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Chapter Text

INTRODUCTION (Please read)

Before diving into the fic, let me explain a bit.

While this fic takes inspiration from the Sentinel-Guide universe, I’ve reworked most of its elements to fit my own lore. It can be considered an alternate version built specifically for this story, with bonding/mating being the only concept retained from the original idea.

Below is the custom worldbuilding (This section explains the setting to help readers who are unfamiliar with the genre to understand):

In this story, “Angels” and “Guardians” are government-assigned codenames for Sentinels and Guides. Both terms will be used interchangeably throughout the fic.

— Sentinels (Angels):
Warriors endowed with heightened five senses and extraordinary physical prowess. Their acute senses make them hypersensitive to even the slightest stimuli, leaving them vulnerable to emotional and sensory Overload. When overwhelmed, Sentinels become volatile, their emotions spiraling out of control.
To cope with Overload, Sentinels require the soothing presence of a Guide. Without timely Healing, prolonged Overload can drive a Sentinel into madness, leading them to wreak havoc until they collapse from exhaustion and perish.

— Guides (Guardians):
Protectors gifted with the ability to stabilize a Sentinel. Their mental resilience, however, comes at a cost—absorbing too many negative emotions during Healing can leave Guides traumatized or, in extreme cases, drain their Psyche Energy to the point of death. A rare few Guides possess exceptional abilities to sense and manipulate the emotions and moods of others.
Unlike Sentinels, Guides lack physical agility and strength, relegating them to support roles behind the front lines.

A single Guide can Heal multiple Sentinels, the same to a Sentinal can be healed by different Guides, but the effectiveness and method depend on their compatibility.

— Healing:
Guides can Heal Sentinels in two ways:
• Spirit Bond: By entering the Sentinel’s mind, a Guide absorbs their negative emotions to provide relief. This is the most common method, used for unpaired Sentinels and Guides, but its effect is average.
• Flesh Bond: Exclusive to bonded pairs. Physical contact—ranging from touch, caresses, kisses, to intimacy—yields the highest efficacy. This method not only soothes the Sentinel but also recharges the Guide’s Psyche Energy. However, it can backfire if performed with anyone other than a bonded mate.

Additional terms, names, and concepts will be explained as the story progresses.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

ARC I: SUNLIGHT RETURNS TO THE EARTH

- No matter how fragile the ray of sunlight, it is still a ray of light -

Earth in the year 10207 no longer has concepts like nations, cities, or continents, because everything has been destroyed beyond repair. The recent Demonic Beasts War has wiped out the entire civilization that once existed, nearly exterminating humanity, turning an Earth once covered in two shades of green into a world drowned in sand and dust. In other words, the world has just gone through an apocalypse.

But then amid the dark night sky, humanity rises once more to reach toward the light. Individuals gather into groups, those groups form communities, the communities build a society, and in that way a new civilization is born. Nestled in the midst of a decaying planet, the survivors who found one another have come together to establish the Safe Zone, not a nation, but a hope for humanity, a place that has sworn to save everyone, leaving no one behind.

Earth is thus divided into three main regions: Safe Zone, Wildlands, The Unknown Land.

The Safe Zone, a society where ordinary humans coexist with those superior individuals: Sentinels and Guides, or as the government calls them, Angels and Guardians. They are warriors and protectors with extraordinary abilities, trained under a special organization, all for the purpose of safeguarding humanity, ready for any annihilation that might happen again.

The Safe Zone is ruled by a government system, but it is actually just a puppet of the Nexus Council. The Nexus Council was founded by the first people who rose up to rebuild society, and from that came a core organization that trains those Angels and Guardians, known as the Golden Blood organization.

The Wildlands, a place where the light of the Safe Zone cannot reach, is a grim and rotting painting, a land not meant for human habitation. The Wildlands were once fertile forests, windy plains, dazzling urban centers lit by colorful lights. But after the war that just ended, everything collapsed, everything was ravaged severely, and just like that it became a gigantic ruin. Cracked roads, weeds pushing through layers of asphalt, and somewhere the low growls of Demonic Beasts, the heavy breaths of Fallen Angels, they echo together in the darkness like a chilling melody.

_

Wildlands, ruins of an old urban center.

Fine dust floats in the air, coating the remains of a city that once blazed with lights. The high-rise buildings now stand as empty concrete skeletons, broken and slumped under the weight of time, the aftermath of that war having turned Earth into a pile of rubble.

Yuta stands on a rocky outcrop, his sharp eyes watching a squad fighting below. Cold wind brushes his skin like a sharp cut, carrying the scent of scorched metal and dry earth. In this world, where everything is as fragile as a taut thread stretched to its limit, this talented advisor knows full well: just one misstep, and a life ends.

Down there, a team is facing off against a pack of Demonic Beasts. They are no longer the simple creature from the apocalyptic war days. Those said beasts have evolved now, with metallic glossy hides, razor-sharp claws, and eyes glowing red like those of a true predatory species.

A tall Sentinel swings his blade to cleave an oncoming enemy in two, but his movements are growing clumsy, his breaths coming in gasps, his eyes showing only whites, and Yuta recognizes it right away: this man is losing control.

“Hey, calm down,” the teammate nearby shouts, trying to rush over for a closer look.

And from what Yuta knows, they are a pair of Angel and Guardian, in other words, mated to each other.

The spirit bond between them wavers, flickering like a flame about to snuff out in a storm that is struggling to flare back to life. But it is already too late.

The Angel collapses to the ground, his eyes turning pitch black, a growl no longer human escaping from his throat.

He's falling. Yuta clenches his fist tight.

The man turns his head, no longer able to tell friend from foe, his blade lunging toward his teammate. Another young soldier let out his painful scream, blood spraying from the wound on his shoulder as he topples to the ground and breathes his last. The whole team falls into chaos at once, scrambling to salvage the situation, but they are not calm enough to think of the right way out.

BOOM

Suddenly, a loud explosion rips through the sky, cutting the space short.

The squad leader, who is also the mate of that Fallen Angel, fires a sniper shot straight into the chest of the man losing control. The tremendous force sends The Angel crashing down, his eyes gradually returning to human's normal deep black, but he no longer draws breath.

Yuta turns his back because he does not want to see any more. This scene is all too familiar to someone who often observes brutal battles, but each time he witnesses it, the feeling is still like his chest being torn open in agonizing pain.

The thread connecting Sentinels and Guides is what keeps humanity alive, but it's also a sharp knife held to their throats.

A Guide loses their life, and their Sentinel mate will fall with no way to cure it. A Sentinel breathes their final breath, and the spirit of their Guide mate will shatter instantly and collapse completely, no different from sudden death right then and there.

And in this world, where the government system reigns and forces those Angels and Guardians to sacrifice for humanity, that balance grows ever more fragile, ever easier to shatter.

_

Safe Zone, Operations Room 127.

The light from the energy panels flickers weakly, the room wrapped in four cold white walls. Mark sits on a metal chair, his hand flipping back and forth over the old control panel. He is checking the logistics supply list, a job he has done hundreds of times. The work of a Class C Guardian, or more accurately, a flawed Guide not allowed to go into battle.

Mark Lee, a young Guide who just turned 21 not long ago, the one both the organization and the Nexus Council know as useless in combat, a Guardian who cannot heal any Angel unless they have perfect compatibility with him, that means 100%, nearly impossible to occur.

Whenever Mark performs healing, instead of soothing the Angels, he causes them headaches, dizziness, nausea, he even speeds up the process of them going mad. This leaves Mark completely desperate.

For three years since awakening as a Guide, the person with the highest compatibility to Mark is Johnny, a Class S Angel, with 93% compatibility. Yet even with compatibility that high, Mark couldn't perform any form of healing on Johnny. This has left the organization completely unable to help Mark. If that 93% number cannot even form a spirit bond, they fear that right now Mark truly cannot heal anyone at all.

For a Guardian, being unable to use their ability means losing everything.

"Mark hyung, you've checked that list three times already," Sungchan speaks up, his voice unable to hide the worry. "Is something wrong?"

The boy sits on the chair across from him, his brown hair tousled from just returning from a mission. As a Class B Guardian, Sungchan always tries to conceal his fatigue to appear professional in front of the older guys, yet the massive workload still makes it hard for him to relax.

Mark just smiles faintly, his eyes fixed on the control panel. "Everything's fine. Just... want to make sure there are no mistakes, that's all."

He does not want to admit that he is trying to avoid thinking about the mission that just happened in the Wildlands. The sight of that Sentinel falling, the Guide's anguished cry when forced to end their mate's life with their own hands, then both of them collapsing dead together, and even one Angel who lost his life because that mad teammate killed him.

Mark can never get used to tragedies like this, never, no matter how many times he has witnessed them.

Dongyoung steps into the room, his black uniform covered in dust and grime. As a Class A Guardian, Dongyoung always carries a stern look on his face, yet his eyes unconsciously soften when they land on Mark.

"You did great today," Dongyoung says as he draws near to ruffle Mark's hair. "Supplies got distributed right on time, the team had no logistics problems."

Mark nods, but deep down he knows full well, that's just hollow reassurance.

He is not allowed on the battlefield, not allowed to heal any Angel. A few failed tests were all it took for the organization to issue the ban: Mark cannot heal anyone, he can only handle odd jobs like managing supplies or assisting with logistics. It leaves him forever on the sidelines, watching other Guardians like Dongyoung, Taeyong, or Sungchan shine in their roles.

"Don't blame yourself too much," Sungchan consoles him, as if the boy can read Mark's mind. "You did everything you could, not everyone can keep calm in a spot like today."

"But I didn't do anything except stand there and watch," Mark replies, his voice trailing off. "If I could help everyone heal..."

Dongyoung rests a hand on Mark's shoulder, cutting him off: "Don't blame yourself, those unavoidable situations are always like that, no one can change them."

Click

The room door suddenly bursts open at that moment, Jaehyun strides in, his black uniform still bearing a few dried bloodstains, yet the presence of a Class S Angel burns hot like fire.

Jaehyun, much like Johnny, counts among the most skilled Angels in the Golden Blood organization, and both already had a mate.

Jaehyun will always find out a way to lighten the mood whenever he senses everyone growing tense, but this time, fatigue clouds his face.

"The mission's over," Jaehyun says in a low voice. "We lost three teammates, pair number 200... And... a rookie..."

Mark clenches his fist, his nails digging into his palm until blood wells up.

If I weren't this useless, things would be different, Mark thinks.

Mark recalls a time in the past when he tried healing, that was on Jaehyun, during a subjugation exercise, on orders from the superiors, because Jaehyun's mate was handling a more critical mission.

Mark and Jaehyun's compatibility was only 82%, so the Sentinel crumpled to the ground, clutching his head and howling in pain, his eyes engulfed in a horrific blank white that revealed signs of falling. From then on, though Jaehyun never blamed Mark, Mark always caught the flicker of guilt in this older guy's eyes whenever they crossed paths.

"Don't overthink it," Jaehyun says, picking up on Mark's unease. "You're not the only one feeling helpless today."

Trailing behind him into the room come three more: Johnny, Taeyong, and Shotaro. These three did not join this mission, but they seem to have caught wind of the three teammates lost, each one looks glum, none of their usual easy cheer in sight.

The entire squad has assembled fully in the small operations room. Johnny, Jaehyun, Shotaro, and their Guardian mates: Dongyoung, Taeyong, and Sungchan. Then Mark, sitting alone in the room's corner with the control panel clutched in his hands. Normally the vibe among them all stays relaxed and lively, but today alone, everyone feels downcast and drained from the fresh bad news.

"Johnny..." Dongyoung picks up on the spirit bond with his mate humming, he hurries over to the Sentinel with the strained look. "What's the matter?"

"The higher-ups just sent down a pretty important notice," Johnny sighs, he heads to the room's corner and slumps onto the small sofa.

Dongyoung tags along, he sits down next to him and gently strokes his arm. "Need a hand?"

"I'm good, you rest," Johnny says, shaking his head with a faint smile.

"What's the notice about?" Sungchan asks, curiosity lacing his voice.

"Dongyoung, Mark, Jaehyun, and Johnny," Taeyong says sternly, the presence of a team captain at once dominating the heavy air. "Gear up, we've got a patrol in The Unknown Land."

"Me? On patrol? In The Unknown Land?" Mark frowns as he lifts his eyes, a touch of oddity settling in. "Isn't there some mix-up?"

"It was my call," Taeyong says, glancing toward the room's corner. "The higher-ups are talking about demoting you, I had to bring you this time."

"D-Demote...? What did I do wrong...? What mistake did I make?"

Pitying looks turn toward Mark from everyone. They know the reason, this matter has been debated for ages, the organization even considered cutting Mark from the system once they realized he proves nearly useless in the field. And since no one sees a better fix for the issue, they all fall quiet, quietly backing Taeyong's choice.

"You didn't do a thing wrong," Johnny sighs, shaking his head. "Snap out of it and get ready, we are heading out this afternoon."

"That soon? Didn't you all just get back?" Shotaro blurts out in surprise. "Heading straight out without a break, is that alright?"

The captain issues the announcement in a firm tone: "This is an emergency patrol, Yuta just picked up a life signal in The Unknown Land. Put another way, if that's truly a survivor, it'll double as a rescue op."

All eyes shift to Taeyong, each face showing something different, though most register shock, Jaehyun alone holds his blank expression.

"How long since the last rescue?" Mark asks hesitantly.

"Two years ago," Taeyong answers.

"Two years..." The room turns thoughtful in unison.

The Unknown Land, a region that lies even beyond the Wildlands, stands as an area humanity has barely begun to probe. The Unknown Land amounts to little more than the Wildlands with a very low degree of knowledge and intel gathered, which prevents them from pinpointing what lurks within such zones. Plenty remains unknown to the organization in these parts, so patrols into The Unknown Land naturally rank as extremely hazardous, reserved for elite fighters, class A and higher.

Mark cannot fathom why they picked him to tag along, i'm just a small useless C.

Shotaro catches Mark's anxiety, he moves to his side and gives his shoulder a soft pat for comfort. "It'll be okay, probably..."

"I'll go, you guys don't worry," Mark says, determination lighting his eyes. "Don't forget, since I can't heal anyone, I threw myself into physical training to make up for it, so I'll be fine."

Once Mark grasped that his Guide abilities amounted to nothing, he dove headlong into Sentinel-level drills with wild abandon, boosting his fitness considerably in the process. Put differently, his self-defense skills outstrip those of most other Guardians, the very factor that earned Mark his class C rank despite he cannot use healing.

Taeyong clears his throat to draw everyone's focus, he speaks firmly once more to relay the news:

"Anyone tied to this mission, fall back and prep the supplies. In three hours flat, rendezvous at the Safe Zone's rear gate, grab some rest while you can." With that, the team captain turns on his heel to leave, also calling to his mate: "Jaehyun, come on."

Chapter Text

Safe Zone, Rear Gate, Before Departure.

The gray sky drapes a hazy veil over the Safe Zone, as if the very air mourns the journey ahead. Dry gusts of wind sweep through, carrying fine dust from the distance, where the Wildlands rumble quietly in the shadows.

Mark stands alone beside the pile of logistics supplies, his hands quickly checking each crate, each metal box holding ammunition, dried food, and first aid kits. He flips through the list on the old control panel, his eyes focused intently as if searching for some invisible error, just to ensure he does not mess up anything.

This marks the fourth time he has checked. The numbers and symbols on the control panel dance across the screen, making his eyes blur, but still nothing stands out as wrong.

Everything appears perfect, at least as far as the supplies go. But inside Mark, unease churns like a small flame, smoldering away with no way to put it out. He knows full well that no matter how many times he checks, he remains just a Class C Guardian, a flawed one who cannot heal anyone, and if he cannot even handle this task, he is done for. In this patrol team, with renowned names like Jaehyun, Taeyong, Dongyoung, Johnny, all of them class S and A, he amounts to little more than a shadow, someone who only stands on the sidelines watching everyone else shine.

Not far off, the team members gather around a metal table, Taeyong's low voice rising as he analyzes strategy with the sharpness of a veteran captain. Jaehyun stands with arms crossed, listening while his keen eyes scan the terrain map on the holographic display nearby. Dongyoung chimes in now and then, adding potential risks that could arise from unexpected events. Johnny, as usual, stays quiet with a faint smile, but his eyes gleam with tension he cannot hide. They form a powerful team, perfectly oiled machines, while Mark... he dares only to stand here, a few steps away from them, isolating himself in a tiny corner of the world.

"Mark, you done yet?" Johnny's voice calls out, pulling Mark from his tangled thoughts.

The Class S Angel steps over, his battle uniform gleaming under the dim light from the energy panels. Johnny slings an arm around Mark's shoulders casually, as if oblivious to the hesitation in the young Guide's eyes.

Mark startles, nodding quickly. "All done. I... checked everything, no mistakes."

Johnny raises an eyebrow, his smile brightening a bit. "Good job. How many times did you go over it? Three or four?"

Mark flushes with embarrassment, gripping the control panel tighter. He knows Johnny means only to tease and lighten the mood, but the question unwittingly hits his insecurity.

"Four times," Mark mumbles, his voice so soft it nearly gets lost in the wind. "Just... wanted to be sure."

Johnny chuckles softly, giving Mark's shoulder a light pat. "Relax, you did great. Come on, everyone's waiting."

Before Mark can respond, Johnny keeps his arm around Mark and steers him toward the airship parking at the rear gate. The others board one by one, the steady clank of metal boots on hard ground echoing. Mark glances back at the supply pile one last time to confirm he left nothing behind.

As captain, Taeyong deliberately assigns Mark a series of tasks before boarding the ship.

Mark has to inspect each team member's battle uniform, making sure the joints stay secure and the plates show no cracks. Has to count the weapons again, from aether blades to long-range sniper rifles, then lock the safety valves on the airship, check the oxygen systems and backup power. Taeyong even asks him to review the internal comms setup, a job usually handled only by dedicated technicians. Each task proves minor and meticulous, even time-consuming to complete fully, but Mark understands: Taeyong aims to make him feel useful, even if just a little, and Mark truly appreciates it.

When Mark finishes the final task, Taeyong approaches, placing a hand on his head and ruffling gently.

"You did well, Mark," the captain's voice comes warm and deep, carrying sincerity. "With you here, I feel a lot more at ease."

Mark looks up, meeting Taeyong's gaze. In that instant, he senses a gentle energy spreading from the captain's palm, seeping into his mind and soothing the waves of anxiety churning inside.

Taeyong just used his Guide power, the ability to make anyone feel safe, as if all fears simply melt away.

Mark marvels silently to himself, Taeyong really is different.

He bows his head, murmuring thanks, but his chest still feels weighed down somewhat. Taeyong's comfort amounts to no more than a passing breeze, not enough to dispel the helplessness rooted deep in his thoughts.

The airship roars to life, its energy engines humming with low vibrations before it rockets into the sky at breakneck speed.

Mark sits near the window, his eyes glued to the view outside. As the ship skims over the Wildlands, he peers down at the endless sprawl of ruined remnants. Cracked roads, weeds thrusting through asphalt layers, and here and there, vague shapes of Demonic Beasts moving in the dark. Far off, a Fallen Angel lifts its head, locking eyes with him, those empty orbs flashing like twin flames, letting out a low growl.

Though the distance to that human-shaped demon on the ground stretches vast, Mark still feels a chill crawl up his spine for some reason. Every time on the way to a mission, he can't stop himself from looking down, even knowing those sights will tighten his heart, leaving him tense and breathless.

The airship presses on, crossing the Wildlands' boundary into The Unknown Land.

Mark holds his breath, hands clenched on the armrest. The landscape below shifts entirely. No more barren deserts or crumbling concrete ruins, but a colossal mutated forest, dense and grotesquely bizarre, stirring unease in Mark bit by bit. Towering canopies stretch high, but the leaves hold no green, instead shimmering in eerie silver and purple, as if tainted by some post-apocalypse toxin. Gnarled roots snake across the ground, thick as giant serpents, and amid them, twisted branches quiver as if alive themselves, swaying faintly in the hazy mist.

The Unknown Land, covering more than half of Earth's landmass, remains a deadly enigma, a place where even light approaches with hesitation.

Mark's throat turns parched. This stands as his first time venturing this far, his first step into a zone the organization itself has barely explored, with the Council holding scant information on the area.

He turns his head, catching Johnny's gaze fixed on him with an encouraging grin.

Though surrounded by skilled people, inside Mark, fear and self-doubt scream without end, just to remind him that in this team, he will always remain an outsider on the edge.

...

The Unknown Land, Mutated Forest. (?)

The airship touches down, its engines growling one last time before cutting off, leaving a silence so eerie it sends shivers. The metal hatch slides open with a shrill hiss, followed by the patrol team disembarking one after another, boots pressing into the damp, soft soil blanketed in strange silvery moss. The air in The Unknown Land hangs heavy, carrying a musty scent mixed with something foul, as if the entire forest breathes, alive in an unnatural way.

Jaehyun leads, his eyes sweeping the surroundings, his brows furrowing in full alert right away.

Then Jaehyun pauses suddenly, turning to Dongyoung stepping down just behind him, curiosity in his voice. "Who's the pilot? One of ours? Why hasn't he come down?"

Dongyoung adjusts the strap of his med kit backpack on his shoulder, glancing lightly toward the cockpit. "That's Yuta hyung. Every patrol into The Unknown Land has him joining."

Jaehyun arches a brow, surprise flickering in his eyes. "Yuta... hyung...? He's in on this?"

"Yeah," Dongyoung nods, his gaze sliding over the still-sealed cockpit door. "Same old habit of working solo. But don't worry, with him here, things should stay under better control."

Mark stands nearby, listening quietly to the conversation. His hands grip the strap of the supply crate tightly, his eyes flickering with a mix of curiosity and hesitation.

Yuta... so he's here, too.

During the previous Wildlands subjugation mission, when Mark still stayed at the rear lines handling logistics support, he had caught a glimpse of Yuta's figure on a rocky outcrop. That advisor had witnessed the entire tragedy: the sight of that Angel falling, killing a teammate, then getting shot down by his mate. When everything ended in blood and tears, Yuta had silently covered his face, turned his back and walked away, as if unable to bear the scene.

A man like that, with his towering position in the Nexus Council, also rumored to be the most humane among the cold-blooded leaders. Mark doesn't know what to think of Yuta, he only feels that the man remains a mystery, both approachable and distant. Though Yuta guided him, teaching him plenty when he had just barely awakened and become a warrior, Mark still feels like he understands nothing about the guy.

"Mark, help me carry this down," Taeyong's voice rings out, pulling Mark from his wandering thoughts. The captain stands next to a heavy crate of parts, gesturing for Mark to come over.

He hurries forward, lifting the crate down to the ground with Taeyong, the metal clanging with a dry thud. The airship still sits parked right beside them, its massive hull like a sleeping metal beast in the heart of the mutated forest.

Around them, The Unknown Land unfolds like a bizarre nightmare. In this area specifically, trees tower skyward, the whole forest carrying an eerie purple-silver hue, sharp-edged leaves swaying in the biting wind, creating a rustling sound like the whispers of thousands of invisible voices layered over one another. High above, twisted branches curve like skeletal arms reaching out, ready to grab anyone who dares venture deeper. The air hangs damp and heavy, carrying the scent of rotting earth mixed with something foul, like dried blood soaked deep into the soil. The faint light from the overcast gray sky barely highlights the forest's grotesqueness, making everything look like a surreal scenery, both beautiful and deadly.

Mark senses the tension in the air, not just from himself but from the whole team.

Taeyong sets the parts crate down, then freezes suddenly, his sharp eyes scanning the forest. The captain frowns slightly, his hand unconsciously touching the sniper rifle slung across his back. Taeyong recognizes right away the thread between himself and Jaehyun humming, like a taut string pulled to its breaking point.

Jaehyun, standing not far off, quickly raises a hand to signal the team to halt, his voice stern: "Something's off."

Everyone drops into high alert at once. Johnny grips the blade at his hip tighter, his eyes sweeping the dense canopy. Dongyoung steps back closer to Taeyong.

Mark stands frozen, his heart's pounding in his chest. He did not expect danger to lurk right as they set foot in The Unknown Land. The mutated forest before them seems to breathe, one breath after another, and deep within the foliage, a low rumble echoes, like the growl of something hiding, waiting.

But once the growling fades, nothing happens.

The team's minds all sharpen with tension, ready to face whatever threat prepares to lunge at them. This forest proves so eerie that even the wind's whistle can make one imagine a savage beast.

Mark lets out a quiet sigh of relief, glad nothing has occurred yet, at least for now.

"Taeyong, any more intel on the life signal scanned here? Could that just now have been the survivor?" Johnny, silent until now, speaks up.

"Yuta said the life signal popped up around this area. That green dot kept darting wildly on their scanners, but it never strayed farther than here, like it's just hiding from something," Taeyong shrugs in reply, the information gathered remains completely vague.

Mark tilts his head up to gaze at the overcast sky, black clouds blanketing everything, mist cloaking a thick hazy layer, now he cannot even tell if it has truly grown dark. They departed before sunset, so they will have to stay here at least one day, maybe two or three if something needs further monitoring.

"Should we rest first?" Mark suggests when he notices the wind has stopped blowing, figuring nothing more will happen for the moment.

"It's probably dark out already," Taeyong says, craning his neck to look up as well.

"Normally the ship drops us off and leaves, right? Why's it parked here this time? Can't we just sleep up there for safety?" Mark asks, puzzled, as he steps quickly toward the ramp.

But Johnny grabs him right away. "First patrol, right? No sleeping on the ship."

Mark stares blankly, his eyes widening as he turns back to the man. "No sleeping on the ship? Why? Isn't that the safest option?"

"Nope," Johnny answers with a laugh. "Our mission includes protecting Yuta, if we all board the airship and the cockpit gets attacked, we won't react in time."

“Now I get why past teams didn’t make it out unscathed,” Jaehyun says with a smirk, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Don't worry too much, we'll camp right next to it, set up tents carefully and take night watches," Dongyoung says, stepping over to pat Jaehyun's shoulder in reassurance.

"I don't need sleep, you guys rest easy, I'll take watch tonight," Johnny declares boldly.

But Taeyong smacks him on the head immediately. "Be serious, one slip-up in a place like this and we're all dead."

Then the captain whips around to face Mark, making him flinch a little.

"Mark, you'll take the first watch, okay? Everyone's setting up tents now, set your timer for about three hours, then it's Jaehyun's turn," Taeyong orders in a firm voice.

"Yes, sir..." Mark nods, quickly adjusting the countdown on his wristwatch to three hours.

Then he slowly moves away from where everyone bustles preparing the base, giving them one last glance before scanning the surrounding forest with his eyes. The chill down his spine lingers, but his instincts tell him things stay fairly safe for the moment, so Mark lets his mind relax a touch.

If this patrol and rescue mission goes smoothly, he will escape the risk of being demoted, maybe even earn a slightly better evaluation from the organization.

Mark knows he is of little use on the battlefield, a Guardian who cannot use his Guide abilities on anyone, yet he still trains under the Angels’ regimen. Calling it "to balance things out", but in truth, a half-baked soldier like him doesn’t really fit into any specific role. While others are out there fighting fiercely, Mark just runs back and forth behind the lines, carrying the wounded to safety and checking supplies from time to time to make sure they get what they need in time.

Suddenly, a sharp metallic sound rings out at that moment. Mark turns his head to look, realizing the cockpit door has opened, and stepping out from inside is the familiar face, Yuta.

The guy glances around, then hops down to the ground and walks off on his own.

"Wait, Yuta, don't go alone," Johnny spots him and chases after right away.

Yuta keeps walking, only pausing a bit to let Johnny catch up. Dongyoung in the back panics over his mate suddenly leaving, unsure whether to follow or stay since no one has ordered what to do.

Taeyong immediately notices and pats his shoulder to calm him down.

From here, Mark can faintly hear what the captain says:

"It's fine, Yuta's always this impulsive," Taeyong reassures.

Mark shifts his gaze to watch the two figures head deeper into the forest, vanishing behind a canopy, and suddenly worry grips him too.

"Is that okay...?" Mark asks tensely of the people setting up tents behind him.

Taeyong replies quickly: "It's really fine, Yuta's done this before on past runs, wandering off on his own. Seems like he knows a bit about the terrain here, and with Johnny along, nothing'll happen."

Mark bites his lip, silently hoping nothing goes wrong. If the captain says so, Mark has no choice but to try relaxing his mind a little more.

Chapter Text

Two and a half hours have passed.

Mark remains on high alert, keeping watch for everyone, especially now that the dark clouds have thinned out somewhat and revealed a pitch-black sky. Though free of light pollution, the post-apocalypse atmosphere has changed, making the bright stars impossible to see under the night sky anymore.

Night winds weave through the leaf gaps, producing spooky whistling sounds, and where Mark stands guard outside the tent, only a faint light spills out from inside.

"It's fine, we'll find them soon enough."

A familiar voice echoes from afar, Mark looks up to spot Johnny and Yuta are returning. "Dongyoung hyung, Johnny hyung is back now—"

"Johnny!"

Mark startles a bit as a figure brushes past his face. When he glances over, he sees Dongyoung rushing frantically to Johnny's side, fussing to check if his mate has any injuries.

Mark once learned about it, the bond when activated between mates proves truly wondrous, as long as one can still sense it, they always know the other's condition and emotions. It seems Dongyoung sensed his Sentinel returning even before Mark could speak up.

"Yuta, did something happen?" Taeyong steps out from the tent, hurrying over to ask.

The man in the white lab coat just sighs, pushing up his glasses lightly before directing his gaze to the ground. "Couldn't find it, it got away again."

"Find? It? Find it what?" Jaehyun pokes his head out curiously.

"That signal of the survivor," Yuta replies curtly. "Picked it up really close by, but it bolted, weird..."

"So this really turns into a rescue mission, huh?" Dongyoung falls into thought.

"It moved crazy fast, doesn't seem like an ordinary person..." Johnny reaches up to rub his mate's head for comfort. "With speed like that, high chance that person is a Sentinel."

Taeyong nods: "Very possible."

"No one really noticed anything unusual?" Yuta speaks up irritably. "Is everyone even taking the patrol seriously?"

The air tenses up right away. This is the first time Mark has ever seen this man gets angry, so he feels a little thrown off too.

"Even Johnny couldn't catch up to it! Johnny! An S-Ranked Angel!" Yuta raises his voice. "That green dot on the scanner keeps blinking nonstop, totally unstable, this never happened before!"

Taeyong steps forward at once to calm him down, his hand on Yuta's back patting gently: "Easy now, we know you care a lot about these rescue ops. But if you lose your cool and act rashly, everyone'll end up dead. Remember, this forest is super dangerous."

