"Boo!" Adalie screamed as she popped out of nowhere, shocking everyone in the room.

"What the fuck did you do that for, you psychotic bitch?!" TBOAH! White Star shouted in anger and embarrassment for being caught unaware.

"Well, for one, it's fun to see your shock faces." Adalie calmly answered with a mischievous grin. "Second, it's because it's Halloween today!"

"Halloween?" Hong asked curiously. 

"Yep!" Adalie agreed. "It's a day where horror takes life."

"I-it kills?" TCF! Basen stuttered in fear.

"Not really." TCF! Choi Han answered. "Just sometimes if something bad happens."

"It really happens?" TBOAH! Elishneh asked while looking interested. 

"Ignoring your creepy look, what I meant, Basen, is when horror becomes the main theme of the day, it doesn't mean literally." Adalie gently said. 

"Ohh~" TCF! Basen said in understanding.

"Anyway, are you all ready to scream?" Adalie asked with a slightly excited look. "I don't care because we're now starting!"

Warning: Not for the faint hearted. 

Chapter 350 – Severance (4)

The warmth shining down on Cale's face tickled his eyes. It felt like the morning sun.

'Sunlight?'

It was at that moment.
He heard someone's voice.

"Hm? Who is that?" TBOAH! Violan asked in confusion before looking at her counterpart. "Is the voice familiar for you?"

"Not at all." TCF! Violan said with a small frown, uncomfortable at the thought of her son together with a foreign person. What if he gets hurt or killed? It was doubtful considering his powers but still, it isn't impossible. 

"My lord, it is morning."

'Lord? Who? Me?'

Cale opened his eyes.
He could see the ceiling of his room at the Henituse Estate. He had opened his eyes while on his bed.

"Oh fuck." TCF! Cale immediately cursed with a slightly pale appearance. He didn't know why but he had a bad feeling about the entire show, especially because it was apparently Halloween today. Yes, you do lose your sense of time in this place, wherever it is. 

"It seems you are the lord of the Henituse county." TBOAH! Cale mused with a raised brow. "It seems your plan to be a slacker failed."

"This is a lie." TCF! Cale immediately defended heatedly while standing up. "There will never be a situation where I will take the mantle of lord. I'd rather di-sleep instead of wasting my time."

He immediately changed his words when he was stared at by the kids and the others. 

Chapter 351 – Severance (5)

He saw someone that he did not recognize as soon as he opened his eyes.

'Who is this?'

"Same question." Jung Soo said. "Are you in an alternate universe?"

"That doesn't happen in real life." TBOAH! Choi Han immediately denied.

"Hi." Rok Soo deadpan.

"Ahem." coughed TCF! Choi Han.

"...Oh yeah." TBOAH! Choi Han realized, slightly sighing and surprised at how he forgot about his experience and this room. 

It was a young boy who seemed to be a teenager.
His eyes opened wide once he made eye contact with Cale.

"Oh, my lord. You woke up right away, unlike usual."

"Stop calling me that!" TCF! Cale exclaimed in frustration before glaring at the amused Adalie. "If this is what you mean by horror, then I agree and want this to stop."

"Sorry but this is just the beginning." Adalie explained slowly. "Besides, shutting this down isn't up to me but the ones above."

"Above?" Mila asked.

"Yeah," Adalie agreed. "they're basically people who come watch you guys."

"Excuse me? Isn't that an invasion of privacy?" TBOAH! Witira asked with a frown.

"...Are you really asking me that? Didn't we already talk about it before?" Adalie said while pointing at the screen.   

Cale started to frown after seeing the teenager calling him, 'lord,' while looking directly at him.

'The moment you fear the most will greet you.'

The contents of the test popped up in his mind.

"Test?" the half-dragon asked in confusion.

"Oh!" the wind realized. "Could it be..."

"Probably." super rock agreed, understanding the wind even when she trailed off in the end. Unfortunately, no one else understood so they were stuck looking at the in confusion.

"I'll apologize now, Cale." the wind said, giving most of the people in the room a bad feeling.

"He won't be harmed, right?" TBOAH! Hans asked worriedly.

"I don't think so." the wind answered. "It's just all an illusion, not real."

'Doesn't mean it can't hurt him mentally.' some thought with a helpless feeling.

"...I'm the Lord of the territory?"

'Is this related to what I fear the most?'

Cale's expression turned odd.

'This is what I fear?'

"I don't think that's what you fear." Taylor mused. "Just what you hate."

"If that's the case, what would you fear?" TCF! Cage asked TCF! Cale.

"I'm not sure." TCF! Cale said before realization hit him and he silently bit his lips.

'Could it be? No, I'm sure it won't be.' he denied in his mind. 'I'm sure they're all fine.'

"Are you still not fully awake yet, my lord?"

The way this teenager treated the Lord of a territory was similar to how he would treat a close adult. The teenager shook his head and continued to speak as Cale just quietly looked at him.

"Yes sir, yes sir. You are a very famous lord. You are the great hero who saved our Roan Kingdom as well as the Western continent and the Eastern continent from the evil White Star."

"Excuse me?!" TCF! White Star shouted, his voice becoming a little higher in anger. "He killed me?!"

'He is definitely someone I need to ally with.' TCF! Duke Fredo thought, thinking of ways he can lure the young man to his side. 'Money? Or a promise of not letting anyone bother him after helping me?' 

They both conveniently forgot that it was all an illusion.

Cale started to frown again.
The teenager has a mischievous smile after seeing Cale's reaction.

"The Lord-nim always puts on such an expression whenever I say that. Please get up. It is time for breakfast."

Both Rons looked disturbed at this, not used to seeing anyone other than them or Hans serve the young lad. 

'Did I retire there?' TCF! Ron thought. 'But if I did, just like my other version, Hans should have been the one in charge, not this stranger.'

Cale looked toward the teenager who was heading toward the half-open curtains.

'Saved the world from the evil White Star?'

That phrase struck Cale the most over being called a great hero or the territory's lord.

"Why?" TBOAH! Pen asked as both Rosalyn sighed in disappointment, seeing how he did not understand what the young master was getting at. 

"It's because we still haven't finished ending the white rad-star." TCF! Rosalyn decided to explain. "So it appears that this is the future where everything is done."

'...Is this after everything is over?'

Was this test showing him the future after everything was done?

"Knowing your luck, it will never be that simple." TCF! Alberu said as many nod in agreement.

"Maybe my human is lucky this time around." Raon tried to defend but it was obvious even he didn't believe it.

"Young master Cale has the worst yet best luck I've ever seen." TCF! Mary said while looking at the screen. 

"Yeah, he gets great rewards for a deep price." Paseton agreed. 

Cale's gaze that was following behind the teenager stopped somewhere.
He then flinched.

