The Dark World stood silent.
A vast black mansion rose at its center, towering like a throne carved from despair itself. The air was heavy—every breath carried a crushing pressure, as if the very atoms of this reality bowed to a single, absolute existence.
Footsteps echoed across the obsidian floor, sharp and rhythmic.
The Second-Ranked Fourth Grade Soul Reaper walked forward slowly. Its head was lowered, the tattered wings trailing behind it like a shroud. Shame weighed heavier than its armor. Reaching the throne hall, it knelt, pressing its forehead against the cold stone, and bowed deeply before the being seated above.
The King.
A cold, detached voice descended from the throne.
"What happened?"
The King's eyes glowed faintly in the gloom, two dying embers in a world of shadow. "I ordered you to bring me that boy's head," he said calmly. "So tell me—where is it?"
The Second Rank trembled, the sound of its chitinous plates rattling against the floor.
"My… my lord," it replied shakily. "The humans are growing stronger. I was not enough alone." Its voice cracked, stripped of its previous arrogance. "I nearly died at the hands of Sung Jiwon Naa."
Silence.
Then—The King stood.
The entire hall shook as if struck by an earthquake.
"What… did you say?" His voice rose sharply, cutting through the stillness. "You are the Second Rank of the Fourth Grade Soul Reapers," the King roared, his aura expanding until the shadows themselves fled. "And you're telling me… you failed? You expect me to believe that?"
The Second Rank pressed its head even lower. "I'm sorry, my lord. The fault lies with me."
It slowly lifted its head—and froze.
The throne was empty.
In a single blink, the King stood directly in front of it. Even the First Rank, standing in the periphery, watched with a flicker of pity in his eyes. Before the Second Rank could react, a massive hand seized its throat.
The King lifted the warrior effortlessly. The Second Rank clawed at the air, its legs kicking uselessly as its windpipe began to crush.
"L–Lord… please…" it gasped, dark fluid leaking from its eyes. "Give me… one more chance…"
The King's grip tightened, his fingers sinking into the creature's neck. "Another chance? You failed at the simplest command. A King does not reward failure with opportunity."
The pressure increased until the Second Rank's body shook violently. Then—The King released his grip.
The Second Rank collapsed to the ground, coughing violently as fractures spread across its body like broken glass. Dark blood leaked slowly as it struggled to even rise to its knees.
The King turned away, his cape swirling like a cloud of smoke. He walked back to his throne and sat down calmly, the fury replaced by a chilling pragmatism.
"There will be no more hunting," he said. "Not for now."
The hall fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in.
"I have an urgent meeting," the King continued, his gaze piercing the veil between worlds. "With the Kings of the other grades." His eyes narrowed. "It concerns Earth."
The Second Rank said nothing. It slowly stood and took its place beside the throne, silent and obedient, a broken soldier.
The Third Rank stepped forward, bowing carefully. "My lord. We will accompany you. To protect the dignity of the Fourth Grade."
The King shook his head. "No. Only Kings are permitted. The presence of subordinates would be an insult to the gathering." He looked out over his silent court. "You will remain here and oversee this world."
The Fourth Rank bowed slightly. "Yes, my lord."
The Dark World grew quiet once more as the King faded into a rift of purple energy. But far beyond the mansion, across the dimensions of the void—the meeting of the Apex was about to begin.
Then the scene shifted to th underground shelter-training ground
Inside the vast training cavern, the sounds of impact and flowing energy never truly ceased.
Sami floated several meters above the floor, her silver-grey eyes glowing with concentration. A dozen jagged stones orbited her like miniature moons, their paths tracing complex geometric patterns as she refined her telekinetic precision. Below her, Xiaolong was locked in a battle with his own element. He was shaping a platform of high-pressure water beneath his feet, his jaw set as he struggled to keep the "liquid carpet" stable enough to sustain his weight in midair.
Nearby, the rhythmic sound of breathing drew everyone's attention to Takashi. He was a statue of focus, sweat dripping from his chin as he pushed through his final sets.
"Eight hundred ninety-six… eight hundred ninety-seven… eight hundred ninety-eight… eight hundred ninety-nine… Nine hundred."
He finally stopped, his knuckles digging into the mat as he exhaled a ragged breath.
In a violent blur of black and purple particles, Nitsuki appeared. He didn't just walk; he utilized Phantom Switch to flicker beside Sami, then Xiaolong, before finally manifesting right behind Takashi.
"Takashi…" Nitsuki said, staring at his friend in genuine disbelief. "How many push-ups did you just do?"
Takashi looked up, his expression neutral. "That many? It's still too little."
