The training grounds pulsed with raw energy.
Kuro stood at the center, watching as the A and B-rank Shadow Bounds pushed themselves beyond exhaustion. Their shouts echoed across the barren field, their bodies trembling, sweat mixing with the dark aura that leaked from their shadows. It was the same relentless training Kuro once endured under Ren — merciless, unending, and transformative.
After hours of unbroken drills, Ren appeared behind him, his presence heavy yet composed.
"Master," he said calmly. "The S-ranks requested a demonstration of power. They want to witness what true strength looks like — and I've chosen Althric as my opponent."
Kuro blinked, uncertain. "A demonstration? Between you and Althric?"
"Yes. I want everyone to see how far they can go if they train with resolve. After all, nothing drives ambition more than seeing what's possible."
Kuro hesitated. "Are you sure this will work?"
Ren's expression didn't waver. "I'm not sure about them," he said quietly, "but after their last defeat, the S-ranks were humiliated. That humiliation turned into hunger — and I intend to feed it."
Kuro finally nodded. "Understood."
He turned to the soldiers, his voice rising like a command that split the air.
"Everyone, stop!"
The clashing halted instantly. All eyes turned toward him.
"Gather outside the city," Kuro continued. "There's something you need to witness."
Confused murmurs rippled through the ranks. No one knew what was coming — but they obeyed.
Moments later, the entire force stood beyond the city walls. The wind howled softly over the cracked ground, carrying whispers of unease. In the center stood two figures — Ren, the Ninth King of Shadows, and Althric, his most loyal knight.
The elite hunters and commanders formed a circle around them.
"What's happening?" one of the high A-rank hunter whispered.
Kuro stepped forward. "Our S-ranks demanded a demonstration from Mr. Ren — to understand the true extent of the power bestowed upon us. What you are about to see will remind you of how far you can still grow."
Gasps spread through the ranks. Ren and Althric faced each other in silence.
Ren broke it first. "Althric… are you ready?"
Althric knelt briefly, then rose, his sword glowing faintly with a pulse of living shadow. "Yes, my king. I am ready."
"Remember," Ren warned, his tone grave, "we must hold back. If we unleash our full strength, even a single strike could erase everything around us."
"Yes, my king. I understand."
Ren nodded, removing his long coat and handing it to Yume, who stood nearby with composed concern.
"If our power exceeds the limit," Ren told her, "erect a barrier immediately."
Yume nodded and stepped back, her eyes never leaving him.
The air grew dense — oppressive, electric. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Ren and Althric drew their blades, and shadows rippled from the steel like dark fire. The two powers hummed against each other, trembling to collide.
The onlookers could feel it — the crushing weight of their energy, almost divine.
"Shall we begin?" Ren murmured.
And then, in a blink — they vanished.
A shockwave followed, ripping dust and wind into the sky. For a heartbeat, no one could see them. Then, far above, flashes of black and silver light sparked across the clouds.
Their swords clashed faster than the eye could follow. Each strike carried the power of collapsing mountains, each movement a blur of impossible speed. The sound of steel meeting steel echoed across the plains, deep and resonant like thunder.
Akari — one of the S-ranks who had requested this fight — stared upward, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Miss Yume," she whispered, unable to look away, "was he always this strong?"
Yume's gaze remained steady. "Yes. Both of them are. This battle isn't about power — it's a lesson. If you train hard enough, if you truly connect with your shadow, your strength will awaken the same way."
High above, the two warriors continued their dance of destruction. Their blades screamed for more, crying out in waves of dark energy.
Ren parried another of Althric's blows and spoke between strikes. "You've grown stronger, Althric. I'll give you that — but don't hold back that much."
A faint smile crossed Althric's lips. "I wasn't planning to."
Then, in an instant, his power surged. His body became enveloped in shadow, eyes burning like two violet stars.
Ren's expression hardened. "So you wish to go all out."
"Always, my king."
