Her voice broke slightly. "I love you, Satou. I love you so much it terrifies me every single day. The thought of you going into danger, of facing that monster who tortured you in the nightmare realm... it makes me want to forbid you from going, to lock you in the settlement, to keep you safe here where I can protect you."

She laughed bitterly through her tears. "But I can't do that, can I? Because you have already made up your mind to hunt down and kill Merc assault."

Lyra's grip on him tightened almost painfully. "So I'm not going to ask you to stay. I'm not going to beg you to let someone else handle it. I'm just going to ask you one thing—come back to me. To us. That's all. Just... come back."

Then Lyra suddenly kissed Satou. The kiss lasted long enough that several people in the room politely looked away, giving them a moment of privacy despite the audience.

When they finally separated, both were breathing hard. Lyra hugged him again, her face buried against his chest as she tried to compose herself, to regain some semblance of the professional advisor she usually presented.

"Safe journey," she whispered against his chest. "We'll be waiting for you. The settlement will be here when you get back, everything running perfectly, so don't you dare worry about us while you're gone."

She pulled back and stepped away, roughly wiping at her eyes and trying to smile despite the tears still falling. She raised one hand in farewell, waving with exaggerated cheerfulness that didn't quite hide the emotion underneath.

"Safe journey!" she called out, her voice only slightly unsteady. "Show Merc Assault what happens when you try to mess with you ! And then come home to us!"

Satou felt his chest tighten with emotion, his own eyes stinging slightly. "Lyra... please tell Jessica I love her when she wakes up. Tell her I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye in person, but I didn't want to wake her after everything she's been through. Tell her..."

His voice roughened slightly. "Tell her I'll be back soon. That I'm going to end this threat so we can finally have real peace. So she doesn't have to be afraid of assassins in her sleep anymore. So none of us do."

Lyra nodded, her smile becoming more genuine despite the tears. "Yes. I'll tell her everything. She'll understand, Satou. Jessica always does. She'll be worried—terrified, probably—but she'll understand why you had to go. Why you couldn't let this threat continue existing."

Satou then said softly, his voice thick with emotion, "Thank you for understanding… I love you."

Then he turned to face his assembled party—the group who would be accompanying him on this revenge mission into enemy territory.

Freda stood near Morgana, trying to project confidence despite her obvious shyness. Her small hands were clasped in front of her, and she kept glancing between Satou and her master, clearly drawing strength from Morgana's presence while also preparing herself mentally for the journey ahead.

Urgot looked determined, his young face set with the seriousness of someone embarking on their first real mission beyond the settlement's borders. He was trying hard to hide his nervousness, standing straight with his hand resting on his weapon. Earlier, his father Urgak had pulled him aside for what was clearly an emotional farewell and last-minute fatherly advice.

Kelvin and Grimnir both wore expressions of grim readiness—they'd been with Satou long enough to understand the stakes, long enough to know that this mission was personal in ways that went far beyond simple demon realm politics or territorial disputes. They'd seen what the nightmare torture had done to their lord and brother, and they were ready to help him claim vengeance.

And then there was Shadow, still standing in perfect silence near Loki, that mysterious presence somehow both reassuring and deeply unsettling. The cloaked figure hadn't moved during Satou's emotional farewell with Lyra, but Satou could feel their attention, their focus, that controlled bloodlust simmering just beneath the surface like a banked fire waiting to explode.

"What should I call you?" Satou asked Shadow directly. "I know you said 'Shadow,' but is there anything else? Any other name or title you prefer?"

The mysterious figure's head tilted slightly, and when they spoke, that magically altered voice carried something that might have been dark amusement. "Shadow is sufficient, Lord Satou. It's what I've been called for three years—since the day the person I cared about died. My old name, my old identity, my old life... I left all of that behind when I dedicated myself to hunting Merc Assault."

There was a pause, then Shadow continued with barely contained intensity. "You and I have the same goal. We both want to see Merc Assault dead. That's all that matters."

As Shadow spoke, Satou felt that wave of bloodlust emanating from the cloaked figure—cold, controlled, refined over years of hatred, but absolutely murderous. The kind of killing intent that came from someone who'd spent years nursing their rage, planning their revenge, waiting for the perfect opportunity.

It was eerily similar to what Satou himself had been feeling. That ice-cold fury that demanded vengeance.

"Then let's go," Satou said, his voice carrying quiet but absolute determination. "It's time to end this threat once and for all."

He looked at each member of his party in turn—Freda, Urgot, Kelvin, Grimnir, and Shadow. Five companions for a journey into hostile territory to kill one of the demon realm's most legendary assassins.

"Let's move out," Satou commanded.

They left the administrative building together, walking through the settlement toward the main gates. Word had spread quickly—everyone knew Lord Satou was leaving on a dangerous mission.

The settlement's residents lined the streets. Children waved enthusiastically. Warriors saluted with fists over their hearts. Citizens called out encouragement:

"Bring back victory, Lord Satou!"

"Come back safely to us!"

"Show them our power!"

Satou acknowledged the calls with nods and waves. These were his people—every goblin, every orc, every refugee who'd found safety within these walls.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.