The door was left open.
At first… it seemed insignificant.
Just a small detail, forgotten in the middle of an ordinary afternoon.
Laughter still echoed through the yard.
Ruby ran in circles, light and carefree, the wind playing with her hair.
Luis was there.
Or… at least, he should have been.
The afternoon felt warm.
Safe.
Whole.
But then—
Something changed.
Not suddenly.
Not like a shock.
It was… slow.
Unnatural.
Like the world itself was slipping out of place.
The sun began to set.
Too slowly.
Shadows stretched across the walls of the house… growing longer, like something alive.
Ruby stepped inside first.
"Luis?"
No answer.
The silence felt… heavy.
Wrong.
The house didn't feel the same anymore.
Too big.
Too empty.
And the door—
Still open.
The wind passed through it.
Cold.
Too cold.
Snow began to fall outside.
Snow.
That didn't make any sense.
Ruby frowned.
Took a step back.
Then another.
Her heart started beating faster.
A sound.
Low.
Dragging.
Like something scraping against wood.
She looked at the doorway.
And saw it.
A wolf.
Thin.
Sunken eyes.
Starving.
Then another.
And another.
They didn't run.
They didn't attack.
They simply… walked in.
As if they already knew.
As if that house no longer belonged to her.
Ruby tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
Her body wouldn't move.
Fear doesn't scream.
It freezes.
The wolves spread out.
Slow.
Silent.
The air grew heavy.
Unreal.
And then—
Something shifted again.
Space itself trembled.
The walls darkened.
Like ink spilling across everything.
The floor vanished.
The ceiling disappeared.
The house was swallowed whole.
Everything turned into… nothing.
A black sphere.
Endless.
Silent.
Empty.
And at the center—
Kevin.
Standing still.
But he wasn't looking at Ruby.
His gaze was… behind her.
Ruby turned.
And saw.
Two bodies.
Being devoured.
The wolves tore into them—
Ripping. Pulling. Biting—
Blood splattered everywhere.
Flesh torn apart.
Like it was… inevitable.
Kevin didn't move.
Didn't react.
His eyes were locked on the scene.
And then his voice came out.
Low.
Broken.
"…Dad…"
A pause.
"…Mom…"
Ruby froze.
He knew.
He was seeing it.
He was… reliving it.
The void pulsed.
Like a dream…
Or a memory…
Or something in between.
Kevin closed his eyes for a second.
When he opened them—
Something had changed.
The fear… was gone.
He stepped forward.
And spoke.
"It's time to change."
His voice was firm now.
Heavy.
"Crying means nothing… if there are no decisions."
The void trembled.
The wolves lunged.
But this time—
Kevin moved.
Fast.
Precise.
No hesitation.
No panic.
One by one… they fell.
As if they never stood a chance.
The last body collapsed into the void.
Silence returned.
The black sphere remained.
Only two were left.
Kevin.
And Ruby.
He turned.
And looked at her.
His eyes… different.
No longer someone who had lost everything.
But someone who had decided to move forward.
He said nothing.
Offered no comfort.
No reassurance.
He simply looked.
As if saying—
Now you understand.
The void began to close.
And the dream…
started to fade.
---
A campfire flickered.
"Are you okay, Ruby?" Richard's voice came low, steady.
Ruby blinked.
"Y-Yeah… I'm fine."
"You passed out while I was explaining what happened."
"If she's fine, then keep going," Alexys said bluntly.
Carmilla crossed her arms, looking Ruby up and down.
"If you need to, you can rest inside."
Richard nodded.
"Go on, daughter. I'll explain everything later."
Ruby stood up, still a little dizzy.
She took a few steps…
and left.
Her scythe remained behind.
Carmilla glanced at Richard for a second… then followed Ruby inside.
Silence.
Kevin, who hadn't said a word until now, stood up while still eating.
He walked past the fire.
Picked up the scythe.
And returned, sitting in the same spot.
As if nothing had happened.
"So your plan is literally to kill Hestia's high command, uncle?"
Richard didn't look away.
"It's the only way to end the dictatorship imposed by the other kingdoms. Ours… is what sustains all of them."
Alexys frowned.
"But we're too few. We can't take out that many people."
"We don't need to kill them all."
Richard leaned forward.
"Most of them—even the king—are being pressured."
He looked up.
"There's someone pulling everything from behind."
A pause.
"They call him… the Masked One."
Kevin chewed slowly.
"I've seen posters about him. Adrián Casillas Jr. was the one who ordered them to be spread."
Richard nodded.
"He's trying to act with justice."
His gaze hardened.
"Which is exactly why… he's going to be eliminated."
Alexys tilted his head.
