No One Left to Call Home

1. The Five Kings' True Intent

In the depths of a mountain-locked chamber, veiled by divine fog and ancient seal arrays, the Five Kings gathered behind closed doors.

They wore masks—both literal and spiritual.

"The public believes we're chasing monsters," said Iron King Wu Ji-Hwan, fingers clasped."They don't realize we're herding gods."

"Their home sect is now listed as demonic," muttered Frost Queen Na Hye-Rin. "No one will defend them. Even old allies now hunt them."

"Good," Crimson Feather replied. "The Nameless One's legacy belongs in the hands of those who can use it. Not two feral children with half a memory."

On the table between them lay a fragment of the Origin Manual, retrieved from the remnants of the Realm of Life. Dim. Incomplete.

They knew the rest was with the twins.

"They'll either die… or lead us to the rest."

2. The Murim Leader Lives

Meanwhile, beneath the capital of the Alliance—within a forbidden chamber built of mythic bronze and shadowsteel—

The Leader of the Murim Alliance, Do Sang-Min, stood alone.

Alive.

Barely.

His chest bore the imprint of the cursed seal that nearly shattered his heart. But it hadn't reached the core.

Why?

Because beneath his robes, burned into his bones, lay a forbidden technique:The Hundredfold Silence Seal—a cultivation path abandoned by even the Nameless One.

"You thought me blind, Kings," he whispered."But I've seen every move. And now… I wait."

From the shadows, his true followers stirred.

3. Hunted and Haunted

In the wild forests south of the Cradle Rivers, the twins moved like shadows.

Jin Haru, still recovering, rode the flow of spiritual winds on Haneul's back, barely conscious.

Haeun led them—no longer with pure strength, but by instinct.

He was changing.

4. Haeun's Ascent

Each step felt like walking through fire.

Every breath—ice and lightning.

"My body's rejecting the Mortal Realm," Haeun muttered."Or... evolving out of it."

He had absorbed something back in the Realm of Life. A residual flame, older than flame itself. A concept left behind when the Nameless One unraveled a world.

Now, it was burning away his limits.

He sat down to rest—but his core refused.

Instead, his Life Dantian burst open like a supernova, pouring golden threads through his Spirit Core and up into his Mind Dantian.

Memories not his own flickered.

An ancient battlefield.The silhouette of a titan.A name carved into the stars.

And then—

Pain.

His body convulsed.

"Haeun?" Haneul knelt beside him.

"Don't stop me."

"You're not ready."

"If I don't evolve, we're all dead."

His skin cracked with light.His aura screamed.And in the silence of the forest, the world paused to watch.

5. The Cult Moves First

From the east, the cult arrived—faster than the Kings.

They'd been tracking Haeun's unstable aura spike.

The leader, faceless and tall, stepped forward with a grin.

"He's awakening," the cultist said."Bring me the Driftmarked. He'll lead us to the Eidolon Chamber."

Behind him, cursed beasts stirred.Shadow-forged weapons were drawn.And corrupted cultivators danced through the mist.

6. Final Convergence

Jin opened his eyes—just enough to speak.

"We have to run. Now."

Haneul grabbed his sword.Haeun opened his eyes—one glowing white, the other flickering gold.

Not fully in the Evolutionary Realm.

But close.

And more dangerous than he had ever been.

"No," he whispered."Let them come."