Bakuzan appeared further away, alone, finally holding the precious scroll capable of summoning Lilith. His body vibrated with intense energy, a mixture of adrenaline and fear. Every muscle seemed ready to explode, yet his mind remained focused.
Lilith... that name alone was enough to send chills down the spines of even the most battle-hardened souls. She went beyond the second zone, a power even more fearsome than Satan's — and Satan was no entity to face without trembling. Rarely did she fear anyone, but Lilith was an exception: the very thought of facing her made her cautious, almost human in her fear.
Bakuzan fixed his gaze on the scroll in his hand. A slight tremor ran through his fingers.
Should I really summon her? What if she destroys me on the spot? What if... she devours me, body and essence?
Lilith was not just powerful. She was unpredictable, unfathomable. Some described her as an entity guided by just causes, others as a force capable of embracing chaos and evil, depending on the moment and cosmic design. Understanding her motivations seemed impossible, and that was precisely what made every potential confrontation deadly.
Bakuzan sighed, lifting his eyes toward the full moon reflected in the silent skies.
— This is not the time to tremble...
His voice, low and deep, barely betrayed the storm raging in his heart.
— If I want answers... if I want to move forward... I have to do it.
He thought of his pact with Satan. If he wanted to invoke her, she would materialize instantly before him, emerging from the ether with all the majesty and arrogance that characterized her. But Lilith... she had no rules to follow. Even the oldest pact guaranteed nothing. Doubt and uncertainty weighed on Bakuzan like a veil of metal. He understood perfectly why: summoning Lilith meant exposing oneself to absolute risk, but it was also the only path to obtain the truth.
His breath grew deeper. He rolled the parchment between his fingers, the weight of responsibility heavier than any weapon. Each passing second seemed to slow down, as if the universe itself was holding its breath, waiting to see if he would dare cross the threshold.
Bakuzan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and murmured:
— So be it... Lilith, I summon you.
A flickering light appeared on the scroll. A subtle, almost imperceptible wind rose around him, as if reality hesitated to let pass what was about to follow. The moment hung suspended between boldness and danger, and even the moon seemed to hold back its glow, aware that one of the most unpredictable beings in the universe was about to manifest.
Bakuzan reopened his eyes. Determination replaced fear.
— Let the truth reveal itself...
Bakuzan began reciting the scroll's writings tirelessly. Suddenly, a strong wind rose, driving away animals and scattering trees in all directions. A pulse of darkness materialized before him, accompanied by terrifying cries and suffering, as if hell itself had risen before Bakuzan.
He did not falter and, biting himself deliberately, let his own blood flow. It was then that... Lilith appeared.
Bakuzan stopped cold and stepped back, his face marked by intense concentration, seeking to regain his balance before this apparition.
Lilith exuded a majestic and impressive aura, that of an entity with divine or supernatural powers. Her armor, finely adorned with golden patterns, hinted at a royal rank or noble origin. Two imposing horns rose from her helmet, giving her an appearance both demonic and celestial.
Her armor harmoniously blended gold and black, perhaps symbolizing the duality between light and darkness. On her left arm, a shoulder guard sculpted with mythical creatures completed her look, while her right arm was adorned with black feathers reminiscent of the wings of a fallen angel or archangel.
A chuckle from Lilith made Bakuzan retreat, unable to remain steady in the face of her presence.
Lilith spoke in a cold voice: "You, who have fused with the essence of Isissis... why do you recoil?"
Bakuzan swallowed, aware that supreme entities perceived everything, including his fusion with the essence of Isissis obtained with Satan's help.
He clenched his fists and replied: "If you know everything, then you know why you are here, don't you?"
Lilith nodded, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips: "Of course. To be honest, you ask a lot wanting to save Samaël. He is in the Visnü state, one of the most absolute states of meta-reality, at the threshold and summit of the first zone. You, who are still just a powerful being of the second zone, are still far from the mark..."
Bakuzan remained silent for a moment before asking: "So, I have to keep rising continuously?"
Lilith agreed: "Yes, but you are in quite a situation. If you want to free Samaël, you will become Azazel's target. Believe me, even if you hold the essence of Isissis – the ultimate destructive manifestation of Retrogenesis – you will be powerless against him."
Bakuzan's eyes widened: "What?"
