THE HIDDEN DESTINY ARC

My name is Gohim. I live in a small village where I was raised by my father, Mr. Kiske. Life in our village is simple, peaceful, and sometimes boring, but my dreams are not. I dream of becoming one of the greatest fighters in the kingdom—someone strong enough to protect the people around me and bring honor to my family. Every day, I train in my own little way, trying to become stronger and better at whatever I do. I also help people whenever I can, especially those who are weaker than me, because I believe strength should be used to protect others, not to hurt them. My father is the village blacksmith. He is known throughout the village for his skill, discipline, and wisdom. His blacksmith shop is always filled with the sound of hammer striking metal. Farmers bring him broken tools, travelers bring him damaged weapons, and sometimes soldiers visit the village just to have him repair their swords. I often help him in the workshop, although I secretly prefer watching him forge swords. One afternoon, while my father was working at the forge, I heard him talking to one of the villagers. "That boy will become a great knight someday," my father said. I immediately looked up. "Me?" My father turned toward me and smiled. "Yes, you." I laughed. "You're joking, Dad. I don't even have a proper sword." "That can be fixed." "I don't even know how to fight properly." "That can also be fixed." I folded my arms. "Then why do you think I'll become a great knight?" My father placed his hammer down and looked at me seriously. "Because you have something more important than strength." "What?" He smiled. "A heart that wants to protect others." I didn't completely understand what he meant, but his words stayed in my mind. Later that day, I left the blacksmith shop to deliver a repaired tool to one of our neighbors. The village was peaceful, and people were going about their usual business. Children were playing in the street, farmers were returning from their fields, and merchants were arranging their goods. Then I heard shouting. "Stop!" I turned around. An old man was running through the village. Several men were chasing him. At first, I thought it was simply a group of soldiers chasing a criminal. But something about the situation felt wrong. The old man looked exhausted, yet he continued running as if his life depended on it. I took a few steps forward. Then I noticed something impossible. Everyone around them had stopped moving. A woman carrying a basket stood frozen in the middle of the road. A child who had been running remained completely still. Even a bird flying above the village seemed frozen in the air. I stopped breathing for a moment. "What is happening?" I looked around in disbelief. The men chasing the old man were still moving. The old man was still moving. And somehow, I was still moving too. I looked at my hands. I could move. I could breathe. I could hear the wind. My heart began beating faster. Why was everyone frozen? Why could the old man move? And why were those men chasing him? I had more questions than answers, but I knew I couldn't stand there doing nothing. "Let me help him first," I whispered to myself. "I'll ask questions later." I quickly took a shortcut through the narrow paths behind the houses. I knew the village better than the men chasing him, so I managed to reach the old man before they could catch him. "Follow me!" I whispered. The old man stopped and stared at me. He was breathing heavily, but his eyes were sharp and suspicious. "Are you one of them?" he asked. I shook my head. "No. I'm from this village. I just want to help you." He continued staring at me. "I have many questions too," I added, "but we don't have time for them right now." The old man glanced behind him. The sound of approaching footsteps was getting closer. Then his eyes suddenly moved toward my shoulder. His expression changed. "What is that?" I looked down. A strange crystal-shaped mark was visible on my shoulder. I had possessed the mark for as long as I could remember, but I had never known what it meant. "This?" The old man stepped closer. "Where did you get that mark?" "I don't know. I've always had it." He stared at it for several seconds. His expression showed both surprise and concern. "Interesting..." "What?" He looked back at me. "Nothing. Take me somewhere safe." I nodded. "Come with me." I led him behind my father's blacksmith shop. Years earlier, while playing around the area, I had discovered a small hidden hole beneath some wooden boards. It wasn't large, but it was big enough for someone to hide inside. "You can stay here," I told him. The old man looked at the hole. "And you?" "I'll handle the rest." "You don't even know who is chasing me." "That's why I'm helping you. I want to know." The old man gave me a strange look. "You are a strange boy." "I've heard that before." For the first time, he smiled slightly. Then footsteps suddenly echoed nearby. "They're coming," he said. "Get inside." The old man climbed into the hole, and I carefully covered the entrance with the wooden boards and some dirt. I had barely stepped away when the men arrived. "Search everywhere!" They spread throughout the area. One of them approached me. "Boy." I turned around. "Yes?" "Have you seen an old man?" I shook my head. "What old man?" The man narrowed his eyes. "He came this way." "I haven't seen anyone." He stared at me for a few seconds before turning away. "Search the workshop!" Several men entered my father's blacksmith shop. I