New York, Queens, Seireitei.
Inside a room that had gone unvisited for a long time, Nemu was comfortably watching cartoons while holding a black cat.
The old television was playing Tom and Jerry. Although few people watched it anymore, it remained Nemu's favorite cartoon. If she had to say why, perhaps it was because it was the first cartoon she had ever watched together with her older brother.
The table was covered with all kinds of fast food, with hamburgers from a certain fast-food chain taking up the majority.
The empty boxes alone were already piled into a small mountain, alongside countless cartons of fries, snacks, and various treats.
While hugging the black cat, Nemu ate a giant cup of ice cream. She glanced outside before asking worriedly,
"When do you think... Brother will come back?"
"He should be back soon..."
The black cat lazily licked its paw.
"Don't worry. Although I don't know where he is, through the Guardian Angel Contract, I can sense that he's fine."
Nemu drooped her eyelids and puffed out her cheeks. Even the cartoon no longer seemed as interesting as before.
Suddenly, the black cat seemed to sense something.
Its fur instantly stood on end as though startled. The claws hidden inside its paw pads unconsciously extended, while its golden eyes narrowed into vertical slits, radiating an unmistakable aura of danger.
"Ah~ That hurts!"
Nemu cried out as the sharp claws scratched her. Looking at the black cat's reaction, she asked curiously,
"Did... something happen?"
"...Yes."
After a brief hesitation, the black cat's eyes became incomparably solemn.
"Someone who should never have awakened... has awakened for some reason."
"Someone... who shouldn't awaken?"
Nemu tilted her head, unable to understand what she meant.
"Nemu, did Lord ever tell you what to do if you encountered an irreversible danger?"
The black cat leaped onto Nemu's shoulder, its eyes filled with unprecedented gravity.
"For example... a black-haired, brown-skinned, blue-eyed man?"
"...Yes."
Nemu nodded slightly before hesitating.
"Brother once told me... that if I ever encountered a great danger... I should go to the Great Library Corridor."
"Take me there immediately!"
The black cat urged anxiously.
"That person has awakened. We absolutely cannot let Them discover it!"
"But..."
Nemu frowned, uncertain whether she should trust her.
"If you want to save your brother—if you don't want everything to be destroyed—then hurry and take me there!"
The black cat gritted its teeth.
"I signed the Guardian Angel Contract with Lord. Our lives are bound together. If I hadn't lost my powers, I would never have asked you to take me to him."
"...Alright."
In the end, Nemu decided to trust her this once.
After all, the black cat...
...was her brother's Guardian Angel.
The leader of the Seraphim.
The Son of Light.
Michael.
...
...
...
Upon a barren, desolate, pitch-black plain,
A handsome yet sinister man sat upon a throne forged from withered gray stone.
His pale, bloodless face was faintly threaded with black veins. His eyes remained tightly shut as though he were sleeping, while six pitch-black wings hung loosely from either side of the throne.
Then, the next moment—
The instant the man opened his eyes again...
The entire world erupted into towering flames.
Black fire capable of devouring and destroying the entire world ignited the violent particles in the atmosphere, unleashing terrifying shockwaves that spread across the endless wasteland at a speed invisible to the naked eye.
Countless sleeping souls screamed as they were awakened by the blazing inferno.
Like walking corpses, they rose to their feet and bowed toward the throne.
"So..."
"I've finally awakened?"
The handsome, sinister man's lips curled into a cold, horrifying smile.
The moment he stood up, his six black wings lightly spread.
Countless evil spirits from Hell let out shrill, agonizing screams, while black flames that seemed capable of igniting the heavens shot skyward as though answering the call of their king.
At this moment...
The screams of countless souls merged into a single name.
The foremost among the Hell Lords.
The being closest to the title of Satan.
The uncrowned king of Hell—
Lucifer, the Sin of Pride!
The rulers of the other Hells all sensed the summons of that uncrowned king at this very moment.
...
...
...
The supreme Heaven.
Within the incomplete Kingdom of God,
Gabriel held the Flaming Sword, her wings radiating dazzling holy light.
Her gaze was like an indestructible blade, piercing through Heaven's sea of clouds and falling upon the lands of the human world. Boundless pressure stirred wave after wave, causing countless lower-ranking angels to tremble in fear.
"Gabriel, are you certain you want to do this?"
Another woman with six wings looked at the Judge with concern.
"The Heavenly Covenant hasn't been broken yet. If we invade the human world, it's very likely to attract the intervention of the Vishanti."
"We're out of time, Raphael."
Gabriel's expression was grave.
"I can sense that He has already awakened. Lucifer will never let this opportunity pass."
"Gabriel! Raphael!"
Another Seraph suddenly appeared, sternly demanding,
"Have the two of you gone mad? Invading the human world without authorization and even going to war with Hell? Are you trying to start the Second Shattered War?!"
Unlike the holy and pure image normally associated with Seraphim, this Seraph radiated overwhelming killing intent.
Crimson wings that seemed to drip with blood.
A savage and terrifying face that resembled...
...a demon more than an angel.
"We have no choice... Uriel."
Gabriel raised the Flaming Sword in her hand.
"The war has already begun. Michael isn't in Heaven. I am the highest commander now. You must obey my orders."
Uriel stared coldly at her.
"Gabriel... do you understand what you're doing?"
"Of course I do, Uriel."
Gabriel answered resolutely.
"I am saving the world. Even if it means triggering the Second Shattered War, I will not hesitate."
"But the Last Trumpet has not yet sounded."
Murderous intent surged within Uriel's eyes.
"If we retreat today, then we won't even need to wait for the Last Trumpet."
"The end will arrive first."
Gabriel replied without the slightest hesitation.
"You must understand one thing, Gabriel."
Uriel's wings became even redder as waves of chilling wind swept across the area.
"If we start the Shattered War ahead of time, then when the Last Trumpet finally sounds, Heaven will no longer have anyone left to fight."
"Can you bear that consequence?"
"If it were Michael..."
"He would make the same decision."
Gabriel looked directly into Uriel's murderous eyes as she answered,
"Don't forget our mission."
"It is to protect the secret of the Twin Flowers, not to win the Shattered War."
"I understand..."
Uriel lowered his head, folded his wings, and knelt on one knee.
"Wherever your blade points..."
"...shall become the battlefield where we fight to the death."
"May there be no suffering ahead."
Raphael sighed softly.
Knowing that the tide could no longer be changed, she said,
"I hope your decision is the right one."
"Otherwise..."
"When the Last Trumpet finally sounds..."
"He will face..."
"...the darkest future imaginable."
...
...
...
"Heh..."
"Come."
"Come, all of you."
The Black Pharaoh walked across the ocean with an amused smile.
"Didn't you all want him to awaken?"
"Then let me add more fuel to the fire."
"Burn."
"Burn."
"The fiercer the flames burn..."
"...the better."
"For only after the flames have burned out..."
"...will the darkest hour truly begin."
Somewhere within the unseen,
He saw a pair of eyes peering into the past from the future.
"Checkmate."
Across time itself, the Black Pharaoh met that gaze.
"One flower, twin blooms."
"Future and past."
"So..."
"...what move will you make?"