CH 1

Something is terribly wrong. 

It was only when the sword of Theon, an old friend and colleague for many years, penetrated her chest that she realized that fact. 

“For the world, you die instead.” 

Poo-wook.

Rin slowly lowered her head. The red liquid that soaked her stomach ran down the blade and pooled on the floor. 

Vast ruins hidden underground. 

Gray moonlight falling through the twisted ceiling. 

Beneath it, Theon’s sword swayed in a drizzling blue color. 

To Rin, all these moments felt unreal, like wandering in a hazy dream. It was a sight that meant the betrayal of a precious friend, nothing else. 

How did this happen?

Scared to perceive the throbbing pain, both legs lost control and fell. 

“Be patient Rin. . .I will finish it as soon as possible for you.” 

He pulled out his sword and backed away. Someone approached Theon’s side, who clenched his fist with guilt-ridden eyes. 

“Theon!” 

The woman who approached was one with long silver hair. She was Sabrina, another colleague of Rin. Rin grew terrified. 

No, it’s dangerous like this.

You don’t know what Theon, who has gone mad, will do to Sabrina. Squeezing out what little strength she had left, she warned Sabrina. “Back off, Sabrina! Run away without looking back now. . .!” 

“I’m sorry I gave you a hard job, Theon.” 

However, Rin’s concerns were only a misunderstanding. 

“Leave the finishing to me.” 

“Sabrina, but –”

Sabrina smiled calmly at Theon, who had sad eyes. She was full of strong will, but on the other hand, her face was twinged with deep sadness. “I know someone has to play the villain. Theon, for you and Rin, that villain will be me,” she stated. 

Is this what it feels like to have an empty head? No, maybe it was hallucinations caused by excessive bleeding. It had to be. 

It couldn’t be that Sabrina was betraying her. 

Is there really no one? 

Really? 

“Rin.” 

A single question lit up Rin’s reason. Her five senses, trained by her life and her experience, were warning her. 

They both betrayed you. 

Why? 

You will die here. 

For what reason?

Whatever the reason, the most important thing now was to survive. In this situation, you have to somehow escape. However, the knee, which has been stretched with difficulty, only twisted without rest like a puppet whose strings had been cut. 

Ugh.

It was at that moment that hot blood flow spread through her body as if it had been heated by lava. 

Poison. 

The sword was poisoned. 

At this point, I burst out laughing. 

How thoroughly did you prepare? 

Perhaps relieved by Rin’s inability to move properly, Sabrina took a low breath and parted her lips with a stiff face. 

“Rin. As you know, I’ve been working on a way to destroy the Evil Orb for the past ten years.” Scarily at the end of the introduction, a faintly glowing object floated up in Sabrina’s hand. 

An octahedral glass box. 

The black orb trapped in it emits a gloomy light, revealing a strong presence. It is the compilation of all the evils in the world, and the cause that made Rin and her four companions go on a long journey to save the world. 

[ Evil Orb ]

There is no official name. 

People only called that black and strange orb “Evil Orb”.

The Evil Orb has earned a reputation as an object that grants its owner one of their most earnest wishes. 

However, there was a terrible price to pay for the wish, and those who achieved what they wanted were destined to become the host of the orb and transform into a monster. It is to be reformed as a living disaster that destroys all life on earth. 

Humanity’s infinite desire for the orb of evil has become the seed of many brutal wars, in which many innocent people have been sacrificed. 

Rin and her companions were five heroes chosen by mankind to destroy those evil orbs. 

Seven years. 

It took seven years to complete this trip. 

It’s been a long time. 

Relationship and bad luck. Regrets and mistakes, effort and conversation, trust and growth. 

As a result of persevering through the entire process, she got the opportunity to obtain and destroy the Evil Orb. It would have been absolutely impossible without my colleagues. 

I never dreamed that betrayal would be waiting at the end. 

“The orb destruction research was the most important task given to me. However, as the research progressed and the secrets surrounding the evil orbs were revealed one by one. . .It became increasingly difficult for me to endure the task alone.” 

Sabrina, who was glaring at the orb of evil, continued with a sad voice, “Because the conclusion was drawn that no matter what method was used, it could never be destroyed.” 

What?

“What are you talking about?” 

My mind was clouded. It was because it was a statement that completely contradicted the information Sabrina had revealed so far. 

Didn’t she tell us that she had found a way to destroy the Evil Orb? 

“That doesn’t mean it’s completely impossible. There is only one way to keep this horrible object out of the world. To bind it tightly with a powerful soul and to seal it in darkness where no light can shine.” 

Seal using the soul. 

It was only then that Rin realized why she had been betrayed. 

“I only revealed that to Theon, and I was worried a soul powerful enough to seal the evil orb – because there were only five of us souls.” 