stood outside, trying my best to remain calm. They searched everywhere. Behind the tools. Under the tables. Around the forge. Even inside the storage room. But they found nothing. Hours passed before the men finally became frustrated. "He can't have disappeared," one of them said. "Search the surrounding area." They continued looking, but somehow they could not sense the old man's presence. Eventually, their leader gave up. "We're leaving. Search the other villages." The men finally left. A few moments later, the strange phenomenon disappeared. The woman carrying the basket suddenly continued walking as though nothing had happened. The child continued running. The bird flew through the sky. The entire village returned to normal. Nobody seemed to realize that time had stopped. I quickly returned to the hiding place. I removed the boards. "You can come out now." The old man climbed out and looked around. "They're gone?" "Yes." He sighed. "You saved my life." I smiled. "Then maybe you'll finally answer some of my questions." The old man chuckled. "Perhaps." I took him home and introduced him to my father. "Dad, this is the old man I told you about." My father looked at him. For a brief moment, neither of them spoke. Something about my father's expression seemed strange. He wasn't surprised. The old man noticed it immediately. "You know something," the old man said. My father remained silent. I looked between them. "You two know each other?" My father finally answered. "He can stay here tonight." I was surprised by how quickly he agreed. "Really?" "Yes." I smiled. "Thank you, Dad." The old man bowed his head. "Thank you for your hospitality." That evening, everything in the village returned to normal. The villagers continued their daily lives, completely unaware of the strange event that had taken place. Eventually, night fell. I went to bed, exhausted from everything that had happened. My mind was still filled with questions, but before I could find any answers, I fell asleep. While Gohim slept, the old man remained awake. He waited until the house became completely quiet before approaching Mr. Kiske. The old man looked at him seriously. "I know you are not surprised about what happened today." Mr. Kiske remained silent. The old man continued. "You knew something like this would eventually happen." Kiske slowly looked toward Gohim's room. "I hoped it would happen much later." "Then it is time you told me the truth." Kiske took a deep breath. "I was once one of the Five Guardians of the Celestial Realm." The old man's eyes narrowed. "One of the Five Guardians?" Kiske nodded. "Yes. But I am no longer a Guardian." "What happened?" Kiske looked down at his hands. "Anger." The old man waited. "After the death of my wife, Gohim's mother, anger took control of me. A Guardian is supposed to protect the balance between the realms, but when a Guardian loses control of their emotions, their spiritual power can become dangerous. If the anger becomes strong enough, the power can consume its user." The old man listened quietly. Kiske continued. "Gohim's mother was at the market one day, selling goods, when several men attacked her with swords. They killed her in the middle of the crowd and tried to escape." The old man's expression became serious. "What happened to them?" "They were caught. But before they could reveal who had sent them, they were killed." "Then how did you find out?" "I didn't." Kiske's voice became heavier. "I was in the fields feeding my cows when two messengers came. One told me to go to the market immediately. The other told me I was urgently needed at the Celestial Palace." The old man frowned. "You couldn't go to both places." "No." Kiske clenched his fist. "So I used my speed technique." The old man looked at him. "Lightning Dash." Kiske nodded. "I moved as fast as I could toward the market." He paused. "But I was too late." Silence filled the room. "I arrived after everything had already happened." Kiske lowered his head. "I couldn't save her." The old man said nothing. Kiske continued. "Later, I faced the Demon King in battle. During the fight, he discovered what had happened to my wife. He wanted to break my spirit." Kiske's eyes became cold. "He mocked me." The old man waited. "He said, 'Doesn't it look good to have your wife lying in a pool of blood?'" Kiske's fist tightened. "I lost control." His spiritual energy had erupted uncontrollably. "I dropped my sword and fought with my bare hands. I gathered all the power I had left into one final attack." The old man asked quietly, "What was the technique?" "Spirit Explosion." Kiske looked toward the floor. "That attack killed the Demon King." The old man stared at him. "But you paid the price." Kiske nodded. "After the battle, my power was taken away. The power of the Five Guardians disappeared from me, and I never returned to the life I once lived." The old man looked toward Gohim's room. "And now his mark has appeared." Kiske's expression became serious. "I know." "The boy can move while everyone else is frozen." "I know." "Then something inside him is beginning to awaken." Kiske remained silent. The old man looked at him. "His destiny may be connected to the Guardians." Kiske slowly closed his eyes. "I don't want him involved." The old man sighed. "Perhaps you don't have a choice anymore." The room fell silent. Neither of them knew exactly what the future held. And Gohim, completely unaware of the conversation taking place only a few rooms away, continued sleeping peacefully.