The sky exploded.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Golden and blue-black energy collided above Elarion.
Ryu and the Celestial Emperor moved so quickly that even Kael couldn’t follow their movements.
CLANG!
Ryu blocked the Emperor’s sword.
SWOOSH!
The Emperor struck again.
Ryu disappeared with King’s Shadow Step.
He reappeared behind him.
—King’s Shadow Claw!
SLASH!
The Emperor’s golden armor cracked.
But before Ryu could attack again—
A golden wing struck him.
BOOM!
Ryu crashed through a tower.
The entire building collapsed.
—Ryu!
The Shadow Wolf rushed toward the rubble.
But—
Ryu suddenly emerged.
He brushed the dust from his clothes.
—I’m fine.
The Emperor descended slowly.
“Your movements are different.”
Ryu looked at him.
—Different?
“The old King fought with rage.”
The Emperor raised his sword.
“You fight with purpose.”
Ryu smiled.
—Maybe that’s why I’ll win.
The Emperor’s expression became cold.
“We shall see.”
He raised his sword toward the heavens.
The clouds began rotating.
A gigantic golden magic circle appeared above Elarion.
Kael’s face changed.
—That’s not normal magic.
Morvath looked upward.
—No.
His voice became serious.
—That’s Celestial Judgment.
Caelum immediately shouted—
—Everyone, get inside the palace!
The villagers began running.
Ryu looked up.
—What does it do?
Morvath answered—
—It doesn’t attack the body.
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
—Then what?
—It erases existence.
Silence.
Ryu looked at the Emperor.
—You really don’t know how to fight fair.
The Emperor’s six wings opened.
“You are not meant to survive this.”
Golden light filled the sky.
Ryu raised his hand.
The Shadow Wolf appeared beside him.
[Royal Shadow Link activated.]
[Synchronization: 31%]
[35%]
[39%]
Ryu felt the Shadow Wolf’s power merge with his own.
His aura became enormous.
—Let’s do it.
The Shadow Wolf growled.
Ryu pointed toward the sky.
—King’s Abyss Barrier!
A massive blue-black barrier appeared above Elarion.
The Celestial Judgment descended.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The entire kingdom shook.
The barrier began cracking immediately.
CRACK!
CRACK!
Ryu gritted his teeth.
—Hold!
More cracks appeared.
Kael looked at him.
—Ryu, you’ll overload your core!
Ryu shouted—
—I don’t care!
The black crown on his forehead began glowing.
[King’s Awakening activated.]
[Ancient Authority synchronization: 39% → 47%.]
The barrier suddenly expanded.
The golden attack was pushed upward.
The Emperor’s eyes widened.
“Forty-seven percent…”
Ryu looked at him.
—What?
The Emperor stared at the crown on Ryu’s forehead.
“So that is the limit you reached before your death.”
Ryu froze.
—What did you say?
The Emperor slowly lowered his sword.
“Your old self reached forty-seven percent before the final battle.”
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
—Forty-seven percent of what?
The Emperor didn’t answer.
Instead—
A voice came from behind Ryu.
—Of himself.
Ryu turned.
Caelum stood there.
His sword was lowered.
Ryu stared at him.
—What?
Caelum walked closer.
—Your old power wasn’t your full strength.
Ryu’s expression changed.
—Then what was it?
Caelum looked at the black crown.
—A seal.
Ryu froze.
—A seal?
Caelum nodded.
—Your previous self deliberately sealed most of his own power.
Kael looked shocked.
—Why would he do that?
Caelum’s eyes became dark.
—Because the full power of the King couldn’t exist inside this world.
Ryu looked at his hands.
—Then what happens if I remove the seal?
Caelum didn’t answer.
Morvath did.
—The world dies.
Ryu looked at him.
Morvath continued—
—Not because you want it to.
—Because your true power is too large for this world to contain.
Ryu remained silent.
The Emperor suddenly laughed.
“Now you understand.”
Ryu looked upward.
The Emperor raised his sword again.
“Your return is already destabilizing this world.”
The sky began cracking.
Not from the Emperor’s attack.
From Ryu’s aura.
CRACK!
A massive fracture appeared across the clouds.
Ryu stared upward.
—That’s my power?
The system appeared.
[World stability decreasing.]
[Current stability: 91%.]
[Warning.]
[If Ancient Authority exceeds 60%, world stability may fall below critical levels.]
Ryu immediately clenched his fist.
The aura around him decreased.
—Then I’ll control it.
The Emperor looked surprised.
“You can suppress it?”
Ryu smiled.
—I’m not the person you fought three hundred years ago.
He raised his hand.
—I’m Ryu.
Blue energy gathered around him.
—And this world is mine to protect.
The Emperor stared at him.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then—
He slowly lowered his sword.
“Interesting.”
Ryu frowned.
—What are you doing?
The Emperor’s wings folded.
“This battle is over.”
Kael looked confused.
—You’re retreating?
The Emperor looked toward the six Thrones.
“We have confirmed what we needed.”
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
—What did you confirm?
The Emperor looked directly at him.
“That you are truly awake.”
The six purple symbols began disappearing.
Ryu immediately charged.
—You’re not going anywhere!
SWOOSH!
But the Emperor’s body turned into golden particles.
Before disappearing completely, he said—
“The next time we meet, Ryu…”
His voice echoed through the sky.
“…I will not come to kill you.”
Ryu stopped.
—Then why?
The Emperor smiled.
“To kneel.”
The golden light vanished.
Silence returned to Elarion.
Ryu slowly descended.
Kael approached him.
—Why would the Celestial Emperor say that?
Ryu shook his head.
—I don’t know.
Morvath looked toward the sky.
—Because he knows something we don’t.
Ryu turned toward Caelum.
—And I think you know it too.
Caelum remained silent.
Ryu walked toward him.
—What happened three hundred years ago?
Caelum looked into his eyes.
Then he finally said—
—Your final battle wasn’t against the Seven Thrones.
Ryu froze.
—Then who was it against?
Caelum’s expression became grim.
—The person who orchestrated everything.
Ryu’s heart skipped.
—Who?
Caelum looked toward the deepest part of Elarion.
—A man who stood beside you from the beginning.
Ryu narrowed his eyes.
—Name him.
Caelum hesitated.
Then—
—Azael Veyron.
Ryu froze.
But before he could ask anything else—
The black crown on his forehead suddenly burned.
[Unknown interference detected.]
[Memory forcibly suppressed.]
Ryu’s vision blurred.
A voice whispered inside his mind.
“Don’t believe him.”
Ryu looked at Caelum.
For the first time, he noticed something strange.
Caelum’s shadow…
Wasn’t moving with him.
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
—Caelum.
Caelum looked at him.
—Yes, My King?
Ryu slowly reached for his sword.
—Why doesn’t your shadow have a reflection?
Caelum’s smile disappeared.
Silence.
Then—
His eyes turned purple.
“So you noticed.”
BOOOOOOM!
Darkness exploded across the throne room.
And somewhere far away…
Azael Veyron smiled.
“Phase One has succeeded.”
To Be Continued…