The room felt… quiet.
Not empty. Not awkward. Just quiet in a way none of them had felt in a long time.
Safe.
Min stood by the door for a moment before stepping aside, letting Dong-Hae in. No one rushed him. No one attacked. Just cautious eyes watching a familiar stranger step into their space.
Shoes by the entrance. A worn couch. A cluttered table filled with old controllers, wires, and snack wrappers.
Home.
"I'm not planning on staying long," Dong-Hae said, hands in his pockets. "But the truth is, Min… we respected you. When some of them wanted you gone, we made a move first. Tried to stop it before it even started."
He exhaled.
"It went further than we expected. You're safe… but not Do-Gyun."
Silence followed.
Min's voice was calm, but firm. "Why are you here?"
Dong-Hae looked around the room. At the Warlocks. At the place they built back up from nothing.
"Before I leave Red Pulse… I wanted to tell you something," he said. "I'm starting my own crew. Not like what Han-Ryeong wanted. Not a splinter. Something new."
Chan-Sik raised a brow.
"I'm following Do-Gyun's original vision," Dong-Hae continued. "Expose what's really going on. The corruption. Not just here… everywhere."
Chan-Sik let out a small laugh, leaning back in his chair. "You think the government is still involved in all this?"
Dong-Hae shrugged. "Maybe not directly. But you really think they don't know? The world's been falling apart and they've done what… built a controlled network?"
He gestured toward the TV.
"Our own internet? Sure. It's a start. But who's watching it? Who's controlling it? And where does it lead?"
No one answered.
"Point is…" Dong-Hae said, "they didn't help us then… and they didn't help us now."
Chan-Sik nodded slowly. "That's true."
"But…" Dong-Hae added, "I've been hearing things."
That got their attention.
"The government's trying to bring back a pro scene. A real one. Partnering with former pros. Old teams."
MC ORCA leaned forward. "Wait, seriously? Where'd you hear that?"
"Word travels," Dong-Hae replied. "Nothing official yet. But it won't be open. Only ex-pros… and people tied to the Four Schools."
Min's eyes narrowed slightly. "The Four Schools… you mean…"
"Yeah," Dong-Hae nodded. "Founded by the best of the best. The original Gosu. Bonjwas."
The room shifted.
That wasn't just history.
That was legend.
"But for us?" Dong-Hae said. "Who knows. Maybe we stay underground… or maybe we finally get a shot at something bigger."
Across the room were the rest of the Warlocks minding their own business but listening in out of curiosity.
Sung-Woo leaned toward Hye-Jin, barely containing his excitement. "Did you hear that? It might actually come back."
"I know," Hye-Jin said, smiling for the first time in a while. "That would be insane."
Ha-Eun, sitting cross-legged on the floor, tilted her head. "What's the pro circuit?"
They both stared at her.
"…Have you ever watched TV?" Sung-Woo asked.
"Not really."
They laughed.
Of course.
"Well," Sung-Woo said, grinning, "you're about to learn."
For a moment, it felt normal.
Like none of the chaos had happened.
Just people.
Talking.
Laughing.
Breathing.
Dong-Hae stepped back toward the door. "I should get going."
Min stepped forward. "Where are you heading?"
Dong-Hae smirked. "Mapo's yours now. I'll figure something out. Maybe west. Maybe east."
He paused.
"Don't worry about me. And don't worry about Red Pulse. They'll be quiet for a bit…"
His expression hardened slightly.
"But don't underestimate them."
Min nodded.
They stepped closer.
And shared a handshake.
Not just a greeting. Not just a goodbye.
Something deeper. Something only they understood.
"I'll see you around," Dong-Hae said.
"Likewise."
He turned…
"Wait." Chan-Sik stopped him.
"What's your new crew called?"
Dong-Hae smiled.
"I don't have a name yet."
He opened the door.
"But you'll hear about it soon."
He glanced back at Min.
"And if this 'big league' really happens… I want that rematch."
…
"With a Royal Roader."
The door closed.
Min blinked. "A Royal Roader?"
Chan-Sik chuckled. "You really don't remember your brother talking about that?"
Min shook his head.
"Well," Chan-Sik said, leaning forward, "a Royal Roader is someone who wins a major tournament on their first try. First time entering… and they take the whole thing."
Min raised a brow. "That's… rare."
"Very," MC ORCA added. "Only a handful of players have ever done it."
Chan-Sik smirked. "And him calling you that? Means you've got what it takes to stand with the greats. The Emperor. The Wizard. Legends."
Min looked down for a moment.
"You think I have a chance?"
Chan-Sik didn't hesitate.
"Kid… I know you do."
He stood up, stretching.
"Now whether we get that chance? That's up to them."
He nodded toward the TV.
"But for now… let's just be normal for once."
"Yeah," Min said quietly.
"You're right."
The group gathered in the living room.
MC ORCA tossed snacks onto the table. Someone cracked open drinks. Sung-Woo argued over what to watch, even though there were barely any channels.
The TV flickered.
Static.
Then noise.
Just something to fill the silence.
For the first time in a long time, They weren't fighting.
They weren't planning.
They were just… together.
MC ORCA flipped to the news.
"Let's see what the world's saying about us," he joked.
A report played.
"Earlier tonight, authorities responded to a violent incident at an abandoned warehouse…"
The group went quiet.
Footage blurred.
Details unclear.
Then…
The screen shifted.
"Breaking News."
Everyone leaned in.
"The Korean government has announced plans to restore a national esports organization."
Silence.
A new emblem appeared on screen.
Clean. Sharp.
A symbol of control and order.
KOREAN ESPORTS MINISTRY
No one spoke.
Outside, the city hummed like nothing had changed.
But Inside, everything had.
Min stared at the screen.
Then slowly…
Looked down at his hands.
The game wasn't over.
It had just…
Changed.