They remained in silence as Nephis placed a hand on Cassie's back, trying to soothe her. The sound of the surging sea, now receding with the first rays of light, was the only noise—apart from the quiet sobs of the blind girl.
"It was only a dream, Cass." Nephis was comforting her, but deep down, Zachary knew this was nothing further from the truth.
He swallowed bitterly, replaying Cassie's words over and over in his mind. 'First things first: it seems the development of the Forgotten Shore stays the same in the beginning. Gunlaug's death, the civil war, and the siege of the Crimson Spire… but that last part.' Zachary closed his eyes heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'I hate to admit it, but I can only accept that the Wheel of Light is supposed to be me. For fuck's sake, the eight spoked wheel... It's a strong symbolism of the Dharma Wheel, the physical representation of the cycle of Samsara. And the white fire… it can only mean Nephis.'
He watched, expressionless, as Cassie slowly began to collect herself. 'In the original novel, the vision pointed to Nephis being in danger at Sunny's hands—the angel being devoured by shadows. But now, the vision shows me being devoured by fire. Does that mean Nephis is supposed to be my source of danger? And worst of all… that last part. An otherworldly darkness… something that shouldn't exist in this reality… Does that point to my transmigrator nature?' Zachary couldn't help but feel flustered. He had hoped to hear Cassie's vision and use it to plan his next steps.
But instead, he was left with more questions than answers.
Nephis's voice pulled him back to reality. "Right, Zachary?"
He lowered his head and met her gaze. Her expression was composed, but Zachary could sense she was looking to him for support in calming Cassie. He sighed quietly and decided to focus on the more pressing matter.
"It was certainly a dream, Cass." A prophetic dream, he excused himself inwardly. "You probably won't have to worry about it. It's okay, Cass."
Using ambiguous words let him skirt the line of truth. But even if the Penance wasn't as strict as a Flaw, he still chose to speak honestly—at least, as honestly as he could.
The sea had finally receded, revealing a scene that even caught Nephis by surprise: the Transcendent Soul Shards of the devoured devil… and two monsters carrying them westward. They stood in silence, contemplating the situation, though Zachary could feel Nephis watching him from the corner of her eye.
She sighed and stepped a little farther from Cassie, and Zachary followed. "I wanted to leave this statue today," she said quietly. "I didn't want Cassie to stay here any longer. But those monsters..."
Nephis didn't finish the thought, but Zachary did it for her.
"Yes. We don't know how a monster would react to my Attribute." He paused, thinking for a moment before adding, "As far as I know, Nightmare Creatures don't have a practical use for Soul Shards. So they must be using them for a different purpose… I think we might be able to travel tomorrow."
Nephis simply nodded and returned to Cassie's side. Zachary watched her go, then steeled his resolve and sat down to meditate. He needed to digest more than just his soul-rich dinner. Now that they were going to face not only Beasts but Monsters, he would have to take his Balance further than ever—and fast.
***
"We'll spar," Nephis announced as they finished dinner. Zachary just raised an eyebrow at her.
"I've been thinking about how to teach you the sword. We could go through standard moves and repetition, but given what you told me about your instructor and Ability, that might be counterproductive. So through sparring, I can teach you on the run." She spoke as she walked away from the camp, summoning her longsword.
"Fine by me," Zachary replied with a smile, summoning Ender's Solace. Cassie turned in their direction—though blind, she focused her remaining senses on them. Meanwhile, Zachary felt honestly elated by the opportunity. Eddard had said it himself: the mix between his dynamic sight and his enhanced mind and body allowed him to learn fighting techniques with ease.
Furthermore, Broken Sword's swordsmanship had been praised throughout the novel, described as a complex foundational style that Sunny used to refine and polish his own technique. Zachary felt sure that experiencing it firsthand would help him tremendously in reaching a breakthrough with the Simple Sword. He was about to ask how they would begin when Nephis suddenly dashed toward him.
Zachary quickly parried a descending slash and stepped back to create distance. 'Damn, that scared the shit out of me,' he thought, moving into position to face her properly. He watched carefully, searching for openings—but couldn't help gulping nervously. Despite the makeshift clothes and the skin peeking through, Zachary wasn't distracted by the sight; it was the fact that Nephis showed no openings at all.
Zachary had known Nephis hadn't been fighting at full strength until now. The awkwardness of fighting in torn clothes and trying not to expose herself had kept her defensive. But even with that, Zachary couldn't see a clear way to attack.