"You said you killed the ones who killed you and Kevin's father… doesn't that make you a wanted man too?"
Richard smirked.
"It does."
"But don't worry. They can't stop me."
The atmosphere grew heavier.
"Our plan begins on October 10th."
The fire cracked.
"And for it to work… we need someone."
Kevin finally raised his eyes.
"Who?"
"Frederin Nekyun."
A pause.
"The host of Leonardo Dinark."
Silence returned.
Kevin rested the scythe on his shoulder.
"So how do we do it?"
Richard looked directly at Alexys.
"Simple."
"You're entering the tournament that day."
Alexys froze.
"…me?"
"And you're going to convince him to join us."
The fire flared with the wind.
"The fate of our nation… depends on it."
The flames crackled.
No one answered.
The wind passed between them, carrying small sparks into the air… where they vanished.
Alexys looked away.
His fingers tightening slightly over his knee.
Kevin stopped chewing.
Slowly.
As if every movement was being calculated.
A green wolf appeared beside him.
Silent.
Imposing.
It sat down.
Watching.
Kevin spoke.
"This plan has already failed."
The silence changed.
It wasn't empty anymore.
It became… heavy.
Kevin rested the scythe on his shoulder.
"If the Masked One placed Frederin in the game…"
He raised his eyes.
"Then he already predicted someone would try to use him."
A pause.
The fire cracked louder.
"We can't go together."
He looked straight at Alexys.
"You and I are going to the tournament."
Then, without hurry, he turned his head.
"They…"
A slight gesture toward the house.
"…will break the rest."
The wind blew stronger.
The flames leaned sideways.
And Kevin stood up.
Richard followed him with his eyes.
"What are you planning?"
Kevin took a step forward.
"I'm going to infiltrate the system itself."
He looked directly at Richard.
"You… handle the brute force."
His eyes sharpened.
"You know the weak points better than anyone here."
Richard nodded slowly.
"Keep me informed."
A brief pause.
"Leaving now?"
Kevin shook his head.
"Tomorrow."
He glanced at Alexys.
"He needs to register… and train."
"If he wants to win the tournament."
Richard crossed his arms.
"Fine."
A small smile appeared.
"But before that…"
He stood up.
The wood beneath his feet cracked.
"Fight me."
The air grew denser.
"I want to see how much you've improved."
Alexys leaned forward slightly.
"Kevin…"
"I want to understand how you create so many things with aura."
Kevin smiled faintly.
"Then watch."
He stepped into the open space.
"Uncle… consider this my rematch."
His eyes glowed faintly.
"But remember…"
A crooked smile.
"No killing."
Richard let out a low laugh.
His aura began to leak out.
Heavy.
Aggressive.
"Don't worry."
He stepped forward.
The ground beneath him cracked.
"Bring as many beasts as you want…"
His gaze locked onto Kevin's.
"I'll win."
The wolf beside Kevin stood.
Two more began to form behind him.
The shadows around the fire twisted.
The wind stopped.
And for a moment—
Everything fell into absolute silence.
Kevin's eyes changed.
Not the glow of Hagan.
Not the green streak.
They were… blue.
Completely blue.
Deep.
As if they didn't reflect the world—
but saw through it.
Richard frowned.
"That color… isn't Hagan."
He tilted his head slightly.
"What is that?"
Kevin didn't look away.
"Honestly… I don't know."
A brief pause.
"But with these eyes…"
They narrowed slightly.
"I can see a lot."
Richard didn't wait.
He moved.
Fast.
The air tore around his fist.
A direct punch.
Brutal.
Precise.
Kevin didn't move.
Not a step.
Not a muscle.
But in his vision—
A thin white line appeared.
Connecting Richard's fist… to something invisible ahead.
A structure.
A barrier.
Transparent.
Already there.
As if it had always existed.
The impact came—
And died.
The punch lost force.
Speed.
Weight.
As if it had passed through something that drained everything.
The fist stopped inches from Kevin's face.
Silence.
Kevin blinked slowly.
"…I did it."
A soft breath escaped his lips.
"My friend…"
Richard slowly pulled his arm back.
Observing.
"A barrier…"
Kevin lowered his head slightly.
"Uncle…"
His voice changed.
Cold.
Dry.
But something else lingered beneath.
Something wrong.
"Let's stop."
The wind returned.
But no one moved.
Richard only stared.
In silence.
Alexys narrowed his eyes.
"He saw something…"
A subtle step forward.
"That look…"
He muttered.
"There's something wrong with it."
Kevin didn't respond.
But inside—
Chaos.
With this power…
Lines were everywhere.
Connecting everything.
Flows.
Breaking points.
Weaknesses.
Lives.
I can see everything…
Richard's body.
