The central chamber of the Aegis Covenant was filled with an even heavier atmosphere this time.
The ancient symbol embedded in the center of the round table emitted a faint glow, as if it too remembered the pressure that had passed through the chamber moments ago. Everyone present knew it—this was no ordinary event.
The Leader spoke without any introduction.
"Raijin is no longer a potential threat."
For a few moments after his words, no one spoke.
Then, one of the senior members activated the crystal record in front of him.
The readings from the previous incident appeared in the air.
First, three separate soul signatures appeared.
Then one of them disappeared.
The second also failed to remain stable after some time.
And finally—
Only one signature remained.
But it was not normal.
The waves of Etherea around it were constantly changing.
"That is the problem," the senior member said quietly.
"If he were simply one person, the Nexus reaction would not be this abnormal."
Another member asked,
"Shouldn't we try to capture him before eliminating him?"
Several people in the chamber looked toward him.
"If we can capture him alive," he continued, "perhaps we can understand the structure of his soul."
The Leader's eyes remained fixed on him for a few moments.
"And what if we give him time?"
The member fell silent.
"A consciousness whose structure does not match any rule recorded in our archives," the Leader said, "cannot be allowed to roam freely."
His voice grew colder.
"It is a possibility whose consequences no one can predict."
He shut down the crystal record.
"We don't need his secret."
He spoke slowly.
"We need to make sure that secret does not become a threat to the world."
The Leader swept his gaze across all the members.
"An order has been issued."
Everyone in the room held their breath.
"Raijin will be found."
A brief pause.
"And if he resists…"
His voice became as cold as ice.
"He will be eliminated."
Sweat appeared on the foreheads of several experienced members.
But no one objected.
For the first time, the Aegis Covenant had declared a single individual as its prey.
---
Meanwhile, the Aegis Covenant had begun its search.
The waves of Etherea recorded in the crystal after the previous incident had not completely disappeared. A very faint residue of the signature was still present in the air.
A specialized tracking crystal detected the residual signature.
Within the crystal, a hazy light continuously pulled toward the northwest.
"The signature isn't stable," one member said.
"But the direction is clear."
A massive map was spread out before them.
The light slowly moved across it before stopping above a dense forest.
The senior officer looked at the map.
"He's there."
"Do we need reinforcements?"
The officer shook his head.
"No."
He looked at the warriors standing behind him.
"If he still can't control his power, our numbers will be enough."
He shut off the crystal.
"Don't give him time to awaken."
The warriors, dressed in deep red and black robes, headed toward the forest without another word.
---
Inside the castle, Sora wasn't doing any better.
There was a strange pressure in his chest, as if an invisible hand were gripping his soul.
Whenever Raijin's name entered his mind, his heart began beating faster.
"Why…"
His voice trembled.
"I killed him…"
His Nexus Seed was becoming unstable.
His fear was no longer only about Lord.
He was afraid that if Raijin had truly returned—
he would never be able to look him in the eyes again.
Sora closed his eyes.
The same scene appeared before him once again.
Raijin.
Covered in blood.
That final light in his eyes.
And then—
the moment Sora had lost him.
He clenched his fist.
"No…"
His breathing grew heavier.
"If he had really died…"
He placed a hand over his chest.
His Nexus Seed was still burning faintly.
"Then why can I still feel him?"
He slowly raised his head.
For the first time, regret appeared alongside fear in his eyes.
"Raijin…"
He whispered his name.
"Where are you?"
---
At the same time, deep within the dense forest—
Raijin was sitting on a massive stone.
His eyes were closed, and his breathing was controlled.
A faint energy was rising from beneath the earth.
The air was unnaturally still.
Suddenly—
Clang!
A blade tore through the air toward him.
Raijin's eyes snapped open.
He immediately jumped backward.
The ground where he had been sitting split apart.
Warriors dressed in deep red robes emerged from all directions.
There was no emotion in their eyes.
"Raijin."
One of them raised his sword.
"By order of the Aegis Covenant, you are to be eliminated."
Raijin looked at the people standing before him.
Something inside him broke.
The next moment—
One.
Two.
Three.
Blows came toward him in rapid succession.
Raijin ducked beneath the first attack.
His body instinctively spun, and his fist shot toward the warrior in front of him.
But—
His movement suddenly slowed.
The warrior easily blocked his attack.
The next moment, a sword tore across his shoulder.
A hot stream of blood ran down his body.
Raijin stepped backward.
He looked at his wounded shoulder.
"This body…"
He gritted his teeth.
His mind knew how to fight.
His old instincts were still inside him.
But his body—
wasn't cooperating.
Another attack came toward him.
He stepped backward and avoided it.
Then another.
And another.
He managed to evade every attack, but his movements were becoming slower.
He clenched his fist.
"I know how to fight…"
Frustration appeared in his eyes.
"But this body won't listen to me."
One of the warriors lunged toward him.
