Darkness covered everything.
No sky.
No ground.
No light.
Only endless black.
Then a voice echoed through the void.
"Hey… you. Wake up."
Leaf's eyes slowly opened.
There was nothing around him. Just darkness stretching without end.
He pushed himself up and shouted,
"Where am I?! I know it's you, Neon! Just kill me… but don't torture me anymore. I can't endure this pain!"
"Shut up, you idiot. I am not Neon."
Two bright yellow eyes appeared in the darkness.
Leaf's breathing grew heavy.
"Then who are you?"
"I am the DARK LORD DARKNESS. The name that spreads fear across every realm. I am fear… and I am pain."
"Stop joking," Leaf snapped. "I'm not in the mood. I know I'm dead. This must be the afterlife. You're probably a servant of the God of Death. So move aside and let me pass. I want peace — the peace I never had in life."
"You are not dead. So listen carefully to my words."
Leaf clenched his jaw.
"Fine. Then tell me what happened… and why I'm here."
"First, what happened to you?
After you lost consciousness, the crowd broke your bones. They dug a hole in the ground. Neon and his son buried you there while you were still alive."
Leaf's eyes widened, but he remained silent.
"I saved you using my power. You have been sleeping safely in my Dark Dimension for one month."
"One month?!" Leaf staggered back. "But my bones were shattered. How did I heal?"
"You healed with the help of my friend."
"Who? A demon?"
"My friend is not a demon. That is all you need to know."
Leaf exhaled slowly.
"Why did you save me? There must be a reason."
"Yes. I need your help."
"With what? Do you want to destroy the gods… or humanity?"
"Neither. I have another dream. Not to destroy… but to create."
Leaf narrowed his eyes.
"Then why choose me? You seem strong enough to achieve your dream alone."
"That is your mistake," the Dark Lord replied calmly. "I am too weak to face them alone. I chose you because you are a Delta… and as a bonus, you come from a major Delta family."
Silence filled the darkness once again.
And for the first time, Leaf did not feel completely alone.
"So what? Just because I am Delta?"
"You do not understand what it means to be a Delta," the Dark Lord replied calmly. "Do not worry. I will explain. The Delta Clan is the first clan — the origin of all living entities on Earth. And your clan, especially your family, is exceptionally skilled in using Soul Power."
"Soul Power?" Leaf frowned. "What does that even mean?"
"Soul Power is the manifestation of a person's inner elemental soul. There are five primary soul types:
Fire
Air
Thunder
Water
Earth
Each person is born with one."
Leaf listened silently.
"We determine a soul type by observing a person's nature and physical traits. For example—
If someone's soul is lighter than average, they possess the Air Soul.
If their body temperature is naturally warmer than that of a normal human, they carry the Fire Soul.
If their body is stronger and harder than most, they possess the Earth Soul.
If their eyesight and reflexes are faster than usual, they carry the Thunder Soul.
And if a person is calmer than the average human, they possess the Water Soul."
The yellow eyes glowed brighter.
"You, Leaf, carry an unusually strong amount of soul energy because of your bloodline."
Leaf crossed his arms.
"Then what is my soul type?"
"You are Air. Your soul is lighter than most."
Leaf looked down for a moment.
"Wait… I want to say something."
"Speak, Leaf."
"Thank you for saving me. But I don't want to work with you. I'm sorry. Just let me die."
The darkness grew heavier.
"You wish to die? Fine. Die."
The voice turned colder.
"But have you forgotten what they did to you? They buried you alive for their greed. And you would throw your life away so easily? Shame."
Leaf's fists tightened.
"Stand up. Run toward the peace you always desired. I possess something that can fulfil both our dreams."
Leaf remained silent for several moments.
"What is it?" he finally asked.
"Crystal."
"Crystal? They're valuable, yes — but they don't have the power to fulfil something like this. Have you lost your mind?"
"It is not an ordinary crystal," the Dark Lord replied. "There are five special crystals on Earth. They are known as the Seven Realm Soul Crystals. Each one contains a fragment of the First God — the one above all entities and existence itself."
Leaf's heartbeat slowed.
"If someone gathers all five crystals, the First God will appear and grant the summoner three wishes. And those wishes have no limitations."
The darkness fell silent.
"What would you wish for?" the Dark Lord asked.
Leaf lifted his head slowly.
"Then I'm with you. And I wish… to become as powerful as Him."
"That," the Dark Lord said softly, "is exactly why I chose you. Your thinking, your character, your nature — you are the most suitable."
A pause.
"If you have more questions, ask."
"Yes," Leaf replied.
"What is your question?"
Leaf's voice trembled slightly.
"My questions are… what happened to the Moon, the forest… and my mom?"
For a brief moment, even the darkness felt still.
"The First Moon is still alive… but—"
"But what?!" Leaf shouted. "Don't stop there!"
"Her parents were killed," the Dark Lord said calmly. "I do not know where she is now. However… she still lives."
Leaf's heart pounded violently.
"Her parents… are dead? Who killed them?"
