The night over Everdark Forest had become unnaturally dark.
Dozens of black portals floated between the ancient trees.
From each portal, monsters crawled into the village.
Their bodies were covered in black veins.
Their eyes glowed purple.
The villagers raised their weapons.
The old goblin shouted—
—Protect the children!
Don’t let them enter the village!
The monsters charged.
Ryu immediately moved forward.
—Everyone, stay behind me!
He raised his hand.
[King’s Protection activated.]
A blue barrier spread across the village.
The first wave of monsters slammed into it.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The barrier shook but held.
Ryu looked at the Shadow Wolf.
—Can you handle the left side?
The wolf growled.
Ryu looked at Kael.
—And you?
Kael smiled faintly.
—I’ll take the right.
Ryu stared at him.
—You can fight without becoming the Abyssal King?
Kael looked at his hands.
—I’m trying.
Then he looked at Ryu.
—For your sake.
Ryu smiled.
—Then let’s do this.
The Shadow Wolf disappeared.
SWOOSH!
It appeared among the monsters.
SLASH!
One monster fell.
Another attacked from behind.
The wolf spun around.
BOOM!
Its claws smashed the creature into the ground.
On the opposite side—
Kael raised his hand.
Dark energy gathered around his fingers.
—Abyss Burst.
BOOOOM!
A wave of darkness swept through the monsters.
Several creatures disappeared instantly.
Ryu stared.
—That’s a little overpowered.
Kael smirked.
—You used to say the same thing.
Ryu laughed.
—Maybe I did.
For a moment, the two of them fought like they had three hundred years ago.
Side by side.
Without fear.
Without hatred.
But Zerach stood at the edge of the forest, watching them.
His silver mask reflected the blue and black light.
—Beautiful.
He slowly raised his hand.
—Just like the old days.
The ground beneath the village suddenly began glowing purple.
Ryu froze.
—What’s happening?
The silver-haired girl looked down.
Her face became pale.
—No…
Kael immediately understood.
—He’s using the village as a magic circle.
Zerach smiled.
—Correct.
Purple lines spread across the ground.
They formed a gigantic symbol.
The villagers began screaming.
Ryu looked at the silver-haired girl.
—Stop it!
She shook her head.
—I can’t.
—Why?!
—Because the magic circle is connected to the ancient seal beneath the forest.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—The seal that held Kael?
She nodded.
—Yes.
Zerach laughed.
—Three hundred years ago, Ryu used his soul to create the seal.
—But a seal is useless without a key.
His eyes moved toward Ryu.
—And the key has finally returned.
Ryu felt a cold sensation in his chest.
The blue mark on his forehead began glowing.
[Warning.]
[External energy attempting to access sealed memories.]
[Memory Seal Integrity: 48%.]
Ryu grabbed his head.
—Agh!
Kael immediately rushed toward him.
—Ryu!
Ryu collapsed to the ground.
Images flashed through his mind.
The old battlefield.
Kael.
The Shadow Wolf.
The silver-haired girl.
And Zerach.
But this time—
The memory was different.
Zerach stood beside Kael.
He was smiling.
—Your anger is your strength.
Kael looked uncertain.
—But Ryu told me the Abyss is dangerous.
Zerach laughed.
—Ryu is afraid of your potential.
Ryu watched from a distance.
He tried to approach them.
But he couldn’t move.
The memory changed.
Kael was surrounded by darkness.
Zerach stood behind him.
—Let the Abyss consume your pain.
Kael screamed.
Dark energy exploded from his body.
The memory shattered.
Ryu opened his eyes.
—Zerach…
The masked man smiled.
—You remember.
Ryu slowly stood.
—You manipulated Kael.
Zerach laughed.
—Manipulated?
He shook his head.
—I simply showed him what he was capable of.
Kael’s expression became furious.
—You lied to me.
Zerach looked at him.
—No.
His smile disappeared.
—I gave you exactly what you wanted.
Kael clenched his fists.
—You told me the Abyss would let me save my family.
—And you believed me.
Kael’s body began shaking.
Dark energy started leaking from him.
Ryu stepped toward him.
—Kael.
Kael looked at Ryu.
Ryu shook his head.
—Don’t let him control you again.