Raijin tried to block the attack.
This time, he was thrown backward.
His breathing became rapid.
He looked at the warriors standing before him.
"If I keep fighting like this…"
His expression became serious.
"I'll die again."
One of the warriors stepped forward.
The sword in his hand was no ordinary blade.
Thin streams of Etherea were circulating around it.
"First squad, fall back."
He raised his sword.
The next moment, several sharp blades of energy formed in the air and shot toward Raijin.
Raijin immediately leaped into the air.
At the same time, a second warrior stepped forward.
He placed his palm against the ground.
"Bind."
Thin lines of energy emerged from the earth and moved toward Raijin's feet.
Raijin jumped over them.
But at that exact moment, a third warrior appeared in front of him.
A faint glowing layer formed around his body.
Raijin's attack collided directly with his arm.
Boom!
Raijin's eyes widened slightly.
"Defensive Nexus…"
Now he understood.
These people weren't merely soldiers following orders.
Each one had a different role.
One was attacking.
One was restraining him.
And one was blocking his attacks.
They were trained.
And Raijin had—
nothing but a weak body.
Another attack came toward his chest.
This time, he couldn't stop it.
Boom!
He crashed to the ground.
His breath nearly left his body.
For several moments, he couldn't even move.
He closed his eyes.
"So…"
He struggled to breathe.
"This is where it ends?"
He couldn't see anything in the darkness.
Then—
from somewhere deep within him, a voice emerged.
Weak.
Almost inaudible.
But clear.
"Get up…"
Raijin's eyes suddenly opened.
He looked around.
There was no one there.
"Who?"
No answer came.
Then the same voice echoed inside him.
"Get up."
Raijin remained still for several moments.
He realized that the voice wasn't coming from outside—
It was coming from within him.
He placed a hand over his chest.
"You…"
For the first time, confusion appeared in his eyes.
"You're inside me?"
There was no answer.
But the next moment—
A vibration.
Then another.
And then—
a deep rumble.
Thump.
The Nexus Seed inside Raijin's chest pulsed.
The air throughout the forest came to a complete stop.
Thump.
A tremor rose from beneath the earth.
Suddenly, cracks began spreading through the soil beneath his feet.
The leaves on the trees trembled despite the absence of wind.
Then—
the direction of the wind changed.
The air that had previously been flowing out of the forest suddenly began pulling toward Raijin.
Faint, glowing streams of Etherea began gathering toward him from all four directions.
The Aegis Covenant warriors stepped backward.
Their own Nexus Seeds began reacting.
"What is this…?"
One warrior placed a hand over his chest.
His face had gone pale.
Another gripped his weapon tightly.
But his hands were trembling.
The animals hiding in the forest suddenly began fleeing.
An entire flock of birds took flight at once.
Even Raijin was frightened by the sight for a few moments.
"This…"
He clutched his chest.
"What is awakening inside me?"
His Nexus Seed pulsed again.
This time—
the entire forest reacted.
Raijin slowly stood.
He clenched his fist.
"Now…"
His voice was heavy.
"I won't run anymore."
He raised his hand.
Faint streams of Etherea began swirling between his fingers.
He struck at one of the warriors.
Boom!
The warrior was sent flying several meters backward.
But Raijin himself staggered.
His breathing became heavy.
He looked at his palm.
"So much power…"
he whispered.
"But I can't control it."
Another warrior charged toward him.
Raijin released his power in response.
Boom!
The ground split apart.
The warrior was forced to retreat.
Raijin remained standing for several moments.
He could stop them now.
But he still didn't have enough control to completely destroy them.
He slowly exhaled.
"So this is only the beginning."
For the first time, curiosity replaced the fear in his eyes.
"I still have a lot to learn."
---
The destruction spread throughout the forest had not yet settled.
Broken trees, cracked earth, and the lingering vibrations of Etherea in the air made it clear that something had happened here that would not be easy to hide.
Raijin stood alone.
But inside him—
something else was happening.
Suddenly—
the world stopped.
The forest.
The wind.
The sounds.
Everything disappeared.
Raijin found himself standing in a vast void.
Four different paths of light stretched out in four directions before him.
A deep, steady voice echoed through the void.
"You stand at the convergence of four realms."
Raijin gritted his teeth.
"Who are you?"
"I am the witness of the Mortal Realm."
The voice was calm.
"The one who gave this world its stable foundation."
The four paths of light began glowing one after another.
Within the first path, life appeared.
Cities.
Forests.
Oceans.
Humans.
Countless lives flowing together.
"The first—Mortal Realm."
The second path suddenly filled with flames.
Flowing water.
Winds swirling through the sky.
The power of earth flowing between enormous rocks.
"The second—Elemental Realm."
The third path was peaceful.
But its presence was heavy.
Countless souls floated through the light.
Enormous figures could be seen in the distance.
Some were calm.
Others were so powerful that their mere presence seemed to make the entire scene tremble.
