CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 71: COMING BACK

The cave was miles beneath the crust of the earth, deeper than any kingdom’s dungeons, older than any known map. Rivers of molten stone twisted beneath the rock like glowing serpents, casting a faint orange pulse across jagged walls. Bats slept like dead shadows above. Every breath tasted of dust from forgotten centuries, so old and heavy was the air.

It was here that Akumo lay at rest, a man once feared by the world as "The Lord of the Forbidden Circle."

Now, he sat hunched upon a throne carved of obsidian stone, his long silver hair draped across his shoulders, his skin pale, marked with cracks of age. His hands shook slightly when he moved—but his eyes... his eyes still glowed with the fury of a beast that refused to die.

He breathed, long and slow, staring into the shadows that hid the far end of the cave.

"Years," he muttered.

"Years I have waited... years since my power ruled the land."

But the world above had forgotten him.

Time had betrayed him.

His body had grown old and weak.

But his ambition...

His ambition was immortal.

Akumo’s voice echoed again, softer now, yet full of residual rage.

"My dream wasn’t ended...only delayed."

He reached into his robe and pulled out a small, blackened scrap of cloth - burned, yet humming with magical energy.

"The cloak of the Masked Man..." he whispered.

"Taken from the battlefield... the day the world tried to bury him."

And then... the air shifted.

A dark circle of runes carved into the stone floor started to glow, one by one, as Akumo dragged himself toward it. He sat in its center, forcing his frail body upright through sheer will.

He laid the piece of burnt cloak on a lifeless human shell—a "dummy body," made for one purpose only: reanimation.

Akumo lifted his trembling hand and began chanting in a language older than dragons, forbidden by every kingdom.

The ground shook.

The air froze.

The torches faded until only the glowing runes lit the cavern.

A wind blew from nowhere.

The piece of cloak dissolved to black smoke.

The dummy body convulsed wildly-bones snapping, flesh molding, muscles stitching, veins awakening with stolen life.

And then...

A roar of magic surged through the cave like a thunderstorm.

A man gasped awake—long hair falling, cloak materializing around him, mask gleaming like death itself.

He breathed sharply as if taking air after centuries.

"Where... am I?"

His voice was young, strong, full of fire.

He looked around, confused, until his eyes settled on the old, hunched figure before him.

"Who are you... old man?"

His tone was sharp, not threatening, yet instinctively dominant.

Akumo smiled thinly, revealing teeth like those of an ancient wolf.

"I am the one who called you back to this world."

The masked man straightened.

"And why would you do that? Who has the power to revive the dead—revive me?"

Akumo lifted his head proudly.

"My name is Akumo. A man who, all his life, chased strength, and failed. But I am old now, and my dream still breathes."

He paused.

"And your name?"

The masked man laid his hand on his mask.

"I am Richard."

Richard the Great Magician.

Bearer of dragon-force.

Stronger than the warriors of any race."

Akumo’s smile broadened.

"I know. That is why I revived you."

Richard tilted his head.

"Revived me? I... remember dying."

His fists clenched. "Killed by cowards. Betrayed."

Akumo nodded slowly.

"You died, yes. But your cloak didn’t. I recovered a piece... enough to call your spirit back."

Richard looked at his restored hands, his youthful strength, his pulsating magic.

"I am in my prime again," he whispered.

"Yes," Akumo said.

"The ritual restores one to their strongest era."

Richard stepped closer, his eyes narrowing behind his mask.

"But why revive me? What do you want from me?"

Akumo leaned back on his stone throne, eyes burning with ambition.

"I want to fulfill the dream I could never achieve. The dream to rule the world... to eliminate the weak... to reshape the land with unstoppable power."

Richard stood silent for a moment, then spoke:

"And what does that have to do with me?"

Akumo’s voice dropped to a whisper.

"Because I need you."

The chill between them was colder than the cave.

Richard crossed his arms.

"Explain."

Akumo took a deep breath, mustering all his strength to talk.

-

Akumo’s Plan

"Somewhere in this world, there exists a boy," Akumo began.

"A young boy with both the bloodline of a magician... and a warrior race."

Richard’s eyes shone.

"A hybrid?"

