoshi hesitated, his expression grim. "About that… I can’t."

  "What do you mean, you can’t?!"