At night, Vincy was fast asleep at Abodo's house. Meanwhile, Taro sat on the living room couch, hunched over his notebooks, finishing up his math and chemistry homework. It took him about forty minutes to get everything done... not too shabby.
Before heading to bed, Taro communicated with Enzo for a while, digging deeper into the truth: Who is Armageddon? What exactly happened to Enzo? What are these monsters? And why is everything going off the rails?
That's when Enzo revealed the name behind the chaos: Armageddon, King of Darkness. The shadow ruler who summoned those creatures from the anchor, and what Taro fought was only their weakest form.
Enzo had encountered Armageddon before, on the very same day he met Taro. He was in a brutal battle against the darkest and strongest minions of that dark king, but he was overwhelmed. Enzo had no choice but to retreat. He fled through a portal, choosing the Overworld, without letting those creatures chase him to his realm.
As for how Enzo became a spirit, he explained the curse behind it. The spell he used on Taro, the one that healed his body and gave him strength, had a price. A powerful healing enchantment that purged illness, granted magical buffs… but in exchange, it bound the caster's soul. Enzo never knew the cost until it was too late. Now, only Taro could see or hear him. However, one thing still puzzled them both: Why couldn't Taro speak?
A few seconds later, Enzo said:
"Your inability to speak troubles me deeply. I cannot say for certain what caused it... but I suspect it may be tied to the curse Armageddon placed upon me decades ago. His corruption spreads in ways we do not yet comprehend."
Taro also asked how he was getting stronger so fast.
"If you desire, I can examine your internal attributes," Enzo answered.
Stats in real life?Sounds like one of Vincy's games...Taro thought.
"Every living being possesses measurable strengths, what you may call stats," Enzo said. "However, they are hidden from ordinary sight. Only those who wield magic are able to perceive them."
Enzo revealed Taro's current buffs: Strength, Swiftness, Perception, and Intelligence, and all increased. His base stats, like health and mana, had also improved.
"You rely too heavily on your bare hands and feet," Enzo added, That is noble, however it limits your potential. You must begin using weapons: swords, daggers, scythes, bows, shields. Whatever resonates with your instinct. They are not mere tools; they are extensions of the warrior's soul."
Taro chose swords without hesitation. He'd trained with a wooden one as a kid. The moment he remembered, a spark lit in his eyes, as he got an idea.
September 6, 2008 – Saturday.
The next morning, Taro went to a wide, grassy field by the beach, his personal training zone, away from nosy eyes. He asked Enzo to summon illusionary creatures: static, semi-transparent blue figures shaped exactly like the dark minions he fought.
Taro drew an iron sword from the sheath strapped to his back, an old weapon that belonged to his father. He found it in the basement, and his mother, MonaAbodo, once told him how much his father had dreamed of being a knight before he passed away. Taro stood still, focused. In a flash, he lunged forward and used {Critical Slash}, slicing these visual creatures in half. They disappeared instantly.
The illusions didn't grant him any experience, but that wasn't the point, this wasn't about mastery. The goal was to master his blade-based techniques, secondary skills that only activated with a weapon in hand. He executed his abilities over and over, it was exhausting... but necessary. By the time the sun dipped in the sky, Taro had learned a few new sword skills and trained nonstop to improve his stamina and speed.
Around 6 PM, Taro returned home and found Vincy on the couch, studying from Taro's notebook like he was told. Looks like he had read the paper Taro left on the table. While Taro cleaned the kitchen, he glanced at the calendar and froze. Today was the day MonaAbodo, his mother, said she'd visit.
Panic hit him like a truck. She didn't see him like this, with his changed hair, his mysterious power, and his silence. Taro rushed around the house, trying to figure out a way to hide it all. However, it was too late.
Vincy looked out the window and spotted a taxi pulling up. Mona stepped out gracefully.
Ah, we are late! Taro thought, smacking his head.
Vincy walked to the door casually and opened it after she knocked.
"Welcome back, Aunt!" Vincy shouted with a huge smile, raising both hands.
Mona froze the moment she saw them. Her eyes darted between Taro and Vincy's changed appearances. Vincy was confused at first... until it clicked.
"Ohhh… right," he mumbled awkwardly.
Mona took a deep breath… and smiled:
"Now now, tell me…"
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO YOURSELF?!" She roared, marching in like a hurricane.
She circled Taro like a suspicious detective, bombarding him with rapid-fire questions. Taro, of course, couldn't answer any of her questions. Vincy tried to help but struggled under pressure.
"I give up!" Vincy groaned, raising both hands like a surrendering soldier.
Taro knew it was pointless to keep hiding. He wrote everything down... or most of it. He didn't mention the invasion and the dangerous parts. To prove the truth, Vincy lit a small flame in his hand.
Mona was stunned. A mysterious wizard? Magic? Powers? None of it made sense. But after a while, she let go of reason... and just hugged her son.
"Don't feel sorry, Taro," she whispered, stroking his hair, "as long as you're safe… that's all that matters."
Taro melted into her hug and kissed her forehead.
"Sniff… that bond… it's too strong…!" Vincy cried in the background... like a dramatic actor.
Later, they had dinner together at the table while Mona told wild stories from her life in Paris. When they were done, everyone helped clean the dishes. Taro asked his mother if Vincy could stay over. She immediately agreed, not wanting her son to be alone once she returned to Paris.
Before bed, she asked Taro to talk with her a bit longer. Vincy went off to sleep while Taro and Mona sat on the couch, chatting about the past. She began telling him about his father, HaruAbodo. A kind, quiet, optimistic man who dreamed of being a knight. Of course, such a dream was impossible in this century. Still, he held on to it like a fairytale.
He met Mona by pure chance, and months later, they married. He loved her dearly, never once made her cry… until the day she heard that he was gone. He never took any photos, she always thought it was because he was shy.
Taro sat there, heart heavy. He wished he had known his father... even once. A single glance would've meant the world to him. Still, he felt proud. Blessed of having parents like Mona and Haru.
It got late. Mona told Taro to get some rest for tomorrow. He stood up and quietly left the room. She sat alone, wiping away tears, feeling sorry for not staying with her son.
September 7, 2008 – Sunday.
By 10 AM, Taro got dressed and prepared for another training session. This time, Vincy tagged along. Before they left, Mona stopped him for a little surprise. She handed Taro a handmade blue shirt with long white sleeves and a cyan 'T' in the center. Along with it, a blue headband decorated with tiny star patterns.
"Enjoy your early birthday gift!" Mona said while winking.
Taro was stunned. He thanked his mother warmly, changed into the outfit, and left with Vincy for training.
Roughly fifty minutes passed. Vincy decided to rest and catch his breath while Taro lay on the grass, enjoying the breeze. Suddenly,
Taro's senses went wild. Something, or someone, was nearby. And it wasn't friendly.
He stood up, eyes scanning the field. Whatever it was… it disappeared just as fast as it came. But Taro knew it wasn't gone. Moments later, he felt it again, stronger this time. And it was getting closer. As Taro focused, he realized it was drawing dangerously near to Vincy. Taro's eyes widened in shock, and his hands started shaking in worry. Without hesitation, Taro dashed toward him...
...hoping he was not too late!