Right away, the advisor calms down, no longer acting frantic. Mark has seen Taeyong use his ability plenty of times, but each time still feels miraculous.

The captain of team 127, Lee Taeyong, stands as a case with abilities more special than others. Taeyong can not only heal like a regular Guide, he also carries the power to manipulate emotions lightly in anyone. Taeyong often makes others wary because they never know when they've been hypnotized, which also explains why the organization monitors him so closely.

But really, Taeyong isn't the only case with this special ability, there are others but in extremely small numbers, super rare, and all of them get confined by the organization just like Taeyong.

"Even if that person's faster than Johnny hyung, that's not very abnormal, right?" Jaehyun speaks up calmly. "I ranked up a whole year after him, but my speed's still quicker than Johnny's. Everyone's got their own strengths, Johnny hyung's is raw power."

"Yeah, you should chill out," Dongyoung quickly adds to reassure the advisor. "Maybe next time Jaehyun will catch them."

Mark listens intently, feeling Jaehyun makes a solid point, Yuta is just too worked up.

"Shift's over, right? You can crash now, Mark," Jaehyun walks over and pats Mark's shoulder, smiling friendly.

"You guys haven't gotten any real rest either, have you? If it's okay, let me keep watch for a bit longer," Mark says, feeling a touch guilty, things have been chaotic this whole time, no one's rested properly yet, and switching shifts now feels off.

"Only those two were freaking out," Jaehyun glances at Taeyong and Dongyoung. "I just napped soundly. You get inside with Johnny hyung."

Mark hesitates a moment before agreeing, he locks the safety on the sniper rifle in his hands, slings it over his back, then follows Johnny into the tent.

"Where's Yuta hyung sleeping?" Mark asks curiously.

"In the cockpit, he hates interruptions when he's working," Johnny replies.

Mark glances at the two senior Guardians still standing there exchanging the situation with the advisor one last time, then slowly heads inside the tent.

On simpler missions before, Mark only slept in small tents. Because this patrol is considered important, the supplies are better than usual, and the tent is spacious enough that even if Mark rolls around twenty times, he still wouldn’t touch the wall.

"Johnny hyung, what caused the casualties last time?" Mark asks curiously, staring at Johnny as the older removes his uniform.

"Last time someone died from poison."

"Poison?!" Mark exclaims in surprise.

"Yeah, got bitten by a demonic snake. But no matter what we tried, we couldn't flush out the toxin." Johnny sighs, flopping back onto the soft mattress. "It was awful, Dongyoung cried till his eyes swelled shut. That unlucky Guardian could only endure the situation and die slowly."

A chill runs down Mark’s spine.

"The time before that, an Angel fought a beast way too strong, he ended up fallen because no one reached him in time to save. Because before that, he got careless and lured away from the team, battled nonstop for three days and nights till he went mad, and since he was alone then, that's how it turned out," Johnny folds his hands behind his head, recounting in an even, calm tone, as if numb to stories like this. "Then there was the time a Guardian got ambushed by a demonic creature, died on the spot."

"You must've felt it really tough..." Mark looks at Johnny with pity.

"Why?"

"Witnessing so many deaths... all teammates who were right there acting alongside you."

Johnny stares at Mark blankly for a moment, then bursts out giggling.

"I've been through thousands of missions, Mark, by the time you awakened, I'd already been in the field for four years. The number of teammates I've seen fallen and died must be dozens, and from what I've heard from other teams and other missions, it's hundreds," Johnny's voice grows somber, his eyes finally drooping a little. "At first it was really tough, but eventually you just have to accept that's the harsh reality of this world. To survive, you need to stay strong, one moment of weakness or carelessness and you'll never see the light of day again."

Mark falls silent. Even though Johnny only states the obvious, Mark can't stop himself from feeling downcast. They call it post-apocalypse, but really nothing runs smoothly, quite the opposite, more problems pile up than before, only humanity has grown tougher.

Awakened for three years now, Mark has not gone without witnessing teammates die. But it's not that simple, deep in his heart, there is a wound cuts so deep he cannot let it go, an event happened that he can never forget. That stands as a persistent trauma, a shadow that will haunt him for life. It also explains why he remains so useless, the organization has not cut him from the system yet because they do not know about this, and at the same time because they fear the risks he might pose to society. A horrific incident.

Mark remains a Guide carrying bad luck that speed up the falling process for an Angel who's not fully compatible with him.

"But don't worry too much," Johnny spots the unease in Mark's eyes and quickly speaks up to comfort him. "I've done two patrols already, rescues maybe five or six times, as long as we don't screw up, everything will be fine."

Mark lifts his gaze. "Our mission is to catch that life sign? I've never joined a rescue or patrol before..."

"Huh?" The older man chuckles. "Saying catch sounds too brutal. We save them, bring them back to the Safe Zone to reintegrate into society."

"Why do they run away like that? Don't they want to be saved?" Mark frowns in confusion.

"Human instinct is to fear what they don't understand," Johnny smiles. "Everyone all wants to be saved."

Mark feels a bit puzzled, but he drops the questions, probably best to rest now.

"MARK! JOHNNY! PROTECT EVERYONE!"

The loud shout from outside makes both of them jump in panic.

On instinct, while Mark still flounders in confusion not knowing what happens, Johnny already grabbed his weapon and bolted out of the tent.

"What's going on?!" Johnny asks in alarm.

"Jaehyun just spotted someone, he's chasing after," Taeyong's voice follows right after.

Hearing the others talk outside only ramps up Mark's urgency, he hurriedly straps on his uniform, grabs his gun, and runs out.

"What happened?!" Mark looks around in panic.

"Calm down, Jaehyun just asked us to watch everyone," Johnny pats Mark's shoulder. "Looks like he spotted that life sign."

"It was hanging around nearby watching us, unluckily made a noise and gave away its position," Dongyoung quickly explains to him as well.

Mark nods and lets out a small sigh of relief, he thought something bad had gone down.

"Yuta hyung? Does Yuta hyung know yet?" Mark looks up toward the cockpit.

As expected, the door is now wide open, and Yuta is leaning halfway out to peer in the direction Jaehyun just dashed off. The guy's eyes shine with worry, a hint of urgency, but this time he chooses to stay put and wait, after all he knows he cannot keep up with Jaehyun's speed anyway.

Jaehyun, famed for his top-tier speed among Angels of his rank, had chased right away the moment he caught a strange noise nearby. By the time Mark stepped out of the tent, Jaehyun was already gone, only a bush far off shaking wildly where the Angel had just sped through.

His reputation does hold true, Mark is truly amazed.

"Will he catch it?" Mark asks the captain, Taeyong, who seems the calmest.

"Really close now," Taeyong speaks up, his eyes closed, gripping his rifle tight.

Taeyong is sensing the situation through the his bond with Jaehyun.

"If you didn't know, Jaehyun is almost twice as fast as me," Johnny slings an arm around Mark, saying proudly.

"That fast, really?" Mark asks, a bit amazed, looking up with curious eyes.

"Yeah, he's skilled, but hand-to-hand he'd still lose a battle with me," Johnny snorts with a goofy grin.

Dongyoung shoots a sideways glance at his competitive mate, then focuses back on Taeyong, who indirectly reports the situation to the whole team.

"Not good, Johnny, go after him quick. Terrain's too rough," Taeyong says worriedly, eyes still shut tight. "Jaehyun is injured."

"Without an Angel here it'll get even more dangerous..." Dongyoung hesitates, not fully agreeing with the idea.

"We've got Mark, it'll be fine."

Mark flinches and looks at the captain, a shiver running down his spine. "Me...? I'm a Guardian..."

"This isn't the time for self-doubt or holding back, hurry or Jaehyun will be in real trouble."

Johnny gently ruffles Dongyoung's hair, looking at his mate tenderly to reassure him, then dashes off immediately. The abilities of a class S Angel prove jaw-dropping, all Mark catches is a blur streaking past like lightning, kicking up sand and dust at his feet, then vanishing into the forest too.

Speed like that and the survivor still escaped? Most importantly, Jaehyun is even faster?! Mark gasps.

"Taeyong hyung... how's it going?" Mark asks anxiously.

Taeyong opens his eyes to look at the younger and sighs. "They are too far now, i can't sense it anymore. But Johnny should be able to track the trail."

"We should set up defenses too, we've drawn plenty of attention already," Dongyoung quickly shoulders his gun. "Demonic Beasts out here are smart, they might attack now that our numbers are down."

The sky outside the camp has plunged into deep darkness, as if the whole world got swallowed by an endless curtain. The late night in The Unknown Land carries an eerie stillness, broken only now and then by the rustle of mutated treetops, like ghostly whispers.

Yuta flips through the thick notebook, then lifts his head suddenly. His sharp eyes scan the surrounding shadows, his low voice rising with caution: "Demonic Beasts signs. They're closing in."

His words barely finish when a deep growl rips through the space.

From the darkness, a weirdly-shaped creature charges forward them, fast as a silver arrow. Its hide gleams with an eerie green under the light, its eyes blazing red like twin hellfire flames. Sharp spines along its back quiver, emitting a ghastly hissing sound, as if threatening every living creature nearby. Dongyoung stands stunned, completely frozen by the situation, rooted in place like a statue as the demonic wolf hurtles toward him.

"DONGYOUNG HYUNG!"

Mark reacts in an instant. He lunges forward, shoving Dongyoung backward, his hand yanking the dagger from the sheath at his hip, gripping it so tight veins bulge.

The creature roars, its razor claws sweeping across, aimed straight at him. Mark twists aside to dodge, the dagger in his hand flashing as he thrusts hard into the beast's shoulder. Thick black blood sprays out, releasing a foul stench that makes him grimace slightly.

But Mark doesn’t stop. He steps back once, his other hand already snatching the sniper rifle from his back. In a blink, he loads and fires, the shot hitting straight into the beast’s forehead. The aether bullet pierces its metal-hard hide, making it stagger, but not fall just yet.

“Mark, watch out!” Taeyong shouts from the rear line, his own sniper rifle raised.

The captain aims true, his gaze sharp as a blade. A thunderous boom splits the air, Taeyong’s bullet slamming into the Demonic Beast’s chest and drawing a pained roar from it.

Beside them, Dongyoung snaps back to focus and drops to one knee, bracing his rifle on his shoulder and locking onto the beast’s left eye.

Another shot cracks through the sky, dead on, not a millimeter off, sending the wolf crumpling as black blood gushes from the socket.

Mark gives it no chance to strike back. He charges in, dagger flashing up in a keen arc that slashes across the creature’s throat. The blade bites deep, blood spurting in a dark geyser, and finally the wolf collapses, its massive body shaking the ground before it goes still.

Mark breathes hard, still clutching the dagger’s hilt, black blood dripping from the blade and splattered across his uniform. When he turns around and sees his two seniors safe, he finally exhales, relief washing through him though his chest keeps hammering without rest.

Not far off, Yuta remains rooted at the cockpit door, his hand scribbling furiously in his notebook. His eyes sparkle with curiosity, as if the downed Demonic Beast that just appeared is not a threat but a priceless specimen. He sketches the spine structure on its back quickly, jotting notes on the hide's color, its movement speed, and its reactions under attack.

Every so often, Yuta glances up at Mark, his gaze holding a flicker of surprise. A Guide like Mark, long deemed "flawed" in the Golden Blood organization, manages close-quarters combat with a Demonic Beast so decisively. Though Mark's skills match only a class C Angel, for a Guardian, this still far exceeds expectations.

Taeyong steps over and places a hand on Mark's shoulder, a rare smile breaking across his lips. "You did great, Mark."

Dongyoung nods too, his eyes soft but brimming with undisguised pride. "If you hadn't jumped in first, I'd probably be dead."

Mark ducks his head, cheeks flushing faintly with shyness. He mumbles thanks, but inside he still cannot believe he did anything noteworthy. Even so, the praise from Taeyong and Dongyoung carries a warm breeze, easing some of the deep-rooted self-doubt in his mind.

Yuta stays quiet all this while, he closes the notebook, his sharp eyes fixing on Mark. He says nothing, only quirking his lips slightly, as if reassessing the young Guide's worth.

A Guardian who wields a dagger in melee against a Demonic Animal, even if just a not-too-dangerous breed, suffices to make others view him differently.

“Got him!” Dongyoung suddenly calls, straightening up from the ground.

Mark, Taeyong, and Yuta all turn to him at once.

“Caught up. I can feel Johnny’s… yeah, is being pretty smug right now,” Dongyoung says, a little awkwardly.

Taeyong lets out a small chuckle and nods. “That competitive streak of his never changes. Guess that means they made it.”

Mark flops down onto the ground, letting out a long breath now that everything finally wraps up. He is not sure if this fulfills the patrol's main goal, but at least no one needs to dive into more danger, they can just wait for the next orders.

It doesn't take long for the two Angels to return to base, so fast that when Mark checks his watch, only five minutes have passed since Dongyoung's report.

"TAEYONG?! YOU OKAY?!" Jaehyun yells, immediately rushing to his mate.

Mark giggles, he has never seen Jaehyun this panic before. Seems like he already sensed the fight that just happened here.

Behind him, Johnny strolls up casually, another stranger slung unconscious over his back.

Johnny’s brows furrow slightly at the Demonic Beast’s corpse on the ground, worry flickering across his face as he turns to Dongyoung, scanning him from head to toe, and only when he confirms his mate is unharmed does he let out a quiet breath of relief.

The stranger gets set down on the ground. Mark stares at him curiously.

From afar, Yuta hops down from the cockpit right away, sprinting over at full speed.

"Nice work, you two!" The advisor beams with a bright smile, making Johnny scoff a laugh.

Mark suddenly feels all of Yuta's stern mystery vanish clean away. His personality flips like that, totally unpredictable.

Then as Yuta's gaze drops to the unconscious man's face, his jaw clenches tight, all his movements froze. Everyone immediately notices the oddity and turns their eyes to Yuta.

"What's wrong?" Dongyoung asks worriedly, still clinging to Johnny's arm to steady himself from the recent fight.

Yuta ponders for a moment before kneeling down, he lifts the stranger's arm. Right on the back of this person's hand, tiny black streaks cling, glinting faintly under the moonlight like glossy obsidian beads.

"Dark Tide..." Yuta mutters. "Already at this stage... and still has no effects...?"

"What's happening?" Jaehyun raises a brow, looking puzzled.

"Get him back to the organization, I'll explain later," Yuta orders sternly, then hurries back toward the cockpit. "Hurry! Mission ends here, everyone pack up and head back!"

Mark feels lost, not knowing what just happened, then he glances down at the unconscious figure on the ground again.

Tanned skin, slightly rounded nose tip, distinct moles aligned on his cheek. Looks really young, maybe even younger than him.

"Time to head back, Mark," Taeyong says, reminding him.

"Yes, sir." Mark stares as Johnny hoists the guy onto his back, then quickly follows the captain to pack up the tent.

Chapter Text

The airship shakes with each jolt as it races through the pitch-black sky, the engines roaring like a metal beast howling across a starless expanse. The patrol mission ends abruptly just past midnight, leaving the entire team with barely a minute of proper rest.

Johnny and Jaehyun, the two S-Ranked Angel members, stay alert and full of energy despite flying and fighting nonstop, their bodies seeming forged to push past every limit.

Meanwhile, the three Guardians such as Taeyong, Dongyoung, and Mark, are nearly spent, their bodies heavy and leaden after the battle with that demonic creature. On the ship still hurtling along at terrifying speed, all three collapse into sleep right on the cold metal floor, ignoring the pre-installed seats. Next to Johnny, the stranger lies unconscious but carefully bound, his breathing faint yet steady, the faint rhythm allowing him to sleep surprisingly soundly.

_

Safe Zone, Golden Blood organization's dormitory.

Mark wakes up with a head that throbs like it’s been split by an axe, the aftermath of catching only two hours of sleep since returning to his room after the mission ends.

Dim light from the solar panel on the ceiling spills across the spacious room, arranged simply yet equipped with every necessary comfort and luxury. The furniture is straightforward too, a long table of white quartz set against the middle wall, a brown wooden wardrobe beside it, and two single beds facing each other on opposite sides of the room, the standard layout for the living quarters of Angel and Guardian pairs.

The bed on the other side remains untouched, the blanket folded neatly, never used. Mark glances at it, his chest tightening slightly, thinking he might stay here alone forever.

He is a defective Guide who will never find his Sentinel mate, and it has been three years since he awakened with the organization still unable to find anyone perfectly compatible for him, a reality that pushes Mark dangerously close to total despair.

The day Mark awakened, the entire Nexus Council was buzzing with excitement over his special case.

The data from the machines couldn’t provide a detailed analysis of Mark’s skills, they couldn’t measure his psyche energy parameters, and yet, right on the line for the required compatibility level to perform healing stood a solid one 100%, no more, no less.

It was the only special case in the organization’s history, the one instance where even Sentinels with 99% compatibility still could not pair with Mark; only a perfect hundred would do.

And it led to countless consequences later on. Because the case was so unique, the organization placed a great deal of hope in Mark, reasoning that a compatibility requirement that strict must have meant he is incredibly powerful, a one-of-a-kind Guide with the potential to rise quickly to Special Grade, the rank above S.

But it turned out to be no different from a curse. Mark failed to find even one suitable mate, unable to form a spirit bond with anyone at all. The fierce flame of hope that once burned so brightly in him faded little by little, until it vanished completely after a catastrophic event he could never forget.

From that moment on, Mark learned to accept himself as a flaw in the system.

Mark shakes his head, trying to chase away the negative thoughts that cling to him. He stands up, draws back the curtains, and opens the window wide to greet a new day, letting the brilliant sunlight of the Safe Zone burn away all those ugly thoughts.

After tending to his personal hygiene and changing into his gray uniform, Mark suddenly hears a small beep from the communication device on his wrist.

A message from Shotaro appears on the virtual screen: "Come to the research room right away, it's urgent!"

The hurried tone makes Mark frown. He has to skip breakfast, hurrying out of the room, his steps quickening as he crosses the cold metal corridor of the dormitory.

...

Safe Zone, Research Room 127.

The isolation chamber in the team’s research room features thick steel walls and a network of stark white energy lights. When Mark pushes the door open and steps inside, he sees Sungchan and Shotaro are standing before a large virtual screen, their eyes fixed with intense focus.

Sungchan already wears his black combat uniform even though it's just early in the morning, a sign that some mission looms on the horizon. He fidgets, tapping his fingers against the control panel.

Shotaro drapes a white lab coat over his shoulders, crossing his arms and furrowing his brows so tightly they almost meet.

Mark chuckles softly at the contrast between them.

Though slightly odd, they complement each other perfectly: the one who always seems fierce and hot-tempered like Sungchan awakens as a Guide, while the quieter one, whom Mark even finds somewhat endearing, like Shotaro, turns out to be an excellent now-A-Ranked Angel, he fights like a beast.

Both turn around at the same time when they hear Mark’s footsteps, sighing in relief and letting their expressions relax with clear ease.

"Mark hyung, you're back!" Sungchan calls out, his tone full of excitement. "How was the mission yesterday? I heard you guys returned after just half a day. It's the first time ever!"

Shotaro nods, his voice laced with curiosity. "Yeah, everyone's buzzing about it. What exactly happened that made Yuta hyung rush back like that? Normally, even after finishing a mission, you have to bring back valuable intel before returning."

Mark smiles faintly. "It started as a patrol mission, but it turned into a rescue operation in the end. Once we saved the person, we came back."

Shotaro and Sungchan both nod in understanding.

Mark steps closer, curiosity drawing his gaze to the virtual screen displaying the status inside the isolation chamber. "How is he doing?"

The stranger has woken up.

The boy’s sharp, cold eyes lock onto the surveillance camera, his pupils gleaming with wariness and anger as he realizes he is confined. Suddenly, both his hands swing up, pounding hard against the frosted glass with dull thuds, his mouth muttering unclear curses. His aggressive demeanor borders on feral, making Mark shiver involuntarily. The guy doesn't seem like an ordinary person, he resembles a trapped predator, ready to lunge at anyone who comes near.

Sungchan sighs and shakes his head. "Taeyong hyung and Dongyoung hyung have another mission this morning, so Yuta hyung left it to us to monitor him. But... no one knows how to calm this guy down. He acts like he wants to shatter the glass and come out to punch both of us."

Shotaro grows sullen too. His eyes do not leave the screen. "Yuta just said to wait for the test results, but seeing him like this..."

Mark watches in silence. Then a strange feeling stirs in his chest.

He takes a deep breath and speaks up with a suggestion. "Activate the transparent mode of the glass and remove the soundproofing. Let me see if I can calm him down. We don't need to go inside."

Sungchan and Shotaro both turn to look at Mark. Surprise flickers in their eyes.

"Are you sure?" Sungchan asks, his voice tinged with worry. "He looks... not easy to talk to. Plus, without Taeyong hyung here, it's pretty tough to soothe someone like that."

Mark shakes his head, though a hint of caution lingers in his heart. "Let's just try. If he's a Sentinel, he might just be panicking. Getting knocked out cold and dragged back out of nowhere would do that to anyone."

Shotaro sighs, finally tapping the button on the virtual screen to make the isolation chamber’s barrier glass turn transparent. The stranger inside catches sight of Mark approaching and lets out a frenzied roar, slamming his arms against the glass with brutal force.

He looks like a ferocious beast ready to tear apart anyone who dares harm him. Mark stands face to face with him, trying to stay calm, though in truth his whole body is trembling with fear.

If the guy did not look so utterly normal, Mark would surely think this aggression came from a Fallen Angel.

"Can you hear me?" Mark tries speaking.

"LET ME OUT!"

All three people outside jump at the boy's shout.

"Why does Yuta hyung insist on keeping him like this?" Sungchan sighs. "It seems like we can't communicate at all."

"Can you calm down a bit?" Mark keeps his voice gentle. He doesn't want to agitate the person further.

The one on the other side of the glass shows complete refusal to converse. His eyes sweep over each of them with pure hatred.

Mark steps closer. The boy shouts again and slams a punch against the glass, aiming straight at his face, the entire isolation chamber trembling from the impact. The force behind him is formidable, no small matter, leaving no doubt he is a Sentinel. Mark freezes for a moment, a flicker of panic running through him, but he keeps moving forward, standing right against the glass, directly opposite the boy.

"You're safe here. Don't make a scene, or you won't hear the end of it from the higher-ups," Mark alerts him softly.

"LET ME OUT!"

Shotaro shakes his head and sighs. "Getting captured and locked up like this would make anyone lose it. Don't try to calm him anymore."

"Why lock him up like that?" Mark frowns in confusion. He turns to look at the two beside him.

"Yuta hyung said he's infected with the Dark Tide. Releasing him is very dangerous."

Mark feels a bit dazed. "I heard Yuta mention it yesterday, but I still don't know what Dark Tide is."

Shotaro taps a few commands on the virtual screen in front of him. The isolation chamber's control panel quickly shifts to a different interface. It displays a vast database stretching across lists of all sorts of information.

Mark knows that Shotaro joined the Golden Blood research team not long ago, but he doesn't expect to get shown such collected data like this.

"Are you allowed to show this to others, Shotaro?" Mark asks doubtfully.

"I think the info on the Dark Tide will get released soon anyway. I've already told Sungchan about this a while back," Shotaro replies quite casually.

Mark chuckles, crossing his arms and glancing at the two juniors with a helpless expression.

He knows they were paired up only recently. At first, Shotaro had been a bit reluctant, saying he “doesn’t like a mate younger than him,” but it seems their relationship is holding strong.

"Here it is," Shotaro says as he taps on a line of information.

The title consists entirely of encoded strings of numbers. Mark has no idea how the research members manage to remember all this stuff.

BANG

All three jump again at the loud slamming sound from the other side of the glass.

"LET ME OUT RIGHT NOW!"

Mark clicks his tongue and presses the button to reactivate the soundproofing mechanism, and the isolation chamber immediately falls silent.

The stranger realizes what Mark just did and grows even angrier, punching and kicking the glass nonstop, making the entire lab shake with every strike.

"Holy hell..." Shotaro seems to be flabbergasted by the scene.

“I'll contact Yuta hyung. You two keep talking,” Sungchan sighs, watching the Sentinel inside the chamber losing his composure. He has no choice but to seek help.

Mark nods, observing Sungchan leave, then turns back to the virtual screen Shotaro shows him.

Images start flashing across it: mutated animals, strange purple swamps spewing smoke, and even more horrifying, skeletons corroded by a black substance.

Shotaro clears his throat. “The Dark Tide is a corrosion phenomenon that appeared after the apocalypse. It’s corrupted energy released from the bodies of Fallen Angels that weren’t properly disposed of. Things eroded by the Dark Tide aren’t just physical matter, it affects the mind too, and can even cause mutations in the host. Human eroded by Dark Tide can even spread it to others upon contact.”

“Wait, the whole team was in contact with him yesterday…” Mark says, glances toward the chamber.

The person inside seems worn out, no longer smashing around. He sits slumped on the floor with his back to them, and for some reason, Mark feels a flicker of pity. After all, the guy was knocked unconscious by unknown people, dragged back here, and locked up. Anyone would also be panic and resist fiercely in his place.

"Everyone was wearing uniform yesterday, so it's fine. Johnny got taken for a checkup right away since he carried the guy. Luckily, he shows no worrying signs. Dongyoung freaked out big time over it," Shotaro sighs.

"So what happens if someone is infected with the Dark Tide?"

"If it's an ordinary person, they'll get drained of life in half a day... If it's a Sentinel or Guide, they'll quickly go mad and turn into a Monster. Remember those cases where people couldn’t even identify the species of certain demonic beasts? Well, they’re soldiers transformed by the Dark Tide. They’re Monsters," Shotaro says with clear worry. "And this person... he's infected to the point where signs are obvious. It affects his hand already, but he hasn't turned into a Beast yet."

Mark falls into thought, the information hitting him like something entirely new, perhaps even knowledge the organization has never officially announced or leaked. Maybe the high-level warriors were briefed beforehand because of the nature of their missions.

Now, Mark finally understands why the organization always orders them to collect the bodies of defeated Fallen Angels instead of incinerating them on the spot, if handled improperly, the Dark Tide could have spread everywhere by now.

Born and raised in the Safe Zone, Mark has never truly grasped just how dangerous the world beyond those massive walls can be.

He glances lightly toward the guy slumped on the floor on the other side of the glass, wondering how tough it must have been to survive out there all alone, and why no one yet knows the reason he exists by himself in such a perilous place.

"Then, the really weird part here is that Johnny didn't get infected," Shotaro continues.

Mark frowns. "Why?"

"The Dark Tide spreads fast. Carrying him means unavoidable close contact, especially since Johnny said he let the guy drape an arm over him. He touched the back of the guy's hand directly, right where those black streaks are."

"Maybe it's some new mutation that makes his transformation slower?" Mark feels a bit confused.

"No, it's not."

The third voice rings out, making both Mark and Shotaro turn at once.

Seeing Yuta step in, they quickly bow politely, halting their conversation and stepping aside.

"Before locking him in here, the organization already took him for checks," Yuta says, approaching the glass, frowning as he peers inside. "The gene codes in his body haven’t changed at all. They just mutated a little, like… an evolution? This has never happened before."

"What do you mean…?" Mark asks, his face going blank again.

Shotaro quickly moves to stand beside him to explain: "Beasts, Monsters, and Fallen Angels, usually have their chromosome counts increase or decrease, completely altering the human genetic structure. This person’s chromosome count is still intact. He’s just influenced by the Dark Tide, so it mutated a bit."

"In other words, he can resonate with the Dark Tide. His body even has the ability to absorb and suppress it. That’s why Johnny didn’t get infected," Yuta adds.

"After confirming that contact is safe, the organization immediately brought him to the Nexus Council for a full checkup," Shotaro says, tapping the button on the virtual screen to make the glass opaque again, the transparency vanishing.

"A newly awakened Sentinel with no training experience, yet his speed outpaces even an Angel level S with seven years under his belt," Yuta chuckles. "Very interesting."

Mark stands stunned.

Though he cannot fully grasp the details yet, he knows this could shake up the research world, maybe even rattle the entire Nexus Council.

A threat that could wipe out humanity now has an individual who resonates with it, who lives with it, who even benefits from it. Mark stares at the blurry silhouette through the frosted glass, his mind growing tangled.

Doesn't that indirectly mean he's extremely dangerous? Mark thinks.

"“The organization conducted a comprehensive scan on him too. The results will shock you, Mark," Yuta says as he turns to look at Mark.

"Why me?" Mark asks blankly.

"We're going to try convincing him to join the Safe Zone's military system and become an Angel. His current power stats only match an Angel level B, but his potential shows he'll reach Special Grade in three years."

Even Shotaro looks like he cannot believe his ears. His mouth hangs open. "Wait, what?"

Special Grade. The two most recent people in this team considered to have potential for this rank are Johnny and Taeyong, yet after seven years, despite their remarkable talent, they’ve only come close to reaching it. It proves just how difficult it truly is.

Three years. It really is a number that sends shivers.

"After collecting his full gene code and analyzing his astral essence system, the organization reached an unexpected conclusion," Yuta says, lowering his eyelids, his gaze pierces deep into Mark.

The intense stare makes Mark fidget uneasily, a strange premonition suddenly washes over him.

"That Sentinel has 100% compatibility with you, Mark Lee."

Chapter Text

"W-What did you say? 100%?!"

It feels like a beautiful dream interrupted, one Mark has tried countless times to return to but never could. And now, in some miraculous way, he finds it again.

That stranger, the young Sentinel just brought back to the organization, is Mark’s destined mate. It’s not just high compatibility, it’s perfect compatibility, the kind that comes once in centuries.

Mark had always thought he would stand in the shadows forever, looking up at others shining in places without him, but now things change. Here is my hope.

Mark cannot explain the overwhelming joy rushing through his body.

“Yuta hyung, pairing Mark with a Sentinel infected with the Dark Tide, isn’t that a bit…?” Shotaro cuts in quickly, his face shows no less surprise.

“Don’t worry. Looking at him like that, pairing would be a long process anyway,” Yuta says, glancing one last time at the faint shadow through the frosted glass before turning toward the isolation chamber door. “Besides, the organization hasn’t made a final decision yet.”

“Are you going inside?” Shotaro asks quickly, running over and lightly grabbing Yuta’s sleeve, his tone brimming with unease.

“It’s fine. Spray the gas suppressant into the room now,” Yuta orders. He immediately unlocks the door, grabs a gas mask, puts it on, and pushes the door open to step inside.

Shotaro panics completely, for this man acts not only impulsively but decisively. After a series of hurried actions on the virtual screen, the transparent glass reactivates, the soundproofing lifts, and the suppressant sprays into the isolation chamber.

