Inside Dark's Mind
Dark stood at the center of a swirling, chaotic expanse. Shadows and fractured light twisted violently around him, and at the core of it all stood Sukojo, his back turned, his presence dominating even here. The faint pulse of the Ryo World still lingered, but it was fractured, unstable.
Dark clenched his fists, his crimson eyes blazing with fury as he stepped forward. His voice cut through the storm, sharp and venomous.
Dark: (snarling) Sukojo.
Sukojo turned slowly, his smirk returning, though it lacked its usual confidence. His crimson eyes locked onto Dark, studying him carefully.
Sukojo: (mocking) Well, look who's awake. You're late to the party, Dark.
Dark's steps quickened, his fists trembling with rage.
Dark: (coldly) Get. Out. Of. My. Body.
Sukojo chuckled softly, spreading his arms wide as if welcoming Dark's anger.
Sukojo: (mocking) Oh, come on. Don't be so dramatic. I was just borrowing it for a bit. You should be thanking me. I've been keeping things interesting while you've been sulking in here.
Dark stopped just a few feet away, his voice low and laced with deadly intent.
Dark: (quietly) I'm not asking.
Sukojo tilted his head, his smirk widening as he stepped closer, his presence suffocating even in this space.
Sukojo: (mocking) And what are you going to do about it, huh? You couldn't stop me if you tried. I'm fighting Kenzo in another world right now. I'm toying with Cron and Nature outside. You're just a footnote, Dark. A vessel. A tool. Face it—you're nothing.
Dark didn't respond. His eyes narrowed, his breathing steady as he raised his fist, dark energy coiling around it like flames.
Sukojo: (mocking, smirking) Oh, what's this? You're actually going to try? Go ahead. Take your best shot.
Before Sukojo could react, Dark's fist connected with his jaw. The force of the punch sent shockwaves tearing through the chaotic expanse, fracturing the swirling storm of shadows and light. Sukojo staggered back, his smirk disappearing as his eyes widened in shock.
Sukojo: (sharply) You...!
Dark didn't stop. He swung again, his punches relentless, each one fueled by raw fury. Every strike resonated with the very essence of his soul, breaking through Sukojo's control inch by inch.
Sukojo: (growling) Enough!
Sukojo raised his hand to block, but Dark's next punch shattered his defense, sending him sprawling. The chaotic storm around them began to collapse, the fractured remnants of the Ryo World dissolving into nothingness.
Dark: (snarling) Get the fuck out of my body.
With one final, devastating punch, Dark struck Sukojo square in the chest. The blow resonated like a thunderclap, and Sukojo's form began to fragment, his laughter fading into silence.
Back in the Wasteland
The desolate wasteland reappeared, the oppressive void of the Ryo World completely gone. Nature and Cron stood apart, their fusion dissolved. Behind them, Leona, Tier, and Gilmuar stood frozen, their expressions a mix of confusion and relief.
And at the center of it all was Dark.
He stood motionless, his crimson eyes flickering faintly as he tried to process what had happened. His body felt heavy, his soul raw, as if he'd been torn apart and stitched back together.
Dark: (quietly) What the fuck...?
The silence stretched as everyone stared at him, unsure of what to say. Dark's gaze shifted between them, his confusion growing.
Dark: (sharply) Someone tell me what the fuck just happened.
The silence was deafening. The wasteland stretched endlessly around them, its broken terrain bathed in an eerie stillness. Dark's crimson eyes scanned the faces in front of him, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and rage.
Dark: Someone better start explaining. Now.
Cron was the first to step forward, his golden aura still flickering faintly from the intense battle. His expression was uncharacteristically grim, the usual calm resolve replaced by unease.
Cron: Sukojo... connected with your soul. Somehow, he used it to gain control of your body.
Dark: (sharply) What?
Cron nodded, his tone measured but firm.
Cron: I don't know how he did it, but he used your very essence—your soul—as an anchor to manipulate your body. While we were fighting him, a part of him was... inside you.
Nature stepped forward, her ethereal form glowing faintly as she spoke, her voice carrying an edge of concern.
Nature: Sukojo's power isn't bound by normal limits. He's not just a being of immense strength—he's something beyond comprehension. The fact that he could tether himself to your soul without completely consuming it... it's unheard of.
