Chapter 64
In the Kingdom of Dragons, far beyond the ordinary structure of the world, countless floating islands drifted across the sky like shattered continents suspended in the heavens.
Massive streams of water poured endlessly from their edges.
The waterfalls vanished into clouds far below.
At the center hovered the largest island of all.
A country-sized landmass wrapped around a colossal black castle positioned directly in the middle like the heart of the kingdom itself.
Rows of houses circled around the castle in massive layered rings.
Golden bridges connected district after district through the open sky.
Bright green grass covered the island edges wildly while strong winds swept through the air with a cold whistling sound.
Below the main island, enormous ponds rested between rocky landscapes where dragons in human form trained endlessly across wide flat fields.
Sword clashes echoed constantly.
Shockwaves burst through the air.
Fire and lightning flickered beneath the floating islands.
At the farthest edge of the main land, near a steep cliffside overlooking the endless clouds below, a giant human-sized egg rested alone atop a beautifully designed platform made from black stone and golden markings.
The egg released a soft golden glow.
The surrounding air distorted faintly around it.
"Grow strong for your father… the Dragon Lord." Said the Dragon Lord slowly, narrowing his mismatched eyes.
One eye glowed crimson red.
The another burned deep blue.
A sharp smile stretched across his face while the wind burst violently around him, causing his shoulder-length white hair to whip through the air behind his back.
Part of his hair was loosely tied at the center.
The remaining strands flowed wildly around his face.
He wore loose black pants tightened at the ankles beneath a golden belt, while a long ink-black coat rested over his shoulders.
Its inner layers were dark crimson.
The trims shimmered gold beneath the sunlight.
A loose white shirt remained half-open beneath the coat, moving lightly against the wind.
"With you…" Said the Dragon Lord, slowly raising one arm toward the sky. "The strongest creature in existence will finally be born!!"
His voice echoed across the floating cliffs.
Nearby dragons immediately lowered their heads from the overwhelming pressure leaking from him.
"It's only a matter of time… AHAHAHA!" Laughed the Dragon Lord loudly, spreading both arms wide while his aura twisted through the sky like invisible flames. "Once Itsuki and that bitch leave the High Circle… it will belong entirely to the Kingdom of Dragons!"
The glowing egg suddenly shook lightly.
The Dragon Lord immediately lowered his gaze toward it while his grin widened further.
"Hungry already, my daughter?" Said the Dragon Lord softly, almost affectionately.
Then he lowered one hand toward the ground.
A giant black portal suddenly opened beneath him.
The air around the cliffside distorted instantly.
Strong winds got sucked violently into the darkness while nearby grass and stones lifted from the ground.
Moments later… corpses began emerging from the portal.
Hundreds of them.
Then thousands.
Bodies piled endlessly into the sky above the glowing egg.
Humans.
Monsters.
Even dragons.
Their lifeless forms twisted together unnaturally until they compressed into a massive sphere of flesh and corpses suspended above the platform.
The smell of blood spread heavily through the air.
"Ahaha…" Said the Dragon Lord quietly, slowly closing his hand into a fist.
The corpse sphere collapsed instantly.
Wet crushing sounds echoed violently across the cliffside as blood exploded outward before pouring downward like a crimson waterfall onto the egg below.
The once white shell slowly became dyed red.
"Dinner is served." Said the Dragon Lord calmly, wiping a streak of blood from his cheek with his thumb before slowly licking it clean.
His sharp upper fangs showed clearly when he smiled.
The blood started sinking directly into the egg itself.
Not a single drop spilled away.
Meanwhile the golden glow surrounding the egg became brighter.
Hotter.
Heavier.
The atmosphere around the platform trembled slightly under the growing pressure.
("Drink every drop… grow stronger…") Said the Dragon Lord internally, his sharp grin deepening.
("Those arrogant True Dragons will finally meet something capable of surpassing them.")
Far above the floating kingdom, countless dragons with lean perfect builds soared across the sky with elegant wings spread wide, their shadows passing silently over the islands below.
Far out in space, where the remains of a destroyed planet drifted endlessly through the darkness, shattered pieces of the world floated in every direction like broken glass scattered across the void.
Massive chunks of land slowly rotated in silence.
Rivers of magma glowed faintly through cracked continents.
Fuyume laid deep inside a crater carved into one of the broken planetary fragments.
Her body was riddled with countless glowing arrow holes.
Blood floated weightlessly around her.
Then in a single blink… every wound vanished completely.
"Godspeed Regeneration"
"Heh… heh…" Laughed Fuyume softly while pushing herself upright, strands of silver hair sliding across her face.
Her breathing remained calm despite the destruction covering her body moments ago.
("So this is that illogical phenomenon…") Said Fuyume internally, narrowing her eyes slightly.
("Those arrows weren't simply ignoring physics… they were violating causality itself.")
Far away across the shattered remains of the planet, Mizuki stood silently atop another floating fragment with the elegant silver bow hanging loosely from one hand.
The bow's divine aura flickered repeatedly now.
Unstable.
Fading.
"Mmm…" Said Mizuki quietly as her fingers tightened around the weapon.
("My time is running out.")
A faint disappointed smile appeared on her face.
("It's a shame… I really wanted this battle to continue.")
Across the void, Fuyume slowly lifted her gaze toward Mizuki.
Her sharp smile softened slightly.
("As fun as this was… I have to kill her now.") Said Fuyume internally, almost regretfully.
Then she slowly raised one hand forward.
"Divine Light of Purification… erase my enemy from existence." Said Fuyume softly.
The moment those words left her mouth, a blinding light exploded outward from her body.
It was not ordinary light.
The attack moved beyond linear time itself.
It erased existence simultaneously across both the physical and spiritual layers.
Entire fragments of the shattered planet disappeared soundlessly once touched by the light.
("She had this all along… shit…") Said Mizuki internally, shutting her eyes tightly while cold sweat formed along her cheek.
("I won't survive this… it's holy purification directly on the spirit layer.")