"Suppressant?" Mark asks curiously. He watches the white mist gently seeping into the space on the other side of the glass.

"Ability suppressant. In other words, it's an extremely strong muscle relaxant to paralyze the limbs. It's not supposed to be used like this, but he..." Shotaro hesitates as he looks at Mark. "Well, I get it. Without it, Yuta hyung would get torn apart."

Mark has no strong opinion. After all, he still lacks specialized knowledge of the organization’s complex fields compared to the two of them. His mind holds only one thought now: perfect compatibility.

That ironic condition, that damn condition, about him only being able to heal his perfect mate, turns out not to have lied to him. Mark feels deeply moved, but alongside that, a sharp edge of nervousness cuts through him. This person is a rare opportunity, perhaps even his only chance: a chance to pair up, to use his abilities, to contribute so he does not become useless, and most importantly, to avoid being removed from the system.

"Hello," Yuta says.

Mark turns to look inside the glass.

The advisor stands beside the person. The guy still sits slumped on the ground with his back against the glass. He looks truly exhausted.

"What do you bastards want?" He doesn't move at all, voice rings out coldly.

It seems the drug's effect has dulled his earlier aggressive tone.

"You're safe here. We won't harm you," Yuta says, looking at the miserable state of the one sitting on the floor. He softens his voice.

From the moment Johnny carried him back until now, the guy remains in what can only be called a terrible condition, his hair sticking out in wild tangles, his clothes hanging loose and torn, his face smeared with mud and dirt, fresh red scars marking his skin, making him look like a wild man from the woods.

Mark quietly marvels at how difficult surviving in such place must have been, guessing that the boy has lived this long only because he got lucky countless times.

"You assholes probably want to dissect me, right? Haha," the guy suddenly laughs.

Mark's brows furrow tightly.

But Yuta stays completely calm. "What's your name?"

The person falls silent for a moment, then speaks with sarcasm: "What's your mom's name? That's my name."

Mark feels a surge of anger at this provocation that isn’t even aimed at him. Any goodwill toward the stranger vanishes instantly, too rude, too arrogant.

"Don’t you have a name? Don’t you have parents? How long have you been wandering out there?" Yuta steps closer, his voice firm. "Don’t you realize we just saved you?"

"Saved?" the guy scoffs. "Did I ask you to save me? You all show up out of nowhere and drag me back here. What’s next? Forcing me to repay the favor, right?"

"Aren’t you desperate to live too?" Yuta’s presence does not waver.

"You think I want to live in this rotten world?"

"Then why resist?" Yuta interrupts, his words sharp. "Why not submit right away? Isn’t it because you’re afraid of death? You still want to live so bad?"

The person goes quiet, unable to respond now that Yuta has hit the nail on the head.

"If Yuta hyung had Taeyong hyung’s abilities, he’d be dangerous," Shotaro says admiringly, smirking slightly as he turns to Mark. "He’s just a regular human, but he’s almost manipulating me already."

Mark nods in agreement. He has to admit the mind of a high-level advisor is razor-sharp, no one fools him with random talk.

"So why did you bastards bring me back? Why me?" a moment later, the person speaks up again, his voice raw with resentment.

"Let’s be straight, It’s for research purposes. But we won’t dissect you. On the contrary, we see potential in you," Yuta answers seriously, a hint of satisfaction flickering in his eyes.

"You think I’m a kid? Cut the bullshit. Tell me, when do I get to die?" The guy looks up at Yuta, a contemptuous smirk curling his lips. "Lock me up, dissect me, and when I’m no longer useful, toss me out like trash, right?"

"I affirm once more, we won’t kill you, we have no intention of torturing or abusing you. We promise to train you into a strong warrior. Join the organization," Yuta says firmly, his tone steady and unshaken.

"You think I'll believe the people who forcibly dragged me back here?"

"Fine," Yuta says. He turns to look at Shotaro. "Withdraw the gas."

"Are you sure...?" Mark asks hesitantly.

"Do it."

After a few seconds of hesitation, Shotaro signals for Mark to enter the isolation chamber as well. He fiddles with the virtual screen for a moment, and the white mist is immediately sucked back into the vents. Yuta removes his gas mask right after.

The person still sits motionless on the floor, his eyes locked onto the advisor’s face, fingers twitching slightly. Once he realizes he can move normally again, he scoffs.

Mark notices the sudden change in the stranger’s expression, a cold premonition flooding his heart.

And just as Mark predicts, the moment the suppressant clears, the guy jumps up and charges at Yuta. Mark wastes no second, rushing forward as fast as he can.

The aggressive Sentinel shoots his hand out to choke Yuta’s neck, but Mark grabs his wrist tightly, squeezing it painfully.

"Y-You…" He glares at Mark with pure hatred, eyes widening as he realizes his attack has been stopped.

Mark’s eyes change instantly, hope vanishing completely for the person in front of him. Doubt and wariness return at once. Someone this insolent, what are the chances the organization can even tame him?

"If you won’t submit, fight him then," Yuta says coldly. "He’s just a Guide. You’re not saying you can’t even beat him, are you?"

"Guide? Haha," The guy bursts out laughing, his eyes full of contempt as they lock onto Mark. Then he yanks his hand back forcefully. "If you can beat me, I’ll join this shitty organization."

Mark’s body trembles in a strange way, a mix of fear and anxiety twisting through him. He rarely trusts himself, insecurity long ingrained leaving him unsure of his own abilities, unsure if he has enough strength to fight a Sentinel. He exhales slowly, taking a deliberate step back, then tosses the sniper rifle from his back to the ground.

"One on one. Hand-to-hand combat." He assumes a defensive stance, ready to face the attack from the person in front of him.

Yuta smirks, stepping back, while Shotaro fidgets restlessly, unsure if he should rush in to help, the thought of a Guide fighting a Sentinel making him uneasy.

But the stranger does not know this: Yuta chose Mark to spar with him instead of a Class A Angel like Shotaro for a reason, it's to make him underestimate Mark, to lower his guard.

"Get ready to die, asshole." The guy's sharp, cold eyes flash like two flames in the darkness. His gaze fills with disdain as it sweeps over Mark.

He smirks, leaning slightly forward, like a predator poised to strike at weak prey. The air in the isolation chamber thickens, heavy and suffocating. It feels as if the very space is holding its breath, waiting for the clash to begin.

Mark plants his feet firmly, hands clenched tight, eyes locked on his opponent. His chest pounds wildly, but he forces a calm exterior. Deep inside, the familiar voice of doubt screams at him, reminding him he is just a defective Guide, someone who has never truly won in hand-to-hand combat, never trusted on the front lines. Yet the Sentinel’s contemptuous gaze, coupled with Yuta’s challenge, sparks something buried within him, a flicker of pride he cannot ignore.

I cannot back down. Not now, Mark tells himself.

"Come on," Mark says in a low voice, his eyes suddenly sharpen, as if he's challenging his own fear.

The Sentinel sneers. His figure shoots forward like an arrow. His speed exceeds Mark's expectations, leaving him only just enough time to tilt his body and dodge a punch aimed straight at his face.

The wind from the fist brushes past Mark's cheek, icy cold like a knife blade. He steps back a pace, sensing the terrifying power concealed in the guy's powerful frame. This is no ordinary Sentinel, his speed and reflexes nearly match Jaehyun's.

"Keep that up, and you're dead for sure," the stranger growls. He allows no pause, no moment for Mark to catch his breath.

A flurry of consecutive strikes follows. Punches and kicks flash like lightning, each carrying enough force to fell an unprepared opponent.

Mark grits his teeth. He draws on every skill he has trained under the Sentinel regimen, blocking a kick with his arm. The impact makes him stagger, and his left shoulder goes numb, yet he refuses to give the opponent the upper hand.

He seizes the moment when the Sentinel pulls his leg back. Charging forward, Mark throws a straight punch aimed at the chest. His fist lands true, but the guy only steps back slightly, eyes unflinching, as if the blow causes him no pain at all.

"Is that all you got, Guide?" the person smirks, sarcasm dripping from his voice. In that instant, however, Mark notices a subtle flicker in his eyes. It is no longer pure disdain, a fleeting curiosity appears.

Mark doesn't answer. He silently adjusts his breathing, knowing he cannot win with raw strength or speed alone. Technique and observation are his advantages, and he has the training experience the stranger lacks.

While dodging a spinning kick, Mark observes a small habit. Every time the Sentinel attacks, his right shoulder juts forward slightly, leaving a gap on his left side. Mark clenches his teeth and decides to bet on his next move.

The guy charges again, throwing a punch aimed at Mark's shoulder, but Mark does not dodge. He ducks low, letting the fist sail over his head, and in a split second delivers a low kick straight to the opponent's left side.

The kick lacks raw power but is enough to halt the boy, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. Mark presses the advantage, surging forward and using his full body weight to pin the Sentinel to the floor, locking his arms in a grappling hold.

"Enough?" Mark pants, his voice low and thick with determination. He feels the other's body tense under his pressure, but the guy's eyes show no submission at all.

"Not yet," the Sentinel growls.

Suddenly, he surges with force, throwing Mark aside. Both of them tumble across the floor, dry clashing sounds echoing with every roll.

Amid the chaos, Mark feels a strange energy flicker within him. It's like a tiny spark igniting in his mind, weaving through his senses. It's unlike anything he has ever experienced, both weird and familiar, as if an invisible thread vibrates between him and the stranger.

Outside the isolation glass, Shotaro shouts in worry: "Mark, be careful!"

Yuta raises a hand, signaling silence. His sharp eyes follow every movement, a faint smirk playing on his lips. It is as if he's anticipating this moment.

The aggressive Sentinel springs up again, charging with even greater speed. But this time, Mark does more than just evade. He blocks the punch with both hands, then spins sharply, using the boy's own momentum to pull him forward off balance.

They crash to the floor again, but Mark rises faster this time. He pins the opponent's wrists against his chest and presses his knee down firmly, gaining full control.

Mark's eyes now burn with a mix of determination and restrained anger.

"Stop," Mark growls, his breathing grows heavy. "I don't want to keep fighting."

The other lies on the floor, eyes still flashing with defiance. Then he suddenly smirks, his voice hoarse: "You… aren't bad, Guide."

In that moment, Mark senses that strange energy more clearly, a synchronized pulse flowing between the two of them. The boy furrows his brows slightly, as if he notices something too, but he says nothing.

Yuta claps slowly, breaking the tense silence. "That’s enough. Both of you did great." He steps closer to the glass, curiosity sparkling in his eyes. "You lost, right? Now you have to accept joining the organization."

Shotaro watches Mark’s performance with complete admiration. Who would have thought a Guide could win a hand-to-hand fight against a Sentinel? Though the matchup leans heavily in Mark’s favor, he has undergone grueling training and mastered proper techniques, while the boy fights purely on instinct. Still, it remains an incredibly impressive win.

"What's going on?"

Another figure rushes in from outside, and hearing the familiar voice, Shotaro turns immediately: "Taeyong hyung!"

At the same moment, Mark feels a wave of dizziness from exhaustion. He has never exerted himself this much.

During past training, he only hit dummies, or the instructors held back and didn't strike fully, but now, blocking so many attacks from a powerful Sentinel leaves him nearly drained of strength.

"Mark just won a hand-to-hand fight against that stranger!" Shotaro boasts proudly to the leader.

Taeyong’s eyes widen in surprise as he sees Mark still locking the stranger firmly. This makes him trust Shotaro's words immediately.

"Impressive... but why were they fighting?" Taeyong asks in confusion.

"Okay now, what's your name, kid?" Yuta steps closer, then he stares straight at the aggressive Sentinel's face, who still looks far from fully subdued.

Thud

Everyone stares in shock as Mark collapses sideways to the ground, passing out instantly.

To prevent the boy from escaping, Shotaro rushes into the chamber without hesitation, restraining him again as he shows signs of trying to flee.

"Mark!" Taeyong rushes over in panic, grabbing Mark and pulling him back slightly.

The captain gently places his hand on Mark’s forehead. A soft light flows from his palm, seeping into Mark’s body, coursing through every vein, relaxing his furrowed brows, but it is too late, he has already fainted.

The stranger clicks his tongue in annoyance as he is pinned to the ground once more: "Damn it… #&@%."

Yuta frowns at him. "What are you mumbling?"

"My name is Lee Donghyuck."

Chapter Text

Safe Zone, Dormitory.

Mark wakes up with a body heavy as lead, his mind still foggy, shrouded in a thick mist that dulls his senses. Soft light from the solar panel on the ceiling spills down, casting a glow on the sharp lines of white quartz furniture and polished brown wood.

Everything in the Golden Blood organization’s dormitory radiates modern precision, cold and meticulous, from the AI-integrated touch-control desk to the automated blinds adjusting to the light outside.

Mark gaze drifts to the single bed across from his, its sheets folded neatly, pristine, untouched by any sign of use.

Despite learning that he actually has a fated mate with 100% compatibility, Mark can’t shake the doubt gnawing at him. Can someone as fierce and untamed as Lee Donghyuck truly belong here, belong to me?

Mark shakes his head, pushing away the chaotic thoughts, then checks the communication device on his wrist. A holographic screen flickers to life, showing the time: 3:47 PM.

Mark frowns, realizing he was unconscious for quite a while after the intense sparring match with Donghyuck. His body still aches, his left shoulder numb from the force of Donghyuck’s powerful kick. Yet, more than the physical pain, a strange energy lingers in his mind, a faint spark, a synchronized pulse he felt when pinning Donghyuck to the floor.

Was it truly the sign of a Spirit Bond with Donghyuck, or merely the delusion of a flawed Guide like Mark, grasping at a fleeting glimmer of hope?

A soft beep snaps Mark out of his thoughts. Message from Taeyong appears on the screen: “Come to the training area as soon as you’re awake. We need to talk.” The tone, though brief, carries the familiar weight of the Captain's authority.

Mark takes a deep breath, rises from the bed. Exhaustion still simmers in his bones, but he can’t delay, not when Taeyong has summoned him. If the Captain calls, it’s always something serious.

...

Safe Zone, Training Area.

Mark steps out of the dormitory, moving through the gleaming metal corridors of the Safe Zone, where walls embedded with touchscreens display real-time data on the organization’s operations. The hum of maintenance robots echoes faintly in the distance, mingling with the blinking blue light from monitoring stations. But as he approaches the training area at the western edge of the Safe Zone, the atmosphere shifts.

Modern buildings give way to the ruins of an old industrial complex, abandoned since the apocalypse. The training area rises from those ashes, its cracked concrete walls, rusted steel beams, and mutant vines crawling across the ground creating a stark contrast. Training fields sprawl across this vast area, designed like simulated battlegrounds with rugged terrain, scattered metal debris, and even the husks of war machines destroyed during the Demonic Beast conflicts. Everything exudes a raw, unforgiving harshness, a reminder that no matter how advanced the Safe Zone appears, the world beyond remains a brutal place.

As Mark pushes the door open and steps into the training area, the sharp scent of scorched metal and dusty earth hits his nose, jarring his senses. His eyes scan for Taeyong, unease stirring in his chest, wondering if he’s about to receive another critical assignment or if this concerns the demotion Taeyong mentioned before. Have they reconsidered after the patrol mission?

“Mark.”

The familiar voice pulls Mark back to the present. He turns, meeting Taeyong’s gaze as the captain approaches, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The atmosphere feels light, so it’s probably fine, Mark thinks.

“Captain, what’s up?” Mark asks, curiosity lacing his voice. “I was out for half a day, so I missed this morning’s training. Did Johnny hyung say anything?”

Lee Taeyong, Leader of Squad 127, oversees every member of his team, monitoring their physical and mental states with meticulous care, Mark included. Yet Taeyong has always shown a particular concern for Mark, a Guardian deemed special. Mark knows this well and feels deep gratitude for the Leader, certain that without Taeyong’s guidance, he’d have been cast out of the system long ago.

“I told Johnny about your condition, and he was pretty shocked you took down a Sentinel,” Taeyong says, his eyes gleaming with pride as he looks at Mark. “I told you you’re capable. Stop doubting yourself.”

Mark nods, a shy flush creeping up his neck at the Captain's praise, the recognition warming him. But even so, a deep-rooted sense of inadequacy festers within him, not just from the grueling physical training he endures to compensate for his inability to heal others, but also from the Nexus Council’s disdain and the organization’s constant search for a reason to expel him from the military system.

Over time, Mark has come to feel like he’s clinging to a place that doesn’t want him.

To make matters worse, his squad is filled with exceptional talent, beyond just Taeyong. The other five members are remarkable in their own right.

S-Ranked Angel Jung Jaehyun, Taeyong’s mate, is a renowned Scout whose lightning-fast speed makes him devastatingly effective at reconnaissance and pathfinding. Thanks to Jaehyun, most of the squad’s missions conclude without injuries, the wealth of information he gathers from scouting proving invaluable.

S-Ranked Angel Johnny Suh, the deputy Leader and combat instructor with seven years of battlefield experience, has faced thousands of missions and hundreds of conflicts. Johnny is permanently assigned to Squad 127 to mentor its members, teaching them combat techniques tailored for Sentinels or Guides. Still, for general combat training, they study under the organization’s instructors, with Johnny serving as more of a supplemental tutor.

A-Ranked Guardian Kim Dongyoung, Johnny’s mate, is the squad’s Medic, not only mastering Psyche Energy healing but also excelling in treating physical injuries. He consistently supports Taeyong in managing the team’s health.

A-Ranked Angel Osaki Shotaro, a Sentinel who chooses the role of squad Researcher, provides critical information and mission planning. During operations, Shotaro collaborates with his two fellow Angels at the front lines, ensuring strategies are executed flawlessly.

B-Ranked Guardian Jung Sungchan, Shotaro’s mate, is a meticulous and thorough Navigator. Working alongside Shotaro to devise plans, Sungchan maps out routes, mission sequences, and task assignments to ensure maximum efficiency.

And lastly, C-Ranked Guardian Mark Lee, is the squad’s Tech Specialist.

Before every mission, Mark checks everything multiple times, ensuring all logistics are flawless before the team sets out. A loose rifle grip, a nearly drained energy cell, a scorched control circuit, he spots them all before anyone else notices.

If someone reports a jammed weapon mid-mission, Mark fixes it in three minutes flat without unloading the magazine. If a suit’s sensors short-circuit, Mark rewires it without stripping the entire armor. After missions, while the team catches their breath, nursing scrapes and still-bleeding cuts, Mark is already disassembling magazines, cleaning barrels, inspecting each piece of armor with focused precision.

It sounds impressive, but in truth, it’s work an ordinary person could do.

So Mark asked Johnny to let him train alongside Sungchan and Jaehyun, the two Angels of the squad, honing his strength and agility to make up for being a Guide who can’t use his abilities to help the team in any meaningful way.

But not every mission requires all seven of them to deploy together. Each task varies, sometimes pairing them with other squads or splitting them into smaller groups. Because of this, whenever Mark works with others, he’s haunted by his need for perfection, terrified of making a mistake. Three years of scrutiny and whispers about his useless abilities have been enough. He doesn’t want to inch closer to being kicked out of the system over a slip-up that, for anyone else, wouldn’t matter much.

Seeing Mark’s confidence barely budge despite the praise, Taeyong lets out a soft sigh, reaching out to ruffle his hair.

“It’s alright. I won’t let the organization send you anywhere.”

Mark offers a faint smile. “Thanks…”

“But that’s not why I called you here. There’s something more important.” Taeyong starts walking, gesturing for Mark to follow. “That Sentinel has been taken into the organization, but he’s still under observation. He hasn’t been fully accepted yet.”

Mark hurries to keep pace with the Captain, the memory of that Sentinel’s scornful expression flashing in his mind, stirring irritation. “I don’t like him… I can’t stand people like that.”

Taeyong chuckles. “He’s definitely cocky, that one. What’s his name again? Dong? Donghyuck? Yeah, Lee Donghyuck, I think.”

Mark doesn’t reply, uninterested in caring.

He feels no goodwill toward the guy, only resentment. When Mark tried to calm Donghyuck down with conversation, the Sentinel just yelled, ignored him, insulted Yuta, looked down on Mark, and then lost to him in a spar.

Mark hates Donghyuck, hates him fiercely, even feels a smug satisfaction recalling how he pinned Donghyuck to the floor, watching shock spread across his face.

“Perfect compatibility, my ass…” Mark mutters, clicking his tongue, his brows knitting tightly as he exhales.

Just thinking about it pisses me off, Mark sigh.

The spark of hope and excitement Mark felt upon learning he’d been paired with someone is gone. Now, Mark only wishes someone would put that arrogant jerk in his place.

“Perfect compatibility?” Taeyong glances back at him, all curious.

Mark blinks, surprised that Taeyong hasn’t heard. “Yuta hyung or Shotaro didn’t tell you?”

The Captain shakes his head, looking puzzled.

Their steps halt as they reach the training area assigned to Squad 127.

Each team gets its own field for private practice or coordination drills. Thick, white, soundproof walls separate each section, with narrow glass doors as entrances. Across the vast training complex, nearly a hundred such fields are neatly divided.

“He’s got 100% compatibility with me, according to Yuta hyung,” Mark says hesitantly.

Taeyong’s eyes widen in shock. “100%? For real?”

“If it’s from the Nexus Council, it’s probably legit.” Mark scratches his head, frustration creeping into his voice. “I’ve waited for this moment forever, but… ugh…”

“Maybe it’s not so bad, Mark. He might just be prickly because he’s wary of us. Try winning him over. Things could change.” Taeyong grips Mark’s shoulders, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

“I think you’re more stoked about this than I am… I’m not sure, though. I can’t stand arrogant types who act like nobody else matters.”

Footsteps approach, cutting their conversation short.

Johnny greets them with a cheerful wave, flashing a bright smile. “What’s got you two so cheerful?”

“Look at this kid’s face. Does he look cheerful to you?” Taeyong points at Mark, smirking. “Anyway, I called you both here for a reason. Johnny, have you tested that dude’s skills yet?”

Mark, caught up in talking with Taeyong, hadn’t noticed until now. Following their gazes through the glass door, Mark spots him, that Sentinel he’s been griping about.

Mark brows furrow instantly. He can’t guess why Donghyuck’s here, but an uneasy feeling churns in his gut.

“He’s been half-assing everything, not cooperating at all,” Johnny says, shrugging helplessly.

“Let’s go, Mark. You haven’t properly introduced yourself, have you?” Taeyong slings an arm around Mark’s shoulders, pulling him toward the field.

Mark resists slightly but follows the Captain’s lead.

Introduce? To that asshole? Seriously? Mark frowns, face full of disgust.

The glass door slides open and closes behind the three as they step inside. Mark scans the area, taking in the scattered equipment strewn across the floor, the training dummies still pristine and untouched, confirming Donghyuck really hasn’t bothered with anything.

Mark lifts his gaze, shooting a glare filled with hostility, only to lock eyes with Donghyuck, whose expression mirrors the same disdain.

Donghyuck looks entirely different from when he was first brought in. His hair is now neat, the fringe lightly falling over his forehead, his face no longer smeared with dirt. He’s been given the silver-gray Golden Blood uniform, his appearance now clean and sharp, a far cry from the ragged state he was in before. But his eyes remain unchanged, glaring at everyone with a resentment that suggests they’ve all wronged him somehow.

Taeyong steps forward with a warm greeting, a friendly smile on his lips that Mark can’t tell is genuine or not.

“Hey, we met this morning.” The Captain extends a hand, waiting for a handshake.

Of course, it goes ignored.

Donghyuck barely glances at Taeyong’s hand, his eyes flicking up to the captain’s face before he turns away dismissively.

Unbelievably rude, Mark clicks his tongue.

“No handshake, fine, but you’ve gotta train, right?” Taeyong keeps the smile plastered on, his tone steady. “You agreed to join the organization, so take it seriously. The higher-ups won’t be happy otherwise.”

Instead of the aggressive, ready-to-snap-at-anyone attitude from earlier, Donghyuck’s defiance now takes a different form.

He avoids eye contact, refuses to respond, occasionally throwing a sideways glance and clicking his tongue. Mark clenches his jaw, struggling to contain the anger surging inside him.

“If there’s nothing else, I’m outta here. Staying’s gonna drive me nuts,” Mark huffs, turning to leave.

A voice cuts through the air:

“Hold it, you.”

Mark spins around, brows furrowing as he realizes it’s Donghyuck calling him out. The sudden outburst catches the two seniors off guard, their eyes meeting in surprise.

Then Donghyuck locks eyes with Johnny, pointing directly at Mark. “Let me beat that jerk.”

Taeyong lets out a laugh but quickly sharpens his tone: “First, watch how you talk, kid.”

Despite the calm expression on the Captain’s face, an invisible pressure settles over the room, making every breath feel heavier.

Taeyong is using his ability to influence their minds.

Mark knows Taeyong could easily subdue someone as stubborn as Donghyuck. The Leader has the rare ability to manipulate the Psyche Energy of others, even those who aren’t his mate. But Taeyong has always said he dislikes controlling people this way, and overuse could bring harsh punishment from the organization if discovered. Yet now, even this subtle use of his power creates an oppressive atmosphere.

Donghyuck clicks his tongue, visibly annoyed, his defiance unwavering, though his furrowed brows betray a hint of caution toward Taeyong.

Within the military system, Taeyong is one of the few who can manipulate the minds of non-mates. In the entire two-hundred-year history of the system’s warriors, only three have ever possessed this ability, including Squad 127’s Leader.

Donghyuck’s finger doesn’t waver, still pointing straight at Mark. “I want to beat him, please?”

Mark’s blood boils at being pointed at like that, especially with such an arrogant attitude, his pride is taking a heavy hit.

He steps closer, swatting Donghyuck’s hand away with a smirk. “Still sore from earlier, huh? Wanna lose again?”

Johnny raises an eyebrow at Mark, his eyes glinting with intrigue.

No one has ever seen Mark angry, not even Johnny and Taeyong, who’ve guided him since his earliest days. Mark has always been deeply insecure, cautious in every action, meticulous to a fault, a single frown from someone enough to send him into a spiral of worry. So this fiery intensity, this bold front, is something entirely new.

Johnny’s lips curl into an amused grin, his voice low and concise: “Then fight.”

Chapter Text

The air in the training yard thickens, as if compressed tight. The pile of training equipment lies scattered on the ground. The dummies remain intact, stacked all around because no one has touched them yet. Light from the solar panels on the ceiling casts down, cold and sharp, illuminating the two figures facing off in the middle of the arena: Mark and Donghyuck.

Mark stands firm in his defensive stance, his two hands clenched tight, his eyes staring straight at the boy, his pupils flashing with wariness mixed with anger. They reflect the smoldering flame of rage from their previous encounters. Donghyuck's contemptuous gaze in the isolation chamber, his insolent challenge, and his arrogant attitude that disregards everyone all cut like knives into Mark's already fragile self-esteem.

Mark sees this not as an ordinary training session. This is a battle to vent anger, to prove he is not a defective Guide as the Nexus Council quietly despises.

Opposite him, Donghyuck leans forward, resembling a predator ready to pounce on prey, his eyes staying sharp and cold, gleaming with contempt and unhidden fury. The silver-gray uniform clings tight to his body, highlighting his slender but solid build, far different from the wretched state when they first brought him in.

This time, Donghyuck faces no restraint from suppressant drugs. His body overflows with energy, every muscle tensing like a bowstring ready to snap. The defeat at Mark's hands in the isolation chamber counts as a stain he cannot accept. Especially since the victor turned out to be a Guide, it wounds a Sentinel's pride deeply.

Donghyuck looks straight at Mark, his gaze seeming to tear him apart, his mouth curling into a provocative smirk.

"Don't disappoint me this time, Guide," Donghyuck growls, emphasizing the word Guide with obvious sarcasm.

Mark adjusts his breathing, trying to stay calm amid the provocation. But deep in his chest, rage boils, urging him to shut this bastard up.

Johnny stands at the edge of the arena, far from them, crossing his arms and watching with interested but cautious eyes. Beside him, Taeyong furrows his brow slightly, sensing the tension far exceeds a training session.

The captain tilts his head and whispers to Johnny: "Are you sure this is a good idea? Looking at them, they're not training. They want to fight to death."

Johnny smirks, not taking his eyes off the two: "Let's see. I haven't gauged Donghyuck's abilities since morning."

Taeyong sighs, not wanting to object any further. Johnny has a valid reason for this, yet worry stays where it is, heavy in Taeyong's chest. His mind manipulation could intervene, but doing so would only ruin the chance for Mark and Donghyuck to understand each other on their own. He just hopes both of them know when to stop.

"Fight!" Johnny signals, his voice booming like a starting gun.

Immediately, Donghyuck charges forward like an arrow slicing through the wind. Mark only has time to tilt aside as a fist rockets toward his face, his eyes widening because this speed is far beyond what he faced this morning. Without pausing, Donghyuck unleashes a flurry of strikes, punches, kicks, spinning attacks, each packed with terrifying force, as if trying to crush him outright. Mark grits his teeth and calls on every self-defense skill he has ever learned, blocking a kick with his arm, but the impact sends a jolt through his left shoulder, reminding him of the lingering ache from the previous fight.

"Only know how to dodge?" Donghyuck growls, contempt flashing in his eyes.

Donghyuck spins, sending a high kick toward Mark's head. Mark ducks low, feeling the wind whistle over his scalp, then surges forward instantly, driving a punch into Donghyuck's midsection. His fist connects solidly, but the other just laughs.

With a swift motion, Donghyuck grabs Mark's wrist and yanks, pulling both of them apart.

Mark pants heavily, immediately noticing the difference from before.

Donghyuck now operates in peak condition, his speed and reflexes surpassing what Mark faced last time. Yet Mark doesn’t panic.

He has been watching closely, reading every movement, every breath. Mark realizes that Donghyuck only fights on instinct, each strike powerful but lacking calculation, driven by pure emotion rather than control.

He still can win, Mark encourages himself, steadying his stance, feeling his pulse fall into rhythm.

Mark adjusts his stance, focusing on recalling the techniques he learned.

Right then, Donghyuck swings his arm and charges again. Mark dodges a punch and seizes the moment as the boy retracts his hand, delivering a low kick to his left side, targeting the weakness he had noticed in the previous match. The kick lands with force, making Donghyuck stagger and grunt in pain, eyes widening in surprise.

He tumbles to the ground, leaving the two seniors staring at Mark with astonished expressions. It takes less than two seconds for him to scramble back up, unsteady but determined.

"Not bad," Donghyuck says with a smirk, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Donghyuck charges faster, gritting his teeth in anger, then unleashes a barrage of blows that forces Mark to retreat continuously.

The arena floor shakes under the impacts, dust billowing thickly.