He could see a mirror.

'...I look to be in my mid-thirties.'

"I look so old." TBOAH! Cale said with a look of distaste. "Is that how you used to look like, Rok Soo?"

"A little older than that." Rok Soo admitted without any hint of awkwardness although he did look at the face in curiosity. "I never thought that I would see it again." 

'Especially that look,' he continued in his thoughts. 'That screams of exhaustion. I started getting that after everyone...died...so why does he have that look?'

A mature face different than the original Cale of his twenties was looking back at him in the mirror.
It was a very tired and weak-looking face frowning back at him.

"Cale-nim." TCF! Choi Han said with a frown.

"Sigh, what is your future self doing, brat?" Eruhaben asked with a frustrated look. "Wasn't your goal to be someone who lives a slacker life? Why do you look tired, then?"

"Ask him." TCF! Cale said while pointing on the screen with a frown. "And that's not my future, just a fake one."

"What can happen in your thoughts can happen to you in real life." TBOAH! Rei said.

He was frowning the same way right now.

Chhhhhhhh.

He could hear the curtains being opened. Cale looked at the sunlight reflecting off of the mirror as he started to speak.

"How old am I?"
"Excuse me?"

The teenager asked back in confusion, but Cale did not mind.

"Pfft, isn't this like the first time you woke up and asked your butler about his son?" Soo Hyuk questioned with a small laugh.

He was in the middle of a test. He needed to gather as much information as possible if he wanted to quickly complete this test.

"Of course you do." Jour said with a fond smile.

"Aigoo, lord-nim."

The teenager sighed as he responded back.

"That sounds so wrong." TCF! Shawn said.

"You are 36 years old this year."

36 years old.
That gave Cale an odd feeling.

The Birth of a Hero. Kim Rok Soo's age before he transported into the novel and Cale Henituse's body was thirty-six.

"Well...do you look better as Cale or Rok Soo?" Adalie suddenly asked which made everyone look at her incredulously.

"Are you drunk, Panda?" TBOAH! White Star asked in disgust. "Or did you suddenly fall in love with that bastard?"

"Do you have to relate everything to love?" the panda asked in irritation. "I just admire him and is curious."

"No comment." TCF! Cale said with a slight shiver as Adalie huffed in frustration.

Really, does she look like someone who falls in love with appearances? She's a panda, for fuck's sake!

"I'm curious too, though." the wind murmured but received no answer.

'Did they forget that the 40 year old Rok Soo is here in the room with us right now??' Jung Soo thought with a blank look. 'And I thought I was the forgetful one in this room.' 

Cale thought about his past when he had sat in a corner of his room rolling around his bed and reading 'The Birth of a Hero.'

The frown on Cale's face did not seem like it would ever go away, and the teenager must have been looking at him as he purposely made himself sound excited as he started to speak.

"It's been over 10 years since peace returned to the continent. It is all thanks to you, my lord."

"So you defeated the white star when you were around 26 years old over there?" TBOAH! Kora asked. 

"That's amazing." TBOAH! Eric praised.

"Thanks to me, my ass."

Cale subconsciously commented and the teenager responded back.

"Pfft! My lord, that is always your answer to that statement!"

Those closest with TCF! Cale felt awkward seeing their interaction, a small feeling of jealousy blooming in their chest but they shrugged it off. They have no right to feel envious of that strange man when he hasn't appeared yet. 

̶O̶f̶f̶ ̶t̶o̶p̶i̶c̶,̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶i̶d̶e̶a̶ t̶o̶ ̶a̶v̶o̶i̶d̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶w̶h̶o̶ ̶l̶o̶o̶k̶s̶ ̶s̶u̶s̶p̶i̶c̶i̶o̶u̶s̶l̶y̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶g̶u̶y̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶c̶r̶e̶e̶n̶.̶ ̶

The mischievous laughter made Cale slowly turn away from the mirror.

He could see the window that had been covered by the curtains.
He looked at the scenery outside the window.

"...This is the Lord's Castle."

It was Cale's bedroom in the Henituse Estate. The fact that the bedroom looked the same made Cale believe that this was the Count's Estate.

"At least you know you weren't kidnapped." Rasheel said.

However, the scenery outside the window was higher than usual for it to be his bedroom.

"Well, you are the new lord so I doubt you'll stay in the same room." TCF! Glenn commented.

Only the Lord's Castle had a room this high up in the Henituse territory.
It looked as if the Cale Henituse of this life had created his bedroom in the Lord's Castle.

"Why would you!!" complained TCF! Cale in anger, thinking about all the hard work he needs to do there. "Are you stupid?!"

"It's really interesting and enjoyable to see a noble who despises his rightful title." Taylor said with a soft smile, thinking about his own family where everyone tries to kill each other just for it. "Sigh, I really want you to be my younger sibling, young master Cale."

"No!" both versions of Lily and Basen immediately shouted, hugging their respective sibling closer.

'...Why did he put his bedroom in the Lord's Castle instead of the Count's Estate? Is he so busy that he can't even go home?'

Both Henituse family frowned at this, wondering where they were when their own son was this busy. Were they out enjoying their retirement life? But what about the other children? There's no doubt in the parents' mind that they would help their brother with all of the ability.

Being a lord was already annoying, but he was also a busy lord.

"Basen, promise me you'll take the title." TCF! Cale immediately told his little brother who, stunned, nod in agreement. It was only when TCF! Cale sighed in relief that he realized what happened and slightly paled. Was he ready to take such a huge responsibility?

Cale inputted that piece of information in his mind as he focused on the scenery outside the window.

He could see a clear sky and more buildings than he remembered down below, along with small specks of people walking by.

He watched this for a moment before starting to speak.

"...But."

It wasn't there.
Something that was supposed to be here was not here.

"Which is?" TCF! Rosalyn asked, not seeing anything off. 

36 years old.
Cale Henituse who was now at the age where Kim Rok Soo disappeared started to speak.

"Where is Ron?"

"Oh? I'm touched that you remember me, young master." TCF! Ron said with a smile. "I shall prepare some lemon tea when we have a break again."

TCF! Cale could only curse his other self as many laughed.

"It's alright, Cale-nim!" TBOAH! Clopeh said. "I shall drink all of it for you!"

"Alright." TCF! Cale agreed. "Thanks, Clopeh."

"AHHH!!! Cale-nim thanked me!" with that, TBOAH! Clopeh fainted from happiness as his other version also promised the same thing but received no response.

"Cale-nimmm, notice me please!!" TCF! Clopeh begged. 

He wasn't here.
The person who should be waking Cale up was Ron.

'Shouldn't I be happy?' TCF! Cale thought. 'I won't have to drink that horrid drink anymore.'

So why can't he remove the bad feeling he has in his gut?

