Monsters screamed in the distance, their roars echoing through the cursed forest.
Ren stopped and looked around.
What in the world is this place?
"This entire forest exists just to keep outsiders away," Kuro said calmly.
He walked toward a boulder hidden among the roots. With a wave of his hand, the rock shifted, revealing a hidden passage.
"This will take us through the forest safely," Kuro explained.
Ren and Yume followed him inside. The tunnel was dimly lit by glowing crystals on the walls. Halfway through, several guards appeared, weapons drawn.
"Halt! Who goes there?" one of them barked.
But when Kuro stepped forward, they froze, then immediately bowed.
"Lord Kuro! Forgive us!"
"Lower your weapons," Kuro ordered. "They are with me. This is my granddaughter Yume, and this boy… is the son of those two."
The guards' eyes widened. They quickly dropped their weapons and bowed again, apologizing repeatedly for not recognizing them.
The group walked on. After a long trek, they stepped out of the tunnel and into sunlight.
Ren and Yume stopped in their tracks.
Before them lay a hidden village — quiet, beautiful, glowing with mana. People trained calmly, magic swirling around them as though it were part of the air itself.
"M-Master… what is this place?" Yume asked softly.
"Welcome to the secret village," Kuro said, smiling. "This is where your parents once lived, Ren."
Ren clenched his fists. His heart pounded.
"Where are they now?" he demanded.
Kuro pointed toward a house on the edge of the village.
"They're waiting for you… there."
Ren didn't wait another second. He bolted toward the house.
"Ren, wait! Don't run too—" Yume called after him.
But he didn't stop. I haven't seen them for so long… just once, let me see them again.
Ren stopped at the entrance, chest heaving. The door creaked open.
A little boy stepped out, tilting his head. "Hey, mister. Who are you? Why do you look so tired?"
Before Ren could answer, a woman ran outside. She froze.
"R—Ren…?"
Ren's breath caught.
"M—Mother…"
A man stepped out next, holding a glass. It slipped from his hand and shattered on the ground.
"Ren…?" he whispered.
Tears filled their eyes.
"F—Father…" Ren choked out. "It's been a while, don't you think?"
Kuro stepped forward. "It's him."
That was all it took. Both parents ran forward and embraced Ren tightly.
Ren broke. Tears streamed down his face as he cried into their arms.
"Why… why did you both leave me in that cruel world?"
"We're sorry, Ren," his mother whispered. "We didn't have a choice… we had to obey."
Behind them, Yume stayed quiet, her fists clenched. "Grandfather," she said softly, "Ren has suffered so much. His pain… even the king could not imagine it."
The little boy stared at all of them in confusion.
"Mom, Dad… who is this person?"
"Takuma," his mother said gently, "this is your big brother."
"B-Big brother?" the boy asked, blinking.
"Let's go inside first," Ren's father said.
Inside, they sat around a low table.
Ren turned to his mother. "Who is this little guy?"
"He's Takuma Akatsuki," she replied with a smile. "Your younger brother."
Ren froze. "My… younger brother?"
Takuma tilted his head. "Mom, how can he be my brother? My brother is Tatsuya, and my sister is Reiha!"
"No," his mother said, tears in her eyes. "Those two are your younger siblings, Ren. Do you remember the picture we kept in the living room, Takuma? The one of the boy we always prayed for?"
Takuma's eyes widened. Then, with a bright smile, he leapt into Ren's arms.
"So it's really you! Mom and Dad always missed you… sometimes they cried at night."
Ren hugged him back tightly. "I'm sorry for not coming sooner, Takuma. But today… I finally get to eat Mother's cooking again."
Just then, the door slammed open.
"Mom! Dad! We're home!"
Two teenagers stepped inside — a boy and a girl. They froze when they saw Ren.
"Who are these people?!" the boy demanded. "And why is Takuma sitting on that stranger's lap?"
"Oh! Big brother and big sister are back!" Takuma said happily.
The two glared and drew their weapons, pointing them at Ren.
"Explain yourself!"
"Lower your weapons!" their father barked.
But Ren stood up and spoke first. "So… you two are my younger siblings."
In that instant, Ren's power surged. Dark energy flared around him, shaking the house.
The teenagers stumbled back in fear, hiding behind their parents.
"W-What is this power?"
Takuma's eyes sparkled. "Brother Ren! You scared them!"
"Brother?" the teens asked in shock.
"Yes," their father said. "Ren has come back. He's your older brother."
Both siblings' jaws dropped.
"So much power… and he's our big brother?"
Slowly, they stepped forward.
"Big Brother Ren, how did you get so strong? Where were you all this time?"
Questions came flying one after another until Ren grew frustrated.
Yume giggled softly behind her hand.
"And you are?" one of the siblings asked, noticing her.
"I am Yume Akegami, Ren's childhood friend," she said politely.
"Childhood friend?" Reiha teased. "No… you two are in love, aren't you?"
"M-Master!" Ren protested, turning red.
Kuro chuckled. "She's not wrong, Ren."
The siblings laughed. "Big brother has a cute girlfriend! You're so lucky!"
Ren cleared his throat and turned serious.
"Father… about the seal you placed on me. It's broken. Somehow… I unsealed part of it during my last battle."
His parents stiffened.
"That's impossible," his father said. "That seal was so powerful that it couldn't be undone unless—"
"No way…" his mother whispered. "Ren… you've become the Ninth King?"
"What are you talking about?" Tatsuya asked.
Their father sighed. "You'll understand later. For now, go buy a cake — we'll celebrate your brother's return."
The three siblings' eyes lit up. "Yes, Dad!"
They ran out happily, leaving Ren, Yume, and Kuro with his parents.
Ren's face turned serious again. "I've gained the Black Heart… the power of darkness. During my last battle, I used it so much that it must have broken the seal."
His parents examined him carefully.
"Only twenty percent of the seal is broken," his father said at last.
Ren's eyes widened. Yume gasped.
"T-Twenty percent?! That means… the power I used earlier was just—"
"A fraction," Kuro said grimly. "Those were just sparks of what lies inside you. That power could destroy the world if fully released."
Ren clenched his fists. "Then I'll control it."
Kuro shook his head. "Not yet. To defeat higher-ranked demons, you must become one with the Black Heart and break the seal by your own will."
His father nodded. "The seal will fully vanish only when you shatter your own limits."
Ren sat in silence, determination burning in his eyes.
He asked. What do you mean high rank demons.
The demon humanity is fighting are nothing just low rank beast. The lowest rank monster was that dragon you defeated.
Kuro said with eyes closed.