The room is dimly lit, casting long shadows across the faces of the seven figures seated on the elevated podium. They are the Council— Orden the Evolved King, Aileen the Human Dragon, Chae Jinyoon the Visionary Archer, Jin Sahyuk the Blue Death, Oh Jaejin the Magic King, Kim Hosup the All-Seeing, and the Berserk Lightning Yoo Jinhyung— They are the governing power in Cube City, trusted by their people, and leaders of the survived humanity from destroyed timelines.

Jonghak is sitting before them, his shoulders are squared, and his gaze is steady. He knows the weight of their collective scrutiny and feels it pressing down on him like a physical force.

Aileen, the most prominent voice among the Council, leans forward with a stern look. "Jonghak, we entrusted you with a crucial task. And yet, here you stand before us empty-handed. Explain yourself."

The Human Dragon, Ailleen, has grown unexpectedly tall over the years… She used to have a midget’s body even after becoming an adult, but after touching the fringes of transcendence, she finally is able to increase her height—

Everyone from the council can be considered a semi-transcendent, or archaically known as a demi-god. They have power, but not enough to be considered a true transcendent. Reaching transcendence is a far more difficult feat than anyone can imaginably bear.

Even Jonghak’s transcendence has been a rowdy affair, and it has been a ‘delayed’ transcendence of all things.

Jonghak clears his throat, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. "I did everything in my power to locate Hyon Hyun," he says. "But the circumstances were beyond my control. The trail went cold."

A murmur ripples through the Council, skepticism etched on their faces. "Excuses won't suffice, Jonghak," Aileen retorts sharply. "The child's disappearance threatens the stability of our community. We need answers, not apologies."

Jonghak meets Aileen's gaze, unflinching. "I understand the gravity of the situation," he says. "But it is useless, the child is smart enough to tamper with Hosup’s scans, so he surely will be smart enough to know I will be coming at him… The kid knows how to hide if he so wills it like his father.”

They are all lies that Jonghak has prepared with Yeonha, something that they shouldn’t be able to see past through.

Another member of the Council speaks up, their voice edged with impatience. The speaker is none other than Orden the Evolved King. "Words are meaningless without action, Jonghak. What guarantee do we have that you'll succeed where you've already failed? The child is important, yes, but beyond that, he is crucial for our survival."

Like the others, Orden has also changed over the years. He has become more evolved, and the direction his evolution has taken him has turned him more human. Orden’s birth has always been a mystery to others and even to himself, but he has been a reliable ally of Cube City since its founding and the Noah’s Ark Program.

Orden’s is about eight feet tall and has stream-lined muscles. Even with his Council Robe, his physique can be seen clinging to the surface. He has bluish and gray skin with sharp eyes, and short dark hair.

Jonghak's jaw tightens, but he maintains his composure. "I am fully aware of your meaning," he replies with an annoyed tone. "The Child has the property of ‘Cube’, the ultimate defensive line that has protected our society, and it represents 80% of our logistics. There is no convincing Cube AI if she so suddenly decides to stop helping us… unless we have the child."

It sounds so disgustingly true, but the Council does feel possessive over Hyun. They don’t cage the child, and try their best to offer him the environment he needs to grow as a human being, but it is a fact most see Hyon Hyun as a liability they need to watch over from a distance. This has been a problem for some time, but in the end, the Council has unanimously agreed to give Hyon Hyun special treatment allowing him specialized education with hopes he will someday lead the Council.

But to think, Hyun will suddenly vanish on them like this.

It is like… a company invests in one of its employee to advance his studies and earn a doctorate degree, only for said employee to ditch his company, break a contract, vanish, and maybe even jump to another company… It is highly immoral!

Funnily enough, Jonghak thinks that behavior is pretty much aligned to what Hyun’s father is like.

Aileen studies Jonghak for a moment, her expression is inscrutable. Then, with a nod, she addresses the Council. "Very well. We understand, Jonghak. We’ll call you over soon as soon as Hyun is located."

“Unfortunately,” Jonghak trails off… “That’s a problem…”

“What do you mean?” Aileen asks with a frown.

