CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45 – ETERNAL NIGHT (PART 2)

Chapter 45 – Eternal Night (Part 2)

Jack and Evelyn slipped into the bunker without resistance. The soldiers stationed at the entrance gave them wide-eyed looks, as though two strangers had just stepped out of another world. Conversations faltered, footsteps paused, and the men and women of the garrison instinctively moved aside, parting to make a path for them. No one dared meet their eyes for long. No one dared stand in their way. They had seen Jack and Evelyn arrive with Sommeil, and Sommeil was the kind of man whose presence alone warned others not to question anything connected to him.

Herman, standing near the entrance, clenched his fists but kept his mouth shut. He knew very well that interfering here was suicide. He had no authority over Sommeil, no weight to his words in front of a figure like that. At most, he could only watch in silence as the two vanished into the crowded bunker.

Inside, the atmosphere was thick with fatigue and unease. The civilians and soldiers huddled together in the vast underground chamber, ears ringing with the distant echoes of battle. For hours, the sounds of clashing and roaring had hammered against the walls, a constant reminder that death stalked them just outside. Panic lingered like a sickness, heavy and suffocating, though exhaustion kept it at bay. If not for the injuries, the drained bodies, and the sheer weight of fear pressing down on everyone, chaos would have already erupted.

Jack led Evelyn away from the crowded heart of the bunker, seeking out a quiet, dimly lit corner where they could speak without drawing unwanted attention.

"Change of plans," Jack said, his tone low and deliberate.

Evelyn crossed her arms. "What kind of change?"

"Sommeil is going to clean the city," Jack replied. His eyes narrowed as if calculating. "We need to take advantage of that as much as possible."

Her brow furrowed. "How so?"

"After he clears out the monsters and leaves, there will be a gap before the Eternal Night Clan sends their people. From his tone, it could be days. In that time, stray monsters are bound to appear. Not hordes, not swarms—scattered ones. That’s our chance. We can hunt them, grow stronger, and gather essence without the constant threat of being drowned in an entire tide of beasts."

It was a simple plan on the surface, yet one with enormous implications. Jack knew the value of every essence he could harvest. Each drop of power was another layer of armor against death. If there was even the smallest chance to grow stronger without gambling his life recklessly, he would seize it without hesitation.

"I see..." Evelyn nodded slowly. "So, we’ll be heading toward the borders."

"Exactly. If we’re lucky, we won’t run into massive clusters. And even if we do, we still have the ability to retreat." He exhaled, his voice betraying the weight dragging on him. His body was a wreck. Every movement felt heavier than the last, and the sheer amount of blood he had lost should have left him bedridden. The fact that he was still walking was absurd even by his own standards. He needed healing—desperately.

"For now," Jack continued, "we lay low. Don’t do anything until Sommeil finishes whatever he intends to do. I’m sure word will spread later today about his next move."

Evelyn’s arms tightened across her chest. "Let’s hope that’s all he does. I don’t trust him, Jack. Not at all. He said he was going to integrate this city into the Eternal Night domain. That doesn’t sound like a simple cleansing operation. Something about that unsettles me."

Jack’s expression darkened. He cracked his neck and let out a low sigh. "I don’t know either. But I can tell it’s not just political. Whatever he meant, it will reveal itself soon enough." He turned slightly away from her, shoulders stiff. "That’s enough for now. I need rest before we move again."

Evelyn glanced at him, concern shadowing her features. His pale skin and the dried blood staining his clothes made her uneasy. "You should go to the medical section, Jack. You’ve bled too much already."

He shook his head without hesitation. "No need. I’ll manage." Then he walked away, his steps steady but faintly dragging.

Evelyn lingered, watching his back until he disappeared into the dim corridor. "He’ll be fine... huh?" she whispered. But the words tasted uncertain, hollow. A prickling sensation crawled along her skin, the eerie impression that someone had been staring at her. By the time she turned, the feeling had already faded, leaving her alone with her doubts.

"I should get some rest too..." she muttered and headed deeper into the bunker.

