"Hello, King of Darkness."
"Who are you, and where am I?" Ren asked.
"Hello, Ren. Nice to meet you again," the Black Heart said with a sly tone. "How was the hug with your girlfriend?" it teased, laughing.
"Shut up!" Ren snapped.
"My King, you are very different from the other eight kings I've met. All of them were formal, always using one another. But your bond… it's different. Why is that?"
"Oh yes," Ren answered softly. "He once told me something—if we work as one, we'll grow stronger, faster."
"You're right," the Heart replied. "Together, we will be stronger."
"I see…" A deep voice echoed. It was the Darkness itself.
The Darkness bowed before Ren. "My King, please borrow my strength and protect this world."
"But… how did this come to me?" Ren asked, confused.
The Heart interrupted. "He is the power you used when you unleashed 18% of your strength. When a new Shadow Sovereign is born, he meets the Darkness and gains its powers. But this time… it's different. He is unusually polite and kind to you. He accepts you as the King of Darkness."
Ren's eyes widened. "So, this is not normal?"
"No," the Heart explained. "Usually, the Darkness tests if one is worthy. Yet, he has accepted you on your very first meeting."
Ren asked the Darkness directly, "Why did you accept me?"
The Darkness spoke slowly. "When a sovereign receives the Black Heart, they often grow arrogant, using their powers for destruction. At first, they don't understand their purpose, but once they learn it, they fulfill their responsibility. That is why they were chosen as kings.
"But you… when you first gained this power, you saved the one you cared for. You damaged your body, yet you still wanted to protect everyone. Even when I took control, I could not restrain the blows—you injured her badly. Yet you seized half the control back and limited the damage. That is why I accepted you."
Suddenly, the Darkness's tone shifted. "Oh… it's time."
"What time?" Ren asked.
Out of nowhere, the Eight Kings appeared.
"Why are you all here?" Ren questioned.
"They are here to welcome you," the Darkness said, "and to grant you the throne, declaring you the Ninth King of Shadows and Darkness."
"But didn't I already receive the throne?" Ren asked, puzzled.
"No," the Darkness replied. "You weren't ready back then. You can only truly take the throne once the Darkness accepts you. Shadows are born from darkness. Darkness is the core of shadow."
The Darkness continued with a solemn speech:
"The darkness within the eight kings gave them the authority to rule, but from now on, that darkness bows to the Ninth Shadow Monarch and will fight alongside him. Please, Ninth Sovereign—sit upon the throne and declare yourself."
Ren hesitated. His chest tightened.
"Ren, don't hesitate now," the Black Heart urged. "If you refuse, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
"…You're right," Ren whispered. "But right now, I can't accept this throne. I'm weak… unworthy of that honor. That's why the other kings and generals don't accept me yet. When I am truly worthy…"
His body flared with an ominous aura, one eye glowing with shadow.
"…I will return to rule over the darkness."
The hall fell silent.
The Fourth King finally spoke. "You are different, Ren. We weren't chosen by the Darkness. But you were. He offered you the throne, and you rejected it—not out of arrogance, but because you deemed yourself unworthy. That makes you unique. You will surpass us all."
Another king declared, "Your bond with the Black Heart is unlike ours. What is your relationship?"
Ren glanced at the Heart.
"Oh, we?" the Heart chuckled. "We need each other. That's all. Together, we'll become stronger."
The Darkness lowered its head. "From now on, I will serve you until my final breath."
Ren then stood tall and addressed them all:
"Right now, we must work together. I will fulfill my duty as the King of Shadows. But to do that, I need all of your strength. Together… we will defeat the Demon of Shadows!"
A brilliant surge of power resonated in the chamber.
Ren suddenly blinked, coming back to his senses.
"What happened?" Yume asked joyfully.
Ren shook his head. "You were cold and pale out there," Yume said, concerned. "Ren… what was that? That darkness? And who was speaking?"
"The Darkness," Ren answered calmly. "The one who has served the Eight Monarchs until now. But… he has accepted me as the new King of Darkness."
Yume froze, shocked. "Impossible… none of the Eight Monarchs were ever accepted on their first meeting. But you… you were."
Ren clenched his fist.
"Master," he whispered. "Who am I, really?"