A surge of mana burst from Ren, expanding through the sky like a storm front. The earth trembled beneath the sheer pressure of it.
Althric lunged, his blade glowing with condensed shadow energy, but Ren extended his hand, guiding the dark currents like a conductor commanding an orchestra.
"Althric," Ren's voice echoed across the sky, calm and absolute, "you are something extraordinary. But across light and shadow, in realms seen and unseen… I alone command the void."
Darkness gathered at his command, swirling into a sphere of pure devastation. Althric, unwilling to yield, unleashed his ultimate strike — a blade of shadowlight cleaving through the air toward Ren.
The two forces met — and the world seemed to shatter.
The explosion thundered across the plains, the barrier Yume cast barely holding the blast. The sky burned with black flame.
When the light faded, Ren stood unscathed, his finger pointed toward the remnants of Althric's attack.
"You are strong," he said softly, "but remember — you were born from me."
The shadows erupted once more, swallowing Althric in a wave of consuming darkness.
Moments later, he crashed to the ground, his armor cracked, his breathing ragged.
Silence fell over the crowd. No one dared to move.
Althric slowly rose, holding his left arm. "This is the first time," he said between breaths, "that I've felt the pain of defeat."
Ren descended from the sky, landing gracefully beside him. "It's not your fault. We were both holding back."
Althric smiled faintly. "Yes… my king."
Together they walked toward the others, the tension fading into awe.
Ren faced the gathered soldiers. "You've seen what lies ahead. This is the strength waiting within each of you — but we have little time. Train harder than ever before. Surpass your limits."
For a moment, no one spoke. Every hunter stood frozen, realizing the impossible gap between themselves and their king.
Ren retrieved his coat from Yume, putting it on with silent precision. As he fastened the clasp, he said without looking back, "Althric, you are permitted to do whatever it takes to push them further."
"Yes, my king," Althric replied with a proud bow.
The training resumed — fiercer, sharper, relentless.
But as the others pushed their limits, Ren's gaze drifted toward the horizon, where the Gate loomed — pulsing faintly like the heart of a dying god.
He did not take his eyes off it. Not for a single moment.
Days passed since the demonstration, yet Ren's focus never wavered.
He remained before the Gate — that colossal wound between worlds — his eyes locked upon its swirling black core. Shadows pulsed faintly around him like breathing embers, each heartbeat synchronized with the Gate's unstable rhythm.
The others feared his silence more than any storm.
He hadn't eaten. He hadn't slept. Not once had he moved from his station. His presence alone was enough to keep the soldiers in check, though even Althric and Kuro exchanged uneasy glances whenever they saw their king standing motionless before the monitors, eyes unblinking.
Yume, who had been managing logistics and maintaining the shadow barriers around the city, was eventually summoned by the higher council.
"Miss Yume," said one of the senior officers as she entered their chamber, "we've grown concerned about Mr. Ren. He has not taken rest in two days. He hasn't eaten since the duel with Sir Althric."
Yume folded her hands calmly. "Ren bears greater burdens than all of us combined. He won't rest until the Gate is stable."
"That may be true," another officer replied, "but we cannot allow our leader to collapse. You are close to him. Please… convince him to rest, if only for a while."
For a brief moment, Yume hesitated — but the worry in their eyes mirrored her own hidden concern. She bowed silently and left.
The control chamber was quiet when she arrived. Most of the operators had gone for their meal break. Only the faint hum of the monitors and the rhythmic clicking of Ren's fingers on the console filled the air.
Yume stepped closer, holding a tray of food.
"You're still analyzing," she said softly.
Ren didn't look up. "The Gate's readings are fluctuating. Its core isn't stable. I've sent a unit of my shadows to anchor its perimeter, but the distortion persists."
He paused, his voice faltering slightly. Then he placed a hand to his temple, wincing as fatigue hit him.
Yume frowned. "Ren, when was the last time you ate? Or drank? Or even slept?"
