Darkness.
⸻
"…Where… am I…?"
⸻
Ryuk slowly opened his eyes—
—and instantly froze.
⸻
He was hanging upside down.
Chains tightly wrapped around his legs.
His body swayed slightly in the air.
⸻
"…What the hell…?"
⸻
His gaze moved—
And what he saw…
⸻
A tribe.
Dozens of people.
Dancing wildly around a massive bonfire.
Drums echoing.
Voices chanting.
⸻
It wasn't celebration.
It was a ritual.
⸻
Ryuk's eyes narrowed.
"…Wait…"
"…where's my sword?"
⸻
His vision locked—
On it.
⸻
Wrathreaver.
Stabbed deep into the ground.
⸻
Several tribesmen surrounded it—
Pulling.
Struggling.
Trying to lift it.
⸻
But—
It didn't even move.
⸻
A faint smirk appeared on Ryuk's face.
"…didn't know you were this loyal."
⸻
"Correct."
⸻
A voice echoed behind him.
⸻
"…your sword isn't normal."
"…there's definitely something special about it."
⸻
Ryuk's expression darkened.
"…Sky."
⸻
He turned slightly.
Sky stood there.
Calm.
Unbothered.
⸻
"…what are your intentions?" Ryuk's voice turned cold.
⸻
Sky raised his hands casually.
"Relax."
"Don't blame me."
"…I'm not the one sacrificing you."
⸻
"…Sacrifice?" Ryuk's eyes sharpened.
⸻
Sky sighed.
"Yeah."
"These idiots were going to sacrifice me."
⸻
"…so I made a deal."
⸻
"I told them—give me one day…"
"…and I'll bring someone better."
⸻
A pause.
He looked straight at Ryuk.
⸻
"…then I found you."
⸻
Silence.
⸻
"…so I was just a replacement?" Ryuk muttered.
⸻
Sky shrugged.
"Pretty much."
"I saw you fighting that ninja…"
"…so I decided—whoever wins…"
"…gets sacrificed."
⸻
"…you won."
⸻
Ryuk's jaw tightened.
"…how did you knock me out?"
⸻
Sky smirked.
"When you went alone…"
"…you gave me the perfect chance."
⸻
"I was planning to beat you and drag you here anyway…"
"…but I wasn't in the mood."
⸻
"…so I made it easier."
⸻
Silence.
⸻
Ryuk stared at him.
Cold.
Sharp.
⸻
"…now I understand."
⸻
Sky tilted his head.
"…understand what?"
⸻
Ryuk's eyes turned completely dark.
⸻
"…why your clan abandoned you."
⸻
Silence.
⸻
DUM—DUM—DUM—
⸻
The drums roared louder.
The entire tribe suddenly fell silent.
⸻
Then—
They bowed.
⸻
From the flames—
She appeared.
⸻
A woman in dark purple.
Elegant.
Cold.
Dominating.
⸻
Every step—
Heavy.
Royal.
⸻
She walked forward—
And sat on her throne.
Like she owned everything.
⸻
"…who's that?" Ryuk asked.
⸻
Sky smirked.
"Show some respect."
"…that's the queen."
⸻
A pause.
⸻
"…the one who's going to sacrifice you."
⸻
Ryuk scoffed.
"…why would I respect someone who's about to kill me?"
⸻
Sky chuckled.
"Fair."
⸻
"I'll inform her."
"…stay alive till then."
⸻
"…yeah," Ryuk smirked.
"…and don't forget to lick her boots."
⸻
Sky laughed and walked away.
⸻
Ryuk's face turned serious.
"…I need to get out of here."
⸻
Tak… tak… tak…
⸻
"…huh?"
⸻
He looked up.
⸻
A woodpecker.
Pecking at the branch.
⸻
A slow grin spread across his face.
"…now this is interesting."
⸻
CUT—
⸻
Sky knelt before the queen.
"My queen…"
"…I have brought a better sacrifice."
⸻
"…show me," she said coldly.
⸻
"His name is Ryuk."
"…he's restrained."
⸻
"…bring him."
⸻
CUT—
⸻
Sky returned with guards—
—and froze.
⸻
The chains…
Empty.
The branch—
Broken.
⸻
"…find him."
"…NOW."
⸻
CLINK—!!
⸻
A chain wrapped around a guard's neck.
He was yanked into the air.
⸻
"GHH—!!"
⸻
From above—
Ryuk dropped down.
Swinging like a pendulum.
⸻
"…surprise."
⸻
He landed.
Pulled.
⸻
CRACK—!!
⸻
The guard's neck snapped instantly.
⸻
Silence.
⸻
Then—
Chaos.
⸻
Dozens of guards surrounded him.
Weapons drawn.
⸻
Ryuk stood in the center.
Chains wrapped around both arms.