Mark blocks, dodges, counters, each action staying precise because he grasps the boy's movements. But he feels Donghyuck's terrifying strength gradually overwhelming him. The Sentinel acts like a storm, relentless, unforgiving.

Taeyong furrows his brow tightly, muttering softly: "This isn't training anymore, they're trying to kill each other..."

Johnny doesn't reply, his eyes sharpening cold, as if he's evaluating something deeper.

Mark decides to take one last chance. He will use the old method again to bring down Donghyuck.

When the boy charges with a punch, Mark does not dodge. Instead, he ducks low on purpose, letting the fist sail over his head. In a split second, he spins, using his full body weight to slam Donghyuck to the floor. Mark grabs his arm in a grapple hold and pins it high. Donghyuck’s body tenses under the pressure, yet his pupils still burn with defiance.

They lock eyes, each face radiating hatred. Mark feels a flicker of satisfaction, he has taken him down.

Donghyuck clenches his jaw and furrows his brows, letting out a few growls of pure anger. He refuses to accept the loss, unable to believe he has fallen to a Guide again. It feels as if Mark has seized his ego and crushed it. The killing intent in his eyes leaves no doubt.

"Enough!" Johnny shouts, raising his hand to signal the end of the fight. "Don't kill each other, okay!"

Mark pants, then slowly stands up, his eyes staying fixed on Donghyuck, feeling his heart pounding wildly in his chest. Satisfaction from the second victory mixes in. Mark turns his head to look at the two seniors approaching him, feeling a bit nervous.

Earlier, he went all out. He even forgot the seniors were watching him fight. Now that he remembers, embarrassment creeps in.

But Mark doesn't expect it. Right as he relaxes, a sharp pain explodes from his throat.

"Hhngh?!"

In a flash, Donghyuck springs up with terrifying speed, stunning even Johnny and Taeyong.

Donghyuck reverses the situation, pinning Mark to the floor hard, squeezing Mark's neck with force as his fingers clamp like they want to crush the windpipe and his nails dig into the skin until blood wells up. Donghyuck's eyes turn bloodshot, overflowing with rage and carrying the look of pride shattered once more.

Losing to a Guide, not just once but twice, is something he cannot accept.

"Who the fuck do you think you are, Guide?" Donghyuck growls, his voice rasping from anger. "You're fucking nothing! Just a weakling! What gives you the right to beat me?"

Donghyuck's triumphant laugh echoes as he turns the tables, each sound carrying contempt.

"H-Hk..." Mark cannot breathe, his two hands trying to pry the boy's hand off, but Donghyuck's strength right now far exceeds his.

Donghyuck's insults stab like knives into Mark's heart, stirring up the insecurity he tried to bury.

Mark's face flushes red, his vision start blurring from lack of oxygen.

"Or should I just kill you now? You and your buddies have pissed me off long enough," Donghyuck grinds his teeth.

Mark hears Taeyong’s worried shout from afar, but everything around him blurs. The only thing clear is the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in panic, and Donghyuck’s eyes, burning with hate, locked on him.

"Let go!" Johnny charges over, using force to pull Donghyuck off Mark.

The aggressive Sentinel leaps back to evade, his speed so sharp it even catches an Angel level S like Johnny off guard, but Johnny still manages to grab him, locking both arms tightly behind his back.

Donghyuck thrashes, roaring like a wild beast, muscles straining, yet he still can’t break free.

Mark coughs and chokes while clutching his neck, tears streaming down nonstop from the pain. It hurts so much he wants to die. Red hand marks already imprint clearly on Mark's pale skin at the throat.

Thanks to Taeyong rushing over and using his ability in time, Mark regains clarity, immediately turning his face to stare straight at Donghyuck, his eyes mixing pain and fury.

That bastard played dirty, and even insulted me with vicious words, Mark gets so angry his face turns red.

Donghyuck stops struggling once Johnny restrains him, the frenzy leaving his face. He stands completely still, his bangs falling across his forehead and hiding half of his bloodshot eyes directed at Mark.

Taeyong places a hand on Mark's shoulder, worry filling his eyes: "You okay?"

Mark doesn't reply, just standing up quietly, his eyes staying on Donghyuck.

The air in the training yard now weighs like lead, as if the space itself trembles from both their rage.

Johnny holds Donghyuck tight, his voice lowering with warning: "You crossed the line, kid."

Donghyuck smirks, defiance still burning in his eyes, but he says nothing more. He turns his face away, as if he refuses to face anyone.

"Let me go," Donghyuck yanks his arms free from Johnny when he realizes the older no longer wants to hold him.

"Playing dirty like that goes against a soldier's spirit, Lee Donghyuck," Taeyong says sternly, looking straight at him. "Is this how you treat your teammates?"

"Teammates my ass?" Donghyuck clicks his tongue. Then he looks right into Mark's eyes. Though he lowers his voice, contempt floods his tone: "Consider that payback once. Next time, when I get the chance, I'll settle the rest."

"Fuck you," Mark’s voice rasps.

Taeyong speaks up: "You resist in vain, Lee Donghyuck. The organization decided. From now on, you belong to team 127. That means you're under my command."

Mark's eyes widen in surprise as he looks at Taeyong. The captain notices his shock, quickly turning to explain:

"This is also why I called you here to meet Johnny," Taeyong sighs. "The organization assigned us the responsibility of training the new recruit. Partly because we are the ones who found him."

Johnny continues: "Plus, the team has two S Angels. That's enough to control this insolent kid."

Donghyuck rolls his eyes wearily. "Whatever."

Thinking about how this loudmouth now becomes his teammate makes the blood in Mark's veins boil fiercely. He dislikes it intensely. He even hopes the other members hate the boy too and kick him out as soon as possible. Having to go on missions beside someone who just tried to kill him, no matter how Mark thinks about it, he cannot feel comfortable at all.

Mark looks at Taeyong with a wronged expression. "Will it really be okay? I can never trust him."

"Mark, who knows. You might get to use your Guide abilities. Haven't you always wanted to heal others?" The captain pats Mark's shoulder to comfort him.

But Mark feels no better at all.

Perfect compatibility, 100%, but if the person acts like a total mess, no one wants to pair up either.

Mark dislikes people who refuse to cooperate. He dislikes rude people. He dislikes people who look down on others. And that describes Lee Donghyuck exactly. At first, it was just a bit of discomfort. He thought they simply did not mesh. Until the boy truly tried to kill him, and threatened him aggressively too.

Mark resigns himself. He cannot pair with someone like this.

Mark gently touches his neck with his hand, the marks still stinging a little. Then he turns to Taeyong, speaking seriously: "Even if the organization intends to remove me, I will never cooperate with him."

Johnny rubs his face and sighs because the situation grows too tense. On one hand, he wants everyone to get along, to understand each other a bit. On the other hand, he sympathizes with why Mark hates Donghyuck so much.

"Honestly, I don't like teaming up with rude people either. But this is an order from the organization," Johnny says helplessly. He plants his hands on his hips, eyes fixing on the young Sentinel in front of him.

Donghyuck maintains his arrogant attitude, glancing at each person with disgust.

"But it seems we should give each other some time, right?" Johnny continues. "Maybe later we'll understand one another better. Or surprisingly, we might find out coordinating on missions works great."

"Johnny's right. If the Nexus Council decided, we can rest easy," Taeyong says as a friendly smile plays on his lips. But if one looks closely, his words carry a warning: "I'll make sure we work well together in the future. I hope everyone gradually gets along better."

Johnny steps beside Mark, then pats his younger teammate's shoulder. "Mark, set aside what just happened, you were really impressive. I've never seen a Guide fight like that."

Taeyong's scoff draws all three others to look at him. For some reason, the atmosphere grows heavy, killing intent feeling clearer. But this time, it does not come from Donghyuck.

Taeyong is angry. And he unintentionally uses his mind manipulation on their psyches.

"How could we just set it aside?" the captain look straight into Donghyuck’s eyes, his tone sharp but controlled. "For now, we’ve settled what needed to be settled. The announcement’s done." He pauses, gaze steady. "As for you, Lee Donghyuck, follow me. I’ll show you to your room, and you’ll prepare to take your punishment as well. You attacked another soldier in the organization, you aimed to injure your own teammate. After dinner, you’re on rear gate duty. No sleep tonight."

Donghyuck's eyes widen in shock as he stares at Taeyong: "You—"

Right then, Taeyong's hand lands on Donghyuck's shoulder in time. Though his face keeps that radiant expression, his action contrasts completely.

A soft light emanates from Taeyong's entire body like a flickering halo. Then Donghyuck feels short of breath, his mind going numb, his psyche suddenly wavering. An overwhelming fear crashes in, making him tremble.

Donghyuck clenches his teeth, stepping back a few paces, furrowing his brow at Taeyong with alarm.

Taeyong’s ability affects mood, not the mind, that’s why it works safely on Donghyuck, who is infected with Dark Tide.

Mark and Johnny stare blankly at the two, having no idea what just happened.

"This is my warning. I hope we cooperate happily," Taeyong says softly, then he walks ahead.

Donghyuck glances at the other two, his eyes lowering on Mark, his attitude turning to hatred immediately.

"So you're really useless, huh?" Donghyuck heard Taeyong's words just now. He scoffs, as if he finally has something to hit back with. "What's the point of a Guide who can't heal? No different from trash, right?"

"You bastard..." Mark's jaw tightens right away. He steps forward one pace, wanting to charge and hit the boy, but Johnny stops him in time.

Then Donghyuck turns to follow Taeyong.

"He's really unlikeable..." Johnny shakes his head with a sigh.

At first, it was just animosity, just the thought that he could stay away from Donghyuck and let Taeyong handle it.

But no. Mark feels hurt.

Donghyuck heard about Mark's weakness, and he mocked it, he poked at it just to vent anger.

Mark cannot tolerate it anymore, he cannot let go of being despised so viciously.

He hates Donghyuck. Hates him bitterly.

Chapter Text

Safe Zone, Command Center, the next morning.

The air in the Command Center of the Golden Blood organization vibrates with the sound of hurried footsteps and low voices mixed with sharp commands.

Metal corridors shine brightly with touch screens integrated into real-time data, reflecting the blinking blue light from monitoring stations. Cold white quartz walls get dotted with faint glowing energy circuits, creating a space that feels both modern and full of pressure, as if the Safe Zone itself reminds every soldier that they can never rest. The hum of maintenance robot engines echoes from afar, blending with the sounds of other teams moving back and forth, their gray-silver uniforms flashing in the bustling crowd.

The three members of 127 Squad just return from the office to receive their mission after getting summoned.

Mark strides through the crowd, his hands clenched tight, his eyebrows furrowed as if trying to hide the anger boiling in his chest. To his left, Dongyoung walks with a calm posture, his medical supply backpack slung unevenly over one shoulder, his eyes scanning the screens displaying mission information. To his right, Shotaro walks while checking the communication device on his wrist, his fingers swiping quickly over the virtual screen to update data on the scouting route.

Around them, other teams head toward the main meeting room too, from S-Ranked soldiers with imposing auras to lower-ranked ones with tense faces, all of them forming a vivid picture that paints the everyday scene in the main hall of the Safe Zone's Command Center, feels like a giant machine, operating without stop to deal with the brutal world outside.

Mark pays no attention to the bustle around him. His mind gets occupied by one thing: Lee Donghyuck.

Just yesterday, that asshole choked him until he almost suffocated, leaving red marks on his neck that still sting every time he swallows.

Those bitter insults from him, "you're nothing", "a Guide who can't heal is no different from trash", still echo in Mark's head, like knife cuts into his pride that's already worn down for so long.

Mark grits his teeth, trying to suppress the rage. He swore he would never work with a person like that, no matter how much the organization forces him. Yet now, just one day after that brutal sparring match, he faces an unacceptable reality: Donghyuck joins the scouting mission with Team 127.

"I don't get it," Mark mutters, his voice dropping low as if talking to himself. "Why does the organization force me to work with that jerk? They throw him into a mission already, it's insane."

Shotaro looks up from the virtual screen, his eyes showing a flicker of sympathy but also caution. "He's aggressive for sure, but I saw him guarding the rear gate seriously yesterday, he only got back to his room for a bit of rest early this morning. Seems like Donghyuck fears the higher-ups a lot, especially after Taeyong hyung... um... handled him."

Mark snorts coldly, not bothering to reply. Fearing the higher-ups, so what? A guy who chokes a teammate just because he's bitter about losing doesn't deserve trust. Mark still remembers Donghyuck's bloodshot eyes, full of killing intent, like a wild beast that can't be controlled.

Perfect compatibility 100%? Mark smiles bitterly, a sour feeling rising. That bond now feels like a cruel joke from fate.

Dongyoung, who's stayed silent since earlier, finally speaks up, his voice carrying a bit of curiosity: "I haven't met him yet so I don't know much. But if the organization requires bringing him along, there must be a reason. This scouting mission doesn't need combat, just caution. Maybe they want to test his coordination with our team."

Mark glances at Dongyoung, his eyes full of dissatisfaction. "You say it sounds easy. You weren't there when he tried to kill me."

Dongyoung shrugs since he doesn't want to argue more. "I have to go prepare medical supplies. Shotaro, let me know when you finish checking the route." The older guy pats Shotaro's shoulder lightly then turns into a corridor leading to the Medical Station, his posture still calm as always.

Shotaro nods, his eyes quickly shifting to Mark, his posture a little hesitant as he prepares to mention something else.

"Mark hyung, I know you don't like it, but... this mission needs all four of us. I'll plan carefully, so just relax. Oh, and..." Shotaro hesitates, then lowers his voice. "Can you go back to the dorm and wake Donghyuck for me? I have to meet with the terrain analysis team right now."

Mark freezes, his eyes widening in shock. "What? Why me? You know I hate him."

Shotaro sighs, his face showing regret. "The higher-ups said you should, because you're... um, his perfect compatibility match. They want you to start getting used to each other, seems like preparation for the bond pair—."

"What the fuck?!" Mark cuts in, making the younger one jump.

Mark feels hot blood rushing to his head. Getting used to each other?

He wants to yell that getting used to a guy like Donghyuck is impossible, but Shotaro's eyes and the presence of other teams around force him to hold back the irritation.

Mark knows the Nexus Council's way of always finding reasons to pressure people like him, a C-Ranked Guardian who can't heal, always watched and threatened with removal. If he dares object in front of the higher-ups, they'll have an excuse to demote him or worse, kick him out of the system.

Mark grits his teeth, nods stiffly, even though fire burns through every nerve inside him.

"Fine," Mark growls, turning to walk toward the corridor leading to the dormitory area.

Shotaro calls after him with an apology, but Mark doesn't bother replying anymore, he's pissed off now.

…

Safe Zone, Dormitory.

The dormitory hallway stays much quieter than the Command Center, people still come and go but not many, yet it carries the characteristic chill of the Safe Zone. White quartz walls sparkle under the light from energy panels, filling both sides of the walls with metal doors featuring glowing code panels.

Mark's footsteps echo steadily, each step carrying the accumulated grumpiness from the whole day before. He keeps muttering in his head nonstop, cursing the fate that forces him to face Donghyuck one more time.

That name, that contemptuous gaze, and even the marks on his neck, all of it feels like a nightmare that refuses to let him go from the hatred toward this person.

Mark stops in front of a door, his eyes scanning the code panel: Room 127-B4. He frowns, a feeling of unease rising as he recognizes the number.

No way... He turns his head to look at the door across from it: Room 127-B3, his own room.

A wave of disbelief surges up, leaving Mark frozen in place like a statue.

Donghyuck lives right across from me? Mark gasps in shock.

He has been walking unconsciously without looking around until now, and snapping back to reality, he realizes the person he hates gets assigned to the room directly opposite his. Mark feels like thunder strikes beside his ear, now he doesn't even know if something worse will happen or not.

Mark takes a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger. He raises his hand, his fingers brushing over the code panel but not pressing the bell yet. His eyes stare fixedly at the door as if facing an invisible enemy.

Lee Donghyuck, Mark thinks silently, you better not cause any more trouble.

Ding

The first bell rings, and inside stays silent.

Mark figures the other guy must be sleeping dead to the world, probably hasn't gotten to lie down on a proper warm bed for a real rest in ages. He hates this person that much, yet Mark still feels a bit curious about how Donghyuck survived in the Unknown Land for over twenty years, even making him wonder if the guy really lived out there all alone or not?

Ding

The second bell rings, and inside stays silent.

Mark glances at the device on his wrist to check the time, the virtual screen shows 8:32 clearly, and the official departure time is 9:00. He sighs, starting to press frantically.

Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding...

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

The door flies open violently, and Donghyuck's grumpy face appears right away.

Seeing the one ringing the bell is Mark, his pupils tremble with immediate anger.

Donghyuck's hair sticks out in a mess, his uniform wrinkled on his body looks like he hasn't changed it since yesterday, clearly showing he's really exhausted.

But Mark doesn't care, those bitter words from yesterday still stick deep in his heart.

"You again? Come to pick a fight or what?" Donghyuck grits his teeth with a grinding sound, his face full of irritation from getting his sweet dream interrupted.

"If you dare hit me here, go ahead." Mark crosses his arms, looking at Donghyuck with a smug satisfaction because he just managed to make the guy lose his temper.

Donghyuck glances at the other soldiers walking in the hallway, the surveillance cameras mounted all over the ceiling, and he swallows his anger without lunging to tear the person in front of him apart.

Mark notices the clear dark circles under his eyes, deciding to show a bit of humanity to avoid causing trouble, since if one person misses the mission, the whole team will get scolded by the higher-ups.

"Hurry up and change into different clothes, and wash your face to wake up, you've been assigned your first mission," Mark raises his voice, not looking straight into Donghyuck's eyes.

"First mission my ass? Wasn't yesterday enough? I'm really tired!" Donghyuck clearly burns with anger.

"Growing up in that godforsaken place out there since you were little, you should know this isn't peacetime yet." Mark furrows his brow, silently judging that this guy is not just hateful but also lazy. "You have about twenty minutes to get ready, if you're late, you'll get left behind and punished."

In truth, if Donghyuck doesn't join, the whole team gets penalized, Mark just wants to use the threat to deal with this guy for now.

"You and this goddamn organization..." Donghyuck grumbles irritably while ruffling his hair wildly then steps back into the room.

BAM

The door slams shut forcefully, clearly seething with rage.

To be honest, Mark feels a bit scared that this person will go berserk and charge at him again, he didn't even mean to provoke him that much, but every time Mark thinks about Donghyuck, it reminds him of those vicious words, that arrogant attitude, and even the contemptuous gaze directed at him.

Of course Mark has to be afraid, he is terrified actually, scared and hating him intensely at the same time.

After all, in this team, only Mark is almost evenly matched with Donghyuck, the others can easily control him, even a B-Ranked Guardian like Sungchan who doesn't have strong manipulation abilities like Taeyong can still affect Donghyuck a little.

A weak and useless Guide like Mark will definitely get overpowered by him one day. Mark hopes that by then, that aggressive personality has toned down a bit, because Donghyuck surely won't pass up any chance to beat him down.

...

Safe Zone, Front Gate, preparing for departure.

The front gate of the Safe Zone stands as a massive structure, with towering steel walls reinforced by energy-resistant alloy, gleaming under the light from surveillance towers.

Automated patrol machines glide along integrated tracks, emitting a soft hiss while scanning the surroundings. The air hangs heavy with the scorched metal smell and steam from the airship cooling systems, mixing with the roaring engine sounds from teams gearing up to head out. The loudspeaker blares continuously, announcing team codes and their destinations, like a reminder that the Safe Zone always stands ready to face threats from beyond the walls.

Mark stands near a small scouting airship, his hands gripping the strap of his backpack loaded with armament gear, his eyes glancing nonstop toward Donghyuck.

Donghyuck stands a few steps away from the group, arms crossed, his cold gaze directed into empty space, completely ignoring the group's discussion. Donghyuck's gray-silver uniform has been put on, but his posture still looks utterly insolent, shoulders slightly tilted, face scrunched up as if the whole world opposes him, making Mark feel hot blood rushing to his brain.

Mark rolls his eyes in exasperation, not bothering to look anymore. After everything that's happened, from the sparring match to the choking incident, now he has to go on a mission with a guy who refuses to cooperate.

The organization really wants to push him to the edge, Mark thinks, his jaw clenching tight.

Dongyoung stands next to a crate of medical supplies, checking the energy vials and first-aid tools carefully.

After a moment, the Medic looks up. "This mission differs from the usual ones. A team sent a distress signal from the Wildlands, so the top priority is finding them and ensuring their safety. I'll handle any treatment for the wounded. Mark, you and Shotaro need to gather intel on the area like the number of Demonic Beasts, the danger level, exploitable resources, and especially signs of Fallen Angels. If we spot any Fallen, we report back immediately to trigger a purge operation."

Shotaro nods, his fingers swiping quickly over the comm screen to update the terrain map. "I asked Sungchan to mark the entry route into the ruined city. This area used to be an industrial hub, now it's just rubble with plenty of perfect hideouts for Demonic Beasts. We'll land the airship on the northern edge, then move into an abandoned building to set up base. Mark hyung, you'll handle installing the scouting gear, right?"

"Sure, but what about him?" Mark jerks his chin toward Donghyuck, his voice dropping low with clear dissatisfaction. "He's not even listening, how are we supposed to coordinate?"

Shotaro sighs, lowering his voice to avoid drawing attention: "Mark hyung, I know you can't stand him. But after guarding the rear gate last night, he seems... um, a bit less aggressive. Maybe because he fears the higher-ups, or because Taeyong hyung warned him. Either way, this mission doesn't require fighting if we're careful, so the organization brings him along to test his teamwork skills."

Mark snorts coldly, not bothering to hide the disgust. "Teamwork? With a guy who just stares at everyone with that contemptuous face? I don't buy it."

Donghyuck seems to sense Mark's gaze, turning suddenly to lock eyes with him. Donghyuck's look flashes with challenge. He smirks, the sneer full of provocation, then slowly walks toward the airship without saying a word.

Mark grits his teeth, fighting the urge to charge over and give him a piece of his mind.

Dongyoung places a hand on Mark's shoulder, gently calming him down. "Focus on the mission. I know you don't want this, but just do your part well. If there's trouble, Shotaro and I will handle it."

Mark nods reluctantly, but inside, a fire still smolders. He can't stand the thought of working with a guy who just tried to kill him, carrying an attitude like the whole world owes him something.

...

On the scouting airship.

The airship glides smoothly through the overcast sky, its engine humming softly while blending with the whistling wind outside. Inside the cramped cabin, space fills up with control screens and scouting devices, the blinking blue light casting over the group's tense faces.

Shotaro sits at the navigation seat, his eyes glued to the 3D map of the ruined city, while Dongyoung is checking his med kit one last time. Mark sits across from Donghyuck, his arms hugging the sniper rifle, his gaze flicking over nonstop to watch him. Donghyuck leans back against the bulkhead, his eyes half-closed, looking lazy as if he doesn't care about the mission ahead, or maybe just exhausted.

Donghyuck's silence doesn't ease the tension between them at all, instead it feels like a silent declaration of war.

Mark grips the rifle tighter to try focusing on the task. But every time he sees Donghyuck, memories flood back of the fading marks on his neck, of those bloodshot eyes full of killing intent.

Perfect compatibility, such a joke, Mark tells himself, bitterness rising.

A person like that will never deserve to be his mate.

…

Wildlands, Ruined City.

The airship lands on an empty plot at the northern edge of the ruined city, dust billowing thickly as the engines wind down gradually.

Around them stretches a scene of devastation: high-rise buildings now reduced to cracked concrete skeletons, covered in mutated vines and black moss. Rusted metal shards litter the ground, mixed with the husks of war machines from the apocalypse era. The air hangs heavy with the scent of damp earth and scorched metal, blending with the whistling wind blowing through gaps in the rubble. In the distance, a low growl rumbles, like a warning that Demonic Beasts might lurk somewhere nearby.

Mark and Dongyoung, as Guides, move quickly and carefully toward a nearby abandoned building, dodging debris to avoid making noise that could alert them.

Shotaro follows behind to stay close and protect them since he's a Sentinel, and it's also a key responsibility in this mission, his sharp eyes scanning every direction intently to ensure no Demonic Beasts spot them.

Donghyuck does the opposite, strolling casually at the rear as if he doesn't care about getting attacked by Demonic Beasts, his posture utterly arrogant. Each of Donghyuck's steps lands heavily, deliberately dragged out to go as slowly as possible, and when Mark turns back to look, Donghyuck meets his gaze with a challenging stare, forcing Mark to take a deep breath to hold back the urge to fight again.

Mark grits his teeth, impatience building until he wants to yell.

"Can you walk faster?" Mark growls, trying to keep his volume low to avoid drawing Demonic Beasts. "Or do you want the whole team to die here?"

Donghyuck smirks without replying, but his eyes stay fixed on Mark, the hostility and provocation crystal clear.

Shotaro turns back, furrowing his brow to signal both of them to be quiet then points at the building ahead. "The ground floor of this building will be our base. Get inside quick, no more arguing."

Inside the building, the space feels utterly dark and cold, lit only by faint rays of sunlight filtering through cracks in the ceiling. The concrete walls show patchy cracks, covered in dust and mutated spiderwebs, creating a sense that the whole structure waits to collapse. The musty smell and rusted metal assaults the nose, making Mark stifle a sneeze.

Shotaro quickly picks a shadowed corner, signaling Mark to start setting up the scouting equipment.

Mark kneels down, opens his backpack, and pulls out the energy sensors, connecting them carefully to the comm system. The device emits a soft beep as it activates, the screen displaying data on the surrounding energy density.

Dongyoung stands nearby clutching his first-aid kit tight, ready for the possibility of finding the distressed team. Shotaro stands guard at the entrance, his eyes constantly watching outside without pause.

Donghyuck stays as usual, standing apart from the group and leaning against a wall, his gaze sweeping over each person with clear disdain. When Mark accidentally meets Donghyuck's eyes, he senses that familiar challenge, as if Donghyuck deliberately provokes him even in this dangerous situation.

"Don't just stand there staring," Mark growls, his voice low but brimming with anger. "If you can't help, at least don't cause any trouble."

Donghyuck smirks but still says nothing, just slowly crossing his arms, as if none of it matters enough to bother him, and if they force him to go, he'll go, that's all.

Shotaro turns back, his voice turning serious: "Enough, both of you. This mission is about gathering intel and finding the distressed team. Mark hyung, focus on the equipment and ignore him. Donghyuck, if you don't want to help, then stay still and don't make problems."

Mark takes a deep breath, trying to suppress the irritation inside. He knows this mission matters, not just for rescuing the stranded soldiers, bringing back essential intel on the area that must be accurate, so the organization can plan future operations. But with Donghyuck here, everything seems poised to crumble and fail disastrously.

"Now I'll go check the other floors, everyone guard carefully here." Dongyoung sets his med backpack on the ground, slinging the sniper rifle over his shoulder.

"If you run into danger, just fire the gun, we'll come up right away," Shotaro reminds him.

"Got it," the Medic nods then quickly heads off.

For some reason, Mark notices Donghyuck's lips curl into a smirk again. Donghyuck's eyes shift away from the Guide who just ran up the stairs then turn back outside, clearly sensing something but not saying it.

Chapter Text

Wildlands, Ruins City, Ground floor of an abandoned building.

The ground floor space of the abandoned building sinks into a terrifying silence, broken only by the light beep from the scouting device in Mark's hand. The energy sensors flash continuously, the screen displays irregular green dots that appear and disappear without any pattern. Mark frowns, his fingers swipe quickly over the device, trying to decode these strange signals.

"What is this?" he mutters, his voice full of confusion. "The signals keep jumping around, they're not stable at all."

Shotaro, who stands guard at the right entrance, turns back to look at the screen, his eyes also showing worry. "Is the device malfunctioning? Or is something interfering?"

Then Shotaro steps closer, wanting to help Mark check the parameters, but before the younger can say anything more, a gunshot rings out from upstairs, sharp and piercing, making both of them startle.

"Dongyoung hyung!" Shotaro immediately spins around, drawing the aether sword from his waist. "Mark hyung, stay here with Donghyuck and keep the device running. I'll go check the situation!"

Without waiting for Mark to respond, Shotaro charges up the stairs, the speed of an A-Ranked Angel making his figure vanish quickly into the darkness, leaving only the sound of wind rushing past the others' ears.

Mark grips the device tightly in his hand, his heart pounding with anxiety. He glances at Donghyuck, who still leans against the wall with his arms crossed, his face cold but strangely so. No more smirks or challenging gazes like usual, instead there's a suspicious silence, his eyes fixed on the empty space as if sensing something.

Mark grits his teeth, trying to suppress his anger. What is he planning now? Standing there like he has nothing to do with the mission? 

He decides not to care, focusing on the screen to decode the signals, but inside he can't help feeling uneasy, afraid that Donghyuck will make this mission fail.

Suddenly, a dry click of the tongue sounds from Donghyuck's side. He abruptly steps back a few paces, quickly hiding behind a large concrete pillar, his posture tense like a beast that has scented danger. Mark looks up, immediately noticing a red dot appear on the device screen, moving slowly but getting closer and closer.

Demonic Beast. He feels the blood in his body turn cold. Then that red dot stops right at the building entrance, only a few meters away from them.

Mark holds his breath, and only now does he clearly hear the continuous gunfire booming from upstairs. They must be fighting something up there, and this noise has attracted it.

The atmosphere grows heavy, as if the space compresses under an invisible danger. Mark signals to Donghyuck to stay quiet, his fingers tightening around the sniper rifle slung over his shoulder. He holds his breath, trying not to make any noise, avoiding alerting the demonic beast and forcing a fight with it.

But right then, the green dot on the device screen suddenly flashes wildly, the "beep beep" sounds blaring continuously, incredibly clear and out of control. Mark panics, pressing the mute button, but it's already too late.

A horrifying roar erupts from outside, shaking the entire building.

"Damn it!" Mark's breathing seems to stop, even Donghyuck's face shows a rare worry.

The rusted metal door bursts open, a demonic beast charges in at terrifying speed.

It is huge, its body like a giant leopard but covered in glossy black scales, its red eyes blazing as they lock onto Mark, making his scalp tingle. Its claws are sharp as blades, scraping hard against the concrete floor and leaving deep gouges.

Mark retreats, immediately raising the sniper rifle, aiming straight at the beast's head and firing. The aether bullet veers off due to his panic, hitting only its shoulder, making the demonic beast roar in fury as if provoked, completely unfazed.

Mark decides to switch to close combat with it. He draws the dagger from his waist, dodges a pounce from the beast, then stabs hard into its side. Black blood splatters, staining his uniform, but the demonic beast only grows more ferocious, whipping its tail and forcing Mark to roll aside to evade.

