Chapter 28: The Iron Archipelago and Zan's Shadow

  The crossing to the Iron Archipelago was a journey of tense silences. The Vengeance of the Sea cut through dark waters under a perpetually gray sky, and with every mile, the landscape grew more hostile. The Archipelago, a cluster of four volcanic islands, was the antithesis of the City of the Moon. The land was gray and black, scarred by four active volcanoes that spewed smoke and ash. Yet, life persisted in a brutal contrast: red forests, with trees of orange and violet leaves, and unique, vibrant-colored fruits were the only proof that nature had not surrendered.

  Hiroshi felt the silent threat of the LitRPG system more than the smell of sulfur. The mission THE COST hung over him like a storm cloud. With every glance at Luna or Zark, the question echoed in his mind: which of them would be the price of his failure? Kerchack, in his mind, was in a disturbing silence, as if awaiting the inevitable.

  "This place is the definition of brutal beauty," Zark commented, her green eyes sweeping the landscape. "It's the perfect hideout for a false hero."

  The false hero was Zan, The Man Who Touched the Sun, leader of the Black Lagoon. Zan was the personification of the lie. Lean, athletic, with long blonde hair and bright green eyes, he was the most beautiful person Hiroshi had ever seen. His angelic appearance and his polite, gentle persona were the perfect mask for the Empire's cruelty. Zark explained that the government had created a false bounty for him; he was the "rebel" the Empire used to control the opposition. The group needed Zan, as he had information about Yuzuki and the Capital's weak points.

  "He is corrupt, deceitful, and cunning. He will betray the King if the offer is good enough," Orpheus said, with his usual cynical smil

  The group split up on the Red Volcano Island, controlled by General Laiver, The Barbarian.

  The City of the Farce and Hiroshi's Revolt

  Upon disembarking, the city of the Red Volcano Island looked like a continuous festival. Cheerful music echoed through the streets, people laughed loudly, and couples openly exchanged caresses. There were parties on every corner, and the bars were full of happy people, toasting Laiver.

  "Look, Hiroshi," Zark said, with a tone of disinterest. "The pirates' paradise. They seem to love the Barbarian."

  Hiroshi, however, noticed the cracks in the facade. The people's smiles did not reach their eyes. The music was too loud, forced. He saw the sadness, the subtle fear, like a shadow beneath the festive makeup.

  In a square, a group of Laiver's soldiers surrounded an elderly man selling fruit. The old man, with trembling hands, tried to protect his goods.

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  "This is for the General, you useless old man! Weakness will not be tolerated!" a soldier shouted, kicking the basket of fruit.

  The old man fell to the ground, and the surrounding crowd laughed, a forced, hysterical laugh.

  Hiroshi felt his blood boil. He took a step forward, but Zark grabbed his arm.

  "No, Hiroshi! We can't expose ourselves for an old man and a basket of fruit! We have a mission!" Zark hissed, her voice tense.

  Hiroshi turned to her, his blue eyes blazing with draconic fury. "Stay out of this, Zark! I won't watch this! I'm not like you!"

  Zark let go of him, shocked by the anger in his eyes. She felt no pity for the locals; she had seen much worse and didn't care about other people's lives. But Hiroshi's revolt, his genuine pain, struck her.

  "You are an enigma, Hiroshi," she thought. "No one cares about their neighbor in this world. It's the first time I've seen someone sad for the people."

  Hiroshi's goodness, his inability to ignore injustice, touched Zark's hardened heart. She began to love Hiroshi even more, realizing he was the only real thing in a world of lies.

  The Shadow in the Orphanage and the Intimacy of the Fight

  While Hiroshi and Zark headed to the coliseum, Orpheus and Luna encountered the horrors of the city. They found an orphanage where Laiver's soldiers had turned innocence into a psychological training camp.

  In a cold room, a burly soldier, with a sadistic smile, humiliated a ten-year-old girl, Maya, forcing her to march and recite oaths of loyalty to Laiver.

  Luna couldn't bear it. The Soul glowed in her hands.

  "Orpheus, I can't accept this," Luna said, her voice low, but charged with a determination Hiroshi had taught her.

  "I know, Luna. Let's do what we do best," Orpheus replied, drawing the Koyote. "You take care of the souls, I take care of the bodies."

  The fight in the orphanage was quick. Orpheus used the Koyote to disarm the soldiers, and Luna used her healing magic to protect the children.

  Orpheus and Luna spent the night at the orphanage. Orpheus, the cynical pirate, sat with the children, telling stories of distant seas and freedom.

  "We are different," Luna replied to a boy, Kael. "We fight so you don't have to fight. Strength isn't in hitting, Kael. It's in protecting what you love."

  Maya, with her head in Luna's lap, whispered her story. Her parents entered the tournament to save her, but never returned.

  "Your parents were heroes, Maya. They weren't weak. They were deceived. We will avenge them, and we will ensure no other parent has to make that choice," Orpheus promised.

  The Coliseum of Blood and the Intimacy of the Fight

  Hiroshi and Zark arrived at the coliseum. The arena was a pit of blood and cruelty, and the population laughed at the deaths.

  They signed up for the tournament. With every fight, the relationship between them deepened. They saved each other, protected each other, and the intimacy of the fight was stronger than any kiss.

  In a particularly brutal fight, Hiroshi hesitated. The opponent, a desperate mercenary, attempted a fatal blow. Zark intervened, saving him.

  "You are hesitating, Hiroshi," Zark said, her breath ragged. "What's bothering you?"

  "The system... the mission... I don't know what to do," Hiroshi confessed, his voice hoarse. "I'm a good man, Zark. I don't want to be a murderer of innocents."

  Zark kissed him, a quick, intense kiss, amidst the chaos of the arena.

  "You are a good man, Hiroshi. But in this world, goodness is a weakness. Do what you have to do to survive. I will be with you," Zark replied. "Be the monster they need you to be to save what you love."

  The chapter ends with Hiroshi and Zark advancing to the quarterfinals, and Luna and Orpheus caring for the children, ready for the next phase of the mission.

  END OF CHAPTER 28