DEATH REALM — After the Maze
Months had passed since the tragedy of the maze.
Silence had replaced chaos.
But not peace.
Ysabella still hadn't recovered.
She remained in the shelter—the very place where they had once met that man…
That man with the overwhelming aura.
Her body was here.
But her mind…
Still trapped in that nightmare.
Nakid had changed.
Completely.
Every day, he left alone.
Hunting.
Training.
Pushing his body beyond its limits.
He returned carrying larger and larger carcasses—massive boars, creatures no ordinary person could handle.
Yet…
His eyes had lost their light.
He no longer walked with his head high.
He stared at his own shadow.
As if…
That shadow represented who he truly was.
Insignificant.
Invisible.
Just another existence swallowed by the vastness of this world.
A thought kept whispering to him.
Over and over.
Why am I still alive?
The children took turns keeping watch.
Their eyes constantly scanning the horizon.
Fear had become their instinct.
Because in this world—
Mistakes were unforgiving.
And yet…
Inevitable.
Nakid returned.
— I'm back.
Miya rushed toward him.
— Nakid! How are you?! We haven't seen you for days!
Louis clenched his fists.
— Ysabella is getting worse… she has nightmares every single day!
— You should rest, Louis, said Rayan. You're not in good shape either.
— I'm fine! At least… compared to her…
A scream echoed through the shelter.
Ysabella.
She was crying out in her sleep.
Reliving everything.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Nakid froze.
He, too, was haunted.
Flashbacks.
Fragments of horror.
He needed rest.
But he refused it.
Chiyo stepped forward.
— I'll cook something. Leave it to me.
Something had changed in her.
Her aura had grown.
Dramatically.
In her past life, she had lost her sense of purpose.
But now—
She had found it again.
She infused her aura into her cooking.
Strengthening the others.
Healing them.
Keeping them alive.
Suddenly—
Pips started barking violently.
His fur stood on end.
He had sensed something.
Far away.
Very far.
— I hope we don't run into anyone before we find Yoreru, said Ryan.
— I hope he's looking for us too…
Nakid lowered his head.
His voice… hollow.
— I'm useless…
Silence fell.
— I couldn't save my mother…
— I can't save Ysabella…
— And even Yorelei, who trained us…
His fists trembled.
— I can't save anyone.
His breathing grew heavier.
— I need Ysabella to save my mother…
— I owe her my life…
— I have to find a way…
Then—
His voice broke.
— But… I can't save everyone…
He collapsed.
Completely exhausted.
The others froze.
Fear tightening their chests.
What if he didn't wake up?
Chiyo rushed forward with her dish.
Nakid could barely move.
Barely eat.
But the moment he tasted it—
Tears streamed down his face.
Warm.
Silent.
In the middle of his despair…
He felt something.
Happiness.
His tears—infused with aura—were collected.
Added to the dish.
Amplified.
Used to heal Ysabella.
Moments later—
Her screams stopped.
She took a bite.
And for the first time in months…
Her face relaxed.
She fell asleep again.
But this time—
No nightmares came.
Nakid drifted into a dream.
A strange one.
He had never been able to remember his dreams before.
Never even see them.
But now—
Everything was clear.
His mother.
The farm.
His companions.
His family.
Peace.
Warmth.
Silence.
Then—
Everything shattered.
Replaced by war.
Screams.
Regret.
Tears.
And suddenly—
A door appeared.
In front of him.
Redemption.
— Nakid!
A distant voice.
Ryan.
The door pulled him in.
Invited him.
Urged him to give up.
To rest.
Forever.
He stepped forward.
One foot inside.
But—
A hand pushed him back.
His mother.
— Not yet.
He woke up.
Gasping.
As if he had been drowning.
— We almost lost you! Chiyo shouted.
Pips barked again.
Louder.
Then—
Stopped.
Something was approaching.
But the closer it got…
The calmer Pips became.
Familiar.
A figure emerged.
Yoreru.
The coward.
But…
Something was different.
He stood straight.
Head held high.
Eyes clear.
— How are you all doing?
Miya ran toward him.
— We've been looking for you for months!
— Same here, he replied calmly.
Ysabella started crying.
Unable to hold it back.
Regret.
Guilt.
Pain.
Yoreru looked at her.
— Don't worry.
— I know everything.
A pause.
— I won't abandon you.
Then he turned to Nakid.
— We share the same goal now.
— I'm going to save my sister.
Nakid's eyes widened.
Like an electric shock.
He had almost given up.
Almost lost his reason to live.
— I don't have a choice anymore…
He stood up slowly.
— I'll move forward.
No matter the cost.
Everyone stared at Yoreru.
This wasn't the same man.
Not even close.
— What happened to you? Ryan asked.
Yoreru exhaled.
— I received a message from the Princess Clan.
Silence.
— My sister… has been cast out.
— She disappeared.
His gaze hardened.
— I'm still part of the clan.
— As a subordinate.
— But I no longer belong there.
— I'm staying only for information.
— Clan raids.
— Tournaments.
He looked around.
— This place…
— Is only a fragment of the Death Realm.
— There's far more beyond this.
— And the deeper you go…
His voice lowered.
— The worse it gets.
— The monsters you've seen so far?
He shook his head.
— You haven't even scratched the surface.
— Clans exist to fight them.
— To survive.
— Some want to escape this world.
Others want to rule it.
The choice is yours.
Silence.
Heavy.
Louis spoke.
— What do we need… to become stronger?
Yoreru answered instantly.
— You can't survive alone.
— Join a clan.
— Or create one.
Nakid frowned.
— So it's impossible to survive alone…
— Unless you're as strong as an entire clan by yourself.
A pause.
— Which is impossible.
— You're millions of years away from it.
He stepped closer.
— Abandon your pride.
— We are all weak here.
— Only a few exceptions exist.
— There is one…
His voice dropped.
— A man known as The Unbeaten Under the Sky.
— He has never lost.
— He fights calamities alone.
— And wins.
— No one knows who he is.
— And then…
— There's Bando.
— And his clan of clones. Monsters.
He looked straight at Nakid.
— Don't try to become like them.
— I don't want you to turn into a monster.
— Learn.
— Fight.
— Survive.
— Grow stronger every day.
Then—
— But never forget who you are.
— Or why you fight.
Something changed.
Inside all of them.
They began training.
Every day.
Harder.
Stronger.
Hoping to be noticed by a clan.
But one truth remained.
If they joined one…
They would be separated.
Miya's voice trembled.
— I don't want to lose you…
Ryan clenched his fists.
— What if we end up in enemy clans…?
Ysabella lowered her head.
— I don't even have aura…
— What am I supposed to do?
Yoreru stayed silent.
They were all right.
Then—
Nakid spoke.
— Why don't we create our own clan?
Yoreru shook his head.
— Useless.
— No one would take you seriously.
— If you want to survive…
His voice turned firm.
— You must all join the same powerful clan.
And in this world—
That alone…
Was already a challenge.