Jin was on a boat.

He was sitting next to a bed on which the love of his life remained asleep. She had yet to wake up after so many days. He could not help the anxiety.

Cheng and Ame entered the room.

They approached the bed. Where they going to question him about random shit again? He could not give a fuck about them nor what they wanted right now. Only Ame mattered.

Sarina smiled at him: “Can you go a little further, Cheng will try to wake her soul up. It might be able to speed the process”

He frowned: “Will it harm her?”

Cheng stated: “No. Who do you think I am? My techniques are perfect.”

Jin had to admit that Cheng knew his shit when it came to souls and such. He looked at Ame dotingly before he sighed, got up and went further away.

Cheng moved closer and circulated his spiritual energy. He activated the soul character and pushed it into her forehead. The sigil disappeared within and her fingers began to twitch slightly.

It was a sign that it worked and she was waking up.

Jin hurried to the bed, uncaring of the fact that he pushed Cheng away. Cheng snickered but otherwise did not do anything.

…

She had a long dream.

Or a nightmare to be more accurate.

There was a war and Baem was there too. He was not the one she knew. He was- No. It was a monster.

It slaughtered mindlessly and indiscriminately.

And, in the end, it killed even her.

As she opened her eyes, what she saw scared her beyond anything before. It was Baem, the monster version of him from her nightmare. She screamed as she pushed him away with all her strength. Likely not expecting it, he was flung to the opposite wall.

She was getting ready to burn him to death as her spiritual energy but Cheng, Sarina and Nangua appeared in front of her to calm her.

…

From there, they had Jin go out and they began to chat with her.

They told her about what happened and what they had to do to save her. Then, they talked about Baem or Jin, as it was both the same person. They told her of his story.

She did not know how to take it.

He lied to her about who he was since the beginning.

How could you love someone yet not trust that someone enough to even tell them your true name?

The betrayal was real.

She refused to see him for the whole duration of the trip.

He remained at the helm of the boat, deep in thoughts and sulky. At least she was alive. That’s what he told himself. As long as there was life, there were possibilities. That’s all that mattered.

Finally, they saw the shore.

The coast of Sannhil, The Republic of Cobra.

It was a Neutral aera owned by the council of Cobra composed of nine heads in reference to the legendary monster, the Hydra. One of the head was, in fact, of Hydra descent but that was another story.

The coastal city they were going to get down at was called Sanwatii. It was a big city well-known for its harbor and businesses. It was also quite well-known for being filled with criminals and rejects.

Both were good things to Jin’s little team.

In order to attract less attention, Jin covered his corrupted side with an armor he made out of the pumpkin element that monsterized him.

Ame, on the other hand, only had to wear sunglasses. She could easily make it seem like she wore gauntlets without having to add anything and, beyond that, no one was after her. Only Jin was a wanted fugitive.

Then again, with Nangua at the 54th stage with them, they were rather safe in this kind of place.

The Republic’s head were all Saints but they did mind their own business and none were settled in Sanwatii.

This harbor was a free zone within the free zone.

The little group traveled in silence to an inn. Ame still refusing to say a word to Jin.

Cheng did not plan to rent a few rooms, he only planned to get them a place to talk and the inns here were equipped with decent soundproof equipment. Of course, he had to rework their system for a few minutes to make sure that the owner would not listen in either but that was only a mild inconvenience.

Now that they could talk without risks, Cheng began: “Everyone, what do you plan to do from now on?”

There was silence so Cheng stated his own plans first: “Sarina and I are going to create a sect somewhere nearby. We would obviously love to have the three of you join us on this endeavor”

Jin’s eyebrows raised. He did not expect that. He asked: “Why would you want to create a sect?”

Cheng stated: “There is great strength in numbers. More hands mean more labor”

Jin continued: “Is it not dangerous to show yourselves so openly?”

Sarina answered him: “Not really. We do not plan to use our own names and no one knows we came here in the first place thanks to Seagull”

Jin frowned: “Is he trustworthy?”

Nangua chuckled: “No one is more trustworthy on this planet, Young Master”

Jin’s frown deepened. But if Nangua said that it was fine, then it likely would be. Nangua was someone who cared a lot about his own life after all.

Jin wondered: “What would we get from doing that? Wouldn’t it be better to go hide and cultivate?”

Cheng shook his head: “Both would work but we might as well create a force and gather more comrades since we can. Out of us all, only you are a fugitive but, to be honest, as long as you don’t take out those two items, no one should be able to find you. Of course, you would need to take on a brand-new name once again but I don’t think this would be a problem”