Time lurched forward again. The frozen world thawed, motion returning to the battlefield as if reality itself had taken a breath. Khem let go of stopped time, his body giving out as he collapsed to the ground. But even as his strength faded, his grip on Wise remained—a thin, fragile thread of stasis that held the tyrant in absolute stillness.


    The members of SOF turned in unison, their eyes locking onto the impossible sight—Wise, the man who had rewritten the rules of existence, was motionless. No flickering presence, no omnipresent smirk. Just frozen in place.


    But relief was cut short.


    Near Wise, lying in a growing pool of blood, was Weird.


    A cold shock ran through them all. In the chaos of stopping Wise, no one had registered the full extent of the damage done. The battlefield was no longer just a scene of victory—it was a scene of cost.


    Samui was the first to move, her scanner flickering as she sprinted toward Weird. “He’s losing too much blood!” Her voice was sharp, urgent.


    Senshi stumbled forward, his flames still weak, exhaustion threatening to pull him down. “Damn it, Weird—stay with us!”


    Brave hesitated for only a fraction of a second. His eyes flickered toward Wise, still locked in time, before he turned away.


    Weird was more important.


    He ran toward the wounded fighter, joining the others as they gathered around their fallen teammate. The battle was over. But the fight for survival had only just begun.


    Samui desperately pressed the button on her remote, attempting to rewind Weird’s state, but whatever Wise had inflicted on him was absolute. Senshi and Shining yelled at her to keep trying, their voices frantic, but Samui couldn’t even form the words to tell them she already had—and it had done nothing.


    Brave turned, his gaze landing on Samui. His breath hitched when he saw her finger still pressing down on the rewind button, her hands trembling. Nothing was changing.


    Without hesitation, Brave barked into his communicator, calling for immediate medical assistance. "Get a medic here, now!" His voice was sharp, unyielding. "We''re at the communication tower—Wise is contained, but we have critical injuries. Stop the bleeding—do whatever it takes!"


    Senshi tore off a section of his uniform, pressing it against Weird’s wound. Shining followed suit, applying pressure where he could, his golden glow flickering weakly. Even Khem, who could barely remain conscious, forced his trembling fingers to move. He activated stasis again—not on Wise this time, but on Weird’s blood, trying to stop it from leaking any further.


    The battlefield was silent, save for the desperate breaths of SOF as they fought to keep Weird alive. As the medics took Weird away, the battlefield fell into silence. For the first time in what felt like forever, there were no more explosions, no more screams. Just the wind cutting through the ruins, carrying the weight of everything they had lost—and everything they had saved.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The world stood on the edge of recovery. Cities and landscapes bore the scars of Wise’s devastation, but even worse were the voids—places where reality itself had been unraveled, wiped from existence by his hand. These wounds could not be rebuilt with steel or stone; they were lost forever. The people had no choice but to move forward, to learn how to live in a world that had been irrevocably changed. The process of healing had begun, but it would be slow, painful, and uncertain.


    Yet, despite everything, SOF had prevailed.


    For their efforts in capturing Wise and preventing a total collapse of reality, each member of SOF was honored with medals and recognition. The world now knew their names, their sacrifice, their undeniable achievement. SOF had done what no one else could, and that accomplishment carried weight.


    Brave remained the highest-ranking officer in SOF, unchanged in title but now wielding greater influence. The organization''s success against Wise had solidified its political power, granting it authority beyond what it had ever known. Some saw this as a necessary evolution, while others whispered concerns—what would SOF do now that it had no equal?


    Samui chose a different path. With the battle over, she resigned from SOF, returning home to focus on her family. The substantial rewards she received for her service ensured they would never struggle again. Though she had left the battlefield, she would never forget what she had been through.


    Senshi and Shining remained in SOF, both rising to senior ranks. They now supervised the next generation of SOF agents, ensuring that the knowledge and experience gained from battling Wise would not be lost. Training exercises grew harsher, their standards higher. They had seen what was at stake if they ever failed, and they refused to let history repeat itself.


    And then there was Wise.


    His prison was unlike any other. A facility was built solely for him, a place designed to ensure he would never again bend reality to his will. Its construction took precedence over all other military projects, the world understanding that there could be no risks. Wise remained contained within layers of security, locked in stasis, unable to think, move, or even be aware. He was nothing more than a statue of his former self.


    And yet, SOF knew the truth—this was only temporary.


    Khem had been given the greatest burden of all. His assignment was clear: watch over Wise, never let the stasis lock slip, not even for a second. It was a job that would consume his life, an eternal war fought in absolute silence. Khem barely had the strength to stand, yet his orders were clear. Watch Wise. Hold him. Never let go. He exhaled sharply, looking at the frozen figure before him. Wise, for all his power, was now nothing more than a statue. But Khem knew better. The moment his grip slipped, it would all begin again. And deep down, a quiet fear settled within him—how long could he hold on?


    There was one more casualty of Wise’s power. Weird had survived, but he did not wake. Whatever Wise had done to him, it was beyond anyone’s understanding. His body was stable, but his mind was locked away, unreachable. Shining stood beside Weird’s hospital bed, watching the slow rise and fall of his breathing. "You idiot," he muttered with a weak smile. "You better wake up. We still have work to do." But Weird didn’t answer. And Shining didn’t know if he ever would.


    Despite all this, hope remained.


    For now, Wise was gone. SOF had won, even if the war was not over. The world had a chance to recover, to build something new. And for the first time in a long time, there was peace.


    But in the abandoned hideout Wise once called home, a lone figure still waited.


    Child sat in the dim light, watching the entrance, waiting.


    She had no knowledge of Wise’s fate. No news had reached her, and no one had come to explain. But she waited, certain he would return.


    And so she sat there, unmoving. Watching. Waiting.


    For Wise’s return.