Raven slowly regained consciousness, but his body was still utterly exhausted. The waves toyed with his fragile form, as if refusing to swallow him completely, pushing him toward the unknown only to drag him back again. The currents were strong, pulling him under with every attempt he made to stay afloat, but his survival instincts did not fail him.

  At one moment, a massive wave surged forward, carrying him away from the relentless currents before hurling him forcefully toward the shore. His body crashed against the wet sand, his hands instinctively clutching the ground as if he had finally found refuge. He had no energy left to understand where he was or what had happened. All he could do was surrender to sleep—his body had already reached its limits.

  Seven hours passed...

  Raven’s eyes slowly fluttered open, struggling to adjust to the dim light. At first, he couldn't comprehend where he was. The simple wooden ceiling above him, the scent of medicinal herbs filling the air, and the faint glow of oil lamps—everything was entirely different from the dark, suffocating cell he had been trapped in just hours ago.

  He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his body, as if every muscle in him was screaming in protest. He wasn’t bound this time, but he was far from being able to move freely.

  Suddenly, a man entered the room. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with a short beard and eyes that held a mix of caution and kindness. He carried bandages and some herbal medicines in his hands.

  The man smiled: “Finally awake… I was starting to wonder when you’d regain consciousness.”

  Raven, trying to grasp the situation: “Where am I? Who are you people?”

  The man, as he began dressing Raven’s wounds: “Calm down… You’re safe here. We found you unconscious by the shore—you were barely alive.” He then turned toward the door and called out, “Bring some food. Our guest is in desperate need of it.”

  Raven hadn’t realized how hungry he was until the rich aroma of food filled the air. As soon as the plate was placed in front of him, he grabbed the spoon and began eating ravenously, as if he hadn’t tasted food in years.

  Raven, after finishing his meal: “That was the best food I’ve had in… I don’t even know how long. But tell me, what is this place? And what do you people do here?”

  The man, arranging the herbs on the table: “This is our village. Some call it a city, others call it a refuge. Call it whatever you like—no one here cares about labels.”

  Raven, puzzled: “Call it whatever I like? I don’t understand… I’m ready to go outside—I need to see where I am.”

  He carefully stood up, still feeling the ache in his body, but he needed to know the truth. As he stepped out of the room, what he saw was beyond anything he had expected.

  Before him stretched a vast settlement filled with wooden houses, as if belonging to a time long past. But at the same time, the streets were paved, and he could see motorcycles and even a few modern cars parked along the sides. People dressed in traditional clothing walked among others wearing contemporary attire, creating a striking contrast between two seemingly different worlds.

  Raven, in astonishment: “What is this? Is this a village or a city? Why do your homes look like something from the past, yet you have the latest cars and motorcycles?”

  The man smirked: “See? That’s why I told you to call it whatever you like. We live differently here. Some prefer simplicity, while others embrace modernity, and no one forces their way of life on another.”

  Man: "Listen, I'll explain everything later. But for now, these men will take you to the person in charge of this village."

  Raven, thinking to himself: "The person in charge? So they have some kind of governing system here too... This isn't just a random settlement."

  He had no choice but to comply. He followed the men as they led him through the village streets. People around them cast curious yet wary glances at him, as if they hadn't seen someone like him in a long time. The village wasn’t noisy, but there was an underlying sense of quiet anticipation in the air.

  After a few minutes, they arrived at a building that stood out from the rest. Unlike the surrounding wooden houses, this one looked more modern and sturdier. However, the strangest thing about it was the complete absence of guards.

  Raven, glancing around cautiously: "No guards? Strange... If this were the home of Asteria’s ruler, there would be no fewer than sixty heavily armed guards."

  One of the men gently nudged him forward, leading him inside. He found himself in a modest yet well-organized room. Behind a wooden desk sat a middle-aged man with graying hair and calm eyes that radiated experience.

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  The man, with a faint smile: "Welcome... No one has come from the sea in a long time."

  Raven, confused: "Why would anyone come from the sea in the first place?"

  The man in charge, studying him intently: "You came from the sea."

  Raven fell silent for a moment. He wasn’t eager to discuss what had happened, but his curiosity was beginning to burn.

  Raven: "It’s a long story..."

  The man, placing his hands on the desk calmly: "It seems you’ve angered the government of some country."

  Raven’s eyes widened slightly, his eyebrows raising in surprise.

  Raven: "Huh? How do you know that?!"

  The man, smiling as if it were obvious: "Because you're not the first. Others came before you, years ago, in the same way."

  Raven's body stiffened for a moment before a deep anger started rising inside him like wildfire.

