Nobu's body moved.
But it was no longer Nobu.
The moment his eyes turned pure black, the air itself seemed to freeze.
Before anyone could react—
Slash.
Kael's arm was severed cleanly.
For a split second, silence swallowed the courtyard.
Then blood poured from Kael's shoulder like a broken dam.
Kael staggered back, eyes wide with disbelief.
"…What the hell…?"
He hadn't even seen the movement.
Across the battlefield, Beru and Baku both froze.
Because the man standing before them…
Was not the Nobu they knew.
His posture was wrong.
His presence was wrong.
And the smile on his lips—
Was completely inhuman.
Shock and Realization
Baku's pupils shrank.
That presence…
A cold memory crawled up his spine.
He had felt this once before.
Years ago.
And he knew.
"…So it's finally awake," Baku muttered under his breath.
Beru's heart pounded violently as he stared at Kael's severed arm lying on the blood-soaked ground.
"KAEL!"
His voice cracked.
But the one who had done it…
Was Nobu.
Beru's fists trembled.
He couldn't move.
He couldn't accept it.
The Curse Speaks
Nobu—no…
The curse—slowly stretched his neck, as if loosening stiff muscles.
A dark grin spread across his face.
"You weaklings… still standing?"
His voice was layered.
Cold.
Mocking.
Ancient.
Kael quickly wrapped cloth around his bleeding shoulder, teeth clenched as he forced the bleeding to slow.
Baku stepped forward, expression deadly serious.
"We fight together," he said firmly.
Beru hesitated.
"…We can't handle him one-on-one."
Kael said nothing.
But his eyes hardened.
The three of them raised their guards.
The Massacre Begins
The curse chuckled softly.
"Together?"
His black eyes gleamed.
"How cute."
Then—
He vanished.
Beru and Kael's eyes widened.
Too fast.
BOOM.
His fist slammed into Baku's face.
The impact exploded like a cannon blast.
Baku's body smashed into the ground, stone cracking beneath him as blood burst from his nose.
"—!!"
Before Beru could fully react, he rushed forward.
But his strike lacked killing intent.
Because somewhere in his heart—
That was still Nobu.
And the curse noticed.
Instantly.
A cruel smile formed.
"You're hesitating."
He caught Beru's arm mid-strike—
And hurled him across the courtyard.
CRASH.
Beru's body slammed violently into the wall.
Dust exploded.
Kael's Counter
Kael roared and launched a brutal kick toward the curse's head.
But—
Blocked.
Easily.
The curse grabbed Kael's leg and twisted.
Then slammed him into the ground with monstrous force.
The courtyard shook.
Kael coughed blood.
For the first time in years—
Fear flickered in his eyes.
Three Against One
Growling, the three of them attacked together.
Steel.
Fists.
Killing intent.
All at once.
But it didn't matter.
The curse moved like a phantom.
Every strike was deflected.
Every attack crushed.
One by one—
They fell.
Broken.
Bleeding.
Helpless.
Inside Nobu's Mind
Darkness.
Endless.
Silent.
Nobu slowly opened his eyes.
"…Where am I?"
There was nothing.
Only a vast black void.
Then—
He saw someone.
A figure standing in the distance.
Young.
Yet his presence felt ancient beyond measure.
Nobu slowly approached.
"…Who are you?"
The man turned.
His eyes were calm.
Knowing.
"My name is Malvek," he said smoothly.
"I am the curse living inside your body."
Nobu's breath caught.
So this was him.
The voice.
The shadow.
The monster that took control whenever he fell.
Malvek's lips curved faintly.
"You can say… I'm the one who keeps saving your life."
Nobu's fists tightened.
Questions flooded his mind—
But before he could speak—
The world shattered.
Back to Reality
Nobu's eyes snapped open.
Blue sky above him.
His body felt unbearably heavy.
Slowly, he pushed himself up.
And froze.
Blood.
Everywhere.
The courtyard looked like a war zone.
"…What… happened…?"
A weak voice called from behind.
"…Nobu…"
He turned sharply.
Beru lay on the ground, covered in blood, barely conscious.
Nobu rushed to him.
"Beru! Who did this?!"
Beru gave a weak, pained smile.
"…You did… idiot…"
Nobu's heart dropped.
His hands trembled.
Aftermath
He immediately pulled out his phone.
"Ambulance! Now!"
Sirens arrived quickly.
Kael and Baku were found unconscious—but alive.
Barely.
Nobu's father and brother were also rushed to the hospital.
But strangely—
Nobu had no wounds.
None.
Yet he clearly remembered the sword piercing his chest.
His hand slowly touched his shirt.
Nothing.
His eyes darkened.
The Uneasy Calm
Outside the estate, Nobu's mother grabbed his hands, tears in her eyes.
"You saved the Misaki Clan… thank you…"
But Nobu said nothing.
His mind was elsewhere.
Only one face remained burned into his thoughts.
Malvek.
Elsewhere… Far Away
In another country—
Inside a luxurious mansion—
A wealthy family sat peacefully at a long dining table.
Laughter filled the room.
Warm.
Normal.
Peacefull.
Behind them, hanging on the wall—
Was a large framed photograph.
Of a man.
The same man Nobu had just seen inside his mind.
And somewhere far away—
Something had just begun to move.