The Empire was alive.
In only a few days, what had been ruins was now a city of black stone and living shadow. Towers stretched higher than the horizon, etched with glowing veins of runes. Obsidian streets spread outward like rivers, carrying the flow of a people who worked as one.
Hollows marched silently, bearing beams larger than any man could carry, placing them with perfect precision. Shadows in their armor carved foundations, their movements timed like a single heartbeat. Champions walked among the people, teaching, guiding, and building. Children ran through the courtyards without fear, their laughter ringing where screams had echoed not long ago.
At the highest balcony of the grand hall, Dark stood watching. His cloak shifted in the cold wind, eyes locked on the sight below.
A Hollow appeared behind him, kneeling instantly.
Hollow: Emperor.
Dark: Speak.
Hollow: A child waits at the southern gate. Alone.
Dark: Alone?
The Hollow hesitated. Shadows never hesitated.
Dark turned his head slightly.
Dark: But what?
The Hollow's voice dropped, faint as if the words themselves feared being spoken.
Hollow: The very air bends for him. Emperor... the world kneels.
Dark's gaze narrowed.
Dark: Bring him.
The Hollow vanished.
Moments later, the southern gate opened.
And everything stopped.
The workers froze. Hollows dropped to both knees. Shadows slammed their gauntlets to the stone, armor striking in unison. Champions themselves fell, one after another, heads lowered to the ground. The towers groaned, the stone foundations bowing as though the city itself had chosen to kneel.
Dantero was crushed down against the stone, arms shaking just to hold himself off the ground. His grin vanished, eyes wide.
Dantero: (thinking) ...This pressure... it's suffocating...
A boy walked in.
No older than fourteen. Barefoot. Wrapped in plain white cloth, unstained. Black hair with faint silver threads. Eyes of gold — not shining, not glowing, simply golden, like the last trace of sun before the night consumes the sky.
He walked as though none of it mattered. As though the kneeling of an Empire was normal.
He stopped a few paces away from Dark.
Shou: You don't kneel.
Dark's arms remained crossed. His stare unflinching.
Dark: I told Death the same thing. And I'll tell you. I kneel to no one.
Silence fell heavier. Shadows trembled. Even the air seemed to wait for an answer.
Then the boy smiled. A faint, almost childish curve of the lips.
Shou: Good. That is why I came.
The sound alone broke the tension. The suffocating weight loosened, though no one dared rise.
Dantero lifted his head, sweat sliding down his jaw.
Dantero: (thinking) ...What the hell is this kid?...
Dark stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. He kept his voice calm.
Dark: Who are you?
The boy tilted his head, strands of dark hair falling over his golden eyes. When he spoke, the words were simple.
Shou: I am Shou.
For the briefest moment, Dark's eyes widened. His chest tightened — not from fear of death, but the raw gravity of the truth standing in front of him. He controlled it quickly, his expression flattening again, but Dantero had noticed.
Dantero: (thinking) ...No way. Even Dark flinched...
The Hollows around them dropped instantly, kneeling without a sound. Shadows followed, entire lines of black-armored figures lowering to the stone. The Champions themselves bent down, their breaths unsteady. Dantero tried to resist, teeth gritted, but his body gave way, forcing him to one knee.
Dantero: Damn it...
Only Dark remained standing.
Shou's eyes lingered on him, curious, almost warm.
Shou: You still don't kneel.
Dark: I said it before. I kneel to no one.
A faint smile crossed Shou's lips.
Shou: Good. Then nothing has changed.
Dantero blinked, his body trembling under the invisible pressure.
Dantero: (thinking) ...Nothing's changed? Wait, he... he knows him?
Dark exhaled softly.
Dark: Didn't expect you to show up here.
Shou: I've been watching. Quietly. You've done well.
Dark's brow furrowed slightly.
Dark: ...Watching?
Shou: Always. I see every rise, every fall, every scar you've carried. And still, you stand.
He took a small step forward, and the pressure in the air lightened just enough for Dantero to gasp in a full breath. The Shadows and Hollows still bowed, but the crushing weight eased.
Shou: I came to greet you. Nothing more.
Dark's gaze softened just a fraction.
Dark: ...You chose to come as a child.
Shou gave a quiet laugh — not mocking, but gentle.
Shou: My true form would end this world just by existing. This way, I can sit... and talk.
Dantero finally looked up, sweat running down his temple.
Dantero: So you're telling me... the most powerful being in existence... is a kid?
Shou glanced at him, smiling faintly.
Shou: For now.
Dantero: ...Yeah. Okay. Totally normal.
Dark's lips curved just slightly, almost a smile.
Dark: Then sit. You came to talk, right?
Shou nodded once.
Shou: Yes. Let's talk, Emperor.
The pressure eased further, enough for Dantero to pull himself up onto both feet, though his legs still felt like lead. The Shadows and Hollows stayed on their knees. The Champions bowed their heads low, waiting for a command that didn't come.
Dark turned slightly, gesturing with his hand. The balcony they stood on reshaped itself, shadows bending into a smooth table and three chairs. Nothing extravagant — just enough.
Dark: Sit.
Shou stepped forward and took a seat with the ease of a boy walking into his own home. Dantero hesitated before dropping into the chair opposite, still keeping his eyes on the "kid." Dark sat last, his gaze steady, never wavering.
For a moment, silence. Just the faint sound of the wind brushing through the high towers of the Dark Empire below.
Dantero: ...So. Uh. Shou.
He said the name carefully, like speaking it might break him in half.
Dantero: What exactly... do you want to talk about?
Shou rested his elbows lightly on the table, chin in his hands. His expression wasn't distant, or divine. It was calm. Human, even.
