The sky above Everdark Forest had split apart.
A gigantic black crack stretched across the clouds.
Purple lightning flashed around it.
Something enormous was moving behind the crack.
The villagers stood frozen.
Even the monsters that had been attacking them stopped moving.
Everyone was staring at the same thing.
The Abyssal Gate.
Ryu floated above the ground.
His blue aura flickered around his body.
The Shadow Wolf stood beside him.
Kael stared at the gate.
His face was pale.
—It’s really happening…
Ryu looked at him.
—What exactly is coming through that gate?
Kael didn’t answer.
The silver-haired girl did.
—The Abyss itself.
Ryu frowned.
—You said the Abyss was a world.
She nodded.
—A world where creatures are born from darkness, hatred, and despair.
Ryu looked at the enormous hand emerging from the gate.
—And you think we can stop that?
The girl shook her head.
—Not with our current strength.
Ryu looked at Kael.
—Then what do we do?
Kael slowly stepped forward.
—I go back.
Ryu froze.
—What?
Kael looked at the gate.
—The Abyss recognizes me.
Dark energy began gathering around his body.
—If I return to the Abyss, I can close the gate from the other side.
Ryu immediately shook his head.
—No.
Kael looked at him.
—Ryu—
—I’m not letting you do that.
Kael smiled sadly.
—You haven’t changed.
Ryu moved closer.
—And neither have you.
Kael’s smile disappeared.
Ryu continued—
—Three hundred years ago, you tried to sacrifice yourself.
—Today you’re trying to do it again.
Kael lowered his head.
—Someone has to.
—Then we’ll find another way.
Suddenly—
BOOOOOOM!
The enormous hand broke through the gate.
The sky shook.
A gigantic creature began emerging.
Its body was covered in black armor.
Purple flames burned from its shoulders.
Its face was hidden behind a massive bone mask.
[Scanning…]
[Target identified.]
[Species: Abyssal Titan]
[Level: ???]
[Threat Level: Catastrophic+]
[Warning.]
[Target cannot be analyzed.]
Ryu stared.
—The system can’t even measure it…
The Abyssal Titan opened its mouth.
A sound like thunder echoed across the forest.
ROOOOOOOOOAR!
The shockwave knocked several villagers to the ground.
The Shadow Wolf lowered its body.
Kael’s eyes turned red.
—It’s one of the Abyss’s ancient guardians.
Ryu looked at him.
—How many of those are there?
Kael’s expression darkened.
—Too many.
The Abyssal Titan raised one arm.
Dark energy gathered around its fist.
Ryu immediately shouted—
—Everyone, get behind me!
[Absolute King’s Command activated.]
A gigantic blue barrier appeared around the village.
BOOM!
The Titan’s fist struck the barrier.
The entire forest shook.
CRACK!
A crack appeared across the barrier.
Ryu gritted his teeth.
—Hold…
Another strike.
BOOM!
More cracks appeared.
Ryu’s body trembled.
—Come on…
The Shadow Wolf stepped beside him.
Dark energy merged with Ryu’s blue aura.
[Royal Shadow Link activated.]
[Power synchronization increased.]
[Current synchronization: 18%.]
Ryu’s barrier became stronger.
The Titan struck again.
BOOM!
This time—
The attack stopped.
Ryu smiled.
—That’s better.
Kael looked at them.
—You two are becoming stronger.
Ryu glanced at him.
—Then help us.
Kael nodded.
—Gladly.
Kael raised both hands.
The ground beneath the Titan suddenly became covered in black chains.
—Abyssal Chains!
Hundreds of chains wrapped around the Titan’s legs.
The creature roared.
Ryu shouted—
—Now!
The Shadow Wolf disappeared.
SWOOSH!
It appeared behind the Titan.
Its claws became surrounded by black flames.
SLASH!
The Titan’s armor cracked.
Ryu used Shadow Step.
He appeared above the Titan.
—King’s Shadow Claw!
A gigantic blue-black claw descended.
BOOOOOOM!
The Titan fell to one knee.
The villagers cheered.
Ryu smiled.
—We actually hurt it!
But then—
The Titan slowly stood again.
The crack in its armor began healing.
Ryu’s smile disappeared.
—You have got to be kidding me.
The silver-haired girl shouted—
—Its body regenerates through the Abyssal Gate!
Ryu looked at the gate.