Then suddenly…
Mizuki's brows lifted slightly.
A familiar warmth wrapped gently around her body from behind.
Her eyes widened faintly from confusion before softening immediately afterward.
"Itsuki… is that you?" Asked Mizuki quietly, the corners of her lips lowering into a sad expression.
"Yes… it's me." Said Itsuki softly while embracing her from behind, burying part of his face lightly against her shoulder. "Sorry… you almost died."
"It's okay." Said Mizuki softly, relaxing into his arms while her tense shoulders slowly loosened.
Far below them, enormous glass containers filled with trapped souls floated within the center of the laboratory tower.
The entire structure shook violently.
Outside, Fuyume continuously bombarded the tower with massive energy attacks, causing shockwaves to spread across the surrounding ocean while cracks crawled through the beautiful white structure.
"Soul Conversion"
Said Mizuki calmly as she activated a sub-skill of her Unique Skill.
The millions of trapped souls immediately began melting together unnaturally like burning liquid plastic.
Screams echoed throughout the laboratory.
The giant glass containers shattered apart moments later.
Fragments scattered everywhere while the melting spiritual mass got violently pulled into Mizuki's outstretched palm.
The conversion succeeded.
The countless souls became pure fuel.
A multicolored glow spread across Mizuki's entire body before slowly extending onto Itsuki as well.
The energy distorted the surrounding space heavily.
"Let's go home, Itsuki." Said Mizuki softly, lowering her eyes slightly while resting deeper into his embrace.
Itsuki's arms remained wrapped securely around her narrow waist while the overwhelming light surrounding both of them continued growing brighter.
Mizuki and Itsuki shot upward through the collapsing tower inside a massive beam of white light that pierced straight through the atmosphere effortlessly.
The ocean below exploded violently afterward.
The beautiful white tower folded inward on itself before collapsing completely into the sea, sending gigantic waves high into the sky while debris scattered across the horizon.
"Mmm…" Said Fuyume softly, her sharp eyes following the ascending beam.
She slowly raised one finger toward the sky.
A dense sphere of energy immediately formed at the tip of her finger while white and purple currents spiraled around it violently.
But just before she could fire it…
Vhalzareth suddenly appeared beside her out of nowhere.
The moment he landed, he grabbed her wrist firmly and forced her arm downward.
"What are you doing?" Asked Fuyume seriously, immediately turning toward him with narrowed eyes.
Vhalzareth simply smiled calmly despite the violent aura exploding around her.
"Let them go." Said Vhalzareth quietly.
Fuyume's eyes widened instantly in anger.
"Never." Said Fuyume sharply, pulling against his grip while her aura twisted wildly around her body. "Do you know what they did to Lord Haruto's home?"
Her silver hair whipped violently through the air from the pressure leaking off her body.
"Don't you see it?" Said Vhalzareth seriously, his dark hair drifting upward while his coat fluttered behind him. "Lord Haruto would never do that."
"Huh…?"
"They're just like him." Said Vhalzareth, his smile fading slightly now. "Taken away from their home universe… exactly like our Lord was."
Fuyume's expression shifted faintly.
"Don't stop them." Continued Vhalzareth while looking toward the beam disappearing into the sky. "Lord Haruto would hate you for it… because he knows exactly how they feel."
The anger inside Fuyume slowly weakened.
Her aura gradually calmed before sinking back into her body completely.
"…Fine." Said Fuyume irritably, yanking her arm free before turning her back toward him with crossed arms. "I'll let it go… for now."
Vhalzareth smiled softly again before lifting his gaze toward the fading light in the distance.
("Under Lord Haruto's grace… I hope you make it.") Said Vhalzareth internally before letting out a faint amused breath.
("Ahaha… when did I become this soft?")
Inside the beam itself, endless white light surrounded Mizuki and Itsuki completely while both of them held tightly onto one another.
"Mizuki…" Said Itsuki softly, sounding almost breathless. "Looking at you overwhelms my heart… whenever I'm near you, I can't think straight anymore."
Mizuki's eyes widened slightly at his words.
A faint blush spread across her cheeks while her grip around him tightened.
She slowly pressed the side of her head against his chest.
"Your heart is beating just like mine." Said Mizuki softly, placing one hand against his chest. "Even a small touch makes it race faster."
"Sorry…" Said Itsuki quietly, his arms wrapping around her even tighter. "I don't want this to end… I'm so madly in love with you."
The beam finally reached the Reality Barrier.
Then it crashed against it with overwhelming force.
From outside the universe itself, the surface of reality visibly dented inward from the impact while rainbow-colored distortions spread across the barrier.
The universe was resisting them.
The harder they pushed… the stronger the resistance became.
The tip of the white beam burned violently with shifting rainbow colors while space itself trembled around it.
Cracks suddenly spread across Mizuki and Itsuki's bodies like fragile glass.
Their skin began creaking softly.
"Itsuki… you idiot…" Said Mizuki shakily against his chest, tears boiling in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me sooner that you loved me?"
"Mizuki…" Said Itsuki quietly while more cracks spread across his body. "We're not going to make it… go… I'll stay behind."
Mizuki immediately shook her head hard in denial.
"No—"
"Now!" Said Itsuki firmly, though obvious sadness trembled beneath his calm voice. "I'll use my soul to increase your chances… it would mean a lot to me if you survive."
"I never will!" Shouted Mizuki while holding him desperately tighter. "I'd rather die with you than live alone without you… I can't…"
"M… Mizuki…" Said Itsuki softly, visibly shaken now.
The cracks across both of them spread faster.
Deeper.
"I love—"
Before Mizuki could finish speaking…
Both of their bodies shattered apart instantly like broken glass.
The sound echoed horrifyingly through space.
They had failed to bypass the Reality Barrier.
And the punishment of the universe descended upon them completely.
Soul instability.
Conceptual rejection.
Eventual erasure.
The beam thinned slowly into nothingness until only faint white sparkling dust remained drifting through space where Mizuki and Itsuki once existed.
