Turning

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Chapter 794

After Hosanna finished speaking, he seemed to become immersed in old memories, sealing his lips in silence. Yuder did not ask another question, making the room instantly wrapped in a sudden quiet.

Then, a gentle knocking sound broke the silence, causing the previously dazed Hosanna to startle back to awareness.

"Yuder, do you think we need more time? I feel it might be time for us to leave."

Recognizing the knocker as Kanna, Hosanna quickly relaxed, the anxiety in his eyes dissipating. This revealed that he still didn't fully understand Kanna's abilities, yet he trusted her greatly, acknowledging her competence in handling matters.

Yuder stood up, dusting off his seat.

"No, we're done here. We'll be leaving soon."

"Uh..."

"My request to you..."

Filled with fear and guilt, he couldn't meet Yuder's eyes. His grip was so tight that his knuckles whitened. Yuder, after a brief silence, finally spoke.

"My thoughts remain unchanged. However, I'm unsure of the Commander's opinion and need to investigate further based on your story. We'll discuss this later."

Honestly, Yuder expected everyone to share his view, but saw no need to provoke Hosanna unnecessarily with his blunt words.

"Understood."

Yuder contemplated, looking at the crestfallen Hosanna, who let go of his garment.

Nahan, who had personally verified the survival of Gayle and Doyle in the Cavalry, must have realized that the Cavalry's policy wasn't to easily take lives. Thus, he must have surmised Hosanna's survival, yet he had made no effort to find him.

Even when encountering Cavalry members in the capital, Nahan didn't inquire about Hosanna's wellbeing. Given the relationship they had, Nahan's lack of concern was extraordinary.

Hosanna, having been with Nahan long before becoming an Awakener and even saving his life in critical moments, should have been like a real brother to him. Yet, Nahan didn't seem to place much importance on Hosanna.

'I thought they had been together since before Hosanna entered the Star of Nagran, assuming it was merely a long-term master-servant relationship.'

Such unbalanced emotions and relationships – were they all a result of the sage's brainwashing? Or something else...

Lost in thought, Yuder mused aloud.

"But which prestigious family despised the southern bastard child so much? I don't recall hearing about that."

Hosanna hesitated for the first time upon hearing this question.

"It's..."

"Why?"

"..."

"Is there a problem?"

"...That has nothing to do with my request to you."

It was the first real resistance he had shown.

'He refuses to answer just this part?'

Observing Hosanna's face closely, Yuder pressed again.

"What if it is related? Can't you answer then?"

Hosanna's face tightened, beads of sweat forming. He seemed to waver, suppressing pain. His fingers trembled slightly, and his muscles twitched involuntarily.

In a barely perceptible manner, yet growing ever more significant like a bubble about to burst, Hosanna hesitated.

"If that's the case, I must tell you... I..."

"Wait. I understand. You don't have to answer," Yuder interrupted, raising his hand to stop him just as Hosanna struggled to speak. At this, all the subtle reactions stirring within Hosanna ceased abruptly.

Seeing this, Yuder was certain.

"So, you're unable to answer, aren't you?"

"..."

"An oath, perhaps?"

"I can't answer that."

"Do you know if Nahan is under the same restrictions?"

"I don't know."

The responses to both questions differed. Yuder gleaned enough from this alone.

"I see. I'll not question further on this matter."

Yuder then left the room. Kanna, who had been waiting outside, glanced quickly inside the room before approaching him.

"Is it over?"

"Yes."

"What was Hosanna trying to tell you?"

"You probably have guessed it already."

"Ah. From your tone, it's about Nahan, isn't it?"

Kanna easily deduced the correct answer.

"Did he try to persuade you to surrender? Or just ask for mercy?"

"Seems like he hoped for mercy, if possible."

"That's asking too much. If we spare Nahan, would he even expect it on his end?"

Kanna smirked, wrinkling her nose. She didn't wait for Yuder's response, answering her own question.

"A person like Nahan would rather die than surrender, I bet."

"My thoughts exactly," Yuder agreed briefly, eliciting a laugh from Kanna.

"So, what did you tell him?"

Yuder relayed the entire conversation with Hosanna to Kanna. She seemed slightly thrilled to finally learn the past stories they couldn't uncover during their investigations.

"I've learned as much as I can for today. What do you think?"

"Hmm... Sometimes, letting someone speak on their own is better than trying a hundred times with my power," Kanna noted, slightly frustrated.