He fluidly shifts to the sniper rifle slung across his body, draws it out, and keeps shooting, each shot becoming more accurate as he regains his calm, but still not strong enough to take down the beast.

During the fight, he glances around searching for Donghyuck, bewildered at why he's battling alone, then realizes Donghyuck has vanished.

This damn asshole, Mark screams in his mind, rage exploding like a flame. Did he just leave me alone?

Mark's stamina starts to run out. As a Guide, his endurance can't compare to the Sentinels. His left shoulder, already unstable from the two fights with Donghyuck, now feels like it's about to burst from the ache, every movement making him wince in pain.

BAM

A nearby concrete wall suddenly collapses, dust billowing thickly and distracting Mark, blurring his vision so he can't see anything ahead. 

The beast seizes the chance, lunging forward with its claws aimed straight at his chest. All its actions happen so fast, like a blink, and by the time Mark realizes, the wind hasn't even whistled past his ear yet, its body already looms right in front of him.

Mark closes his eyes, preparing to meet death.

In that instant, a figure flashes past at horrifying speed.

Shotaro appears like a bolt of lightning, the aether sword in his hand gleaming as it pierces clean through the demonic beast's skull in one swift strike. The beast roars one last time, then crumples down, black blood pooling across the floor.

Mark pants heavily, his heart thumping like it's about to leap from his chest. He slides down to the floor, looks up at Shotaro, eyes filled with gratitude he can't hide, mixed with the panic flooding his mind.

"Mark hyung, are you okay?!" Shotaro hurries to crouch down, checking his condition.

"Th-thanks, good thing I'm okay..." he whispers, his voice hoarse from fear.

Shotaro nods, eyes turning sharp and cold as he scans around to ensure no other threats remain. "You're fine, right? This beast isn't weak. Holding out against it this long is impressive."

Thud thud thud...

The sound of hurried footsteps echoes from the stairs. Dongyoung rushes down, still holding the sniper rifle in his hand, his uniform stained with a few streaks of the demonic beast's black blood.

"Everything's stable up there," Dongyoung says urgently. "There were a ton of small bird-like demonic beasts, ones I've never seen before. Shotaro and I handled them all." Then his eyes immediately flick down to Mark after spotting the demonic panther's corpse on the ground, the Medic's face filling with shock. "Mark! You're injured!"

Mark sits slumped on the floor, leaning to cradle his swollen left shoulder, the throbbing pain spreading through his body and twisting his face in agony. The old wound from his fight with Donghyuck now strains severely, and fresh deep gashes, red and raw, appear on his leg from that demonic beast's claws.

Dongyoung kneels down, opens the medical kit, and quickly pulls out a painkiller syringe and bandages. "Just let me handle this. You held off that demonic beast all by yourself for so long, that's really impressive."

Shotaro nods, his eyes full of admiration. "It's rare for any Guide to pull that off. But..." The young Researcher pauses, looking around. "Where's Donghyuck?"

All three of them scan the surroundings with wide eyes, but no one knows where Donghyuck has hidden

Mark, after regaining a bit of calm under Dongyoung's care, immediately boils over with rage as he recalls the moment he teetered on the edge of death while Donghyuck vanished somewhere, leaving him alone, this makes his blood start surging hot and furious.

Then a loud noise erupts from the corner of the room, the floor having collapsed. Right beside it stands Donghyuck, arms crossed as he peers down with a curious gaze.

Mark grits his teeth, his anger flaring like a flame. He shoots to his feet, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, and points toward the corner:

"He abandoned me! When I was about to die, he hid away, and now he just stands there all casual!" Mark voice trembles, a mix of fury and hurt, tears welling up making his dust-irritated red eyes glisten with moisture.

Mark fought until exhaustion, yet Donghyuck ditched him like his life meant nothing worth caring about. Bastard, cold-blooded, always will be. I hates him so much.

Shotaro frowns, steps toward the corner where Mark points in rage, and spots Donghyuck peeking out from behind a concrete pillar, his eyes still cold but his face lacking its usual provocative edge.

Shotaro is about to open his mouth to scold Donghyuck, but he suddenly notices the collapsed floor near him reveals a pitch-black basement below.

"What is this?" the young Researcher mutters, signaling the group to come closer.

Dongyoung, having just finished bandaging Mark, picks up the scouting device to check it as he approaches Shotaro, staring intently at the small screen in his hand. The display still flashes continuously, but the Medic spots a clear pattern.

"This is Morse code," Dongyoung announces, his eyebrows knitting tight. "It's repeating the sequence BELOW. The distress team must be trapped in this basement. Priority is rescue first, Donghyuck's issue can wait."

Mark huffs coldly, shooting a sullen glare at Donghyuck, but he doesn't argue since the mission's goal comes first. He knows the task matters more, yet inside he seethes with the urge to charge over and give Donghyuck a proper thrashing.

No, if I could, I'd just kill this immature jerk, Mark thinks.

The group carefully descends into the basement over piles of rubble stacked crookedly, the flashlight beam from Dongyoung's hand illuminating the damp walls covered in black moss and dried bloodstains. The space down here feels suffocating, the stench of decay mixed with metal making everyone grimace, their heads buzzing dully.

Shotaro leads the way, his hand hovering near the sword hilt, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow to guard against sudden attacks. Mark follows right behind, gripping the communication device tightly, ready to report back to headquarters if they spot anything. Donghyuck trails at the end as usual, his demeanor utterly nonchalant, his gaze sweeping the basement corners as if searching for something no one can guess.

"Found them!" Shotaro immediately dashes forward.

At the basement's far end, they discover three Soldiers from the distress team lying motionless on the floor, their uniforms torn and soaked in blood. One still clutches the signal device, its screen flickering weakly, as if he managed to set the signal just before losing consciousness.

Dongyoung drops to his knees at once, checks their pulses, and injects medication. "They're alive, but barely," the Medic's voice grows urgent. "I need time to stabilize them."

Shotaro nods, then leaps to guard the entrance, signaling Mark to contact headquarters: "Mark hyung, report our position and request airship support right away. I'll keep watch."

Mark nods, activates the communication device. After several persistent beep beep tones to establish connection, static finally crackles back from the other end.

He speaks clearly, forcing down the tremor from his lingering nerves: "Team 127 here. We've located three Soldiers in critical condition in the basement of an abandoned building, coordinates north of Ruins City. Request immediate medical support and evacuation."

Meanwhile, Donghyuck wanders around aimlessly, his eyes gliding over the basement corners, as if the emergency doesn't faze him at all. Mark shoots him a sidelong glare, his anger reigniting, but he reins it in, trying to focus on the mission.

He's totally useless, Mark thinks, yet Donghyuck's enigmatic attitude leaves him uneasy. What is he even looking at?

Suddenly.

"N-No.. run, get out now." Dongyoung stands up, all trembling.

"What's wrong?" Mark startles slightly, glancing over and seeing the other's face twisted in utter terror, which baffles him deeply. "What happened?"

"Dark Tide..." Dongyoung shakes his head vigorously, hurriedly packing up his gear. "They're infected, we can't save them anymore, run now!"

"Shotaro!" Mark calls out in worry.

The Angel immediately dashes over to the two of them, helping to pack with one hand. "I heard, now stay calm and pack up, then get out of here fast, before they turn into Monsters."

"Hello! Hello!" Mark shouts into the communicator, his hand pressing the reconnection button over and over to the other end. "Can you hear me?"

Donghyuck stands there casually with his arms crossed, watching them, then leisurely hops step by step up the large stone slabs, leaving the basement first. Mark looks up and sees this, his blood immediately boiling again, but then he decides not to care anymore.

Deep down, he has never acknowledged Donghyuck as a member of this team, and he never will, all of Donghyuck's selfish actions have shown that he should be kicked out of the system. Mark will definitely report everything back to the superiors.

BOOM BOOM

A loud noise erupts from upstairs, startling all three of them.

"Mark hyung, go check it out, I'll help Dongyoung hyung pack up and follow right after," Shotaro says urgently, his hands still deftly assisting the Medic in dismantling the medical equipment.

Mark feels a bit resentful because now he has to be the one to check on Donghyuck's safety, that selfish guy who almost got him killed just moments ago. But to maintain his own professionalism, and also to avoid unnecessary trouble, Mark forces himself to stand up and charge out of the basement.

Smoke and dust billow thickly, blocking all of Mark's vision, and he starts coughing violently the moment he reaches the top.

He doesn't know what just happened, but a long streak of blood appears on the floor in front of him. Mark's pupils tremble violently.

"Hey bastard?! Are you dead?!" Mark yells.

A gust of wind whistles past his ear, and he instinctively turns his head to look.

But it's a wrong move, that massive rock slams into Mark's forehead, sending him sprawling backward onto the ground, his mind reeling with dizziness that suddenly spins his thoughts into chaos.

A harsh voice immediately echoes toward him: "ARE YOU INSANE?! WHY ARE YOU YELLING?!"

Mark struggles to pry his eyes open to see, the heavy headache making him unable to grasp what's happening anymore, his vision turning pitch black and blurry.

He vaguely makes out two dark silhouettes ahead, hidden in the dust, one enormous and terrifying, and the other a human figure, Donghyuck.

A wet, stinging sensation flows down his face, Mark reaches up to touch it, and when he pulls his hand back to look, his breathing grows labored, it's blood.

The fierce beast in front of him just stands still without attacking anymore, even with Donghyuck standing right in its face, only a few steps away. It breathes slowly, its sharp pointed ears twitching to catch any sign of prey. It seems it has no eyesight.

"What the hell?!" Shotaro leaps up from the floor hole, and upon seeing Mark injured and slumped on the ground, he panics.

But the voice of the A-Ranked Angel alerts the demonic beast ahead, it whips around and charges on all fours in a very bizarre posture. Shotaro reacts quickly and manages to brace in time, raising the aether sword to block just as the monster roars and swipes with its claws.

"Damn... what the hell is this thing?!" the Researcher's voice fills with sheer horror, even the organization's data has never recorded this species of demonic beast before. Unless... it's not a demonic beast.

At that moment, Dongyoung hurries up, his eyes also widening in horror. None of them can identify this demonic beast, its grotesque form making everyone's hair stand on end.

It stands at least three meters tall, possibly more if counting the bizarre hunchback that juts up like a broken spine twisted upright. Its skin roughens like scorched dry earth, pitch black and cracked, as if it had been burned alive yet stubbornly crawled out of the furnace. Those sharp pointed ears perk up, twitching continuously. It has no eyes, just deep dark sockets like they've been gouged out, but in exchange, its hearing and sense of smell sharpen to the point where even a single offbeat breath from afar is enough to make it hiss. Its mouth... isn't entirely a mouth. Where the lower jaw should align with the upper, it tears open into three prongs, splaying wide like a deep-sea worm at the ocean floor. Jagged teeth, shard-like needles, sprout haphazardly, some even piercing through its cheeks. Its two arms stretch so long that the claw tips drag on the ground as it moves. Its claws aren't mere nails, but a layer of black horn, like glass compressed until it warps. Dried blood crusts from the last time it "touched" someone.

Every time it moves, the skin on its back ripples, and if you look closely, you'll see something underneath that skin... wriggling. As if inside it nests an entire colony of parasites yet to hatch. It doesn't roar. It doesn't bellow. It only emits whispers, sounding like human voices, but offbeat, layered, and muffled as if speaking through a layer of water.

"Run! No time! Shotaro, carry Mark!" Dongyoung yells, then immediately bolts toward the window. "Donghyuck! Follow now!"

The moment Shotaro hears the order, he doesn't hesitate, hoists Mark over his shoulder, then leaps after the Medic to exit the building. Right beside him, Donghyuck also charges along at astonishing speed, his face showing a rare pensiveness.

"What is that thing?" Shotaro hisses through clenched teeth, grabbing Dongyoung's wrist for momentum to accelerate.

Mark drifts in a daze, no longer aware of what's happening, slipping into a state ready to lose consciousness, blood still flowing nonstop from his forehead.

"I don't know, never seen it before!" Dongyoung shouts, his voice breaking as the fierce wind howls too violently through his throat.

That bizarre beast still pursues from behind, each of its footsteps shaking the ground, even the surrounding concrete road crumbling heavily wherever it treads.

Donghyuck grits his teeth with a grinding sound. "It's a Monster."

Chapter Text

"Monster?! Is that thing a Monster?" Shotaro turns his head in shock to look at Donghyuck.

Donghyuck doesn't answer, but his extremely tense expression serves as a clear confirmation for Shotaro's question. That terrifying thing is exactly a Monster. It's a soldier who has been infected by the Dark Tide and mutated, and moreover, its power might come from an A-Ranked soldier or higher.

"Find a place to hide, do not run anymore, quick!" Donghyuck speaks up, trying to keep his voice moderate to avoid drawing the attention of the grotesque thing behind them.

The Monster hisses, emitting piercing whispering sounds, and this time they sound like the cries of dozens of people blended together, making the whole team shiver with goosebumps.

"I-I'm so tired..." Dongyoung, pulled along by Shotaro, pushes beyond the physical limits of a Guide and gradually becomes exhausted.

"Lean over here, Dongyoung hyung!"

The Monster roars once, then it starts accelerating to close in behind them.

Shotaro seizes the moment when Dongyoung runs close to him, reaches back to grab the sniper rifle from behind Dongyoung, and without aiming, fires a shot that echoes through the sky, the aether bullet flashing brightly as it bursts from the barrel and embeds straight into the wall of the building across the street.

The sound of that building collapsing rumbles loudly, followed by thick clouds of dust billowing out, and the whole team struggles to suppress their coughing to avoid making noise.

The Monster successfully gets lured toward that side, allowing Shotaro to pull everyone in the opposite direction, ducking behind a towering pile of scrap metal.

"Set Mark down, let me provide first aid," Dongyoung whispers, even though he himself pants heavily, but he worries more about his teammates than anything.

"You three stay right here. Donghyuck!" Shotaro speaks sternly, his expression twisting fiercely as he looks straight at Donghyuck. "I do not care how much you hate Mark hyung, but right now your responsibility is to protect those two, I will keep an eye on the Monster."

"Troublesome." Donghyuck clicks his tongue, then rolls his eyes.

"Reinforcements will arrive soon, don't even think about using this chance to escape the organization if you don't want to get caught and punished even more brutally," Shotaro growls his voice low, the warning from this Sentinel reaching its peak intensity. "This is the duty of an Angel. If I return and find anything wrong with them, I'll be the one to kill you myself!"

After issuing the threat, the A-Ranked Angel leaps onto the top of the scrap pile, then vanishes from sight in a flash.

Donghyuck sighs, his indifferent gaze shifting down to look at Mark, who seems to have just passed out, now propped up and resting on Dongyoung's lap.

Dongyoung quickly sets down his backpack, and even though Mark's condition borders on critical, the Medic's hands still move with precise and calm efficiency. He cleans the wound swiftly, wraps the bandage carefully, then aims the needle accurately into the vein to inject a moderate dose of strong painkiller.

Dongyoung closes his eyes, places his hand on Mark's forehead, and quickly uses his ability to ease some of the pain sensation, although this has almost no effect between Guides. A soothing feeling transmits over, that cool stream of energy flowing from the point of skin contact with Dongyoung's palm, then gently spreading throughout Mark's body, and though it doesn't help much with the wound or the temporarily dormant mind of Mark, it partially prevents him from slipping into a critical state.

At this moment, the scouting device strapped to Mark's wrist emits a few small beep beep sounds. Dongyoung lifts Mark's hand to look, recognizing the familiar yellow dot that has entered the signal area on the virtual map.

"Reinforcements from the organization have arrived." The Medic breathes a sigh of relief, finally relaxing a little. Then he lifts his eyes, looking straight at Donghyuck. "Why do you know it's a Monster? You even know how to deal with it?"

Donghyuck leans his back against a vertical steel panel nearby, his eyebrows still furrowed in unrelieved tension. "You all rescued me from out there, right? I lived there my whole life, what would I not know?"

Dongyoung feels a bit suspicious. "But distinguishing between a Monster and a Demonic Beast isn't even easy for a Researcher like Shotaro."

"All Monsters are blind."

"What?" the Medic looks at Donghyuck with curiosity, his eyes mixing in some surprise, as this is fairly new knowledge.

Only now does Dongyoung notice Donghyuck's strange stance.

Donghyuck stands with his shoulder tilted sharply to one side, his leg slightly bent, and his left hand clutching his right shoulder as if shielding something. Dongyoung leans forward a bit to try to see, discovering that Donghyuck's right arm hangs limply down, blood already soaking through the entire sleeve.

"Donghyuck! You're injured! Come here quick, let me provide first aid!"

Donghyuck sighs, his gaze sharpening as he looks at Dongyoung. "Worry about saving people, I do not need your help."

Now recalling it, he realizes the long streak of blood on that building's floor must have come from Donghyuck when the Monster ambushed him inside.

But Donghyuck doesn't respond anymore, he turns away, stands with arms crossed looking out toward the outside.

Dongyoung senses that this person doesn't want to talk further, so he has no intention of asking more, and anyway, anyone can tell from looking that Donghyuck dislikes interacting with others, showing an attitude like someone is bothering him after just a few words.

Right at this moment, the faint sound of engines reaches their ears, making Donghyuck immediately lift his face to look up at the sky. He shades his eyes against the sudden swirling clouds of dust and smoke, still unable to make out clearly what approaches.

"Reinforcements have arrived. Donghyuck, quickly check where Shotaro is!" Dongyoung speaks joyfully, his face finally able to relax.

Moreover, he feels a sense of reassurance so profound that his heart swells with delight. The airship that just bursts from that layer of murky clouds carries other members of Team 127, and Dongyoung senses his own spirit bond vibrating fiercely.

"Johnny...! Johnny is here!"

Donghyuck sees the Medic looking so happy just because his mate has arrived, so he clicks his tongue in disdain.

Then Donghyuck quickly circles around the scrap pile, scans his eyes for Shotaro, and spots the A-Ranked Angel running loops around the Monster, demolishing one building after another in quick succession to lure it far away from here. However, it seems Shotaro suddenly senses the presence of his Guide mate nearby, freezing all his actions in surprise.

It doesn't take long for Shotaro to quickly topple another wall to divert the Monster, then immediately spin around and sprint back toward the direction where Donghyuck stands waiting, his expression easing into relief upon seeing the reinforcement airship has arrived.

«Hello... tss... tss... Hello, can you hear me? Mark? Is anyone there?»

The radio in Mark's jacket pocket emits a few weak, sputtering sounds, flickering but gradually clearing up as the transmission stabilizes.

Dongyoung immediately snatches it, his voice turning urgent: "Taeyong hyung? Is that you, Taeyong hyung?!"

«What happened? The organization reported that Mark just contacted but said nothing at all, only a few loud noises came through before the connection cut off again.»

Dongyoung recalls the moment not long before, when Mark had just started reporting on the Dark Tide but got attacked by the Monster, accidentally severing the link once more.

"There's a Monster here, Shotaro has lured it elsewhere already," the Medic quickly reports the situation. "The three rescued injured people have also been infected by the Dark Tide, if we don't leave here really fast, they will turn into Monsters. This place is no longer safe, Mark's passed out, Donghyuck is injured."

«What?! Has anyone been bitten by the Monster?!» Taeyong's voice grows worried.

"I don't... know..." Dongyoung looks up at Donghyuck again, seeing the wound on his shoulder resemble a claw mark more than teeth. "Probably not bitten... but..."

The airship lowers gradually to the ground, its engines roaring noisily right in their ears, making everyone's hearing go completely muffled.

Shotaro has returned by now, so without wasting a second, he dashes over and hoists Mark onto his shoulder. "Hurry it up, I heard some really creepy sounds coming from the building where those injured people are, looks like they have all turned into Monsters already."

Dongyoung nods. "Got it, let's g— Ouch!"

Right as he processes being suddenly scooped up, he twists his head and finds Johnny's face inches away.

"Huh?! The airship hasn't even touched down yet?!" Dongyoung startles, not expecting his mate to show up so fast.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Johnny frets deeply, tilting Dongyoung side to side to inspect for any wounds.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, luckily dodged all the collisions."

"What happened to Mark hyung?" Sungchan runs over from a distance, spotting Mark passed out across Shotaro's shoulder makes him grow extremely anxious.

"I already checked him. Exhaustion plus a head injury caused the blackout, with a day of care he'll bounce back. He held off that Demonic Beast all by himself, his Guide stamina probably pushed past the limit a little," Dongyoung speaks up quickly to reassure, even as Johnny cradles him like a child.

Over there, Jaehyun and Taeyong start moving together. Jaehyun streaks toward the distant Monster at lightning speed, while Taeyong pushes with all his might to follow behind and prepare support, unclear if they will launch a subjugation or just assess the area.

"Quick, onto the airship, those two will have Yuta hyung backing them, another ship will pick them up later," Johnny signals for the group to pull back.

Shotaro nods and obeys at once, carrying Mark off right away. Donghyuck stands off to the side, glancing at them as they confer and fret over one another, staying quiet without a word before hurrying after them to the airship.

...

Safe Zone, Medical District.

The Safe Zone's medical station stands as a massive complex on the fortress's west side, featuring gleaming white steel buildings linked by transparent glass corridors that sparkle under the glow from ceiling energy panels. Inside, the expansive space unfolds like a maze, complete with dozens of treatment rooms, biological research labs, and medical supply storages arranged in strict tiers. Cold white quartz walls embed touch screens showing real-time biometric data, while maintenance robots glide along tracks, letting out soft whirs as they sweep the surroundings.

The PA system chimes steadily, announcing emergency cases or support requests from the organization's medical staff.

The corridors buzz with Medics in white-gray uniforms darting nimbly between treatment rooms, clutching energy analysis devices in their hands or wheeling carts piled with medical tools. Automatic glass doors part open, exposing sterile treatment chambers under soft white lights, where injured soldiers receive meticulous care. Larger rooms handle critical cases, where the organization's medical teams run advanced healing machines that buzz when activating psyche energy treatments. Disinfectant scents mingle with cool vapor from the cooling systems, filling the air with that clean yet oppressively familiar weight of a hospital environment.

In the midst of that labyrinth, each team Medic gets a private workspace to tend their squad members. Dongyoung's room, as Team 127's Medic, sits at the end of the second-level corridor, marked by a metal door etched with the code 127-MC.

Inside, the space feels smaller but arranged neatly, featuring four treatment beds integrated with biometric sensors, a workstation cluttered with medical devices, and shelves stocked with energy vials alongside sterile bandages. A large screen on the wall displays the team's members' health data, flickering continuously with heart rate charts and astral realm status updates. Soft white light from the ceiling illuminates the room's pristine, secure atmosphere, yet it cannot dispel the lingering tension that envelops the space.

Mark lies on the treatment bed, his face pale, eyes shut tight, breath coming in shallow gasps. The wound on his forehead has been cleaned and bandaged, but dried blood streaks still cling to his hair and uniform, making him appear utterly fragile.

Dongyoung stands beside him, his hand gliding swiftly over the touch screen to monitor Mark's biometric readings. The Medic's calm demeanor fails to mask the worry in his eyes, as Mark's psyche energy levels fluctuate erratically, a clear sign of exhaustion and combined mental and physical trauma from the clash with the Monster.

Johnny sits quietly, leaning against the quartz wall, his thoughtful gaze fixed on Donghyuck, who occupies the bed across from him.

Donghyuck sits with arms crossed, his cold eyes staring into empty space, lost in thoughts that seem profoundly serious. A large tear gapes in the right shoulder of Donghyuck's silver-gray uniform, blood soaking through the entire sleeve, yet he shows no sign of pain or vulnerability. Instead, his defiant posture and evasive glances toward everyone declare that he requires no one's concern.

Johnny continues staring at Donghyuck, harboring many questions but choosing for now to hold his tongue. The air in the treatment room hangs heavy, broken only by the soft beep from the screen and the faint clinks of metal as the Medic works.

"Mark's stable now," Dongyoung speaks up, his voice carrying a hint of fatigue. "The head injury isn't too severe, but his psyche energy is disrupted. I've injected stabilizers and established a temporary spirit bond to soothe it. He'll probably wake up in a few hours."

Johnny relaxes his facial muscles, exhaling a soft sigh of relief.

Dongyoung turns, his gaze shifting to Donghyuck. "As for you, Donghyuck. Your right shoulder wound is serious, come let me treat it now."

Donghyuck huffs lightly, his eyes flicking over the Medic with clear irritation. "I can handle it myself," he snaps softly, his posture tensing in subtle defiance. "You take care of your own people."

Johnny furrows his brow, his tone turning stern: "Don't be stubborn. You got injured on the mission, Medic has a duty to treat you. Sit still, do not waste everyone's time."

Donghyuck shoots Johnny a sidelong glare, his eyes flashing with challenge, but he offers no retort. Perhaps the pressure from Taeyong hyung's warning on the airship, or the imposing presence of Johnny, a high-ranking Angel exuding commanding authority, compels him to relent grudgingly.

Donghyuck perches on the bed, his right shoulder still dangling limp, blood dripping onto the floor to form a small spreading stain that draws a weary sigh from Dongyoung.

The Medic steps over to Donghyuck's bed and settles into the chair beside it, opening his medical kit to retrieve a bottle of antiseptic solution along with bandages.

"Take off your shirt," Dongyoung orders, his voice a touch gruff yet betraying underlying urgency. "This wound runs deeper than you think. If we don't handle it right away, it'll get infected, or worse."

Donghyuck grimaces in annoyance, but ultimately shrugs off his uniform shirt, exposing a deep gash across his right shoulder that stretches from the collarbone down the arm. Blood continues oozing from the torn flesh, mingling with grime from the ruined city to form a gruesome red-black paste.

Johnny frowns slightly upon seeing the wound's severity, a flicker of concern crossing his eyes before he swiftly conceals it behind his stoic facade.

Dongyoung carefully irrigates the wound with the antiseptic solution, his movements gentle yet firm. A faint hiss of pain escapes Donghyuck as the liquid meets raw skin, his teeth grinding together while he forces his face to remain composed.

"Hurry it up," Donghyuck growls, his gaze veering away from Dongyoung as if refusing to admit his need for aid.

"Don't move."

Dongyoung wipes away the blood and dirt with a sterile pad, then draws a custom vial from his kit, injecting it near the wound to stimulate tissue regeneration. Each of the Medic's actions carries the precision of seasoned experience, something Dongyoung has done over a hundred times, yet the unresolved stress from the recent mission still causes his hands to tremble faintly.

Once the wound lies clean, Dongyoung wraps bandages around Donghyuck's shoulder and arm, securing them tightly enough to staunch the bleeding without causing discomfort.

The Medic double-checks everything one final time, confirming no fresh signs of infection before rising, releasing a quiet breath of relief. "All done, you need rest and to avoid strenuous activity for a day, your Sentinel physiology will heal the injury quickly enough. If you notice any fever or unusual pain, report to me immediately."

Donghyuck offers no reply, merely nodding curtly, his face angled slightly aside to dodge eye contact with anyone. He snatches his shirt and pulls it on to cover the bandaged wound, his brusque motions underscoring his desire to maintain distance from everyone.

Dongyoung stares at Donghyuck intently, then presses on. "Actually, I could help heal you with my ability, the wound would close up fast, but I'm pretty sure you would not like that."

Donghyuck scoffs coldly: "Don't touch me."

"Knew it." The Medic rolls his eyes in exasperation before turning toward Johnny, better to talk with my mate instead.

Donghyuck's gaze flicks briefly to the bed across the room where Mark still lies unconscious. He knows he caused Mark's peril, his impulsive actions, indifference, and recklessness nearly killed Mark twice, and without Shotaro's timely rescues both times, Mark would have died for real.

"Turns out he is just a weak bastard after all," Donghyuck mutters under his breath, a fleeting pang of guilt stirring in his chest before vanishing just as quickly.

Chapter Text

Safe Zone, Medical District, Treatment Room 127-MC.

Mark cracks his eyes open in a hazy daze, his eyelids heavy as if weighed down by a thick layer of fog. The soft white light from the ceiling beams down, making him squint a little, and his head buzzes like someone just slammed him with a brutal hit.

He lies still for a few seconds, trying to piece together reality.

The space around him stays quiet, with only the gentle beep from the biometric sensors on the treatment bed and the faint scent of disinfectant in the air. 

Mark realizes he is in the Medical District of the Safe Zone, in the familiar treatment room for Squad 127. The sky outside seems late at night, as the small glass panels in the ceiling reveal only pitch-black darkness, the light from the energy panels on the ceiling dims, giving way to shadows that creep through the gaps in the white quartz walls.

The electronic clock on the wall shows 2:19 AM.

Mark frowns, digging through his memories, but everything stops at that final moment: the Monster roars and snarls, the massive stone hurtles straight at his forehead, and then darkness swallows him whole.

His head throbs, a dull ache spreading out from the bandaged wound on his forehead. He reaches up to touch it, feeling the smooth layer of gauze, but his recollections of what happened after that remain fuzzy, like a dream torn to shreds.

"Everyone..." Mark mumbles, his voice hoarse and rough, his weak breath escaping through cracked lips.

He worries about Shotaro, Dongyoung, and the entire support squad. Did they manage to pull back safely from the ruined city? Did that horrifying Monster catch up to them? And... Donghyuck. Anger surges up in Mark’s chest as he recalls the moment when the Sentinel left him alone to fight the demonic beast.

"That bastard... he better not have screwed everything up," Mark grits his teeth, hot blood boiling like it wants to explode.

But then Mark lets out a long breath, a sense of relief sneaking in as he realizes someone brought him back to the Safe Zone. If he is here, the squad probably made it out safe too. Still, unease clings to him.

The scouting mission to rescue the stranded squad failed, with three soldiers infected by the Dark Tide and the Monster's appearance. The Nexus Council will surely demand a report, and Mark does not know if his team will face punishment for not completing the objective, especially since they brought back nothing useful anyway. Mark feels the weight of responsibility pressing on his shoulders, particularly because he passed out himself, turning into a burden on his teammates.

Still groggy, Mark tries to sit up, propping his hands on the bed to reach for his communicator. He needs to know the current situation, needs to hear Shotaro's or Dongyoung's voice to confirm everyone is okay. But as he brings his hand to his wrist, he startles, realizing his communicator is gone. He looks down, seeing that someone stripped him out of his torn silver-gray uniform, leaving him in a thin white patient’s uniform.

"Damn it, where's my stuff?" Mark mutters, his eyes scanning the corner under the bed and the head of the bedside cabinet, searching for his backpack or anything that could help him contact the organization.

“Tsk…”

Right then, a small sound rises from the corner of the room, a faint grinding of teeth, like someone is trying to hold back their own pain.