  Raven, clenching his fists tightly as he thought to himself: "Those damn countries... How many lives have they ruined?!"

  The Man: "Nations deal with those they consider criminals either by execution or exile. What did you do to be exiled?"

  Raven, staring at the man with tired yet furious eyes: "I wasn't exiled… they threw me into the sea to die!"

  The man raised an eyebrow, as if deep in thought, then said in a contemplative tone:

  The Man: "Strange… why would they try to kill you this way? Why not execute you publicly? How old are you?"

  Raven: "Twenty-three."

  The man's expression suddenly changed, as if he had just uncovered the truth.

  The Man: "Now I understand. Executing someone your age would tarnish their country's reputation since all executions are recorded and publicized. The only logical explanation is that they threw you into the sea and claimed you took your own life to escape punishment."

  Raven clenched his fists tightly, his muscles tensing as flames of hatred ignited within him.

  Raven, his voice low but filled with fury: "I don’t know what they told the world… but I do know one thing… I will return, and I will destroy them all!"

  The Man, looking at him seriously: "Do you intend to stand against an entire nation?"

  Raven, his eyes burning with determination: "No… but I will kill every single one of those responsible for this… and for my friend's death!"

  The man sighed, shaking his head slowly. He stood up and walked towards the window overlooking the village, as if lost in thought.

  The Man: "Listen carefully. Everyone here was either exiled or nearly killed by their own nation, but they survived. That sea you came from… in the last ten years, more than two hundred people have died in it. And yet, you arrived here alive? That’s no small feat… You must be skilled in diving and swimming."

  Raven, looking down slightly, recalling his battle against the raging waves: "All I did was try not to drown… I had no choice but to resist. The strong sea currents gave me a push towards this place, but I was close to death more times than I can count."

  The Man: "Regardless, the fact that you survived is a miracle… but what do you plan to do now?"

  Raven, firmly: "I will return immediately!"

  The man chuckled lowly, shaking his head in amusement, before turning back to Raven with a piercing gaze.

  The Man: "And where will you go? Do you even know how to get back? Are you certain you’re strong enough to face them?"

  Raven, with a smirk: "I am strong… and after everything I endured in their torture, and after healing here, I have become even stronger!"

  The Man, placing a firm hand on Raven’s shoulder: "Don’t be hasty… Everyone here was once as strong as you, and at first, they all wanted revenge. But over time, that desire faded from their minds. If you’re truly determined to take revenge, you should start from here. Rushing into battle unprepared will only get you killed."

  Raven remained silent, his mind processing the words.

  The Man: "Why don’t you stay with us for a while? You can prepare yourself, grow stronger, and then return to face those who threw you into the sea. But first, I want to see your strength… not in combat, but in something else."

  Raven, intrigued yet eager: "And what is that?"

  The Man: "We’ll go to the training grounds. I want you to unleash all of your energy there, all of your magical aura… and I will determine just how powerful you truly are."

  A grin spread across Raven’s face, his blood surging with excitement.

  Raven: "Alright… Let’s begin!"

  The village leader, along with five warriors, headed to the arena where Raven’s magical strength was about to be tested. Raven walked to the center of the arena, closed his eyes, and his aura began to glow unnaturally, as though it was reacting with every particle in the air.

  Suddenly, Raven let out a powerful shout to unleash his full magical energy, and the ground beneath him shook violently, as if in pain from the overwhelming force. The air was filled with whispers and confusion, and the leader watched in shock.

  Leader, stunned: "How... how can someone of this age possess such terrifying power?!"

  One of the warriors, watching in fear: "His power is rising rapidly... it won’t stop! Is this even possible?"

  After a few moments, Raven’s energy finally stabilized, and the arena settled into an eerie calm. One of the warriors, his voice filled with awe, remarked:

  Warrior: "This terrifying energy has finally stabilized... It's overwhelming."

  Raven then turned to the leader, his gaze intense and focused:

  Raven: "Should I go now and destroy them?"

  Leader, still in disbelief: "I can't believe this... You’re incredibly powerful. If this is your true level, you don’t need any training here. You’re truly exceptional."

  Raven: "Alright, I’ll go."

  The leader raised his hand, signaling Raven to wait:

  Leader: "Hold on. First, you’ll have a home here in the village. Secondly, I’ll provide you with our three strongest warriors to assist you in your mission. They are currently outside the village, but they’ll be ready when you need them. Third, when you return to your country, the first thing you should do is live your life as it was before. Let’s see if anyone will notice you after all of this. Then, you can start your attack with the three warriors. My advice: don’t rush into it."

  Raven took a deep breath, absorbing the leader's words.