Shou: About you. About this place. About where it's going.
Dark: You've seen enough to know.
Shou: I've seen the stone. The steel. The blood. But I wanted to see the man.
Dark didn't answer. He only leaned back, eyes locked on Shou's.
Shou: You've built something rare, Dark. No chains. No crowns. Just will. And people follow it. Not because they fear you. Because they believe.
Dantero glanced at Dark.
Dantero: ...Yeah. Can confirm. Been here a day and I already signed up.
Shou's lips curved faintly, amused.
Shou: That's because even the stubborn know truth when they see it.
Dantero raised a brow.
Dantero: ...That supposed to be a compliment?
Shou: If you like.
Dark shifted slightly, voice calm but firmer now.
Dark: You didn't come here just to flatter.
Shou tilted his head.
Shou: No. I came here... because I wanted to meet you properly. Not from above. Not through whispers. But face to face.
Dark: And now that you have?
Shou's golden eyes held his for a long, quiet moment.
Shou: Now I can say it myself. You're ready.
The words lingered, simple and steady. Dantero blinked, looking between them.
Dantero: Ready for what, exactly?
Shou leaned back in his chair, hands folded neatly.
Shou: For what's next.
Dantero: ...Could you maybe not say that like you're about to drop the world on us?
Shou: I won't. Not today. Today, I only came to greet him.
He turned his gaze back to Dark.
Shou: And to tell you... that when the time comes, you will not be alone.
Dark didn't move. Didn't nod. Just breathed in once, slow.
Dark: ...Good to know.
A brief silence followed, not awkward — just full. The kind that didn't need to be filled.
Then, casually, Shou reached for one of the cups that had appeared on the table, steam curling faintly from within. He took a sip.
Shou: Hm. Tea. Not bad.
Dantero blinked.
Dantero: Wait... Shou drinks tea?
Shou gave him a faint smile, not answering.
Shou gave him a faint smile, not answering.
The room shifted. Not with sound. Not with light. With pressure.
Like the air forgot how to move.
A shadow tore open in the corner — ragged, violent, dripping with black flame. Sukojo stepped out. His grin sharp, eyes burning.
Sukojo: ...What is this presence—
He froze.
His pupils widened. His breath hitched.
The grin died on his lips as his gaze landed on the child sitting so casually at the table. The world slowed around him. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. For the first time in longer than memory, Sukojo felt something he didn't understand.
Sukojo: (whispering) ...No...
The slow-motion crackled. His jaw clenched. His hands trembled.
Shou didn't move. Didn't even look at him. Just sipped his tea, golden eyes glinting in the steam.
And then—
Another fracture. White. Clean. A smile before a shape.
Copi stepped through. No sound. No weight. Just there. His head tilted, eyes shining with that unholy glow.
Sukojo turned slowly — painfully slowly — toward him. His expression twisted. Rage. Hatred. A curse half-formed on his lips.
But he didn't speak.
Dark's eyes slid to Sukojo.
Dantero's gaze flicked hard to Copi.
Then Dark looked at Copi.
No words.
Just silence. Thick. Heavy. Awkward. Fear. Confusion.
Copi smiled wider. Too wide. Too still.
Sukojo's breath was rough, his aura twitching against the air as if it wanted to tear reality apart but couldn't.
Dantero's hands curled against the table, veins showing.
Dark said nothing. His eyes were steady, unreadable — but the faintest edge of tension ran beneath.
And through it all, Shou remained seated. Still smiling. Still calm.
Shou: (quietly) Hm. Interesting.
He placed the cup back down, the porcelain ringing softly against the table.
The sound lingered. Too long. Too sharp.
Every gaze in the room was locked. No one breathed.
Then Shou finally spoke.
Shou: Sit.
That was all. One word.
And suddenly—both presences bent.
Sukojo's legs gave before he could stop them, knees cracking against the floor, his head bowing lower than his pride had ever allowed. His hands clawed at the stone, veins standing out along his arms as he tried to fight it—tried to rise—but couldn't. His teeth ground audibly.
Sukojo: (hissing) ...Tch—
Copi didn't kneel. But his smile twitched. The edges faltered. His body tilted slightly, as though even his unnatural frame felt the weight of that one command. His fingers flexed behind his back, nails digging into his own palms.
Dark remained standing.
Unbent.
Unmoving.
Shou's eyes slid to him briefly, as if confirming what he already knew. Then he looked back at the table, pouring himself more tea.
Shou: It has been a long time since this many... troublesome faces... gathered in one place.
Dantero shifted uneasily, his throat tight.
Dantero: (thinking) ...What the hell is happening?
The air didn't move. Not a flicker. Not a breath. Every inch of the hall was pressed under the weight of Shou's presence, even as he sat there with a cup of tea as if nothing in the world could matter less.
Shou finally set the cup down again, the faintest smile resting on his lips.
Shou: You've all grown restless.
His eyes shifted—first to Sukojo.
Shou: You thought this was a call to battle.
Sukojo's jaw tightened. His shoulders trembled. He wanted to speak—demand, snarl, fight—but when those eyes landed on him, the words died. He swallowed hard, sweat beading down his neck.
Then Shou turned to Copi.
Shou: And you... still pretending the mask is real.
For the first time in what felt like eternity, Copi's grin faltered. Just a fraction. His teeth pressed together, the smile tightening instead of stretching.
Copi: (softly) You still speak as if you know me.
Shou: I don't need to speak. I made you.
Dark's eyes widened—just for a moment. A flicker. He didn't miss the way Copi's grin twitched again, as if that single statement carried enough truth to break him.
Shou looks at the camera, at you, reader, yes you.
Shou: To Be Continued.
End Of Arc 6 Chapter 21.