Chapter 4: A Final Goodbye

A Moment That Lasts Forever

The wooden floor creaked beneath Nate's careful steps as he entered his mother's room. The dim morning light barely touched the edges of the small space, casting soft shadows over the frail figure lying on the bed.

She looked smaller than he remembered—thinner, weaker. Her breathing was shallow, her once-warm skin now pale, almost lifeless. The rise and fall of her chest were so faint that for a terrifying moment, he thought she had already slipped away.

Beside her, his baby sister lay curled up, her tiny fingers clutching the worn blanket, her breaths soft and peaceful—too young to understand the pain crushing their family.

Nate knelt beside the bed, his hands trembling.

This woman… She was everything to him.

She was the one who held him through cold winter nights when there was no fire to warm their home. The one who gave up her meals so he wouldn't go to sleep hungry. The one who smiled even when she was exhausted, her gentle voice telling stories of heroes and gods, whispering that he, too, was destined for something great.

And now, she lay there, fighting a battle her body couldn't win.

His throat burned.

He wanted to speak.

He wanted to tell her that he would find a way to save her. That he would return. That this wasn't a goodbye—just a temporary parting.

But what do you say when you're not sure if you'll ever see someone again?

The silence between them was deafening.

He reached out, hesitating, before finally touching her hand.

Cold.

The realization sent a shiver through him. She had always been warm. Always.

As if sensing him, her fingers weakly curled around his.

A whisper. Barely a breath.

"Nate…?"

His heart clenched.

Her eyes fluttered open, the once-bright gaze now clouded with exhaustion. But even in her weakened state, she smiled.

"You're leaving… aren't you?"

Nate couldn't answer.

His lips parted, but the words refused to come.

She already knew.

Her fingers—so frail, so delicate—squeezed his just a little.

"Be safe," she murmured.

Nate wanted to promise that he would.

That he'd come back stronger, with enough money to cure her, enough power to change their lives.

But if he said it aloud, it would feel like a lie.

So instead, he squeezed her hand one last time. A silent vow.

Then, with every ounce of strength in his body, he let go.

His sister stirred in her sleep, letting out a soft whimper.

He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead, brushing away a stray curl.

A small, innocent child. Too young to understand.

Too young to remember this moment if he never came back.

The thought nearly broke him.

But there was no time for weakness.

Not now.

With a final glance at the two people he loved most in this world, Nate turned and walked away.

He didn't look back.

If he did…

He might never find the strength to leave.

---

Stepping Into the Unknown – The Beginning of Everything

The wooden door let out a long, drawn-out creak as Nate pushed it open.

The morning air hit him like a wave—sharp, crisp, unforgiving. It smelled of damp stone, distant smoke, and freshly baked bread. The city was already waking, a world that did not care about his pain.

Market stalls were being set up, merchants shouting about their wares. A butcher hacked at slabs of meat with steady, practiced swings. A blacksmith's hammer rang out in the distance, each strike sending a dull vibration through the cobblestone streets.

Life moved forward, indifferent.

Nate stood on the threshold of his home, gripping the rusty katana at his side.

It felt heavier now. Not because of its dull blade or worn grip—but because of what it represented.

A farewell. A promise. A burden.

For sixteen years, this city had been his entire world. These streets, these sounds, this air—it was all he had ever known.

But now, for the first time, he was stepping into something greater.

Something terrifying.

There was no turning back.

His heart pounded in his chest, his pulse echoing in his ears.

A deep breath.

One step forward.

Then another.

With each step, the weight of his home, his past, his fears—everything—pulled at him.

But he did not stop.

Because beyond this road, beyond the walls of this city…

The Dungeon awaited.

And so, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, Nate walked toward his fate.