Dark's fists clenched, his knuckles whitening as his rage boiled over.
Dark: (growling) That bastard. He used me as a puppet while toying with all of you?
Cron: (nodding) Not just us. He was fighting Kenzo at the same time. Across dimensions.
Dark's eyes narrowed, his voice low and sharp.
Dark: (coldly) And you're telling me no one noticed this happening? Not one of you thought, "Hey, maybe Sukojo's been screwing with Dark"?
Leona stepped forward hesitantly, her voice soft but tinged with guilt.
Leona: Dark... none of us could tell. His control over you was seamless. Even when you spoke, it sounded like you. It wasn't until you reclaimed your body that the connection broke, and we realized what had happened.
Dark let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.
Dark: (mocking) Great. So while I was stuck in some nightmare, getting hijacked by that lunatic, you all just stood here fighting shadows?
Tier: (quietly) It wasn't like that.
Dark shot him a glare, his voice cutting through the group like a blade.
Dark: Then tell me, Tier. What was it like?
Tier hesitated, glancing at the others before speaking.
Tier: (hesitant) Sukojo... he wasn't just controlling you. He was you. Every move, every word—it felt real. None of us could sense the difference. Even Cron didn't realize it until...
Cron's voice cut through, sharp and direct.
Cron: Until I noticed the way his energy shifted during the fight. Sukojo isn't subtle. He thrives on chaos. But for a moment—just a moment—your aura wavered, Dark. That's when I knew something was wrong.
Dark's jaw tightened, his crimson eyes flickering with barely restrained fury.
Dark: (coldly) So you knew. And you still couldn't stop him.
Cron: (firmly) No one could. Not without risking you. If we tried to sever the connection forcibly, there was a chance we could have destroyed your soul entirely. That's why I didn't attack directly.
Dark's anger simmered, but he stayed silent, his gaze darting between them.
Nature: (softly) Dark, you need to understand. What Sukojo did—it's beyond anything we've seen. He didn't just control you. He used your very existence as a weapon. It wasn't just your body he controlled. It was your memories, your emotions, your essence. That kind of connection... it's dangerous. And it's not something that just disappears.
Dark's head snapped toward her, his voice sharp.
Dark: (growling) What the hell does that mean?
Nature hesitated, her gaze steady but filled with concern.
Nature: (carefully) It means... a part of him is still with you.
The air grew heavier, the weight of her words settling over the group. Dark's hands trembled, his rage bubbling just beneath the surface.
Dark: (softly, but with deadly intent) He's still inside me?
Cron: (firmly) Not entirely. You broke his hold. But the connection he made—it leaves scars. Marks on your soul that don't just vanish. If he wanted to... he could use those marks to find his way back.
Dark's breathing quickened, his crimson eyes blazing with fury.
Dark: (growling) Over my dead body.
Cron: (sternly) That's what he wants, Dark. If Sukojo comes back, it won't just be to control you. It'll be to take everything.
Dark stepped back, his hands running through his hair as he tried to process what he'd just heard. His voice was low, almost a whisper.
Dark: (softly) So what do I do? How do I stop him?
Nature: (gently) You fight. Not just him, but the marks he's left behind. You'll need to strengthen your soul, Dark. Fortify it. Because if Sukojo decides to come back... it won't be as subtle as this.
Leona: (quietly) We'll help you, Dark. Whatever it takes.
Dark glanced at her, his expression softening slightly, but his resolve was unshaken. He turned back to Cron, his voice cold and steady.
Dark: (firmly) Then we start now. I don't care how strong he is. I'm not letting him use me again.
Cron nodded, his golden eyes gleaming with determination.
Cron: Then let's begin.
The group stood in tense silence, the oppressive weight of Dark's revelation hanging over them. His crimson eyes burned with anger, his hands trembling as he relived the memories of Sukojo's relentless power.
Dark: (quietly) You all know what he is. What he's done. He's not the same Sukojo we fought before. He's the real one now—the one from the stories. The one from history.
Nature's ethereal form flickered faintly as she stepped forward, her voice calm but heavy with the weight of experience.
Nature: (softly) I know, Dark. I've fought both versions of him. And against either... I stood no chance.
Her admission silenced the group further. Dark turned to her, his voice sharp.
