The battlefield had fallen silent.
Ryu hovered in the air.
His blue aura flickered around his body.
The Abyssal Gate continued to expand above Everdark Forest.
Purple lightning danced across the clouds.
But Ryu wasn’t looking at the gate anymore.
He was staring into those enormous purple eyes.
The voice echoed inside his mind again.
Welcome home, Ryu.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—Who are you?
No answer came.
Instead, a strange pressure suddenly filled the entire forest.
The villagers dropped to their knees.
The Shadow Wolf growled.
Kael’s expression turned pale.
Even Zerach stopped moving.
Ryu looked around.
—What’s happening?
Kael whispered—
—Something is coming through.
The Abyssal Gate trembled.
BOOOOOOM!
A wave of darkness exploded from the crack.
Ryu immediately raised his hand.
—Absolute King’s Command!
A blue barrier appeared around everyone.
The dark wave collided with it.
CRAAAAACK!
The barrier shattered instantly.
Ryu was thrown backward.
—Ryu!
The Shadow Wolf jumped after him and caught him before he hit the ground.
Ryu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
—I’m fine.
He looked toward the gate.
—But what the hell was that?
Zerach slowly laughed.
—You really don’t remember.
Ryu glared at him.
—Remember what?
Zerach’s smile widened.
—Your first life.
Silence.
Ryu’s heart stopped for a moment.
—My…
first life?
Kael looked at Zerach.
—What are you talking about?
Zerach raised his hand.
Purple flames surrounded his body.
—The slime you know as Ryu isn’t the beginning of the story.
Ryu’s blue eyes narrowed.
—Explain.
Zerach pointed toward the Abyssal Gate.
—Three hundred years ago, something fell from the sky.
—A soul.
—A soul that belonged to you.
Ryu froze.
The system suddenly activated.
[Warning.]
[Forbidden information detected.]
[Memory access denied.]
Ryu grabbed his head.
Pain exploded through his mind.
Images flashed before his eyes.
A black sky.
A burning kingdom.
Thousands of dead monsters.
A gigantic throne.
And someone sitting upon it.
Ryu couldn’t see the person’s face.
But he could see his own hands.
They were covered in blood.
Ryu gasped.
—What…
was that?
The voice returned.
You were never born in this world.
Ryu’s breathing became heavier.
You returned to it.
—Stop!
Ryu shouted.
The voice disappeared.
Kael flew toward him.
—Ryu!
Ryu looked at him.
—Kael…
—What happened?
Ryu hesitated.
—Someone said I was here before.
Kael’s expression changed.
—Before?
Ryu nodded.
—Three hundred years ago.
Kael stepped back.
—That’s impossible.
Zerach laughed.
—Is it?
Kael turned toward him.
—You knew.
Zerach shrugged.
—Of course I knew.
Ryu’s aura suddenly exploded.
—Then tell me everything!
BOOM!
The ground beneath Ryu cracked.
His eyes glowed bright blue.
—Who was I?
Zerach smiled.
—That’s something you’ll have to discover yourself.
Ryu’s expression darkened.
—Then I’ll make you talk.
He disappeared.
SWOOSH!
Ryu appeared directly in front of Zerach.
—King’s Shadow Claw!
A massive blue-black claw struck Zerach.
BOOOOOOM!
Zerach blocked it with one arm.
The impact sent a shockwave across the forest.
Zerach slid backward.
His eyes widened slightly.
—You’ve grown stronger.
Ryu appeared behind him.
—I’m just getting started.
—Shadow Step!
Ryu’s body blurred.
Dozens of blue shadows surrounded Zerach.
—King’s Shadow Barrage!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The attacks rained down.
Zerach disappeared into the smoke.
Ryu landed on the ground.
The smoke slowly cleared.
Zerach was still standing.
But his mask had completely broken.
Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.
He smiled.
—Interesting.
Purple energy began gathering around him.
—Very interesting.
The forest became dark.
Kael immediately shouted—
—Everyone, get back!
Zerach raised his hand.
—Abyssal Dominion.
Darkness swallowed the battlefield.
Ryu couldn’t see anything.
He heard voices.
Thousands of them.
Whispering.
Laughing.
Crying.
Then—
A voice spoke directly behind him.
Ryu.
Ryu turned around.
Nothing.
Ryu.
He turned again.
Still nothing.
Then a gigantic purple eye opened in the darkness.
Ryu froze.
—You…
The eye stared at him.
Do you remember me?
Ryu couldn’t answer.
The eye moved closer.
You promised you would return.
Ryu shook his head.
—I don’t know you.
The eye became narrower.
Liar.
Suddenly—
Ryu’s head filled with another memory.
A young boy stood before a gigantic black throne.
The boy looked exactly like Ryu.
But he wasn’t a slime.
He was human.
Standing beside him was a mysterious figure wearing a silver crown.
The figure placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
Then said—
“When you return, everything will begin again.”
Ryu screamed.
—GET OUT OF MY HEAD!
A massive explosion erupted.
The darkness vanished.
Ryu fell from the sky.
The Shadow Wolf rushed toward him.
—Ryu!
Ryu opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was the Abyssal Gate.
Then he noticed something terrifying.
The enormous purple eye was gone.
But the gate was still open.
Kael looked toward the sky.
—It’s retreating.
Ryu slowly stood.
—What?
The Abyssal Gate began shrinking.
The Abyssal Titan roared and tried to hold onto the world.
But its body was being pulled backward.
Zerach looked toward the gate.
His expression suddenly changed.
—No…
Ryu noticed.
—What?
Zerach whispered—
—It wasn’t supposed to wake up yet.
Ryu stared at him.
—What woke up?
Zerach looked at Ryu.
For the first time, there was genuine fear in his eyes.
—The one sleeping beyond the Abyss.
Ryu’s expression became serious.
—Who is it?
Zerach didn’t answer.
The Abyssal Gate suddenly collapsed.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive shockwave swept across the sky.
Then—
Silence.
The clouds slowly returned to normal.
The purple lightning disappeared.
The Abyssal Titan was gone.
The villagers slowly stood.
Ryu looked at Zerach.
—It’s over.
Zerach smiled weakly.
—No.
Ryu narrowed his eyes.
—What do you mean?
Zerach looked toward the empty sky.
—It has only just begun.
Before Ryu could react—
A black mark appeared on his chest.
[Unknown Curse detected.]
[Origin: Abyss.]
[Analysis failed.]
Ryu touched the mark.
—What is this?
Kael’s face became pale.
—Ryu…
Ryu looked at him.
Kael whispered—
—That mark…
—What?
Kael stared at the symbol.
—I’ve seen it before.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—Where?
Kael slowly looked toward the distant mountains.
—Three hundred years ago.
Ryu froze.
The same voice whispered inside his mind one final time.
I’ll see you soon.
Ryu closed his eyes.
For a moment, he saw the mysterious throne again.
This time, the person sitting on it turned toward him.
But before Ryu could see the face—
The vision disappeared.
Ryu opened his eyes.
The battlefield was silent.
But somewhere beyond the Abyss…
Something had awakened.
And it knew Ryu’s name.
To Be Continued…