Somewhere in the Black Fang Kingdom—
The wind moved restlessly through the barren land, carrying a strange, uneasy silence.
Ezekiel stood still.
His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, his presence calm—but alert.
Something was off.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment… sensing.
Then—
His eyes snapped open.
"…Something isn't right," he muttered under his breath.
A faint tension crept into his expression.
"…Something bigger is about to happen."
He turned slightly, his voice firm and commanding.
"Soldiers… they must still be here. Search for them."
The soldiers standing behind him immediately straightened.
"Yes, sir!"
Without wasting a second, they scattered across the area, beginning their search.
Ezekiel remained where he stood, his gaze distant—
As if trying to grasp something just beyond reach.
Deep beneath the castle…
The underground prison remained as suffocating as ever.
"You there!" the prisoner shouted.
"Do you know a man named Kurayami?!"
"Bring him to me…!"
"…He's my son!"
Silence fell instantly.
Kurayami's eyes widened slightly.
Something about those words—
Felt wrong.
He stood still for a moment…
Then slowly turned back.
"…What?"
Without hesitation, he stepped closer to the prison cell, his presence growing colder with each step.
He stopped right in front of the bars.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Kurayami demanded sharply.
From within the darkness—
The prisoner stepped forward.
Chains dragged along the ground with a harsh metallic sound.
The flickering torchlight revealed his face.
Worn.
Scarred.
But his eyes—
Burning.
The moment he saw Kurayami clearly—
He froze.
"…Those eyes…" he whispered.
His expression shifted—shock, disbelief… and something deeper.
Recognition.
"You are Akio… aren't you?"
A pause.
"…Akio… my son."
The air grew heavy.
Kurayami's expression darkened instantly.
"Akio?" he snapped. "What the hell are you saying?"
His voice rose.
"Who the hell is Akio? And what did you just say about your son?"
The prisoner stepped closer, gripping the bars tightly.
"My son… is Akio," he said, his voice trembling.
A breath.
"But he's been used by the King… given a different name…"
His eyes locked onto Kurayami.
"…Kurayami."
Silence.
Tension exploded in the air.
Kurayami's eyes widened.
"Used…?" he repeated slowly.
His voice carried both anger and disbelief.
"Why should I believe you?" he demanded.
"Why are you imprisoned?"
"Who… am I?"
The prisoner's expression broke completely.
Tears filled his eyes.
"…So it's right…" he whispered.
"You really are my son… Akio…"
His voice trembled.
"Save me… please… get me out of here…"
His hands tightened around the bars.
"The King… he… he's the one…"
His breath shook.
"…He's the one who killed your mother."
Silence.
Everything stopped.
Kurayami froze.
No words came out.
His eyes widened again—deeper this time.
Moments passed in complete silence.
Then—
"…My mom…?" Kurayami whispered.
His voice was barely audible.
"What… are you talking about…?"
The prisoner nodded weakly, tears falling down his face.
"You were just born…" he said.
"And the King… killed your mother."
Kurayami's expression hardened again—but the shock remained.
"…Why?" he asked.
A pause.
"…And why should I trust you?"
His voice rose again, sharper now.
"What the hell happened?!"
The prisoner shook his head desperately.
"Save me from here!" he pleaded.
"The King locked me away… he killed your mother—my wife!"
His voice broke.
"He destroyed our beautiful family…"
His grip tightened around the bars.
"If you still don't trust me…" he said, forcing the words out—
"…Ask the King."
A pause.
"…Ask him—who Kanon is."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Then—
"Now release me… Akio…" the prisoner begged.
"…My son…"
Kurayami stood still.
Slowly—
His expression returned to cold.
Controlled.
But something inside him—
Was no longer steady.
"I'll come back," he said quietly.
"…After I get my answers from him."
He turned.
And began walking away.
"Hey—WAIT!" the prisoner shouted desperately, chains clattering loudly.
"Akio!!"
"Get me out of here!!"
But Kurayami didn't stop.
His footsteps echoed through the dark corridor—
Leaving behind the desperate cries of a man…
Who called him son.
The throne room was quiet.
Too quiet.
At the center of it all, the King sat upon his throne, posture relaxed, a cup in hand. He sipped slowly, as if the world outside held no urgency.
"…Hey," he called lazily.
The soldiers standing nearby straightened instantly.
"Did anyone find any leads on the enemies?"
One soldier stepped forward and bowed.
"No, Your Majesty."