There were also other existences who should be here when he woke up that were not here. The existences who would yawn or say that they were hungry or wake up earlier than Cale and talk with each other about traveling the world were not here.

The children were not here.

"Oh yeah, nya!" On realized.

"Why are we not there?" Hong asked with teary eyes. "Did Cale...abandon us?"

He whispered the last words but were still heard by everyone in the room.

"Of course not." TCF! Cale immediately denied as he scooped the two kittens up. "I'm sure you two were busy playing with Raon."

"Yeah, yeah!" Raon agreed, flying near them.

A completely emotionless face turned toward the teenager.

"...Ah."

The teenager had a complicated expression on his face.

"I hate his face." TCF! Choi Han scowled. 

"Jealous?" TCF! Rosalyn asked.

"Don't act like you aren't also, noona." TCF! Lock said, having noticed the irked expression on the lady's first since awhile ago.

"I'm not." TCF! Rosalyn denied. "Just a little...sad that we aren't with him there."

"That, my lord. Are you very tired?"

The teenager tried to change topics.

"He sucks at it." TBOAH! Odeus commented.

However, the teenager could only smile awkwardly and start to speak after seeing Cale's quiet demeanor and serious expression.

"That's a face that doesn't take no as an answer." Dodori said, remembering the times his own mother had that face. 

"Hero Ron Molan is in your heart lord-nim, along with the hearts of myself and the rest of the citizens of the continent."

"Haaaaaaaaa."

Cale let out a sigh. He closed his eyes.

"What the fuck does that mean?" TBOAH! Cage cursed, irritated at how they couldn't get a straight answer.

"He's corny as shit." TBOAH! Elisneh remarked.

He suddenly recalled the people who came to console him when he was watching over that funeral during his life as Kim Rok Soo.
Some of them had looks of pity on their faces as they spoke to him.

Both Jung Soo and Soo Hyuk inched closer to TCF! Cale who stayed silent, doing his best to stop that moment from reemerging from his memory.

'Mr. Rok Soo, no, I guess I should call you team leader-nim now. Team leader-nim, we will all remember the sacrifices of the former team leader-nim and the others.'
'Everyone will know of their great deeds.'

It was when the cataclysm had happened on Earth.

Many still flinched at the sight, still not used to seeing such horrors.

Many people had lost one or two family members.

The people under team leader Lee Soo Hyuk in the company that Cale had entered as a rookie were all people who were left alone with no family members.

Unlike Kim Rok Soo, who was an orphan long before the cataclysm, team leader Lee Soo Hyuk and the other team members had all lost family members due to the cataclysm.

Many gazed at the two Koreans in pity but they just shrugged.

"Don't look at us like that." Jung Soo said. "It's been a long time, we're already over it."

That was why Cale, no, Kim Rok Soo, was the only one who could watch over the funeral.

And now...
What the teenager just said passed through Cale's mind again.
It was the answer to Ron's location.

"No..." both Beacrox whispered heartbrokenly as many looked at the two Ron in the room in shock and sadness.

"Well, that's to be expected." TBOAH! Ron said with his other self nodding in agreement. "We have lived a long time now so death is just in the corner for us."

Both Beacrox just hugged their fathers.

'Hero Ron Molan is in your heart lord-nim, along with the hearts of myself and the rest of the citizens of the continent.'

Cale closed his eyes.

Was he joking?
It was possible that this mischievous teenager was joking.
A calm voice started to come out of his mouth.

A smack was then heard which was followed by a huge 'ow!'.

"What the fuck was that for!" TCF! Cale shouted.

"I already told you a million times to stop acting like that, you stupid idiot!" Jung Soo scolded.

"You're the idiot, idiot!" TCF! Cale retorted. 

He didn't know why he was acting childish right now but can't seem to stop.

'Is something wrong with me?' he wondered.

'You're sad at the news, fool!' Adalie wanted to shout.

"What about On and Hong? Raon?"

The teenager responded back.

"...My lord-"

He sounded full of sorrow and concern. That was enough.
Cale thought about the contents of the test once again.

'The moment you fear the most will greet you.'

Cale's pupils were shaking as if they were waves.

"What a fucked up test." Rasheel said with a scowl. "Even I won't do something like that."

"Want to go first, Cale?" Adalie asked, a bit worried at how he was just staring at the screen blankly.

"...I'm fine." he said, his eyes glowing evilly. "I just need to watch all of this and take revenge later."

'Damn, he snapped.' Adalie thought before shrugging. 'Oh well, I'm innocent and that's all that matters.'

"...What a cruel test."

His eyelids were shaking. He didn't really know what kind of expression he should have right now.

'Wow, Kim Rok Soo was so terrible. He didn't even shed a tear.'
'I know, right? His friends and sunbaes all died, but how could his expression not even change?'
'Expression not change? I did see him frown a few times.'
'He's terrible. What a terrible bastard. I wonder if he even knows what sadness is.'

Many scowled at this, wondering if they can go there and, ahem, talk with the people. Yep, talk without any other reason.

Cale jumped up from the bed. The teenager who seemed to be his servant came over as Cale walked toward the door he assumed was the restroom.
His servant started to speak.

"You do not have anything planned this morning."

'I'm the lord but I have nothing to do?
My father, Count Deruth, was always busy.'

"How unfair." TCF! Deruth slightly sulked in jealousy. 

"It's alright." TCF! Violan comforted.

"Hah!" Jour laughed. "It shows that my son is more responsible compared to his father."

"He is." TCF! Violan agreed. "If only his father could be the same."

"Right?" Jour said with a grin.

'It seems they're friends with no hesitation or awkwardness.' many thought. 

Cale opened his mouth to speak.

"...What about the administrative tasks for the territory?"

The teenager tilted his head in confusion at Cale's question before responding back.

"His majesty sent amazing people to the territory for you, my lord. That is why you leave everything other than the very important tasks to them. H, his majesty said that he was granting your wish, my lord."

"The king did?" TBOAH! Tasha asked in surprise.

"That's shocking." TBOAH! Alberu commented. "He never bothers with anything except important people."

"I mean, young master Cale did save the world from the villain there." TBOAH! Pen said. "I'm sure even the king respects him."

'Please no.' TCF! Cale thought. 'I don't need another annoyance in my life.'

Cale's expression turned odd.

His majesty.

Cale's wish.

It made him think about Alberu Crossman.

"Aww, I'm touched." TCF! Alberu teased. 

"Of course, you are the future king who will grant me my wishes." TCF! Cale said which caused TCF! Alberu to scowl.

He was the scammer here, damn it, not the red head!

The king gave him enough support to be a lord who could slack off.
That sounded similar to how Alberu Crossman said that he would allow Cale to be a slacker.