Mark jolts, whipping his head around, his heart pounding hard. In the dim light, filtering through the thin curtain separating him from the bed on the other side, he realizes he is not alone here. Mark stands up, his steps a bit unsteady as he moves closer to that side, reaching out to pull back the curtain and see who it is.

His eyes narrow, his brows knit tight, and his jaw clenches immediately.

Leaning against the cold quartz wall, Donghyuck sits there, his eyes squeezed shut, his head tilted back a little. He clutches his right shoulder hard, his hand gripping so tight that his knuckles turn white. Cold sweat beads continuously, matting his hair to his forehead, making his face look pale and strained in an unusual way. Donghyuck's breaths come quick and ragged, his chest rising and falling unevenly, as if he is trapped in a nightmare he cannot wake from. His usual carefree attitude has vanished, replaced by an expression of raw pain, almost fragile, that makes Mark freeze for a moment.

Donghyuck still wears his silver-gray uniform from the mission, unchanged, and the bloodstain spreading from his shoulder all the way down the sleeve catches Mark's eye right away, letting him know the Sentinel is injured. And more than that, it looks like the wound is causing problems now.

"Hey, you okay over there?" Even though Mark hates Donghyuck, a flicker of compassion makes Mark feel a touch of worry.

He grabs Donghyuck's right arm to lift it up, then startles as he realizes this is not simple at all.

"Donghyuck! Donghyuck! Can you hear me?!" Mark grows a bit frantic when he grasps the situation.

The black streaks on the back of Donghyuck's hand have grown a bit larger, and worse still, they keep vibrating nonstop like some ominous warning.

The younger person reacts a little to Mark's loud call. Donghyuck's fingers twitch slightly, then his eyelids flutter gently, and after that, they slowly part open. But just one look at those eyes tells Mark right away that Donghyuck isn’t fully alert, that his mind has drifted away quite a bit already.

Mark has no idea what’s causing this state in Donghyuck.

"Donghyuck! You okay?! What's going on with you like this?!" Mark grips Donghyuck's wrist tight in his urgency.

"Don't..." Donghyuck rasps out, his face twisting as he tries to pull his hand back.

Annoyance at Donghyuck's stubbornness surges up immediately, and Mark growls through clenched teeth: "You stubborn bastard! No one's gonna show up in the next few seconds to save you right away! You better open your mouth and talk straight!"

For all his big talk, though, Mark feels a twinge of fear deep down. If Donghyuck suddenly turns into a Monster right here and now, Mark will definitely end up dead on the spot, and what he should really do is run, find someone to come check things out immediately.

But his conscience won't let him, especially with another soldier right in front of him, suffering and clearly needing help. In times like these, chaotic and brutal where someone falls and takes their last breath out there every short while, even if it's someone he hates, Mark doesn't have the guts to just leave them behind.

Donghyuck only now realizes who stands before him, and he lifts his gaze to look at Mark, exhaustion weighing him down but disgust still flashing across his face. "Get out of my way, you annoying—"

"You better shut your mouth," Mark snaps back in irritation, his voice stern as he cuts off Donghyuck's arrogant attitude right then. "Take a good look at your own condition for once."

Deep down, Mark really wants to use this chance to punch Donghyuck square in the face.

Mark stands up, hurrying back to his own treatment bed. He flips the blanket aside, then yanks open each drawer by the bedside one by one, and finally spots his wrist device tucked neatly in the bottom compartment. He presses to activate the contacts list in a rush, scrolls fast to find the name Kim Dongyoung, and hits connect without a second thought.

While waiting for the line to pick up, Mark can't shake his worry, so he paces back over to Donghyuck's bed to keep an eye on things. His gaze locks onto Donghyuck, unblinking.

Donghyuck looks like he is in a lot of pain, and he can't take it anymore as he lets his head droop a little, his hand clutching his right shoulder where sharp throbs keep stabbing through. That's when Mark suddenly recalls the scene from when he leaped up from the basement.

Back then, a long streak of blood smeared across the floor, stretching from where Mark had stood all the way to the other side, so that must have been Donghyuck's, meaning the Sentinel got hit by the Monster.

Donghyuck's current state very likely ties back to that Monster, or in other words, it could be the Dark Tide.

"Damn it!" Mark waits forever with no connection on the other end, impatience twisting in his gut like a knife.

"Leave me alone... it'll pass in a bit..." Donghyuck catches sight of Mark's frantic fussing, finds it all too grating, and forces the words out anyway.

Mark draws in a deep breath, then blows it out hard, fighting to tamp down his frustration: "If you keep being this stubborn, I'll really just let you die."

Donghyuck clicks his tongue. "I've had this happen plenty of times before."

Knowing the situation isn't all that critical, Mark calms down a touch.

Still, seeing Donghyuck tremble from the pain, Mark feels a spark of caution, a nagging unease. He thinks back to how Donghyuck nearly got him killed, and anger flares up again, but Mark isn't cold-blooded enough to ignore the sight before him. With someone right in his line of view struggling even to draw breath, he curses under his breath at his own humanity for stirring up this worry in this asshole.

Mark hates Donghyuck for his indifference, his aggression, his arrogance, and his smart-ass mouth. At the root of it all, he hates this guy's rotten personality. So Mark tells himself he shouldn't sink to that level just to get back at Donghyuck.

"What can I do to help?" Mark asks, his tone steady now.

Donghyuck doesn't answer, but this time it's not with that look of disgust toward Mark. He is in pain, real bad pain it seems, bad enough that his face crumples up, faint hisses slipping through gritted teeth.

"Hey, Donghyuck, I don't think you're okay," Mark worries as he plants one knee on the bed, wanting to lean in closer for a better look.

But Donghyuck shakes his head wildly. "I told you to leave me alone! Fuck off!"

"This isn't the time for you to be stubborn like this, Lee Donghyuck," Mark grits his teeth with a sharp creak. "Do you even know in this state I could kill you really easily? So while I'm still feeling merciful, you better wise up and act decent!"

Even as he shows rejection on the surface, Mark knows full well that Donghyuck needs help right now.

The hand clutching his shoulder squeezes even tighter, Donghyuck's whole face flushes red from fighting off the pain, his body trembling uncontrollably. It has pushed a little past his limit, Donghyuck's eyes fill with water, and then he bites down on his lip until blood wells up. This look while turning down help from anyone else really drives Mark to the edge of madness.

Suddenly, Mark remembers something. Perfect compatibility.

He freezes in place, then stares at Donghyuck with hesitation flooding his gaze.

Mark can heal him, the only one who he can heal… is Donghyuck.

With things this bad, even if Donghyuck tries to refuse, Mark won't pay it any mind.

"Look, you sit still, I have a way to help you." Mark's jaw clenches tight from the tension, his scalp even prickling with numbness.

Seeing the other guy suddenly close in, Donghyuck wants to snap back, wants to shove him off and curse him right to his face as a total pain in the ass, but his mind has drained completely dry.

Because he really needs the help. It hurts, hurts so much, hurts like hell.

Mark settles fully onto the bed, shifts closer to him, his arm extending out slow and careful.

I hate this so damn much, but I can't just walk away, Mark curses at himself.

It's been ages since he last tried this. In fact, the last time Mark healed anyone else lingers as a nightmare scar in his heart. He still hasn't shaken off the fear, doesn't trust himself one bit.

But this mess leaves him no choice but to roll the dice.

Mark craves just one successful heal, craves proof that his power isn't worthless. And Donghyuck, a perfectly compatible Sentinel, secures the safe trigger for his ability, or so the organization and Nexus Council claim, so he just hopes nothing goes wrong.

Donghyuck flinches back a touch as Mark's hand draws near. Even with the utter loathing boiling inside, Donghyuck’s reason screaming against it, he needs the help, and he lacks the strength to shove it away anymore.

Mark's palm finally presses against Donghyuck's forehead, the spot where skin meets skin crackles like a spark zipping across, scorching hot before it fades in a blink. But he senses it clear as day, and it leaves Mark stunned still. The sensation feels totally different.

He pours all his focus in, a soft blue light blooms faint and gentle from his palm, wavering unsteady like it might snuff out any second. Mark works to relearn the reins on his healing power, it's been forever since he tapped it, never practiced, so right now it hits like he's fumbling through it all over again for the first time.

Donghyuck clamps down harder on his own lip, the pain seems to ramp up fiercer, bad enough that he squeezes his eyes shut tight just to hold on.

Mark tenses to his core. Usually, right about now his Guide ability will kick into misfire, the Sentinels under his healing hit with pounding headaches, ragged breaths, wild thrashing.

But then something unexpected unfolds.

The blue light in Mark’s palm flickers once more and shifts gold in a flash, steadying out smooth. Before the surprise can even register, Mark's mind reels in a dizzy whirl, he shuts his eyes on reflex, and then a vision yanks him under.

When he blinks them open, nothing but a sky choked thick with black clouds stretches ahead, winds howling wild enough to ring his ears, and he hovers smack in the storm's heart.

It's Donghyuck’s Astral Realm, Mark realizes with a jolt.

He has heard that when forming a spirit bond with someone, healing comes in two flavors. For a quick spirit soothe, you skip straight to the basics, channeling astral essence right into them in one clean pass. But for a deeper tie that eases the body’s hurt too, you step into their Astral Realm to purify. Usually that demands sky-high compatibility and their say-so, or else barging into another's astral realm counts as a brutal breach of trust, one that could shatter the intruder's mind to pieces.

Looks like in the thick of wrestling that agony, Donghyuck let Mark slip in by accident, and that's how he ended up here.

Donghyuck's Astral Realm sprawls out as a chaotic mess: a slate-gray sky, whirlwinds whipping fierce enough to slice skin and bone, thick black clouds layering over one another like some twisted labyrinth. And more than that, amid the savage lightning strikes, in the cloud banks lit up stark by jagged bolts, shadows of something slink through, hovering right at the center.

It looks like a black gem, chained down tight. Mark guesses silently that this ties straight to the Dark Tide, and to the miraculous way Donghyuck's astral essence holds it in check.

But now, with their spirit bond linking strong, Mark starts to feel Donghyuck's mind in its raw agony. Brutal. It pulls his brows together tight.

Mark reaches out, aiming toward the dense black clouds, starting to try and help Donghyuck purify.

Transparent threads of energy shoot from Mark's palm, streaking up into the air before diving straight for the gloomy cloud layers, seeking to pierce right through. As the threads seem to wrap around that massive cloud sphere, the lightning ramps up wilder. Right then, Mark senses Donghyuck's pain crystal clear, nothing easy about it, yet the guy still clings stubborn, refusing help from anyone.

Mark pushes his own psyche energy into the threads, and they take hold.

For the first time, excitement surges through Mark like nothing else, as the black cloud layers start to thin out, the howling winds easing into a faint whisper. The pitch-black sky shifts hue, warming to a vivid crimson sunset glow.

I-Im healing… I nailed it… Mark feels a flood of excitement coursing through his veins.

But before Mark can react to anything else, a sharp stab lances through his head.

His eyelids grow heavy, then snap, he forces them wide, realizing he’s been yanked out of Donghyuck's Astral Realm.

The space around him turns back to the treatment room, with Mark sitting face-to-face with Donghyuck on the bed, the younger still slumped exhausted against the wall.

Mark blanks out for a beat before lifting his hand off Donghyuck's forehead. Donghyuck gazes at him in a daze, then slips from awareness slowly, collapsing limp onto the bed in a dead faint.

"Donghyuck?!" Mark startles, scrambling in panic, clueless about what just hit.

But then he freezes, and bit by bit, calm settles over him.

Donghyuck's face has eased, his eyelids shut in real comfort, no trace of that tormented strain left. The black streak on the back of Donghyuck’s hand has steadied, lying still without a quiver. His breaths even out too, a soft, peaceful sound slipping out with each one.

A flurry of urgent beep-beep tones rings from outside the door, then it bursts wide open.

Mark jolts, eyes rounding as he whips his head around to look.

"W-What's going on? Did something happen?" Dongyoung bursts in frantic, rushing straight to Mark's side.

"Mark? You're awake already?" Johnny hurries in right on his heels, his face just as taut, since all the mated pairs share rooms, they must have woken up at the same time.

Mark glances at his communicator tossed on the bedside cabinet head, the holographic screen glowing with nearly 10 missed calls from Dongyoung. Must have come in while Mark got pulled into Donghyuck's Astral Realm.

"This guy showed some weird signs a bit ago, but... looks like he's fine now," Mark answers hesitantly, his eyes flicking to Donghyuck sleeping sound beside him.

Dongyoung frowns, worry creasing his face as he drops onto the small chair by the bed.

Mark stands, then heads back to his own bed to sit, watching quietly as the Medic runs a full check on Donghyuck's state. A tangle of thoughts starts piling up messy in his head.

I just forged my first temporary spirit bond with someone else.

I just stepped into someone else's Astral Realm for the first time.

I just pulled off a successful heal.

But they were all for Donghyuck.

Mark presses his lips thin, a sudden letdown washing over him. Sure, a spark of accomplishment flickers there, but joy? Not a drop.

No doubt when Donghyuck wakes up, he will just brush everything off anyway, Mark thinks, bitterness fills his chest.

Chapter Text

Safe Zone, Front Gate, 7:43 PM, a week later.

The sky over the Safe Zone dyes itself in a burning orange, the brilliant sunset reflecting off the gleaming steel walls of the fortress. The roar of airship engines fades gradually as the vessel carrying Mark, Sungchan, and Shotaro touches down at the docking bay near the Front Gate. The dry air mixes with the scent of scorched metal and dust from the Wildlands, clinging stubbornly to the gray-silver uniforms of all three, now streaked with grime and dotted with small tears.

The recent gathering mission holds just little danger, a quick run to collect soil samples and scan for energy signals at the edge of the ruined city, but Mark still feels his body heavy, as if his strength drains away from that week before, after the horrific event in that basement. Or, more accurately, it seems like healing Donghyuck has some lingering effect on him.

Mark steps down from the airship, his backpack heavy on his shoulder, his tired eyes scanning the bustling area around the Front Gate. Patrol teams are checking their gear, the loudspeaker is blaring steady announcements about shift rotations and conditions outside.

Mark wipes sweat from his forehead, unconsciously touching the fresh bandage there, the wound now just a dull ache, and the team's Medic assures him it will fade without a scar soon, only puzzled at why Mark's injury heals so slowly this time.

"This mission went smoothly, the Nexus Council will probably be pleased with these soil samples," Shotaro winks at Mark, his voice carrying a touch of playfulness to dispel the tense air. But even now his face smears with dust. "Now let's head back, shower, and rest, we all look like we just rolled through a junkyard."

Sungchan chuckles, swinging his backpack onto his shoulder. "Look at that tear in your shirt, next time dodge those steel thorns more carefully, yeah!"

Mark only smiles faintly, not joining the banter. His mind still pulls back to treatment room 127-MC, where Donghyuck lies unconscious for a full week now with no one knowing the reason.

He hasn’t told anyone yet about healing Donghyuck, about that moment when he enters the chaotic mental space of Donghyuck, where swirling black clouds and that chained black gem haunt him every night.

"Mark! Sungchan!" a deep, warm voice calls out from the main gate, cutting through Mark's thoughts.

He looks up, spotting Johnny and Dongyoung approaching, both in black combat uniforms with specialized weapons secured on their backs.

Johnny, with the commanding presence of a high-ranked Angel, nods in greeting to all three, while Dongyoung offers a gentle smile, his eyes flicking over Mark with a hint of worry.

"How did the mission go? Any encounters?" Dongyoung asks with concern, adjusting the comm device on his wrist.

The Medic, ever since that unexpected clash with the Monster last time, clings to a persistent unease, always blaming himself for letting Mark get hurt.

"Nothing major, just a few stray Demonic Beasts lurking around, I handled them quick." Shotaro shrugs smugly. "We gathered enough soil samples, now just need to send them to the research center."

Johnny nods, his gaze shifting to Mark. "You okay, Mark? You look a bit out of it."

Mark startles, shaking his head quickly. "I'm fine, just a little tired. Thanks, Johnny hyung."

Dongyoung frowns suspiciously, but he decides to not mention further. "Alright, you guys go rest up. Me and Johnny are about to head out on a subjugation mission to the western sector, reports of Fallen Angels gathering in a group of about five or six. Be careful with your gear this time on your own mission, Mark, don't lose contact again."

Mark nods, guilt rising as he recalls the moment his comm cut out during the last mission.

"Do Fallen Angels have the awareness to work in groups like that?" Mark asks curiously.

"No idea, that's why this mission sends out full pairs of high-ranks," Dongyoung sighs, shaking his head in confusion.

"Is it a joint team mission?" Mark tilts his head in confusion, peering behind them and noticing quite a few unfamiliar faces waiting by the distant airships. "Another anomaly detection?"

"Yeah, for some reason the signals back to Command Center come in weird. The hasty photo shows a few Fallen Angels standing together, but they don't attack each other, more like they see one another as allies." The Medic scratches his head, puzzled. "Normally after Falling they all go mad and attack every target in sight."

Mark smiles, patting the older’s shoulder to reassure him. "It's fine, I see this mission sends a lot of people along, it should be okay. Plus, it'll probably be an exhausting fight, so I hope you have a fun time healing when you get back."

Dongyoung flushes red, kicking Mark's shin. "You little punk, wait till you get a mate, then you'll get teased right back like this!"

"Don't worry, it won't happen," Mark pouts, shrugging. Though it sounds like a retort to Dongyoung, in truth he has gradually accepted this long ago.

No mate means no mate, a persistent fear about something Mark doesn’t know how to resolve, and over time it hardens into callus.

He glances at Sungchan and Shotaro, both chatting idly with Johnny for a few words before saying goodbye and heading off.

As the two groups part, Mark steps through the main gate, the space inside the fortress unfolding into polished steel corridors and the soft whir of maintenance robots gliding along their tracks.

Suddenly, a familiar figure appears at the end of the corridor. Taeyong, the leader of team 127, walks toward Mark with a hurried gait, his black combat uniform slightly wrinkled, as if he has just returned from a subjugation mission as well.

Taeyong stops when he sees Mark, his eyes lighting up with a touch of relief.

"Mark! You're back." The team captain steps closer, placing a hand on Mark's shoulder. "Mission go okay? I just got back from the command center, the Nexus Council is requesting a detailed report on that Monster encounter from last week."

Mark nods. "It went fine. This mission had no major issues. But..." he hesitates, his gaze flicking toward the medical wing. "I want to check on Donghyuck in the treatment room. How is he... doing?"

Taeyong frowns, his expression turning briefly pensive. "He still hasn't woken up, but his vital signs remain stable. The medical staff says there are no signs of anything unusual, maybe it's just some personal anomaly of his. Come on, I'll go with you."

Mark nods, the unease in his chest rising higher. He follows Taeyong through the glass-lined corridors, their footsteps echoing in the quiet space.

…

Safe Zone, Treatment Room 127-MC.

When the two reach treatment room 127-MC, the metal door etched with the code slides open with a soft beep. Inside, a medical staff member checks the touchscreen on the wall, turning at the sound.

"Leader Taeyong, Mark," The medical staff member bows politely in greeting. "Lee Donghyuck's condition remains stable, no signs of crisis, coma, or Psyche Energy disruption, it looks like he's just in a deep sleep, he should wake up soon. Since you two are here, can you watch him for a bit? I have something in another room."

Taeyong nods, signaling for the staff member to leave.

As the door closes, Mark steps into the room, his eyes immediately drawn to the bed where Donghyuck lies.

The guy remains unconscious, his face pale but utterly peaceful, no longer showing any signs of pain or distress like that night. The black mark on the back of his hand has faded slightly, but it lingers there, like a reminder of the Dark Tide lurking within his body.

"Mark, do you have something you want to say?" Taeyong speaks up suddenly, his sharp gaze fixed on Mark. "You seem... more worried than usual when you mention Donghyuck? I remember you really disliked him?"

Mark startles, shaking his head quickly. "No, it's just... I want to make sure he's okay. That last mission..." he trails off, unwilling to reveal that he healed Donghyuck. Not the time yet.

Just then, the room door opens again.

Jaehyun steps in, his black combat uniform still dusted with grime, his face carrying a stern edge but his eyes revealing a hint of exhaustion. The Scout nods in greeting to Taeyong and Mark, then moves to an empty bed to slump down onto it.

"You two just got back from a mission?" Mark glances at Jaehyun, who leans back exhaustedly on that bed, then turns to look at the team captain.

"Yeah, a Monster subjugation mission. Pretty tiring, Jaehyun hasn't even gotten healed yet," Taeyong sighs, nodding.

"If that's the case, you two should head back to your quarters first, I can stay here alone."

"No problem, we both just got called up to the Command Center," Jaehyun interrupts, stretching out flat before draping an arm over his forehead. "The Nexus Council is really focused on that Monster incident and the Dark Tide incursion into the Wildlands. They want our team prepped for a new mission, which might involve the western sector. Mark, how does Donghyuck look to you? Anything off?"

Mark hesitates, his gaze sliding over Donghyuck lying motionless. "I... I'm not sure. He looks okay, but... I don't know when he'll wake up."

"That night you saw him in pain and then passing out, right? What exactly happened?"

"I woke up around 2 a.m., then saw him clutching his wound and crying out in pain... Then... the infection mark on the back of his hand pulsed faintly, it seems connected to the Dark Tide inside him," Mark explains, flustered.

"That's all?" Jaehyun turns his head to look, his voice carrying a note of doubt.

Mark feels a slight pang of worry.

"He looked in so much pain, shaking violently and even tearing up like he was about to cry. It's the first time I've seen him like that," Mark continues.

Both seniors wear thoughtful expressions, each trying to picture what this haughty Sentinel would look like crumbling into vulnerability all of a sudden.

"And... I tried healing..."

Jaehyun startles so sharply that he bolts upright in bed.

Taeyong whips around in shock, grabbing Mark's shoulders. "Really?! Did it work?!"

Mark feels that twinge of unease again.

He knows everyone just cares whether he has tapped into his power yet, and partly they hope he will mesh well with Donghyuck, or they simply wait for the arrangement from the organization to pan out smoothly. Or are they glad for me because I will pair with a high-potential Angel? Or... glad because I dodged the risk of getting booted from the system altogether?

Mark's head pounds, so many tangled thoughts keeping him from savoring this joy alongside everyone, even though the news marks a real breakthrough for him.

"With a long face like that, it flopped, right?" Taeyong blinks at Mark, his features alight with anticipation.

Mark stammers: "No, no... I succeeded..."

Jaehyun senses something off. "Then why don't you look thrilled at all?"

"Or maybe my power's back to normal now?" Mark deflects, grasping for a distraction. "Let me try healing you, Jaehyun hyung."

"Hey Mark, Jaehyun's mate sits right here in front of you. Are you trying to mess with me?" Taeyong clicks his tongue, swatting the younger's shoulder in feigned offense. "Spit it out, what's eating at you?"

"I... hate Donghyuck," Mark sighs. "During that last mission, he ditched me to handle the Demonic Beasts solo, I nearly died. Plus, his attitude toward everyone comes off so crude, he barely cooperates seriously on missions, dragging the whole team into peril. He is just a dead weight. Sure, succeeding at the healing brings some relief, but... the one I pulled it off with… why it has to be him..."

Taeyong and Jaehyun share a quiet, reflective look, then turn back to Mark, their faces softening with a mix of sorrow and understanding.

After all, Mark counts as a rare case, one that demands hitting a steep benchmark just to spark his Guide ability, and now that person emerges as someone he despises, a flawless compatibility no less, a fated mate. Naturally, the letdown hits hard. A hope long snuffed out flickers back to life without warning, only for Mark to grasp that the blaze will consume him in the end.

"I figured... well, I'm still pretty young anyway, plenty of time stretches out before the pairing cutoff. It's not out of the question that someone better suited to me shows up," Mark mutters, dispirited, his eyes drifting down to the floor.

Taeyong's heart melts at the sight too, since Mark stays one of his most treasured and close juniors, and watching him slump like this stirs a deep ache.

Jaehyun chimes in at last: "Perfect matches crop up at ultra-rare rates, I doubt a second one pops up in whatever time you have left. Besides, Donghyuck counts as a total newbie regardless, they dragged him here against his will to join the organization, cut the kid some slack."

"No, I won't go along with someone like that." Mark shakes his head, his smile faint and wry.

"What's the point of a Guide who can't heal? No different from trash, right?" Donghyuck’s words still echo in his mind.

Though Donghyuck spits out those mocking words in a fit of anger, they carve a deep wound into Mark's heart.

Why him? Why the one who sees me as nothing but trash? Mark would rather that perfect compatibility never surfaces at all, truly fate's cruel joke.

"You two, don't tell anyone I activated my power with Donghyuck. If the organization finds out, they'll push it on me again," Mark looks up, pleading with Taeyong.

"First of all,"

The voice that rings out startles all three of them.

It's Donghyuck.

Mark whips his head around to stare at him. The person on the bed keeps his eyes closed, his posture still frozen, probably awake now but staying silent to eavesdrop on the conversation about himself.

And clearly, all the negative confessions aimed at Donghyuck that Mark voiced from earlier fall straight into the younger's ears.

"I didn't mean to leave you alone with that Demonic Beast," Donghyuck opens his eyes, his gaze locking onto Mark with a sharp warning glint.

Then Donghyuck sits up slowly.

"Second, I told those two how to deal with the Monster, that's why you're still in one piece right now."

Mark feels zero comfort in Donghyuck's tone, it comes off like the Sentinel just wants to put him in his place.

Both exchange deadly stares, as if locked in a silent battle without lifting a finger.

"Third, I have zero interest in pairing with trash like you either, so drop that superior attitude when you talk about me, you useless piece of shit."

Mark's blood boils to a peak in an instant. He shoots to his feet in a blaze of fury, but Taeyong grabs him right away to hold him back.

"Don't forget I just saved your ass!" Mark roars, completely losing control. "I should've let you die and be done with it!"

"Who else can you heal if not me, huh? Spill it, you worthless punk. Or are you just sweating it out waiting for the organization to toss you aside?" Donghyuck smirks.

"Calm down, Mark! And you too, Donghyuck, shut your mouth!" this time Taeyong snaps, his voice filled with rage.

After the captain barks out in frustration, the two finally stop their verbal sparring. But the air hangs so thick with tension that those two could lunge at each other any second.

Donghyuck never plans to react this fiercely right after waking up, especially when Mark just healed him moments ago. Yet this time, Donghyuck stands as the one provoked. He could brush off being hated or insulted in the heat of the moment when someone loses grip on their words. But here Mark sits, dead serious, spilling to others just how much he despises Donghyuck, and it even stirs guilt in Donghyuck for making the Guide heal him, driving Donghyuck straight to fury.

Donghyuck wants no part of owing anyone for some unasked kindness, least of all from someone who hates him that deeply.

And truthfully, Donghyuck hates Mark just as much. So best they drop any weird illusions about each other.

Jaehyun sighs, calmly easing the charged atmosphere: "Alright, enough, all that mess lies in the past now, everyone's safe. And Donghyuck, whatever the reasons, you really did leave Mark to fend off that Demonic Beast alone, didn't you?"

Donghyuck stays silent, dodging Jaehyun's gaze by turning his face to the wall. He fights to rein in his own irritation too.

"Mark used his healing power to help you in that crisis too. You should apologize and thank him at the same time, not wake up and hurl insults like that," Jaehyun presses on, his voice laced with stern reproach.

Donghyuck grits his teeth, his face flooding with disgust.

He refuses to explain himself to anyone, let alone swallow his pride to apologize to the one who just grated on him. He made it crystal clear he wanted no help from Mark, yet now this group makes him feel like some immature brat for accepting without gratitude.

From the start, Donghyuck has never asked for anyone’s aid, never wanting to be dragged into this place. No one gets it.

"Stop... that's enough, thanks Jaehyun hyung."

Donghyuck turns his face back, and all three stare at Mark in stunned confusion. Because Mark's voice trembles just now.

Then everyone reels in shock as they realize Mark is crying.

"An ignorant asshole would never know manners anyway, why beg for that crap from him?" Mark locks eyes with Donghyuck, raw hatred blazing through. His voice quivers with bottled-up resentment, and tears stream down his cheeks from his eyes at some point, tracing paths along his cheekbones.

I can't take it anymore, Mark clenches his fist.

He has endured humiliation for three whole years, but no one has ever hurled such brutal insults straight to his face before. Donghyuck’s venomous words just now overflow the cup. They dismiss Mark’s efforts outright, snuff out his hopes completely, and worst of all, drag up all his buried shame and insecurities to stab deep gashes into them.

He hurts so much already. He loathes Donghyuck beyond words. He hates this person, hates him to his core. Ungrateful, selfish, arrogant, mouthy.

"I'm such a fucking idiot for ever worrying about you." Mark surges to his feet, carrying his despair as he storms out of the treatment room.

Leaving Donghyuck frozen in place, staring after Mark's back as it vanishes once the door shuts.

Chapter Text

Safe Zone, Operations Room 127.

Operations Room 127 lies on the third floor of the fortress, its steel walls integrated with screens that display maps of the Wildlands. The round meeting table in the middle of the room stands surrounded by metal chairs, where the members of team 127 gather to analyze missions or simply chat after those tense hours. Right now, the entire team assembles here, including Donghyuck, but excluding Mark, because he’s preparing supplies for the upcoming conquest mission.

And in some ironic way, Golden Blood deliberately arranges Mark and Donghyuck into the same group. More than that, this mission involves conquering small Demonic Beasts around an area not too far from the wall of the Safe Zone, a task that proves very easy for amateur or low-level soldiers, so precisely only two people head out to test combat ability and coordination, though everyone knows the real plan behind the Nexus Council.

One week has passed since Donghyuck woke up, and during that time, he has stayed off missions temporarily to monitor the wound on his shoulder, while also training his combat skills alongside Johnny. In some miraculous way, throughout the week of training with the team’s Combat Coach, Donghyuck has remained extremely serious, showing no more defiance or unwillingness to submit.

When Johnny teased him by asking why he suddenly acted so obedient, Donghyuck just growled, “Shut up and do your job.” Johnny felt a twinge of unease at this insolent attitude from the younger guy, but he let it go, figuring that any cooperation counted as a win already.

The only thing was, throughout the training period, Donghyuck looked utterly resentful, as if he were venting his anger through every single strike. He poured all his strength into each punch and kick, leaving the Combat Coach quietly puzzled by the many questions swirling in his mind, wondering what exactly fueled such erratic moods in this boy.

Also during that week, Mark headed out on routine missions with the other members, never once mentioning Donghyuck or any of the events tied to him. Sungchan dropped by now and then to probe for details, but Mark brushed him off with curt replies and an expressionless face, acting as if he no longer cared about Donghyuck at all, treating him completely like a stranger passing through.

