Back to the moment after Raven severely wounded the bandit and was on his way to the cave...
Tension hung in the air, like embers ready to burst into flames at any moment. The cave, which had been silent, was now a field of conflict that could explode at any moment.
Inside the cold cave, time seemed to pass very slowly. The fog outside had disappeared, the view outside was clear, and the morning light coming in through a narrow crack only made the atmosphere a little brighter.
William stood staring at his watch, the digital numbers showing seven in the morning. His jaw tightened, and he took a deep breath, as if trying to hold back his mounting anxiety.
"It's been two hours..." William muttered softly, his voice hoarse from holding back his anger.
"Damnit... Where is that kid?
Theo, who was sitting not far from him, spoke up, although his tone sounded more desperate. "He left at five. It's now seven, and... there's no sign of him?"
"Raven... where did he go, actually?" Kyle's voice sounded heavy, his eyes staring blankly at the cave floor. Like someone who had lost his grip.
Hana suddenly stood up, her face covered in panic. "Are we just going to sit here? We have to find him immediately! What if something happens?"
"Calm down, Hana," William interrupted, his voice rising.
But that didn't make the situation any better. Hana turned with reddened eyes, clearly not accepting the reason to stay put.
Hana stared at him sharply, her eyes beginning to redden. "How can I calm down, Mr. William? He went out alone! We don't even know what's out there!"
Karin, who had been staring coldly at the cave entrance, now looked shaken. The anger she had been holding back turned into guilt. She stepped closer, grabbed Hana's shoulder, and hugged her gently.
"Don't be so reckless, Hana..." she said softly.
"If you go out now, they might find you too," she said, almost pleading.
In another corner, Lisa sat silently, hugging her knees. Her gaze was empty, as if she was imagining the worst-case scenario. Her breathing was uneven, and her hands were shaking without her realizing it.
Riana, who had been trying to calm everyone down, finally spoke up. Her voice was calm, although she couldn't completely hide her anxiety.
"Listen, everyone... don't panic yet. Raven might just be lost. The fog outside was really thick earlier... he must be trying to find his way back. Especially now that it's getting lighter, he must be heading here."
However, those words were not enough to extinguish the flames of emotion that had already been lit. Kyle, who had been sitting with his fists clenched, finally stood up with a rough movement. His breathing was heavy.
"Then I'll go find him! We can't just keep hoping!"
William immediately stepped forward quickly, blocking his path. "Are you crazy?! Do you want to add another missing person? Sit down!" His voice echoed off the cave walls, bouncing around the dark corners of the room, causing several other students who had just woken up to turn their heads spontaneously.
"But I don't want anyone else to die..." Kyle's voice broke, his eyes empty, as if the shadow of death still lingered in his memory.
"Many of our friends have already died in the ravine... I don't want to lose anyone else. If there's even the slightest chance that Raven is still out there, I'm going to go look for him."
Before William could answer, Hana stepped forward. Tears fell from her eyes, uncontrollable. "I'll go too… if Raven is really still out there, I'll go too."
"Hana, enough!" Karin approached, gripping Hana's shoulders tightly. Her voice trembled with emotion.
She knew how great Hana's sense of loss was, especially since Raven was the only person who had occupied the most special place in her heart. The fear of loss was so real, so suffocating, that it made Hana almost lose control of herself.
But Karin was not much different.
Behind her tough exterior, she had also just faced the worst possible scenario. Her chest still felt tight from the image of Raven not returning from the darkness of the cave. But precisely because of that, she couldn't let her friend drown in fear and forget her surroundings.
On the other hand, Lisa, who had been silent all this time, suddenly stood up. With her head bowed, she grabbed Kyle's collar, clutching it with trembling hands.
"Stop being stupid!" her voice broke, full of anger mixed with despair.
"Do you think that if you leave now, you'll save him?"
Kyle stared back, his jaw tightening. "Lisa, listen to me! Raven is my friend, I can't—"
"No!" Lisa cut him off quickly, her voice rising until it trembled.
"You'll just die out there too!"
She took a deep breath, her eyes watering. "Look around you, Kyle! We don't even know what we're up against! This situation is already chaotic... at least think about yourself!"
