Graknar slowly rose from the pile of rubble.
He silently stared at Akito, who had just struck Targus with such force that even his shield couldn't hold up.
Cracks spread across his mask, and with a dull clang, it fell to the ground.
Beneath it — twisted truth.
One half of his face was perfect: noble features, almost divine beauty.
The other — decayed, riddled with rot and sores, lifeless.
— "How dare you strike a King…" — his voice grew raspy, almost animalistic.
— "I. WILL. DESTROY YOU."
He charged, instantly closing the gap between him and Akito.
But Akito's mode had ended.
HP: 1.
He had nothing left.
"This is it… I won't make it…"
At the last moment — a hand caught his arm.
Arden appeared out of nowhere. But he looked… different.
His eyes were colder. His face — focused.
No jokes. No smirks.
He kicked Graknar straight in the chest, sending him sliding back.
Then grabbed Akito and leapt away.
— "Rest. I'll handle him."
He stepped forward, taking a battle stance.
[Skill Activated: "Essence Drain"]
+25% Speed
They clashed instantly.
A flash of blows — kicks, counters, dashes. None hitting squarely.
Their speeds nearly matched.
But even with Arden's momentum — he took a hit.
Graknar punched him in the gut. Arden gritted his teeth.
Before he could strike again—
Targus came crashing from behind, slamming Graknar into the floor with a thunderous blow.
— "Listen, Giant," — Arden gasped,
— "Protect Akito with your life. That bastard's locked onto him now."
Targus gave a silent nod and stepped between Graknar and Akito.
But then — Graknar vanished from beneath the hammer.
He teleported — reappearing right in front of Akito, who sat slumped against the wall.
[Skill Activated: "Fox's Trick"]
→ Position Swap.
A sudden burst of smoke.
Akito was gone. In his place — Arden.
[Skill Activated: "Fang of Deceit"]
He knew exactly where to strike.
He saw the seam — where life and death met on Graknar's face.
His strike was precise.
The head cracked.
The two halves — light and decay — split apart.
Graknar dropped to his knees.
Everything froze.
— "It's over…" — they thought.
But in the next instant — he lunged toward Akito.
And just then, a system window appeared in front of Akito:
[You Defeated: Graknar, King of Death]
[Rewards:
• Level Up: (100 → 136)
• +15,000 Eny
• Skill Upgrade: "Ruthless" (Lv.1 → Lv.2)
• Skill Upgrade: "Eye of Truth" (Lv.1 → Lv.2)
• Skill Upgrade: "Victor" (Lv.1 → Lv.2)
• Bonus Points: +30]
Graknar's body froze midair — like slamming into an invisible wall.
He turned to black dust…
And vanished.
Akito opened the [Shop] tab and searched quickly.
[Recovery Potion (Lv.2)] — 2500 Eny
→ Purchase Confirmed.
He exhaled and downed the potion in one gulp. Warmth spread through his body.
His wounds began to heal, slowly.
— "How did you even get here?" — he asked, glancing at Arden.
— "We Guardians can appear wherever you are. Perk of the job," — Arden smirked.
— "But I didn't jump in right away on purpose.
If I had rushed in early… we'd all be dead.
That King… he was stronger than the three of us combined."
He paused for a moment, then added quietly:
— "I waited until he was tired. And even then — I lost.
So… this win? Pure luck."
— "Fox-boy! You're back!" — Targus's voice boomed.
He walked up and wrapped Arden in a bear hug, cracking his shoulder.
— "L-let go… I need to breathe…" — Arden wheezed.
They all laughed.
They made it home.
As soon as Akito felt the solid floor beneath him, he collapsed and whispered:
— "Finally… home."
Arden was already back on the couch, controller in hand.
Targus sat beside him on the floor, watching the game.
"Just like old times…" — Akito thought, drifting off right there.
Some time later…
He woke up. The pain was gone.
He looked at the clock: 4:34 PM.
— "How long was I out?" — he murmured.
— "Two days," — Arden's calm voice replied from behind.
— "Two days?!" — Akito shot up.
— "Where's Targus?!"
— "Kitchen," — Arden said, eyes glued to the screen.
— "Oh no… Not the kitchen!"
Akito rushed in, expecting a broken fridge and shattered furniture—
But instead… calm.
Targus sat at the table. The room — clean and tidy.
A plate of perfectly sliced meat steamed in front of him.
No scratches. No broken anything.
He was eating peacefully, as if he'd always belonged there.
Akito froze.
"He's… learning?"
Meanwhile…
Rei Natsuki sat in her car, stuck in traffic.
Rain tapped lazily against the windshield.
The radio droned on about evening news.
Her phone rang.
— "Hey, sis," — a man's voice on the other end.
— "Hey," — Rei smiled. — "How are you?"
— "All good. How's it going with Kurosawa?"
— "He's suspicious… but no evidence. Yet."
— "Alright. I'm here if you need anything."
He was about to hang up when she stopped him.
— "Wait… Ren. How's my nephew?"
— "A little sick… fever and stuff. But he'll be fine.
Don't worry. We've got this.
Sorry for dumping everything on you.
Soon… we'll be working together. Promise."
— "Yeah… I know," — Rei whispered and hung up.
For a second — a steely determination crossed her face.
Then it vanished, replaced by calm.
"Akito Kurosawa… You're not who you pretend to be.
And I will find out who you really are."