And then, once the organization confirmed that Donghyuck had recovered steadily, they pulled off something that left everyone reeling: they paired him with Mark for a solo mission, just the two of them.

Taeyong objected fiercely at first, determined to push for one or two more people to join them, but in the end, no one else on the team fit the mission’s low difficulty level anymore, leaving only these two low-rank soldiers available to take it on.

When the assignment reached Mark, everyone braced for some explosive reaction, maybe even a flash of real dissatisfaction. But Mark showed nothing of the sort.

He simply nodded, acknowledged the orders, then excused himself to head back to his room for rest and prep work on the mission, his attitude revealing no hint of resistance to anyone watching.

Both Donghyuck and Mark carried on in these bizarre ways, leaving the whole group with splitting headaches as they tried to figure out just what these two were scheming in their heads.

Now, everyone is gathering in the Operations Room to work on their own tasks.

Shotaro, Taeyong, and Dongyoung sit back to analyze the information gathered from previous missions, and conveniently, the Researcher is also updating the two older members with some new knowledge just sent down from the Research Institute.

Johnny and Jaehyun are simply standing around chatting about idle gossip.

Donghyuck sits alone in a corner, feeling a bit dissatisfied inside because he got called to this crowded space, but he still feels okay since no one pays attention to him. However, Sungchan quickly approaches and shatters Donghyuck's peace.

"Donghyuck hyung, I prepared a plan for you and Mark hyung."

Donghyuck shoots a sideways glare at the Navigator walking toward him, deliberately directing a subtle shooing attitude his way.

Sungchan notices it, but he doesn't care at all.

"Before any small group of our Squad sets out, I always prepare the mission sequence, route, and notes on terrain and mission characteristics for everyone," Sungchan doesn't look at Donghyuck, just sits down next to him and stares at the holographic screen projected from the device on his wrist.

Donghyuck feels annoyed, he doesn't care much for such overly regimented stuff. Just kill everything and come back, that's it.

"You've never had combat experience, and Mark hyung hasn't been on the front lines either. I think it'll be better if I guide you a bit, especially you, since you're completely new."

"It hasn't been on the battlefield?" Donghyuck glances curiously at the person beside him.

"It...? Oh, Mark hyung?" Sungchan blinks in confusion. "Because he couldn't use his healing abilities, the organization didn’'t allow him to go to the front lines to fight. To put it bluntly, Mark hyung has only ever done passive defense up until now, never participated in proactive attack missions like this, so this is the first time for both of you."

"If that's the case, why pair it with me? I should go with someone more experienced, right?" he furrows his brows, the question clearly laced with rejection.

"Well... Mark hyung still has combat experience, he's been a Guardian soldier for 3 years. Plus, the purpose this time is to test the compatibility of your abilities, to see if Mark hyung can activate healing on you."

Donghyuck snorts, realizing that no one knows Mark once healed him. Not wanting to tell the organization, not telling anyone around, so he hates me that much.

But this only makes Donghyuck smug. Clearly, without him, Mark proves truly useless, he decides how far Mark's abilities develop. In other words, rejecting him only hurts Mark himself. Yet Donghyuck knows, besides Mark, no one else can heal him, at least not without dying or turning into a Monster.

Donghyuck’s gaze drops slightly, glancing at the black streak on the back of his hand before he quickly averts his eyes elsewhere. The way Mark wasn’t affected by the Dark Tide at all is something… unexpected.

"What if he hates me and refuses to heal me, then I'll be in danger?" Donghyuck raises an eyebrow.

"Well... Others in the team who have above-average compatibility with you can help too. If not, we'll call in help from other teams' Guardians." Sungchan hesitates. "Normally, if an Angel can't be healed by their teammates, they'd transfer to another team. But... Mark hyung is perfectly compatible with you... even if no one in our team can heal you, you can't leave either."

Donghyuck rolls his eyes in extreme irritation. “None of you should heal me anyway, don’t even try if you all don’t want death.”

Well, maybe except Mark, Donghyuck thinks.

The Nexus Council clearly states their stance to force perfect pairs to match no matter what, with no intention of giving up. And honestly, Donghyuck feels no joy at all knowing his perfect match is Mark. At first it was just interesting, then indifference, then gradually just immense dissatisfaction.

Donghyuck’s mood turns foul, he stops listening to Sungchan's ramblings in his ear. All that guidance, mission notes, whatever, just let that three-year experienced Guardian soldier handle it.

...

Safe Zone, Front Gate, Before Departure.

Because he only needs to prepare supplies for a small group of two, Mark finishes his task pretty quickly.

He feels a bit unaccustomed, staring at the pile of ammunition, rations, and a few meager essentials, his heart stirring with unease. He has grown used to going out with larger teams, where he always prepares massive quantities, stacking supplies in big crates, so now the workload amounts to just a fraction of his usual routine.

Mark checks his sniper rifle one last time, then slings it over his back before picking up the sword he prepared for Donghyuck. Shiny, spotless, brand new, without a single mark from battle, it really looks a little strange to gaze at.

Mark has grown accustomed to cleaning and sharpening weapons worn down over time, full of scratches and nicks from the team's veterans, so it's been ages since he last touched something completely untouched like this.

He stands beside the airship, glancing lightly at its steel hull, his eyes lingering for a moment. Mark turns to the side, catching the faint reflection of himself on the gleaming metal surface, and his gaze brightens just a touch.

The black combat uniform, something he has never worn despite being a soldier for three years, brings a sense of pride, along with a spark of excitement. He just can't figure out why all the things he always dreamed would happen to him start arriving one after another only after Donghyuck shows up.

Mark sighs.

It turns out that a Guide capable of healing holds such importance and necessity. Emotions swirl inside him, leaving him unsure of how everything will turn out.

After standing and waiting a while, a familiar figure appears in the corner of his eye. He turns toward it, his face relaxing as he sees the Captain strolling over leisurely. Then, peeking out from behind Taeyong hyung's back, stands Donghyuck himself, though Mark doesn't look at him, just smiles happily at the older one.

"Your first time joining a conquest, how does it feel?" Taeyong steps closer, ruffling Mark's hair lightly.

"It's still not my first time on a mission or anything," Mark scratches his head shyly, still feeling a bit awkward about it.

"Yeah, not your first mission. But in all those previous times, you could only stay at the back, right? Now you're finally on the offensive side."

"It's kinda exciting, yeah."

A clicking tongue draws both their gazes over there. It's Donghyuck, who wrinkles his face while eyeing the stream of people boarding the airship.

Taeyong naturally picks up on Donghyuck's discomfort, since this mission counts as easy and splits into many small groups, quite a few other teams board the same airship too, moving together to drop off each group at their zones, mostly to save fuel and cut down on trips.

Mark bends down to pick up Donghyuck's sword, then holds it out toward him. "I maintained it properly, so use it carefully."

Donghyuck eyes him with a bit of suspicion over this odd attitude, but he reaches out and takes it anyway.

Taeyong also furrows his brows in confusion at Mark.

No one expected Mark to act like nothing had happened, shifting so abruptly as if he no longer cared about any of the old issues. Especially since even his demeanor toward Donghyuck no longer showed a trace of hostility.

What's this about now? Donghyuck thinks to himself.

The airship's announcement blares suddenly that departure approaches, startling all three of them for a second.

Taeyong looks at his two juniors, still feeling a touch of worry over Mark's unusual behavior. "You two just need to complete the mission well, no need to push too hard. Remember, failing even a simple task like this brings pretty severe punishment."

"I know, hyung, don't worry," Mark speaks up to reassure him.

"And Donghyuck, I know what you're thinking in that head of yours," Taeyong turns to the other one. "If you're planning to sabotage the mission just to get kicked out of the system, hoping to escape this place, you can't do that."

Donghyuck furrows his brows at the Captain, his face showing clear puzzlement. "I'm not thinking about any of that."

Taeyong ignores it, pressing on: "I'm someone predicted to reach Special Rank like you, and people like us always get monitored closely by the organization to develop and rank up as smoothly as possible. Golden Blood will always hold onto talents, the Nexus Council will make full use of us. In other words, from now on, I hope you'll cooperate more obediently too."

Mark stares blankly at his senior, wondering why Taeyong suddenly smiles and spouts these profound words out of nowhere.

Then Mark's eyes flick lightly toward Donghyuck, and he immediately feels baffled. Donghyuck's face hardens, his expression turning deeply contemplative, as if the Captain's words truly strike him, prompting some very serious thoughts.

"Remember, with Mark along on this mission, it'll be easy as pie. Don't fail it, and don't fail it on purpose either, punishment isn't fun at all," Taeyong reminds him one more time, his gaze still fixed firmly on Donghyuck. "If the Nexus Council takes strong measures, you'll turn into a machine that just obeys without question."

Donghyuck's brows knit tightly together, and he stays silent without replying, glancing lightly over at Mark. Mark doesn't dodge it, shows no expression at all, just meets his eyes calmly.

"Come on, everyone's already boarded," Taeyong prompts, nodding his head toward the airship. "Good luck to both of you."

"Okay, hyung, goodbye." Mark startles a bit, realizing the crowd has thinned out a lot, the ramp up to the airship stands completely empty now, meaning they're the last ones left.

Mark doesn’t bother telling Donghyuck what to do, doesn't urge him on, just nudges the backpack he prepared for Donghyuck lightly with his foot to signal him, then slings his own over his shoulder and jogs up to the airship.

Out of the corner of Mark’s eye, he sees Donghyuck silently hoist the backpack onto his shoulder too, stepping after him slowly. Donghyuck’s gaze fixed on the ground, occasionally flicking toward Taeyong's retreating back.

...

On the airship, the space buzzes with noise, laughter and chatter from everyone rising without end. Most soldiers of the same rank know each other because they run into one another on similar mission lines, or if they don't know each other, they blend in fast anyway in this relaxed, friendly atmosphere.

That's how it seems to others.

Donghyuck furrows his brows tightly as he squeezes into a seat on this already cramped airship. To avoid brushing against too many people, he ducks into a corner spot by the small window, figuring he'll dodge what he can.

The interior space feels pretty limited, with the rest area holding just two rows of seats facing each other, each row about 10 seats jammed side by side, and of course right now every single one sits occupied.

Last time when Donghyuck went on missions with the team, there were only 4 people, and even if the whole team goes it's only 8, not even enough to fill one row, so it stays super comfortable.

But what puzzles Donghyuck most is the silence from the person next to him. Mark doesn't talk to anyone at all, sparking Donghyuck's curiosity, since he figured Mark would be the chattiest one in the Squad.

"Newbie, huh?"

"That Angel's the new one," the whispers rise up.

Donghyuck's eyes flick toward the one who spoke, spotting the group sitting diagonally from him murmuring among themselves. The space isn't big, and a Sentinel's senses stay sharp, so naturally Donghyuck catches every word.

"That's Mark Lee next to him, right? How'd Mark Lee end up on a conquest mission?"

"He can't heal, right? Heard he even makes Angels go mad faster."

"Paired with a newbie? Poor kid."

Donghyuck raises an eyebrow at their conversation, his gaze sliding lightly over to Mark sitting beside him.

Mark holds his same blank expression, eyes closed, calmly resting to conserve energy for the mission ahead.

"Lucky I didn't get grouped with Mark Lee, anyone the organization pairs with him is doomed."

"Might as well fight solo, huh?"

"They could all end up dead."

A sharp click of a gun being loaded cuts through.

The group over there falls instantly silent, while those sitting nearby turn to look with curious stares.

Everyone fixes on Mark, who suddenly lifts his sniper rifle and props it upright in front of him, even as he leans back with his eyes shut in rest. It comes off like a subtle warning.

Donghyuck glances at them, snorts mockingly, then turns his face away.

"Acting all high and mighty. We're not saying anything wrong."

"A Guardian who can't heal might as well be a civilian, lucky he hasn't gotten booted from the system and dumped back in the city yet."

Of course a little scare like that won't shut them up, it might even egg them on to talk more.

Donghyuck keeps his eyes trained on the window beside him, but he quietly takes in everything they said about Mark. Suddenly, it explains why Mark doesn't chat with anyone.

And then, amid all the jumbled noisy sounds, a soft sigh of helplessness escapes, faint as it rings out, but Donghyuck hears it crystal clear.

Chapter Text

Wildlands, Edge of the Safe Zone.

The airship roars through the gray sky, its engine's rumble echoing between the barren hills and the shattered concrete ruins of the Wildlands. A dry gust carrying dust sweeps past as the troop bay door slides open, groups of soldiers jumping down to their designated points in turn. The numbers thin out as teams depart the bay, now only about half remain.

It's Mark and Donghyuck's turn, the airship hovering over an empty patch of ground, the door sliding open to reveal a desolate scene of withered bushes and scattered gray boulders. Mark quickly checks the device on his wrist before jumping down, his movements neat, his eyes coldly sweeping over Donghyuck without a single word. Donghyuck adjusts the gleaming blade strapped to his back, silently jumping after him, his narrowed eyes carrying suspicion as he watches Mark. The two land one after the other, the airship swiftly closing its door before soaring away, continuing to carry other teams to their assault points.

As the airship fades into the dust cloud, only the two of them stand amid the desolate land. The air here feels utterly remote and oppressive, with only the wind whistling through rock crevices and the soft beep from the sensor device on their wrists.

Mark scans the surroundings, gripping his sniper rifle tightly, the faint sunlight piercing the thick cloud layer casting a glow on his black combat uniform, highlighting his serious demeanor. He checks the holographic map on his device, confirming the direction, then starts walking toward a faint path leading into the sparse forest nearby, where reports indicate signs of small Demonic Beasts.

Donghyuck, in contrast, stands still in place, arms crossed as he watches Mark retreating back. Donghyuck furrows his brow, a wave of discomfort rising when he sees the other's indifferent attitude. Not a word of reminder, not a glance of reproach, just silence as if he doesn't exist.

"Hmph, putting on airs," Donghyuck mutters, deliberately drawing out his voice so Mark can hear.

But Mark doesn't turn back, simply continuing forward, treating him like thin air.

"Hey, aren't you going to tell me what to do?" Donghyuck calls out, his tone carrying a hint of provocation. "Isn't this mission supposed to involve both of us? Or do you plan to hog all the work just to brag back at base?"

Mark suddenly stops, but not to respond to Donghyuck.

He crouches down to examine a faint track on the ground, possibly a Demonic Beast's footprint, then calmly replies in an emotionless voice, "If you want to stand there, then stand there. The device on your wrist has motion sensors, it'll record whether you're doing anything for this mission or not. The Nexus Council wants both of us to cooperate, but I'm not forcing you."

Mark lifts his head, his weary eyes glancing over Donghyuck, carrying no anger or hostility, just pure exhaustion.

"You decide for yourself." Then he resumes his task, following the plans Sungchan prepared.

Donghyuck grits his teeth slightly, feeling like he's just been doused with a bucket of cold water that leaves him deeply uncomfortable. This attitude from Mark differs from before, no yelling, no arguing, just indifference so cold it's chilling.

Donghyuck suddenly recalls the words he spat in the Treatment Room last week, those vicious insults like "useless Guide" or "trash," back then he only wanted payback, wanted Mark to feel the hurt he endured when the man called him "no different from a burden," and it seems like Mark has taken it to heart now.

What does he even know? Donghyuck thinks bitterly to himself.

He never left Mark alone with that Demonic Beast, nor did he deliberately ignore the whole team to act on his own. All around him were strangers who suddenly appeared and dragged him back to the organization, forcing him to cooperate, only to learn later they were exploiting his abilities for their own gain. Donghyuck couldn't trust anyone, felt no affection for anyone, sensing enemies all around, unable to drop his guard.

Now, standing in the Wildlands, seeing the weary look in Mark's eyes, Donghyuck unexpectedly feels a twinge of guilt creeping into his heart. He remembers the whispers on the airship from those strangers, the mocking remarks about Mark for his inability to heal, calling him "useless like a civilian" or "cursed." Turns out Mark had endured those words for a long time, even before Donghyuck showed up.

Then that day, when Donghyuck saw the man who once cursed him, fought him tooth and nail, suddenly broke down crying, his heart grew complicated.

Did Mark even want to join this fight from the start? Donghyuck starts feeling guilty.

But the guilt quickly gets crushed under his towering ego. He doesn't want to admit he was wrong, doesn't want Mark to think he's showing weakness just because of the man's displayed misery. Donghyuck silently scorns it, feeling that what Mark goes through doesn't even compare to half the life he spent surviving in The Unknown Land.

Donghyuck doesn't want anyone thinking they've "tamed" him. More importantly, Mark's current contemptuous attitude makes him deeply uncomfortable.

"Hmph, you're probably scared I'll outdo you, right?" Donghyuck steps forward, deliberately walking close behind Mark, his voice full of provocation. "I've been training in combat all week, beating you now would be a piece of cake. No one's watching here, so fight me, Mark Lee."

Mark doesn't respond, just keeps walking, his eyes focused on the bushes ahead, still intently searching for signs of Demonic Beasts. He pulls a small wave detector device from his pocket, checks the energy signals, completely ignoring Donghyuck's challenge. That silence of his acts like an invisible wall, making Donghyuck even more irritated.

"Hey, don't play deaf!" Donghyuck snaps, quickening his pace to catch up with Mark. "I know you heard me. Scared of losing? Or do you know you can't even take me on?"

Mark halts, his hand tightening around the wave detector but still not turning his head. "If you want to fight, go find a Demonic Beast to hit," he says, his tone turning icy. "I'm not free to play childish games with you."

Mark continues walking, his straight back radiating exhaustion, as if he's completely drained from facing insults from one person after another.

Donghyuck sneers, feeling his blood boil. He can't stand this attitude from Mark, the way he shows no anger, no resistance, just indifference that feels like a blatant contempt aimed straight at him.

Rage flares up, mixing with his pride and frustration, driving Donghyuck to step quickly forward, grab Mark's shoulder tightly, and spin the older person around to face him. But Mark just stands there, his eyes cold, utterly emotionless as if he's looking at a stranger not worth his energy.

That gaze mixes weariness, fatigue, and utter disdain, and it bothers Donghyuck terribly.

It's exactly like the look Mark gave the soldiers on the airship, those who whispered behind his back. It shows that Mark has fully lumped Donghyuck in with them, people not worth his time or attention anymore.

"Hey, you think you're so great?" Donghyuck growls, his fingers digging harder into Mark's shoulder as if to force a reaction.

But Mark just tilts his head slightly, his eyes glancing over Donghyuck before dropping back to the wave detector in his hand. That indifference slices into Donghyuck's pride like a knife. He wants Mark to yell, wants him to argue back, wants anything but this damn silence.

Suddenly, Donghyuck recalls the words he hurled in the Treatment Room, those vicious insults he threw right in Mark's face. Maybe he went too far. Mark's sigh on the airship flashes through Donghyuck’s mind, the way Mark just ignored them and stayed composed. Turns out, Mark's used to being looked down on, treated like trash. Donghyuck glances down at the back of his hand, where the faint black streak still lingers, etched deep as if lurking, waiting to strike him again. That night, Mark saved him, pulled him out of the Dark Tide nightmare. But Donghyuck doesn't want to owe him. He doesn't want to meet that weary gaze and admit he needs him, even though that moment left Donghyuck utterly shocked and grateful.

It's been so long since he allowed himself to accept healing, and Donghyuck clung to that feeling intensely. To the point where it annoys him, emotions tangling inside until he's irritated with everything. He can't understand himself, can't make sense of anything around him.

"Hey, Mark Lee, answer me!" Donghyuck growls, his eyes blazing with anger mixed with a hint of confusion. "What exactly happened that day to make you cry? You started the fight first, then made me look like the bully, how's that supposed to work?"

"If you hate me that much too, then let's just ignore each other and get by," Mark looks up, showing no emotion at all, staring straight into the other's eyes with complete seriousness. "What did I do to make you think I started the fight?"

"It's you people who dragged me back here on your own, then act all saintly like it's some kind of salvation. Do I need you doing this shit?" Donghyuck grabs Mark's collar tightly, yanking him forward roughly. "Not to mention, you're the one always running your mouth about hating me, acting all hateful about anything involving me. Tell me, why shouldn't I think that way?"

But Mark still looks perfectly calm.

Donghyuck doesn't want Mark looking at him with that weary gaze, like he's some annoying hassle not worth bothering over. He'd rather Mark get angry, rather he hit back, anything over this damn indifference that makes Donghyuck feel like he's just some cheap piece of trash getting in the Guide's way.

Mark snorts coldly: "I don't think that's a good enough reason for you to target just me. I can't sympathize with someone who only acts irrationally, Donghyuck."

The way Mark says his name sounds so cold coming from his mouth. Donghyuck flinches a little, then unconsciously loosens his grip on Mark's collar.

"There's nothing much to talk about between us. You hate me, I hate you, so let's just do our duty and not make things more complicated," Mark still shows no anger, his eyelids just drooping slightly as he adjusts his collar, turns his back, and walks away, not wanting to look back.

"Why do you people always treat me like this?"

Mark doesn't care, even when Donghyuck's voice came out like a hoarse whisper full of resentment.

Until I get a proper apology, Mark sighs.

"Hey, Mark Lee," Donghyuck growls.

Mark keeps ignoring him.

"Why? Why me?" Donghyuck storms forward, endlessly questioning Mark about everything he can think of: "Hasn't my life been shitty enough? Then you fucking assholes dragged me back here to serve, to work for this shitty organization. Tell me, why me? Am I not allowed to be angry? Am I wrong to act like this?"

"LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!"

Mark's loud yell stuns Donghyuck into stillness.

Donghyuck's eyes widen in shock as he stares at Mark. Mark looks furious, his breathing heavy and erratic, his gaze filled with rage, but somewhere in there a flicker of helplessness still glints.

"DO YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO'S TIRED?"

Donghyuck takes a small step back.

But this time Mark advances, striding straight toward him.

"In this goddamn world, everyone’s fighting just to survive, so stop acting like you’re the center of it all!" each word Mark spits out drips with pent-up grievance, his finger jabbing straight into Donghyuck's chest over and over, pressing hard with every thrust. "Your misery has nothing to do with me, so stop dumping it all on me like I’m the one who caused it! LEE DONGHYUCK! For the past three years, I’ve learned to live with how pathetic my life is, I don’t need you to keep tearing me apart like this! I’M BEGGING YOU!"

Donghyuck freezes momentarily, struck dumb by his fury. Staring into Mark’s reddened eye sockets, Donghyuck suddenly feels an indescribable ache.

"What the hell did I ever do to you? HUH? I'm just a useless Guide! Just like you said, if it wasn't for you I couldn't use my abilities on anyone else, the organization would toss me out ages ago. So yes, I HATE you! HATE you with every fiber because I have to DEPEND on a selfish prick like you just to SAVE MYSELF!”

Donghyuck’s brows immediately draw tight.

“Lee Donghyuck, your shitty life has nothing to do with me! Have I ever taken my anger out on you irrationally? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?"

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME?" Donghyuck shouts back in fury.

He hates getting yelled in the face more than anything.

"Yeah, I'm exactly that kind of selfish, unlikeable bastard! BECAUSE I'D RATHER GET LEFT BEHIND AND DIE FOR GOOD! I DON'T NEED ANY OF YOU TO SAVE ME!" Donghyuck feels just as choked up, his voice trembling even as he tries to yell.

"You think I told them to drag you back?"

"Yeah, you didn't. But what am I supposed to do now? THEY'RE FORCING ME TO COOPERATE! ON THE FIRST DAY THEY BROUGHT ME HERE, THEY WOULDN'T LET ME SLEEP!" Donghyuck swats Mark's hand off his chest, shoving him back hard.

"If you want to die, kill yourself right now," Mark's voice turns icy.

Donghyuck freezes in shock: "You—"

The sound of a chamber loading echoes, and in less than two seconds Mark raises his sniper rifle straight up, the barrel aimed right between Donghyuck's forehead.

"Or do you need my help?" Mark whispers smugly, the corner of his mouth curling up slightly to taunt him.

Donghyuck's jaw clenches tight, his whole body locking up, his gaze shooting toward Mark in sheer terror.

Mark does this because he knows all too well, Donghyuck doesn't want to die at all. He doesn't know what happened in Donghyuck's past, doesn't know what this guy faced before getting brought to the Safe Zone. But his survival efforts, his desperate escapes, all show clearly that Donghyuck doesn't want to die.

"Are you sure you want to just die and be done with it?" Mark asks, his finger already slipping onto the trigger.

"Why does my life and death depend on you people now?" Donghyuck refuses to back down, grabbing the barrel of Mark's gun tightly instead.

Donghyuck sneers, stepping forward to press his forehead right against it.

"Yeah, I'm terrified of dying, but that doesn't mean I want to live. After I lost everything, I decided to let the world out there swallow me whole bit by bit, playing one last game of tag with fate to see how long I could keep existing. Mark Lee, you're way too naive thinking you've got me figured out." His laughter echoes.

Mark grinds his teeth, already steeling himself to pull the trigger and end the guy in front of him just to lighten the load.

"So what reason do you have for struggling this far? Why not just give up everything, maybe then you wouldn't even have to follow me all the way out here?" Mark tries to shift his sniper rifle, but it doesn't budge an inch.

Donghyuck really is strong, stronger than Mark, he's always been a Sentinel after all.

"You think I've never been ready for death? I'm scared, but I'd welcome it gladly if it came for me. But no, now I've got one thing I want to do before dying. That's beating you, making you admit deep down that I'm not the useless piece of shit you think I am," Donghyuck glares, his voice turning vicious.

Mark curls his finger, hot blood rushing to his head and pushing him to squeeze the trigger.

But his hand gets seized roughly too. Donghyuck overpowers him with every ounce of his strength, pinning Mark so he can't move even a fraction.

"You think you're the most pitiful one in the world, huh? What about me? You've only had to deal with those little rats gnawing at your back for three years. Mark Lee, I've lived in hell my whole life, your tiny bit of suffering doesn't make me pity you one bit," Donghyuck leans his face right into Mark's, whispering with full challenging tone.

"Then kill me already, I feel like you're not incapable of it, right?" Mark keeps growling, staring straight into Donghyuck's eyes without yielding an inch, trying to provoke something he thinks the younger won't dare do.

"No, that wouldn't be fun anymore. I've got a better way now." Donghyuck chuckles.

An earth-shattering roar erupts from behind. From the bushes, a Demonic Beast suddenly leaps out, its shape like a mutated panther.

It charges from behind Donghyuck, so Mark spots it first, panic flooding him.

He blurts out urgently: "Get out of the way! Behind y—"

"Shut up, I'm not done."

Donghyuck's hand gripping the barrel yanks it sharply to the side, aiming dead-on at the Demonic Beast without even turning his head. His other hand still pins Mark's finger to the trigger, forcing him to fire.

BANG

The aether bullet shoots out and lodges straight into the Demonic Beast's skull, dropping it to the ground instantly.

Mark's eyes bulge in shock, and when he whips his head around, he sees Donghyuck still staring him down, treating that Demonic Beast like nothing more than a pesky fly not worth noticing.

Donghyuck leans in close to Mark's ear. "I'll train seriously, I'll get better, I'll rise to Special-Class Angel. I'll leave you in the dust, make you depend on me, without me you'll get tossed by the organization, that is what will be fun."

"You crazy bastard..." Mark glares at him with pure hatred.

"Everyone will have to look up to me, they'll need me, no one will see me as trash to throw away anymore. And you, you won't get away, Mark Lee. You know you can't refuse healing me, right? What if the organization forces it, huh?"

"You—" Mark stammers in shock.

"How do I know? I'm not stupid, from the way this shithole keeps pushing us to cooperate, I figured it out." Donghyuck sneers. "But one thing surprised me. I carry the Dark Tide inside me, any Guide who tries to make a bond with me always gets infected."

"Wait... what?"

"You healed me, a week's passed and you're still fine. Tell me, if the organization finds out, what do you think they'll do with that info?"

Mark goes rigid, his jaw locking up completely so he can't say a word. He's never imagined Donghyuck holding such a grudge, being this downright malicious.

Donghyuck releases him, looking utterly smug.

"I'm not cruel enough to torment and use you like some disposable pawn, Mark Lee. But if you don't want to end up as a real piece getting played by everyone, try to keep up with me." Donghyuck snatches the pathfinder device from Mark's pocket, turning on his own to follow its signal. "Let's get to the mission, fated mate."

Mark grinds his teeth, rage igniting fiercely.

You want a fight, I'll give you one.

Chapter Text

Dust flies up under Donghyuck's hurried footsteps while the wave detector sparkles with pale blue light in his hand. He runs like a gust of wind, his agile body gliding through withered bushes and shattered rocks, leaving behind a trail of misty smoke. His speed stuns with its ferocity, as if this entire Wildlands serves as nothing more than his personal playground. The gleaming blade strapped to his back vibrates faintly with each step, its metal flashing under the feeble sunlight like a challenge hurled at anything daring to block Donghyuck's hunt.

Mark stands frozen for a moment, his hand still clutching the sniper rifle, his gaze locked on Donghyuck's fading back. He grits his teeth, a surge of helplessness rising like a relentless wave.

"That damn crazy piece of shit..." Mark mutters, his voice thick with resentment yet laced with a trace of awe.

Roars from Demonic Beasts echo from the distance, joined by the sharp whistle of metal slicing through the air and carving into the flesh of those grotesque creatures. Mark halts abruptly, his ears straining to capture every sound. A hiss of agony pierces the air, followed by the heavy thud of that massive body crashing to the ground.

Donghyuck is clearing out everything in his path.

Mark pictures him vividly, how Donghyuck’s eyes are gleaming with smug triumph as the blade swings upward to strike down those minor Demonic Beasts without a shred of hesitation.

This zone holds only feeble Demonic Beasts, most of them incompletely mutated and still resembling ordinary animals, like gaunt leopards bearing twisted claws or wolves with blazing red eyes but sluggish strides. For a Sentinel assessed with immense potential like Donghyuck, they amount to little more than scurrying rats beneath the keen edge of a warrior attuned to the power of the Dark Tide.

Just one week of training with Johnny, and he grew this strong already? Mark has never witnessed any Sentinel advance so rapidly, as if Donghyuck emerged into the world destined to battle and command all that surrounds him.

But then a sudden unease flashes through Mark's heart. He knows full well the capabilities of a Sentinel, especially one with Special-Rank potential like Donghyuck. They possess immense strength, but they also risk Overload if they fail to rein themselves in. Those sharpened senses, superior power, and raw aggression can propel them into a state of total loss of control, and for Donghyuck in particular, the Dark Tide can ignite that frenzy even further. The black streak on Donghyuck’s hand isn’t something to be taken lightly, since Mark once witnessed firsthand how it tormented him.