'I mean, she's Changing Star after all.' Deciding to focus on defense and learning through observation, he braced himself. Noticing his readiness, Nephis struck with a sharp thrust aimed at his heart. Surprised by her lack of hesitation, Zachary deflected it to the right—only for her blade to arc like a serpent and strike at his left side. He stumbled back and barely managed to deflect again, but once more her sword flowed with startling fluidity into another attack.
"Always think of your next move," she instructed calmly. "You must keep both attack and defense within reach at all times." She followed with an upward cut that Zachary couldn't see coming—but thanks to Danger Sense, he dodged and even tried to counterattack. Yet, as if reading his intent, Nephis stepped lightly aside and avoided it without effort. Using the momentum, she advanced and thrust at his exposed side.
"You must be able to link your attacks, one after another, without pause. Your sword must flow endlessly." He stepped back awkwardly, losing his balance for a moment. Nephis's eyes flashed, and she didn't miss the chance to unleash a seamless set of strikes—but Zachary, regaining his balance with Body Control, rolled across the ground to create distance.
'Dark Souls strategy, baby,' Zachary lampooned with self-mockery. He had to admit it: Nephis moved with such precision and focus that his smallest mistake was punished instantly. With a tired sigh, he got back into stance, ready to face her again.
They continued for a long time. The clash of steel echoed atop the statue, soon joined by Zachary's ragged breaths. At one point, Zachary thrust forward—Nephis dodged easily, but this time he stepped in closer, planted his feet, and followed with a slash to her side—a blow she still blocked without difficulty. Despite countless attempts, Zachary failed to touch Nephis with his blade. The same went for her, though.
Zachary made many mistakes, and Nephis punished them all, but thanks to Danger Sense, he always managed to raise Ender's Solace in time to block. That didn't spare him from pain; overexertion weighed on his body. But his mind was elsewhere, caught in doubt.
'Is this really Broken Sword's swordsmanship?' Zachary wondered in incredulity. It wasn't a baseless question: though he might lack the insight to refine the Simple Sword further, he had mastered it completely—and through it, he could sense to which style a sword technique belonged. Broken Sword's technique had been described in the novel as fluid and versatile, mixing adaptability with deadly strikes. But what Nephis was using now… 'It's just a mix of the Righteous Sword and Bewitching Sword. It mixes precise sword work with precise feints, but that's all. That can't be… right?'
But it was true, and Zachary had no idea what was going on. After a while, Nephis ended their training session and began preparing dinner. Meanwhile, Zachary kept going over the spar in his mind—yet he always returned to the same thought: despite the shifting tempos and the versatility of Nephis's sword style, it remained simple. One-dimensional, even.
That couldn't be Broken Sword's style… right?
"I believe Odysseus was truly the first to rebel against the gods," Nephis said, breaking his thoughts.
Zachary gave her a questioning look as he placed a piece of meat in his mouth. It was unlike her to start conversations. But he didn't take it with wariness—instead, he welcomed it.
"Ulysses?" he asked, reaching for Cassie's Endless Spring.
"Yes. I told you about him before. But the way he manages to overcome his daunting journey and return to his home and family… it places him above Sisyphus in the rankings." She took a piece of meat from the fire as she spoke.
Zachary smiled slightly. "But wasn't he ultimately killed by his son?"
Nephis raised her eyes, puzzled. "Telemachus?"
"No, no. I'm talking about his son with Circe—Telegonus." Zachary blew on a steaming piece of meat, then glanced back at Nephis. She wore a look of confusion.
'Oh man, I forgot… she actually heard these stories from her grandmother. She hasn't read the original texts.' Zachary grimaced inwardly as he considered how to explain it without ruining anything.
"Ahem. So, you know how we have The Odyssey?" Nephis nodded. "Well, The Iliad is the prequel, and The Aeneid… is kind of like a spinoff. But we don't talk about that one."
Cassie had finished her meal and was now listening curiously to their conversation.
"In The Odyssey, Homer tells how Ulysses ends up on an island ruled by a witch—Circe. She turns his crew into pigs, charms him, and sleeps with him." Zachary coughed awkwardly. "He manages to resist her enchantment, convinces her to change his men back, and she ends up helping them continue the journey."
The fire was dying out as night fell, and the sea began to stir again. Still, the girls listened to Zachary attentively.
"But what Ulysses didn't realize was that Circe was already pregnant. That's where Telegonus comes in."