Kael closed his eyes.
The darkness around him slowly faded.
—You’re right.
Zerach’s expression became annoyed.
—Pathetic.
He raised his hand.
A giant purple spear appeared.
—Then I’ll simply remove the problem.
The spear flew toward Ryu.
SWOOSH!
The Shadow Wolf appeared in front of him.
BOOM!
The spear struck the wolf.
—GRRAAAH!
The wolf was thrown backward.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—Shadow Wolf!
The wolf crashed into the ground.
It didn’t move.
Ryu froze.
His blue aura suddenly exploded.
—NO!
The entire village shook.
[Warning.]
[Emotional instability detected.]
[Power awakening: 58%.]
Ryu’s body began glowing intensely.
Zerach smiled.
—There it is.
—The power I was waiting for.
Ryu slowly raised his head.
His eyes were no longer completely blue.
One eye had turned deep crimson.
The silver-haired girl gasped.
—No…
Kael stared at Ryu.
—Ryu?
Ryu looked at the fallen Shadow Wolf.
Then at Zerach.
His voice was strangely calm.
—You hurt him.
Zerach smiled.
—And?
Ryu’s aura exploded.
BOOOOOOM!
A massive wave of blue and black energy spread across the forest.
The black portals began collapsing.
The monsters were thrown backward.
Zerach’s smile disappeared.
—Impossible.
Ryu’s body began changing again.
A dark-blue crown appeared above his head.
A pair of glowing wings formed behind him.
His slime body became surrounded by an enormous humanoid-shaped aura.
[Unique Skill Evolution.]
[King’s Command → Absolute King’s Command]
[New Title Acquired.]
[The Awakened King]
Ryu looked at Zerach.
—You wanted to see my power?
The ground cracked beneath him.
—Then look carefully.
He disappeared.
SWOOSH!
Zerach’s eyes widened.
Ryu appeared directly in front of him.
—King’s Shadow Claw.
SLASH!
Zerach blocked the attack.
BOOM!
The force sent him flying.
He crashed through three trees.
CRASH!
Ryu appeared above him.
—Shadow Step.
He struck again.
BOOM!
Zerach slammed into the ground.
For the first time—
Zerach was bleeding.
He slowly stood.
His silver mask had cracked.
Ryu stared at him.
—You’re not as strong as I expected.
Zerach wiped the blood from his mouth.
Then he smiled.
—No.
He looked at the sky.
—I was never here to fight you.
Ryu froze.
Zerach snapped his fingers.
The purple magic circle beneath the village suddenly activated.
WHOOM!
A massive beam of purple light shot into the sky.
The entire forest trembled.
The silver-haired girl screamed—
—He’s using Ryu’s soul as the key!
Ryu looked down.
The blue mark on his forehead burned.
[Critical Warning.]
[Sealed power forcibly extracting.]
[Memory Seal Integrity: 31%.]
Ryu dropped to his knees.
—What’s happening?!
The girl shouted—
—He’s opening the ancient gate!
Kael looked horrified.
—The gate…
Ryu looked at him.
—What gate?
Kael stared toward the deepest part of Everdark Forest.
—The gate to the Abyss.
Zerach laughed.
—Exactly.
The sky above them began splitting apart.
A gigantic black crack appeared between the clouds.
Something enormous moved behind it.
Two purple eyes opened.
The villagers froze.
The Shadow Wolf slowly stood.
Kael stared upward.
—That’s impossible…
Ryu looked at him.
—What?
Kael whispered—
—The Abyss wasn’t just a power.
The enormous eyes behind the crack opened wider.
Kael’s voice trembled.
—It’s a world.
Ryu stared at the sky.
Zerach spread his arms.
—And now…
The black crack began opening.
—The Abyss will return to Alveria.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
The entire forest trembled.
Then a gigantic hand began emerging from the crack in the sky.
Ryu looked at the Shadow Wolf.
The wolf stood beside him.
Kael stepped forward.
Ryu clenched his fists.
—Then we’ll stop it.
Kael looked at him.
—Together?
Ryu smiled.
—Together.
Above them, the Abyssal Gate continued opening.
And something far more terrifying than the Abyssal King was about to enter their world.