Dark: (coldly) Then you know. You've seen it. He's not something we can beat. Not now. Not ever.
Cron's golden aura flickered faintly as he stepped forward, his gaze hard.
Cron: (firmly) I've fought him too. A long time ago. And I barely survived. But even then, Dark, I learned something about him. He's not invincible.
Dark let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.
Dark: (mocking) Not invincible? Cron, he stopped—what was it?—an infinite number of beings, each capable of destroying verses, without breaking a sweat. And he didn't just stop them. He erased them. All of them.
Cron's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond. Nature interjected, her voice carrying a somber edge.
Nature: (quietly) And when he was done, no one stood against him. No one... except Cosmic.
Dark's eyes narrowed, his voice laced with disbelief.
Dark: (sharply) Cosmic? The one who's barely even real? You're telling me Cosmic stopped him?
Cron nodded, his tone measured.
Cron: (firmly) Yes. After Sukojo erased those beings, after he reduced entire verses to nothing, Cosmic stepped in. One move. That's all it took. Just enough to keep the balance.
Dark's breathing quickened, his fists clenching tightly.
Dark: (snarling) And what? Sukojo just... let it happen?
Nature shook her head, her expression grim.
Nature: (softly) No. Sukojo doesn't "let" anything happen. Cosmic didn't beat him. He stopped him—temporarily. Sukojo doesn't fight for dominance or conquest. He fights because he can. And now, he's back.
Leona's voice broke through, her frustration evident.
Leona: (sharply) So what the hell are we supposed to do, huh? Just roll over and wait for him to kill us? Or worse?
Dark: (snapping) Worse? Leona, there's nothing worse than him. He could wipe out everything. Every verse. Every soul. He could destroy things we haven't even dreamed of. And the worst part? He wouldn't care. He doesn't care.
Tier: (hesitantly) Then why hasn't he done it already?
Dark turned to Tier, his crimson eyes burning with fury.
Dark: (sharply) Because he's not done playing yet. That's what this is to him—a game. We're the pieces. And when he's bored? He'll flip the board.
Nature: (quietly) That's who he is. The real Sukojo. He's not bound by morals or laws. There's nothing he can't do because, to him, nothing is forbidden. Nothing is illegal.
The group fell silent again, the weight of their shared knowledge crushing them. Dark let out a slow breath, his voice calmer but no less intense.
Dark: (coldly) So you tell me, Cron. Nature. How do you fight something like him? Something that can't be beaten, something that's already wiped out more than we can even comprehend?
Cron met Dark's gaze, his golden eyes steady.
Cron: (firmly) We don't fight him head-on. We don't play his game. We force him to play ours.
Dark let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.
Dark: (mocking) You think that'll work? He's fought all of us before. He's fought worse than us, and he's still here.
Nature: (gently) It's not about winning, Dark. It's about survival. Sukojo's strength may be limitless, but his attention isn't. He can't focus on everything at once. If we find his weakness—
Dark: (cutting her off) Weakness? He doesn't have one. That's the whole point. He's the Devourer of All for a reason.
Cron's voice cut through, sharp and commanding.
Cron: (sternly) Everyone has a weakness. Even him. We just have to find it.
Dark glared at Cron, his frustration boiling over.
Dark: (snarling) You didn't find it before. What makes you think you can now?
Cron didn't flinch. His golden aura flared faintly as he spoke, his voice calm but resolute.
Cron: (firmly) Because now, we know who we're dealing with. We're not fighting a fragment or a shadow. This is the real Sukojo. And if there's one thing I've learned in all my years, it's that the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
Nature: (softly) And Sukojo's fall won't just be hard. It'll be catastrophic.
Dark's gaze shifted between them, his anger slowly giving way to something deeper—something raw. He let out a slow breath, his voice quieter but no less intense.
Dark: (softly) You really think we can do this? Take him down?
Cron: (firmly) No. But we can stop him. That's all we need to do.
The group fell silent, the weight of their task pressing down on them. Finally, Dark nodded, his crimson eyes gleaming with resolve.
Dark: (quietly) Then let's get to work.
But...
