The cold evening wind passed through the dry trees, and the freshly turned grave was still wet. The sky was gray, as if it too was in mourning. Everyone was standing above the grave.
His name was engraved on the stone. (Ryu Strom)
A hero who had saved his country countless times… but did not survive.
His sister knelt. Her trembling fingers ran over the stone, as if she still could not believe that her brother would never return. Her eyes were red, but she did not cry. It was as if even her tears had died with him.
Next to her, the hero's best friend stood. His fists were clenched. His gaze was cold. Inside, he was full of fire. He was the last person to see the hero alive. The last person to hear his voice in the battle against the Steel Iron Empire.
"Promise me… if I die in this war… that you will protect my sister."
That sentence still echoed in his ears.
Suddenly, the wind grew stronger.
Leaves swirled around the grave.
The air became heavy.
The hero's sister quietly said:
"You said you would always come back…"
The ground trembled for a moment.
The friend lifted his head. A familiar feeling filled the air. Not darkness… not light… something in between. A power he knew well. The will was still alive, echoing everywhere, and the only one who recognized it was his friend Ren Raiden, son of the emperor, who had grown up with Ryu. Ryu had saved Ren many times.
Suddenly, Ryu's sister, with her fingernails digging into the grave, burst into tears and stood up:
"Why… why… why didn't you save Ryu…? He… he saved you so many times… why… why?"
Ren silently lowered his head. Suddenly, it began to rain. The drops falling on Ren's face were not ordinary rain.
Ryu's sister fell onto her knees, her hands covered in grave dirt, and wiped them across Ren's shirt.
Slowly, all the people left. Only Ren, his companions, and the hero's sister, Aira, remained in the sorrowful atmosphere.
The wind stopped. The sky was crying. And the only one left there was Ren.
"I'm sorry, my friend."
Present Time:
In a room lit by torches flickering along the walls, a man lay on a bed. Suddenly, he opened his eyes with a shock. It was Rex.
"Emperor?!"
Rex trembled as he got up. When he stood, his side hurt. He saw that his stomach was bandaged. Without hesitation, he left the room.
"I am inside the fortress of the Steel Iron Empire."
When he reached the gates of the capital, he collapsed from bleeding and pain. Two unconscious soldiers nearby rescued him.
"This is Commander Rex… come, we must take him to the emperor."
Rex was walking through the path when suddenly his body shook. His vision blurred, and dizziness overcame him. He sat on his knees, hands on his head, as painful memories of the past flooded his mind.
"No… no… I didn't want to kill you… Miki… you're my only hope… escape from here."
Tears streamed down Rex's face as he trembled, and at that moment, the path vanished into darkness.
The Shuromuk Empire:
In a room bathed in sunlight, flowers swayed gently in the breeze. A blonde girl stood next to a bed.
On the single bed lay a person, covered in bandages with only their eyes visible. They were lying quietly with closed eyes. Suddenly, they opened them.
"My body… is cold."
She glanced to the side calmly.
"Arisa… is she asleep here?"
Zeno was on the bed. He tried to move his body, but the chains binding his hands and feet prevented him.
He tried to bend his hand, but the bandages blocked him. He flexed his muscles, and the bandages began to tear with a crrrr sound. Suddenly, his hand broke free from captivity.
"Alright… now it's time for the other hand!"
He freed the other hand as well. Arisa stirred slightly. Zeno's eyes widened as he looked at her—but she fell asleep again.
Zeno exhaled in relief. He removed all the bandages from his body, but when he saw his body, his eyes widened, his mouth dropped open. He ran his hand over his muscles and said:
"These wounds… where did they come from?"
His body was covered with deep wounds, as if someone had sliced him apart with a sword.
"It doesn't matter… first I have to break these chains."
Zeno pulled the chain, but it didn't break.
He pressed harder, but still nothing.
"What kind of chain is this… why won't it break?!"
He tried with his teeth, but still nothing.
"What are you doing?"
Zeno spun the chain around his mouth. Arisa had sat up, her eyes red, her face trembling, her hair floating.
Zeno removed the chain from his mouth and said only one word:
"I was wrong."
Boom!
The entire Ikan shook. Itsuki and Veil, sensing the disturbance down the hall, ran quickly toward Zeno's room.
"What's happening?!"
Zeno lay on the bed, his eyes white, mouth open. Arisa turned her head slowly, looking at them.
Itsuki and Veil were sweating profusely.
"Sorry for disturbing you."
The door was closed quietly as they left.
Suddenly, the doctor rushed toward Zeno's room, drenched in sweat. Itsuki and Veil tried to stop him, but the doctor pushed in.
Seconds later, the doctor was thrown out of the room with a punch, eyes white, foam at his mouth.
Itsuki stepped forward and said:
"I told you not to go… take him away!"
Two others arrived and carried the doctor away…