The borders of Korea stretched vast, guarding both opportunity and danger. To the north, nestled between the jagged cliffs of Valharen Ridge, a mysterious crack had formed in one of the dormant dungeon gates. The incident stirred alarms throughout Elysian Academy, and the continent's strongest nations quickly mobilized their elite. Among them was a raid party known across borders—The Echo Lords.
As whispers of the crack spread, Jin felt something stir within his soul.
At Elysian Academy, the atmosphere shifted drastically. Students trained harder, lectures were more intense, and high-ranking officers began appearing more frequently within the academy grounds. Jin watched it all unfold in silence. He had started to remember flashes—moments not of Earth, not of Korea either—but somewhere in between. A blood-soaked field, a towering beast wrapped in voidlight, and three silhouettes standing beside him.
One of the silhouettes... Aira. He could hear her voice faintly, calling his name.
Headmaster Vael summoned an emergency gathering. Students filled the grand marble hall. Tension was thick.
"A dangerous tear has opened in a gate to the north," Vael began, his voice echoing with command. "Korea will collaborate with other nations to investigate and, if needed, eliminate any threat."
Murmurs spread like wildfire. Jin sat at the edge of the crowd, gaze locked on the golden seal floating above Vael—a sigil only deployed during continent-level emergencies.
Later that day, Jin stood at the practice grounds when a shadow fell across him.
"You must be the one who embarrassed Kael," a cool voice said.
Jin turned.
A tall woman in a red combat cloak stood with her arms folded. Her fiery red hair, streaked with black, was unmistakable.
"I'm Naelle, daughter of Aira," she said bluntly.
He felt a moment of pause, but kept his expression neutral.
Naelle stepped forward. "I was chosen to join the investigative squad heading to Valharen. I don't care who you are, but I'll be watching. Closely."
She turned and walked away, boots tapping against the stone, leaving Jin staring after her with a tangle of emotions he couldn't sort.
Meanwhile, a raid party arrived from a distant country: Virellia. They were called The Echo Lords, an elite team famed for clearing one of the most dangerous A-class dungeons in their land. They weren't just warriors; they were symbols of power, diplomacy, and influence.
Their leader, Captain Thorne—a tall, imposing figure whose expertise in battle tactics was unmatched—led the party. Beside him stood Ravyn Silvara, a mage known for her spells that could warp time perception, and Cain, a rogue with sharp instincts and unmatched agility.
They arrived at Elysian Academy to coordinate efforts.
When Jin passed by them in the corridor, something inside his mind trembled. The leader, Thorne, locked eyes with him for just a second. That was all it took.
A memory ripped through Jin's mind—a younger Thorne, kneeling in a battlefield, bloodied but determined, pledging loyalty to Jin's former self in a different time.
Jin stumbled.
"Are you alright?" asked a voice.
It was Seraphina Albrecht. She had become more curious about him lately, always observing, never confronting. But this time, she looked concerned.
"Just... dizzy," Jin said, trying to steady himself.
That night, he stood atop the academy's observatory tower, looking out at the moonlit plains.
The tear in the gate... the foreign raid party... the returning fragments of memory. It was too much at once.
But Jin knew this was only the beginning. Something dark stirred beyond the crack in Valharen.
And he would be there when it rose.
Whether as a silent observer... or the very blade that ends it.