Chapter 65: The War Begins

The battlefield was silent except for the sound of Sai's breathing. His chest rose and fell steadily as he stared at Valeria's fallen form. The Inquisitor of the Hidden Order—the one who had hunted him, fought him, nearly **killed him**—was now at his feet, barely clinging to consciousness. Her silver blade lay shattered beside her, its divine glow fading into the dirt.

He had won.

But it didn't feel like a victory.

The Hidden Order's forces had **retreated**, disappearing into the abyssal mist that still clung to the ruins. Some had carried the wounded. Others had simply vanished. None had stayed behind to avenge their leader.

Because **they knew.**

Sai wasn't the same hunter who had struggled to survive a month ago.

He had changed.

He had **become something else.**

Lena's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Sai!"

He turned just as she rushed toward him, her chakrams still glowing faintly with energy. She skidded to a stop, scanning him for injuries.

"Are you okay?"

Sai blinked. "Yeah."

Lena exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "You sure? Because you just took on **the most powerful hunter in the Order** and somehow didn't die. That's not exactly normal."

Sai smirked. "You expected me to lose?"

Lena rolled her eyes. "No. I expected you to **almost** lose. That's kind of your thing."

Sai chuckled, shaking his head. His body ached, his energy was drained, but he was **still standing.** That had to count for something.

Kael approached next, dragging his greatsword behind him. His golden abyssal eyes flickered toward Valeria before settling on Sai.

"What do we do with her?"

Sai glanced at the fallen Inquisitor. Despite the battle, **she was still conscious.** Barely.

Her golden eyes locked onto him, burning with something **between hatred and exhaustion.**

"You think you've won," she murmured.

Sai crouched beside her, resting his elbows on his knees. "I mean, you're on the ground, and I'm not, so… yeah. Kind of seems that way."

Valeria exhaled slowly. "You don't understand."

Sai raised a brow. "Then explain it to me."

Her fingers curled into the dirt, her body trembling from the effort of speaking. "The Hidden Order… we are not the only ones who watch the Abyss."

A chill ran down Sai's spine.

Lena frowned. "What does that mean?"

Valeria's golden gaze sharpened. "You survived the Abyss. You walked where no one else should. And now… **they know you exist.**"

Sai's stomach tightened.

Kael's grip on his sword shifted. "She's bluffing."

Ezren, who had been silent until now, stepped forward. His abyssal eyes **were unreadable.** "No. She isn't."

Sai glanced at him. "You know what she's talking about?"

Ezren nodded slowly. "The Hidden Order was never the **only** group dedicated to controlling the Abyss. There were… others. Older. Stronger." His gaze darkened. "And they are not as merciful."

Sai exhaled sharply. "Great. Just what I needed. More enemies."

Valeria's lips curled into a faint, bitter smile. "You think the war ended today?" Her fingers twitched. "It's only beginning."

Sai watched her carefully. She **wasn't lying.**

The fight with the Order had been brutal. But it had been **one battle.**

Whatever came next?

It would be **worse.**

Sai pushed himself to his feet, rolling his shoulders. "So. What do we do with her?"

Kael lifted his sword. "Kill her."

Lena frowned. "We can't just—"

"She'll come after us again," Kael said bluntly. "You know it. She won't stop until Sai is dead."

Sai sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, well. Neither will the rest of the Hidden Order." He glanced at Valeria. "Killing her won't solve anything."

Valeria chuckled weakly. "He's right. Kill me, and another will take my place."

Kael's expression darkened, but he lowered his blade.

Sai exhaled. "Alright. We take her as a prisoner."

Lena's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

Ezren nodded slightly. "Smart."

Sai crossed his arms. "She has answers. We need them. And honestly? If the Hidden Order has **other enemies** out there, I want to know about them **before** they start knocking on our door."

Valeria's eyes narrowed. "You think I'll tell you anything?"

Sai smirked. "I think you'll want to stay alive long enough to find out what happens next."

For the first time, Valeria **hesitated.**

Sai turned away before she could respond, glancing at his team. "Let's move. We need to get out of here before the Order decides to send reinforcements."

Kael grunted but didn't argue. Lena sighed, rubbing her temples. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

Ezren smirked. "Probably."

Garrik and the remaining abyssal warriors secured Valeria, ensuring she wouldn't be able to **pull anything stupid.**

Then—**they left.**

---

### **The Next Step**

Hours later, Sai sat beside a campfire, watching the flames flicker against the night sky. The ruins of the Abyssal Gate loomed in the distance, a **silent reminder** of everything that had happened.

He was exhausted. Every muscle in his body ached, his energy reserves were **low,** and his mind was **a mess.**

But he couldn't sleep.

Because Valeria was right.

The war wasn't over.

It had **only just begun.**

Ezren sat across from him, absently sharpening a dagger. "You're thinking too much."

Sai smirked. "That obvious?"

Ezren flicked a glance at him. "You did something no one else has ever done. You walked into the Abyss and came back." He paused, his golden abyssal eyes flickering in the firelight. "That makes you… unique."

Sai exhaled. "Yeah, well. Unique doesn't always mean good."

Ezren chuckled. "True."

Silence settled between them. The others were asleep—Lena, Kael, Garrik. Even Valeria, though she was still heavily guarded.

Sai watched the fire for a long moment. "You knew, didn't you?"

Ezren raised a brow. "Knew what?"

Sai's jaw tightened. "That the Abyss would let me go."

Ezren didn't answer right away. Then—**he smiled faintly.**

"I suspected."

Sai scowled. "Could've given me a warning."

Ezren chuckled. "Would it have changed anything?"

Sai hesitated.

Then, reluctantly, he sighed. "…No."

Ezren smirked. "Exactly."

Sai leaned back, staring at the stars. He still didn't have all the answers. He still didn't know **what he was becoming.**

But one thing was certain.

The Abyss had chosen him.

And whether he liked it or not—**his story wasn't over yet.**