The rain fell without mercy.
It soaked through Billionzaruto's clothes, clung to his skin, and blurred the world into shades of gray. He stood alone at the edge of the ravine, staring down into the darkness where the Shadow Tempest fortress lay hidden beneath layers of mist and stone.
This was it.
There would be no retreat after tonight.
Behind him, the forest was quiet—too quiet. Raiken, Nayumi, and the others were positioned farther back, waiting for his signal. They trusted him to decide when to move. That trust weighed heavier than any enemy ever had.
Billionzaruto closed his eyes.
For a moment, he allowed himself to remember Emberfall as it once was—the sound of laughter, the warmth of lanterns at night, the feeling of belonging. That memory hurt more than the rain, more than the scars lining his body.
A familiar presence stirred inside him.
Not violently.
Not demanding.
Just there.
You hesitate, the Kuroin Blaze murmured, its voice quieter than before—almost restrained.
Billionzaruto exhaled slowly. "I'm not hesitating," he whispered. "I'm choosing."
The flame shifted, curious.
You stand at the edge of power that could erase everything in your path. Why burden yourself with doubt?
"Because," Billionzaruto said, opening his eyes, "if I lose myself… then they've already won."
The voice fell silent.
For the first time, the silence didn't feel threatening.
Billionzaruto turned and raised his hand—the signal.
Raiken emerged from the trees, rain sliding down his weathered face. "Once we step forward, there's no going back."
"I know," Billionzaruto replied.
Nayumi joined them, her expression steady but her eyes searching his face. "You don't have to carry this alone."
He gave a faint smile. "I'm not. That's why I'm still standing."
Together, they moved.
The entrance to the fortress was carved into the ravine wall, ancient and scarred by time. Runes flickered weakly along the stone, reacting to Billionzaruto's presence like nerves recognizing pain.
The doors trembled.
Then opened.
Inside, the air was thick with smoke and something darker—an oppressive pressure that crawled along the skin. Torches lined the walls, their flames unnatural, burning with a dull violet hue.
They weren't alone.
Figures emerged from the shadows—Shadow Tempest elites, their masks etched with symbols of binding and sacrifice. Unlike the others they had faced, these warriors didn't rush forward.
They waited.
One stepped ahead, removing their mask.
A young man—no older than Billionzaruto. His eyes were hollow, exhausted, but sharp.
"You finally came," the man said. "The vessel who refuses his destiny."
Billionzaruto felt a flicker of recognition. Not memory—instinct.
"Who are you?" he asked.
The man gave a humorless smile. "Someone who made the wrong choice."
Lightning sparked along Billionzaruto's fingers. "Move."
The man shook his head. "I can't. Not unless you listen."
Raiken stiffened. Nayumi shifted closer to Billionzaruto.
"You think you're different," the man continued. "That you can use the flame without becoming it. I thought the same thing."
A faint, dark aura seeped from the man's body—controlled, but broken.
Billionzaruto's chest tightened. "You were a vessel too."
"Yes." The man's voice cracked. "And I failed."
The fortress trembled.
From deep within, a massive surge of energy pulsed outward—ancient, violent, familiar.
The Kuroin Blaze stirred sharply.
That presence… it whispered. They are forcing the Ebon Pyre awake.
Billionzaruto clenched his jaw. "They're using you as a stabilizer, aren't they?"
The man nodded. "And they'll use you as the final key."
Raiken stepped forward. "Then we end this now."
The man laughed bitterly. "If it were that simple, I'd have done it myself."
The ground split without warning.
A column of black-violet fire erupted from the center chamber, twisting upward like a living thing. The walls screamed as ancient seals shattered one by one.
The Ebon Pyre was awakening.
The Shadow Tempest leader emerged from the flames—tall, composed, terrifyingly calm. His mask bore no cracks, no signs of strain.
"Welcome," he said. "Billionzaruto. You've grown stronger than expected."
Billionzaruto stepped forward, rain evaporating around him. "This ends tonight."
The leader tilted his head. "You misunderstand. Tonight… it begins."
With a single gesture, chains of dark energy shot from the floor, wrapping around the broken vessel beside them. He cried out, collapsing as the energy was siphoned from him into the Pyre.
"Stop!" Billionzaruto shouted.
The leader's gaze locked onto him. "Then accept what you are."
Something snapped.
Not violently—clearly.
Billionzaruto felt the Kuroin Blaze rise, not like a beast breaking loose, but like a storm waiting for direction.
He didn't push it away.
He didn't surrender.
He stood still—and reached inward.
"I won't be your weapon," he said softly. "And I won't be your prisoner."
Fire ignited in his eyes—not black, not wild—but brilliant, controlled, edged with lightning.
The Kuroin Blaze spoke again, quieter than ever.
If you walk this path… there is no return.
Billionzaruto stepped forward anyway.
"Then I'll make it worth it."
Lightning shattered the chains.
Fire split the chamber.
The Shadow Tempest leader's smile finally faltered.
And as the Ebon Pyre roared to life, Billionzaruto made his choice—not as a vessel, not as a legend—
But as himself.