“I am leaving.” Jonghak expresses his desire to leave Cube City.

Jonghak's words hang heavy in the dimly lit chamber, each syllable carrying the weight of his decision. Aileen's frown deepens as she absorbs the gravity of his announcement. "You wish to leave?" she asks, her voice tinged with surprise and concern.

Jonghak nods with a resolute expression. "I am going to the Transcendent Plane," he explains. "There is no need for me to be here anymore. You guys are strong enough to protect Earth. Because I am the only Transcendent around, it doesn’t mean I have to shoulder everything. I am retiring, guys…”

Aileen's brow furrows, and she exchanges a glance with the other members of the Council.

Kim Hosup the All-Seeing nods solemnly. "I have seen this coming," he remarks. "At some point, Jonghak, you have to leave Cube City. It's inevitable." He has been among the earlier members of Sinful, the Council’s precedent.

The All-Seeing's words hang in the air, a somber reminder of the passage of time and the inevitability of change. Aileen sighs, her expression softening with empathy. "I'm sorry if the Council's demands have pushed you too far," she says, her tone genuine. "But know that your presence will be sorely missed."

Chae Jinyoon, the Visionary Archer, speaks up, his voice tinged with regret. "I agree," he says, his gaze meeting Jonghak's. "We may be strong, but your guidance and experience have been invaluable to us all. Your absence will be felt deeply."

Hearing Jinyoon makes Jonghak feel so old… Technically, Chae Jinyoon should be older than him. If they are to compare their birth certificates, Jinyoon is most likely a decade older. Because of Jonghak’s time-traveling adventures, he has become so much older than the others.

Jonghak offers a faint smile, touched by the sincerity in their words. "Thank you," he says, his voice filled with gratitude. "But it is time for me to step aside and allow others to take the lead. I have faith in each of you to uphold the peace and protect our community."

“Just out of curiosity, what has prompted you to retire?” asks Oh Jaejin.

Unlike the Oh Jaejin of Earth who is past 70s, the Oh Jaejin of the Council is fairly young at the age of 37. The time they arrived at this timeline was in 2001. Oh Jaejin is among the most ardent believers of Kim Suho who unfortunately has been exiled to Earth, and Jonghak knows Jaejin’s words too well.

Cutting in is a rather aggressive tone of Jin Sahyuk of Blue Death, the newest member of the Council after the retirement of Tomer the Djinn. “While you deserve this retirement, what is it that made you so at ease to leave?” There is slight hostility in her tone as the atmosphere becomes tense.

“Cute,” Jonghak remarks, amused. “You do know I can fold you in half and burn you until nothing is left, but I am a nice person, so I will let you get away with it. The reason I went here and bothered reporting and answering to the Council is not because I respect your lot, but because I respect the decision my friends made before all of you came along.”

Sahyuk isn’t one bit afraid of Jonghak as she counters, “Don’t be irresponsible. I know that the current Cube will become more fragile if you leave now. I insist that you retrieve Hyon Hyun first before you go. The current Earth is catching up to our technology fast, and so are their champions, not to mention Djinns and Villains continue to permeate their population.”

For a newbie at the table, Sahyuk is someone who sympathizes strongly with Kim Suho’s ideal— she believes that Earth needs to be protected more than just outside interference, dungeons, and other worlds— that the Council needs to protect Earth from itself.

Jonghak meets Jin Sahyuk's gaze, her words hanging heavy in the air. He understands her concerns and her skepticism about his decision. "I appreciate your perspective, Jin Sahyuk," he replies calmly, "but my decision is not made lightly. Hyon Hyun's disappearance is indeed a pressing issue, but I trust in the abilities of the Council to handle it without me."

Jin Sahyuk's expression remains guarded, her eyes narrowing slightly. "And what if your leaving jeopardizes our ability to find him?" she presses, her tone sharp with urgency. "You have a responsibility, Shin Jonghak. To this city, to Hyon Hyun, and to us."

