The sky over the Kurogane Clan was covered in dark clouds.
The air had grown heavy, as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for the coming destruction.
Members of the Dark Organization had spread out everywhere. Their mere presence caused the ground to decay, trees to wither, and strange whispers to echo through the air.
Arata stood behind, his heart pounding rapidly.
For the first time, he felt death so close.
Kaito stepped forward.
His foot touched the ground—
and the ground cracked.
The leader of the Dark Organization laughed.
"So this is the guardian of Kurogane? How amusing… a mere human standing before us, pretending to be a god."
Kaito slightly tilted his head.
"Pretending?"
Then he smiled—
"No… you're just too weak to understand."
The very next moment—
BOOM.
Kaito vanished.
The leader's eyes widened.
"W-Where—"
Before he could finish, his body was launched into the air.
Kaito's fist had already struck deep into his stomach.
BOOM—!
The entire battlefield shook.
The leader flew hundreds of meters away and crashed into a wall.
The remaining members were stunned.
"We have to attack together!" someone shouted.
Dozens of cursed techniques rushed toward Kaito at once—
black flames, chains, distorted forms.
Kaito raised a finger.
"Domain—"
The entire atmosphere froze.
Arata's eyes widened.
It felt as if time itself had stopped.
"Absolute Void: Limitless Throne."
Suddenly, the world turned into a realm of white and blue light.
The members of the Dark Organization froze in place.
Their minds were flooded with endless information, fear, and pain all at once.
Within seconds—
Their bodies collapsed to the ground.
Alive… but completely broken.
Arata trembled.
*This… this isn't a human…*
But then—
The sky tore apart.
A massive black rift opened.
From within it came a voice—
deep, ancient, and inhuman.
"The bloodline is awakening…"
Arata clutched his head in pain.
Red visions flashed before his eyes.
He looked at his hands—
they were trembling… and strange ancient symbols began to appear on them.
"Arata!" Kaito turned.
But it was already too late.
Something inside Arata had awakened.
Black and golden energy began to wrap around him.
The ground beneath his feet cracked and sank.
The injured leader of the Dark Organization laughed.
"Ha… ha… ha…!
Do you see, guardian of Kurogane?
The vessel itself is awakening!"
Kaito's smile disappeared.
For the first time… he looked serious.
"Be quiet," he said.
"This awakening does not belong to your god."
Kaito stepped in front of Arata and placed his hand on his head.
His eyes shone with a brilliant light.
"Arata, listen to my voice,"
"Whatever you're feeling—it's not fear."
"It's the gateway to your true power."
Arata's eyes opened.
His pupils had turned completely black…
with a golden glow at their center.
"I…"
His voice had changed.
"Should I kill them?"
The entire battlefield fell into silence.
Kaito smiled faintly and said—
"No."
"Not yet."
"But from today… you will never be an ordinary human again."
And far away, within that black rift—
an ancient entity smiled and whispered—
"At last… my successor."
⚡ To be continued…