"I read information, not thoughts, so it's hard to be certain about such distant past events... But the information you provided today should make future readings easier."

After saying this, Kanna lowered her voice and began listing their next steps.

"I'll try to find out the name of the family Hosanna couldn't speak of due to his oath. It'll be my first attempt to break through an oath, so I'm not sure how it'll go. Probing more into the relationship with Nahan might also reveal answers about the parts you're suspicious of. And..."

Her counting fingers paused briefly.

"The brainwashing commands applied to Nahan."

Her gaze sharpened.

"It's likely the command to 'do his utmost for the Star of Nagran.' That explains why he didn't follow the sage blindly but was still dedicated to the Star of Nagran’s purpose, unlike others."

Yuder shared her view. The sage must have used such indirect brainwashing because he hadn't established a proper trust relationship with Nahan at the time.

Back then, the sage would have seen Hosanna as more useful than Nahan. However, Hosanna was Nahan's servant.

If Nahan had decided to leave the sage's side, Hosanna would have followed him without question, regardless of the circumstances. This was a certainty, an unbreakable truth, even if Hosanna was in a state of complete brainwashing, fully trusting the sage.

Thus, to prevent the valuable Hosanna from leaving, it was necessary to ensure Nahan couldn't depart. However, Nahan wasn't easily swayed by the sage like others. The sage at that time must have been quite impatient.

'Especially after realizing Nahan’s abilities were better than expected.'

"Even if it was an indirect method, it must have seemed like a good idea at the time, right? I think making Nahan name the 'Star of Nagran' was the beginning of the brainwashing."

Kanna shared her speculation with the thoughtful Yuder.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. There's no better way to instill a sense of responsibility than by naming something, right? I know from my experience with pets. The ones I named myself were always more dear and lovable than those I didn’t."

"…Responsibility."

Yuder had never considered the link between naming and responsibility.

Chewing over Kanna's words, Yuder found himself drawn to the notion of naming. He suddenly remembered a man who had given him a name.

'…'

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Read up to the latest chapter (1236) and more than 1000 chapters of BL novels here

[BL] Cloudless Sky

Jin Soram, the top-ranked hunter representing South Korea's Rift Phenomenon Management Headquarters, is stronger than anyone else and lazier than anyone else. As soon as he arrives at the office, he buries himself under a blanket and falls asleep. When he goes out on a mission, he causes accidents and returns to the office, often shirking his duties.

"Do you know how it feels to play a game that's already messed up? ...Anyway, the next round will come, so this time, I'm just going to play it recklessly."

In fact, his true identity is someone who has regressed through three lives, trying to save the world from the Great Rift but failing each time. After repeating a life where he couldn't sleep peacefully even for a day, he became completely exhausted before this life even began.

"I know. You worked hard, Jin Soram."

And then there's Han Tae-un, the man who saved Soram and died in all three previous lives. As he did in every life, he comes to Soram's side once again. The Great Rift is approaching soon. It's impossible to resolve it in this life without any preparation. Soram vows to save Tae-un in this life and die himself. At least, he won't let Tae-un save a failure like himself again.

"For now, until then, let's sleep..."

As Soram sluggishly lives his life waiting for that moment, a gradual change occurs in his heart.

'I thought this was a messed-up round... but I want to live a little longer here.'

[BL] Bermuda

Leonardo Blaine, the true war hero of the Raina Logia Empire and the commander of the Armsilver 11th Squad, is dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders during the final battle that could have led the Empire to victory in the territorial war. People criticize and point fingers at him, and after being released on parole from prison, he disappears without a trace.

Three years later, his name has been forgotten by the world. The Council has been persistently pursuing him, but he has proven difficult to capture. Frustrated by this, Hugo Agrizendro, the commander of the Council's army, decides to personally apprehend him.

"Since when have you been watching me?"

Leonardo was calculative and astute, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had been observing Hugo for some time now. However, Leonardo's answer was something that even Hugo had not anticipated.

"From the very beginning."

[BL] The Mist (Same author as Turning)

In the autumn of his 18th year, after winning the high school kendo championship finals, an unexpected accident occurred.

Due to that incident, Kang Mu-heon lost one of his legs, his closest friend, and his promising future. He closed off his heart and shut himself away alone.

A few years later, the world's first real virtual reality game <THE MIST> was announced, where even those with physical disabilities could play in healthy bodies.

By chance, Kang Mu-heon encountered it and began a new life as the mage Kapros, facing unexpected meetings, reunions, and days of change....