***

"Finally! Sit down, Jack."

The gentle yet commanding voice of Lune echoed near him as she materialized by his side. Jack obeyed without argument, settling onto a chair. A soft, radiant glow enveloped his body the moment she placed her hands over him. The warmth spread through his veins like liquid sunlight, burning away the exhaustion, mending the torn flesh, stitching together what should have taken weeks to heal. Within seconds, the nausea vanished, the weakness evaporated, and he felt whole again—strong, sharp, renewed.

Exhaling a satisfied breath, Jack rose to his feet and stretched, testing his body as if to confirm the miracle. "Mmm... thank you."

"There’s no need to thank me, my love," Lune replied with a tender smile. "Helping you is my joy."

Jack gave a faint nod, his expression unreadable. After a moment of silence, he asked, "You heard Evelyn’s question earlier, didn’t you?"

"Of course I did. I was listening closely." For the briefest instant, her serene eyes flickered with something sharper—something dangerous. Then the calmness returned, smooth as still water.

Jack studied her quietly. "Do you know what Sommeil is planning?"

She paused, considering. "Not entirely. My knowledge of the Eternal Night Clan is limited, but I know their base lies within the Night Realm, deep in the eastern regions of Aevum. A land of endless night—hence their name. I also met their founder once. He is..." she hesitated, "...Someone extraordinary. One of the most powerful Chronists alive, said to stand just beneath the level of a Chrono Deity."

"I see..." Jack muttered. His gaze lowered, mind already dissecting the implications. "The Night Realm, huh?"

Thoughts raced through his head, piecing fragments of logic together. ’Could it be...? No. That shouldn’t be possible through ordinary means. Unless they plan to bring something from Aevum itself into Earth... but that’s impossible.’

He exhaled slowly. ’Whatever it is, we’ll know soon enough.’

His attention shifted back to her. "I obtained a new Lesser Chronical when I killed the Dire Tiger."

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Another one already? That’s remarkable."

"Is it that unusual to gain them this quickly compared to other people like me?"

"It is," she admitted. "The odds of monsters dropping Lesser Chronicals are very slim. That’s why most Chronists purchase them instead—it saves both time and risk. The fact that you’ve gained two in mere hours is..." She trailed off, almost exasperated. "...impressive doesn’t even begin to cover it."

Lune’s heart twisted with conflicted emotions. Jack’s meteoric growth was unlike anything she had ever seen. Within a single day, he was pushing toward the third rank—a pace no sane Chronist would even dream of. It was exhilarating, yet terrifying.

’If the wrong people learn of his talent, disaster will follow.’ She remembered how flawlessly he had hidden his aura when Sommeil appeared, keeping his true strength secret. But that veil wouldn’t last forever. Once his identity spread, once others realized who and what Jack was, life would become a storm they might not survive.

Her eyes lingered on him as he studied his status menu. He looked calm, analytical, but she could see the path stretching before him, a path filled with peril. She clenched her fists. ’I can’t let history repeat itself. I will protect him. I will guide him. He will walk the same path he once did, no matter what it takes.’

Her resolve hardened into steel. I won’t allow him to stray. Not this time.

Unaware of her thoughts, Jack scanned his status.

[Name: Jack Blackwood]

Age: 16

Bloodline: None

Title: None

Main Chronical: Tree of Wisdom

Lesser Chronical: Blood Fiend / Claw of Insanity

Essence Consumed: (89/100) (Chrono Born)

"Interesting," Jack muttered under his breath. "I’ve absorbed so much essence already. I could’ve gained even more if I’d had a chance to use Blood Fiend." His eyes narrowed. "I’ll have to find better opportunities to activate it—it would accelerate my progress significantly."

Blood Fiend’s flaw was glaring: activation left him wide open, forcing him to endure a window of helplessness before it could take effect. It was only safe after a battle was already decided. He would need to adapt, to refine its usage and be able to use it to its fullest extent.

"Now..." he murmured, eyes narrowing at the text before him. "The new Chronical I got... Claw of Insanity."