CHAPTER 122: PROLOGUE [I SHALL...]

In the deep black void, where not even the faintest trace of light could slip through, a darkness so absolute that it devoured every spark, only the voices of six figures echoed restlessly within the abyss. Their words were the only proof of presence, trembling against the silence of eternity.

It wasn’t possible for them to exist here, not in this suffocating emptiness... and yet... they were here, lingering, defying the impossible, and taking hold of something that not even their own existence could truly comprehend.

They grasped at forces far beyond their reach, forces that even they could not hope to master.

A faint spark dared to ignite in the endless void, a fragile gleam of defiance against the . swallowing dark, yet in the same instant it appeared, the blackness consumed it mercilessly, leaving nothing behind.

Three distinct voices resonated simultaneously:

"I shall be the Sphere that holds ’It’."

Crack... Crack...

The sharp sound of crystal making echoed ominously.

... Yet,

"Hehe... I shall bind myself to another soul, a pact unholy, a union of halves made whole. No vessel may cage two masters at once... Thus, the Sphere shall crack, and what it holds shall spill, bleeding into creation itself."

A unique, chilling, authoritative voice rose in answer, not belonging to any figure but to the void itself. The darkness breathed and spoke as though existence itself had turned against them, cursing them back with mockery!

The three sets of voices trembled violently, shuddering under the crushing weight of the backlash!

Another set of three voices gathered their will and declared with defiance:

"I shall be the Chains that bind ’It’."

Clang... Clang...

The heavy rattle of metal resounded in the abyss, links of sound clashing as if unseen shackles were forged in fire and thunder.

... Yet,

"Hehe... The hands that forged these shackles, the divine will that once subdued... it shall falter. What was wrought by godly might shall be undone, and the same divine power shall betray itself, shattering the bindings it created."

The three voices faltered, trembling again under the echo of that sinister backlash!

Silence reclaimed the void once more, stretching endlessly, until—

A shaky breath cracked through the tension,

"Hah... Ha... Now, for the future."

"Oh? Preparing, are we? Hehe... I can hear the fear trembling inside your chest."

"I shall be the Eye that sees all."

"I shall Understand all that the Eye perceives."

"I shall Create all that is understood."

"I shall be the Stone, unyielding and eternal Holding the Created"

"I shall be the Pillars that support Stone."

"And I... shall choose the one worthy to wield it all."

SSSsnnnnnggg~

"And... I shall own them all!! Every eye, every stone, every pillar, every choice—mine to claim, mine to rule... mine to consume forever!!"

****

In the middle of the night, the city of Arsalan slept softly, its streets resting under the hush of silence...

But on one of those empty streets, three figures trudged forward with weary steps, their bodies battered, their clothes singed, torn, and stained with wounds that still ached.

Leo tilted his head up, gazing at the half-moon that shone faintly above, its pale light brushing against the rooftops. The cold breeze pricked his skin like tiny needles, carrying away the warmth of his body as he released a hot breath and sighed deeply.

So many things had happened in a single night...

They had saved Ophis... They had defeated Dracula, a feat that had seemed almost impossible, nearly costing the cloaked figure his life twice over. Even more, Leo himself had been pushed to the very edge of death, again and again, only barely crawling back from the brink each time.

Damn!

If it had been before, Leo would never have imagined himself doing something like this—putting his life on the line, gambling everything in reckless defiance. That was the last thing he would have ever chosen for his life.

Still... none of them had died.

They came back... alive!

That was what mattered more than anything else. No farewells, no final sacrifices... just the miracle of being alive together.

Yet, in spite of that relief, a single pain lingered deep in Leo’s chest.

’Pride is alive,’ he thought, his lips curling into the smallest smile, a flicker of hope warming the exhaustion in his heart.

He hadn’t expected that at all. Sure, she looked different now, her presence altered in strange and unsettling ways... but deep down, from the very core of his heart, he recognised her.

The same face... The same defiant attitude... Just like the day they had first met.

That was definitely his Pride.

Yet... she was acting as if she were someone else entirely.

Something was going on... And he needed to find out what it was.

Leo’s gaze shifted toward Ophis, who was dragging a heavy casket behind her. She had taken it when they left the castle, insisting that it was important to her.

Her face, however, told another story. Her expression seemed... off. Frustrated... Irritated.

Almost downright pissed!!

He wondered why.

