The night over Isola Krein was calm.
Too calm.
Like the world itself was waiting.
Below the rooftop—
Two figures stood facing each other.
Azelar
And
Nyk — the newly awakened Monarch of Ruin.
The air between them tightened.
Not from power.
But from intent.
Azelar stepped forward first.
"…We start simple."
He raised his hand.
"…No abilities."
"…No concepts."
"…No shortcuts."
His eyes sharpened.
"…Just you."
Nyk rolled his shoulders.
Cracked his neck.
"…Say less."
Azelar vanished.
Not fast—
Efficient.
Nyk reacted instantly.
Barely.
He raised his guard—
Just in time.
BOOM.
Azelar's fist connected with his forearm.
The force alone sent Nyk sliding back across the ground.
"…Damn—!"
Nyk steadied himself.
Grinning.
"…You ain't playing."
Azelar didn't respond.
He was already there again.
A kick—
Low.
Precise.
Nyk barely lifted his leg in time—
But Azelar's follow-up punch came immediately.
Clean.
Sharp.
Direct.
Nyk took it.
His head snapped sideways.
But—
He didn't fall.
Instead—
He stepped in.
"…My turn."
Azelar's eyes flickered slightly.
Nyk threw a punch—
Not wild.
Not reckless.
Controlled.
Azelar blocked it.
But—
He noticed.
"…You adjusted."
Nyk smirked.
"…I learn quick."
The fight continued.
Back and forth.
Blow after blow.
Azelar dominated.
That much was clear.
Every movement cleaner.
Every strike sharper.
Every reaction faster.
But Nyk—
Held on.
He adapted.
Mid-fight.
Every exchange.
Every mistake corrected immediately.
Minutes passed—
And for the first time—
Azelar had to shift his footing.
He stepped back slightly.
"…Good."
Nyk exhaled.
Bruised.
Breathing heavier.
But smiling.
"…I ain't getting folded that easy."
Azelar straightened.
"…Now."
A pause.
"…Use it."
Nyk's eyes sharpened.
"…Finally."
His aura rose—
But not wildly.
Controlled.
Heavy.
Refined.
The ground beneath him cracked slightly.
Not from force—
From presence.
Azelar nodded.
"…That's it."
Then—
He stepped forward.
"Axis Principle."
The world… tilted.
Not physically.
But fundamentally.
Nyk felt it instantly.
"…What the—?!"
Gravity shifted—
But not just downward.
Every direction.
Every angle.
Every motion.
Azelar raised his hand.
"…The Axis Of Existence."
The planet itself answered.
Its rotation.
Its pull.
Its weight.
Nyk's body jerked violently—
Dragged by something far beyond simple force.
"…Shit—!"
Azelar moved his hand slightly—
And Nyk was launched.
BOOM.
He flew—
Straight into a distant mountain.
The impact shattered it.
Stone exploded.
Dust filled the sky.
Above—
Rayon Veynar laughed.
"…Damn."
Beside him, Nexus raised a brow.
"…What?"
Rayon smirked.
"…That move?"
A pause.
"…Yeah… I remember that."
For a split second—
His eyes softened.
A memory flashing.
Him.
On the ground.
Broken.
Azelar standing over him.
"Learn it."
Rayon chuckled.
"…And I still chose not to use it."
Below—
The dust cleared.
Nyk stepped out of the rubble.
His body healing instantly.
Cracking his neck again.
"…Aight…"
He spat to the side.
"…That one hurt."
Azelar stood calmly.
"…Good."
Nyk vanished.
He reappeared in front of Azelar—
Faster.
Sharper.
A punch—
Infused with Monarch Ruin.
Azelar blocked—
But this time—
The impact meant something.
The ground beneath him cracked.
"…Better."
The fight escalated.
Nyk mixed martial skill with Ruin.
Each strike now carried conceptual weight.
Not just damage—
But degradation.
Azelar responded with Axis.
Every movement amplified.
Every counter absolute.
They clashed—
Again.
And again.
And again.
Then—
In one moment—
Nyk saw it.
A gap.
He moved.
A perfect strike.
Azelar reacted—
But not fully.
The hit landed.
Not clean.
Not deep.
But—
It grazed his hand.
Silence.
Nyk landed.
Breathing heavily.
Then laughed.
"…Damn."
Azelar looked at his hand.
A faint mark.
Then at Nyk.
"…You did it."
Nyk smirked.
"…Yeah… barely."
He stretched slightly.
"…Old man… I can't beat you yet."
A pause.
His eyes sharpened.
"…But I will someday."
Azelar snorted.
"…Hmph."
He turned slightly.
"…Not even in a thousand years."
Nyk laughed.
"…Keep talking."
His body fully healed.
Instantly.
He walked over to Christine.
Pulled her in—
And kissed her.
"…Told you I'd level up."
Christine smiled softly.
"…You always do."
Behind them—
Kratos scoffed.
"…You love birds are annoying."
Christine didn't even look at him.
She raised her hand.
Bang.
A shot fired.
Kratos caught the bullet between his fingers.
"…Seriously?"
Christine smirked slightly.
"…Get used to it."
Kratos shook his head.
"…Y'all have fun."
He turned.
"…I'm out."
Rayon's voice came from above.
"…Kratos."
He stopped.
Looked up.
Rayon's eyes were calm.
But serious.
"…Go get stronger."
A pause.
"…Something's coming."
Kratos held his gaze.
Then smirked slightly.
"…Heh."
"…Thanks."
And he vanished.
Far Away — Beyond Everything
Far beyond Averis.
Far beyond Zarak.
Far beyond perception.
A table.
Dark.
Silent.
Seven figures sat around it.
Unseen.
Undefined.
At the center—
A crystal.
Inside it—
A world.
Averis.
One of them leaned forward slightly.
"…So."
A pause.
"…This is where Darkness resides."
Silence.
Back on Isola Krein—
Rayon looked up.
Beside him—
Luminous did the same.
Neither spoke.
Below—
Azelar's eyes flickered upward for a brief moment.
But he said nothing.
Only smiled faintly.
"…So it begins."