He blinked, momentarily confused. "…I think before the Abyss. Maybe during the conquest."
"That was days ago," she said firmly, setting the tray down. "You're overexerting yourself again."
He turned slightly, the shadows behind him shifting like restless spirits. "I can't rest, Yume. If the Gate opens prematurely, we'll lose everything. I must—"
Before he could finish, Yume stepped forward and gave him a light push. Ren stumbled backward, his balance breaking as exhaustion overtook his strength. He fell against the floor, stunned.
"You don't even have the energy to stand," she said, kneeling beside him. "And yet you're still trying to carry the weight of this entire realm."
Ren tried to rise, but his arms trembled. "I'm fine," he muttered.
"No," she said sharply, catching his shoulder and forcing him to sit back against the nearby sofa. "You're not."
For the first time in a long while, Ren looked up at her — really looked. Beneath the flickering light of the monitors, he appeared more human than king: dark circles beneath his eyes, his expression drained, his body betraying the strength he so fiercely maintained.
"Ren," she whispered, "you may be the Ninth King of Shadows… but you're still human. Even kings need rest."
He said nothing. His breathing slowed, his mind resisting the idea of rest as though it were weakness.
"Please," Yume said quietly. "For once, let others shoulder your burden."
Ren tried to speak — but she reached out and gently brushed her fingers along his cheek. The gesture silenced him.
"Do you know what frightens me the most?" she continued. "It's not the Gate. Not the demons beyond it. It's seeing you like this — as if the weight of the world has already buried you alive."
Ren's gaze softened, the sternness fading from his face. "…I just need a little more time. The Gate could open any moment."
"And if it opens while you're too exhausted to act?" she countered. "What then, Ren? What will you say to those who depend on you?"
Her words pierced through his defenses. Slowly, his shoulders slumped.
Yume leaned closer, her forehead touching his. "Do you remember the bond we made — the promise in the Abyss? You said you'd never shoulder everything alone again."
For a long moment, Ren didn't move. Then, quietly, he exhaled.
"…I don't even remember when I last straightened my back," he murmured, eyes half-closing. "It feels… lighter."
"Then rest," she whispered.
Ren's head sank onto her shoulder, his breathing evening out as he finally surrendered to exhaustion. Within seconds, the mighty King of Shadows was asleep — not in armor or command, but in silence.
Yume remained still, letting him rest. Her eyes softened as she brushed a strand of hair from his face.
Not long after, footsteps approached. Althric, Kuro, and several officers entered quietly, but Yume raised a finger to her lips.
"Don't wake him," she whispered.
They all paused. Seeing their king asleep — peaceful for once — filled them with unexpected relief.
"Let him rest," Althric murmured. "He's earned it."
The room returned to silence. Outside, the world moved on — hunters training harder than ever, their powers growing steadily under Althric and Kuro's relentless watch.
The days that followed saw progress unlike anything before. Every Shadow Bound felt their connection strengthen — their energy synchronized, their shadows alive and responsive. The army was no longer just training; they were evolving.
But far beyond the human realm, deep within the Shadow Demon Realm, the air boiled with dark anticipation.
An endless army of shadow demons filled the obsidian plains, roaring in unison. Their screeches tore through the silence like blades. At the center stood three upper-ranked demons — their auras monstrous — surrounding a towering figure cloaked in living darkness.
Sivrath, the right hand of the Shadow Demon Lord, raised his arm high. His voice thundered across the battlefield.
"The Gate will soon open!" he declared, his tone brimming with malice. "And when it does, we shall invade the mortal realm! We will tear down their armies and bring back the head of the Ninth King of Shadows!"
The legions roared in unison, their shadows writhing like serpents.
"In the name of our great Shadow Demon Lord," Sivrath shouted, "we shall conquer the other side — and extinguish his light forever!"
The roar that followed shook the realm itself.
And as Ren slept — the first peaceful sleep in days — the darkness beyond the Gate awakened.