Night had fully descended upon Yukanda.
But this was no ordinary night.
The air was heavy—
as if the sky itself was waiting for a verdict.
Akuma stood atop a towering building, looking down at the city below.
Burning lights, shattered roads, terrified people—
and above them all,
an existence that no longer knew whether it was a guardian
or a harbinger of destruction.
His eyes were closed,
but his mind was wide awake.
"Heaven has chosen you."
That voice…
it still echoed within him.
"Heaven?"
Akuma murmured.
"If heaven truly existed…"
"Yukanda would never have become this."
The burning halo above his head trembled slightly,
as if reacting to his thoughts.
🌑 A Crack Within
For the first time, Akuma realized—
his powers were no longer just his own.
They were watching him.
Judging him.
He could clearly feel the presence of the four beasts within him now.
The dragon's fire.
The wolf's cold.
The bird's lightning.
And the fourth—
Darkness.
But today…
there was something more.
A new pulse.
An unfamiliar call.
"How long will you ignore me?"
The voice echoed inside him.
Behind his closed eyelids,
a face appeared—
The woman bound in chains.
Blood-stained hands.
Labored breathing.
Yet in her eyes—
Warmth.
"You know who I am,"
she said.
"But you're afraid to accept it."
Akuma opened his eyes.
His heart was racing.
"No…"
"This is just a vision."
But he knew—
it was a lie.
🔍 Aradam's Preparation
Elsewhere,
inside a dark chamber,
Aradam stood alone.
The walls were covered with old files,
broken monitors,
and blinking red warning lights.
His hands were trembling.
"We turned him into a weapon…"
"And now he's becoming human."
He slammed his fist against the table.
"That's the most dangerous thing of all."
A hologram appeared before him—
a girl's file.
Name: Ruby
Status: Alive
Connection: Akuma — Unknown / Growing
Aradam's eyes widened.
"No…"
"This was not supposed to happen."
Another name echoed in his mind—
Nova.
"If Nova learns the truth…"
"she won't stop Akuma."
Aradam took a deep breath.
"I can't delay anymore."
He activated the communication device.
"Activate Plan Epsilon."
"And… wake him."
There was a brief silence on the other end.
Then a cold voice replied—
"Are you certain?"
"If he awakens… the world will change."
Aradam's voice was heavy.
"The world has already changed."
Ruby's Silence
In the stillness of the night,
Ruby sat quietly in her room.
Moonlight streamed through the window,
falling softly across her face.
But sleep never reached her eyes.
Only fear.
And a strange confusion.
Akuma.
He was monstrous.
Terrifying.
Impossible.
And yet…
when he had embraced her—
it felt like, for the first time,
someone was holding her together
before she completely broke.
She looked at her hands.
They were still trembling faintly.
"I should hate him…"
she told herself.
"I should be afraid…"
But her heart gave no answer.
Suddenly—
the wind outside changed.
The curtains stirred.
Ruby's breath caught.
🐉 The Sky Breaks Open
The next moment—
the sky split apart.
No explosion.
No sound.
Just…
a shadow.
A dragon's silhouette rose against the moon.
Ruby's eyes widened.
"No…"
"This has to be a dream…"
But it wasn't.
The dragon descended slowly.
And standing upon its back—
Akuma.
His eyes were calm.
But behind them,
a storm lay hidden.
He landed on the ground
and looked straight toward Ruby's window.
Her heart began to pound violently.
She stepped outside.
"Y-you…"
Her voice trembled.
Akuma said nothing.
He simply looked at her.
In that moment,
there were no words between them.
Only feeling.
⚠️ The Shadow of Truth
"I didn't come to scare you,"
Akuma finally said.
His voice was heavy,
but not violent.
"Then why are you here?"
Ruby asked, gathering her courage.
Akuma looked up at the sky.
"Because what's coming after me…"
"isn't looking for me alone."
A chill ran through Ruby's veins.
"Does it want me too?"
Akuma nodded.
"You are not my weakness,"
he said.
"You are…"
"…my reason."
Ruby didn't fully understand.
But she knew one thing—
this boy
had already altered the course of her life.
🩸 Nova's Decision
Far away,
Nova stood inside an abandoned laboratory.
Before her stood a transparent containment tank.
Inside—
a figure slept.
Not human.
Not beast.
Something else.
"So you've finally made your move, Aradam,"
Nova said coldly.
She pressed a button.
Lights flared inside the tank.
The figure opened its eyes.
There was no humanity in them.
No mercy.
"Why have I been awakened?"
it asked.
Nova smiled.
"Because Akuma has awakened."
A dangerous grin spread across the creature's face.
"Then…"
"the game has begun."
🌌 Akuma's Resolve
Back on Ruby's rooftop,
the wind intensified.
Akuma stepped back.
"You don't have to come with me,"
he said.
"But if you stay…"
"the danger will grow."
Ruby looked at him.
Fear was still there.
But beneath it—
Resolve.
"If you were truly a monster,"
she said,
"you wouldn't have saved me."
Akuma's eyes widened.
For the first time—
he was speechless.
Slowly, he extended his hand.
Ruby hesitated for a heartbeat.
Then—
she took it.
The moment their hands connected—
the halo above Akuma's head
began to change.
Golden light
slowly darkened.
And far away—
in the sky,
another rift opened.
A new voice echoed—
"The successor has been found."
"The trial shall now begin."
Akuma looked upward.
There was no fear on his face.
No rage.
Only one thing—
Readiness.