⸻
Behind them—
Wrathreaver.
Waiting.
⸻
Sky exhaled slowly.
"…you just made a huge mistake."
"…the queen might've spared you…"
"…but them?"
⸻
"…they won't."
⸻
Ryuk tightened his grip.
Lowered his stance.
⸻
Aura rising.
⸻
"…good."
⸻
"…I was getting bored."
⸻
⚔️ RYUK VS 100 GUARDS
Wind grew heavy.
Flames trembled.
⸻
"…ATTACK—!!"
⸻
100 guards charged.
⸻
Silence.
⸻
"…finally."
"…warm-up."
⸻
WHOOSH—!!
⸻
Chain swung—
CRACK—!!
First guard's skull shattered.
⸻
SPIN—!!
3 more—
SNAP.
Bodies dropped.
⸻
Ryuk disappeared.
Afterimage.
⸻
THUD—!!
One slammed face-first.
⸻
CRUSH—!!
⸻
"…too slow."
⸻
Guards panicked.
"HE'S NOT HUMAN—!!"
⸻
Ryuk walked forward.
Calm.
Unstoppable.
⸻
CLANG—
Blade stopped by chain.
⸻
SNAP—
Neck broken.
⸻
"…don't swing what you can't control."
⸻
Bodies fell.
Blood dripped.
⸻
"…this is your sacrifice?"
"…pathetic."
⸻
"…if you want to die…"
"…fight properly."
⸻
20 guards rushed—
⸻
BOOM—!!
Ryuk stomped.
Dust exploded.
⸻
FLASH—FLASH—FLASH—
⸻
CRACK
SNAP
THUD
⸻
5 seconds.
20 bodies down.
⸻
Sky clapped slowly.
"…impressive."
"…I expected struggle."
⸻
Remaining guards trembled.
"RUN—!!"
⸻
"…too late."
⸻
WHOOSH—
Chain pulled one back—
⸻
CRACK.
⸻
Silence.
⸻
Only the crackling of fire remained.
And the stench of blood in the air.
⸻
Bodies were scattered across the ground.
Broken.
Lifeless.
⸻
At the center—
Ryuk stood still.
Wrathreaver resting in his hand.
Chains wrapped tightly around the blade.
⸻
His eyes locked onto Sky.
Cold.
Unshaken.
⸻
"…next?"
⸻
Sky let out a soft laugh.
⸻
"…you really think it's over?"
⸻
DUM—DUM—DUM—
⸻
The drums started again.
Slower this time.
Heavier.
Each beat echoing like a warning.
⸻
The ground trembled slightly.
⸻
Ryuk's gaze shifted—
⸻
And then—
She appeared.
⸻
The Queen.
⸻
This time…
Not on her throne.
⸻
On the battlefield.
⸻
Her steps were slow.
Graceful.
But each one carried overwhelming pressure.
⸻
As if the air itself bent around her.
⸻
The remaining tribesmen instantly dropped to their knees.
Heads lowered.
⸻
She walked through the field of corpses—
Unbothered.
Untouched.
⸻
Then stopped.
⸻
Right in front of Ryuk.
⸻
Her eyes met his.
Cold.
Evaluating.
⸻
"…so this is the 'better sacrifice'?"
⸻
Sky stepped beside her.
Hands in pockets.
Relaxed.
⸻
"…yeah."
"…turned out more interesting than expected."
⸻
The Queen glanced at the bodies.
Then back at Ryuk.
⸻
"…you killed all of them?"
⸻
Ryuk smirked faintly.
⸻
"…they attacked first."
⸻
A brief silence.
⸻
Then—
A slight smile formed on her lips.
⸻
"…good."
⸻
"…weak sacrifices are boring."
⸻
The atmosphere shifted.
Heavier.
Sharper.
⸻
Sky spoke calmly—
"…careful, Ryuk."
"…you've stepped into a different level now."
⸻
Ryuk slowly lifted Wrathreaver.
Chains clinked softly.
⸻
A dark aura began to rise around him.
⸻
"…finally."
⸻
"…something worth fighting."
⸻
The Queen raised her hand.
⸻
Dark energy began to gather—
Twisting.
Compressing.
⸻
"…kneel."
⸻
BOOM—!!
⸻
An invisible force slammed into the ground.
Cracks spread instantly.
⸻
Pressure surged.
⸻
But—
⸻
Ryuk didn't move.
Not even an inch.
⸻
Instead—
He smiled.
⸻
"…make me."
⸻
Sky's expression shifted.
Excitement.
Interest.
⸻
"…yeah…"
"…this is what I wanted to see."
⸻
The wind grew violent.
Flames roared higher.
⸻
Three figures stood facing each other.
⸻
One battlefield.
⸻
And the battlefield—
Had finally been set.
⸻
To Be Continued…