"It does." TCF! Alberu admitted hesitantly before whispering. "I never thought I would fulfill it."

"...What is his majesty's name?"

The teenager responded back to Cale's question with confusion.

"Robbit Crossman?"

It was not crown prince Alberu's name.
That was the second prince's name.

"...Nothing happened to him, right?" TCF! Tasha said with a smile although her shaking hands showed she was nervous. "He just didn't become king, right?"

No one could reassure her, knowing that Alberu was the only one who was destined to be a king. If he wasn't...then something might have happened.

"I'm sure I just thought that being a king is boring." TCF! Alberu comforted his aunt.

"...How annoying."

Cale started to feel angry. On the other hand, his body became extremely cold as if he had been covered in cold water.
Cale did not know this, but the tips of his fingers were shaking.
However, his voice was still calm.

The glares he received caused him to wish he could go back in time and agree leaving the room. It wasn't his fault it became a habit of his to ignore his feelings! 

"I will be moving on my own this morning."

He then turned around and entered the restroom. He could see the confused servant outside the door, but Cale did not care.
He did not ask for his new servant's name.
He did not want to ask.

Even the White Star felt pity for the young man on the screen whose back looked extremely lonely. 

* * *

"...My lord?"

Cale could see some knights calling for him, but he just glanced at them before continuing to walk.
The knights could not stop Cale, but their expressions were odd.

"I would too if I see my lazy boss walking in the morning." Soo Hyuk teased.

'Damn it.'

Cale, who knew the meaning behind their expressions, couldn't help but be annoyed.

There was a thick book in Cale's hand.
He was tightly clenching on the book, but it was so thick that it was hard to even leave a dent.

"Maybe I should practice more?" TCF! Cale whispered before shaking his head. "No, I won't give up on my slacker time."

'Your slacker time is 24/7!' Eruhaben wanted to argue but felt pity for his other self so he stayed quiet. 

He had taken this book from the library at the Lord's Castle.

Cale spent all day looking for things.

He wanted to know what had happened in the past.
He wanted to know what happened in the 16 years that had passed by.
He swept through everywhere looking for information.

"Young master Cale looks desperate." Maes whispered with a frown, sad that he couldn't help the one who helped him and his family. 

Crunch.

He could hear the crunching of the leaves.
It was Fall right now.

It was late Spring in the real world, but it was late Fall here.

Many allies of TCF! Cale took note of the date, planning on checking when that will happen and prevent him from going or at least accompany him there so he won't suffer alone.

Cale only looked forward as he walked.

Crunch, crunch.

Leaves crunched under his feet.

However, Cale only continued to look forward and there was no emotion on his face.
Cale stopped walking.

"...Haaaa."

He couldn't help but sigh.

"...This is definitely a fake and crazy test, but..."

The book fell to the ground.

Plop.

The fallen book opened.

"I don't want to know." TBOAH! Lily said while covering her eyes although there were gaps in it so that she could still look. 

'Lily...' TBOAH! Basen doesn't know what to say.

< ...Final battle against the White Star. The Count's Estate was destroyed when the White Star attacked the Henituse territory. >

Cale could see the destroyed Henituse Estate.

< The people of the Count's household protected the citizens in Cale Henituse's absence while waiting for him, but ended up either critically injured or killed. The critically injured ended up all dying in the end as well. >

Count Deruth, Countess Violan, Basen, and Lily.
Deputy Butler Hans, chef Beacrox, and servant Ron.

None of the people related to the Count's household were in this test world.

"Ex-fucking-cuse me?" TCF! Cale asked with a smile. "Where the fuck was I?"

"Chill, Cale, it's just a test world." Adalie tried making him relax. "Just think of it as a...fanfiction a very sadistic person wrote for you like...the white star!"

"I'll kill him." TCF! Cale said with a dark glare towards both white stars as he sat back down.

 'At least he's not angry anymore.' Adalie thought. 'Revengeful but not angry.'

Everybody related to Cale had died.
Cale was the only one left.
It was a severance.

He was split away from the world.

Many looked grim at this. 

"Don't worry, Cale-nim, this will never happen." TCF! Choi Han promised, already vowing to triple his daily practice.

Chhh.

The late Fall wind turned the pages of the book.

< ...Choi Han and Rosalyn, the two of them were working together to fight the White Star until they were hit by white lighting from above. However, the people of the Western continent who were underneath the lighting were able to survive thanks to their sacrifices.>

Both versions of the two smiled at each other, glad that they died with someone close, not that they want that but it felt...reassuring in a way. 

< ...No more necromancers were left on the continent. Mary, the final necromancer. She was the last one. >

Both versions of Obante and Tasha hugged their respective Mary who looked confused.

Many names passed by as the pages turned.
On, Hong, Lock, Beacrox, Eruhaben, Jack, Hannah, etc.

All of the pages with names were crumpled.
There were some light cuts on Cale's fingers.

He had gotten those papercuts while crumpling or quickly turning the pages.
His eyes were bloodshot.

< Hero Cale Henituse's forever close friend, Raon Miru. We must talk about that Dragon. We must talk about his noble death...... >

Chhh.

"Don't worry, Human, I will never leave you!" Raon promised.

"Us too, us too!" the two cats said next before everyone followed.

It took ten minutes for everyone to calm down. 

The wind stopped and the book stopped on the last page.

< The final battle. Hero Cale Henituse was the only one to survive. >
< ...He indicated that he wanted to keep the traces of his friends and family who were with him in the final battle at his estate. The Roan Kingdom's current ruler, Robbit Crossman, decided to honor hero Cale Henituse's desire rather than creating a monument to keep these articles left by the deceased. >
< ...However, nobody could tell where that Estate Cale Henituse mentioned was located. He secluded himself in his territory after the final battle and never appeared to the world again. >

"You shouldn't do that, fool." Eruhaben scolded. "You already do that too much right now."

"...I'll stop." TCF! Cale promised, mostly because he was angry and wanted revenge. Plus, he didn't want to cough too much blood anymore, realizing that he didn't want to leave too early by accident and give major heartache to his friends and children. 

Cale started to speak.

"Super Rock."

There was no response.
He tried calling all of the owners of the ancient powers. None of them responded to his voice.

"You can't contact anyone in the real world until you finish the test, I'm sorry." the wind apologized with a heartbreaking expression.

"It's alright," TCF! Cale comforted. "it isn't your fault."

'I need to hurry up and complete this test.'

Cale had a reason to finish this test. No, he wanted it to end.

"That's right, that's right." TBOAH! Bud agreed. "The earlier, the better."

Cale picked up the book.

< His estate. >

Those words caught his attention.
Cale changed directions.

He felt as if he knew where everyone would be.

The Super Rock Villa. The place Cale wanted to live in once everything was over.