"Yes," Akumo said. "Just like me once. Just like you with your dragon-force. A boy with both paths in his bones."

He cocked his head.

"And this boy... why do we need him?"

Akumo pointed at the glowing runes surrounding them.

"Because the ritual I used on you... cannot restore my youth."

Richard raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?"

Akumo coughed, a slight quake in his voice as he explained.

"Reanimation can revive the dead... but it cannot turn back the living."

He lifted his frail arm.

"I am too old, my body too decayed. I need more than reanimation, I need a soul sacrifice."

Richard stepped closer.

"A sacrifice?"

"Yes," Akumo said.

"We must find this boy. But only when he reaches eighteen—before that his soul and power are incomplete."

When he comes of age, we capture him, sacrifice him, and consume the power in his magical cloak."

He exhaled long and slow, his voice trembling with greed.

"That will return me to my prime."

My youth.

My strength.

His eyes were glowing. "The world will again feel the weight of Lord Akumo."

A chilling silence followed.

"And for me?" Richard asked.

Akumo’s smile curled with wicked promise.

"For you... once I regain my prime form... I will help you fulfill your dream."

He looked up sharply.

"Your project... Project Rule."

Richard’s breath caught in his throat in surprise.

"You... know about that?"

"Oh yes," Akumo whispered.

"I know everything about you, Richard the Masked. Your hunger to dominate the world, to burn cities with your dragon-fire, to enslave kingdoms beneath your magic."

Richard’s lips curled upwards.

"Aha... so you revived me to use me?"

"No," Akumo corrected.

"I revived you so that we can use each other."

A slow, dark laugh escaped Richard.

"Hahahaha..."

Akumo joined him.

"Ahahahahah!"

Finally, Richard nodded.

"I agree to your plan. But on one condition."

Akumo raised a brow.

"What is that?"

"You teach me your forbidden rituals. All of them. Especially the reanimation technique."

Akumo stared at him long and hard, then slowly grinned.

"Very well. But first you must regain your battle form. You have slept too long. Warm yourself up... and then I will teach you."

Richard stepped back and took a deep breath.

The air around him shimmered.

Then—

WHOOSH!

Flames exploded from his mouth in a torrent of blazing fire that hit the cavern wall with enough force to scorch stone to molten ash.

A fire-breath as powerful as a dragon’s.

Richard wiped his mouth, still grinning.

"I am always ready, a cooked war machine."

"HAHAHAHA!"

Akumo coughed a laugh, genuinely impressed.

"Your power... truly magnificent. Very well. Let me show you why I am Akumo." He rose. Richard saw him rise to his full height for the first time. Even at his age, he was formidable-looking, like a volcano catching its breath. Akumo took in a mouthful of air, and let loose a stream of fire from his mouth. Then, from the steam of that fire, he formed- a water dragon. A creature of pure elemental mastery. Richard had staggered back in shock. "You—! How can a magician control warrior abilities? Fire-breath.? Water manipulation.? You—you have both elemental cores! That’s impossible!" Akumo’s eyes shone a deadly gold. "Impossible?" He stepped forward. "No, Richard. It is just a secret the world was too afraid to face." The water dragon slammed into a huge boulder and reduced it to dust. Richard stared, expressionless, struck dumb by such power. For a long moment, neither spoke. Then Richard whispered: "...What are you, Akumo?" Akumo smiled only. But that smile held a thousand secrets. Richard’s eyes narrowed. A shiver crawled down his spine, curiosity slowly burning inside him. A question rising... A question he would soon dare to ask: "Who... or what... is Akumo, really?"

Other side Akumo thought that he did right or wrong by reviving this monster of past time.

Because Richard was the most infamous enemy for every clan, not only for magicians or dragons but also for vampires, werewolves, and warriors also.

But he knew that if he wanted his plan to be successful, then either he or Richard would be best for doing this mission and proceeding with him. He must need Richard to help him to reach his prime strength as in past times.

If Akumo gets back to his final form, he must need the boy who has both magician and warrior powers in his body.

After taking his powers, Akumo got back to his most powerful form and finished off the weak clan person Lords, all of them one by one, and became the strongest of all time. But...