No afterlife waited for them.
No heaven.
No hell.
Only erasure.
Vhalzareth sensed their deaths immediately.
A faint sigh escaped him despite the soft smile still remaining on his face.
"…I should've killed them myself instead of letting them die like that." Said Fuyume quietly, frustration visible in her eyes now.
"Don't worry." Said Vhalzareth calmly while looking toward the fading particles. "God will give them another chance… because I prayed for them."
Fuyume glanced sideways at him silently.
("Prayed…?") Said Fuyume internally with slight disbelief.
("Is this really the Satan I knew…?")
Far below them, Nami laid deep inside a crater.
All four of her limbs had been ripped away.
Her face was bruised heavily while blood pooled endlessly beneath her broken body.
Her breathing remained weak.
("Why…?") Said Nami internally weakly, a single tear sliding slowly from the corner of her eye.
("Why did they have to die too…?")
The distant white particles continued fading away across the darkness of space while her trembling eyes remained locked onto them.
At Apex High School, the school Yuna Satoru attended, soft snow slowly drifted down from the cloudy sky, covering the pathways and rooftops in thin layers of white.
Cold wind brushed against the massive glass windows of the academy, while students moved through the hallways with chatter and footsteps echoing endlessly through the polished corridors.
Inside the Grade 12 classroom, the atmosphere carried that quiet tension only new transfers could create.
"Please... introduce yourself to the class." said the teacher tiredly, her pale eyes half-lidded beneath dark circles.
Haruto stood beside her with both hands resting inside his pockets, his uniform fitting perfectly against his lean figure like it had been tailored for him alone.
White hair.
Golden eyes.
That quiet pressure around him.
His long lashes lowered slightly as he looked across the classroom calmly.
"I'm Haruto Satoru," said Haruto in a composed voice. "I hope we can enjoy this short year together."
Silence.
Then the entire classroom exploded into reactions at once.
The girls immediately stared at him with widened eyes, while several boys visibly stiffened in their seats like their souls had just left their bodies.
"What the hell?! Another hot guy? We're finished..." muttered a boy with glasses, gripping his desk dramatically.
"God damn it..." groaned the buzz-cut boy beside him, slamming both hands onto his table in despair.
"What's wrong with you guys?" asked another student with smooth black hair and green eyes, leaning lazily against his chair.
"Shut up, traitor, Masae," snapped the glasses boy instantly.
"You already have a girlfriend, so you wouldn't understand our pain." added the buzz-cut student bitterly.
Masae only sighed while rubbing the back of his neck.
Completely done with them already.
(Did I say something weird...? Kids these days really confuse me.) Haruto thought internally, his eyelids lowering slightly.
"Quiet down already. You're putting Haruto on the spot," said the teacher while rubbing her forehead tiredly. "Raise your hand if you want to ask something. Act like actual Apex students for once."
The room settled little by little, though whispers still floated through the air like static electricity.
A girl near the center slowly raised her hand.
"That's better," said the teacher, stepping aside slightly. "Go ahead, Mana."
"Well..." Mana played nervously with a strand of her shoulder-length red hair before looking at Haruto carefully. "Are you really Haruto Satoru...? Like... Reika Satoru's younger brother?"
Haruto blinked once before nodding calmly.
"Yes, I am." said Haruto. "And yes... I'm her little brother."
The classroom instantly erupted again.
"Seriously?!"
"No way..."
"The Reika Satoru?!"
Mana herself nearly fell backward in her chair from shock, clutching the edge of her desk with wide eyes.
That single confirmation completely shattered the remaining restraint inside the room.
Questions immediately started flying from every direction.
"Are you single~?" asked a girl near the window excitedly.
"Yes, I am," Haruto answered simply.
"Are you open to relationships?" another girl asked without hesitation.
"Unfortunately, no." said Haruto, tilting his head slightly.
"Is it true your IQ was already over 230 in primary school?" asked a boy with sparkling eyes.
"Oh, that?" Haruto gave a small smile. "Yes... but I was only twelve back then. It's much higher now."
Several students froze in complete disbelief.
Confidence without hesitation.
No fake modesty.
Just calm certainty.
"Oh my~." a girl laughed softly. "Aren't you confident?"
"Enough with the lame questions."
A cold voice suddenly cut through the classroom atmosphere.
A tall guy with yellow hair and dead-looking black eyes leaned back in his chair near the rear side of the room, his posture careless and disrespectful.
"Ugh... it's Sen." muttered the glasses boy with obvious disgust.
Sen ignored everyone while staring directly at Haruto with a mocking grin.
"My question is..." Sen rested his elbow against the desk lazily. "What happened during the 911 incident with your classmates?"
The room instantly fell silent.
Even the atmosphere tightened.
No one smiled anymore.
"And why," continued Sen slowly, "were you the only one who didn't disappear?"
Several students immediately lowered their eyes awkwardly.
It was clearly a sensitive subject.
Haruto's expression, however, didn't change at all.
"I don't know what happened to them," Haruto answered calmly. "As you already know, I wasn't at school when the incident happened."
(Huh...? He's sticking to that same story again?) Sen thought bitterly, his jaw tightening slightly.
(The official records support it... but trying to fully explain my story would only create more suspicion.) Haruto thought internally with quiet annoyance.
"Then what abou—"
"That's enough."
The teacher clapped her hands once, cutting Sen off immediately.
"Class is starting. Continue your questions during break time."
Sen clicked his tongue before dropping back into his chair with an irritated sigh, resting his shoes against the edge of the desk carelessly.
"Satoru, you can take the seat at the back near the window," said the teacher while pointing toward the final row.
Haruto nodded lightly before walking through the classroom aisle.
Soft footsteps.
Quiet presence.
Every eye following him.
His faint cologne spread subtly through the room as he passed by, causing several girls to unconsciously glance toward him again.
Haruto finally sat down beside the window, leaning slightly back into the chair as his golden eyes drifted outside.