The cave suddenly fell silent. Kyle stared at her for a long time, his gaze wavering but still stubborn. The air seemed thick and stifling, full of tension. Everyone there could feel the tension, like a rope ready to snap at any moment.
The commotion finally attracted the attention of other students. Some of them approached, trying to break it up before the situation really exploded. Rahel stepped forward, trying to remain calm even though her eyes were filled with alertness. She patted Hana's shoulder gently.
"Listen, Hana... I know you're worried. We're all worried. But if you guys go out now, those people might find you too. Do you want us to lose more people?"
Hana just looked down, her shoulders shaking violently. Her sobs broke the silence of the cave, which felt even more suffocating. Kyle clenched his fists until his fingernails turned white, holding back the anger and helplessness that was eating away at him.
He looked down, his mind racing. No... not again. I can't lose another person.
The image of Carl falling into the ravine flashed back, followed by grim memories of their friends left behind on the bus. And now... it was Raven's turn to disappear into thin air.
William sighed heavily. His gaze shifted from one face to another: Hana weeping, Karin sobbing quietly with her face covered, and Kyle on the verge of exploding. He was well aware that if this fear was left unchecked, their group would fall apart before the outside threat even touched them. In a low but firm voice, he finally spoke.
"We have to prepare for the worst... if those people are getting closer. And... Raven may already be their victim."
Those words hit like a sledgehammer against the cave wall. Hana sobbed even harder, her body shaking violently. Karin turned her head, tears streaming down her face. Even Kyle, who had been holding back his emotions, could only bow his head, his jaw clenched in silence. Theo, who witnessed all this, clenched his own fists. His face tensed, but he knew one thing: he couldn't do anything.
After a few moments of suffocating silence, William spoke again. This time his voice was firm, trying to bring everyone back to reality.
"We have to be ready to leave and carry out the plan we've prepared," he said, looking at Theo and giving him a signal.
Theo straightened his body. "Um... okay, sir." Although Theo was also saddened by the loss of Raven, he had to be strong for his friends who were still alive. He had to keep fighting.
The plan William was referring to was to prepare to leave the cave to find a safer area or at least find signs of other people in the forest. The plan was not a sudden decision. The second group, led by William and Theo, had been discussing it since earlier, aided by information from Erik and Rahel. They tried to think of every variable that might occur on the journey, including safer routes, places to rest, and how to avoid the mysterious people who had previously pursued them.
However, even though the plan sounded rational, fear still haunted many of them. The tragedy of their friends who had died due to the abnormal powers emitted by those people, and the injuries they had suffered while fleeing, were still fresh in their memories.
Even among them, there were those who were still injured, their bodies weak and unable to walk far. Nevertheless, the second group insisted that staying in the cave was not an option. For them, waiting was merely delaying death. If they stayed here, sooner or later, the people hunting them would find this location. They chose to fight their fear by moving, even though danger lurked at every step.
In contrast, the first group had a different perspective. They believed that leaving now was a reckless move. Considering their stance that they were only trapped or lost in the forest, there was a high possibility that they were still in an area close to the village, and sooner or later, outsiders would realize that their bus was missing. For the first group, staying in the cave was the best bet for survival with the supplies they had, waiting for help to arrive.
"Huh, you guys are still insisting on leaving? Do you think this is another world? You're like children. Even the other two mentors believe in that ridiculous plan," Nayla sneered, her gaze full of contempt. She glanced briefly at William and Riana, the mentors, as if to say that they were stupid for believing it.
"Stop causing trouble, Nayla. Mind your own business and your group," Theo replied coldly, his gaze piercing back at her.
Nayla snorted, smirking slightly. "Heh, whatever. But your fate will be the same as those who are already dead... including the person you are searching for now."
Those words were like a trigger for an explosion. Raven's friends who heard Nayla's words immediately tensed up. Kyle, who was already at the end of his patience, suddenly stood up with bloodshot eyes. It was as if the rope holding back his emotions had completely snapped.
"You...!" he shouted, then ran towards Nayla with an angry face, his fist raised high. His gaze was like that of a wild animal ready to tear its prey apart.
