I searched through the forest for several more minutes, hoping to find another clue.
A trail.
A symbol.
Anything that could tell me where the purple entity had gone.
But there was nothing.
The forest fell silent once again, as if everything that had happened just minutes ago had never taken place.
"Alright…"
I let out a long sigh.
"Let's leave it at that... for now."
There was no point in wasting any more time.
I had already obtained something far more valuable.
The mark wasn't just a curse.
It was a warning.
Or rather...
A compass.
As long as that entity's influence was nearby, the mark would react.
That meant that sooner or later, I would find another trail.
All I needed was patience.
With that thought, I vanished from the forest.
---
I reappeared directly in my bedroom.
Without thinking, I threw myself onto the bed.
"Ow...!"
I frowned as the mattress hit my back.
"Note to self..."
"I need to buy a softer bed."
I sighed as I stared up at the ceiling.
The room was completely silent.
For some reason, my mind began drifting through this body's memories.
Ryan.
Seventeen years old.
A completely ordinary boy.
Just another high school student.
Someone who had lost his parents and ended up living alone.
An orphan.
I slowly closed my eyes.
There were still memories I had never taken the time to truly look at.
Small moments.
Meaningless conversations.
Laughter during family dinners.
Ordinary scenes that would seem insignificant to anyone else...
But they had meant everything to him.
In the end...
This body had lived a life too.
A family.
A home.
And dreams he would never get the chance to fulfill.
With that final thought...
Sleep eventually claimed me.
---
The next morning...
I slowly opened my eyes.
"What a strange dream..."
I had dreamed about the original Ryan's memories.
Something that had never happened before.
I almost never took the time to look through his past.
I was always too busy surviving, training, and preparing for the next problem.
And yet...
That night, I had seen several moments from his childhood.
His parents laughing.
The three of them eating dinner together.
Nothing extraordinary.
Just a happy family.
I sat on the edge of the bed for a few seconds.
"I hope they're together again..." I murmured.
"I hope they're together in the afterlife."
Then the original Ryan would finally be reunited with his parents.
That should be enough.
And yet...
An odd feeling still lingered inside me.
Like a question I couldn't answer.
Perhaps because I was now carrying the life he had left behind.
I shook my head.
This wasn't the time to dwell on it.
I walked into the bathroom.
After washing my face, I looked up at the mirror.
I studied my reflection.
This face...
It looked remarkably similar to the one I had when I was young in my previous life.
Sometimes it felt strange.
Like I was staring at a younger version of myself.
For a brief moment, memories from my former life crossed my mind.
But they vanished just as quickly as they had appeared.
"Focus."
I walked out of the bathroom.
My gaze immediately shifted toward my computer.
Several documents were still open on the screen.
Nexum.
The most important project I had.
The empire I intended to build.
My doubts disappeared instantly.
I sat down at the desk and began organizing my priorities.
"First..."
"Nexum."
I'd spend Saturday and Sunday making as much progress as possible.
I needed to build a solid foundation before moving any more pieces.
Then there was school.
Classes would resume after the weekend.
The football season would also begin.
I'd already told Madison and Chloe that I'd play as a passer.
And that wasn't a lie.
I could easily become the best quarterback in the entire state.
With this body enhanced by magic...
Competing on equal terms would be absurd.
There would be no challenge.
Besides...
Drawing too much attention to myself was never a good idea.
I'd rather stand out in a different way.
With precision.
With intelligence.
With impossible passes.
The greatest quarterbacks weren't remembered simply because they could throw the ball far.
They were remembered because they made plays that no one else could even see.
And that was exactly what I intended to do.
Then there were Justin and Jack.
By now, Vivian and Brittany should be working with Ana and Madeleine on a plan to get closer to the twins.
I hoped it worked.
Although...
If things went wrong...
I could always follow them myself.
From a safe distance.
Without revealing my presence.
Without revealing my identity.
I crossed my arms.
There were still far too many unanswered questions.
The purple entity.
The twins.
The mark.
And now...
A new way to track that thing's influence.
A faint smile appeared on my face.
The pieces were finally starting to move.
And for the first time in several days...
I felt like the initiative was finally on my side.
"Move around as much as you want..."
My smile widened ever so slightly.
"Sooner or later..."
"I'll find you."
And when that day came...
I would be the one asking the questions.