Darkness. Endless, suffocating darkness.
Kairo floated weightlessly in the void, his small body pale beneath a starless sky. There was no sound, no warmth—only crushing silence that pressed against his ears.
Then, a ripple disturbed the emptiness.
The figure emerged from the black mist, tall and cloaked in shifting shadows, its face hidden behind swirling darkness. The same entity from before.
"Ohhh my, our little prince,"
the voice cooed, mocking and twisted.
"He's sleeping peacefully now… dreaming about bringing peace and harmony."
The figure threw its head back and laughed—a maniacal, jagged sound that echoed like shattering glass through the void.
"Peace? Harmony?!"
It sneered, drifting closer.
"What foolish words. You think this world will bow to kindness? No, boy. You will suffer long before you understand what strength truly is!"
Chains of pure shadow erupted from the ground, whipping around Kairo's arms and legs like living serpents. He gasped, struggling wildly, but the chains only tightened, digging into his flesh with icy agony. Bones cracked under the pressure—sharp, wet snaps—then slowly knit back together in a sickening wave of pain and forced healing.
"Gghhh—!"
The figure loomed over him, its smile cruel and delighted.
"This is the contract you signed. To gain power, you must pay. And payment… is suffering. Endless suffering."
It paused, tilting its hooded head as if scanning an invisible scroll.
"So… what kind of power do you choose, Haruto?"
Kairo's voice cracked with desperation.
"Just end the contract! I don't want any kind of power… please, just kill me! I don't wanna live!"
The figure said nothing. Instead, its shadowy fist slammed forward, punching Kairo's jaw with brutal force. Bone shattered. Pain exploded through his skull.
"You won't die,"
the figure hissed.
"You are immortal until I wish you dead. Only then does your immortality end."
Kairo couldn't take it anymore. His legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees, blood dripping from his broken mouth, body shaking violently.
His chest heaved. His mind screamed. Why? Why me?! I only wanted to survive… to protect the kingdom…
But even as the agony burned through every nerve, Kairo clenched his teeth. His small frame trembled, yet his eyes sharpened with raw defiance.
"I-I don't care… how much I suffer…!" he shouted, voice cracking but unyielding. "I'll endure it all! Because one day, I will lead this kingdom! I will protect Father, Mother, and everyone who trusts me!"
He spat blood, glaring up at the shadow.
"You know what? Screw you! I've become a man. I will suffer over and over again just to save a single life. So just tell me—what power will you give me?"
The figure froze mid-motion. Then, slowly, its grin widened into something truly terrifying.
"Ohhh… interesting. Very interesting."
It chuckled darkly.
"Very well. I will give you height and toughness. You will now handle far more pain—physically and mentally. But it will still hurt. It will always hurt."
The chains burned brighter. The pain intensified until Kairo thought his entire body would shatter into pieces. The figure leaned in close, its voice a venomous whisper against his ear.
"Suffer as much as you like, boy. Survive this torment… and maybe—just maybe—you will become worthy of the power you seek."
A sword suddenly appeared in Kairo's trembling hands.
Shadowy creatures materialized around him—human-shaped but hollow, filled with nothing but writhing darkness where hearts and souls should have been. No light. No life. Only endless void.
Kairo was forced forward.
He rushed at the nearest creature, swinging the sword with everything he had. The blade sliced through darkness. The thing dissolved.
Then another appeared. And another.
He died.
Pain exploded—then nothingness.
He revived, gasping, only to be torn apart again.
Over and over.
A whole year passed in this nightmare—dying, reviving, fighting, dying again—until finally, with a hoarse scream of pure willpower, Kairo cut down the last creature.
The mysterious figure reappeared, clapping slowly.
"Well done. As a reward… I will let you wake up."
Kairo's eyes snapped open in the real world. He sat bolt upright in the hospital bed, drenched in sweat, chest heaving.
Then the rage and frustration exploded out of him.
"It didn't help at all! It just increased a very little percent! Daaaaaaaammnnnnnnnnnnn yooooouuuuuuuuuuu!"
He screamed at the empty room, fists clenched so tightly his nails drew blood.
The torment was far from over.
And the shadow was still watching.
Then the suffering continued.
More pain. Endless pain.
It felt like he had been trapped in that void for a month—maybe longer. Time had lost all meaning. Every second stretched into eternity. Kairo no longer had any reason to grow strong. The fire that once burned inside him had been smothered by exhaustion and despair.
