[SCENE 1: THE FINAL TRIAL IN THE VOID DIMENSION]
The Void Dimension trembles violently. This is the 31st day. Amidst a vortex of energy capable of obliterating atoms, Ryu stands tall. He no longer wears his tattered school uniform; his body is now draped in a thin energy cloak that shimmers between silver and black. His hair, turned white by the pressure of cosmic energy, flutters despite the absence of wind.
Before him, Astaroth manifests in his most terrifying form: The Ancient Avatar of Ruin. A ten-meter-tall giant with four arms, each wielding a dimension-destroying weapon.
"This is your final test, Master," Astaroth's voice vibrates like an earthquake. "If you cannot kill my shadow here, you will never defeat the true 7 Sovereigns. Come at me with the intent to kill!"
Ryu does not answer with words. He simply takes a deep breath, and instantly, the atmosphere around them freezes.
BOOM!
Ryu vanishes. His speed transcends the concept of time. In a single millisecond, he is in front of Astaroth. [Dimensional Slash]! The blade of Aethel cleaves through space vertically. Astaroth parries with two giant swords, but the pressure Ryu exerts creates an energy explosion that punches a hole through the dimension.
The battle rages with unimaginable intensity. Ryu moves like silver lightning, shifting from one point to another with [Blink Step]. He launches consecutive [Void Compressions], creating vacuum explosions that tear through Astaroth's energy armor. Every time Astaroth counters with large-scale attacks, Ryu evades with [God's Reflex], his body weaving through gaps in the energy as if he were part of the air itself.
"Stronger! Don't just rely on technique! Use your desire to protect!" Astaroth bellows, slamming down his energy hammer.
Ryu lets out a roar, his eyes emitting a brilliant blue glow. He concentrates every remaining ounce of energy into the tip of his sword. [Zenith Execution: World Breaker]! A single horizontal slash releases a massive crescent-shaped energy wave. The wave swallows Astaroth's shadow form whole, splitting the sky of the Void Dimension in two and leaving behind a haunting silence.
Astaroth slowly fades, returning to his spirit form within the sword. "You are ready, Ryu. Go. Your destiny awaits in your homeland."
[SCENE 2: FIRST STEPS ON EARTH – A BLOODY WELCOME]
Ryu opens his eyes. He is standing back in his backyard. However, the atmosphere has changed. The Seoul sky, usually blue, is now a dark purple. No birds are singing; there is only an air pressure so heavy it causes the surrounding plants to wither instantly.
Before Ryu can take his first step, a massive explosion occurs right in front of him.
BOOM!
Black smoke billows high. From behind the fog, seven familiar figures emerge. The 7 Sovereigns. They stand with arrogance, looking down at Ryu as if he were a mere ant crawling out of its nest.
"Welcome back, brat," Zephyrus, the Sovereign of Wind, steps forward. "We've been waiting a whole month for you. We wanted to see if a month was enough to turn a kitten into a tiger."
Without warning, Zephyrus lunges. He is the fastest Sovereign. He swings a wind dagger capable of slicing molecules. However, Ryu does not flinch. With a casual flick of his hand, Ryu catches the blade between two fingers.
CRACK!
The wind dagger shatters into pieces. Zephyrus's eyes widen. "What—?!"
Ryu looks at him with cold eyes. "Is this all?"
In the next second, all 7 Sovereigns move simultaneously. This is no longer a test; it is a collective slaughter. Luna (Night) creates thousands of shadow needles from beneath Ryu's feet, while Grom (Earth) slams the ground to create giant stone pillars to imprison him.
Ryu leaps into the air. There, Pyro (Fire) and Aqua (Water) are already waiting with a lethal combined steam attack. Ryu spins his sword. [Void Barrier]! A transparent dome swallows all the attacks without a trace.
The battle shifts to the school area near his house. Ryu fights alone against the seven ancient rulers. His movements resemble a dance of death. He kicks Grom into the school building, then spins to slice through Zephyrus's energy wings.
[SCENE 3: A FATHER AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A MAN]
Inside Ryu's house, Mikael stands up from his chair. The newspaper he was holding falls. As a former soldier with remnants of ancient energy in his blood, he can feel a powerful vibration. A vibration that could only be produced by his son... and something truly evil.
"Mi-young, lock the door. Do not come out no matter what happens!" Mikael shouts as he runs outside.
Mikael rushes toward the school. On the way, he sees a horrific sight. Several teachers and students, including the injured Mr. Park Hyunwoo, are cornered at the school gate. They look toward the sky, watching Ryu's fight, which no longer looks human.
Suddenly, Nexus, the Sovereign of Network, appears behind the students. "Poor little prey..." Nexus raises his mechanical claw-shaped hand to strike them down.
