Calus walked toward their room with his head hung low, countless thoughts boiling inside his mind. But all of them faded the moment he opened the door.

"Brother, congratulations!"

Fre stood up excitedly, holding two giant bottles of milk in his hands. He rushed forward and hugged Calus.

"Oh, silly fool. You're celebrating with milk?" Calus said with a frown, though he still accepted one bottle.

The two sat across from each other on their beds and began talking.

They talked about many things. Fre excitedly discussed the beautiful girls at the tournament and how the Eastern Continent had secured third place, making everyone proud.

Little by little, the milk disappeared into their stomachs, and before long Fre became drunk.

Soon he was hiccuping uncontrollably before collapsing onto his bed.

Calus helped him lie down properly before walking over to his own bed.

He lay down with his hands behind his head, and all the thoughts he had been suppressing suddenly flooded back.

"What will I do? This world has changed. At first, I thought I could stay in the shadows while observing them in the light… but now I'm the one standing in the light while they remain hidden in the dark. I don't know their plans or what they want to do with Fre and me."

Calus sighed deeply.

His mind felt constantly crowded with thoughts. Sometimes he felt like his head would explode from overthinking.

But when he looked at Fre sleeping peacefully, a warm smile appeared on his face.

In his previous life, this brother had helped him countless times. Fre had even sacrificed his life for him without hesitation.

How could anyone not cherish such a brother?

"I will protect you in this life… the same way you protected me in the last life. I promise."

Just as Calus finished speaking, the moonlight in the room suddenly darkened as a figure silently entered.

Calus instantly stood up.

Fre remained fast asleep, completely unaware.

"Oh? Why do you look so shocked?" Lisa's teasing voice sounded as she slowly walked toward Fre.

"I did tell you what I was planning to do tonight. So why do you seem surprised?"

A cold glint flashed in her hand as a knife appeared.

"You—!"

Calus dashed forward.

Lisa had already reached Fre's bed. She raised the knife with both hands and stabbed downward.

Calus appeared instantly and grabbed her wrists.

No matter how hard Lisa struggled, she couldn't move her hands even an inch.

Calus tightly held the hand gripping the knife.

"You wouldn't. In the last life, you were lovers. In this life, you're siblings. Would you really dare kill your own blood brother?" Calus asked coldly.

For a moment, Lisa's arms trembled.

Calus thought silently,

Yes… your blood and his blood are the same now. Can you still kill him so easily in this life?

But suddenly, a smile bloomed on Lisa's face.

"Honestly, sometimes I think you're stupid… but cute. Do you really think I can't?" she said lightly. "Well… watch me."

She pushed harder.

But Calus didn't budge.

After all, he was a Three-Star Gold Realm expert while she was only in the Silver Realm. The gap in strength was overwhelming.

"You lunatic. I should kill you right now. The only reason I haven't is because you're Fre's sister in this life. Don't push me," Calus said angrily.

"Oh really?"

Lisa suddenly relaxed her arm slightly.

"I understand… but that's not very good. It seems you really could kill me," she pouted.

"Try me," Calus replied, his eyes blazing.

"Yes… I will."

Lisa suddenly grabbed Calus's hand.

In that instant, Calus felt a terrifying energy surge.

Then

Shiii

The sound of a knife piercing human flesh echoed through the room.

Time seemed to stop.

At that moment, Fre woke up.

"You two… what are you doing?" he asked sleepily while rubbing his eyes.

But his expression suddenly froze.

The floor was dyed red with blood.

And a body collapsed onto the ground.

"Y–you…"

"Calus!"

Fre shouted in shock.

"You stabbed my sister?!"

He jumped from his bed and rushed toward Lisa's fallen body.

Calus stood frozen.

This… this…

What just happened?

No. He hadn't done anything.

Lisa had used his hand to stab herself.

"Lisa! Lisa, are you okay?!" Fre cried as his hands quickly became soaked with blood.

"Br… brother…" Lisa whispered weakly as her eyes slowly closed.

"Ple…ase… don't blame Calus… he didn't… mean to… I… I was the one…"

Tears streamed down her face as Fre held her tightly.

