Kim dismissed the young boy, then leaned forward, his gaze sharp and piercing.

"That was the same energy you used at the Alliance building, wasn't it?" he asked with a calm, knowing smile.

Kieran didn't respond. His heartbeat remained steady, but the faint twitch of his jaw betrayed him.

'He knows… but how?'

Kim didn't press further. Instead, he turned toward the window, his voice steady and composed.

"You're strong, Kieran. But strength without control is a curse. And right now, you're cursed by something you don't even understand."

He turned back to face him, his tone dropping lower.

"I bought you some time. But once we leave this tower, I won't be able to protect you. The Nelkon family will come for you—and when they do, they'll make sure there's nothing left to find."

Kieran rose from his chair, his expression calm but resolute. "Then I'll make sure I'm the one doing the finding."

Kim's lips twitched—not quite a smile, but close.

"Well, you might not have to do much. There are a few people interested in you. They might help you this time," Kim said, his eyes glinting with mischief.

Kieran frowned slightly, confused by his words.

"But be careful, Kieran," Kim added, his expression hardening. "Because if you lose control again…" His eyes glowed faintly, his tone darkening. "…I won't stop the others next time."

Kieran said nothing. He simply turned and walked out, the heavy door closing behind him with a soft thud.

Outside, the cool air hit his face. For a moment, he stood still, staring at the darkness beyond the barrier. Frank's scream echoed faintly in his memory, followed by that same hollow emptiness.

He hadn't killed them.

At least… not him.

But whatever had done it—

was still inside him.

And it was waking up.

'That power…' Kieran thought, staring down at his hands.

He could still feel it—the rush of energy that had flooded his veins when he'd lost control. It was a force so immense, so raw, that he hadn't even known it existed within him. It felt as though a dam had burst open, unleashing something ancient and terrifying.

He clenched his fists tightly.

'Was it from the system?'

The thought pulled him back to the notification he'd seen earlier. The "second selection." He still had no idea what it meant, but he knew Castan might.

Thankfully, after Vice President Kim's arrival with the other captains, things had calmed down. They had a brief discussion with the elves, avoiding any further conflict.

Not that the elves were in any condition to fight—but Kim preferred caution. A single misstep could lead to countless casualties, and that kind of energy was better saved for closing other realm gates threatening Earth.

And truthfully, an alliance with the elves wasn't a bad idea.

Despite their past conflicts, Castan had acknowledged his defeat. He could no longer look down on humans—not after witnessing their strength firsthand. Even if it was just Kieran who had bested him, it was enough to change his perspective. Humans weren't as weak as he once believed.

By the end of their talks, both sides reached an agreement.

Kieran now had the right to access the elven world through the tower's gateway, giving him the chance to meet Castan again and ask his questions.

But just as he was about to leave, he sensed two powerful presences approaching fast.

"Kieran Marcoth… that's your name, right?"

Kieran turned, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The three figures stood before him, clad in their traditional white battle suits.

Vesha's lifeless eyes stared directly at Kieran, her expression calm yet commanding. Despite her blindness, it almost seemed as though she could see him—reading him in ways sight never could.

Galand, on the other hand, looked nothing like the fierce warrior Kieran remembered. His body was covered in fresh stitches, his skin pale and drawn, his frame frail like a balloon that had lost its air. The toll of his battle with the ancient fox was written clearly across every scar.

Kieran's gaze lingered on him for a moment, curiosity flickering in his eyes. The man had shown terrifying power in that fight, power that even now made Kieran wonder just how strong he truly was beneath the calm exterior.

Then, his attention shifted to the third figure.

She walked with a quiet grace and composed dignity—Karin.

To Kieran's surprise, she took the lead between the two captains, moving as though her place among them was unquestioned. It was strange. A newly awakened standing between two high-ranking captains? That alone was enough to make him curious.

Still, he raised an eyebrow and kept his tone casual.

"Yes, that's me. Do I owe you something?" he asked, his eyes resting on Galand, the one who had called out to him.

Galand didn't react to Kieran's bluntness. In fact, his expression didn't shift at all. There was no arrogance, no superiority—just an unreadable calm that stood in stark contrast to the other captains Kieran had met.

"Can we have a short talk with you?" Karin asked softly.

Her face was blank, her tone even. She was exactly the same as when he'd seen her infiltrate the elven dungeon—emotionless, detached, almost mechanical.

'Does she ever show any expression?' he wondered.

If only he had seen her in battle, he might have thought differently.

Kieran hesitated, glancing briefly toward the glowing portal leading to the elven realm. Then his eyes returned to Karin.

He didn't know why they wanted to talk to him—but his curiosity got the better of him. Karin was clearly another god candidate, like himself. And Galand… he had faced a divine-ranked beast and survived. That alone made him worth listening to.

"Alright," Kieran replied calmly.

Karin nodded and gestured for him to follow. Together, they walked back toward the small camp the group had set up near the clearing.

Inside the tent, the air was quiet but heavy. Kieran entered with Amaya and Alexa at his side.

He wasn't worried. He knew Alexa's strength well enough—if anything happened, the captains would be dead before he could even blink.

Settling down, Kieran met Karin's blank stare head-on.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asked plainly.

He still had plenty of questions for Castan, so he preferred to get straight to the point.

Karin studied him for a moment. His disinterest was obvious, but she didn't seem bothered by it. In fact, there was a faint glint in her eyes—one that told him whatever she was about to say would change that.

"Well," she began quietly, "I…"

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