pages of rebellion

"Where... am I?"

Noah stood on his feet and looked at the calm sea before him, then lowered his gaze to the beach sand that softly caressed his bare feet.

"I remember being stabbed and then saved by the director. Could I have died before he could heal me? I can no longer distinguish between life and death... I've died ten times, after all. But if I'm dead... then is this heaven?" Noah muttered as he looked ahead.

"This place is not heaven," a voice said nearby—a voice eerily familiar.

Noah turned around toward the source of the voice and saw a girl walking toward him.

She possessed a mysterious and unsettling beauty. Her long silver hair, flowing freely over her shoulders, shimmered as if dusted with glistening snow, reflecting light in a way that made her presence feel otherworldly. Her deep violet eyes held a strange brilliance. She wore dark clothing covered in cryptic engravings, intricate details hinting at hidden secrets buried within. A lingering aura of sorrow and fury trailed behind her, despite the soft smile she wore.

"Y-you… you're that shadow who spoke to me!" Noah said, his anxiety spiking as he recognized the voice.

"I'm glad you remember me. That's right—I am that shadow," the mysterious girl replied.

"W-who are you?" Noah asked, his unease growing at the strange atmosphere and the ominous aura radiating from her.

"Who I am doesn't matter right now. What matters is—who are you? And why are you here?"

"W-what do you mean? I—!" Noah stuttered, suddenly struck by shock. "What's happening? I-I've forgotten my name!! How?! I was sure I knew it just seconds ago! How did this happen?!" His thoughts raced, fear creeping into his mind as the situation escalated.

"Oh? You forgot your name? How foolish. It suits someone weak and pathetic like you," the girl said with a faint, enigmatic smile.

"What's with this woman? She appeared out of nowhere as a shadow, then showed up here, and now I've lost my identity. Did she have a hand in making me forget who I am? What should I do?" Noah thought to himself, silently watching the strange woman's unsettling smile.

"Don't be so scared," she continued. "I can't hurt you, even though I really want to carve you apart right now and make you suffer for what you did." Her smile disappeared.

"...W-what did I do to make you hate me so much?" Noah asked hesitantly.

The woman remained silent for a moment, her violet eyes glowing ominously.

"Of course, you wouldn't know your sin. You're a pathetic fool who erases his own memories the moment he feels guilt."

"S-sin?" Noah repeated, feeling a growing tension.

"...Yes, a sin. Your sin is rejecting yourself because of your weakness and your regret!"

"What do you mean by that?" Noah asked.

"Of course, you wouldn't understand. That's just your nature... It doesn't matter now. Your mind likely erased a part of your memories so you wouldn't drown in regret like the fool you are," the girl said.

Noah stared at her, his mind clouded with confusion and anxiety. He couldn't make sense of anything she was saying.

"W-what do you mean I erased part of my memory?" Noah asked.

At that moment, beyond the bounds of time and reason, the girl suddenly appeared in front of him, moving with inhuman speed. Her eyes burned with hatred and rage, and from her hand, shadows extended, forming a clawed weapon. She lunged at Noah, aiming straight for his head—but before she could land a single scratch, an unknown force stopped her attack.

Noah stumbled backward, overwhelmed by fear and shock.

"W-what just happened?! Why did she try to kill me just now?! And more importantly... my Foresight skill didn't activate against her attack!" His mind reeled as cold sweat dripped down his face, his widened eyes trembling in terror as he stared at the dagger, its sharp blade mere millimeters away from his head.

"How dare you?!" the girl shouted, clenching her teeth, creating a sharp grinding sound. She pulled back and attacked again—again and again—but the unseen force continuously halted her blade before it could strike Noah.

"How dare you?! How dare you?! How dare you?! How dare you?! HOW DARE YOU?!" she screamed, her voice dripping with hatred, disgust, and loathing. Her glowing violet eyes burned with a furious desire to kill.

"LEAVE! LEAVE AND NEVER RETURN!!" she howled with all her might, tears streaming from her eyes—black, tar-like tears.

Darkness engulfed Noah, swallowing him whole.

In an instant, Noah's eyes snapped open, and he found himself back in reality—inside the labyrinth. The massive serpent, Nagairus, was still chasing them.

"Where... am I?" Noah's eyes fully adjusted, taking in the familiar labyrinth walls and floor, dimly illuminated by a soft glow. The walls were made of sharp stones and polished obsidian. He turned back, locking eyes with the colossal serpent. Its enormous pupils gleamed with hunger, primal and unrelenting.

Nagairus's mouth flared with green fire, and in the next moment, it exhaled a toxic green mist toward Noah and his echo. But before the mist could reach them, the echo leaped away, carrying Noah and taking a sharp turn into a narrow passage, too small for the serpent to pass through. The beast roared in frustration and slithered away, searching for another route to reach them.

The echo placed Noah down gently before sitting beside him, resting its exhausted muscles, lowering its guard, and leaning against the cold labyrinth wall.

The first thing Noah noticed was that his injuries were completely healed—as if they had never been there. Even his previously broken bones were intact and stronger than before.

"What happened? My wounds... they're gone, as if they never existed. Did the echo do this? No, I don't have a healing skill, so it couldn't have copied one! And more importantly... that place, that girl... she got furious the moment I asked about my lost memories and tried to kill me! What the hell is happening?! I don't understand. Are all women like this?! You ask a single question, and they try to murder you?! That's terrifying..." Noah thought to himself in silence.