Lilith answered calmly: "You didn't know? There is what is called Retrogenesis, which surpasses all genesis. It can destroy everything and recreate everything. Morlük is its bearer, but his fragments only possess certain facets..."
Bakuzan frowned: "What are these facets?"
Lilith explained: "Retrogenesis has two facets: that of destruction, embodied by Isissis, and that of creation, embodied by Shylty. Simply put, the essence of Isissis you possess is total destruction, while Shylty is absolute creation. They do not cancel out, but complement each other. Morlük is the perfect example, as he holds both facets, thus representing the complete form of Retrogenesis."
Bakuzan's eyes lit up with understanding. The destructive Retrogenesis left nothing behind, everything annihilated with no return possible. The creative Retrogenesis recreated an entirely new world once destruction was complete. These transcendent principles maintained a delicate balance. This emphasized even more the differences — but also the profound similarities — between Shylty and Isissis, thanks to their absolute principles from the second zone despite their immense power.
Bakuzan stared at his hand, as if reading a destiny he had only just understood. Slowly, the truth imposed itself on him: in a way, he had become the incarnation of destruction, the Morlük fragment bearing absolute annihilation.
Shylty, in contrast, represented all creation — laws, concepts, dualities. Its nature protected the Second Zone, while Isissis aspired to dominate everything. This distinction was not trivial: beyond their facets related to Retrogenesis, Isissis embodied the forces of Madhurya, asserting its pure and total power. Thus, although Shylty and Isissis shared 99% of similar powers within these forces, Retrogenesis revealed their radical divergence… while highlighting their perfect complementarity.
Bakuzan clenched his fists, a shiver of adrenaline coursing through his body:
"Aside from Azazel hunting me, are there other dangers I should beware of?"
Lilith regarded him for a moment. Her eyes closed, as if drawing from depths of a truth beyond imaginable limits. When she reopened them, her gaze weighed on him like a silent but relentless judgment:
"All quests are strewn with pitfalls. You better progress quickly. You are about to save a being from the First Zone, while you... are still only a being of the Second Zone."
Bakuzan, motionless but with his fist clenched, held her gaze unwavering:
"And... could you help me rise?"
A slow, almost imperceptible smile brushed Lilith's lips. Silence settled, heavy and charged with promises. In this calm, even the air seemed to hold its breath, as if night and stars waited for her answer.
No one ever truly knew if Lilith had accepted Bakuzan as a disciple. Over time, words were lost in the wind, but a rumor took shape: the Black Grief was no longer a being of the Second Zone. It was whispered that he had crossed the threshold of Viraya — that something within him had changed, that he had risen.
Meanwhile, in calmer times, life continued elsewhere.
Sakolomé had redoubled his efforts to train Wendy and Dan, assisted by Salomé. Under their tutelage, Wendy had reached a new level: she had become a super-mortal of intentional causality. A rare force — powerful, but fragile when venturing higher.
Above her was the causality of silence, the "zero-notion" — a domain where even ideas can be denied, where being risks erasure if it finds no footing. Many warriors, even dragon warriors, had broken there.
Strangely, Dan had succeeded, with Sakolomé's help, in allowing himself to be carried by this negative zone. He had become a super-mortal of the causality of silence, but his inner resonances remained unstable. He floated between mastery and risk of annihilation.
Sakolomé watched him, grave: You must be careful. With the resonance you emit, I will not bring you back to the lower states if you lose yourself.
Dan focused his being, almost aspiring to vanish into the hollow domain. The void called, promising power and disappearance at once.
Sakolomé moved here with disconcerting ease. He continued Dan's training while Salomé cared for Wendy. But time was pressing: the news of Bakuzan's transcendence had ignited something in him — a fine anger, a sting.
He placed his hand on Dan's shoulder, firm voice: — Dan, you'd better perfect yourself. Our university has already won the tournament, yes — but others are coming.
— I will be away soon. I count on you to hold the fort.
He extended his hand; Dan seemed to stabilize, anchored by this contact.
Sakolomé added, lower, almost like an oath: — You must train relentlessly. Otherwise, you risk losing yourself — or even erasing yourself. My mana will help you; I will bind a protective resonance to you to prevent that nightmare.
The promise took the form of a warm pulse, covering Dan with a net of dying stars. The young man felt, for the first time since his immersion in zero-notion, an anchor — fragile, but real.