Kei paced slowly along the narrow trail, carefully ensuring that the man upon his back didn’t suffer any harsh jarring.
The forest behind them had long since vanished from view, yet the Tree of Life’s feeble green luminescence still seemed to linger across his shoulders. The declaration, "I do not have much time left" from her looped endlessly within Kei’s mind.
A few months.
Only a few months remained for Kei to figure out a way to save a withering tree depleted of natural energy, restore natural energy to the Tree of Life, and safeguard a flickering existence on the verge of extinction.
He looked down at his own hands, right now, they were merely the hands of a novice Craftsman, no longer the hands of an SSS-rank mage capable of striking terror into the hearts of an entire demonic battlefield.
Lacking boundless magic power, devoid of forbidden spells capable of tearing the sky asunder. At present, Kei didn’t even know where he ought to begin in order to save the Tree of Life.
"I will return to save you."
He had made that exact pledge to the Tree of Life. That promise couldn’t merely serve as empty words meant to set her mind at ease.
Kei tightened his grip around the strap of his waist pouch in anxious turmoil.
Back within the Magic Tower, whenever his research hit a dead end, he would typically bring the problem forward to discuss with fellow mages. Some would toss out bizarre ideas, while others would pinpoint a minute error he had overlooked for days. No single individual possessed omniscience.
If so, this time would be no different.
He needed to seek out individuals well-versed in Dungeon energy, knowledgeable about energy materials capable of substituting for the natural energy utilized by the Tree of Life, and skilled in restoring a depleted life form.
Kei required fellow Craftsmen to brainstorm and experiment alongside him. Perhaps Thunder would know where to kick things off. He was an A-rank blacksmith, after all, and had previously crossed paths with all sorts of bizarre raw materials.
Kei pressed his lips into a thin line, committing that thought firmly to memory.
Once he returned, he would track down Thunder first.
"Hn..."
A raspy sound issuing right beside his ear startled Kei. The man upon his back shifted faintly. The hand dangling loosely against Kei’s flank clenched before relaxing again.
Kei halted his steps instantly.
"Ian?" He craned his neck, though managing to catch only a glimpse of raven-locked hair. "Kang Ian, are you awake?"
A beat passed before the other responded in a gravelly tone:
"Yeah."
The abrupt wave of relief nearly caused Kei to forget he was currently carrying an adult. He pivoted a fraction too abruptly, causing Kang Ian to wobble unsteadily on his back. Kei hurriedly reached out to steady his legs.
"Careful!"
"You’re the one who needs to be careful."
Kang Ian pressed a hand against Kei’s shoulder, sliding slowly down to the ground. The moment his boots made contact with the earth, his knees buckled slightly before he swiftly steadied himself. His complexion remained ashen, his platinum eyes clouded with exhaustion.
Even so, he had managed to stand under his own power without seeking any further assistance from Kei.
Kei inspected him from head to toe, feeling a mixture of relief and lingering anxiety.
"Do you feel any discomfort anywhere? The Tree of Life said you hadn’t woken up yet. How long have you been asleep? Were you injured?"
"Are you planning to fire off a whole interrogation list at once?" Kang Ian massaged his temples. "My head’s still pounding."
"Sorry," Kei immediately lowered his voice. "But you vanished inside the Dungeon, and none of us knew where you were. I was so worried."
Ian lifted his gaze to look at Kei.
"Then why on earth are you here?"
Kei hesitated. There were simply too many pieces to recount, and he had no earthly idea where to begin. The Elven Forest, Julius, the Tree of Life, the sealed memories... and the ancient Elf bearing a face identical to Kang Ian.
And Kang Ian was, in all likelihood, that very same Elf Ian who had once saved Kei’s life and granted him a brand-new existence.
Finally, he started from the moment he drifted off to sleep inside the Dungeon.
Kei spoke of how the others had discovered his disappearance, the ensuing search, and how he had blinked awake within a dark expanse before the Tree of Life materialized. He recounted witnessing the memories sealed away by Julius, discovering why his father had rescued him, and crossing paths with the Tree of Life inside the desolate woods.
He didn’t conceal the fact that Julius was still fast asleep deep within the colossal trunk. Nor did he hide the pledge he had uttered prior to his departure.
And naturally, Kei made no secret of the fact that he was a wanderer who had crossed over to South Korea from an alternate world. Once he learned that Kang Ian was the Elven friend who had rescued him, Kei resolved to withhold nothing further from Kang Ian.
Kang Ian listened in total silence from start to finish. He issued no interruptions, nor did he interject midway. Only his gaze flickered faintly whenever Kei referenced the Elven Forest, Julius, or the name Ian locked within his memories.
Once Kei finished his account, the trail lapsed back into silence.
The wind rustled through the withered branches, carrying the scent of damp earth and decaying foliage. In the distance, the luminescence of the Dungeon flickered amidst the tree trunks. Kei stared at Kang Ian, awaiting some sort of commentary.
Yet Ian simply stood motionless.
He stared at Kei for a long, quiet beat, so long that Kei began to feel awkward. That gaze bore zero resemblance to the perpetual lethargy characteristic of the guild master of Crying Ghost. It was intensely focused and heavy, as though frantically searching for something hidden across Kei’s features.
Kei turned his face away slightly.
"Is there something on my face?"
"Kei."
Ian’s voice dropped low.
"You’ve recovered all your memories, haven’t you?"