Far away in the distance, snowy mountain peaks rested beneath the heavy dark clouds.
The weather almost created the illusion of nighttime despite it still being day.
Cold.
Quiet.
Comfortable.
(How exhausting...) Haruto thought internally while resting the side of his face against his fist.
(Kids these days are really annoying... damn, I sound like an old man already.)
Time slowly passed, while the snowfall outside grew heavier and heavier, layering fresh white snow over the pathways and rooftops that were already covered.
Cold air brushed against the academy windows, while the gray sky above darkened little by little.
The school bell suddenly rang throughout the building, echoing across the halls and classrooms to signal the first break.
Students immediately began pouring out into the corridors, some rushing toward the cafeteria while others stayed behind inside their classrooms talking with friends.
The once quiet hallways slowly filled with overlapping chatter, footsteps, laughter, and the sound of lockers sliding open.
"That was a lot..." said Haruto softly while walking through the crowded hallway.
Several students secretly glanced at him as he passed by.
Some whispered.
Some stared.
Some immediately looked away once he noticed.
Haruto turned right before making his way down the staircase calmly with one hand inside his pocket.
But just as he reached the middle section of the stairs, silver-white hair suddenly entered the corner of his vision.
"Ahaha! Big bro!"
Yuna's cheerful voice echoed from above.
Haruto immediately lifted his head upward with slight shock in his golden eyes just as Yuna jumped directly from the upper stairs toward him.
"Hey?!"
Without hesitation, Haruto stepped forward and caught her carefully beneath her arms, stopping her momentum completely while holding her slightly above the steps.
Her shoes hovered inches above the staircase.
"That was dangerous, sis." said Haruto with genuine worry in his voice. "What if you got hurt?"
"Heh-heh..." Yuna laughed softly with visible guilt while scratching her cheek lightly. "Sorry... it won't happen again. I only did it because I knew you'd catch me."
Haruto stared at her for a second before letting out a quiet sigh.
"Well... I guess it's fine if it's only with me." said Haruto softly while putting her down gently. "So why are you here?"
"Huh?" Yuna blinked once before smiling brightly again. "I came to see you obviously."
She happily followed beside him as they continued down the stairs together, lightly holding onto his sleeve.
"Oh... thank you." said Haruto with a small closed-eye smile while glancing back at her.
(So weird... my brother is thanking me for something this simple.) Yuna thought internally while smiling to herself.
(But honestly... I'll take it.)
The moment Haruto reached the bottom floor, he accidentally bumped into someone turning around the corner.
A young man with light purple hair covering one eye stumbled backward from the impact, several papers flying from his arms into the air.
But before anything could hit the ground, Haruto quickly caught both the papers and the guy himself by the arm.
"Whoa... that was close." said the boy with widened eyes before smiling lightly. "Good reflexes."
Haruto pulled him back onto his feet smoothly.
"Nah, it's my fault." said Haruto while handing the papers back calmly. "I wasn't paying attention either."
"How honest of you." the boy chuckled softly while fixing the stack of papers in his arms. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Hiro, vice president of the student council."
"Nice to meet you, I'm—"
"No need for introductions." Hiro interrupted with a friendly smile while stepping back slightly. "I already know who you are."
Yuna's grip around Haruto's sleeve suddenly tightened slightly.
Haruto noticed immediately.
His eyes slowly lifted past Hiro... and landed on the person standing behind him.
"Hey Haru~."
Velmaria stood near the hallway wall with an elegant smile while waving lightly toward him.
Long black-and-white hair.
Sharp beauty.
That same familiar presence.
"Huh?!" Hiro instantly turned toward her in shock. "President... you know him too?"
(It's her...) Haruto thought internally, his fingers tightening slightly inside his pocket.
Velmaria tilted her head while staring at Haruto with that playful, flirtatious smile, the black streak running down the center of her hair shifting softly over her face.
"Yes..." said Velmaria slowly while crossing her arms beneath her chest. "Deeply so."
Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"He's my beloved ex."
"WAIT WHAT?!"
Hiro nearly dropped the papers again as he snapped his head toward Velmaria with widened eyes.
"For real?!"
(Fufufu... just look at her.) Haruto thought internally, barely holding back his smile.
The corners of his mouth twitched upward slightly.
Velmaria noticed immediately.
(His smiling...? Yeah no... I should leave before he starts something.) Velmaria thought internally with amusement while shifting her weight subtly.
"Come on, Hiro. We have more important things to do than stand around here." said Velmaria casually while lowering her arms.
She walked past Haruto calmly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as their eyes briefly met.
Then she suddenly looked away with an annoyed expression.
Hiro quickly hurried after her after noticing she was walking much faster than usual.
"What's up with her?" Yuna asked worriedly while holding onto Haruto's arm tighter. "I know you two broke up... but that doesn't mean she should hate you."
"Huh..."
Haruto blinked once before softly laughing under his breath.
A warm smile slowly appeared on his face as he looked down at Yuna.
"No... she's not angry at me specifically." said Haruto gently. "It's probably something else."
He lightly patted her head.
"But honestly... I'm really happy to see her again."
(Mmm...) Yuna's eyes lowered slightly.
(Does brother... still love her?)
"Brother..." Yuna looked up carefully. "Do you still love her?"
"Yes."
Haruto answered instantly without hesitation.
"I love her with all my heart." he said softly. "Just like I love you."
"Oh..." Yuna blinked before relaxing slightly. "So it's not romantic anymore?"
Haruto only smiled faintly as they continued walking through the hallway together.
"Yuna, your friends are watching you." said Haruto while glancing toward the far corner of the hallway. "Shouldn't you be with them instead of following me around?"
"Huh...? My friends?"
Yuna turned her head slightly before spotting Aria awkwardly peeking around the hallway corner.
"I'd rather stay with y—"
Her sentence suddenly stopped.
Haruto gently pressed one finger against her lips, causing Yuna's eyes to widen slightly.