"And we will." TCF! Hannah promised with her brother agreeing. 

The Forest of Darkness.

That was where he was headed.

"...I hate this."

He hated tests like this.
The back of the walking 36 years old Cale Henituse was extremely similar to the 36 years old Kim Rok Soo's back.

His shoulders were slumped.

"How much longer will this go on?" TCF! Cale asked in annoyance, hating the constant reminded of his old life as Rok Soo. 

Chapter 352: Tears (1)

"What a great title." TBOAH! John said sarcastically. 

"...How tiring."

Cale patted his shoulder with his hand.

Harris Village.
Cale had traveled to Harris Village. He had left on his own without telling anybody, so there might be chaos at the Lord's Castle right about now...

"It's all fake. So, it doesn't matter."

"I still can't help but pity those in the castle." TBOAH! Valentino said. 

"Yeah," TBOAH! Billos agreed. "imagine their panicked self when they realize their lord left without anyone knowing where."

'Doesn't matter.'
'It is fake. It is not real.'

Cale repeated those phrases to himself as he looked in front of him.

TCF! Cale silently took a deep breath, preparing to see his other self break down.

He could see a tall stone wall in front of him.

This stone wall was created to separate the Forest of Darkness and Harris Village, as well as to protect the Henituse territory from the mutant monsters of the Forest of Darkness.

If.
If Raon was here right now.

'Human, human! Are we going to our house? Are we going to see everyone? I want to see them all!'

Raon wanted to speak but knew it wasn't the time so he just silently hugged his human. 

'Don't cry,' he wanted to convey. 'We're all here for you.'

Cale started to frown.

"I should buy him an apple pie."

"I want some now." Raon complained, stopping when Adalie gave him some which he shared with his human and siblings.

Cale thought about things he would do after finishing the test as he stood in front of the castle wall.

Crackle.

Cale quietly observed the small rose gold thunderbolt on top of his palm.

"...How odd."

The cheapskate.
The rose gold light of the Fire of Destruction was definitely on Cale's palm, however, he could not hear the cheapskate's voice no matter how hard he tried.

The fire frowned, not liking that idea. How else would Cale give him money if he can't be heard? Damn it, this must not happen or he'll lose his money-giver!

This was the same for the Indestructible Shield, the Scary Giant Cobblestone, and the Sound of the Wind.
None of them were responding to Cale.

"That's a fucking mess." the water cursed. 

Cale lifted his head up.

Swoooooosh- Swooooooosh-

Wind gathered at the tips of his feet.
His body soon shot up into the air. He could see the lush forest once he flew up to the top of the stone wall.

The Forest of Darkness.

Cale let out a sigh as soon as he saw the green forest.

"This place is the same."

Cale could see the Forest of Darkness that was almost exactly like the one in his memories.
His body quickly started to move.

Many worriedly glanced at TCF! Cale who had a permanent scowl on his face.

He was moving toward the cave entrance.
He got rid of the Sound of the Wind once he got there and slowly started to walk into the cave.
The book was still in his hand.
Cale started to speak.

"...The first place the White Star personally appeared during the final battle was the Henituse territory, and then, and then-"

"Shit."

"No, continue on, damn it!" TCF! Cale cursed, wanting to know what happened and all that.  

Cale couldn't help but cuss.
He opened the book.

He could not remember the contents.

'He's more frazzled then what we thought.' Soo Hyuk thought with a frown. TCF! Cale always had a good memory even when in danger so seeing how he couldn't remember anything shows how fucked up he was.

He made a guess and turned to a page.

< The White Star started in the Henituse territory as they invaded the Roan Kingdom and the entire Western continent's northeast region. There were many casualties during this time, and numerous heroes lost their lives as well. >

Cale's former team leader Lee Soo Hyuk's voice popped up in his mind.

'Hey, rookie. How come you can remember anything you want to remember after seeing it once, but never remember anything you don't want to remember as if you have amnesia?'

"Oh, I remember that time!" Soo Hyuk exclaimed with a smile. "Didn't you just glare at me, called me nosy, and left? Leaving our other co-workers laughing at me?"

"You were too nosy." TCF! Cale said coldly although a small smile bloomed on his face. "Asking too many questions at once. I always wondered how you don't run out of breath."

"He was annoying, wasn't he?" Jung Soo joined.

"You're more annoying." TCF! Cale deadpanned.

Cale walked through the cave path that was lit up by a magic light as he looked through the book.

He could not read this book well.
He could not remember the contents of this book very well.

Rustle.

A page crumpled again. Cale was starting to get angry.

"Uh-oh."Pendrick, who saw TCF! Cale during his crazy moments (the money-burning incident that will forever be engraved in his head), couldn't help but feel pity for the person he's mad at. After all, if TCF! Cale could do crazy things with a sane mind, what about when he's angry?

"That crazy thief."

Said thief flinched and hid behind the Super Rock.

'How can she make a test like this?'

"It wasn't me!" the thief cried.

Cale's gaze calmed down a bit.

Tap. Tap.

Only his footsteps could be heard in this cave.
His footsteps slowed down as he continued to walk.

He had run from the Lord's Castle to the Forest of Darkness and even to this cave entrance faster than anybody else.

"You ran?!" TCF! Bud exclaimed in shock, not shutting up even when his friend glared at him. "You hate to even walk!"

However, when heading to the place that should be at the end of this cave... Cale's footsteps heading toward the Super Rock Villa continued to slow down.
He kept thinking about what would be waiting for him there.

Of course, Cale knew he needed to go.

He knew he needed to finish this test as soon as possible.

"That's right!" TBOAH! Amiru agreed.

He knew that there were people waiting for him in the real world.

"We are." Taylor agreed.

"...But still."

"There's no 'but still'!" TCF! Cage exclaimed. "We're waiting for you so quickly finish that test up!"

Cale stopped walking.
His voice was calm.

"I can't be like this."

Cale clenched his fists. His face did not have any emotions on it. He slammed down with a closed fist.

Pow!

Cale slammed down on his thighs and legs that had stopped moving.

Many looked away, not being able to withstand seeing their confident friend lose himself.

"Young master Cale..." Paseton whispered with sadness, wanting to help his savior.

"Damn..." TCF! Archie murmured, shock at seeing the man who easily ordered him around as a boat break down.

He then continued to talk to himself.

"I can't be like this."

He was slowing down.
He was slowing down when every moment was pressing. He was slowing down when there was a mountain load of things to do. How could he stop here?

"Are you stupid?" Rok Soo suddenly asked. "You want to become a slacker when you have so many responsibilities?"

"Yeah!" TBOAH! Cale agreed. "Give back our title that we worked so hard to earn, damn it!"

"You did nothing to earn that!" argued TCF! Cale. 