"Don't touch them!" Mikael appears with incredible speed, parrying Nexus's attack with an iron rod infused with his internal energy.
"Get out of here! Fast!" Mikael orders the teachers and students. "Get them to safety!"
Mikael doesn't give the rulers a moment to breathe. He knows he is no match for them in raw power, but he possesses immense combat experience. He immediately runs toward Ryu's location, while Nexus and another Sovereign, Void, pursue him in a rage.
[SCENE 4: COLLABORATION AND TRAGEDY AMIDST BATTLE]
Mikael reaches the decimated school field. He sees Ryu being ganged up on by five Sovereigns (Zephyrus, Luna, Grom, Pyro, Aqua). Ryu appears dominant, but the sheer numbers are starting to push him back.
"Ryu! Father is here!" Mikael shouts.
Ryu glances back for a moment, his eyes softening at the sight of his father. "Dad! Be careful!"
The two now fight side-by-side. Ryu faces the five Sovereigns with an aggressiveness that has increased tenfold, while Mikael holds back Nexus and Void. Ryu uses a luring strategy; he lets himself appear vulnerable so that all seven Sovereigns gather at a single point near him, planning to unleash a [Grand Zenith Explosion] to obliterate them all at once.
"Dad, get ready! When I give the signal, run as far as you can!" Ryu says while parrying Grom's strike.
Mikael nods. Amidst the chaos, Mikael tries to get closer to Ryu to offer moral support. "Ryu, you've grown so strong... I'm proud of you."
However, mid-sentence, Mikael's attention is diverted by Luna's sneak attack from the shadows. Ryu tries to warn him, "Dad, behind you!"
But Void, who had been silent until now, suddenly emerges from another dimension right next to Mikael. Void holds a massive, rotting green sword emitting toxic vapors.
SHLICK!
The world seems to stop spinning for Ryu. His eyes bulge. He sees Void's greatsword piercing through his father's chest from behind. Fresh blood sprays, soaking the parched school grounds.
"Dad...?" Ryu whispers. His voice trembles.
Void pulls the sword out violently. "Too much talking," he says coldly.
Mikael falls to his knees. Green poison begins to spread through his veins, turning his skin a pale blue. He coughs up blood, trying to look at Ryu one last time before his eyes dim and he loses consciousness.
[SCENE 5: DESPAIR AND THE TERRIFYING TRANSFORMATION]
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Ryu roars. His rage explodes like a supernova. He attacks the seven Sovereigns relentlessly. [Dimensional Slash], [Void Compression], [Sovereign's Pressure]—all unleashed blindly. However, because his emotions are unstable, the attacks become chaotic and easy to read.
The Sovereigns laugh. Zephyrus kicks Ryu in the stomach, sending him crashing next to his father's limp body. Grom steps forward and grinds Ryu's head into the dirt with his foot.
"Look at you, Guardian of Balance," Grom mocks, pressing harder. "You're just a boy who failed to protect his own father. Your power means nothing before us."
Ryu lies on the ground. Tears fall, mixing with dust and blood. His hope is shattered. He sees his father's cold hand beside him. He feels like a failure. He feels that his month of training was in vain. Despair blankets his heart like a thick black fog.
But then... something different happens.
Inside Ryu's subconscious, Astaroth's silver-blue energy begins to be contaminated by pure pain and hatred. The energy is no longer balanced. The darkness within him swallows the light—but it is no ordinary darkness.
Suddenly, the pressure around the school field increases a thousandfold. The ground begins to crack, and from those cracks, a blood-red light spills out. Ryu's calm dark-blue aura begins to churn and change color drastically. The blue slowly vanishes, replaced by a Dark Red Aura that radiates a terrifying bloodlust.
Ryu's hair remains glowing white, but his eyes—once a clear blue—now turn a burning red with black vertical pupils that emit dark red smoke.
Grom, who was stepping on his head, suddenly feels his foot burning. He jumps back in terror. "What... what is this?! This pressure... this is no longer the power of Balance!"
Ryu stands up slowly. He no longer makes a sound. He simply stands there, surrounded by dark red flames that lick the air. The space around him isn't just cracking; it is completely disintegrating.
In the distance, from behind the ruins of the school gate, a girl comes running, breathless. Lis. Her face is deathly pale, her eyes swollen from panic. She sees Mikael's body on the ground and she sees Ryu... a figure she no longer recognizes.
"RYU! STOP! YOU HAVE TO LIVE! DON'T LET THAT POWER CONSUME YOU!" Lis screams as she runs toward the center of the red storm. "RYU!!!"
Ryu turns slightly toward Lis, but his gaze is hollow—there is only a terrifying red void. The dark red aura explodes even larger, swallowing the readers' entire vision into a gripping darkness.
End of Chapter 13