"Don't leave the people around you for me." said Haruto quietly, his gaze avoiding hers for a brief moment.
"Don't make the same mistake I did."
His voice softened slightly.
"She's a really good friend... so don't lose her."
Haruto slowly removed his finger while Yuna lowered her gaze quietly.
To her, everyone else always came second compared to her brother.
But even so... she nodded.
"Okay brother..." said Yuna with a bright smile returning to her face despite the sadness hidden underneath it. "See you later."
She quickly ran toward Aria happily, her silver-white hair swaying behind her as she moved through the hallway.
Halfway there, Yuna suddenly turned back once more and waved at Haruto with a cheerful smile before continuing toward her friend again.
Haruto watched her run off with a peaceful smile resting on his face, while the noise of the crowded hallway slowly faded into the background around him.
For a brief moment... memories quietly replayed inside his mind from when Yuna was still a child and he himself was only eleven years old.
The two of them walked hand in hand through a beautiful mansion hallway lined with deep black marble and elegant golden trims that reflected the warm chandelier light above.
Soft silence filled the corridor.
Only their footsteps echoed gently against the polished floor.
Little Yuna walked beside him wearing a beautiful white kimono decorated with pale blue flowers, the long fabric dragging softly across the ground behind her tiny steps.
Her silver-white hair swayed lightly around her shoulders while she looked up at Haruto with sparkling innocent eyes.
"So..." Yuna spoke in her cute childish tone while tightening her small fingers around his hand. "What kind of person do you want me to become?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"When I grow up... what would make you proud?"
Haruto stopped walking.
The warm lights above reflected softly through his white hair as he slowly lowered himself onto one knee in front of her.
He gently held both her tiny hands together between his own while looking directly into her eyes with a soft smile.
"My only wish..." said Haruto quietly, lifting her hands slightly. "...is for you to live a happy life."
His golden eyes softened warmly.
"And you?" he asked gently. "What do you wish from me?"
Yuna's lips moved softly.
But no sound left her mouth.
The hallway remained silent.
Only Haruto heard her answer.
The memory slowly faded while the faint smile on Haruto's face became thinner and quieter.
(A happy life...) Haruto repeated internally while walking down the hallway again with one hand inside his pocket.
Snow continued falling quietly outside the academy windows.
Inside a dark unused classroom, a small sparkling light suddenly appeared near the center of the room, flickering softly against the dusty floor and abandoned desks.
The air trembled unnaturally.
Then space itself tore apart like shattered glass, opening into a spiraling black portal that distorted the entire classroom around it.
Cold wind burst outward violently, scattering papers and snapping chairs across the floor.
Countless towering nightmare creatures slowly crawled out from the portal one after another, their skeletal maws opening with low distorted groans that sounded almost human.
Their bodies were lean yet brutally muscular, covered in slick pale-gray flesh hanging loosely like rotting armor.
Long hook-like claws scraped against the floor with sharp screeching sounds while whip-like tails twisted behind them like living scythes.
Jagged black spines protruded from their backs.
"Uh..."
Haruto's eyes narrowed slightly in shock as he looked through the hallway windows toward another section of the academy building.
The next second...
BOOOOM!!
The entire classroom exploded apart from the inside.
Glass and debris blasted throughout the corridor while the shockwave echoed across the entire school building.
The creatures burst out from the dust cloud immediately.
The moment students saw them... panic spread instantly.
Screams erupted across the hallways.
Students began running desperately through the corridors like ants searching for escape.
Some tripped and got stepped on by the crowd behind them.
Some shoved even their own friends aside in desperation.
But it was hopeless.
The monsters were far too fast.
Bloody claws tore straight through bodies.
Heads were bitten clean off.
Some students were dragged screaming across the floor while being eaten alive.
Blood splattered across the academy windows and white walls within minutes.
Half-eaten corpses littered the hallways.
The smell of blood spread everywhere.
A few surviving students barely escaped the massacre as they sprinted toward another section of the building where others still remained unaware.
"RUN!! RUN!! MONSTERS!!"
One survivor screamed while running past them with horror completely filling his face.
He didn't even stop to explain himself.
"What the hell's wrong with him? AHAHA!"
"Ahaha! He's probably high or something!"
Their laughter slowly faded.
Blood suddenly began flowing out from the hallway the survivor came from.
Silence filled the corridor.
Then one of the creatures slammed violently into the wall with a monstrous roar the moment it spotted the students standing there.
The students instantly scattered in terror.
Some ran screaming.
Some froze completely in place.
Meanwhile... back where the first massacre happened...
Yuna and Aria were still running through the blood-covered hallway, carefully stepping past fresh corpses while trying not to look down.
"Almost there..." Yuna forced out a trembling smile despite the blood smeared across her cheek. "If we get to my brother... he'll protect us."
"Yeah...! We'll be oka—"
Aria suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
Her eyes widened completely.
One of the creatures burst straight through a classroom window beside them, shards of glass exploding outward as it lunged directly toward Yuna with bloody claws extended.
Out of pure instinct, Aria shoved Yuna out of the way.
The next instant...
Aria's head flew clean off her shoulders.
Blood sprayed violently across the hallway walls.
Yuna crashed into a pool of blood before immediately turning her head back in panic.
A severed head rolled slowly across the floor beside her.
Then Aria's torn body collapsed next to it with a wet sickening sound.
Yuna froze completely.
Tears instantly flooded down her cheeks while her lips trembled violently.
"A...Ari...a..."
No proper words could leave her mouth anymore.
The creature immediately began devouring Aria's corpse right in front of her eyes.
The only sounds filling the hallway were flesh tearing apart and bones snapping between its jaws.
Then suddenly...
"YUNAAA!!"
Haruto appeared beside her in a flash so fast the air cracked apart behind him.
The sheer pressure from his movement caused the creature beside Aria's body to vibrate apart into blood instantly.
Haruto immediately pulled Yuna tightly against his chest, feeling her entire body trembling uncontrollably in his arms.