"The third—Spiritual Realm."
Raijin's gaze shifted toward the fourth path.
There was no light.
No sound.
No life.
Only—
darkness.
For the first time, Raijin felt fear without knowing why.
He took a step forward.
Suddenly—
a faint echo came from within the dark path.
Raijin stopped.
"What is there?"
For several moments, there was only silence.
Then the voice answered—
"Something whose name you do not need to know yet."
Raijin narrowed his eyes.
"So you don't want to tell me about it either?"
"If every truth is known before its time…"
The voice became quieter.
"Then that knowledge is no longer wisdom."
"It becomes a burden."
Raijin looked at all four paths again.
"Is the Nexus Seed connected to all these realms?"
There was no answer for several moments.
Then the same voice spoke.
"The Nexus is only a door."
A faint light appeared in Raijin's eyes.
"Then where does the true power lie?"
"Within the one who opens the door."
"And if someone wants to draw power from all four realms?"
The voice remained calm.
"Then they must also pay the price of all four realms."
Raijin remained silent for a few moments.
He understood that he wasn't ready for that answer yet.
Then the voice echoed again.
"I can grant you the blessing of the Mortal Realm."
Raijin looked toward it.
"But remember."
This time, the voice was more serious.
"This power will not belong to you."
Raijin frowned.
"Then what is it?"
"It will be borrowed."
Light slowly spread around his body.
"Until your body learns to accept it, this power can harm you as well."
Raijin answered without hesitation.
"Even so, I will accept it."
"Why?"
His eyes hardened.
"Because without power, I have nothing to choose from."
Silence filled the void for several moments.
Then the light entered his body.
A searing heat spread through his veins.
It felt as though fire were rushing through his bones.
His muscles tensed.
The Nexus pathways sealed within him slowly began activating.
The pain was so intense that Raijin fell to his knees.
But he did not scream.
He simply clenched his teeth.
"If this is the price…"
He struggled to breathe.
"Then I will pay it."
---
At that very moment—
a consciousness hidden deep within him opened its eyes for the first time.
The original Raijin.
The true owner of this body.
He looked at the outside world.
The forest.
The trees.
The sky.
And then—
a face appeared in his memory.
Sora.
For several moments, the original Raijin stared at the memory.
A faint sadness appeared in his eyes.
Then he looked toward the current Raijin.
He knew that his body was no longer completely under his control.
But he did not resist.
"If you're using my body…"
the consciousness said quietly,
"then remember one thing."
The current Raijin seemed to sense the voice.
"Don't forget my friend."
After saying those words, the original Raijin retreated into the darkness once again.
But this time—
he did not sleep.
He was only waiting.
---
The world returned.
Raijin collapsed onto his knees.
His breathing was heavy.
But his body—
was stronger than before.
He slowly raised his head.
"Four realms…"
he murmured.
"So this is the path."
Then he continued deeper into the forest.
---
Inside the castle—
Sora suddenly raised his head.
He had felt something too.
A pressure.
A jolt.
As if the world itself had shifted.
Lord stood before him.
Sora clenched his fists.
"I need power."
Lord raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Why?"
Sora closed his eyes.
Raijin's final image still lingered before him.
And that was what burned inside him the most.
"I don't want power simply to defeat him."
Lord remained silent.
Sora looked at him.
His voice trembled.
But this time, there was no fear in it.
"If Raijin has returned…"
He raised his fist.
"Then next time, I will be ready."
His Nexus Seed pulsed faintly.
"I won't remain so weak that someone else gets to decide my fate."
Lord watched him for several moments.
Then a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Very well."
He extended his hand.
"But remember, asking for power is easy."
"Enduring it is difficult."
Sora grasped his hand without hesitation.
For a moment, a different light appeared in Lord's eyes.
But Sora didn't notice it.
There was only one thought in his mind.
He needed power.
A lot of power.
Watching him, Lord thought to himself—
"If this boy can break through his limits…"
His smile grew slightly.
"Then perhaps he will be capable of stopping that existence."
---
Far away—
Inside the central chamber of the Aegis Covenant, the crystal suddenly lit up again.
Everyone turned toward it in surprise.
The Leader immediately stepped forward.
"Show me the reading."
There was no Raijin signature on the crystal.
No soul pattern.
No Nexus signature.
Only—
a deep black line.
The same line that resembled the fourth path.
Everyone in the chamber stared at it for several moments.
Then—
Thump.
A very faint heartbeat echoed from within the crystal.
The Leader's expression changed.
"What happened?"
a senior member asked.
The Leader gave no answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the crystal.
Then he spoke in a very low voice—
"If this were only Raijin…"
He clenched his fist.
"That would have been enough."
The crystal pulsed again.
Thump.
This time, all the lights in the chamber went out.
The Leader's voice echoed through the darkness—
"But…"
A few moments of silence followed.
"Someone else has begun to awaken as well."
Thump.