"Shhh… shhh…" Fre whispered, his body trembling violently.

His eyes filled with sorrow as tears poured down his face.

"You'll be alright… you'll be alright…" he kept repeating.

Lisa smiled faintly.

Her eyes slowly turned toward Calus.

Then her body went cold.

She died.

Fre didn't move.

He simply held her body as blood soaked his clothes.

His eyes were red as he silently wept.

"I…"

"Fre… I didn't kill her! Look, she stabbed herself! She's not the person you think she is. She's a witch! She—"

Calus tried to explain, but Fre didn't respond.

Anger surged inside Calus.

How could this happen?

He hadn't even meant to hurt her.

Why would she take her own life like this?

Was she truly insane?

Or was the organization behind her far more terrifying than he had imagined?

Seeing Fre grieving, Calus slowly walked closer.

His steps were shaky.

"Fre… do you remember the question I asked you on the ship?"

"The question about… what if a girl I loved, or someone close to me, was responsible for my death in my previous life? Would you kill her?"

Fre remained silent.

"Well… Lisa is like that."

Calus's voice trembled.

"I've been reborn. In my last life, she was your lover… but she killed you. I don't know why in this life she became your twin sister. But she's dangerous. Tonight she was planning to kill you."

Calus spoke desperately.

"Believe me, Fre! Even then, I didn't kill her. She stabbed herself so she could frame me and make you hate me!"

Calus's voice shook.

"Remember what you told me back then? You said if you were in that situation…"

Calus paused.

"You said you would kill her first… and explain later."

Finally—

Fre snapped.

"Enough."

Fre gently placed Lisa's body on the ground.

Calus fell silent, his body trembling violently.

"Did I know you were planning to kill my own sister? What has she ever done to you?" His voice cracked, a mix of disbelief and fury. "Now you can't even face it… can't admit you killed her, yet you dare blame her for ending her own life? Are you that pathetic?"

Fre's eyes blazed with a storm of emotions. "Calus… I would have given my life for you. Even as kids, that was me. Once I made a friend, I stayed loyal, I protected them, treated them like my own brother. Naive? Maybe. But proud? Always. But you… what did you do? You killed my sister! Why?! Why?!"

Calus clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Fre… she… she's part of a mysterious organization. They controlled her. Made her try to kill you, me… everyone. The world could have ended because of them. She… she was a pawn. She was being used to end you. Fre, am I wrong for trying to stop it? I was protecting you!"

Damn it… damn it… this insanity. Even secretly killing her might have been less cruel than this.

"The world could end, and I wouldn't care less…"

Fre stepped closer, his eyes piercing, every heartbeat heavy with fury. "And you expect me to believe that? Do I look that stupid to you, Calus? Answer me!"

Calus's body shook. Every nerve screamed, every thought tangled in frustration and helplessness.

Fre's gaze cut deeper. "You seem to have forgotten what I told you on that ship.

'But if he doesn't understand… then we aren't brothers.'

"Well, I don't understand and

I don't believe you. You killed my sister. Today… today is the end of our friendship. I don't know you. You don't know me."

Without another word, Fre walked over to Lisa, lifting her fragile, lifeless body into his arms.

"You know… I would have killed you right now if I were strong enough. But I'm not. And you… you are strong enough. That's your luck. But someday, when I am strong enough… when I get the chance… I will kill you with my own hands."

He opened the door and left, his steps echoing like a hammer on Calus's chest.

"Fre…" Calus called, but his voice was swallowed by the storm of silence that followed.

"Damn it… damn it… damn it!" Calus roared, clutching his head, teeth grinding, body quivering with rage and helplessness.

The betrayal, the chaos, the twisted manipulations of that organization… it all crashed down on him.

They had dared to tear apart him and Fre, the bond he'd sworn to protect.

"Damn you, Lisa!" Calus screamed, biting his own tongue until blood flowed. His vision blurred.

He clawed at his hair, tearing at himself in a frenzy, a feral monster consumed by fury, heartbreak, and helpless rage.

Every thought screamed: I failed… I couldn't protect him… and now everything is burning.