Why did I come here…? Why did I get this power? No one asked me. If they had, maybe I would have accepted it… but I didn't even want it. This isn't a dream anymore. It's a nightmare. Please… just wake me up already. I can't handle it…
Kairo's eyes snapped open.
Blinding sunlight poured through the tall windows of the royal chamber, forcing him to squint. His lungs burned as he gasped desperately for air, his body jerking upright in a violent spasm. Cold sweat poured down his face and neck, as though he had been dragged from the depths of drowning.
"Kairo!"
The Queen's cry came first. Her hands flew to her lips, eyes already brimming with tears. She rushed to his bedside and threw her arms around him, holding him tight as if afraid he might vanish again.
"My son… my precious son…!"
The King stood tall beside her, but his usual stern, unshakable presence had cracked. His eyes glistened with unshed tears, and his lips were pressed into a thin, trembling line.
"Kairo," the King said, his deep voice heavy with raw emotion. "At last… you've returned."
Kairo blinked slowly, his mind still foggy and disoriented. His voice came out hoarse and weak.
"R… returned? How long… was I asleep?"
The Queen's hands trembled as she gently caressed his cheeks, tears slipping freely down her face.
"A year, Kairo… You were gone for an entire year."
Kairo's eyes widened. His breath caught sharply in his throat.
A year…? I… I was trapped in that nightmare for so long?
He looked down at his own hands. They were still small compared to the giants around him, but something had changed. His skin felt faintly tougher, his muscles slightly firmer. A strange, lingering warmth pulsed deep inside his chest—the echo of all the suffering he had endured in the void.
The King placed one massive hand on Kairo's shoulder, the touch heavy yet comforting.
"The kingdom prayed for your recovery every single day. I never lost hope. I knew you would return to us."
Warmth surged through Kairo's chest at those words. His parents' tears, their unwavering faith—it felt stronger than any shadow chain that had bound him.
He clenched his fists tightly.
A whole year… lost.But I'm alive. I won't waste this second chance.
The Queen pulled him closer, weeping softly against his hair.
"Don't ever leave me like that again…"
Kairo closed his eyes, his small voice barely a whisper.
"I promise, Mother… Father… I'll never fall again. I'll grow stronger, no matter what."
He forced a gentle smile onto his face.
But deep inside his soul, the mocking laughter of that mysterious figure still echoed faintly in the darkness.
The contract was far from over.
And the real nightmare had only just begun.
As Kairo steadied his breathing, the soft patter of tiny footsteps echoed through the royal chamber.
"Bro-theeer! Bro-theeer!"
A little girl dashed into the room, her long golden hair bouncing with every eager step. A maid carried her, but the child wriggled impatiently until her small feet finally touched the floor.
Kairo blinked in surprise.
She couldn't have been more than a year old, yet she already stood and walked with surprising balance. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with pure innocence as she hurried to the edge of his bed and clutched the blanket with both tiny hands.
"This is…" Kairo whispered, voice hoarse.
The Queen smiled through her tears, gently brushing the girl's golden locks.
"Yes… Kairo. This is your little sister. The princess born on the night of your arrival."
The King's broad chest rumbled with quiet pride.
"Her name is Aria. She has grown well this past year, though… she has always been restless. Almost as if she were waiting for you to awaken."
"Bwu-bwu!" Aria giggled happily and reached out, patting Kairo's hand with her soft little palm. The touch was warm, full of innocent life.
Kairo froze. His throat tightened.
So small… yet her aura feels so bright. So pure.
Aria tilted her head, staring up at him with a child's unfiltered honesty. Then her tiny face suddenly lit up with a bright smile.
"Bwu… bro-ther!"
The Queen gasped, eyes widening in delight.
"She… she spoke?"
Kairo's lips parted in shock, but a soft, genuine laugh escaped him. A warm feeling spread through his chest, chasing away some of the lingering shadows.
"Heh… looks like I've been replaced as the miracle child."
The King's booming laughter filled the entire chamber, deep and joyful.
"No, son. The prophecy tied both of your fates together. You and Aria… you are the future of this kingdom."
Despite the lingering weakness in his body, Kairo slowly lifted his hand and gently placed it on his little sister's head. Her golden hair felt like silk beneath his fingers.
I don't know what destiny waits for us, little sister… he thought, eyes softening, but I swear I'll protect you. No matter what.
Aria giggled again and hugged his arm with both tiny hands, her innocent warmth anchoring him in the present.
For the first time since waking, the heavy weight in Kairo's heart felt just a little lighter.
In this moment, surrounded by his new family, he allowed himself to believe — even if only for a while — that he could truly become the person they all needed him to be.