Shinji sat a short distance away from the village, beside Kriz's body. The sky had turned orange, sunlight filtering through the leaves above.
He frowned slightly.
"It's so itchy… probably dust stuck to my leg."
He bent down and scratched repeatedly. But the itching didn't lessen. If anything, it only grew worse.
From the low grass behind him, a sudden rustling sound arose.
Out from within it, countless strange little insects crawled out.
Their bodies were dark red, striped with black. On their backs were two pale brown wings that trembled faintly. Beneath them, dozens of tiny gray legs moved in frantic rhythm. From their heads protruded four oversized antennae, spreading wide and bristling with coarse hair. Beneath those antennae were curved, sharpened mandibles, lined with rows of tiny, razor-like teeth. They snarled at Shinji, emitting piercing, shrill sounds.
Shinji jolted to his feet.
"What the hell is this?!"
He grabbed a dry branch nearby and swung it down hard. A few were crushed instantly, green fluid splattering everywhere. But the rest kept surging forward, jaws wide open, refusing to retreat. One bit into the wooden stick—instantly slicing off a chunk of it with ease.
Inside the Anteria village.
Akidou drew in a deep breath.
"Everyone… Kriz, he—"
Before he could finish, the entire village burst into laughter. Loud, ringing, cheerful laughter.
"That's a funny joke, human."
An older Anteria warrior stepped out from an underground tunnel. His face radiated confidence.
"Leader Kriz dead? If he were dead, no one in this world would still be alive."
The laughter grew even louder.
"The Leader has survived countless battles! Who could possibly kill him?"
Akidou stood frozen. His throat tightened.
Alba gestured for him to sit down beside him.
Around them, the Anteria continued laughing merrily. Some hurried to finish baking the most delicious cakes they could, waiting eagerly for their Leader to return.
In the distance, Shinji crushed the last of the insects beneath his foot. He looked toward the village, then bent down and lifted Kriz's half-mangled body into his arms.
"Let's go… you're going home."
Alba patted Akidou on the shoulder.
"It's fine. Let them be. Let's treat our wounds and move on."
Then suddenly—
A loud shout echoed from afar.
"The Leader has returned!"
Shinji's voice rang from outside the village.
The children cheered in delight and rushed toward the entrance.
"It's Leader Kriz!"
Akidou sprang to his feet, trying to stop them.
"Wait—!"
They were too fast. He could only watch as they ran toward someone who would never return again.
The older warrior beside him smiled confidently.
"See, human? I told you. The Leader will never die."
But then—
A scream tore through the air.
The children came running back, faces pale, tears streaming down.
"Le… Leader…"
One child threw themselves into Olivia's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
Another grabbed the older warrior's hand.
"Uncle Mieren… save the Leader…"
The smile vanished from Mieren's face.
"What happened? Tell me clearly!"
Shinji stepped forward slowly.
In his arms lay Kriz's body — only half of it remained, stained with dried blood, the head completely gone.
"No… that's impossible…"
Shinji knelt and gently laid him on the ground.
"I… brought him back to you."
A few weak laughs escaped.
Awkward. Trembling.
"Human… you're joking, right?"
But when they looked into Shinji's eyes—
And saw the heavy expressions on the others' faces—
No one laughed anymore.
The truth crashed down upon them.
"So… he…"
Mieren trembled and collapsed to his knees beside the body.
The children wailed.
"Mom… the Leader is still okay, right?"
The adults couldn't say a word.
Olivia silently finished bandaging Lio. Her hands trembled. A tear fell onto the white cloth.
Mieren placed his shaking hand over Kriz's cold, stiff one.
"He… died a heroic death… didn't he?"
Shinji nodded.
"If not for him… we would probably be dead."
Mieren bowed his head to the ground.
"Thank the heavens… the Leader did not die in vain…"
Kriz's body was placed inside a large wooden coffin.
Only half remained.
The head was gone.
He was buried beneath a patch of earth where white flowers bloomed in abundance.
Alba carried over a large stone and set it upright as a grave marker.
Mieren drew out his stone sword.
"This is the sword he entrusted to me."
With trembling strokes, he carved into the stone.
Kriz's name was etched upon it.
The sword and his old iron helmet were placed atop the grave.
The Anteria warriors stood in rows, heads bowed.
Kriz was not only their Leader.
He was their father.
The one who had personally raised Mieren, Olivia, Odorous…
Memories of being guided and protected by him flooded back, and Mieren could no longer hold back his tears.
Olivia quietly slipped a pouch of herbs into Lio's pocket.
"Take this. Use it on the road. It'll help your wounds heal faster."
Mieren stepped forward.
"You humans intend to leave Greenpath, right?"
"Yes. It's almost night. We must leave immediately."
Alba answered.
The Anteria warriors stepped forward, surrounding them.
"At this time, Greenpath is extremely dangerous. We will escort you."
Shinji stood before the grave a little longer.
He placed a small piece of cake on top.
"The kind you gave us… eat it, or you'll go hungry."
Their journey out of Greenpath was about to begin.
The Anteria warriors walked on both sides, protecting them, while Shinji's group stayed in the middle.
As they walked, Mieren told them about Kriz.
"Kriz… wasn't born a hero. He was just an ordinary Anteria. He left the colony… and built his own nest."
He had traveled far, enduring rain and sun, to create this home.
"I am the commander of the army — the first one he raised. After me came Olivia… then Odorous."
Once, they had encountered a white mist beyond Greenpath.
Without hesitation, they stepped into it.
Inside, the fog was thick and blinding.
Suddenly, a gigantic mantis appeared — a Mantiscrab towering dozens of meters high.
It attacked them with its long, razor-sharp claws.
By sheer luck, they escaped and continued deeper into the mist.
Then, a thunderous explosion echoed.
The fog was blown apart, revealing a bright path forward.
A fairy warrior rushed past them, clad in armor, spear in hand, moving so urgently he didn't even notice them.
And thus they entered Greenpath — a strange yet incredibly dangerous world they had never known before.
Countless savage creatures roamed there, ready to devour them to survive.
But Kriz led them through it all. He built their nest near the fairy village. The two sides did not interfere with each other.
Until the day Almond appeared.
He slaughtered the fairies before Kriz's very eyes.
Kriz immediately sealed the nest and hid all the children.
At that time, Mieren and Odorous were old enough to fight.
But they were defeated easily. Almond forced them to become his subordinates.
Day after day, they were driven into Deepgreen to hunt and kill creatures for him.
Almond and Cashew claimed Deepgreen as their territory.
And the Anteria—
Were reduced to chained warriors.
Living to fight.
Fighting to serve.
Serving a demon.