Even if the afterword was omitted, the motive embedded in Sabrina’s words became clear. 

Of the five souls, four souls were chosen. 

You must be sacrificed to seal the evil orb. 

“Why?”

It was a reason that Rin couldn’t understand at all. 

“Why did you choose me?”

“Why?” Sabrina replied with a face full of sympathy. “Yes, you are an orphan.” 

The power of a short word was great. For the first time, the feeling of betrayal in my head, which had boiled over, cooled down. 

Orphan. 

An orphan who deserves to be sacrificed even if she has endured life together with these people for seven years. 

Did she ever think of me that way? 

To you, I was only that much of an existence?

It was strange. There was no more shock. I don’t know if I feel fortunate to know that now. 

“You were especially caring among us. So don’t worry, Rin. I will tell the outside world that it was your choice. For a case – sacrificed voluntarily – I did, I did.” 

As if she couldn’t stand it any longer, Sabrina’s eyes turned red. 

She covered her miserably distorted eyes with the hand holding the evil orb. Theon, who was standing by her side, gently wrapped his arms around Sabrina’s shoulders. 

“Don’t cry, Sabrina.” 

It’s called sickness, thought Rin. 

“I’m fine, Theon. I can endure this enough. Yes, ther eis.” 

Rin thought again. He said, ‘I do X’.

“It’s nobody’s fault, so stop crying Rin. No one will know how big your heart was and how you chose this.” 

Rin laughed a little and thought as she vomited blood, A madman said that? Do you think I know that? 

However, only a dry cough kept popping out, and her thoughts couldn’t come out of her mouth. Sabrina suddenly raised her head, as if Theon’s consolation had been of great help. 

“Is that right? Rin is – Will Rin understand?”

“Of course, Sabrina. Don’t you know best how considerate Rin is?”

I couldn’t quite understand it. 

Theon. 

I was betrayed, so why are you comforting me? 

Sabrina. 

“Why are you crying when I am going to die?”

He moved his body while clenching his teeth. However, the limbs swallowed by his poison could not properly carry out the commands of his brain and only trembled as if in a seizure. 

Only the two figures were filled with unfocused eyes. 

Like a satirical drama, I was thrilled to see them sincerely comforting each other. However, Rin could only groan at the near death of her’s. 

After wiping away a single tear, Sabrina nodded vigorously. 

“Whoa — Thanks for bringing me to my senses, Theon. You are right. Even thinking of Rin, I can’t just shed tears this weakly. I have to. Rin will want that too.” 

“Okay, you now look like the Sabrina I know.” 

The two traitors laughed heartily and slowly looked back at Rin. 

There was a disgusting and hypocritic determination in their eyes that had never been seen before. 

“I will let you go now.” 

Holding Theon’s sword, Sabrina aimed it towards Rin. It was a matter of seconds for the silver blade to drive a wedge into the dying heart. 

Hwak. 

No matter how strong Rin was, she didn’t have the courage to endure it any longer. As her eyes reddened, her whole bodily sensations began to blur. 

“Goodbye, Rin. Thank you for that time – my old friend.” 

Friend. 

To be a friend. 

What’s wrong? 

Dedicated to saving the world, she sacrificed herself to protect her comrades. What came back to her was the lowly betrayal of her cherished colleagues?

What was wrong?

No matter how hard I tried, the answer didn’t come. 

I feel that I am one step closer to death. 

Her heart slowed, her mind became fuzzy. As if left alone in an endless fog. 

Only one piece of reason left. 

The moment I was about to let go of that reason –

[ Do you want revenge? ]

An unfamiliar voice pierced my ears. The reason is unknown, but Rin immediately recognized the owner of the voice. 

The Evil Orb. 

[ Poor human being. Do you want to take revenge on the traitor? ]

[ Do you want to live? ]

[ Do you need strength? [

Saying that life is dying out, are you going to take care of her soul now? A whopping seven years of her time to destroy her evil orb?

It was laughable. 

[ Then take my hand – ]

Dismissed.

[. . . Life, knowledge, strength, power. You are young, I’ll let you have it all. ]

Dismissed.

[. . .What you have to do is dedicate your soul to me. With one dying soul, this Lord will grant all your wishes. ]

Is this a clogged ear canal? 

Dismissed. 

[ You doctor knew it as well. ]

Yes, dismissed. 

[ The contract has been established. ]

If you understand, people are dying, so let’s be quiet. 

. . .Wait a second. 

Didn’t I just say that the contract was concluded? 

[ . . . ]

I never agreed to a contract. Don’t try to seduce me. Just disappear.

[ . . . ]

.. .

[ . . . ]

. . .It’s invalid, right? 

[ . . . ]

Is it invalid?