The sky above Elarion had turned black.
Not dark.
Black.
As if the entire world had been swallowed by an endless void.
Ryu floated above the ruined throne room.
Blue-black energy surrounded his body.
Purple lightning danced across his skin.
His black crown was gone.
Yet something far more terrifying had taken its place.
A strange symbol glowed on his forehead.
One eye remained blue.
The other burned crimson.
Veyra stared at him.
For the first time—
He looked afraid.
“No…”
Ryu slowly looked down.
—Why are you afraid?
Veyra took a step backward.
“Because I remember this.”
Ryu’s expression remained calm.
—Then remember everything.
BOOOOOOM!
Ryu disappeared.
Veyra barely raised his arm.
CLANG!
Ryu’s sword struck his purple barrier.
CRACK!
The barrier shattered instantly.
Veyra’s eyes widened.
“What?!”
Ryu appeared behind him.
—King’s Shadow Step.
SLASH!
Veyra’s back exploded with purple energy.
He was thrown across the palace.
BOOOOOOM!
He crashed through three walls.
Kael stared in shock.
—That wasn’t the same King’s Shadow Step…
Morvath’s eyes narrowed.
—No.
Kael looked at him.
—What changed?
Morvath answered quietly—
—The distance.
Kael froze.
—Distance?
Morvath nodded.
—Before, Ryu moved through shadows.
—Now?
Morvath looked at Ryu.
—The shadows move for him.
Ryu raised his hand.
Every shadow inside Elarion suddenly stretched toward him.
The shadows of the buildings.
The shadows of the trees.
Even the shadows of the clouds.
All of them gathered beneath Ryu.
Veyra slowly stood.
Blood-like purple energy dripped from his mouth.
“You really awakened it…”
Ryu looked at him.
—What is it?
Veyra smiled weakly.
“The authority of the original King.”
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
—Original King?
Veyra laughed.
“You still don’t remember.”
Ryu raised his sword.
—Then make me remember.
Veyra suddenly spread his arms.
Purple energy erupted from his body.
“Very well.”
The sky cracked.
A gigantic purple magic circle appeared above the palace.
Kael’s expression changed.
—He’s going to destroy Elarion!
Morvath growled.
—No.
He looked upward.
—He’s opening a dimensional gate.
The magic circle expanded.
A massive black hole appeared in the sky.
Something was moving inside it.
Ryu stared upward.
—What is that?
Veyra smiled.
“My army.”
The portal opened.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Hundreds of purple creatures descended from the sky.
Monsters covered in black armor.
Their eyes glowed violet.
Kael immediately drew his sword.
—Everyone!
The soldiers of Elarion rushed onto the battlefield.
The monsters attacked.
CLANG!
SLASH!
BOOM!
The kingdom erupted into chaos.
Ryu watched silently.
Veyra looked at him.
“Your people are dying.”
Ryu’s eyes became cold.
—They’re not my people because they follow me.
He raised his sword.
—They’re my people because I protect them.
A massive blue-black aura spread across the battlefield.
[King’s Domain activated.]
The entire battlefield suddenly became silent.
Every monster froze.
Veyra’s smile disappeared.
“What…?”
Ryu pointed his sword toward the enemy army.
—Kneel.
BOOOOOOM!
Every monster was forced to the ground.
CRASH!
CRASH!
CRASH!
Hundreds of creatures collapsed simultaneously.
Kael stared.
—He didn’t even attack them…
Morvath’s voice was quiet.
—Authority.
Ryu slowly descended.
Every step he took caused the ground to crack.
Veyra looked at him.
“You’re becoming exactly what Azael wanted.”
Ryu stopped.
—Don’t mention his name like you understand him.
Veyra smiled.
“Oh, I understand him better than you do.”
Ryu raised his sword.
—Then tell me.
Veyra looked directly into Ryu’s crimson eye.
“Azael didn’t betray you.”
Ryu froze.
Kael looked confused.
—What?
Veyra continued—
“He betrayed the world.”
Silence.
Ryu’s expression changed.
—Explain.
Veyra laughed.
“You thought Azael wanted your throne?”
“No.”
“You thought he wanted your death?”
“No.”
“He wanted something much larger.”
Veyra pointed toward the black sky.
“He wanted the world to break.”
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—Why?
Veyra’s smile returned.
“Because something is sleeping beneath Alveria.”
The ground suddenly trembled.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
A deep sound came from beneath the kingdom.
Like a heartbeat.
Ryu looked downward.
BOOM.
Another heartbeat.
The black crown symbol on his forehead suddenly reacted.
[Unknown entity detected.]
[Origin: Beneath Alveria.]
[Threat level: UNDEFINED.]
Ryu’s face became serious.
—What is that?
Veyra whispered—
“The reason your previous self sealed his power.”
Ryu’s heart stopped for a moment.
—What?
Veyra looked toward the ground.
“That thing is the reason the King feared his own power.”
The battlefield became silent.
Even Morvath looked disturbed.
Ryu slowly clenched his fist.
—What is sleeping beneath Alveria?
Veyra smiled.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
Suddenly—
Veyra’s body began disappearing.
Ryu immediately moved.
—You’re not escaping!
He reached for Veyra.
But his hand passed through him.
Veyra’s body turned into purple particles.
Before disappearing completely—
He whispered:
“Tell Caelum…”
Ryu froze.
“…that I know he remembers.”
Veyra vanished.
Silence returned.
Ryu slowly turned around.
Caelum was standing at the edge of the ruined throne room.
His eyes were normal again.
He looked exhausted.
Ryu walked toward him.
—Caelum.
Caelum looked at him.
—My King…
Ryu stopped directly in front of him.
—You remember.
Caelum’s eyes trembled.
For several seconds—
He said nothing.
Then—
“Yes.”
Ryu’s expression became cold.
—Everything?
Caelum closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Ryu’s sword remained in his hand.
—Then tell me what happened three hundred years ago.
Caelum opened his eyes.
And for the first time—
Tears appeared in them.
“Your Majesty…”
He lowered his head.
“I was the one who killed you.”
Ryu froze.
The world became silent.
Even the wind stopped.
Kael stared at Caelum in disbelief.
—What…?
Morvath’s expression became grim.
Ryu slowly raised his sword.
—Why?
Caelum looked directly into his eyes.
“Because you ordered me to.”
Ryu’s crimson eye widened.
Caelum whispered—
“You told me…”
“…if Azael succeeded…”
“…I had to kill you before you became something worse.”
Ryu’s sword slowly lowered.
And deep beneath Alveria—
The heartbeat sounded again.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
The system appeared.
[World Stability: 87%.]
[Ancient Entity awakening progress: 3%.]
Ryu stared at the notification.
—Ancient Entity…
His expression hardened.
—So that’s what my previous self was afraid of.
Far away, inside the unknown fortress—
Azael stood before the black crystal.
The crystal suddenly cracked.
Azael smiled.
“It’s beginning.”
He placed his hand against the crystal.
“Wake up, little King.”
His eyes glowed crimson.
“Your real enemy is waiting.”
TO BE CONTINUED…