Nephis stared at him as the starless night swallowed the last of the daylight.
"So Odysseus dies at the end?" she asked, voice flat—but Zachary heard something beneath it. Confusion… and sorrow.
'I fucked up.' The realization struck him. This wasn't just a story Nephis liked. It was something that connected her to her grandmother—maybe even the fuel to challenge the Nightmare Spell. Seeing a rebel succeed in defiance might've been the spark that ignited her path. And hearing that this hero ultimately died…
"Well—not exactly," Zachary said quickly as Nephis turned back to him. "Homer's Odyssey ends with Odysseus returning to Ithaca and reuniting with his family. But, you know how the Greeks are—they loved to add tragedy just for the drama. Can you believe that?"
Nephis's eyes softened slightly. Zachary knew something like this wouldn't truly shatter Changing Star's longing and resolve. Still, he didn't want to ruin one of her favorite tales.
"So they added the Telegonus story later. But since Homer didn't write it, we can consider it… non-canon, right?" he added with an awkward smile.
"I guess," Nephis said after a moment, rising to take the first watch.
Zachary exhaled in relief and began settling down for sleep. Still, he left her with one last thought. "I like the Odysseus story a lot, you know?" he said.
Nephis didn't turn around, but he knew she was listening. "After all… I'm a huge fan of happy endings."
***
The next day arrived, and after a quick breakfast, they were back in the labyrinth. They kept the same formation, with Zachary leading the march west. Their pace was steady, considering Cassie's blindness and Nephis's awkward attire. Zachary's Danger Sense helped too, alerting him whenever they needed to take a turn to avoid monsters.
But that was the problem. 'We're taking too many turns.'
Nephis must have noticed it as well; she gave him an inquisitive look. He sighed and explained the situation to both of them. After the scavengers had finished their meal, they had returned to the labyrinth.
"So just like yesterday," Zachary said, "I guess we'll need to challenge the smaller groups of Scavengers."
Nephis nodded in agreement. Cassie stayed silent, but he noticed how tightly her hands were clenched around her staff—clearly feeling burdened by her inability to help. Zachary could only give her a tender, understanding look.
They continued their march, keeping one eye on the gray sky. They needed to be mindful of time—getting caught by the Dark Sea would be catastrophic. Zachary focused inward, honing his Danger Sense. Yesterday, he'd started to differentiate between levels of danger. But that wasn't enough. He could feel, deep within, that this sense could become sharper—more precise.
"I think there are two Scavengers ahead," he said, stopping and glancing back. Nephis summoned her sword.
"I'll take the lead, then." Zachary turned away from the girls and summoned Ender's Solace—but his enhanced eyes caught a subtle detail: a slight twist at the corner of Nephis's mouth.
As he ran toward the source of danger, he mulled over the expression. What had that frown meant? But soon he spotted the Scavengers in the distance and pushed the thought aside. Ten meters out, the creatures finally noticed him—and instantly launched into a maddened attack. Zachary rolled beneath a pincer, maintained momentum, and narrowly evaded the second strike.
'Thankfully, there really are only two,' he thought with a spark of pride. Danger Sense was growing sharper. A little at a time, but it was improving.
He began visualizing the attack lines, predicting their paths, calculating the best responses. Raising his sword, he placed his palm against the broad side near the tip, deflecting the Scavenger's strike and countering with a blow to the retracting pincer.
'Even if its rank is unknown, this weapon has the strength of an Awakened blade,' he noted, sidestepping and slashing one of the Scavenger's legs.
He kept dodging. Bit by bit, he grew more adept at reading the attack lines. But his focus wasn't solely on his own fight—it was on Nephis. She was engaged with the second Scavenger. Even though the creature was drawn to Zachary thanks to his Cursed Attribute, Nephis kept it from reaching him with relentless strikes.
Her movements were limited by her awkward attire, the makeshift bra barely managing to hold her supple fullness. He had to admit, she was stunning. And like everything else in this world, the novel hadn't done justice to the sheer depth and detail of it all.
'Man, I don't know… this body's technically the same age as hers at this point. But back in the other world, I was in my twenties… Focus, fool. That's not the point right now.' That's right. Zachary wasn't just watching Nephis's... figure. He was studying her swordsmanship.
And finally—he understood. The sword style she used against the Scavenger was similar to the one she had shown him during sparring. They shared versatility, fluidity, and changing tempos. But beyond that, they were completely different. To an untrained eye, they might've looked identical. But Zachary could see the vast difference.