"Yuna... I'm here." said Haruto unevenly while tightening his embrace. "You're safe now..."
But his voice couldn't reach her anymore.
Her mind had already broken from the trauma.
Haruto's expression darkened slightly beneath his bangs.
Then softly...
"Vow Ordinis"
A warm invisible force wrapped around Yuna gently before her trembling slowly stopped.
Her eyes closed little by little as Haruto carefully placed her into a deep sleep so she wouldn't suffer further emotionally.
Moments later, Yuna's body slowly sank into Haruto's "Pocket Realm" until she disappeared completely from his arms.
Silence filled the bloody hallway afterward.
Haruto slowly stood up.
Darkness covered his expression while his eyes lowered toward Aria's destroyed corpse.
What remained barely looked human anymore.
"I'll kill them..." Haruto spoke calmly.
But hatred leaked from every word.
"I'll kill them."
A terrifying pressure suddenly erupted from Haruto's body and spread throughout the entire academy like invisible water flooding every room at once.
The students felt nothing.
But the creatures...
The moment Haruto's aura touched them, every single monster throughout the school instantly died.
No screams.
No explosion.
They simply vanished from existence in a blink.
Students who were moments away from death stared in confusion as the creatures disappeared before their eyes without explanation.
"I'll kill them..." Haruto repeated quietly while walking forward through the destroyed hallway. "I'll kill them."
His voice remained calm.
Too calm.
He walked straight through the shattered wall and entered the ruined classroom where the portal still spiraled violently in the air.
"So..." Haruto slowly lifted his gaze toward it with dead empty eyes. "This is where you came from."
A second later...
"Chrono Domination"
Sub-Skill: "Stasis"
The flow of time throughout the entire universe froze instantly.
Birds stopped mid-flight.
People froze in their exact movements.
Even distant galaxies stopped rotating across the cosmos.
Absolute stillness consumed reality itself.
(I'll stop time here...) Haruto thought internally while staring into the portal coldly.
(Because beyond this gate... I can already sense another space-time continuum.)
Haruto stepped through the portal and instantly found himself in a flat crimson landscape, endless red earth stretching beneath a giant burning sun hanging in the sky above.
The portal sealed shut behind him with a sharp crack, trapping him inside the realm as countless grotesque creatures slowly marched toward him from every direction.
Their hollow growls echoed through the heated air.
Dust drifted across the ground.
The atmosphere itself felt rotten.
"Get out of my way, insufficient species." Said Haruto coldly, his golden eyes narrowing beneath his white bangs as he slowly waved one hand forward.
The moment his hand passed through the air, every creature in front of him vanished completely from existence without resistance.
No screams.
No remains.
Nothing.
Only a violent wind blasted through the empty field where they once stood.
("Come out.") Said Haruto internally, bitterness twisting behind his calm expression as his fingers slowly tightened beside him.
Like a nightmare appearing without warning, a tall otherworldly being suddenly stood directly in front of Haruto.
— Mournspire —
Haruto slowly lifted his gaze toward it, his eyes locking onto the creature's skull-like face fused with massive curled ram horns.
Its hollow grin stretched unnaturally wide, rows of sharp teeth visible beneath the shadow hiding its eyes completely.
"So you're the boss here huh..." Said Haruto quietly, his voice low and dangerous as the air around him distorted slightly.
The only response he received was a dry clicking sound from inside the creature's skull, like old bones tapping together in the dark.
In the next instant the ground beneath them exploded apart, rocks and smoke blasting outward as a violent storm of pressure erupted between them.
The wind roared upward.
Lightning cracked across the sky.
Thunder shook the burning realm.
Mournspire's dark cloth whipped wildly around its waist as it suddenly appeared directly in front of Haruto.
The creature grabbed Haruto's arm mid-punch and slammed him violently into the ground before driving another strike straight toward his face.
BOOOOM!!
A massive shockwave erupted outward, lava bursting high into the air while the surrounding mountains cracked from the force alone.
Haruto twisted his body while still pinned down, narrowly avoiding the strike before blasting out from the smoke in a streak of white light.
In the blink of an eye their fists collided against each other high above the battlefield, the impact splitting clouds apart instantly.
Haruto immediately followed with a brutal kick into Mournspire's stomach while still mid-air.
Another flash.
Haruto drove an uppercut beneath its jaw, launching the creature violently into the sky before it crashed back down into the ground hard enough to split the landscape apart.
Haruto descended after it immediately.
He leaned forward over Mournspire's body and unleashed a barrage of monstrous punches directly into its stomach, each strike shaking the realm harder than the last until his fist sank deep into its abdomen.
Haruto jumped backward calmly, allowing the creature space to stand again.
The moment it rose, Haruto's right arm suddenly expanded into a massive oversized limb covered in flowing black veins.
Without hesitation he swung downward and smashed Mournspire into the sky.
The instant it descended again Haruto struck it once more, launching the creature violently across the realm before it crashed into the distance with a deafening explosion.
Haruto's arm returned to normal as he shot forward like a beam of light toward the crater.
His fist reached Mournspire while it was still laying inside the crater, the creature barely managing to look up before Haruto's punch connected.
BOOOOOM!!
Entire mountains blew away like sand from the force alone.
Smoke swallowed the battlefield completely.
When the dust finally cleared, Haruto's eyes widened slightly in surprise as he realized Mournspire had blocked the attack with one arm.
Haruto instantly created distance with a backward flip into the sky, his coat fluttering heavily in the heated wind.
But suddenly Mournspire's arm stretched unnaturally long and grabbed Haruto's leg mid-air.
Without warning the creature slammed him back into the ground with overwhelming force before violently pulling him back toward itself upside down.
Mournspire drove a brutal kick directly into Haruto's side, sending him flying beyond the sound barrier.
Yet before Haruto could fully recover, the creature grabbed his shoulders and yanked him back again before smashing him downward with another devastating strike.
Even above cloud level Haruto regained balance instantly, stabilizing himself in mid-air before descending like a falling meteor straight toward Mournspire.