"We so did something," Rok Soo denied. "how do you think we gained that much alcohol tolerance?"

"Young master-nims." TCF! Ron suddenly voiced out, causing both Rok Soo and TBOAH! Cale to flinch. 

"We were just joking, R-Ron." stuttered Rok Soo with his past self agreeing.

"I shall serve you two some lemon tea later as we have a little chat." TCF! Ron said with his other self agreeing. TCF! Cale smirked at this, glad he was spared.

"Don't think you are excluded, young master-nim." TCF! Ron said while looking at TCF! Cale who paled.

'RIP.' most of the people in the room thought.

This was not something that Cale Henituse, no, Kim Rok Soo should be doing.

Pow, pow!

He continued to slam down on his tired thighs that did not want to keep walking. However, his expression remained stoic.

"I know, I know." TCF! Cale the moment Jung Soo opened his mouth. "You don't need to repeat it over and over again, mom."

"Ahem." both Jour and TCF! Violan coughed at the same time.

"I was just being sarcastic, I don't really treat him as a mother." TCF! Cale quickly explained as the two Koreans laughed their asses off at seeing the mocking TCF! Cale's attitude turn 180.

'Kim Rok Soo, I...I.'

He heard his former team leader Lee Soo Hyuk's voice in his mind.
It was something he remembered even though he hated it.

'Will you shut your trap?'
'Shut what? Well, looks like I'll be shutting up for all eternity in a moment.'
'...Please don't speak nonsense either.'
'I'll say what I want to say. Kim Rok Soo, hey Rok Soo.'
'...What is it?'
'I leave it to you. Got it?'
'...I thought you told me to be a slacker?'
'Hey, have you ever seen anything in the world go the way you want it to go? You, cough! Anyway...I, I leave it to you, Rok Soo. Hey Rok Soo. Take care of things for me.'

Some weaker ones had tears in their eyes as Adalie blew her nose in sadness.

'Why do I have to see this line again and now even hearing it?!' she complained as she wiped away her tears. 'My heart...boohoo!!!'

'Damn it.'

Cale stood up straight again.
He then started to walk once again.
His steps that had slowed down before coming to a halt had returned to their normal speed once again.

The voices of the people in other departments who were speaking without knowing he was there were going through his mind.

"Can we skip this part?" TCF! Cale suddenly asked, not wanting anyone to hear it. 

"Alright." Adalie agreed, knowing he wanted to skip it mostly for himself and not for the others. Even though he doesn't show it, his heart was fragile and hearing other people talk bad about you is bound to hurt anyone.

 ̶'̶H̶e̶y̶.̶ ̶T̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶s̶n̶a̶k̶e̶ ̶K̶i̶m̶ ̶R̶o̶k̶ ̶S̶o̶o̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶ ̶c̶r̶y̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶ ̶w̶h̶o̶ ̶s̶a̶v̶e̶d̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶l̶i̶f̶e̶ ̶d̶i̶e̶d̶.̶ ̶H̶o̶w̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶e̶m̶o̶t̶i̶o̶n̶l̶e̶s̶s̶?̶'̶̶'̶.̶.̶.̶W̶h̶o̶ ̶k̶n̶o̶w̶s̶.̶ ̶A̶t̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶s̶t̶ ̶t̶e̶a̶m̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶L̶e̶e̶ ̶S̶o̶o̶ ̶H̶y̶u̶k̶ ̶p̶i̶c̶k̶e̶d̶ ̶a̶ ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶s̶u̶c̶c̶e̶s̶s̶o̶r̶ ̶b̶e̶f̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶e̶f̶t̶.̶ ̶K̶i̶m̶ ̶R̶o̶k̶ ̶S̶o̶o̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶v̶e̶r̶y̶ ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶j̶o̶b̶.̶'̶̶'̶H̶e̶ ̶m̶a̶y̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶ ̶e̶m̶o̶t̶i̶o̶n̶l̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶b̶a̶s̶t̶a̶r̶d̶,̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶s̶t̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶j̶o̶b̶.̶'̶

(I might have allowed them to skip it but you are all suffering with me!)

An emotionless Cale walked toward the end of the cave.

The thing he feared the most.
Cale knew what that was, however, it was fake this time.

"That is why it doesn't matter."

Cale said that to himself as he continued to walk.

'Even though you know it's fake, it's still painful.' the half-blood thought bitterly as memories flashed in his mind. 'I know it.'

Tap. Tap.

He was walking in a set cadence as he continued without any hesitation. Cale could finally see the end of the path.
A brighter light than the dim magic lights located periodically inside the path could be seen.

Cale walked into the light.

"You look so holy, Cale-nim!" cried out TCF! Clopeh as he bowed down to worship.

"Great, his awake." TCF! Witira scowled. "How annoying."

"It looks the same."

It was exactly the same.
It looked exactly like the last time Cale saw the Super Rock Villa.

That was why he was able to walk into the villa with a more relaxed demeanor.

"I will never see that place the same way again." murmured TCF! Jack with slight tears in his eyes. 

He then opened the room doors one by one.

"Ha, haha-"

He then started to laugh.

"...Ha, my goodness."

He couldn't believe it.
It was an empty laughter.

Many flinched at the laugh. 

"He won't go crazy and attack the White Star, right?" TBOAH! Kora asked.

"I'm hopeful he will but no, he probably won't." TCF! Shawn answered.

Saint Jack's prayer room and bedroom.
Sword master Hannah's bedroom.
Necromancer Mary's laboratory and bedroom.
Rosalyn's laboratory.

Click. Click.

"It looks so clean," TBOAH! Rex murmured. "but so empty at the same time."

"Yeah, it feels cold." Rei Stecker agreed.

"Colder than a dead body." TBOAH! Duke Fredo added. 

Cale's laughter became louder each time he opened a door.
It was the same.

Their rooms were exactly as Cale remembered.
Well, there were slight differences.

He saw the Condemnation of the Sun on top of Saint Jack's desk. The cracked divine item was sitting there.

Sword master Hannah's sword was gently placed on top of her bed.

One of Mary's many black robes and a black wyvern bone were in Mary's laboratory.

Rosalyn's magic staff and a highest-grade magic stone that Cale had given her but she didn't get to finish using were on top of her desk.

"...How can he keep those things and visit it without giving up?" TBOAH! Toonka quietly asked his friend. While he gives no care about the lives of his fellow comrades in war, he thought about what would happen if it was his dear friend Harol and flinched at the thought. 

He would have gone crazy from the beginning and died seeking revenge. 

Cale stopped for a moment and looked through the book.

< ...The majority of the people who were hit by the formidable attack of the White Star and his subordinates lost their lives and their bodies disappeared without any trace. >
< ...That is why it was difficult to create graves for many of these great heroes. There was nothing to bury. >

"What a suckish way to die." TCF! Hannah commented before shrugging at the glares she was given. "What? It's true. If I will die, I want to go out with a bang and not like that."

