Chapter 44 – Encounter with the Shadow: Gino

A thin layer of fog clung to the narrow alleyways of East City, twisting and curling around the cobblestones like pale serpents. The night was unusually quiet—so quiet that Zareen could hear his own breathing, shallow and tense.

He gripped his black staff tighter, its wood faintly warm against his palm, as if reacting to the presence he felt nearby.

And then, just like before, the shadow appeared.

But this time, it didn’t vanish into the mist.

Instead, slow, deliberate footsteps echoed softly against the stone walls. The silhouette grew sharper, taking on the shape of a man until the darkness peeled away to reveal a face.

Blond hair, a bit messier than he remembered. That familiar crooked grin—half mocking, half friendly.

Zareen’s breath caught. “G… Gino!?”

The figure stopped just a few paces away, standing with the same casual confidence he had always carried. “Yo, Zareen. Been a while, huh?”

---

### Gino, Changed

He still looked like the same Gino Zareen had once known—the same rival from the academy, the same boy who always stood a step ahead of him.

And yet, something about him felt utterly different.

The air around Gino felt heavy, charged. His presence pressed against Zareen’s chest like an invisible weight. This wasn’t just a strong fighter—this was someone who had transcended the boundaries of what they once were.

Even Yuna, with her ominous dark aura, didn’t radiate this kind of overwhelming strength.

Zareen swallowed hard. “H-how… how are you here? Last time we saw each other, you were still at the academy.”

Gino shrugged as if it were the simplest thing in the world. “Did you really think I’d stay cooped up there forever? This world is far too big to just sit around reading scrolls and training in safe halls.”

Zareen stared. There was pride in Gino’s voice, but also something sharper—an edge honed through countless battles.

“Then… it was you following me,” Zareen said quietly. “The shadow I kept seeing.”

Gino’s grin widened. “What can I say? I was curious. I wanted to see how far you’ve come. And honestly…” He tilted his head, his golden hair catching the moonlight. “You haven’t changed much. Still the ever-loyal support, always standing behind everyone else.”

Zareen’s grip on his staff tightened. “Don’t underestimate me, Gino!”

For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then Gino’s laugh rang out, loud and genuine, echoing off the alley walls.

“Haha! There it is—the fire I remember. I’m not underestimating you, Zareen. If anything, I’m glad you still have that stubborn spark. But…”

His grin faded, and his amber eyes glinted dangerously.

“Don’t you dare die before I get the chance to beat you again.”

---

### A Brief, Loaded Reunion

Zareen stood frozen, his emotions a storm inside him.

Relief—because it was really Gino, alive and standing here.

Excitement—because his old rival was back.

And something else. Something bitter.

Gino’s power felt light-years ahead of his own. Zareen couldn’t deny the pang of jealousy, the feeling of being left behind.

He opened his mouth to ask a dozen questions—Where have you been? How did you get this strong? What do you want?—but before he could speak, the sound of footsteps echoed from behind him.

“Zareen! You out here?”

Doni’s familiar voice broke the tension like a stone thrown into still water.

Zareen glanced over his shoulder, just for a second.

When he turned back, Gino was gone.

Not a trace of him remained. No footprints in the dust. No lingering aura. As if the entire encounter had been swallowed by the mist.

---

### Doubt and Restlessness

Doni came around the corner, yawning and scratching the back of his head. “What are you doing standing out here? Don’t tell me you were ghost-watching or something.”

Zareen forced a small smile and shook his head. “No… not a ghost.”

But deep inside, he knew what he saw had been real.

He gripped his staff tighter. The warmth from earlier had faded, leaving only a chill.

*Gino…*

His rival’s voice still echoed in his ears: *Don’t you dare die before I get the chance to beat you again.*

A challenge, a warning, and a promise all at once.

And Zareen realized that whatever path he was walking now, it was slowly leading him back to Gino.

Back to the boy who had once stood on the same level as him—

and who now stood somewhere far beyond.