The Villain's explosive return.

Kaela opened her mouth to retort, but Treyni raised a hand, silencing her. She stepped closer to me, her golden eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Alright, Alchemist," Treyni said, her voice measured. "If you're so confident, let's hear it. What exactly do you know about Baki's attack? And why should we trust anything you say?"

I drew a deep breath, knowing this was my chance to convince them. "Baki is no ordinary monster. He's a force of destruction, driven by rage and chaos. I don't know when he'll strike, but I've seen glimpses of his wrath. The temple shrine will be his target, and when he comes, it won't just be a skirmish—it'll be annihilation. If you don't prepare, there won't be anything left to protect."

Treyni's expression remained neutral, but I could tell she was processing my words carefully. Kaela, however, wasn't as composed.

"Glimpses?" she repeated, her tone dripping with skepticism. "So, you're basing all of this on vague visions? Do you even realize how ridiculous that sounds?"

"I do," I replied evenly. "But ridiculous or not, I've been right before. I'm not asking you to trust me blindly. Let me prove myself. Allow me to work with you, to prepare for what's coming. If I'm wrong, you lose nothing. But if I'm right..."

Treyni interrupted, her voice soft but firm. "If you're right, you'll have saved countless lives." She tilted her head, a small, enigmatic smile forming. "You're a strange one, Alchemist. Most would've run the other way after seeing something like Baki in their visions. Yet here you are, offering to stand against him."

I returned her gaze with unwavering determination. "Sometimes, running isn't an option. Sometimes, you have to fight—even if it means taking risks."

Treyni studied me for another moment before finally nodding. "Fine. You'll have your chance to prove yourself. But don't think for a second that we'll let our guard down around you."

Kaela scoffed but reluctantly nodded as well. "If you try anything suspicious, you'll regret it."

"Understood," I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. "So, where do we start?"

Treyni exchanged a glance with Kaela before turning back to me. "First, you'll meet our elders. If you're serious about helping, they'll want to hear your story directly. But I warn you—they're not as forgiving as we are."

"Fair enough," I replied, feeling the weight of what lay ahead. "Lead the way."

Treyni turned and began walking deeper into the forest, Kaela following closely behind. As I trailed after them, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd just taken the first step into something far more dangerous than I'd anticipated.

As we walked deeper into the forest, the oppressive weight of the past and future gnawed at me. The memories from the novel flooded back, each detail clear in my mind. The monster Baki, summoned by the Demon King, had massacred the elves with savage brutality, leaving only Treyni alive—an act of twisted amusement. Aron, the hero, had arrived too late, as the story demanded. Currently he and his team weren't allowed to leave the academy yet. I had two years to prepare for the inevitable.

The decision before me was stark—do I kill the twins during the coming catastrophe, wiping them from the narrative, or do I save them and bind them to me through gratitude, using them to further my goals? The choice loomed over me, heavy and suffocating. But after a brief moment of deliberation, I made my decision. I would save them.

I might want to paint myself as evil, as a force of chaos and destruction, but I didn't want to become the devil itself. I wasn't some mindless villain looking to burn everything to the ground. No, my path was more nuanced than that.

Treyni and Kaela led me through the dense forest, their eyes scanning the surroundings as if expecting danger at every corner. They had checked my belongings—for the seventh time—looking for anything suspicious, and yet they still hadn't decided whether to trust me or not. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and tangible, but I remained outwardly calm, not betraying any uncertainty.

After what seemed like an eternity of walking through the dense thicket, Treyni stopped. Her eyes flickered to Kaela, then to me, her gaze lingering for a moment too long. There was something calculating behind her sharp eyes, and I couldn't help but feel as though she knew I was hiding something.

With a soft sigh, Treyni finally spoke, her voice laced with both caution and determination. "We've been walking for a while now, and I've checked you enough times. I think it's time to move forward."

I didn't have to ask what she meant. They were leading me to something more than just a safe haven—it was a way deeper into their world, a place where I might find the answers I was searching for... or where I could disappear forever if things went wrong.

With a wave of her hand, Treyni activated a subtle but powerful magic, and the air around us shimmered for a brief moment. The trees seemed to bend and twist in ways that weren't natural, creating a passage, a portal that would lead us somewhere else.

Kaela watched me with narrowed eyes, clearly still unsure about me, but her guard was slightly lowered now. Whatever we were about to enter, it was clear they wanted me to follow.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward, the sensation of the warp enveloping me instantly, like I was being pulled through the very fabric of reality itself. My vision blurred, and before I could brace myself, the world around me shifted entirely.

When my senses returned, we were no longer in the forest. The surroundings had changed, replaced by something ancient, something foreign. A vast, ornate temple stood in front of us, its stone walls covered with intricate runes and carvings that glowed faintly in the dim light. The air felt charged with magic, the kind that didn't belong to humans.

Treyni turned to me with a half-smile. "Welcome to our home. From here, we'll discuss what you know... and what you plan to do next."

I swallowed my unease, bracing myself for what was to come. This was only the beginning.