The chamber was drenched in shadows. Ripples spread across the pool of pitch-black water, where a figure lay with his eyes closed, as if sleeping beneath a void.
From the edge of the pool, a servant in a dark coat bent forward slightly. His voice was hushed, reverent.
"My lord… are you lost in thought again?"
The man within the water stirred. His lips curved faintly.
"Nothing special at all."
Slowly, he rose from the pool. Black water clung to his form as he stepped onto the narrow stone stair—only two steps, yet each resounded as if echoing through a cathedral. He smiled, voice low and cold.
"I never expected they would come here…"
Victor lowered his head. "If you wish, my lord, I shall kill them."
The scene bled into another place. A figure cloaked in ash-grey robes walked alone, his boots crunching against the barren soil. This was Nako—an elite mage, drenched in blood from countless battles. His eyes burned with wrath as he marched toward the forbidden land.
"Konsoon," he muttered, voice laced with killing intent. "I am here to destroy you… and every soul under your rule."
His words fell into silence—until a whisper crawled into his ear from behind.
"What happened to you, Nako the Elite? You seem… distracted."
Nako froze. That voice—too close, too soft, too real. He spun around, but the air was empty.
"Novice tricks…" He snarled, and flames erupted from his staff, a storm of fire engulfing the dark.
Yet within the blaze, Konsoon smiled. He raised his hand, and from the shadows two robed guards—mages loyal to him—summoned their own explosions. The battlefield drowned in fire, smoke, and dust.
When the haze cleared, there was no sign of Konsoon. Only his voice lingered, curling in the air like a phantom.
"Pathetic… I won't fight today. Another presence watches me, and I have no interest in revealing myself. Consider this a chance—Fuko, Remji. Impress me."
The voice faded.
Far away, upon a throne of stone, Konsoon rested his chin against his hand. A wine glass stained red shimmered between his fingers. He laughed softly.
"These battles are worthless. Do they truly believe they can reach me? Humans… so fragile, so blind. They don't even recognize cruelty when it stands before them."
Victor bowed. "My lord, you have always been beyond them. Their choice to oppose you is nothing short of folly."
Konsoon raised the glass and drank, his smile deepening.
"Indeed. Let us see how these insects crawl when their illusions are shattered."
The stage shifted once again. Two figures stood before Nako—Fuko and Remji, the guards entrusted with their master's will.
Fuko tilted his head arrogantly. "You've stepped into the wrong territory. Our lord has spoken—you don't belong here."
Nako's eyes narrowed. "You fools… do you even know who I am? I'll burn you to ash!" He summoned a storm of fireballs, heat crackling in the air.
Fuko smirked, drawing his blade. In a flash, he cleaved through the fire, sparks scattering like dying stars.
"If I truly used my power, you wouldn't even last a second, old mage."
Beside him, Remji whispered, "Emerald Gale…" A surge of wind roared forth, tearing the sky.
Nako spat curses, summoning a colossal flame-eagle. Its wings spread wide, igniting the heavens.
But Fuko's voice rang clear, a sharp incantation:
"Scarlet Howl—First Slash!"
"Scarlet Howl—Second Slash!"
With each strike, the eagle's wings shattered. A final roar echoed—
"Scarlet Howl—Fourth Slash!"
Steel met flame, and the beast disintegrated. Nako's body followed, torn apart by the relentless assault.
He gasped, trying to speak, but Fuko's blade was already at his neck. One clean motion—silence.
Fuko exhaled, licking the blood from his lips with a greedy smile.
"The satisfaction… is something else."
The battlefield lay silent.