The complexity of her movements, the lethal intent behind each strike—this was Broken Sword's swordsmanship. And with that realization, everything clicked.
'She didn't teach me properly…' Just like she had changed her style while sparring with Caster in the novel, she had changed it for him, too. Unlike Sunny, Zachary already knew the basics. More than that, he had stood out from the very beginning.
He severed the Scavenger's pincer and laughed inwardly. 'I'm a victim of my own success.'
He decided to observe Nephis fight. One of the Scavenger's pincers was already gone, as well as one of its front legs. Its carapace was covered in cuts—some shallow, but most of them deep. And yet, despite the author of those wounds standing right in front of it, the Scavenger only had eyes for Zachary. Thanks to his Aspect Ability, he was beginning to grasp the basics of her style, slowly picking up its foundation. But it still wasn't enough.
They ended their fights simultaneously—thankfully... Or regrettably, Nephis's attire remained untouched. Just as Zachary heard the Spell's voice, he felt something change in the air.
[You have slain an Awakened Beast: Carapace Scavenger.]
[You have received an Echo.]
Zachary was half surprised by this development, but his mind was somewhere else, he noticed how his skin had felt a subtle change in the wind, and when he focused on it his remaining senses were catching more signs. He felt a slightly change in the atmosphere, as if it had shifted a little, there was also a small increase in the humidity of the air—furthermore, the wind had rose slightly carring with it a faint smell of ozone and he could taste a little saltiness on it. He could feel the light tension of the change in atmospheric pressure.
He connected the dots immediately. He remembered reading how sailors of old, lacking modern instruments, could predict storms purely through intuition, sharp senses, and experience. 'I lack the experience, but my senses are extremely enhanced.'
Nephis approached after gathering the Soul Shards. "Memory?" she asked, dismissing her sword.
"No, I received an Echo, though," he said to Nephis surprise. But before she could speak, he continued, "That's not the main point. A storm is coming. I can feel the shift in the wind."
Nephis's eyes widened, the expressionless mask on her face cracking under the weight of his words. She instantly realized what that meant.
"We need to get Cassie," she said, breaking into a run. Zachary followed close behind.
Noticing their presence Cassie sighed in relief only to notice their tension and wariness—but before she could ask anything, Zachary summoned the Echo beside her.
"An Echo? You actually got an Echo?" she exclaimed, her face lighting up—only to yelp a second later as Zachary grabbed her slim waist and lifted her easily into the air. With Nephis's help, they secured her onto the Scavenger's back.
"W-What is the meaning of this?" Cassie stuttered, a light flush tinting her cheeks. Nephis finished tying her Golden Rope as a makeshift saddle with extreme dexterity. In just a few moments the blind girl was atop the Echo, the sight of the delicate girl riding such a fearsome steed almost make Zachary laugh—such a delicate rider on such a brutal mount—but the seriousness of the situation held the laughter in his throat.
"Sorry about that. A storm's coming, and we need to reach higher ground fast," Zachary said, Cassie's blue eyes widened. "But don't worry. I'll give you the honor of naming this reliable Echo."
She tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach her lips. Zachary turned to Nephis, who was tightening the last knot. "Ready?"
"Yes," she said, her eyes sharp with focus.
Thanks to Cassie's mount, their pace increased. Driven by urgency, they pushed harder. The pressure of the coming storm heightened Zachary's senses even further. His Danger Sense sharpened, warning him of unsafe paths from longer distance. And not only that, when they encountered a second pair of Scavengers Zachary felt the edge of his [Blasphemer] Attribute—just a subtle tingle, a warning that the creatures were about to notice him.
With stakes this high, they held nothing back. They dispatched the beasts swiftly, and just as the last one fell, the first drops of rain began to fall. Zachary saw how Changing Star was clenching her sword so tightly her knuckles turned white. Without looking at him, she raised her voice.
"Let's go!"
They ran forward, no longer avoiding the Scavengers. Tension crept across their faces. The light drizzle thickened into proper rain, and within moments, it had grown into a full storm. Zachary noticed how the Scavengers ignored them—they were too busy searching for shelter. Some burrowed into the sand, others slipped into crevices between the coral. But the moment Zachary passed one of them, it abandoned all pretense of self-preservation and charged.
'Dogshit!' Zachary cursed, dodging the rabid lunge. Nephis immediately sprang into action, severing the Scavenger's back legs. Taking the chance, Zachary dashed toward the coral wall, kicked off it, and launched himself upward. Ender's Solace came crashing down right in the seam where the carapace plates joined.
