The cave, which had been filled with tension, slowly returned to calm. The heavy breathing that had filled the air began to subside, leaving a silence that clung to the cold stone walls. One by one, people tried to calm themselves, preparing to discuss the plans of the second faction.
However, before the discussion began, William looked at Raven with a serious expression. There was a moment of silence, only the sound of breathing and the cold wind from outside the cave could be heard.
"Actually, where have you been for the past two hours? Do you realize that everyone was worried about you?" said William in a tone that could not hide his annoyance.
Raven looked at William for a moment, then looked away. He could feel another sharp gaze directed at him, especially from Karin.
"We didn't expect that you, who just went out to pee, would disappear for so long. You made Hana half dead with worry," said Karin, her tone as cold as ice.
Hearing that, Hana just looked down shyly, trying to wipe the remaining tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Even this idiot..." Lisa pointed at Kyle,
"almost lost his temper and wanted to go out looking for you."
"Hey! It's just because I couldn't stand by and watch my friend in danger, okay?" Kyle replied, his voice sounding awkward, his face reddening as he remembered how he had almost lost control earlier.
Raven smiled slightly. "I'm sorry... I really worried you guys," she said softly, her tone full of guilt.
But Riana, who had been observing the whole time, now spoke up. "Raven, why is the front of your hoodie torn? And... you look kind of messy for some reason."
Theo added, narrowing his eyes, "And what is that thing you're carrying on your back?"
All eyes were now on Raven. She took a deep breath, trying to keep her expression calm.
"This..." Raven paused for a moment, as if weighing her words. "Actually, there's a reason why I was late and why I look like this. I... am in a rather difficult situation."
"Difficult?" asked Hana anxiously, looking at him curiously.
"Yes... as Mrs. Adriana said earlier, I only went out for a moment to relieve myself. But the fog outside was so thick. I had trouble finding my way back to this cave," Raven began to explain, his voice calm but measured.
"When I was trying to find my way... suddenly I heard a strange noise. It sounded like a commotion and the clanging of metal."
The other students who heard this exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued.
"The clanging of metal?" Lisa repeated doubtfully.
Raven nodded. "Yes... and when I got closer, it turned out that a fight was going on. Two groups of people were attacking each other with swords. And what surprised me… one of the groups was the people who had been chasing us earlier."
Everyone's eyes widened. Whispers began to fill the cave.
"So what… is the situation?" Erik and Rahel said almost simultaneously.
"Yes. Their fight was really brutal. The place was a mess. The way they fought... was not like the ordinary humans we know in our world," continued Raven in a serious tone.
He looked at each of the students, who were now frightened and anxious. "I think... Erik and Rahel's theory is correct. We are indeed trapped in another world, the World of Murim."
Silence.
It was as if the air in the cave had frozen. Some students covered their mouths, some panicked immediately, while others just stared at the floor without saying a word.
"So... you really saw all that? And... you escaped?" asked Kyle, his voice trembling between disbelief and horror.
"That's right. Look at my appearance," Raven pointed to his dirty and torn clothes.
"I almost got hit by several attacks, but luckily I hid well until the fight was over. Only after that... did I go out and take things from some of the dead people."
He placed a scroll and some foreign money that looked strange to their eyes on the table. Immediately, everyone crowded around to look. The items clearly did not belong to their world.
However, no one knew the truth. Everything Raven said was a lie. In fact, Raven was the one who killed those people, leaving one survivor with a damaged eye as a message. After remembering that he was a Heavenly Demon, Raven had to keep his mask tightly in place. He couldn't let anyone know who he really was.
In his heart, after Raven regained his memories, he only wanted to protect the people he considered valuable, such as Hana, Kyle, Lisa, and Karin. The others? They were insignificant in his eyes. Even if they had to die, it was none of his concern.
The cave was still filled with panicked gasps and whispers of fear. The damp smell of stone mixed with anxiety hung in the air, making everyone feel suffocated. William stepped into the center, standing tall with a determined look in his eyes.
"Enough! Everyone, please calm down!" his voice echoed, loud but forced calm. His gaze swept around, looking at each pale face and eyes filled with confusion.
"We need to talk about the next step," he continued after the atmosphere had calmed down a little.
"No matter how crazy this sounds, we need to have a plan."
He spoke not only as a guide, but also as someone who wanted to protect them. William knew that as the adult among the students, along with Riana who was both a mentor and a lecturer, he had to keep the situation under control.
However, his words were immediately interrupted by Nayla's sharp voice breaking the silence. "A plan?!" she shouted from the corner of the cave, her face pale but her eyes burning with anger.
"What kind of plan can we make in a place like this? We don't even know where we are! We're trapped in another world! Didn't you hear what Raven said?! They could kill us at any moment out there!"
Her words echoed, bouncing off the cave walls, shattering the silence that had hung there. Nayla stood, her hands trembling, whether from fear or anger. The words came out without her thinking, but she didn't care. After seeing the evidence Raven had brought and hearing his unbelievable stories, Nayla had no room left to deny it.