The echo poked Noah's shoulder, breaking him from his thoughts.

Noah turned toward it, confused. The echo then pointed at Noah, then at itself. It pressed its hands together tightly, intertwining its fingers.

"Huh, I read in a book once that echoes don't speak. Maybe it's trying to communicate using sign language? What is it trying to say?" Noah thought.

He hesitantly pointed at himself.

"Me?" Noah asked.

The echo nodded, then pointed at itself.

"You?" Noah said.

"Cooperation?" Noah asked in surprise. The Echo eagerly nodded.

"Does it want to cooperate with me?!" Noah thought. "I've never heard of an Echo wanting to work with its source before. That's strange. Aren't Echoes supposed to be hostile and try to kill their source? This is unusual... Then again, it's my reflection, so of course, it would be strange."

After a moment of contemplation, Noah nodded. "Alright, let's cooperate then." He smiled at the Echo, which then stood up and extended its hand to help him. Noah grabbed it and pulled himself up.

"I think... I've gained an ally in this desolate place," Noah thought as he followed the Echo. But suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, a realization struck him.

"Why... did I so easily accept its presence?! Just a few minutes ago, I was rejecting it, and I still intend to! What is happening here?! This isn't normal bonding! This isn't natural! This isn't logical! It feels as if I'm looking into a mirror... but instead of seeing my reflection, I feel like I'm staring at my own source?!"

Near an unknown shoreline, a girl walked silently, kicking the soft beach sand with each step.

"He must have realized it by now… Normally, when an Echo and its source try to cooperate, the Echo instinctively follows the source." She halted her steps and smiled widely.

"But since 'he' has forgotten his name and identity, he no longer recognizes whether he is the source or not. Meanwhile, his Echo possesses a stronger sense of self than he does, making it the dominant one. In the end, if this continues, 'he' will merge with the Echo and become part of its reflection."

She let out a chuckle. "Tell me, how do you feel? Do you feel anxious? Afraid? Fake? This is my revenge on you!"

She threw her head back and laughed, spreading her arms as she gazed up at the artificial blue sky above her.

Inside the labyrinth, Edgar and Rael ran through its twisting passages, navigating its deep corridors, illusions, and lurking monsters—all in search of Noah.

"Damn it, I hope he's still okay. With an injury that severe, he won't last long without treatment! We need to find him quickly!" Edgar thought, his worry growing.

"The old man seems to care about this boy more than the other students. Well, it's none of my business, but I can't help but be curious about his strange behavior around him," Rael mused as he glanced at Edgar.

Outside, in the guest chamber, all the invited guests sat in tense silence. Among them was Lucian, who was sweating profusely from the sheer pressure of the situation. The atmosphere in the room was thick with unease, arrogance, and tension.

The source of this tension was Garth, who was still irritated and uneasy after Luo Yan's earlier threat. On the other hand, Luo Yan wore a smug expression, clearly reveling in her control over the situation.

"Director, please just come quickly!" Lucian pleaded internally, on the verge of tears.

Just then, the door swung open, and all eyes turned toward the unexpected guest—Noctis.

"Who are you?" Garth asked, his irritation intensifying.

"A-Ah, everyone, p-please forgive us. He is one of the hunters hired as an examiner for the test. I will handle him right away," Lucian stammered, signaling Noctis with his eyes to leave.

"I don't have time for this nonsense," Noctis said bluntly. "Old man Edgar sent me."

"Introduce yourself first before you speak, or I'll rip your tongue out," Garth said.

"Ah, right. I am Noctis Venye, a Rank A Hunter," Noctis replied casually.

A wave of shock spread through the room as the guests sprang from their seats.

"Noctis?! Do you mean 'The Forgotten Hunter'?!" one guest exclaimed.

"The Forgotten Hunter who worked as a spy and investigator in the last war against demons?! The same hunter who defeated the Rank S 'Plague Spider'?" another gasped, his face obscured by his cloak.

"Enough of this nonsense," Noctis cut in. "I was sent by the old man Edgar to deliver a request for assistance."

"A request for assistance?" Luo Yan asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Yes. A student has been kidnapped by his own Echo while being pursued by the guardian serpent, Nagairos. He is in critical condition after an unexpected battle with an intruder classified as Rank B. The injuries sustained in this fight are severe and could be fatal."

"This student… he's obviously the one everyone here is after!" Luo Yan thought.

"And what do you want us to do?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"The Director is requesting your help in finding him. With your combined strength, you can cover a larger search area more quickly. The monsters in the first phase of the labyrinth pose no threat to you," Noctis explained.

"This… this is a golden opportunity," Luo Yan thought, covering her smirk with her hand. "If I find this student first, my chances of bringing him to my side will skyrocket. After all, whoever saves him will likely earn his gratitude. Everyone here will be scrambling for this chance—I just need to grab it before they do."

"Of course, the Director isn't asking for your help without offering something in return. He said that whoever finds the student first will be granted exclusive rights to raid the 'Fallen Angel's dungeon,'" Noctis added.

The room fell silent. Everyone stood frozen in shock.

"The Fallen Angel..." someone whispered.

"Isn't that the Rank S dungeon that even top-ranked hunters and the best fifty can't conquer…?" another muttered, clenching his fists.

"It's an unexplored dungeon. The estimated value of its treasures is equivalent to an international fortune. Since it's within Kaisel Academy's territory, they legally own it. If the Director is willing to give up something this valuable just to save one student... then who the hell is this person?!"