In Mark's mind, the image lingers sharp as ever, Donghyuck's agonized form writhing as the wound on his shoulder succumbed to that cursed power clinging to him. If Donghyuck keeps charging ahead so recklessly, he will risk dragging himself straight into peril.

Mark grips his rifle tighter, draws in a deep breath, and starts running after him.

Mark can't match Donghyuck's pace, no Guide can hope to rival a Sentinel's speed, so naturally he fails to catch up to the way Donghyuck darts everywhere and wipes out every Demonic Beast in sight.

What terrifying power. Mark bites his lower lip in worry, his legs pounding relentlessly as he strains to follow the traces Donghyuck leaves in his wake.

In Mark's eyes, Donghyuck remains utterly infuriating, but he can't just let him carry on like this.

"Go ahead and steal all the glory if you want," he mutters to himself, “but if you lose it and go berserk, you won't hear the end of it from me."

Though the fury from their argument still burns hot in his chest, Mark knows it’s far too dangerous to let Donghyuck move on his own. Not just because of the mission, but because the way he throws himself forward, as if nothing else matters, leaves Mark deeply unsettled.

He focuses hard, straining to follow the sounds. The beasts’ roars, the sharp whoosh of a blade slicing through the air, and that wild laugh that bursts out every time Donghyuck brings one down. The sound makes Mark’s hair stand on end. He’s out of his mind, completely.

Donghyuck doesn’t stop, doesn’t even think about slowing down, just keeps charging ahead like an arrow loosed from the string, making the unease in Mark’s chest only grows heavier. If Donghyuck keeps pushing himself like this, showing off instead of keeping his mind in check, he’s bound to hit Overload soon.

Mark races along dusty trails, vaults over scattered corpses of Demonic Beasts sprawled across the ground, each one felled by a single precise slash. He can't help but marvel.

Just one week, and he's already at this level? Mark thinks.

A typical Sentinel requires months to master blending senses with weaponry, yet Donghyuck handles it on pure instinct. Or perhaps those years scraping by in The Unknown Land forged him into this lethally efficient hunter, or maybe he simply entered the world as an outrageously gifted war machine. Resonating with the Dark Tide, that resonance undoubtedly amplifies Donghyuck's might by no small measure.

Mark suddenly recalls Yuta's words, that prediction about Donghyuck potentially ascending to Special-Rank in a mere three years, three times faster than even standouts like Johnny or Taeyong. At first, Mark dismissed it outright, even nearly forgot the whole thing. But now, having seen it unfold, he believes every word of it.

Mark clicks his tongue softly, no point in denying it, at this rate he might not even stand a chance against Donghyuck anymore.

But then he senses something off. The insistent beep from the device on his wrist blares repeatedly, signaling they've breached the mission boundary.

Mark skids to a halt, panting hard, and stares at the holographic map flickering before his eyes. They've veered far beyond the designated zone, plunging into uncontrolled territory where the odds of encountering Fallen Angels or stronger Demonic Beasts loom large. He curses under his breath, his gaze sweeping the surroundings, taking in nothing but dense thickets and jagged boulders. No clear trail of Donghyuck remains, only distant roars echoing fainter with each passing moment.

Mark stands rooted in place, his hand clenching the rifle so tightly that a fierce battle rages inside his mind.

He could call the airship right now to pick him up, report that Donghyuck has gone missing and leave the guy to fend for himself or face the consequences. That would serve as the perfect revenge, letting Donghyuck reap what his recklessness and arrogance sow, making him taste the sting of abandonment just like he inflicted on Mark. The Nexus Council wouldn't fault him too harshly, since the sensor logs would show Donghyuck acted on his own whim, darting off without orders.

Mark's fist balls up until his knuckles bleach white, his conscience clashing endlessly with the urge for payback in his head, neither side yielding an inch.

But then Mark thinks of the fallout that would follow, the organization demanding a full debrief, reprimanding both of them for poor coordination that led to this mess and possibly slapping down joint penalties, and if Donghyuck truly lands in peril, Mark bears the blame.

On top of that, if Donghyuck dies, Mark's Healing ability reverts to uselessness once more, and down the line the Nexus Council might discard him as a worthless pawn. Like a flame flickering no matter how faintly, Mark despises touching it yet refuses to let it snuff out even a little, especially since his hopes for all these years have drowned in nothing but pitch-black void.

So the thing holding Mark back most isn't the Nexus Council.

Because Mark admits Donghyuck hit the nail on the head, he really does rely on the Sentinel, needing Donghyuck to prove his own worth to everyone else, to wield that healing power at all. But it doesn't grate on him quite as much as it should, doesn't really that bad, because Donghyuck depends on him right back, too. Donghyuck just confessed that other Guides touching his psyche will get tainted by the Dark Tide instantly, only Mark emerges unscathed, meaning Donghyuck still needs Mark's healing to keep fighting.

Mark needs Donghyuck, but Donghyuck craves him just as badly. They loathe each other to the core, yet in this twisted irony, without one another they both end up shelved and forgotten, reduced to useless scraps no one bothers with, utterly powerless to do anything more on their own. Mark endured exactly that for the past three years before Donghyuck showed up, so he grasps all too well how soul-crushing that feels.

Mark suddenly recalls that moment in Donghyuck's Astral Realm, when he laid eyes on that bizarre black gem, mesmerizing in its shimmer yet brimming with peril. Donghyuck isn't some punk who just provokes and struts around like an overgrown kid, he's a far greater threat than that. A Sentinel harboring the Dark Tide within, someone who survived horrors Mark can't even fathom. And though Mark hates admitting it, Donghyuck's very existence hands him the chance to prove his value, the first real shot in three years as a Guardian.

He hates Donghyuck fiercely, but he can't claim he doesn't need the guy, it's infuriating.

"You idiot..." Mark mutters under his breath, then draws a deep steadying breath, tweaks the comm device on his wrist to lock onto Donghyuck's signal, and breaks into a run toward the direction he vanished.

Each of Mark's footsteps lands heavy, not just from exhaustion but from this damn responsibility he can't shake off. He can't let Donghyuck die, not merely for the Nexus Council's sake, but for his conscience and for fair play. If Donghyuck wants to pick a fight with him, he better not croak first.

Get your ass back here in one piece so we can compete properly.

Roars from Demonic Beasts rumble out again, this time closer and laced with Donghyuck's booming laugh, not that mocking taunt from before but a wild, almost unhinged sound ripping free like something from a horror flick.

Mark's heart clenches tight. He knows that rush all too well, the haze a Sentinel slips into during battle frenzy, where their senses ignite so fiercely they lose all grip. If Donghyuck tips into Overload, the Dark Tide will surge up, and Mark won't reach him in time to heal. At that point, nothing pulls it back from the brink.

In the end, still just a dumb asshole, Mark grits out in his thoughts.

Mark picks up speed, charging through thorn-choked bushes while ignoring the scratches raking his arms from brushing jagged rocks and knife-sharp branches. He tracks the noise, homes in on the faint ping from Donghyuck's device, and prays he isn't arriving too late.

You maniac, you maniac, you maniac, all for some stupid thrill of victory, Mark screams silently in his head over and over. If you Fall, I'll end you myself.

The signal on the scanner suddenly slows its erratic dance, and Mark senses the shift, pouring every ounce of effort into propelling himself forward across the ground.

"DONGHYUCK!"

Mark's shout echoes into the void, and the world around him falls eerily silent, spiking his panic to a fever pitch. Normally when Sentinels hit Overload, their awareness blurs out, their limbs go slack like dead weight, and he hopes desperately this isn't that.

If it’s just mental fatigue, it can be treated easily enough. But once a Sentinel enters Overload, the only way to save them is by forming a stronger Bond. In most cases, only a Flesh Bond can truly pull them back. That’s exactly why Golden Blood forbids any soldier without a mated partner from advancing beyond C-rank. Higher-level missions can push a Sentinel straight to the edge of collapse, while lower-level ones almost never do, unless that person is reckless and stubborn like Donghyuck.

When an unmated Sentinel falls into Overload, saving them becomes almost impossible. In that state, their mind collapses, their awareness breaking apart until they no longer register anything around them. A Guide who isn’t their mated partner can’t force their way into the Sentinel’s mind to heal, and without even a flicker of consciousness left to reach, a Flesh Bond won’t work either. In the end, all anyone can do is watch that soldier Fall, slow and helpless, as despair sinks its claws deep.

Mark pushes through the canopy overhead, his black combat uniform shredded with scratches everywhere while dust and grit cake the fabric until it grays out completely. He trudges on and on, finally reaching the spot the comm device marks after what feels like ages.

Mark scans the area, straining to catch Donghyuck's figure in his sights. After a moment, he spots that familiar silhouette off in the distance. Donghyuck still stands steady as ever, so Mark exhales a quiet breath of relief, grateful the guy seems unscathed for now.

"Donghyuck!" Mark calls out loud, weaving past the crooked tree trunks to close the gap. "Before you try to win me or to torment me any further, do you even get that you need to not die first?!"

Mark keeps grumbling nonstop, his hand shoving aside the surrounding branches.

Donghyuck stands smack in the middle of a clearing, Demonic Beast corpses littering the ground at his feet while black blood pools in dark stains across the dirt, even splattered across his clothes and smeared on his face. Mark shudders faintly at the sight, the whole scene edging into outright horror. Donghyuck looks every bit the cold-blooded butcher right now.

"Donghyuck! We've strayed way past the mission zone, don't stir up more trouble and leave me to clean up your mess."

The words barely land when Donghyuck turns his head slowly to face Mark. But that gaze hits Mark like ice down his spine, raising every hair on end.

Donghyuck's face, already streaked with black blood sprayed from those Demonic Beasts, twists into something utterly terrifying. His smile warps crooked, awareness fraying at the edges into full-blown mania. Mark's gut twists with dread, since he's seen plenty of Angels lost in battle rage before, but they just grew more aggressive, a touch hasty in their moves. Donghyuck, though, seems to have surrendered completely to instinct, morphing into a bloodthirsty hound off the leash.

"Donghyuck, I think you need to stop now," even as his legs tremble from the unease, Mark forces himself to inch closer.

But Donghyuck backs away instead, holding the distance between them while he chuckles on and on. "How could you possibly understand what this feels like for me? I've held back for years, too scared to unleash my full strength in case it hurts them, terrified that after the fight no one would dare to heal me."

Mark freezes in place. "Them? Who? What the hell are you even talking about?"

"I've played weak all this time, pretending I couldn't fight, all to keep everyone else safe. And what did I get in return? Tossed aside like trash, treated as dead weight, just like the way you used to talk about me."

"Wait, Donghyuck. What are you saying? I don't get it, is this all because of that one thing I said that you hate me this much?" Mark blurts out in confusion, still pressing forward toward Donghyuck without pause.

A fierce gust whips up out of nowhere, bending the towering trees sideways with such force that Mark stumbles, nearly toppling over as his balance shatters and he fights to stay upright. His wave detector, the one Donghyuck snatched earlier and now clutches in his hand, suddenly blares with frantic beeps and a shrill warning tone.

Mark's panic spikes, that's no wind, no gale dies down that fast. More accurately, a powerful shockwave just rippled out from deep within the woods.

A Fallen Angel is lurking nearby.

"So this is what it feels like to kill without restraint." Donghyuck seems oblivious still, too absorbed in toying with the blood-smeared blade in his grip. "I've loved every second. The organization, you, Mark Lee, and all those bastards who ditched me, never should have underestimated me."

"Run, Lee Donghyuck, a Fallen Angel is close to here!" Mark shouts urgently.

Donghyuck scoffs, his eyes flicking to the signal flashing on the device. "No, Mark Lee, I'll make you see."

"You're insane! There's a million other ways for you to impress me, but not by gambling your life!"

"If you don't want me dead, then stay the hell out of my way."

With that, Donghyuck slings the blade over his shoulder and bolts into the forest. Mark stands abandoned in a choking cloud of dust, coughing hard as he struggles to steady his ragged breaths.

"You maniac!" Mark can't waste another second on thought, so he charges after Donghyuck right away.

Chapter Text

Mark cannot report back to the organization to call for reinforcements, because if they discover that both of them have acted on their own outside the scope of their mission, they will surely face punishment. Not to mention, if they learn that Donghyuck has taken the initiative to seek out and engage in battle with a Fallen Angel, it will definitely not end well. What he needs to do now is convince the young Sentinel to give up and return, even though Mark has no idea how to accomplish that.

The wind howls through the withered treetops, but the sound gets drowned out by the frantic pounding of Mark's footsteps as he charges through the sparse forest, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his hand gripping the sniper rifle tightly. A thick cloud of dust swirls ahead, guiding him along Donghyuck's trail with snapped branches and deep footprints etched into the soil.

A terrifying roar tears through the forest, making Mark freeze in place. He ducks behind a fallen tree trunk, holding his breath as he peers out, watching a massive black shadow burst from the underbrush ahead.

The Fallen Angel emerges, towering twice the height of an ordinary Sentinel, its body twisted with jagged red veins snaking like spilled ink beneath the skin, still clad in the tattered black combat uniform of Golden Blood, ripped and frayed. Its eyes bulge white without any trace of pupils, stripped of all humanity, filled only with ravenous hunger and feral rage. In its grasp swings an ancient aether blade, its edge marred by scratches and decay, no longer glowing with the signature blue light of Angelic weapons but undoubtedly still lethally sharp.

"DONGHYUCK!" Mark shouts, but his voice gets swallowed by the Fallen Angel's bellow.

Donghyuck stands just a few meters from the Fallen Angel, clutching his blazing aether blade firmly. His eyes flash with manic excitement, a crooked grin spreading across his face without a hint of fear.

"Finally found you," Donghyuck says, then he charges straight at it, swinging his blade in a brilliant arc of light.

The blade clashes against the Fallen Angel's scarred edge, producing a piercing clang that sends sparks flying in all directions. But the creature only staggers back one step before roaring again, counterattacking with horrifying speed and power, leaving Donghyuck stunned as he leaps away to dodge.

Mark curses under his breath, raising the sniper rifle to aim at the monster's head through the scope.

"Donghyuck, fall back now!" Mark yells, but Donghyuck seems to ignore him completely, lunging forward once more with a flurry of rapid blade strikes.

Each of Donghyuck's blows lands with precision, yet the Fallen Angel shows no sign of damage. It moves like a phantom, every swing of its blade shattering earth and stone, forcing Donghyuck to dodge relentlessly without any chance to press the attack. Mark realizes that its strength far surpasses that of a regular Sentinel, as if all limits shattered the moment it turned dark.

"Donghyuck, you can't win this!" Mark squeezes the trigger, sending an aether bullet streaking out to embed itself in the creature's shoulder.

The Fallen Angel roars, whipping around toward Mark with eyes blazing red, locking onto his position. Mark rolls aside just as the blade slams down, cleaving the tree trunk he had been hiding behind in two.

"Damn it!" Mark mutters, his heart pounding as he feels the crushing pressure of psy-energy bearing down on his chest. He knows that without perfect coordination, both of them will die here.

Donghyuck, as if fueled by the danger, laughs wildly before attacking from behind. "Don't get in my way, Mark Lee! This is my opponent!"

Donghyuck's blade carves a perfect curving path aimed at the Fallen Angel's neck, but the monster simply tilts aside with ease, then delivers a hammer-like punch that sends Donghyuck flying backward, crashing hard into a boulder.

"DONGHYUCK!" Mark cries out in panic.

Donghyuck coughs up blood, but the grin on his lips does not fade. "You're strong!" He wipes the blood from the corner of his mouth quickly, then staggers to his feet unsteadily, his eyes gleaming like those of someone who has completely lost control.

Seeing Donghyuck's pupils gradually shifting to red fills Mark with immediate unease.

"You're about to overload, you idiot!" Mark bellows, rushing over to grab Donghyuck's arm tightly, trying to drag him away from this pointless fight. "Get back now, I'm not saying it twice!"

But Donghyuck shakes off Mark's hand, his gaze turning frenzied. "Get lost, Mark! I told you not to block my path!"

Then Donghyuck charges back in, slashing relentlessly with every ounce of strength, as if he has fully committed to a desperate bid for victory.

"Damn it...!" Mark clenches his fist in fury, hoisting the rifle onto his shoulder as he dashes to the side to prepare support for Donghyuck.

The Fallen Angel roars, swinging its blade in a streak of pitch-black light that slices across the forest, toppling rows of trees in its wake. Mark rolls to evade, but a flying chunk of rock strikes his shoulder, drawing a pained groan from him as he crumples to one knee.

Mark looks up, seeing Donghyuck teetering on the edge of life and death, his radiant blade clashing against the monster's scarred one. But Donghyuck is slowing down now, his breaths coming in heavy labored bursts, his eyes half-closed as if on the verge of passing out from exhaustion. The black veins creeping from the back of his hand begin spreading across his entire arm, signaling that the Dark Tide stirs within him.

"Donghyuck, stop pushing it!" Mark shouts, his voice hoarse and raw.

Mark has no choice left. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his shoulder, he lunges forward to seize Donghyuck's wrist, yanking the young Sentinel into a desperate sprint away from the Fallen Angel, all while attempting to forge a Spirit Bond in the midst of Donghyuck's daze. A scorching surge of energy floods through Mark's body, then flows into Donghyuck, drawing them both into the Astral Realm: a chaotic void swirling with dark vortexes.

A sudden headache crashes over Mark, then a bizarre scene materializes before his eyes. He suddenly glimpses a fragment of Donghyuck's memory from the young Sentinel's own perspective.

All around stretches the twisted landscape of the Mutated Forest in the Unknown Land. Donghyuck kneels on the bloodied earth, surrounded by Demonic Beasts sprawled in lifeless heaps, even more human corpses soaking in vast pools of crimson. A warm trickle spreads across his cheeks, which he realizes comes from twin streams of tears that started flowing unnoticed. Suddenly, someone yanks Donghyuck's wrist with brutal force, that person unleashing a torrent of furious curses, but Mark hears nothing at all.

Then Mark's mind gets wrenched violently from Donghyuck's Astral Realm, as if the Sentinel has clawed back a sliver of awareness and shoved him out by force.

"Damn it, what the hell was that?" Mark mutters, his eyes flicking over in confusion. Donghyuck remains dazed, not fully roused yet, discomfort etching across his face like he's enduring sharp waves of pain.

Back in reality, the Fallen Angel bellows and barrels after them, swinging its blade straight for both. Mark yanks Donghyuck aside just in time to dodge, but the edge grazes Mark’s shoulder, carving a shallow gash that oozes blood.

"Wake up, Donghyuck!" Mark shouts, still sprinting at full tilt while dragging the stumbling boy along.

Donghyuck's eyes glaze over, yet frenzy still flickers in their depths. "I... won't lose..." he whispers in a voice that trembles, then the blade in his grip ignites with brilliant light once more.

Donghyuck flings off Mark's hand, fighting to sharpen his focus before veering unsteadily in another direction. He loops around to the Fallen Angel's flank, looking primed to hurl himself at the monster again. In that instant, Mark grasps that they have only one shot left at survival.

"Together, or we both die!" Mark roars, then he whips around to square off against the Fallen Angel, hoisting the sniper rifle to sight down its chest.

Donghyuck nods with clear reluctance, the fierce spark in his eyes reigniting now that he has rallied his resolve.

Donghyuck surges forward, carving a slash into the Fallen Angel's side to snag its focus. Even drained and teetering on overload, his speed proves breathtaking. 

Mark squeezes the trigger. The aether bullet rips through the creature's chest, sending it reeling off balance. Donghyuck vaults up in that split-second opening, plunging his aether blade deep into the monster's skull.

One final guttural roar rumbles out before the Fallen Angel crumples, its form crumbling into jagged shards of darkness. The sparse forest slips back into its quiet hush, the Fallen Angel collapses into the ground, sinked in its own bath of blood.

Donghyuck heaves for breath, dropping to his knees, and jamming his blade into the dirt beside him for leverage. The black veins across his hand creep outward again, his gaze dulling into emptiness.

Mark stares at him, anger and worry churning together in his chest. "You're out of your mind, Donghyuck," he presses a hand to his own shoulder where blood still seeps through. "You nearly got us both killed!"

Donghyuck lets out a smirk, weaker and more strained than his usual cocky edge. "But I won... right?" He tilts his head up, his eyes blending smug victory with bone-deep fatigue.

Mark stays silent, frozen as he looks at Donghyuck, the ragged tears in the Sentinel’s uniform revealing how the black veins have now claimed his entire arm. Mark knows that without intervention, Donghyuck will soon twist into another Fallen Angel. Or worse, lose his grip on the Dark Tide and warp into a full Monster.

"Don't tell me you're about to die now?" Mark drops to one knee beside Donghyuck in a rush, fixing him with a grave stare.

Donghyuck shakes his head, exhaustion rasping every word into a faint wheeze: "I'm strong... right?"

The fragmented memory Mark stumbled into during that plunge into Donghyuck's Astral Realm suddenly resurfaces, stirring a tangle of complicated feelings in his gut. "I've lived in hell my whole life," the words Donghyuck once spat echo back through Mark's thoughts.

The skeletal forest, the ground slick with gore, corpses stacked in grotesque piles. An utterly horrifying tableau. Mark falters, struck by the dawning possibility that Donghyuck spoke true, that Mark knows nothing about him, no one does.

"Is this really the moment for that?" Mark grits out between his teeth.

"Not dead... yet... cough..." Donghyuck hacks up a spurt of blood, then his body sways and buckles once more.

But Mark catches him before he can slump to the earth, snatching Donghyuck up to keep him from sprawling. Against his better judgment, Mark pulls the Sentinel into a hug from behind, one arm looped over Donghyuck’s shoulder, the other cinched around his waist, letting Donghyuck's nape settle against his shoulder as the limp weight leans fully into Mark for support.

Donghyuck's face twists in agony, his arm locking rigid in an instant, crackling with faint, splintering pops that won't quit. Mark glances down and his eyes bulge wide, spotting how the Dark Tide has surged so far that Donghyuck's whole hand gleams an inky black, riddled with thick, protruding lines like coiled ropes under the skin.

"Hey! What the hell is this?!" Mark shakes him hard in a surge of panic.

But Donghyuck seems to have sunk into a daze, his pupils rolling wildly before gradually clouding over. That's the sign of overload. Donghyuck's eyes widen, the whites staining black as if shadows have swallowed them whole, the black streaks on the back of his hand spreading outward, twisting like venomous snakes slithering just beneath the skin. Involuntary growls rumble from deep in Donghyuck's throat, no longer sounding human but like some creature caught mid-possession.

Mark sits there stunned, his heart hammering so fiercely it feels ready to leap from his chest. "Donghyuck! Lee Donghyuck!"

But Donghyuck shows no reaction whatsoever. And then Mark grasps what he must do right now, there's only one path forward, he has to start the healing process immediately, clinging to the hope that it truly works.

Perfect compatibility, best not to disappoint, Mark reminds himself silently.

Mark seeks out Donghyuck's hand, interlacing their fingers with deliberate slowness, his arm cradling Donghyuck's shoulder squeezing just a fraction tighter. Mark reestablishes the Spirit Bond with him, the searing energy pooling in the center of his chest unfurling through his limbs before easing gradually into Donghyuck's body, coaxing the boy's temperature to climb bit by bit.

Mark hears a storm of noise inside Donghyuck’s mind, like dozens of movie scenes playing all at once, their sounds crashing over each other in chaos. The arm Mark has wrapped around Donghyuck’s shoulders lifts, his hand coming up to cradle the boy’s face, gently brushing his thumb over a streak of black blood still clinging to his cheek from the monsters before. Within seconds, the noise begins to fade, softening until it’s replaced by something calm, a sound like waves lapping gently against the shore.

Mark tilts his head, deepening the contact between them, resting his forehead lightly against Donghyuck’s. For a moment, it feels almost tender, almost like an embrace.

This is the Flesh Bond, though Mark still doesn’t dare to fully initiate it, only tapping into a fragment of its power. Deep down, something in him still resists Donghyuck, still simmers with the same distaste and irritation he hasn’t managed to let go of. It’s only because Donghyuck looks so close to the edge that Mark forces himself to do this much, and even now, Mark knows this is his limit. As long as he doesn’t let this guy die right in front of him, that’s enough.

But it falls short.

The black streaks halt their advance, yet they linger like ice-locked rivers rather than dissolving away. Pain still twists Donghyuck's features, his eyes no longer stark white as they were moments ago but drifting in a foggy haze, consciousness hovering just out of reach.

Mark grits his teeth in sheer frustration, cursing Donghyuck a thousand times over in his head. It’s his own damn fault for acting recklessly, for pushing past his limits until his mind overloaded. Now, a Spirit Bond alone won’t do much to fix the damage. All Mark can do is take the gamble, if he enters Donghyuck’s mind and the Sentinel still pushes him out, then there’s no saving him.

"You better take me in properly this time," Mark growls through clenched teeth, then he eases his eyes shut, bracing to forge the link with Donghyuck's Astral Realm again.

Mark's eyes flutter open once he senses his consciousness slipping into Donghyuck's mind, but thick darkness cloaks everything around him. This visit lacks the churning clouds and whipping winds of the previous entry, offering instead a vast, formless expanse. Mark has never studied the healing rites for an overloaded Sentinel, so doubt gnaws at him about whether he's landed in the right space at all.

A sudden glow erupts at his back, jolting Mark before he whirls around to face it.

The scenery before him warps in an instant, reshaping into that stray memory fragment he caught earlier, the Mutated Forest deep in the Unknown Land. Relief washes over Mark in a quiet breath, confirmation that Donghyuck hasn't barred him from his mental space.

But this immersion differs from that fleeting glimpse, Mark no longer peers through Donghyuck's eyes as he did then, instead occupying his own perspective entirely. And from Mark's position, a small boy appears in the distance.

The child kneels on the blood-soaked ground, hunching forward to bury his face in his tiny hands while soft sobs shake his frame.

Mark knows him at once, that's Donghyuck as a kid.

Mark moves toward the boy without hesitation. If this is a fragment of Donghyuck’s distant memory, it means Mark has gone deeper into Donghyuck's mind than he ever intended. Maybe Donghyuck allowed it without realizing, because Mark knows someone like him would never willingly reveal anything about himself.

The scene before Mark looks entirely different now. There are no beast corpses scattered around anymore, no trace of that furious man either. There’s only a pitiful little boy, dressed in torn fabric, hair matted and wild, kneeling among countless human bodies, blood streaking across the ground like crude, chaotic brushstrokes.

Mark steps up behind the boy, voice emerging soft and careful: "Donghyuck."

The child reacts in an instant, startling before whipping his head around to peer up at Mark. On Donghyuck’s hand now lies that same black mark, but it’s tiny, faint, barely visible at all. It seems the Dark Tide has been clinging to him since he was just a child.

Mark tests the waters by extending a hand, aiming to rest it on the boy's shoulder, but the child flinches away in terror, his wide eyes brimming with raw, unfiltered dread.

Mark should hate Donghyuck. He should’ve kept hating him. But somehow, maybe because their Spirit Bond had already formed, Mark could feel the pain Donghyuck was drowning in. It was strange, that sensation, sprouting from no reason at all, slipping quietly into his chest to show him everything twisting inside the other’s tangled mind. A torment that wouldn’t fade, heavy and raw.

"Donghyuck," Mark's tone softens further, dropping almost to a gentle murmur.

The child seems to sense no threat in Mark, so he eases his guard just a touch. Only then does Mark allow himself to place a hand atop the child's head, stroking lightly while his gaze stays locked on the jumbled pile of corpses.

Every one of these figures bears sharply defined features, proof that Donghyuck remembers these faces crystal clear, each etched into the bedrock of his suffering.

"Who are you?" The kid speaks up, his voice booming and echoing through the space, setting Mark's head ringing like a struck bell.

This must stem from the Astral Realm's nature, Mark realizes, he knows he's not truly conversing with Donghyuck here. This unfolds as the boy's subconscious, and even this child stands as just a fragment conjured by his fractured thoughts.

Mark sinks to one knee to meet the younger Donghyuck face-to-face, his expression a knot of tangled emotions as he studies the frail form huddled before him.

"Stop crying, your eyes are all puffy now," Mark aches at the boy's bedraggled state, his hand drifting to brush that tender cheek, wiping away the trail of tears with care.

"They're all dead..." The kid chokes out between hiccuping sobs, on the verge of shattering again. "I'm sorry I didn't do anything..."

"Why didn't you do something? If you had, could you have saved them?" Mark settles a hand on the boy's shoulder, his eyes warming with quiet patience.

"No..."

"Then why blame yourself?" Mark furrows his brow faintly, then decides to draw the child into a steady hug. "What matters is you're still here. They're all dead, but do you want to live?"

"Yes..."

"Then don't die," Mark isn't sure who those words target in the end. The boy in his arms, or the Donghyuck teetering on collapse back in the fragile real world beyond this realm.

Mark feels the child nod against him before small arms wrap around in return. In that moment, he channels his ability onward, infusing a soothing stream of psyche energy into the kid.

The corpses on the ground dissolve in a sudden puff, the surrounding forest quaking with violent shudders. The space flares with blinding light, forcing Mark to squint against the glare.

Then, before he can even brace himself, the pull yanks him back to reality.

Mark blinks in shock, realizing he's been ejected once more. He glances down at the figure still slumped limp in his hold, scanning Donghyuck from head to toe before a quiet breath of relief escapes him.

The black veins have pulled back now, retreating to their origin, leaving Donghyuck's arm whole and unmarred. Yet his entire right hand gleams pitch-black as midnight, as if the Dark Tide can only withdraw so far as the wrist. Even that proves enough, though, a wave of ease floods Mark, tinged with a flicker of pride over his successful healing.

Not some average healing, he saved an Angel from the brink of overload. Perfect compatibility really packs a punch, Mark exhales.

A sharp beep beep chirps from Mark's wrist, this time signaling an incoming team comm. He shifts his position, letting Donghyuck’s head rest on his shoulder, the boy’s body tucked neatly against his chest. Only then does Mark press the button to receive the transmission.

Dongyoung's voice bursts through in a rush of urgency: «Mark, the other squads have all returned, why haven't you two called for airship pickup yet? What's going on?»

Mark eyes the unconscious weight cradled against him, fresh anger starts simmering again. "We're good now. Ran into some unexpected trouble."

«What?! What happened?!»

"I'll send our location, can you call the airship for us? Don't ask anything else, I'll explain when we get back."

«Yeah yeah, just hurry home, I'm about to worry myself to death here.»

Mark cuts the line first, then lets out another weary sigh.

Thinking back on all of Donghyuck’s reckless, arrogant stunts up to this point, Mark feels the anger flare up in him.

When the organization or the Council comes asking for a report, he is absolutely going to dump every bit of the blame on this shithead.