Jonghak nods solemnly, acknowledging her point. "I understand your concerns, Jin Sahyuk," he says, "but my decision is final. I believe it's time for me to move on and explore other realms, to seek answers beyond the confines of Cube City. I trust that you will continue to uphold the values and protect our community in my absence."

Yoo Jinhyung the Berserk Lightning interjects, his voice is gentle yet firm. "Jonghak has made his decision," he says, casting a glance around the room. "We must respect that. We will find Hyon Hyun with or without him. And Jonghak, should you ever need us, know that you will always have a place here." The now relatively old man is well past his 50s, but he is still going strong.

Kim Hosup however just stares… his question remains unanswered. “So, what has prompted you to retire?”

Jonghak meets Kim Hosup's gaze with an unreadable expression. Then, with a faint smile, he leans forward slightly. "What has prompted me to retire?" he repeats, his tone contemplative. "Let's just say, it's time for a change. Time to resurrect the old order, bring back Sinful."

His words hang in the air, heavy with implication.

The Council members exchange puzzled glances, clearly taken aback by Jonghak's unexpected revelation. Aileen's brow furrows in confusion, while Chae Jinyoon's eyes widen in surprise.

"S-Sinful?" Aileen stammers, her voice barely above a whisper. "But that's... that's impossible. Sinful disbanded years ago. Why would you want to bring them back?"

She makes a hard point— one member has been exiled for some time, another has been dead for years, and the last one has become a wanted murderer and is on the run. But don’t frown on Jonghak, this is Yeonha’s strategy after all.

Jonghak straightens his back, while his eyes are resolute. "Because it's necessary," he replies firmly. "The world is changing, evolving. And we need to adapt. Sinful may have been deemed unnecessary in the past, but now... now it's time for their return. We are way past the epilogue, we are basically teetering on a new saga."

It almost makes Jonghak laugh at how poetic he can be if he wants to— he recalls his time when he has become ‘Kim Hajin’ from the zeroth iteration where he makes novels.

Orden, normally stoic and composed, seems visibly unsettled by Jonghak's words. "You can't be serious," he says, his voice laced with disbelief. "Sinful was a relic of the past, a childish thought of wanting to hunt devils… with an alliance of kids. Sinful is what saved us, saved my people, and I hold no prejudice over it, but isn’t this unnecessary? We are in a new era just like you said…"

Jonghak's smile doesn't waver. "Perhaps," he concedes, "but we are not kids anymore. Sinful may have had its flaws, but it also had its strengths. And right now, we need those strengths more than ever. I know the Council has held animosity over Rachel and Nayun leaving, and not returning for years, but that doesn’t mean they have abandoned you."

“Moreover,” Jonghak’s tone becomes steelier. “Tomer told me once, she shared with me about Hyon’s lack of vision of Sinful. It is something he rarely shared with others faking his gathering a bunch of teens as a childish attempt to save the world, but he does have a vision—”

“What is it? Lack of vision?” Sahyuk’s curiosity is piqued, realizing there is a deeper meaning to this.

Unfortunately, Sahyuk is miserably mistaken.

“The truth is… he doesn’t have a vision for creating Sinful, he admits to Tomer openly he just wants to hang out with cool people like Suho and the others. Sinful was created not out of a grand design to save the world, to hunt devils, or to combat the evils of the world. It is so that we can achieve the best versions of ourselves: Kim Hajin, Chae Nayun, Kim Suho, Yoo Yeonha, Rachel Elizabeth Louise, and Me... Though it has been a painful experience, I believe I have achieved the best version of myself, and it is time I pay back. That is why I am going to rebuild it— Sinful will be reborn better and stronger, just you watch.”

Without waiting for further protests or questions, Jonghak stands up from his seat, his gaze sweeping over the stunned faces of the Council members. "I bid you farewell," he says, "I have my own path to follow now. But know this, I will not forget my duty to Cube City, nor will I forget the bonds forged here."

With that, Jonghak turns and strides out of the chamber, leaving the Council members speechless in his wake. As the door closes behind him, the room falls into a heavy silence, each member lost in their own thoughts and uncertainties about the future Jonghak has set in motion.