Nitsuki froze, clutching his chest dramatically as if he'd been stabbed. "…Bro. Just hit me already. I don't want to live anymore. Nine hundred push-ups—and you're calling that little?"
Takashi let out a rare, soft chuckle. "Hehehe… impossible for you. You're Nitsuki, after all."
Nitsuki narrowed his eyes, his competitive streak flaring up. "Eh? I'm stronger than you now, you know."
Takashi smirked, pushing himself up to a standing position. "Oh really? Baby Nitsuki is stronger than me now?"
"Yeah! Come on! We're fighting today for sure!" Nitsuki shouted, clenting his fist as sparks of energy danced along his arm.
"You two are both trash!"
The loud, crumb-muffled shout came from the sidelines. Kento was slumped lazily in a chair, eating a massive sandwich like a madman, pieces of bread flying everywhere. "If you've got guts," Kento yelled, "come fight me—two versus one!"
Takashi crossed his arms. "Just keep eating and get fat. At this rate, you won't even beat Captain Nanami."
"Yeah, yeah. Takashi's right," Nitsuki added with an aggressive nod.
Kento's ego snapped like a dry twig. Still chewing furiously, he roared, "Let me finish eating first! Then I'll show you who your daddy is!"
"Heh. Sure," Nitsuki replied casually, turning back to the group.
Above them, Sami let the stones settle back to the floor with a soft thud. She drifted down to the ground, a weary sigh escaping her lips. "…These boys. They really live on a different level of stupidity."
Xiaolong glanced at her while stabilizing his water platform. "Hm. That's true. But people are different." He looked at the water swirling at his feet. "Sometimes I just want to lie in water forever… watching reflections."
Sami blinked. "That's… kind of strange." She shook her head. "Well, everyone thinks differently."
"I need more food! I'm still hungry!" Kento's voice echoed through the quarters.
From the kitchen area, Nanami's voice boomed back with terrifying authority. "KENTOOO! There's no more food! If you want more, cook it yourself!"
"Tch… damn it," Kento muttered, slumping back.
Nanami stepped out of the shadows and sat on a low-hanging branch of the artificial training tree. "Nitsuki," he called out. "Come here."
Nitsuki and Takashi walked over, the light-heartedness of the training session fading into a serious military atmosphere. Nanami looked at Nitsuki with a heavy gaze. "Any information about the Empty Void?"
Nitsuki shook his head. "No. I tried sending my soul there before sleeping… multiple times. Nothing worked. It's like the door is locked from the other side."
"I see," Nanami muttered.
"But we can't just sit around like this," Takashi interjected. He leaned forward, his eyes lit with a sudden, sharp idea. "Wait… I have a thought. Nitsuki, that sword of yours… the Verse Slayer."
"Yes?" Nitsuki asked.
"It's cosmic-level, right? It cuts through space and reality," Takashi said, his voice growing excited. "Then let's try something. Tomorrow morning—you, me, and Kento. We go back to the Origin. Back to the Exclusive Stone."
Nitsuki slowly summoned the hilt of his sword, the blade glowing with a faint, violet hum. "I'll cut it. Let's see what happens when a cosmic blade meets the source of the apocalypse."
"One step closer to the end," Nitsuki finished firmly.
Nanami frowned, his tactical mind weighing the risks. "It's a good idea, but what if something goes terribly wrong? That stone is the source of all our powers."
"Then we'll deal with it," Nitsuki countered. "Doing something is better than waiting for the Kings to come to us."
Nanami sighed, looking at the two young men. "…Why am I hesitating? I'm the captain." He stood up, his posture straight. "Alright then. Plan confirmed. Tomorrow morning—Nitsuki, Takashi, and Kento will leave on the mission."
Nitsuki looked uneasy for a moment. "I don't want to drag Sami into more trouble. What if something happens to her there?"
"Yeah," Takashi agreed. "Taking Kento is better. He can handle the brute force."
"Do you think Sami will let Nitsuki go without her?" Nanami asked with a knowing look.
Takashi replied calmly, "We won't tell her."
Nitsuki nodded. "…Yeah. That's what we'll do."
The plan was set. The three men walked away to prepare their gear, confident in their secrecy.
But they weren't alone.
Behind the concrete pillar of the medical building, hidden near the branch where Nanami had sat, Sami stood silently. Her silver-grey eyes were clouded, her knuckles white as she gripped the fabric of her sleeve.
Her expression darkened, a mixture of hurt and growing coldness.
"…Nitsuki," she whispered to the empty air. "You're leaving without telling me? Again?"
Her mood sank like a stone into deep water. And somewhere deep within her, in the place where her silver aura resided—something cold and ancient began to stir.