***

"Why was someone like you born into this world to make me so miserable? Do you understand when I say it like this?! You were born with talent for the sword, a bright personality, everything - you must have been laughing at me always lagging behind! Did you even know how pathetic I felt because of your stupid hypocrisy? A genius? What does any of that matter!"

Seung-jo's cries stabbed at his heart, wailing as if he were crying even though he wasn't, but there was no time to think further. He quickly clutched my stomach, got up, and ran towards him.

He looked surprised for a moment, but he was desperate.

Just as the car was about to reach us, he shoved Seung-jo hard. Right after Seung-jo fell and rolled away with wide, startled eyes—

Screech!

Bang! With an impact that felt like his whole body was being shattered, he flew through the air.

And in that brief yet long moment of floating in space, he remembered his reflection in Seung-jo's eyes for the last time.......

***

[ Then in THE MIST, may you become the master of infinite possibilities. ]

Whoosh!

When his vision returned after everything went white, he was standing in the middle of a bustling town. Amidst the clamor, countless people were busily going about their business here and there.

He looked down at himself, standing dazed and wearing clothes of unknown origin. When he touched the sleeve, he felt the texture of fabric as real as reality. His hair felt the same, and even when he touched the wall of a nearby house, he could clearly feel the solid, cold surface.

Is this... VT?

It seemed like a joke. It truly felt as if he had come to another world and was touching everything.

As he stood there unable to think due to the shock, he suddenly remembered the biggest reason he had decided to play this game, and snapped back to attention. His two legs were still as they had been when he first stood.

'Can I really walk?'

He first stepped out with his left foot, then very slowly put strength into his heavy right foot. It felt like cold sweat was running down his spine.

And then,

He lifted it,

Moved it,

And took another step to touch the ground again.

So easily. As if there had never been any problem with this leg from the beginning.

"Ah..."

At that moment, something that was neither joy nor emotion shot up his spine. Suddenly feeling a lump in his throat, he lowered his head and leaned against the wall. His right foot, bearing his weight, was doing its job perfectly.

"..."

Holding back the tightness in his throat, he took another step.

It didn't hurt. It wasn't heavy. His leg was no longer a useless piece of wood that ached.

Damn it, to be able to walk so easily like this.

To be able to run so easily like this.

He had wished even in his dreams for the day to come when he could walk and run like this again.

And so he walked again, kept walking, slowly getting faster, until finally he started running like a madman through the entire town.

***

"Kap. ...There seems to be a misunderstanding. That's not what I meant."

Just as he was thinking he should throw a punch, Yu-wan sighed with a troubled look and said.

A misunderstanding? How could it be a misunderstanding when he said with his own mouth that he didn't think of me as a friend?

"I didn't expect to receive such a question suddenly, so my explanation was probably too brief. Let me rephrase."

Yu-wan reached out his hand, his face completely changed from before - intense yet resolute - as he stared at him. As he didn't reject the hand suddenly approaching his face and kept his gaze fixed, his cool large hand touched his cheek completely.

A shiver ran down his spine at that moment.

"I'm sorry to say this to you, but I don't see you only as a friend. ...This is the complete answer."

Check out the new project 2:

[BL] Cloudless Sky

Jin Soram, the top-ranked hunter representing South Korea's Rift Phenomenon Management Headquarters, is stronger than anyone else and lazier than anyone else. As soon as he arrives at the office, he buries himself under a blanket and falls asleep. When he goes out on a mission, he causes accidents and returns to the office, often shirking his duties.

"Do you know how it feels to play a game that's already messed up? ...Anyway, the next round will come, so this time, I'm just going to play it recklessly."

In fact, his true identity is someone who has regressed through three lives, trying to save the world from the Great Rift but failing each time. After repeating a life where he couldn't sleep peacefully even for a day, he became completely exhausted before this life even began.

"I know. You worked hard, Jin Soram."

And then there's Han Tae-un, the man who saved Soram and died in all three previous lives. As he did in every life, he comes to Soram's side once again. The Great Rift is approaching soon. It's impossible to resolve it in this life without any preparation. Soram vows to save Tae-un in this life and die himself. At least, he won't let Tae-un save a failure like himself again.

"For now, until then, let's sleep..."

As Soram sluggishly lives his life waiting for that moment, a gradual change occurs in his heart.

'I thought this was a messed-up round... but I want to live a little longer here.'