"Technically," TBOAH! Adin said. "You did go out with a bang. That's why there's no body left."

"Ha, haha-"

Cle's empty laughter echoed throughout the villa.
He opened his mouth to speak.

"This is their grave."

This large plaza located underneath the Forest of Darkness. This was their grave.

"...Don't even dare." TCF! Cale darkly said the moment some of the enemies opened their mouths. "I'm not afraid of killing you right here and now."

'Damn...he really snapped already.' Adalie thought. 'Well, it's later than I expected.'

Click.

Cale opened the door to another room.

The rooms where Lock and his siblings had stayed in appeared in front of him.
Cale caressed the Wolf King's diary that he had given to Lock before continuing to walk.

Both versions of Choi Han and Rosalyn hugged their respective Lock who didn't know what to feel about their deaths. TBOAH! Lock felt it was natural and didn't understand the big fuss while TCF! Lock felt scared, not wanting to leave his siblings alone.

Click. Click.

Beacrox and Ron.
He saw the scary father-son duo's rooms as well.

"We have a room there as well?" TCF! Beacrox asked with a raised brow. 

"Naturally." Adalie answered. "Cale's just being  a big tsun-tsun for not agreeing."

"Tsun...tsun?" TBOAH!" Jopis asked in curiosity. "Sounds stupid."

"Oh, it's just a shortcut for the word tsundere." Adalie explained. "I don't even know why I said it. The pressure must have been getting in to me."

'You're just watching!' many thought.

"And before you say that I'm just watching, watching it stressful damn it!" Adalie chided. 

"Ha!"

He looked on top of Ron's bed. An arm was resting on it. It was the fake arm that Mary had given him. That seemed to have remained after Ron died.

Both Beacrox flinched and inched closer to their respective father who silently comforted their own son.

Cale closed his eyes before opening them once again.

He then continued to move.

Click.

He then entered Eruhaben's room.

"Even goldie gramps?!" Raon shouted in shock before rushing to Eruhaben's face. "Don't you dare die!"

"That's not my cho-alright." he quickly changed his mind when most people in the room glared at him (Sheritt and TCF! Cale scared him, the others were just useless).

After that...

Click.

Cale could see the sword he gave Choi Han when he opened the door. The sword was broken and only a part of the hilt remained.

Those close with the man frowned, even his own nephew.

< Choi Han, the hero, was the one who faced the cruelest of deaths. He directly attacked the White Star head-on and was leading the White Star away from the innocent citizens when he disappeared without a trace after getting hit by white lighting. >
< The only thing that remained was the hilt of his sword. >
< The author of this book investigated the past of this hero, the youngest sword master ever, who sacrificed himself for others. >

"What are you doing?" TCF! Choi Han asked TCF! Rosalyn who was doing something suspicious.

"Nothing much." she answered. "Just reading this book from Adalie."

TCF! Choi Han looked at the title and paled before facing front.

'Ignorance is bliss.' he thought to himself.

The title of the book was, 'Easy ways to get away with the most gruesome murders'.

Flip. Flip.

Cale continued to turn the pages.

< However, nothing could be found about Choi Han's past prior to the Roan Kingdom's capital Plaza Terror Incident where Cale Henituse first showed himself as a hero. >

"Of course he wouldn't have any past there," Jung Soo said. "he belonged to another world."

"But now belongs in this world." TCF! Lock added as TCF! Choi Han smiled.

"That goes for you too, Hyung." TBOAH! Lock told TBOAH! Choi Han who also smiled, a little bit less wide. 

< It was as if he came into existence along with Cale Henituse's achievement. >
< Of course, this is merely the author's thoughts. >

'Technically, that is true." TBOAH! Gilbert said. 

Pat. Pat.

Cale lightly tapped his thighs with his fists.
He was feeling frustrated.

< Cale Henituse. It was possible to find out the pasts of most of the heroes who accompanied him. >
< However, it can be said that the stories of Choi Han and Raon Miru began with Cale Henituse's achievement and ended with his greatest achievement. >

"Now that I think about it, isn't this true for most of us?" TCF! Litana said. "While many of us are famous, we weren't really that famous until we met young master Cale, right?"

'No, better yet, if we hadn't met young master Cale, many of us would already be dead.' Paseton thought with a sad smile.

Cale opened his mouth to speak.

'Who the hell wrote this?
What the fuck is up with these descriptions?'

The glares the mothers shot TCF! Cale with made many pity him.

'I can't control my future self's act!' he thought. 'Are we really going back to step one where I'm blamed for my future self's act?'

He wanted to say those things. However, nothing was coming out.

"Haaaa."

He took a deep breath.
Cale verified that he could breathe properly before closing his mouth again.

Bang.

Cale slammed the book shut before continuing to walk.
There was only one room left now.

'My room.'

Cale headed toward the top floor of the Super Rock Villa. He had to walk upstairs because he had used the whole floor as his bedroom.
Finally, he was in front of his room.

"Haaaaa."

"Is that a sigh of trying to relax yourself or a sigh of exhaustion?" TBOAH! Bud asked, breaking the growing solemn mood. "Sorry, I'm just confused."

"You're an idiot." TBOAH! Glenn sighed.

Cale took a deep breath.

Pat. Pat.

He tapped his thighs with his fists as he walked in.
The first things he could see were the fountain pen and the sword he had gifted to Basen and Lily.
The next things he saw belonged to Count Deruth and Countess Violan.

They seemed to have fought hard as well.
That was why only their belongings remained.

Both versions of Cale's parents' knew that their other version in the world's only regret was not seeing their kids grow up and leaving their first son alone. 

The Cale of this world seemed to have brought his family members' belongings here as well.

Cale understood that feeling.

This was somewhere that only he knew about now.
This was where he planned to stay with everyone once things were over.
He understood why that Cale would turn this into their graves.

"...I want to buy a new place."  Hong said while inching closer to his sister. "That place brings back bad memories now."

"Agreed." many who stayed there agreed.

"Let's find a new land then." TCF! Cale agreed.

"I'll give you one." TCF! Alberu immediately said, thinking about buying him a place near the palace so he can order him around. 

"Is it for free, your highness?" TCF! Cale asked.

"...Alright." he hesitantly agreed. 

'It's a worthy investment, Alberu.' he convinced himself.

"Ha! This is here as well."

Cale scoffed after seeing the video communication device he used to communicate with Alberu Crossman on the table.

< Alberu Crossman. He fought against the White Star who was aiming for the capital and died. >

'At least I'm remembered as a hero there.' both Alberu thought as their aunt hugged them with teary eyes.