His movements before they even happened.
The exact points where his aura weakened.
The places where a single strike…
would end it all.
An image flashed in his mind.
Clear.
One movement—
And Richard… dies.
Kevin clenched his jaw.
I know how to defeat him…
His fingers trembled slightly.
Too easily…
The blue flickered.
That's the problem.
The silence pressed in.
Heavy.
Kevin slowly lifted his gaze to Richard.
This time—
Not as someone observing.
But as someone deciding.
"If I keep going…"
A barely noticeable pause.
"I'll kill him."
The wind blew stronger.
The fire cracked loudly.
And for the first time—
Kevin stopped fighting.
---
Kevin started walking.
But not like before.
Threads.
Lines.
Invisible connections appeared everywhere.
Linking his body to the trees, the ground, the wind… even to Richard.
Numbers flooded his mind.
Calculations.
Measurements.
Exact distances.
Probabilities.
Kevin lifted his foot.
Stopped mid-step.
"…This is too much information."
He pressed a hand against his forehead.
Took a deep breath.
"I can see and feel everything…"
His blue eyes moved slowly.
"I even know the value of pi now."
He tried to step again.
His left foot froze.
As if his body couldn't keep up with his mind.
"…My head…"
His voice weakened.
"I can't even walk properly."
Tears began to fall.
Not from sadness.
From frustration.
Richard watched in silence.
Then he pulled out a black bandana.
"Here."
He tossed it.
Kevin caught it almost instinctively.
"…Thanks."
He tied it over his eyes.
Covering the blue completely.
Kevin exhaled.
His body relaxed.
"…That's better."
He touched the fabric.
"Soft cotton…"
Richard turned his body, as if the fight was over.
Kevin spoke.
"Where are you going?"
Richard stopped.
"Our fight isn't over."
He turned back slowly.
And smiled.
Kevin smiled faintly.
"I just needed… to rest my eyes."
Several green wolves formed beside him.
One.
Then two.
Then five.
The shadows around the fire shifted again.
Richard cracked his neck.
"Then let's go again."
I need to understand what changed in him.
Kevin picked up Ruby's scythe.
The dark blade reflected the firelight.
Richard frowned.
Something's approaching.
The wind shifted.
The trees moved.
Richard spoke, more serious now.
"Kevin. Alexys. Call Ruby and Carmilla."
A short pause.
"We're leaving."
Kevin ran toward the house.
Fast.
Precise.
Without a single misstep.
Alexys widened his eyes.
"Even blindfolded… he moves like he can see."
Richard spat to the side.
"That's muscle memory."
He looked at Alexys.
"At an absurd level."
Then muttered:
"And that gaze of his… that's not Hagan."
Alexys didn't hesitate.
"It's not."
He took a deep breath.
"It's something way stronger."
---
Time passed.
Now they were walking through the forest.
The wind was cold.
Tall trees blocked most of the fading light.
Richard led the way.
"I'll take you to the city where Alexys can register for the tournament."
He glanced back.
"Kevin… I think you should make it clear that you're back."
A pause.
"People here love you."
Kevin smiled slightly.
"Then I guess I'll have to let everyone know…"
He tilted his head.
"That Dark Star has returned."
Carmilla let out a small laugh.
"Never thought someone as short as you would be the so-called Dark Star."
Alexys looked curious.
"What did you even do to become that famous?"
Ruby answered before him.
"The real question is: what didn't he do?"
She smiled faintly.
"After he 'died'… he became even more famous."
Kevin looked at the sky.
"Dark Star…"
A brief pause.
"The one chosen by light."
Before anyone could say anything else, he turned to Richard.
"Uncle, remind me to introduce you to Gabu Jr. tonight."
A small smile.
"I think you'll like him."
Richard answered immediately.
"I'll remember."
Then added:
"And I'll remember our fight too."
Kevin laughed softly.
"Relax."
He placed his hands behind his head as he walked.
"I still owe a lot of people some fights."
---
They kept walking, the outline of the city slowly appearing on the horizon beneath the fading light.
Kevin, now with the bandana covering his eyes, felt the weight of the scythe on his shoulder…
and the weight of a future only he could see.
Richard walked ahead with heavy steps, his aura still unsettled from the interrupted fight.
He knew the Masked One wasn't the only problem.
The boy walking beside him was becoming something…
the world might not be ready to face.
"October 10th… not long now," Alexys whispered to himself, clenching his fists.
The wind blew.
Carrying the scent of metal and rain.
The board was set.
And somewhere, in the capital of Hestia, the Masked One could already feel…
the first piece moving.
Kevin smiled beneath the bandana.
The Dark Star hadn't just returned.
He had finally awakened.