—Then we destroy the gate first.
Kael nodded.
—Exactly.
Zerach, who had been standing silently near the forest, suddenly laughed.
—You’re finally figuring it out.
Ryu turned toward him.
—Zerach!
The masked man slowly raised his hand.
—The gate cannot be destroyed from this side.
Ryu narrowed his eyes.
—Why?
Zerach smiled.
—Because it was opened using your soul.
Ryu froze.
—My soul?
The blue mark on Ryu’s forehead began glowing.
[Warning.]
[Core connection detected.]
[The Abyssal Gate is connected to the user’s soul.]
Ryu stared at the message.
—So as long as I’m alive…
The silver-haired girl finished his sentence.
—The gate can remain open.
Kael’s expression changed.
—Then there’s only one way.
Ryu looked at him.
Kael slowly raised his hand.
Dark energy surrounded him.
—We separate the gate from Ryu.
The silver-haired girl shook her head.
—That’s impossible.
Kael looked at her.
—Not impossible.
She stared at him.
—The ritual.
Kael nodded.
—The King’s Soul Ritual.
Ryu became confused.
—What ritual?
Kael looked at him.
—A ritual created three hundred years ago.
—You used it to seal me.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—And now we can use it to close the gate?
Kael nodded.
—Yes.
Ryu smiled.
—Then let’s do it.
The silver-haired girl immediately shook her head.
—Ryu, you don’t understand.
—What?
She looked at him seriously.
—The ritual requires a sacrifice.
Silence.
Ryu’s smile disappeared.
—What kind of sacrifice?
She looked at Kael.
Kael didn’t say anything.
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
—Kael?
Kael finally answered.
—The person who performs the ritual loses their soul.
Ryu froze.
The Shadow Wolf growled.
Kael continued—
—Their body survives.
—But their soul disappears.
Ryu looked at him.
—So you want to sacrifice yourself again.
Kael shook his head.
—No.
He looked directly at Ryu.
—I want to sacrifice myself this time.
Ryu became angry.
—No!
Kael stepped closer.
—Ryu—
—NO!
Blue energy exploded from Ryu.
—I’m tired of everyone trying to sacrifice themselves!
His voice echoed through the forest.
—Three hundred years ago, I sacrificed my memories.
—You sacrificed your freedom.
—And now you want to sacrifice your soul!
Kael stared at him.
Ryu’s eyes began glowing.
—I won’t let anyone disappear again.
The Shadow Wolf stepped beside Ryu.
Its eyes glowed crimson.
The silver-haired girl looked at them.
Then she smiled faintly.
—There may be another way.
Everyone turned toward her.
Ryu asked—
—What way?
She pointed toward the Abyssal Gate.
—The gate needs a soul to remain open.
—But it doesn’t necessarily need Ryu’s soul.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—Then whose?
She looked toward Zerach.
—The person who created the connection.
Everyone turned toward him.
Zerach’s smile disappeared.
Kael understood immediately.
—Zerach…
The masked man slowly stepped backward.
—Don’t even think about it.
Ryu smiled.
—Looks like we found our sacrifice.
Zerach’s eyes turned purple.
—You really think you can defeat me?
Ryu’s aura exploded.
The Shadow Wolf growled.
Kael raised his hand.
The villagers prepared their weapons.
The Abyssal Titan roared above them.
Zerach looked around.
For the first time—
He was surrounded.
Ryu floated into the air.
—You wanted to awaken the Abyss.
His blue eyes burned brightly.
—Then you’re going back with it.
Zerach’s mask finally shattered.
Underneath it was a face far younger than Ryu expected.
But his eyes were ancient.
Zerach smiled.
—Very well.
Purple energy exploded from his body.
—Show me whether the King of Slimes truly deserves his crown.
The battlefield erupted.
Ryu charged forward.
Kael followed.
The Shadow Wolf disappeared into the darkness.
Above them, the Abyssal Titan roared.
And the Abyssal Gate continued to open.
The final battle had begun.
But none of them knew that the true enemy was not Zerach.
Deep inside the Abyssal Gate—
Something was watching.
Something that had been waiting for Ryu for three hundred years.
And when Ryu’s eyes met its enormous purple eyes—
A familiar voice whispered inside his mind.
Welcome home, Ryu.
Ryu froze.
Because that voice…
Was his own.