The girl suddenly reached for her sword but lost her balance and fell to the ground."Wait, please! I didn't mean any harm. I was only trying to take back what belongs to us."Tansen remained cautious."And what exactly belongs to you?"The girl coughed and spat blood."Centuries ago, portals began to open in our universe. Back then, we weren't strong enough to close them. Then a dark being arrived… with a white-haired, red-eyed boy by his side. They stole the Yanton Stone — the cornerstone of our universe. Without that stone, our world is doomed to collapse. They also gave us the ability to open portals. Left behind a few clues… but without the stone, everything will disappear. Look around you! Does this place seem like a monster realm to you?"Tansen paused for a moment."What color was the stone?""Green, blue, and red," the girl said.Tansen remembered that stone. But since he still didn't trust her, he kept that knowledge to himself."Get up. Your injuries are severe. If you keep going like this, you won't survive another hour. Now tell me, where's the exit?"The girl let out a bitter laugh."So you're not going to help me. Then why should I help you?"Tansen took a deep breath."Smart girl. Oh well, it was worth a shot. You're stronger than me — but if you kill me, my sister will have a breakdown. And trust me, the last thing you'll be thinking about then is the Yanton Stone."Then, Tansen pulled out a healing vial — stolen from the D.C.T. medical unit back when he was under the shadow's control — and tossed it toward her."Drink that. It'll at least keep you alive until help arrives."The girl had no choice but to drink it. Her bleeding stopped, but she was still gravely wounded."Can you walk?" Tansen asked.She tried to stand but failed. Tansen sheathed his sword and lifted her onto his back."Put me down," the girl protested."You're injured. I'll carry you," Tansen said firmly.
Eventually, the girl passed out. Tansen continued carrying her until he reached a nearby village.In the village square, he called out, asking if there was a doctor. But the villagers didn't understand him, and he couldn't understand them either. For a moment, the place fell into silence.Then he remembered — his sword possessed an E.I.S. ability that allowed him to understand all languages. It was how he had spoken with the girl earlier.When he gripped his sword, one of the villagers flinched. Thinking Tansen was about to attack, the man prepared to flee. Tansen quickly raised the sword, trying to calm him."Don't worry. This just lets me understand languages," he said.The villager still looked terrified but didn't move. With a trembling finger, he pointed toward a building at the edge of the village.Tansen followed the direction with the girl still on his back. He carefully brought her inside and laid her down near the doctor. Then, he stepped outside for a breath of fresh air.
But unease stirred within him. A pressure deep in his chest. His sword's danger-sensing ability had triggered — there was a threat inside. Instinct took over, and he rushed back in.The doctor hadn't left the room yet. He held a dark-colored liquid in his hand. When Tansen saw that the girl was still alive, he stepped to the window, slowly drawing his sword and checking its edge.Just then, the doctor entered the room, trying to hide the poison behind his back as his eyes met Tansen's."Leave. This is for her recovery," the doctor said.Tansen was calm."What's in your hand?" he asked."Medicine," the doctor replied. "If you want the girl to live, leave now."Before he finished speaking, Tansen swung his blade. The doctor's hands hit the floor. A ranged strike — clean and instant. The doctor screamed in agony. Before the village guards could react, the doctor's head was severed.Tansen turned and barked at the guards:"If you don't want to end up like him, bring me another doctor. Now. Or no one in this village will live."In panic, the guards scrambled to find a replacement. Some of them were sure Tansen would kill again.He turned to the new doctor."Don't be afraid. Just treat the girl lying here. If you try to harm her like the last one did, you'll share his fate."The doctor nodded fearfully and began tending to the girl. He carefully cleaned her wounds and applied fresh bandages."You can remove the bandages in a week," he whispered.
After the treatment was done, the doctor asked to leave. The guards requested to enter and remove the corpse of the previous doctor.But Tansen denied them.He walked over to the body, planted his sword into the ground, and held his palms out toward it.A black aura began to envelop the corpse as he channeled his E.I.S. energy. The doctor's knowledge, memories, and medical expertise flowed into Tansen like a river.From that moment on, Tansen possessed the dead doctor's core healing knowledge.
The girl stirred awake. At first, she didn't know where she was. But when she saw Tansen, her expression shifted — unease and confusion. He had saved her… but also killed a man.Why would someone save my life… and take another's?She was too weak to use her powers, and her weapon was out of reach. She was completely vulnerable and didn't know how to react to this stranger.Tansen noticed the concern on her face. He approached gently and said in a calm voice,"Don't worry. I won't harm you. That doctor tried to poison you. I stopped him."The girl stared at him. His words brought a hint of relief. Then, with a faint smile, she asked:"Who… are you?"Tansen smiled in return."My name is Tan—"His words were cut short. A surge of energy from his sword diverted his attention.More than fifty Epsilon-class armored guards were approaching.He sighed and shook his head."So you have portal-opening technology… but still live like it's the Middle Ages."The girl didn't understand. She opened her mouth to ask, but before she could say anything, Tansen lifted her into his arms."We have to go," he said urgently.Panicked, the girl cried out,"Wait! You never told me your name… Who are you?"This time, Tansen answered:"My name is Tansen."
And with that, they leapt through the window. Tansen moved swiftly until he reached a horse trader. The man trembled when he realized Tansen was the one who had killed the doctor, but he didn't resist.He handed over his fastest horse.