Haruto slammed a crushing kick into the creature's chest, drilling it deep into the ground as blood burst violently from its mouth.
When the force finally stopped, Haruto remained standing on top of its chest, breathing slowly while looking down at it with cold eyes.
Without hesitation he grabbed one of Mournspire's arms and ripped it clean off before repeatedly smashing the creature across the face using its own severed limb.
Blood sprayed through the burning air.
Mountains collapsed nearby.
Thunder screamed across the sky.
Haruto spun his body several times before using the momentum to launch Mournspire violently across the realm.
The creature tore through multiple mountains before finally crashing into another one and falling to its knees.
Mournspire slowly stood back up, its expression twisting into visible rage as a new arm violently regenerated from the wound.
Lightning sparked wildly around its body while the ground beneath its feet melted into glowing lava.
The creature suddenly leaned forward and exploded toward Haruto at terrifying speed, thick flames igniting around one of its fists.
Then it punched Haruto directly in the face with full force.
BOOOOOOM!!
A monstrous shockwave erupted outward in a straight line through the realm as Haruto was blasted backward through multiple mountains before disappearing completely into one final impact point.
The battlefield finally went silent.
Smoke rose slowly into the sky.
Lava bubbled violently below.
The heat distorted the horizon endlessly.
For a brief moment it almost looked like Haruto would not return from that attack.
But Mournspire's body suddenly stiffened.
Inside the thick smoke two glowing golden eyes slowly appeared.
Then the smoke exploded outward violently, revealing Haruto standing completely unharmed with his white hair drifting calmly in the heated wind.
Without hesitation Mournspire rushed toward him again.
As the creature charged forward, Haruto slowly closed his eyes before opening them once more.
A blinding light erupted instantly.
Mournspire ran directly into the light as its entire body slowly began breaking apart piece by piece.
Its flesh crumbled.
Its bones shattered.
Its existence itself collapsed.
The entire realm started erasing alongside it, space-time itself disintegrating into pure white emptiness.
Mountains vanished.
The sky disappeared.
Reality itself collapsed silently.
While the realm erased around him, another portal tore open behind Haruto.
Without even turning around, he simply stepped backward through it calmly.
The next moment Haruto reappeared back at the school.
Then instantly vanished again.
High above the planet, Haruto floated silently in space while looking down at the world beneath him with emotionless golden eyes.
("I'll rewind time flow so those events never happen again.") Said Haruto internally as he slowly raised one hand toward the planet below.
The universe instantly began moving backwards as Haruto activated "Reversal", the sub-skill of "Chrono Domination".
Cars drove backward along frozen roads.
Rain returned upward into the clouds.
Birds flew in reverse across the dark sky.
Inside the school, blood flowed backward across the floor while shattered glass reconstructed itself piece by piece.
The dead students slowly rewound back into existence, torn flesh reconnecting while their bodies returned to normal as if nothing had ever happened.
Screams reversed into silence.
Footsteps moved backward.
Time itself bent unnaturally beneath Haruto's will.
Even the nightmare creatures were dragged backward through causality itself, their bodies collapsing into reversed motion before vanishing back inside the portal they came from.
Haruto's golden eyes remained emotionless while watching the entire universe rewind beneath him.
His white hair drifted softly through space.
The stars reflected faintly in his eyes.
The planet below looked painfully small.
Then Haruto slowly closed his raised hand into a fist the moment he reached the exact point in time he wanted.
"Stasis".
Instantly time resumed flowing normally once again.
The universe stabilized.
Clouds drifted naturally.
People continued living unaware.
At that exact restored point in time, Haruto was once again sitting quietly in the back seat of the classroom beside the window, his gaze resting on the snowy mountains outside.
The teacher continued speaking normally at the front.
Pens scratched softly against paper.
Students chatted quietly around him.
Like nothing had happened.
("I'm glad I can bring the dead back with "Chrono Domination"...and they won't remember anything since those events no longer exist anymore.") Said Haruto internally, his fingers resting lightly against the side of his face while cold snow drifted outside the window.
His reflection stared back faintly from the glass.
Calm golden eyes.
Snow-white hair.
An expression that no longer felt human sometimes.
("With all this power...what exactly am I?") Said Haruto internally, his eyes widening ever so slightly as the question echoed inside him.
("Haruto...God...or the Spider Emperor...")
The snowy wind brushed gently against the classroom windows.
("Which one is the real me?")
Time passed quietly before anyone noticed, and soon the night had fully settled over the world beneath the luminous glow of the full moon.
Inside a luxurious bedroom filled with beautiful fluffy dolls and soft warm colors, the atmosphere carried a peaceful comforting feeling.
It was Yuna's bedroom.
Yuna slept peacefully beneath her blankets with a soft relaxed smile resting on her face while Haruto gently stroked her silver-white hair beside the bed.
The moonlight poured through the curtains softly, painting pale silver across the room and over Haruto's calm expression.
"Close your eyes...have no fear..." Said Haruto in a soft whisper almost like a lullaby, his fingers slowly brushing through her hair.
"The monsters are gone...he's on the run...and your brother is here..." Continued Haruto quietly, his golden eyes softening slightly.
"Beautiful...beautiful...beautiful girl..."
Yuna shifted slightly beneath the blanket but remained peacefully asleep, the faint smile never leaving her face.
Haruto slowly stood up from the elegant chair beside the bed before carefully pulling the dark star-patterned blanket higher beneath Yuna's neck.
("Everywhere I go there's evil...I can't let it corrupt her heart.") Said Haruto internally, his gaze lowering quietly.
The room fell silent again.
Only the ticking clock remained.
The moonlight shimmered gently.
("Yes...I finally understand now.") Said Haruto internally seriously while looking down at his open palm.
("The absolute purpose of my power.")
His fingers slowly curled inward.
("To create a heaven for them...to protect them even if it means staining my own hands with evil.")
Knock...Knock...
