BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Darkness exploded across the throne room.
The walls of Elarion’s palace trembled violently.
Ryu was thrown backward.
He crashed into the marble floor and slid several meters before stopping.
—Ryu!
Kael rushed toward him.
But Ryu immediately stood.
His eyes were locked on Caelum.
Or rather—
On the thing wearing Caelum’s face.
Purple energy slowly spread across Caelum’s body.
His golden armor turned black.
His eyes glowed with an unnatural purple light.
And his shadow…
Was completely motionless.
Ryu tightened his grip around his sword.
—Who are you?
Caelum smiled.
But it wasn’t Caelum’s smile.
It was colder.
Older.
Almost inhuman.
“You finally noticed.”
Ryu’s aura exploded.
—Where is Caelum?
The figure tilted his head.
“Inside.”
Ryu’s expression darkened.
—Inside what?
The figure pointed toward his own chest.
“Inside me.”
Kael froze.
—What the hell does that mean?
Morvath’s expression became extremely serious.
—Possession.
The figure laughed.
“Not possession.”
He slowly raised one hand.
Purple flames appeared around his fingers.
“Replacement.”
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
—You replaced Caelum?
“Not completely.”
The figure’s smile widened.
“I simply buried him.”
Ryu’s sword began glowing blue-black.
—Then I’ll dig him out.
SWOOOOOSH!
Ryu disappeared.
King’s Shadow Step.
He appeared directly in front of the false Caelum.
—King’s Shadow Claw!
SLASH!
The purple figure blocked the attack with one hand.
BOOM!
The entire throne room shook.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—You blocked it?
The figure smiled.
“Your strength has improved.”
Ryu suddenly kicked him.
BOOM!
The figure was launched through the throne room wall.
Ryu immediately followed.
But—
The darkness moved first.
A massive purple hand emerged from the destroyed wall.
BOOOOOOM!
Ryu crossed his arms.
The impact pushed him backward.
Kael shouted—
—Ryu!
Ryu planted his feet against the ground.
His eyes became cold.
—You’re not Caelum.
The figure stepped out of the smoke.
Purple cracks covered his face.
“No.”
He looked directly at Ryu.
“My name is Veyra.”
Morvath’s eyes widened.
—Impossible…
Veyra looked at him.
“You remember me, old wolf?”
Morvath’s expression became grim.
—You died three hundred years ago.
Veyra laughed.
“Death is meaningless to someone who abandoned his humanity.”
Ryu looked between them.
—You know him?
Morvath didn’t answer.
Ryu’s voice became colder.
—Morvath.
The Shadow Wolf growled softly.
—Yes.
—Tell me.
Morvath finally spoke.
—Veyra was once the King’s strongest guardian.
Ryu froze.
—My guardian?
“Yes.”
Veyra smiled.
“And your greatest mistake.”
Ryu’s grip tightened.
—What did I do?
Veyra’s smile disappeared.
“You trusted the wrong people.”
Silence.
Then Veyra suddenly raised his hand.
Purple chains erupted from the ground.
CLANK!
CLANK!
CLANK!
Kael tried to move.
But a chain wrapped around his arm.
—Damn!
Another chain wrapped around Morvath.
The Shadow Wolf roared.
Veyra looked at Ryu.
“Three hundred years ago, you were powerful.”
“Powerful enough to challenge the Seven Thrones.”
“But you were foolish.”
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
—What happened?
Veyra stepped forward.
“You gathered allies.”
“You built Elarion.”
“You created the Royal Covenant.”
“And you believed everyone around you was loyal.”
Ryu remained silent.
Veyra’s purple eyes glowed brighter.
“But someone betrayed you.”
Ryu’s heart skipped.
—Azael.
Veyra smiled.
“Yes.”
Ryu’s aura exploded.
—What did he do?
Veyra looked toward the sky.
“He didn’t attack you.”
“He didn’t poison you.”
“He didn’t raise an army against you.”
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
—Then?
Veyra whispered—
“He made you destroy yourself.”
Silence.
Ryu froze.
The black crown on his forehead suddenly began burning.
[WARNING.]
[Memory suppression detected.]
[Foreign interference increasing.]
Ryu grabbed his head.
—ARGH!
Images flashed through his mind.
A battlefield.
Thousands of corpses.
Seven gigantic thrones.
Azael standing beside him.
Caelum kneeling.
Morvath covered in blood.
And Ryu—
Standing at the center.
Surrounded by darkness.
Then—
A voice.
Azael’s voice.
“You must use it.”
Ryu’s younger self answered.
“No.”
“You’ll lose everything.”
“I said no!”
Then the memory shattered.
Ryu fell to one knee.
Kael shouted—
—Ryu!
Veyra smiled.
“Now you remember a little.”
Ryu slowly raised his head.
—You were there.
“Yes.”
—You saw everything.
“Yes.”
—Then tell me the truth.
Veyra remained silent.
Ryu stood.
His aura became terrifyingly calm.
—Why did Azael betray me?
Veyra looked at him.
“Because he wasn’t trying to kill you.”
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
“He was trying to awaken you.”
The world seemed to stop.
Ryu whispered—
—Awaken me?
Veyra nodded.
“Your death was never the end.”
“It was the beginning.”
Ryu’s black crown suddenly cracked.
CRACK!
A thin line appeared across it.
[Ancient Authority synchronization: 47%]
[Unknown force detected.]
[48%]
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—What is happening?
Morvath shouted—
—Stop!
But it was already too late.
[49%]
[50%]
The entire palace began shaking.
Outside—
The sky over Elarion turned black.
Villagers looked upward in terror.
Kael stared through the broken wall.
—Ryu…
Ryu floated into the air.
Blue-black energy surrounded his body.
Purple lightning appeared inside his aura.
Veyra stared at him.
For the first time—
Fear appeared in his eyes.
“No…”
Ryu looked down.
—You wanted to awaken me?
His voice had changed.
It carried a strange echo.
“Then watch carefully.”
The black crown shattered.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A gigantic shockwave spread across Elarion.
Mountains trembled.
The sea rose.
Clouds vanished.
And deep beneath the kingdom—
Something ancient opened its eyes.
[Ancient Authority: 51%]
[World Stability: 88%]
[Critical warning.]
[Further synchronization prohibited.]
Ryu slowly opened his eyes.
They were no longer completely blue.
One eye had become crimson.
Veyra stepped backward.
—No…
Ryu looked at him.
—You know this form.
Veyra’s body trembled.
“Yes.”
Ryu smiled.
—Then tell me its name.
Veyra whispered—
“The King’s True Form.”
Ryu’s aura exploded again.
And far away—
Inside an unknown fortress—
A man with silver hair sat before a giant black crystal.
A smile appeared on his face.
Azael Veyron slowly opened his eyes.
“Finally.”
He stood.
“The King has reached fifty percent.”
The crystal behind him began glowing.
Azael looked toward Elarion.
“Now…”
His smile widened.
“…Phase Two can begin.”
TO BE CONTINUED…