Ragnar leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the armrest. His piercing gaze locked on them both as his voice rolled out, low and commanding.
"Let's get to business. I want you both… to join my guild."
The words echoed in the large chamber.
Joon-ho's eyes lit up, his body straightening with interest. A guild? The thought of working alongside others, gaining protection, and possibly answers excited him.
But beside him, Blaze's expression hardened. Her jaw tightened, eyes narrowing. A faint tension flickered across her face. She didn't trust this man.
Joon-ho, still caught in the moment, leaned forward slightly.
"Do you… know anything about getting out of this world?"
Ragnar's lips curled into a thin smirk. He tapped his fingers together as he answered, calm but cryptic.
"Well… I don't know completely. But I believe we can escape if somehow, we complete all the games."
Joon-ho's breath caught. Complete all the games…
Ragnar continued, his tone heavy with certainty.
"And when that happens, the cycle will reset. I'll leave first. Then the world will start again, and one by one, we'll break out of this hell. Everyone here… is clinging to that hope. Working together. As a team. As a family."
He spread his hands wide, as if presenting them a gift. "Join us. You'll have protection, power, and a chance at freedom."
But Blaze's fists clenched at her sides. She could see through the words—the charm, the grand promises. To her, it sounded like chains wrapped in silk.
When she finally opened her mouth, her voice was sharp.
"We refuse yo—"
"—I accept."
Blaze's head snapped toward Joon-ho in shock. He stood there, brows raised, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
"What are you doing?" she hissed, grabbing his sleeve and yanking him closer. Her voice dropped to a furious whisper. "Are you crazy? He'll make us slaves. That's how guilds like his operate—under his boot, doing his dirty work!"
Joon-ho blinked, hesitation flashing in his face. He looked back at Ragnar, then back at Blaze. She pressed on, her voice low but fierce.
"Don't let your curiosity blind you. This isn't a chance—it's a trap."
Joon-ho clenched his jaw, torn. But Blaze's unwavering stare pierced through his doubt. Finally, he exhaled sharply and turned back.
"…I refuse."
Ragnar leaned back in his chair, the smirk never leaving his lips. For a moment, the room was silent except for the faint hum of the city outside.
Then his voice cut through the stillness like a blade.
"One last time." His tone dropped, colder, heavier. "If you don't accept… this opportunity will be closed forever. And from this moment on… you will be the official enemy of this guild."
The threat hung in the air like a noose.
Joon-ho's fists tightened. Blaze stepped closer to him, her presence firm. Together, they faced Ragnar's glare.
"…We refuse," they said in unison.
Ragnar's smirk twisted into something darker. But he said nothing more.
The man in the black coat reappeared, opening the door. Blaze and Joon-ho turned sharply and walked out, leaving the cold weight of Ragnar's office behind.
The heavy doors closed with a thud, sealing their decision.
The man in the black suit entered the office cautiously, his polished shoes clicking against the marble floor. He bowed slightly before speaking.
"Sir… what happened? Did it work out?"
Ragnar was still sitting in his chair, gaze fixed on the glowing skyline outside the tall glass windows. Without turning his head, he replied flatly,
"No. They refused."
The man blinked in surprise. "…Then what should we—"
Ragnar raised a hand to silence him, his tone colder now.
"Contact the assassination force. Tell them that I called them."
The man hesitated, brows furrowed. "But sir… why—"
"Just do as I say." Ragnar's voice snapped like a whip. His eyes gleamed, sharp and merciless, as he leaned back into the shadows. "They think walking out means freedom. I'll remind them what kind of world they're in."
The man bowed lower. "…Understood." He quickly left the room, leaving Ragnar smiling faintly, eyes glinting with predatory intent.
Meanwhile…
Joon-ho sat on the floor of his room, back against the wall, his head hanging low. His fists pressed against his knees as guilt twisted in his chest.
"…I'm sorry," he muttered, voice barely above a whisper.
Blaze stood in front of him, arms crossed, her eyes burning with fire. Her foot tapped against the floor, sharp and rhythmic, like a countdown to an explosion.
And then—she unleashed.
"Sorry? Sorry? Do you even understand what you just did?!"
Joon-ho flinched. "…I—"
"First, you ACCEPTED his offer without thinking! Do you realize what kind of trap that was?"
"I was just—"
"Don't interrupt me!" she snapped, pointing a finger at him. "Do you know how much danger you put us in? If I hadn't stopped you, we'd be in chains right now, serving Ragnar like his personal puppets!"
"…I didn't—"
"Didn't think. Exactly! That's your problem. You NEVER think before you act. You just leap at things like some overeager puppy chasing after scraps!"
Joon-ho lowered his head further, wincing.
Blaze paced back and forth, her scarf swaying behind her.
"You saw shiny words—'team, family, hope'—and your brain just shut down! You didn't even notice the poison dripping underneath them!"
"…I was curious—"
"Curious?! Oh, brilliant excuse!" She threw her hands up. "Next time maybe you'll be curious about jumping into lava! Or curious about eating poison! What then, huh? Should I just watch while you die out of curiosity?!"
Joon-ho rubbed his face, groaning. "…I get it—"
"No, you don't!" Blaze cut in instantly, her voice rising. "You don't get how close we were to being trapped! Do you think guilds like his let people walk away free? No, Joon-ho, they CRUSH people. They break them. And you—you practically offered yourself up on a silver plate!"
"…But I refused in the end—"
"Because I forced you to!" Blaze's finger jabbed the air like a dagger. "If it weren't for me, you'd already be polishing Ragnar's boots while calling him 'Boss'!"
Joon-ho groaned again, burying his face in his hands. "…Stop exaggerating…"
"Exaggerating?!" Blaze's voice shot higher. "You're lucky I don't strangle you myself for being so reckless! Do you even care about surviving? Or am I dragging along some idiot who wants to flirt with death every step of the way?"
"…I said I'm sorry…"
"You think one 'sorry' fixes this?!" She leaned forward, glaring into his eyes. "Do you know how much stress you've dumped on me in the last hour alone?! I could've had a peaceful evening, but no, I had to babysit you through the single most dangerous decision of your life!"
Joon-ho looked up weakly. "…You're scary when you're mad."
Blaze's eye twitched. "Oh, you just realized that? Congratulations, genius! Want a medal for your sharp perception skills?!"
"…Okay, okay… I won't do it again—"
"You BETTER not! Because next time you pull a stunt like that, I swear, I'll knock you out cold and drag you back home before you can open your big mouth again!"
Joon-ho gulped, raising his hands in surrender. "…Yes, ma'am."
"Don't 'ma'am' me!" Blaze stomped her foot. "I'm not done! You have potential, Joon-ho. Real potential. That's why I chose to team up with you. But if you waste it on reckless crap like THIS, then you're nothing more than dead weight! And I refuse to carry dead weight."
Silence followed her words, sharp and heavy.
Joon-ho sat frozen, staring at the floor, his guilt sinking deeper.
Blaze sighed finally, rubbing her temple. "…Honestly, what am I going to do with you?"