Five years passed.
Five years since the world changed.
Since a being beyond comprehension fell from the skies and whispered a number that haunted everyone who heard it—
9-18.
And yet, despite the fear that lingered in silence, the world moved forward.
The wounds of the Western Continent had mostly healed.
Nations rebuilt.
The alliance between races held firm.
Mobs trained harder, faster, and younger than ever before.
But one name stood above the rest:
> Ryu.
---
The Rise to Seventh
At just 28 years old, Ryu did the impossible.
He achieved the mythical 7th Stage of Mob—a level that only nine had reached before the war.
Now he was the tenth.
Only three others were still alive.
He wasn't just strong—he was considered a pillar of the future.
His mastery of energy control had reached new heights.
The engraved black heart inside him, once hidden, now pulsed faintly, detectable only to the most sensitive seers.
Yet… it caused him no pain. No change. No madness.
> "He's stable," the scholars whispered. "But... is that a good thing or a curse waiting to bloom?"
---
Reina & Ryu
By Ryu's side, as always, stood Reina Avaleon.
Still a 7th Stage Mob herself and known across the continents as the "Silver Storm."
Though she had reached 6th Stage before him, Ryu eventually overtook her.
She didn't mind.
She smiled every time they fought.
Every time they stood together before the world.
And now, after a lifetime of battle, she stood beside him not as a rival—
> But as his fiancée.
They were to be married in a year.
It would be the most anticipated union in the history of the Mob world.
Only one shadow lingered over their future.
---
The Looming Date
9-18.
Now just two years away.
Ryu thought about it every night.
Even though he no longer felt anything from the mark that so many feared,
he remembered the "God's" words clearly.
> "The day you'll understand."
What would he understand?
Why had he been chosen?
What did the black heart truly represent?
No expert could answer.
Even the last World-Class Mobs kept their distance, unsure whether Ryu was a ticking bomb or a messiah in disguise.
Still, he trained.
Still, he grew stronger.
And still, he chose to live.
---
Whispers and Warnings
In the hidden mountains of the East, ancient sages spoke in riddles:
> "The boy with two hearts will decide the world's cycle."
"The God did not die… he divided."
"And when the day comes, sky shall scream black."
The Council of Continents met secretly.
Some wanted to pre-emptively seal Ryu again.
Some believed he was the only one who could stop whatever was coming.
Ryu knew of these meetings.
He didn't protest.
He only said one thing:
> "I'm not afraid of 9-18. I'll be ready."
---
And So, the World Waited...
The world healed.
Ryu and Reina planned their wedding.
Mina, now a talented 6th Stage Mob and a rising healer, kept close to both of them.
And the black heart inside Ryu remained silent.
But everyone could feel it...
The silence was too perfect.
The sky too calm.
The heart too still.
And the date?
9-18
Was just around the corner.
--