The soft sound of knocking against the bedroom door pulled Haruto out of his thoughts instantly.
His eyes shifted toward the entrance before he quietly walked over and opened the door carefully so he would not wake Yuna.
After stepping outside himself, Haruto slowly closed the door behind him with barely a sound.
"Sorry...it took a while for Yuna to fall asleep." Said Haruto softly with a small apologetic smile.
Reika leaned quietly beside the large hallway window with the full moon glowing beautifully behind her figure.
"No, it's fine." Said Reika gently, her eyes softening slightly while strands of dark hair moved against the moonlit breeze.
"It's nice seeing Yuna wanting your closeness this much." Continued Reika quietly before a faint playful smile appeared on her lips.
"Now it's our turn to spend time together."
"Wait...really?" Said Haruto slightly surprised as his golden eyes widened faintly.
Without warning Reika grabbed his arm and immediately began pulling him along the massive spiraling hallway stairs.
Her soft laughter echoed lightly through the quiet mansion.
The moonlight followed behind them.
Their footsteps blended into the silence.
For some reason the feeling reminded Haruto of the past.
Back then Reika had always been the one holding his hand whenever he was afraid as a child.
And now...he was the one doing that for Yuna.
("It's heartbreaking seeing creation stained with so much evil...") Said Haruto internally while subconsciously tightening his hold slightly around Reika's arm.
His golden eyes darkened quietly beneath his bangs.
("I finally understand now...")
("Yes...I'll exterminate all evil in the name of justice.")
A few moments later...
"Oh, I see. These gates suddenly appeared around the time I left." said Haruto softly as he sat beside Reika in the living room, one leg crossed over the other.
"Yeah, and monsters started pouring out of them shortly after." Reika replied with a tired sigh, gently stirring her steaming cocoa. "Obviously we fought back, but modern weapons were completely useless. Even nuclear weapons couldn't stop them."
The orange glow of the fireplace danced across the room, casting warm light over both of them while shadows flickered gently against the walls.
"That's bad." Haruto muttered, lifting his cup and taking a small sip. "I can only imagine how many countries collapsed."
"You're right about that, but it happened on a much larger scale." said Reika, lowering her gaze toward her drink. "Africa, Asia, and Europe fell completely."
Haruto's eyes widened slightly at the statement.
"Fortunately, hope wasn't entirely lost." Reika continued, taking a slow sip before setting her cup down on the table. "Some people started awakening strange powers."
("Awakened powers...?") Haruto thought curiously, his fingers lightly tapping against the ceramic cup.
"With some quick thinking, I gathered those awakened individuals and used them to eliminate the monsters." Reika said proudly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Which unexpectedly led to me ruling over Asia and almost ninety percent of Europe."
"Wow." Haruto laughed softly. "What an advertisement. Father would be really proud of you."
"I know." Reika replied with a smug smile before her expression quickly soured. "But the workload is unbearable. I still allow every nation to keep its own presidents while I remain the absolute ruler."
"I can understand that halfway." Haruto nodded lightly. "Back in the reality I came from, I ruled a nation too."
"Wait!" Reika immediately leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Come on, tell me more about that world."
("I guess it can't hurt.") Haruto thought before setting his cup down.
"For starters, that universe is filled with monsters." he explained. "They're literally part of the ecosystem. Dragons, elves, oni, and countless other races all exist naturally."
"No way..." Reika breathed out in amazement, her eyes widening. "So all those fictional stories were actually right. It's hard to believe humanity imagined them without even knowing they existed."
"Yeah, it's pretty ironic." Haruto replied with a small smile. "But that's not all, sis."
"Wait." Reika pointed at him excitedly. "They have powers too, don't they?"
"Yup, you're right." Haruto leaned back into the sofa. "And honestly, they're much stronger than the people in this universe."
Reika tilted her head slightly, waiting for the explanation.
"You may be wondering why." Haruto continued calmly. "It's actually pretty simple."
She nodded immediately.
"Listen closely. Universes are realities, and every reality has its own power system." Haruto explained while lightly gesturing with one hand. "Because of that, some universes naturally produce stronger beings than others."
("Mmm... I see. So there really are other universes out there.") Reika thought analytically while listening carefully.
("I'll leave out the complicated parts. Explaining every type of universe would take forever.") Haruto thought with a faint smile.
"Sis..." Haruto said softly.
The sudden change in his tone immediately drew Reika's full attention. Her smile faded, and she instinctively straightened her posture.
"To tell you the truth, I have to go back to where I was sent." Haruto said while looking directly into her eyes.
Reika froze.
Her fingers slowly tightened around the cup in her hands.
"A-are you going to leave us again, brother?" she asked quietly, her golden eyes lowering as complicated emotions flickered across her face.
Rather than lashing out, she simply waited for him to explain.
"I won't stay there forever." Haruto quickly replied, leaning forward slightly. "It's more like I'll be there and here at the same time."
Reika slowly lifted her gaze.
Haruto placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, his expression carrying a quiet seriousness.
"Don't worry." he said softly. "I'll always be there for you."
The firelight reflected within Reika's golden eyes while Haruto's calm smile remained unchanged.
("I'm the hope of this family after all.") Haruto thought quietly.
"Do whatever you want." Reika muttered while avoiding eye contact.
Haruto smiled slightly at the familiar response.
"But first..." Reika continued, finally looking back at him. "Tell me why."
"It's simple." Haruto answered without hesitation. "I have to check on my people. I can't just abandon them."
("What makes them so special...?") Reika thought while staring at him.
("You already have me and Yuna.")
A brief silence settled between them while the fire crackled softly in the background.
"Fine." Reika finally said, crossing her arms beneath her chest. "I'll allow you to go."
Haruto relaxed slightly.
"...If you take me with you."
"Wait... what?!" Haruto blurted out, nearly dropping his cup.
Reika's lips curved upward as she watched his reaction.
Haruto could only force out a nervous smile.
("What the hell, sis...?") he thought while rubbing the back of his neck