The two yellow eyes glowed brighter.
"Why ask me who? You already know the only person capable of such cruelty."
Leaf's breath became uneven.
"I killed him…" he whispered. "But… did he also kill my mom?"
There was no hesitation in the reply.
"Yes."
The word felt heavier than the darkness itself.
"And not mercifully. He severed her head… and displayed it before the people like a trophy. A symbol of fear."
Leaf's pupils shook.
"As for the forest," the Dark Lord continued, "his son destroyed everything. Animals, birds, trees… nothing survived. What once was alive became silent ash."
For a moment, there was no sound.
Then—
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Leaf collapsed to his knees.
His hands dug into the invisible ground.
"I killed them… I killed them… I killed them…"
His voice broke, turning into a cracked whisper.
The guilt crawled inside his chest like poison.
If he had been stronger…
If he had arrived sooner…
If he had not hesitated…
The darkness around him reacted to his rage, trembling faintly.
"Control yourself," the Dark Lord commanded. "Grief without direction is weakness. Is there anything else you wish to know?"
Leaf slowly lifted his head. Tears did not fall — but his eyes burned.
"Yes," he said quietly. "Tell me your origin."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The darkness deepened, as if something ancient had awakened.
"I expected that question from you," the Dark Lord said, his tone now stripped of arrogance. "Listen carefully. And speak of this to no one."
Leaf nodded.
"Before time existed… before death, before birth… before even light… There was only darkness."
The yellow eyes seemed distant now — older than stars.
"No sky. No land. No gods. Nothing."
"Then… something emerged. The First God. The ancestor. The Father of all gods. The creator of existence itself."
Leaf stared, trying to comprehend the scale of those words.
"You mean… You were there?"
"I existed before the gods took form," the Dark Lord replied. "I witnessed the birth of time."
Leaf blinked slowly.
"So… you're that ancient."
The yellow glow flickered sharply.
"Do not call me old."
Leaf almost let out a dry laugh despite the pain.
"Fine. I won't."
A short silence followed.
Then Leaf asked quietly,
"Where am I right now?"
"You are within my domain — the Dark Dimension. A space beyond the physical world."
Leaf looked around at the endless void.
"So this is your… ancient resting place?"
The darkness stirred violently.
"I warned you," the Dark Lord said coldly. "Do not test my patience."
For the first time since waking up, Leaf felt something other than grief.
Curiosity.
Fear.
And something far more dangerous.
Purpose.
The darkness stirred as the Dark Lord continued to speak.
"When the First God emerged, he brought light into existence. Light was created to erase darkness — to oppose me."
The void trembled faintly, as if remembering.
"When I realised his intention, I confronted him. Our battle lasted for years beyond counting. Time itself had not yet taken shape, yet our clash carved the foundation of it."
Leaf listened in silence.
"At last," the Dark Lord said, his voice lowering, "he opened his true eyes. From that divine radiance, he created a being — the God of Light. Lightness."
The name echoed with quiet force.
"He left Lightness to defeat me. Our levels of power were equal. Neither of us could overcome the other."
The darkness thickened.
"So we both fell. Ninety-five per cent of my power was lost. Lightness was also severely weakened. We both descended into a slumber that lasted billions of years."
Leaf absorbed every word.
"When I awakened," the Dark Lord continued, "the First God had already shaped existence — worlds, realms, laws of nature."
A pause.
"But that was not all. To maintain balance, he created twenty-eight antiverses. Each one was granted Soul Power — a fragment of divine balance."
The yellow eyes narrowed.
"Your antiverse is the thirteenth."
Leaf crossed his arms.
"And?"
"It is the worst among them."
A faint silence followed.
Leaf looked away briefly.
"So that explains it… the endless crime, the corruption, the violence. This world feels rotten from its core."
The darkness did not deny it.
"Very well," Leaf said slowly. "If this world is broken… then we will reshape it. We have a plan to fulfil our dreams, don't we?"
"Yes," the Dark Lord replied. "But to achieve it, I must enter your body."
Leaf's eyes widened.
"What?"
"My physical form is weakened. I cannot fully manifest in this realm. If I reside within you, you will be able to access the remaining portion of my power."
"You mean… I would use your power?"
"My remaining power," the Dark Lord corrected. "Only what is left."
Leaf hesitated.
The thought of sharing his body with an ancient being older than the gods should have terrified him.
Yet strangely, he felt calm.
"Fine," Leaf said at last. "But before that… teach me how to use my own Soul Power."
A faint, approving tone entered the darkness.
"You seek strength from within before borrowing mine. Good."
"Can you teach me?"
"Yes. I will teach you quickly. Your Air Soul is already strong — it only requires direction."
A subtle current of wind moved around Leaf's feet, though no air existed in this void.
"Good," he said quietly. "Darkness… I am with you."
"Yes, Leaf."
Leaf's expression hardened.
"Don't call me Leaf."Ampersand — stood upright without hesitation.
The darkness around him no longer felt suffocating.
It felt like the beginning.