Journey to Become the Zenith

A Hero’s Burden

The streets of Fantom City were quieter than usual.

Victory had come...

But joy had not.

The air still carried the faint scent of smoke, while broken buildings stood as silent reminders of the battle that had nearly erased the city from existence.

Videl walked alone through the streets.

Her sapphire-blue eyes wandered aimlessly.

She wasn’t searching for anyone.

She simply needed to think.

Victor’s words echoed repeatedly inside her mind.

”I’m doing this for the greater good.”

She clenched her fists.

”...Is it really?”

A group of children sat quietly outside a damaged home.

None of them laughed.

One little girl hugged a torn doll tightly while staring at the ground.

Nearby, an elderly couple silently placed flowers before a row of white-covered bodies.

No one cried anymore.

They had cried until no tears remained.

Videl lowered her head.

”...If Victor hadn’t come...”

”...everyone here would’ve died.”

She couldn’t deny that truth.

She had witnessed Alibaba’s overwhelming power herself.

No knight in Fantom City could have stopped that undead army.

Only Victor could.

Yet...

Another part of her heart refused to accept his solution.

”A coup...”

She whispered softly.

”More fighting...”

”More blood...”

”There has to be another way...”

She sighed deeply.

”I just haven’t found it yet.”

As she continued walking, a familiar voice suddenly called out behind her.

”Master!”

Videl turned around.

Running toward her was a young girl with long black hair that swayed behind her. Her bright green eyes sparkled the moment she spotted Videl.

It was Aria.

The girl slowed to a stop before Videl and smiled warmly.

”I’m glad you’re alright.”

Videl returned a faint smile.

”I’m fine.”

Aria tilted her head.

”...You don’t look fine.”

Videl forced another smile.

”I’m just thinking.”

Aria studied her face for a few moments before speaking gently.

”Is this about Master Victor?”

Videl’s expression stiffened.

”...You can tell?”

Aria nodded.

”You always make that face whenever you’re worried about him.”

Videl couldn’t help letting out a quiet laugh.

”Is it really that obvious?”

”A little.”

The two began walking side by side through the damaged streets.

For a while...

Neither of them spoke.

Only the sound of distant hammers repairing ruined buildings filled the silence.

Finally, Aria broke it.

”I heard some of what happened in battle field and how lord victor defeats that evil necromancer.”

”Master Victor is thinking do something big again... which bother you!”

Videl nodded.

”Yes.”

”He is.”

Aria looked ahead.

”I don’t understand everything he does.”

”But...”

She smiled softly.

”I’ve never seen him abandon anyone.”

Videl remained silent.

Aria continued.

”When he saved me...”

”He didn’t ask who I was.”

”He didn’t ask whether I was useful.”

”He simply reached out his hand.”

”I’ll never forget that.”

Videl looked toward the cloudy sky.

”I know...”

”Victor has a kind heart.”

”But...”

”He keeps choosing paths that hurt people.”

Aria’s smile faded slightly.

”I think...”

”He chooses the path that hurts him too.”

Those words made Videl stop walking.

Aria also stopped.

The young girl looked at Videl with calm, honest eyes.

”When I look at Master Victor...”

”I don’t see someone who enjoys hurting others.”

”I see someone who believes he’ll carry every burden himself.”

”He smiles...”

”But sometimes...”

”...his eyes don’t.”

Videl remained silent.

She remembered Victor standing before Alibaba.

She remembered the lonely look hidden behind his fearless grin.

Aria continued quietly.

”I don’t know whether his way is right.”

”I’m too inexperienced to judge someone like him.”

”But...”

”I think...”

”...he’s lonelier than he lets everyone believe.”

Videl lowered her gaze.

Her chest tightened.

She loved Victor.

That feeling had become impossible to deny.

But loving him...

Didn’t mean she could blindly accept everything he did.

She wanted to stand beside him.

She truly did.

Yet every step he took seemed to carry him farther down a road her heart struggled to follow.

Aria gently placed a hand on Videl’s shoulder.

”You don’t have to agree with him all the time.”

”But...”

”...don’t stop talking to him.”

”If everyone leaves him alone...”

”...who will remind him there’s another way?”

Videl slowly looked at Aria.

Then...

A small smile finally appeared on her face.

”...Thank you.”

Aria smiled brightly.

”I didn’t really do anything.”

”You did.”

Videl took a deep breath.

Her heart was still conflicted.

Nothing had been solved.

But...

For the first time since leaving Victor’s room...

She no longer felt completely lost.

Perhaps...

Instead of choosing between her ideals and the man she loved...

She would find a way to protect both.

After standing there in silence for a long moment, Videl let out a quiet sigh. There were still no answers in her heart.

She looked at Aria and gently changed the subject.

”I’m glad you made it out safely.”

”I was worried when the undead attacked.”

Aria’s bright green eyes softened, and a warm smile spread across her face.

”Thank you for caring, Master.”

The genuine happiness in her voice was impossible to hide. The two continued walking side by side through the damaged streets of Fantom City.

As they walked, Aria began explaining what had happened after the battle.

”Headmaster Max organized everyone as quickly as possible. He ordered all academy students and their servants to patrol the city in groups of six so no one would be left alone if any undead were still hiding.”

”I was assigned to an upperclassman team.”

”We’ve been helping rescue survivors, carrying supplies, and protecting the citizens.”

Videl nodded quietly.

”That sounds like Max.”

”He always knows what needs to be done.”

Aria smiled proudly.

”He barely rested after the battle.”

”He kept moving from one place to another, making sure everyone was safe.”

Their conversation continued until they eventually reached the academy dormitory.

The usually lively building had become eerily quiet.

Students moved through the halls with exhausted expressions. Some were tending to the wounded, while others simply sat in silence, mourning friends who would never return.

Videl instinctively looked around.

”...Where’s Niva?”