The battlefield was dead silent.
No birds sang; no wind blew—only the sound of shadows crawling over stone like a swarm of locusts devouring the earth itself. The hunters who had fought bravely minutes ago were retreating in panic, their faces pale. Whatever had just been unleashed was beyond their comprehension.
Ren stood alone at the center of the destruction, his body trembling as he unlocked 50% of the Black Heart's true power. His chest glowed violently, and with a painful, almost sickening sound, two hearts materialized outside his body.
One beat faintly, human and fragile.
The other pulsed like a living wound—black, throbbing, oozing power.
A flash of blinding light consumed him.
When the light faded, Ren was no longer on the battlefield. He stood in a pale, empty void where there was no ground, no sky—only an endless, suffocating nothingness.
Out of the void stepped a figure. It was tall, its form made entirely of shifting shadows, and its presence chilled the air.
Ren swallowed hard. "Who are you?"
The figure tilted its head, a slow, eerie movement. "This is the first time we meet face-to-face, Ren."
Ren's eyes narrowed. "…Heart?"
"Yes," the shadow whispered, its voice echoing as if it came from all directions at once.
Ren took a step closer, his voice breaking.
"Tell me, Heart… Am I doing the wrong thing? Choosing to walk this path alone? Giving myself to the shadow realm, turning myself into a monster?"
The shadow was silent.
Ren's breathing grew uneven, desperation lacing his tone. "Answer me!"
Finally, the shadow spoke, its words like a verdict.
"If you sell your soul to the shadow realm, there will be no turning back. You will fall into the abyss, Ren, and be alone for eternity. No light, no love—only the whispers of the void. Humanity will be safe, but you will be gone."
Ren clenched his fists.
"But if you refuse," the shadow continued, "humanity will be wiped out. Cities will burn. Your friends will die screaming. It is your choice. The darkness will not force you. But remember, whether you sacrifice yourself or not… I will always be with you. The darkness will always remain."
For a moment, Ren said nothing. His throat felt tight.
Then, slowly, a bitter smile crossed his lips. "Then so be it. If this is the price of saving them, I'll pay it. Even if I have to erase myself from the world, I'll bear it."
He raised his hand, and the shadow did the same. Their hands touched and merged—warmth gone, only cold power flooding through him.
When Ren opened his eyes, he was back on the battlefield. But everything had changed.
The knights he had summoned now glowed with unnatural light, their armor covered in black flame. Their very presence made the hunters fall to their knees in fear.
Raviel Noctem felt his stomach twist. In all his centuries of life, he had never once felt fear. Not against the Eight Kings, not against armies. But when he looked at Ren now, he felt something cold crawl up his spine.
Ren inhaled slowly, his body beginning to change. Darkness poured from his skin, consuming him. His human features disappeared beneath a living shadow. His armor became his flesh, his shadow forming a mantle around him like the wings of some fallen god.
Two jagged horns burst from his skull, blood running down his face before being swallowed by the blackness. His right eye glowed a deep, burning crimson.
Raviel staggered back. "…What are you?"
Ren's voice was no longer his own. It was deep, layered, and carried the weight of the abyss itself.
"I am the abyss you fear. The king you tried to create. The monster you deserve."
Raviel roared. "Join me! With power like this, you and I could rule together!"
Ren vanished.
By the time Raviel blinked, his body had already been cut in half.
The strike was so fast that even his instincts couldn't follow it. His body split apart, blood spraying the battlefield.
Ren raised his sword to deliver the final blow—
—but a portal opened beneath Raviel, dragging him away before the killing strike could land.
"You…" Raviel coughed, blood spilling from his lips. "You have won this time… but I will return."
Ren's crimson eye burned with fury. "No need. I'm coming to kill you myself."
The portal snapped shut, leaving only silence.
The hunters, stunned, slowly began to cheer. "We won!" they shouted. "Raviel has been defeated!"
But Ren did not celebrate.
He stood there, motionless, the shadows swirling around him like a storm.
Then, without a word, he turned and began to walk away.
Far from the cheers, Ren found himself outside the city walls. His cloak, woven from living shadow, covered him like a funeral shroud. He walked toward the abyss, step after step, his decision final.
"Ren!"
The voice froze him in place.
Yume stood there, her face pale, her body shaking.
Ren did not answer.
"Where are you going?" she demanded.
He kept walking.
She ran forward and grabbed his arm. "Look at me!"
Ren stopped.
"…The abyss," he said finally. His voice was hollow, dead. "I'm going to the demon realm. Alone."
"No!" Yume shouted, tears welling in her eyes. "What about our promise? You said you wouldn't leave me!"
Ren turned slowly.
His transformation had only partially faded—his half-covered face and glowing eye made him look more demon than man.
"I'm sorry," he said flatly. "After everything that's happened… I have nothing left in this world. Tell Daiki and Master Kuro not to worry. I'll end this war myself."
"Show me what you've done to yourself!" she demanded, her voice breaking.
Ren's expression hardened, but he obeyed. His cloak dissolved, revealing his body—half human, half shadow. The horn still jutted from his head, and his right eye burned crimson.
Yume's breath caught. "What… what did you do to yourself?"
Ren's lips curled into a bitter smile. "I sold my soul to the shadow realm. Every drop of humanity I had left—I gave it away. I am no longer the man you knew."
She lunged at him, striking his chest with her fists, sobbing. "So you didn't care about us?! About me?!"
"I do care," Ren said, gripping her wrists. "That's why I'm going alone. Forget about me. Live a normal life. Pretend I never existed."
"No!" Yume screamed. "We promised we'd face everything together!"
Ren's aura flared, a dark pressure forcing the air from her lungs.
"These problems aren't yours!" he roared. "I am not the man you love anymore—I am a monster!"
"I don't care!" she cried, her voice raw. "Monster, king, demon—it doesn't matter! I love the man who never gave up!"
Ren's expression twisted. His voice became cold and cruel.
"Then stop loving me."
He shoved her to the ground, his words sharp as knives.
"You are nothing to me. Nothing but trash. Don't ever show me your face again."
Yume froze, the words cutting deeper than any blade. "Wh… what did you just say?"
Ren turned his back on her.
"Leave me. Forget me."
Her anger erupted. She drew her sword, her power flaring as she prepared to strike him down—
—but Ren was faster. In a single movement, he struck her down, knocking her unconscious before she could move an inch.
The battlefield fell silent again.
Ren knelt beside her, his cold expression melting for the briefest moment. He brushed her hair from her face, his hand trembling.
"I'm sorry, Yume," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I had to do this. If I let you follow me, I'd never be able to leave. I want nothing more than to stay by your side… but I can't. Not now."
He stood, looking at her one last time, his face twisting with grief.
"Please forgive me. And if you can… forget me."
The shadows closed around him like a coffin, and he turned toward the abyss, his silhouette vanishing into the darkness.
"Goodbye, Yume."