Hours later, the faint rustling of cloth broke the silence inside the infirmary tent.
Yume's eyes fluttered open. For a moment, she didn't know where she was — only the echo of Ren's words remained, ringing painfully in her mind.
"Yume… live, even if I cannot."
Her chest tightened. Tears welled up before she could stop them. The weight of what had happened came crashing back — the battlefield, Ren's defiance, the way he had stayed behind so the rest of them could escape.
"No…" she whispered, clutching the blanket over her. "Ren…"
She sobbed quietly until the Third General, standing guard outside, stepped into the room. His face was grim, his voice steady.
"He's waiting for you," the general said. "Go… bring him back from that hell before it swallows him whole. Go to the Fourth General and tell him everything."
Those words struck her like lightning. Without a second thought, Yume bolted upright and ran. Her bruises screamed in protest, but she didn't care. She sprinted across the camp until she found the hunters resting near the supply tents.
They all turned at the sound of her ragged breathing.
"Where is my grandfather?!" Yume screamed, desperation cracking her voice.
The camp fell silent. Hunters exchanged worried looks. Why was Yume covered in bruises? Where was Ren?
Master Kuro, startled by her cry, rushed to her side and grabbed her shoulders.
"Yume! Where's Ren? Where have you been?"
At that, Yume broke. The strength she had been holding onto crumbled. She collapsed into her grandfather's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
Kuro quickly led her inside, away from the crowd. He let her cry until she could finally speak, whispering the truth between hiccuping breaths.
When she finished, Kuro's face darkened. Without a word, he gave Yume a sleeping draught to calm her trembling body. She fell asleep almost immediately, exhausted by grief.
Meanwhile, Daiki awoke in the next tent. The doctor insisted he remain lying down, but Daiki shoved the blankets away.
"I don't care what you say — I need to find Kuro!"
He staggered into the main camp until he found the old master.
"What happened?" Daiki demanded, panic in his voice. "Where is Ren? What about Raveil?"
Kuro's expression was heavy. Slowly, he explained everything — Ren's decision, his sacrifice, his descent into the Abyss.
Daiki sank to his knees, fists trembling.
"So he's… gone?"
"Not gone," Kuro said gravely. "But he is not the Ren you once knew. If we do nothing, he might become something far worse than the demons he fights."
Daiki's breath caught.
"If he starts a war against the Shadow Demons, he might destroy them all… but he cannot defeat the Upper Three alone. It will kill him — even if he sells his soul."
Inside the Abyss
Far away, Ren walked in silence, his cloak dragging against the rough ground. The darkness around him seemed alive, whispering, breathing.
Inside his mind, the Beast stirred.
"Go," it hissed. "Perform your duty. Use my full power without hesitation."
Its voice slithered through his thoughts like venom.
Ren gritted his teeth, clutching his right hand, feeling the cursed pulse of the Black Heart.
"This beast… I can't control it. If I let it loose, it'll destroy everything…"
"Then let me destroy!" the Beast roared.
"Shut up!" Ren shouted aloud, his voice echoing through the cavern. "Shut up and stay quiet!"
His breathing grew ragged, but he kept walking. Step by step, deeper into the Abyss.
Then his instincts screamed. Shadows around him twisted — demons were near.
The Village
Ren followed the trail until he emerged into a small village on the edge of the woods.
Chaos. Screams filled the night air. The stench of blood and fire made the sky glow a sickly orange. Shadow Demons prowled the streets, tearing apart houses, dragging villagers from their homes.
Ren's eyes narrowed. His hand fell to his blade.
He moved before anyone could notice.
A man tried to shield his wife and children, bracing for death as the demons closed in — but the next sound wasn't his family's scream.
It was the demons.
Ren cut through them with ruthless efficiency, his blade trailing black light. When the last one fell, silence descended.
The man blinked, still frozen in place.
Ren turned toward him, his voice low.
"How many demons are here?"
"M-Mr.—there were about thirty," the man stammered.
"Do you know how they appeared?"
"We… we came back from the forest, and they were suddenly here. We don't know why…"
Ren said nothing for a moment, then summoned his shadow soldiers.
"Find them all. Protect the humans at any cost. Bring every villager here when you're done."
The knights obeyed, vanishing into the night.
The man stared, still shaking.
"What will you do to us?"
Ren turned, pulling his hood lower over his face. The sight of him made the villagers flinch.
But then, he knelt and placed a glowing hand over the man's wounds. A soft, dark light spread, closing the cuts and knitting flesh back together.
The man gasped.
"You can walk now," Ren said simply.
Children peeked from behind their parents, curious.
"Mister, why are you hiding your face?" one of them asked innocently.
Ren's voice softened.
"Because what lies beneath… is not something you should see."
The parents understood. They held their children close.
Soon, the knights returned with the remaining villagers. There were only a handful left.
Ren asked for the village leader.
"How many have you lost?"
The old man's face was heavy. "Ten… maybe fifteen. Including children."
Ren's fist clenched. His shadows stirred angrily around him.
"…I was too late," Ren said quietly. "Forgive me."
But the leader and the villagers knelt instead.
"You saved us. That is enough."
For the first time in days, a faint smile crossed Ren's lips.
"Stand still," he ordered.
Confused, they obeyed.
Ren placed his sword into the ground. Shadows spread like water, covering the earth. The villagers panicked, but Ren raised a calming hand.
"Do not fear. This will heal you."
One by one, they felt warmth spread through their bodies. Wounds closed, pain faded, strength returned.
Cheers broke out among the survivors.
Ren turned to the leader.
"I cannot bring back the dead. But what I could do, I did."
The leader embraced him, tears in his eyes.
When Ren finally left the village, a young man came running after him.
"Wait!"
Ren turned.
"My name is Melson," the man said, bowing deeply. "Why are you leaving so soon? We still—"
"Melson," Ren said, his voice firm. "Become strong. Protect your family no matter the cost. Your village will need you."
Melson hesitated. "At least take food with you—"
Ren shook his head.
"Your people need it more. Go to the nearest city. Find a girl named Yume Akegami. She is an S-rank Shadow-Bound. Tell her Ren sent you. Tell her what happened here."
Melson nodded. As Ren turned to go, the young man clenched his fists.
"Mr. Ren!" he shouted. "I'll become strong enough to protect them — I swear it!"
Ren raised one hand in silent acknowledgment.
"Good," he said softly. "Then live."
The Descent
Days later, Ren stood at the mouth of a cavern so deep it seemed to swallow the world.
"This is it?" he asked aloud.
The Beast inside him growled.
"Yes. From here, there is no turning back. I will consume you. I will kill every demon. And then—your body will be mine."
Ren closed his eyes, breathing slowly.
"If that's what it takes to end this war… so be it. But promise me one thing."
"What?"
"Never kill a human."
"I cannot promise that… but I will try."
A small, bitter smile formed on Ren's lips.
"That's enough."
He gripped his sword and stepped into the Abyss.
The darkness rose around him, swallowing his old self whole.
"From this day forward," Ren said, voice echoing through the cavern, "I am no longer Ren."
His aura exploded outward, shaking the cavern walls. Shadows wrapped around his body like armor, his blade glowing with impossible sharpness.
"From this day…"
His voice became a roar.
"…I am the Dread Monarch!"
When the light faded, a cloaked knight stood where Ren had been — a figure radiating overwhelming power and grim resolve.
He lifted his sword, its edge shimmering like the edge of night.
"I'm ready," the Dread Monarch whispered. "Ready to slaughter every beast in this abyss."
And then he stepped forward, vanishing into the darkness.