"It's going to be okay, aunt." both said in unison.

Pat. Pat.

Cale patted his thighs again.
It was so that he could keep walking.
However, he soon stopped walking again.

Cale looked on top of his bed.

"...This is driving me nuts."

He really felt like he was going crazy.
There were three piggy banks on the table.
He didn't need to ask who's these were.

"Well, fuck." TCF! Obante accidentally cursed.

Raon, On, and Hong.

The three children's piggy banks were on top of the bed.

"Are you putting money in their, human?" Raon asked curiously.

"...Do you want me to?" TCF! Cale asked.

"No, first of all, don't ask that kind of questions, Raon." Sheritt said gently. "Because you and the others won't die here."

"Okay!" Raon easily agreed.

His hands that had been patting his thighs stopped in midair.

"... Fuck."

Cale suppressed the emotions that were coming up from his heart.

The piggy banks were approximately half full. Cale looked through his pockets.

"...Why do I have no money?"

"Because you're not in the real world?" TBOAH! Elisneh said sarcastically.

He wanted to fill their piggy banks, but he had no money.

The three kids ultimately looked at TCF! Cale with hopeful eyes, causing him to sigh and nod.

Well, looks like he'll need to rob-ahem, borrow some more money from the enemies.

Cale sat down at the edge of the bed.

Pat. Pat.

Cale patted the pages of the book this time.

"What do I need to do to get out of here?"

His voice sounded calm as he asked that question.
However, his eyes were bloodshot and his shoulders were slumped.

The moment he feared the most.

He thought he would pass the test once he faced that moment.
That was why he had gone to the Henituse Estate and come to the Super Rock Villa.

He looked through all of the traces of the past.
He thought that would be the way he could move on to the future.
Cale needed to go to the people who were waiting for him.

"Of course things aren't that easy." sighed TBOAH! Eric, feeling sad for his brother in all but blood.

It was at that moment.

Swoooooooosh- Swooooooosh-

He could hear the sound of the wind. Cale turned his head.

"It's that easy?" TCF! Eric shouted in shock as his other self looked embarrassed.

"It's okay," Adalie comforted him. "it happens to me too."

The wind was tapping on the window.
Cale walked over and opened the window.

Swoooooooooooosh- Swoooooooosh-

He could hear the sound of the wind.
The wind brushed past his face.

Cale's expression turned odd.
He could tell the flow of the wind.
It was blowing from top to bottom.
It seemed to be telling him to follow it.

Cale, who had a tired expression on his face, similar to the tired expression on Kim Rok Soo's face that made his team members worry about him, started to speak.

"You want me to follow?"

"...I'm sure he isn't going crazy." TBOAH! Deruth comforted.

"No one said anything though." his son said.

"He's comforting himself." TBOAH! Violan explained to TBOAH! Basen.

It was at that moment.

'Can you hear me?'

Cale flinched.
He had never heard this voice before.

"And that's your cue to run." Dodori said. "At least that's what my mom told me."

"Why run when you can just kill them all?" Rasheel rhetorically asked.

'Can you hear me?'
'Can he hear us?'
'He needs to hear us!'

It was not just one voice.
He suddenly heard many voices.
Each voice was unique.

"Eh?" TCF! Gashan mumbled in surprise. "Are those the wind?"

"Well, it looks like young master Cale can hear everyone in this world, no exception." TCF! Obante said. 

They were all asking if Cale could hear them.
Cale looked down below.

Tap.

He stepped on the window sill and stood there.

Swoooooosh- Swooooooosh-

The wind was blowing from top to bottom.
It seemed to be motioning to Cale. Cale looked behind him. He could see many belongings sitting there.

"This is not my future."

"Exactly," TBOAH! Tasha agreed. "so run and follow the wind."

He started to think not about these belongings here, but about the people in the real world outside this dream.

'Can you hear me sir?'
'Hey, can you hear me?'

He could still hear voices talking to him.
The number of voices was slowly increasing.

"How noisy." TCF! White Star said with a scowl.

"Can we make it louder?" TBOAH! Rosalyn asked. "Preferably in their area?"

"Okay." Adalie agreed and the enemies suddenly shouted at the sudden increase of noise.

'That will shut them up for a bit.' Adalie and some others thought.

Cale thought he had a good idea about who these voices belonged to.

"Wind Elementals."

He was certain it was them even without anybody telling him.

"So that's how they sound like." TCF! Lily said with child-like excitement.

Cale turned back around and looked down from the window.
He could see the ground below the pretty tall villa.

"Haa, so annoying."

'I don't know any martial arts to be able to land safely from this high up.
Choi Han isn't here to carry me either.
Raon's not here to use flight magic for me either.'

"Don't tell me you jumped." TCF! Valentino sighed.

"That's not me." TCF! Cale said in exhaustion.

Cale started to smile. He threw the book in his hand into the room.

"Oh no," Soo Hyuk sighed. "It's his troublemaker smile."

Plop.

The book fell onto the bed.

Cale then kicked off the window sill.

Swoooooosh- Swooooooosh-

"Human!" Raon shouted, hitting him with his paws. "Why did you jump!"

"I just want to go home, Raon, don't worry, I won't do it here." TCF! Cale promised.

"You've made a lot of promises today," Eruhaben said with a dark smile, amused at the thought of the young man trying to fulfill his promises which seemed impossible. "so make sure to fulfill it, alright?"

'Since when was he like this?!' TCF! Cale thought. 'I thought he was the type to not care about anything at all! I feel cheated...'

The wind started to surround his body.
He was heading down.
The Sound of the Wind surrounded his body that was quickly falling down.

Cale closed his eyes.

– You passed the test.

"Fucking finally!" the fire cheered with the others.

Cale heard a familiar voice after hearing that message.

– Can you hear me?
– Cale, can you hear me?
– You can hear me, right?
'Hmm?'
– Answer me.

The thief. The Super Rock. The cheapskate.
Cale smiled after hearing these voices in his mind.

"I can hear you. I can hear you loud and clear."

His voice was oddly light. However, Cale grumbled as he opened his eyes.

"How can you create such a terrible test- huh?"

Cale, who was about to complain to the thief, flinched as soon as he opened his eyes.

"Okay, let's stop here." Adalie said with a clap of her paws. 

"Yes!" many cheered, emotionally exhausted from crying.

"Promise us you'll not play those kinds of videos anymore." TCF! Choi Han said, borderline plead.

 "I pwomise!" Adalie agreed with a smile with her paws in her pockets. "Well, you guys can go do whatever you want now since it's now break time."

With that, Adalie left.

'Hehehe,' she laughed evilly inside her thoughts, removing her hands from her pockets which revealed two fingers intertwined together. 'I wasn't serious, Choi Han. Sorry not sorry.'