"My name is Zero," I said, my voice steady and confident. "The leader of the Shadow Mystics. The one who lurks in the dark and protects the world from its own darkness."

    The crowd murmured in disbelief, the name "Zero" rippling through them like a wave.

    "Zero..." Nebula murmured, her voice as soft as the breeze after a storm, but it carried weight. Her piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, her expression shifting to something unsettling—a mix of surprise, desire, and hunger. "Zero... and the Shadow Mystics..."

    Her lips curled into a smile, and for the first time since her arrival, her cold demeanor cracked. A flicker of warmth—or something darker—played across her face.

    I stood firm, gripping my sword, a confident smirk spreading across my face. I had no idea what she meant, but I wasn''t about to let her see that. The weight of her gaze felt heavy, yet I met it head-on.

    The onlookers—students, knights, and professors—watched in stunned silence. They were as clueless as I was, their expressions painted with confusion and dread.

    Nebula''s lips parted, and she placed a hand on her cheek, her fingers sliding down the curves of her boobs. Her gaze turned sultry, her tone suddenly laced with longing.

    "My love... it''s been such a long time..."

    "Love?!" Everyone gasped from the safety of the crowd.

    "My love? You mean... me?" I raised a brow, pointing to myself in disbelief. "That doesn''t sound right."

    Her smile widened, but it twisted into something dangerous. Her teeth glinted as she bit her lower lip, her eyes narrowing with a mix of passion and bloodlust.

    "I''ll kill you for sure this time..." she hissed, her voice dripping with venom as her hair began to rise, sharp strands standing like spikes.

    My smirk faltered. "Uh... this is escalating quickly."

    Without warning, Nebula lunged, her hair shooting toward me with deadly precision. Instinct kicked in as I raised my sword to block, the metallic clash echoing across the battlefield.

    "Let''s see how you like this!" I shouted, pushing her hair back and leaping toward her.

    Our battle began in earnest, each clash of our powers sending shockwaves through the ground. The knights struggled to keep their footing, their calls for reinforcements ringing out over the chaos.

    Our powers clashed, creating an explosion of light and shadow that engulfed the battlefield. The ground beneath us crumbled, and the sky above seemed to crack as a swirling gateway began to form.

    "Huuhhh??" I expressed, looking above. "What''s that?"

    "What''s happening now?!" Knight shouted, shielding her eyes from the blinding light.

    The knights stopped in their tracks, their weapons lowered as they stared at the glowing circle that had appeared in the air.

    Nebula''s gaze locked onto mine, her piercing blue eyes filled with something I couldn''t understand.

    —Then she sighed*

    A strange mix of disappointment and satisfaction crossing her face. "Not now..." she whispered, her voice soft enough that only I could hear.

    I tensed, unsure of what she meant, my sword still raised. "What''s that supposed to mean?"

    Before I could react, a powerful vacuum erupted from the circle. The force pulled at everything around us, dragging debris, energy, and both of us toward its center.

    Nebula smirked one last time as her form was pulled into the gateway, her hair flowing like a river of light.

    "Atleast..we will have more time to spend together."

    I struggled to resist, but the pull was too strong. "Oh, come on!" I yelled as I was sucked into the vortex after her.

    The field fell silent.

    "What just happened?" one of the knights asked, his voice breaking the uneasy quiet.

    "Where did they go?" another whispered, his gaze fixed on the now-empty battlefield.

    The crowd stared at the spot where the gateway had been, their faces a mixture of awe, fear, and curiosity.