The students from the other side immediately stared at Nayla with cynical looks, as if accusing her of hypocrisy.
Karin raised her chin, her gaze piercing. "Hey, damn it. Didn't you say you didn't believe us earlier? Now you're trying to boss us around?"
"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" Lisa replied coldly, her lips curving in mockery.
"Whether it's another world or not, I'm just talking about all of our lives being at stake here!" Nayla replied, her voice rising, her eyes flashing with fear masked by anger.
"Enough of you two!" Theo's voice boomed, stepping forward to separate them. His gaze sharpened, shifting from Karin to Lisa, then to Nayla.
"I've been trying to calm the situation down, so show some respect. And you, Nayla... be quiet. I know your attitude before was inappropriate, but this time you're right. Our lives are at stake. But panicking won't help the situation now."
"I'm not panicking!" Nayla retorted quickly, her tone sharp as a whip.
"I'm just being realistic! If we wait here, we die. If we go out, we also die. So explain to me, Theo, what's your brilliant plan, huh?!"
The cave suddenly fell silent. Theo clenched his jaw, trying not to get provoked. His breathing was heavy. Before he could answer, Kyle's voice broke the tension.
"Listen..." his voice was deep and slightly hoarse, full of restrained emotion.
"Yelling won't get us back home. If you don't want to go along with the plan, Nayla, you better just shut up."
Kyle's gaze pierced like a dagger. Nayla fell silent, though her jaw tightened. She just snorted loudly, then turned her face away in annoyance. For a moment, the cave was filled with silence again. Only the sound of water dripping from the stone ceiling could be heard, adding to the cold atmosphere.
Then, heavy footsteps were heard. A tall man from Nayla's group stepped forward.
Leon...
a senior student known for his intelligence, though he rarely spoke. Now his face was calm, but his eyes were sharp.
"We've discussed a few things," he said softly but firmly, drawing everyone's attention.
"And we think staying here is too risky. If what Raven said is true, that there are people out there fighting with abnormal powers, then they could kill us easily. The longer we stay here, the greater the chance that those people will find us."
Some people looked at each other, some nodded in agreement, though their faces were still filled with fear. Leon continued, his tone steady.
"So, we're thinking of looking for a safer place. Maybe a settlement. If this is the world you're talking about, there should be civilization. We can go undercover, find out what's going on, and survive until we find a way back."
Rahel raised her eyebrows, her tone sharp as she replied, "Didn't I already explain that in the world of Murim, there's no way to go back?"
"Yeah, I thought so too," Erik added, his voice sounding sarcastic.
Leon turned his head, staring at them both without flinching. "Huh… I know you feel justified because your theory has been proven. But think again. The stories you read in novels aren't necessarily all true. This is the real world. There could be a way for us to return in this world."
Those words silenced several people, causing them to rethink their beliefs. The tension grew thicker.
Erik clenched his fists, his voice rising. "Hey, weren't you guys the ones who were most vehemently opposed to our opinion? Why are you suddenly acting like you know everything?"
"I'm just thinking logically," Leon replied calmly, his gaze piercing Erik.
"And yes... after seeing what Raven brought, I can no longer take this situation lightly."
Their gazes collided, full of cynicism and seemingly ready to explode at any moment. But before the debate could heat up further, the other students' attention had already shifted to the object Raven was carrying.
Riana, who was standing at the front, looked down at the roll of paper in her hands. Her face changed, somewhere between shock and disbelief.
"Uh... this..." her voice was soft, but loud enough for William to glance over.
"What is it, Riana?" William asked in surprise.
Riana swallowed, then lifted the scroll slightly so it could be seen more clearly. "This writing... if I'm not mistaken, I've studied a language that's very similar to this."
Her words immediately caught everyone's attention. They all approached her, curious.
"You mean... you can read this writing?" William asked again, this time with a hint of surprise in his voice.
Riana nodded slowly. "A little. Before I became a lecturer, I participated in a research project with some college friends. We were stationed in a fairly remote area... and the people there used this language. Because the project lasted a long time, we had to learn to communicate with them. It wasn't in-depth, just basic conversation... but the shape of the letters, the pattern, is exactly the same."
Silence instantly fell over the cave. Everyone looked at each other, realizing that this was a stroke of luck for them.
Rahel finally broke the silence. "In that case... if we are indeed trapped in another world, Ms. Adriana's ability could be the key to communicating with the people here. I was also worried about the language..."
"Wow, that means Ms. Adriana can be our translator," Kyle replied, trying to smile amid the tense atmosphere.
Riana sighed softly, then looked at the scroll in her hand hesitantly. "I... I don't know for sure if the people here use the same language. But if they do, I'll try my best to help."
Several people immediately looked at each other, and for a moment the tense atmosphere in the cave felt a little lighter. A glimmer of hope began to shine in their eyes.
However, Raven remained silent. His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the scroll longer than the others.
My ancient language… exists in the modern world too? he thought.
Is this just a coincidence? Or is there a deeper connection between the world of Murim and my world?