[You have slain an Awakened Beast: Carapace Scavenger.]
He ignored the Spell's voice, already assessing their situation.
"I'll go on ahead," Zachary announced as Nephis frowned. "These bastards lose all sense of self-preservation when I'm nearby. I'll draw them away. There's a cliff up ahead—I'll turn left so you won't run into any."
The rain was turning torrential. A sudden lightning bolt carved through the sky, illuminating Nephis's face. She was frowning, and her alabaster expression twisted into something Zachary couldn't quite read. The Dark Sea was beginning to surge. It now licked at the edge of his shoes—every second they stood still was a second the Sea wouldn't give back.
"Fine," she said through clenched teeth.
"Be careful, Zachary," Cassie called from atop the Scavenger Echo.
"Don't worry. I'll see you at the top." And with that, he sprinted in the opposite direction.
Each step splashed through rising water. He didn't have to wait long—just as he predicted, the Scavengers stirred. One of them had been half-buried in sand, prepared to endure the flood. The moment Zachary passed, it erupted in a frenzy, chasing him down.
It happened with every one. Those already in hiding, those still searching for cover—they all abandoned shelter to follow him.
'Man, if only I was this coveted in the other world,' Zachary lampooned inwardly.
The water had climbed to his knees by the time he reached the cliff wall. Without slowing, he veered left, just as he said he would. A quick glance behind nearly made him trip. Almost thirty Scavengers were pursuing him in a swarm of chitin and fury. He barely kept his balance thanks to his Body Control.
Once he had gained enough distance, he turned to the wall and began climbing.
Rain had become a deluge. The water blinded him, made every handhold slippery. But what froze Zachary wasn't the climb—it was what he saw when he looked down. Scavengers were climbing after him. They dug their scythe-like legs and pincers into the stone, scraping and scuttling upward with inhuman speed and desperation.
"Fucking bastards!" Zachary growled, a flash of lightning lighting his face in the downpour.
The cliff face was almost sheer. The few usable holds were spread too far apart—he had to leap to reach them. 'Actually… maybe this is a good thing,' Zachary thought suddenly.
He focused on his connection with the Echo. He didn't know how it worked, but he managed to push a command to it: climb. That way, Nephis wouldn't need to carry Cassie on her back.
"That only leaves me with the task of surviving this myself," he muttered with bitter amusement, leaping to the next ledge. With every leap he thanked Teacher Julius from the bottom of his heart.
Each jump sent shocks through his legs. His back burned. His hands were raw, cut from the sharpness of the stone. He hadn't noticed, but he was trembling from the cold—the Witness Mantle didn't offer much protection against the elements.
Then his Danger Sense screamed. Without thinking, Zachary tightened his grip and pressed his body flush against the cliff. A massive wave crashed into the rock wall, he was lifted off the stone momentarily, but his hands held. When the water fell away, there wasn't a single dry patch left on his body.
He spat a mouthful of saltwater, coughing—and then, laughing. Looking down, he saw no Scavengers remained. "Hahahaha! Serves you right, bastards!"
Renewed, he pushed onward. That's when he saw it—a faint glimmer above him. The Golden Rope. With a grateful smile, Zachary grabbed hold.
A few tugs signaled who it was. The rope began retracting, pulling him upward. He exhaled in relief as he ascended, the Dark Sea below kept rising, swallowing everything in its path. At last, Zachary reached the top. He collapsed on his back, soaked, freezing, and exhausted—but alive.
"Zachary!" Cassie called, a mix of joy and relief in her voice.
He groaned and propped himself up. She stood near the Echo, her wet hair clinging to her face. She was smiling brightly, utterly unconcerned. To his left, Nephis was finishing with the rope—she had summoned it again, this time fully tied. Her expression was as unreadable as ever… but there was a faint gleam behind her grey eyes. Zachary stood, and Nephis looked like she was about to speak. But then, she froze, not from hesitation—but because she saw it.
Zachary's face had changed, Danger Sense began buzzing lowly, and dangerously. Not the sharp warning he feels when there's incoming Danger, or when he's about to step somewhere dangerous. It was deeper.
He was already in the presence of danger. It was the moment when the Fight or Flight Instinct kicked in, and the option of flight was long gone.
Zachary turned his head slowly, and found himself surrounded by dozens of Scavengers. Dead Scavengers.
The Centurion was here.