"Are you going to sleep in that?" Leo asked, his voice laced with curiosity and a faintly teasing edge. His expression carried the hint of a smile, though the pain wracking his body made even joking feel like a struggle.

After all, vampires were supposed to sleep in caskets, weren’t they?

Maybe... maybe it really was her bed?

But Ophis snapped her gaze toward him, her eyes sharp as blades.

"Little boy, I am definitely not in the mood for jokes right now. You almost freaking killed yourself back there... so don’t put stupid words in my mouth!"

She was freaking angry at Leo, furious even, because he had almost run headlong toward those dangerous Fallen Champions. He had nearly been killed by his own reckless charge—if not for her sword refusing to cooperate at the last moment.

Honestly, that sword had gathered enough mana to incinerate him into nothing but ash!!

Leo swallowed hard, forcing an awkward smile as his eyes flicked toward the cloaked figure.

She simply raised her fingers in warning and muttered dryly, "I might kick you if you say something."

She too had been horrified when she encountered those abominations. The memory alone still rattled her bones. She had barely managed to hold her ground, trembling but refusing to flee... yet this bastard—after all the saving, after all the wounds they endured—had walked straight into death as if it meant nothing.

Sigh... she was getting tired, you know!

’Maybe I shouldn’t have taken this mission... Master, can I come back?’ she asked inwardly, her lips curving into a pained expression beneath the cloak.

Dealing with Leo felt worse than dealing with a child, as if every second tested her patience more than the monsters themselves!

Yet...

’NO!’

Sigh... she exhaled again, her tired breath muffled beneath the hood, shadows covering her frustrated face.

Leo rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and turned away in silence, choosing not to stir the mood further.

Finally, after the long walk, they reached his house.

The house loomed in darkness, not a single light flickering anywhere. Leo squinted, noticing the windows still shut and unlit... No signs of life.

Just like how he left before.

He slowly unlocked the door, his movements careful, whispering over his shoulder, "Do not make a sound..." He pushed the door open with caution, stepping inside. The second floor remained dark, no lamps lit, no glow at all.

Which meant Raphael was sleeping soundly.

Leo let out a long sigh of relief. "Let’s go to my room first," he whispered, leading them with hushed steps.

Thud!

Everyone flinched instantly. Their eyes darted back, only to see the casket crash clumsily against the floor.

"Ssshh!" Leo hissed.

Ophis flushed red, her cheeks burning with embarrassment, and quickly bent down to drag the casket more carefully. Her movements slowed, cautious, as she tried to silence the grating scrape of wood against the floor. The group inched forward again, just about to pass the living room when—

"Ahem."

Everyone froze in place this time.

Their heads snapped toward the living room. In the darkness, two brown eyes glowed faintly, watching them in silence.

"SHIT!!" Leo and Ophis almost shouted together, their voices cracking with horror.

The cloaked figure immediately clicked the switch, flooding the room with light... only to reveal Valra seated calmly on the couch, her gaze fixed squarely on them.

A phone rested against her ear. Then she spoke in a soft, controlled voice:

"... I think I don’t need your help anymore, Father. Thank you for your consideration."

With that, she ended the call and lowered the phone, her eyes narrowing, her stare drilling deeply into Leo.

Leo’s awkward smile wavered as he stumbled into the living room. "I-I didn’t know you were comin—" But before he could finish his excuse, Valra suddenly rushed toward him and threw her arms around him.

Thud!

Leo blinked, stunned, frozen in her embrace. He had expected shouting, accusations, maybe even a furious slap across the face... but instead—

"I... I am glad you’re fine," she muttered, her voice quivering as her eyes trembled with unspoken fear. She clung to him tightly, as though afraid that if she loosened her grip even for a moment, he might vanish from her arms and leave her again.

Leo felt the tremor in her body, the way her shoulders shook uncontrollably against his chest. He bit down on his lip... she was terrified, shaken to her very core. That much he could see, even without words.

He slowly wrapped his arms around her in return, pulling her closer, his hand gently patting her back as he whispered, "I... am sorry."

A tear slid down her cheek, warm and heavy, falling against him like a drop of fragile glass. More followed, spilling from eyes that had held themselves strong for far too long.

Ophis and the cloaked figure stood nearby, watching the scene unfold in silence. Neither of them interrupted, as if they both understood this moment wasn’t theirs to intrude upon.