The grand hall of Rulesia had fallen silent.
The golden walls that once represented victory now felt cold.
Hundreds of people stood beneath the massive paintings of ancient wars, while the King sat upon his throne, surrounded by the history of the world.
A young boy stood before him.
His eyes were filled with confusion.
He looked at the King.
Then at the old man beside him.
"Grandpa… why are you lying?"
The old man frowned.
"What do you mean?"
The boy stepped forward.
"Lacod Darmen isn't a bad guy."
The hall became quieter.
"In my school, we're learning about his heroic Dark War."
The old man's expression changed.
"Should we even send you to school if they're teaching you this wrong stuff?"
He shook his head.
"Darmen was a mercenary.
He was a monster."
The boy looked around.
Everyone seemed to agree.
But nobody seemed willing to explain why.
"Wow…"
The boy lowered his head.
"Everyone says that."
He looked directly at the King.
"But who will tell me the truth?"
Silence.
Then—
A voice echoed through the entire hall.
"TRUTH?!"
The King's voice shook the room.
The boy looked up.
The King stood from his throne.
"YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH?"
His eyes burned with anger.
"THEN LISTEN, BRAT!"
The entire court froze.
"LACOD DARMEN IS DONE!"
His voice thundered through the hall.
"THAT IS A CHAPTER WE ARE PAST!"
He pointed toward the boy.
"CLOSE THAT BOOK AND START MOVING ON!"
The boy didn't move.
The King continued.
"Bloodveil is already finished.
The Destroyer might come.
And if Ruken opens…"
His expression darkened.
"…all of us are dead."
The boy stared at him.
Then something clicked.
He slowly raised his head.
"Because you never killed Darmen."
The King's expression changed.
"You sealed him."
The boy's voice became steadier.
"And he's inside Ruken."
The entire hall went still.
"That's why you don't want him to return."
The boy stepped closer.
"Because if Darmen comes back…"
He looked directly into the King's eyes.
"…he can tell everyone the truth."
A pause.
"And you don't want to lose your power, do you?"
The King froze.
His eyes widened.
For the first time—
he had nothing to say.
Then his expression hardened.
"KICK HIM OUT OF THE COUNTRY!"
The boy's eyes widened.
"WHY?!"
The guards grabbed him.
"BECAUSE I STOOD UP?!"
The boy struggled as they dragged him away.
"LET ME GO!"
Nobody answered.
The doors of the royal hall slammed shut behind him.
OUTSIDE RULESIA
The boy was thrown into the back of a transport wagon.
He looked toward the enormous walls of Rulesia.
The kingdom he had grown up believing was the greatest place in the world.
Now—
he wasn't even allowed inside.
The wagon began moving.
One guard looked at him.
"Hey, kid. Move faster."
The boy turned.
"What's your name?"
The guard frowned.
"Joshua."
The boy nodded.
"Look for the name Joshua."
The order had already been given.
Send Joshua to Bloodveil Harbour.
No belongings.
No money.
No protection.
Nothing.
He was being sent into a land already destroyed by catastrophe.
A place where millions had already lost their lives.
A place where the Destroyer was approaching.
The order was simple.
Leave him there.
The wagon disappeared into the distance.
Joshua looked back at Rulesia one final time.
He didn't know it yet—
but the question he had asked inside that throne room had just made him an enemy of the kingdom.
ON A DISTANT ISLAND
The sea was quiet.
The sky was dark.
Waves rolled against the shore while the Devil Horns remained hidden on the island.
No celebration.
No laughter.
No victory.
Only silence.
"Defeat…"
Junyu sat alone on the ground.
His eyes were closed.
"…is a word when said."
He opened his eyes.
"It means nothing."
He looked down at his injured body.
"But when felt…"
His hand tightened.
"…it's everything."
Junyu had been thinking about the battle.
Every mistake.
Every decision.
Every moment he could have done something differently.
Morgan.
The Black Meeting.
Bloodveil.
The millions who had died.
He replayed everything inside his head.
Then—
one thought remained.
Morgan.
Junyu remembered how Morgan had changed his fighting style during their battle.
He had begun relying more on martial arts.
Even though Morgan still possessed energy, his fists required far less.
Junyu frowned.
"My entire fighting style is built around leaking energy…"
He paused.
Then his eyes widened.
"Conversion…"
Silence.
Junyu slowly stood.
"That's it."
Morgan wasn't simply stronger.
He was smarter.
He had adapted.
And Junyu hadn't.
Junyu began crawling toward the base.
His eye was swollen.
One leg was badly injured.
Every movement hurt.
But he kept going.
Step by step.
The door opened.
Katsa saw him.
Her expression immediately changed.
She rushed toward him.
"Junyu…"
She looked at his injuries.
Her heart sank.
She knew how much he had sacrificed.
She knew what kind of person he was.
And she knew what he was willing to do for them.
Katsa lowered her voice.
"How much will he do for us…?"
She looked at Junyu.
"I don't care if he's even a threat."
Her eyes softened.
"To me…"
She paused.
"…he's a brother."
That evening—
every member of the Devil Horns gathered around the dinner table.
For the first time in days, there was food.
But nobody was celebrating.
Junyu looked at the plates.
Then at the others.
"Food is valuable."
Everyone looked at him.
"Kids need it."
His voice became quieter.
"The victims need it."
"Junyu, what are you saying?"
Junyu looked around the table.
Then stood.
"This is it."
Everyone stared at him.
"We've had enough rest."
Ton immediately frowned.
"Bro, we only rested for three days."
Junyu didn't answer.
He looked toward the window.
Outside, the ocean stretched endlessly beneath the night sky.
Then he spoke.
"You know I can't sleep knowing that I'm the reason millions died."
His fists tightened.
"And millions more will."
His voice shook.
"I can't stand this."
The room became silent.
"So you know what?"
Ton looked at him.
"What?"
Junyu slowly turned around.
His expression had changed.
"It's time."
Ton frowned.
"For what?"
Junyu answered.
"Training."
Everyone froze.
"Training?"
Someone looked at him in disbelief.
"You just said food is valuable. You said the victims need it."
Junyu nodded.
"I know."
He looked toward the others.
"That's exactly why."
A pause.
"Four days."
Nobody spoke.
Junyu's voice became colder.
"Four days is everything."
He looked toward the distant horizon.
"Then we do it."
His eyes narrowed.
"We return to Bloodveil."
The atmosphere changed.
His voice became deeper.
The room seemed colder.
Even the others could feel something different about him.
Junyu slowly raised his head.
His eyes began to glow.
"AND WE WIN!"
Ton suddenly stood.
His expression changed.
"JUNYU!!!"
Junyu's eyes—
began turning white.
A strange pressure filled the room.
Then a voice echoed inside his mind.
"I told you…"
Junyu's expression remained still.
The white in his eyes intensified.
"…I would return in a few days."
The island fell silent.
And somewhere far away—
Bloodveil Harbour waited.
The Destroyer was coming.
Joshua was being sent into its ruins.
And the Devil Horns had only four days left.