The dense forest stretched endlessly, shadows curling around towering trees, and a chill that seemed to seep into the bones of anyone who ventured too deep. Soruto Feng, the quiet sniper of the Night Guild Pirates, stood motionless at the edge of a cliff, peering through the scope of his specialized rifle. His eyes scanned the horizon, the sharpness of his vision cutting through the dense mist that shrouded the island. The air was thick with tension, and it was more than just the weight of the island's oppressive darkness—it was the weight of the choices he'd made, of the path he had walked.
---
Soruto had always been a calm, collected individual. His weapon was an extension of himself, every shot fired with deadly precision. But even the calmest of people had cracks, and Soruto's cracks had always been hidden in the depths of his mind. Today, those cracks would be tested.
He had trained his whole life to be a perfect sniper, never allowing his emotions to get in the way. But now, on this forsaken island, the voices of his past echoed around him, soft whispers that tugged at his subconscious.
"Is this really what you want, Soruto?" The voice was low, familiar. "Are you really going to keep running away from the truth?"
Soruto's hands tightened around the rifle's stock, his knuckles turning white. His eyes flickered, but he didn't let them linger on the memories that threatened to overwhelm him. Instead, he focused on the horizon.
"I've already made my choices," he muttered under his breath, but doubt lingered like a ghost in his mind. "I've already chosen this life. I'm not running anymore."
---
Memories of His Past
The vision before him shifted. The world around Soruto began to warp, distorting and folding in on itself until he stood in the middle of a battlefield—a younger version of himself, holding his sniper rifle as he surveyed the aftermath of a brutal war.
The sounds of screaming soldiers filled the air, and blood stained the ground beneath him. His heart pounded in his chest as he saw his comrades in the distance—men he had fought beside, men he had trusted.
But then, a figure emerged from the chaos. His eyes locked with Soruto's—a former ally, a friend, someone Soruto had once fought alongside. The man was covered in blood, his face twisted in rage and betrayal.
"You left us, Soruto!" the man shouted, his voice filled with fury. "You abandoned your comrades for your own survival! You took the easy way out!"
Soruto flinched, but he didn't lower his rifle. His mind raced with the memories of that day—the battle that had shattered his trust in everyone, the decision he had made to abandon his team in order to survive. He had thought it was the only way to live, to escape the horrors of war. But as he watched his friend's dying eyes, he knew he would never be able to erase the guilt.
---
Facing the Truth – The Sniper's Code
The vision shifted again, and Soruto found himself standing alone in an empty room, surrounded by the echoes of the choices he had made. The voices continued, relentless.
"You chose to protect yourself. But what about everyone else? What about those you left behind?"
Soruto's grip on his rifle tightened once again, but this time, there was no anger, only an overwhelming sense of loss. His mind was a battlefield of conflicting emotions, of regret and guilt that he had buried deep within himself. He had always prided himself on his ability to make the clean shot, to be a perfect sniper, but he realized now that his precision in combat had come at the cost of his soul.
He looked down at his rifle. The weapon that had been his lifeline, his greatest asset. It was stained with the blood of countless battles, yet it had also kept him alive. It had given him purpose.
"The sniper's code…" Soruto whispered, the words coming to him almost as an automatic response. "Always take the shot, never leave a mission incomplete. But what about the lives I've left behind?"
---
For the first time in a long while, Soruto's grip on the rifle loosened. His eyes softened, and for the briefest moment, he allowed himself to feel the weight of his past mistakes. But the weight didn't crush him. Instead, it grounded him.
"I don't need to run from my past anymore," Soruto whispered to himself. "I can choose a different path. I can move forward, not as a coward, but as a man who will protect what matters. I've already chosen this life, and I'm not abandoning my crew."
With renewed resolve, Soruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The darkness that had clung to his mind began to lift, the oppressive weight of guilt receding. He wasn't the same man he had been on that battlefield. He wasn't defined by his past mistakes.
---
The Moment of Clarity
When Soruto opened his eyes again, the forest around him was quiet. The whispers, the doubts—they were gone. In their place, there was only silence and the faint sound of the wind rustling through the trees. The trial was over. Soruto had faced his inner demons and come out stronger.
He adjusted his rifle and stood tall, his resolve clear. His mind no longer plagued by doubt, Soruto took one final look at the horizon. He could still hear the voices of the past in the back of his mind, but they no longer had power over him.
He was no longer just the sniper who had run from his past. He was a member of the Night Guild, and he had a new mission.
---
As Soruto made his way back to the camp, the familiar sight of his crew brought a sense of peace to his heart. Hiro, Demetrius, Musica, and Hikari—each one of them had faced their own struggles, and now it was his turn to face his. But now, he knew he wasn't alone. They were all in this together.
Soruto's eyes briefly met Hiro's, and for the first time in a long while, he didn't feel the need to hide the burden he had carried. Hiro gave him a brief nod of acknowledgment, a silent understanding passing between them.