Suddenly, a small explosion of thick, pitch-black smoke erupted ona smaller boulder. The smoke was too dense to see through at first. As it cleared, Rathra and Raidren appeared, standing atop the floating rock. The world before them was unlike anything Raidren had ever seen before, a vast expanse of floating rocks, massive chunks of mountains suspended in endless space. There was no ground, only massive pieces that could serve as islands on their own.
Rathra looked down at his hand, the yellow ring glinting on his finger. He turned toward Raidren, his expression calm but full of excitement.
"I'm glad the king kept this ring," Rathra said, his voice low but confident. "With it, we can finally go to the Otherworld."
Raidren took a slow puff from his cigar, the smoke curling around his face as he studied Rathra.
Rathra inhaled deeply and leaped. Instantly, he crashed through several massive boulders and floating mountain pieces, each ones hattering under the force of his movement, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
Rathra crashed into a massive chunk of earth, a piece of land sol arge it could have been a small country. The top was covered in a forest that glowed bright white, the leaves shimmering, the wood light gray, and white pollen drifting lazily through the air. In the center of the fores trose a castle unlike anything Rathra had ever seen, a castle as white as the snow, its towers piercing the sky.
Rathra smirked, his eyes scanning the castle. "Well, well... looks like I found it," he said, his voice carrying a mix of amusement and satisfaction.
Cutting to Raidren, he let out a low sigh and jumped, flying through the hole Rathra had just made. He streaked across the sky, following Rathra's path, leaving the shattered forest behind.
Inside the white castle, a new figure came into view. Uzi, the god of this world, stood in the grand hall. He was cloaked in a flowing white robe, a halo hovering above his head, exuding a presence both powerful land serene. Before him floated a ghost, its form flickering like smoke. Uzi's voice echoed through the chamber. "You want to be allowed in this world," he said calmly. "My duty is to bring people from otherworlds here, but I cannot see this world directly. All I can do is judge who belongs."
The ghost pleaded its case, explaining why it should be welcomed into Uzi's realm, its words urgent but measured.
Before Uzi could respond, Rathra burst through the castle's roof. Debris flew in every direction, smashing against walls and scattering white pollen like a storm. Uzi reacted instantly, darting forward and positioning himself between the ghost and the intruder.
He stood tall, eyes locked on Rathra, unflinching. "Who are you?"Uzi demanded, his voice calm but filled with authority, as the dust andsplinters swirled around them.
Rathra smirked, dust still falling from the shattered ceiling. "Herewe go again," he muttered, almost to himself.
Uzi blinked, thrown off. "What do you mean---"
Before he could finish, Rathra lunged. The impact was explosive as the two of them crashed through the side of the castle wall, white stone tearing apart as they flew into the glowing forest below. The fight erupted instantly. Uzi swung his arm, waves of radiant energy bursting outward, lighting up the forest like a storm of stars. Rathra dodged between trees, his movements sharp and relentless. He launched himself off a branch, twisting in the air before striking Uzi with a sweeping kick that sent him tumbling through a cluster of glowing trees, white leaves scattering like ash.
Uzi recovered quickly, hovering midair, his halo shining with power. He thrust his hand forward, a beam of golden light tearing through the forest floor, carving a trench through the earth. Rathra leapt aside, grabbing a chunk of floating stone, hurling it back at Uzi like a meteor.
The impact rattled the forest as Uzi caught the stone, but Rathra was already there. He grabbed Uzi by the arm, twisting with raw force before flinging him across the sky. Uzi's body slammed into another massive floating boulder, shattering its surface.
"Holy Magic!" Uzi shouted, his hands glowing as he began weaving a spell.
But then, he froze. A wave of pure menace poured from Rathra, his presence alone shaking the air. The aura was crushing, suffocating, like the weight of a storm pressing down.
In an instant, Rathra vanished and reappeared directly above Uzi. He brought his foot down with terrifying force, pinning Uzi against the broken stone. The strike drove through with unstoppable strength, his leg going through his stomach, hitting the stone on the other side, Uzi gasped, coughing hard as pain wracked his body.
Blood speckled the stone beneath him as he struggled to breathe, his eyes wide with shock. Rathra leaned forward slightly, his expression calm yet merciless.
Rathra pressed his boot harder into Uzi's chest, but his expression shifted from cruel to calm.
"I'm not going to end you here," Rathra said, his voice low and steady. "I have a better plan for you."
With a sharp snap of his fingers, Raidren appeared at his side. Butt his time, four more figures materialized with him, each one radiating their own strange power.
First was a short teenage girl, her hair split down the middle, half bright blue, half vivid red, her eyes reflecting the same unnatural colors .She leaned forward with an eager grin, sparks of energy flickering at her fingertips.
Next came a man in his late thirties, his body covered in strange machinery unlike anything Uzi had ever witnessed. Plates of metal shifted across his chest and arms, glowing wires pulsed like veins, and four heavy cannons, two mounted on his shoulders and two at his sides. They hummed with restrained energy.
Beside him stood a black fox-woman, her sleek ears flicking as her long tail swayed behind her. She wore a glowing mask, green light pulsing through dark lines etched across its surface. The energy around her whispered danger, silent but undeniable.
The last to step forward was a man who couldn't have been more than twenty-five. On each of his arms floated three great rings, each about three feet across, orbiting him like moons. They glowed with faint light as they turned slowly, their hum filling the air with power that bent the space around them.
All of them stared at Uzi, silent, their eyes locked on him as if weighing his very soul.
Rathra lifted his foot from Uzi's chest and spread his arms wide. "This," he said, his voice rising, "is my crew. My strongest soldiers."