Somewhere Else—Beyond Reality
In a realm unbound by time or space, Cosmic sat alone, surrounded by a swirling expanse of chaotic light and shadow. His throne, an incomprehensible fusion of stars and ancient energy, pulsed faintly as if alive, responding to its master's thoughts. Before him, a small, squared screen floated midair, displaying the actions of Dark and the others as they regrouped after Sukojo's invasion.
Cosmic's golden eyes were fixed on the screen, his expression calm yet burdened. His hand rested on the arm of his throne, his fingers tracing invisible patterns across the surface.
Cosmic: (softly) Oh, Dark. My chosen child. I truly hope you are the one.
He raised his arm, his gaze settling on his forearm. Veins of golden light shimmered beneath his skin, yet there was something sinister lurking just beneath—a dark, pulsating shadow slowly spreading upward, like ink creeping through glass. His expression darkened as he clenched his fist tightly, the golden veins briefly flaring brighter in resistance.
Cosmic: (quietly) The curse... it's fading.
The realization settled over him like a heavy weight. He exhaled deeply, leaning back into his throne, his gaze never leaving the screen. The image flickered, showing Dark's defiant stance, his crimson eyes blazing with fury. The corners of Cosmic's lips twitched upward in a faint, bittersweet smile.
Cosmic: (softly) You are my child. My legacy. The one who will face me... when the time comes.
His gaze grew distant, his voice dropping to a whisper as memories long buried surfaced in his mind.
Cosmic: (softly) I remember the first time I walked the Earth. The first time I left this place behind. I wanted to see the world Shou created—to walk among mortals, to understand them. And then... I met her.
His voice softened further, tinged with something almost fragile.
Cosmic: She was unlike anyone I had ever encountered. A radiant soul, untouched by greed or cruelty. She taught me what it meant to live... what it meant to love.
His golden eyes flickered faintly, the memory vivid in his mind.
Cosmic: (softly) I married her. She gave me something I never thought I'd have... you.
The screen shifted, showing Dark standing among his allies, his expression conflicted but determined. Cosmic's gaze hardened, his voice lowering.
Cosmic: (quietly) But I couldn't stay. Shou called me back. He needed me, and when Shou calls, even I must answer.
His hand tightened into a fist, the shadow on his arm pulsing again, creeping farther. He grimaced, his golden aura flaring briefly in defiance.
Cosmic: (softly) So I left. I disappeared from your world, leaving you to grow up without me. Without knowing who I was.
The shadows around his throne rippled faintly, responding to his anger. He exhaled deeply, forcing himself to calm.
Cosmic: (quietly) And now, the curse fades. The seal placed upon my power, upon my hatred... it crumbles with every passing moment.
His gaze returned to the screen, where Dark's crimson eyes burned with fury. Cosmic's expression softened, a mix of sorrow and pride in his golden eyes.
Cosmic: (softly) I didn't leave because I wanted to. I left because I had to. To protect you. To protect everything. But one day, Dark... one day you'll know the truth. And when that day comes, you'll stand before me—not as my son, but as my equal. My adversary.
The screen flickered again, showing Dark clenching his fists, his defiance palpable even through the distance. Cosmic's voice grew heavier, laden with resolve.
Cosmic: (quietly) The curse doesn't just conceal my power. It suppresses my hatred. My rage. When it fades completely, I will no longer be myself. I will become... The End. The one who will erase this verse, as Shou decreed. But not yet.
He leaned forward slightly, his golden eyes narrowing as he stared deeper into the screen.
Cosmic: (softly) Not until you're ready, Dark. Not until you can face me. Fight me. Defeat me.
The shadow on his arm pulsed again, darker and more insidious. Cosmic grimaced, his golden aura flaring violently, pushing the curse back momentarily.
Cosmic: (quietly) You don't know it yet, but everything you are, everything you've endured, has led to this. One day, you will stand against me. And when that day comes, you'll either save this verse... or die trying.
He sat back in his throne, his gaze fixed on the screen as the image of Dark shifted again, showing him standing amidst his allies, his expression fierce.
Cosmic: (softly) Please, Dark. Be the one. Be the one who can stop me.
The void around him rippled faintly, the colors dimming as the shadows encroached further. Cosmic's expression darkened, his voice dropping to a whisper.
Cosmic: (softly) The curse fades. My time is running out. But yours, Dark... yours is just beginning.
End Of Arc 4 Chapter 7