But before his fist could land on Nayla's face, William and Theo moved simultaneously, quickly holding his arms. Kyle's body shook violently, the veins in his neck bulging as he held back his anger, which was about to explode.
"Hey, calm down, Kyle!" Theo said quickly, his voice trembling between anger and panic.
"What are you doing hitting your friend?!" William exclaimed, his gaze sharp but still trying to keep the situation from getting worse.
"What friend?! Let me go! She's gone too far!" Kyle yelled, trying to break free. His jaw was clenched, his face red, clearly he was just a thread away from losing control.
On the other side, Karin and Lisa, who were already emotionally charged, also stepped forward, but were immediately held back by several other friends so as not to add to the commotion. The atmosphere in the cave grew heated, screams mixed with sobs. Suddenly, Hana, who had been sitting quietly in the corner crying, stepped forward. Her face was wet with tears, her eyes swollen, but her gaze was full of anger.
Her steps were slow, almost inaudible, but each one felt heavy. She passed Kyle, who was still struggling, passed Karin and Lisa, who were holding back their anger, until she finally stood right in front of Nayla.
Nayla looked at her with a slight smile, a smile that seemed to belittle all the chaos.
Hana stopped.
She stood up straight, even though her shoulders were shaking a little. Her hands were clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. She stared straight at Nayla, without blinking.
Then...
SMACK!
A hard slap landed on Nayla's cheek, causing the girl to sit down with her eyes wide open. The red mark left by Hana's hand was clearly visible.
"Take back what you said!" Hana whispered, her voice trembling as she held back her tears, but her gaze was sharp with anger.
Everyone fell silent, some shocked, others seemingly enjoying the show.
"Damn you... you bi*ch!" Nayla cursed, her eyes filled with hatred.
"Take back what you said!" Hana snapped again, this time with tears streaming down her face. Her shoulders shook violently.
Riana and several other female students rushed forward, separating the two before the argument escalated. The atmosphere in the cave became chaotic. Sobs mixed with screams.
But amid the commotion, a deep, familiar voice suddenly sounded from the mouth of the cave.
"Hey, what do you mean I'm dead?"
All heads turned abruptly. From the mouth of the cave, Raven appeared. He walked casually, carrying something hidden behind his back. His gaze was calm, as if nothing had happened. The bloodstains on his hands had disappeared, erasing the traces of the fierce battle he had just been through. The silence that followed was so tense that it was broken by a cry of relief.
"Raven!" Hana didn't think twice. She immediately ran and hugged Raven tightly, as if she never wanted to let go. Her tears fell heavily, soaking Raven's chest.
"Where have you been?! I was so worried about you!" her voice broke, uncontrollably sobbing.
"I thought... I thought you were dead. I didn't want to lose you... I didn't want to..." she whispered, as if all the contents of her heart had spilled out, her body trembling as if haunted by that thought.
Raven was silent for a moment, staring at the girl who was hugging him tightly. His breathing was heavy, but his hand slowly rose, gently stroking Hana's head.
"I'm sorry, I just stepped out for a moment... and I'm sorry for making you worry," he said softly.
Lisa and Karin, who witnessed the moment, felt relieved. Tears streamed down their faces, but they tried to smile so as not to disturb Hana's moment.
However, the warm atmosphere suddenly turned comical when Kyle, with his usual spontaneous style, ran over and hugged Raven from the side.
"Bro! I thought you were dead!" he shouted hoarsely but emotionally.
Hana turned abruptly, her face reddening as her emotional moment was ruined. Karin and Lisa reflexively gave Kyle a light punch on the head.
"You troublemaker! Read the mood, idiot!" they both scolded Kyle in unison.
"Ouch, ouch! It hurts, woy! Kyle winced while still clinging to Raven's side.
The cave echoed with small laughs mixed with relieved sighs. Other students moved closer, patting Raven on the shoulder, making sure he was truly back safe and sound.
Meanwhile, Nayla and her gang could only stare cynically from a distance, their lips tightly sealed. The look of hatred in their eyes was still clearly visible.
William and Riana exchanged glances. A slight smile appeared on their faces, even though the relief they felt was still clouded by anxiety about what was actually happening outside.