The Bait

Chapter 46: The Bait

The night was thick with silence, yet tension crackled in the air like an impending storm. Inside the temple, the warriors gathered in a tight circle, their faces illuminated by flickering torchlight.

Kim Han stood at the center, his presence a force of its own. Aya leaned against the wall nearby, arms crossed, her sharp eyes scanning the room. Taro and Mikasa sat on the stone steps, listening intently, while Daijin and his team stood opposite them, their expressions grim.

"You're saying we use Yeon as bait?" Daijin's voice was low, edged with doubt.

Kim Han's gaze was cold, unyielding. "Tenshi won't stop until he has her. He's obsessed with finishing what he started. If we control how he makes his move, we control the battlefield."

Yeon exhaled sharply, shifting uncomfortably. "And what happens if it goes wrong?"

"It won't."

His confidence was unsettling, but Daijin wasn't convinced. "That's not a plan. That's a gamble."

Mikasa smirked, finally speaking up. "The best victories come from the riskiest moves."

Taro nodded in agreement. "Besides, Tenshi already has us outnumbered. A straightforward battle means death. If we set the stage, we force him into our hands."

Daijin ran a hand through his hair, frustration clear in his expression. "And what if Tenshi sees through this? What if he knows it's a trap?"

Kim Han's lips curled slightly. "Then he'll walk into it anyway. His pride won't let him do otherwise."

The room fell into silence.

Yeon finally looked up, locking eyes with Kim Han. "If I do this… I need to know something first."

Kim Han didn't look away.

Yeon took a deep breath. "Why did you never come back?"

The air grew heavier. Everyone was listening, but no one spoke.

Kim Han's expression remained unreadable, but his voice was softer this time. "Because I wasn't the same person anymore."

Yeon's hands clenched into fists. "And now?"

A pause.

Kim Han's eyes darkened. "Now, I finish what should have ended long ago."

The conversation was over. The plan was set.

Tenshi was coming.

And this time, it would be on their terms.

---

Meanwhile – Tenshi's Stronghold

Tenshi stood at the highest point of his fortress, gazing out at the city below. The night stretched endlessly, but his thoughts were focused elsewhere.

A messenger knelt before him, breathless, voice trembling. "Our spies report movement. They're regrouping at the old temple ruins."

Tenshi's lips curled into a smirk. "Interesting."

The messenger hesitated. "And… Yeon is with them."

The smirk widened into a grin. His fingers tapped against the hilt of his blade, excitement flickering in his dark eyes.

"They think they can set a trap for me?" He chuckled, low and menacing. "Foolish."

Then, with a voice that sent shivers down the messenger's spine, Tenshi whispered,

"It's time to remind them who the real predator is."

His laughter echoed through the night.