The King's expression tightened slightly.
"What's taking them so long…?"
The soldier stiffened, tension creeping into his voice.
"I—I will look into it immediately, Your Majesty."
But before he could move—
The massive doors creaked open.
A cold presence filled the room.
Kurayami.
He walked in slowly.
Silent.
The air itself seemed to grow heavier with each step he took.
The King raised an eyebrow, setting his drink aside.
"What brings you here, Kurayami?" he asked casually.
Then his gaze sharpened slightly.
"…You don't look so well. Did you find something about the enemies?"
Silence.
Then—
In the next instant—
Kurayami spoke.
"Who's Kanon?"
His voice was cold.
Sharp enough to cut through the entire hall.
The King froze.
The cup slipped from his hand—
Spilling across the floor.
His heartbeat spiked violently.
Sweat formed instantly on his temple.
His fingers trembled.
"W-What are you talking about, Kurayami…?" he stuttered.
"I don't understand what you're saying…"
Before the words could even settle—
Kurayami moved.
A blur.
In a single instant—
His blade was at the King's neck.
Cold steel pressed against skin.
The entire room froze.
"Then why are you sweating?" Kurayami asked quietly.
His eyes—
Cold.
Deadly.
"Who am I?" he continued.
"What's going on?"
"Who's that prisoner?"
The King's breathing became uneven.
"O-Oi… Kurayami… what are you doing?" he said, trying to steady himself.
"Calm down…"
The soldiers reacted.
Weapons drawn.
They rushed forward—
But—
Slash.
In a single motion—
Kurayami cut them down.
One strike.
Clean.
Effortless.
Their bodies fell before they could even react.
Blood spread across the polished floor.
The King watched—
Frozen.
His throat tightened.
He gulped.
"W-Well…" he forced out, his voice shaking.
"If you're talking about that prisoner… he's just a madman."
"He makes up stories… nonsense…"
Kurayami didn't move.
Didn't blink.
His sword remained pressed against the King's neck—
Ready to end him at any moment.
His gaze never changed.
Cold.
Unforgiving.
The King's composure shattered completely.
"W-Wait…!" he said quickly.
"I'll tell you the truth! Just—don't kill me!"
The tension in the room skyrocketed.
Kurayami's voice came again—
Low.
Commanding.
"…Then answer."
The King swallowed hard.
"…Yes… it's true," he said.
"Kanon… is your mother."
A pause.
"She was a kind… beautiful woman…"
His voice trembled slightly.
"But the one who killed her…"
He hesitated—
"…was your father."
Silence.
Kurayami's grip tightened slightly.
"That's why he's locked in the prison," the King continued quickly.
"He was a sick bastard… always drunk… always hurting your mother…"
His breathing grew uneven.
"After he killed her… I imprisoned him for life in that darkness…"
A pause.
"…And I took you in."
"Raised you."
"Made you my disciple."
The words echoed in the hall.
But something inside Kurayami—
Cracked.
His eyes trembled.
"…What…?" he whispered.
His voice broke.
Confusion.
Pain.
Rage.
Everything mixed together.
Tears began to form.
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!" he shouted.
"Who's real?! Who's lying?!"
"DAMMIT!!"
His voice echoed violently through the throne room.
The King watched—
Fear turning into opportunity.
At that exact moment—
Two figures appeared at the entrance.
Their presence alone shifted the air.
Minister Mikel Silvestre.
Knight Drake.
The King's eyes widened in relief.
"Mikel! Drake!" he shouted, almost desperately.
"You came at the right time!"
He pointed toward Kurayami, panic and fear mixing in his voice.
"This bastard is trying to kill his own king!"
"Finish him!"
Kurayami's eyes widened again.
Shock.
Betrayal.
The words struck deep.
For a split second—
Everything inside him snapped.
Without hesitation—
He raised his sword.
And swung—
Aimed to behead the King.
But—
CLANG!
Steel clashed—
And the throne room froze in a deadly silence.
Mikel's blade held Kurayami's strike in place, their swords locked inches from the King's throat.
Mikel's gaze hardened.
"…What do you think you're doing, Kurayami?"
His voice was calm—
But heavy.
Dangerous.
From the side, Drake let out a low chuckle, a menacing grin spreading across his face.
"Heh… seems like something serious is going on here."
The King, still shaken, quickly regained his composure—fear twisting into anger.
"Kill him, Mikel!" he shouted.
"He drew his sword against his own king!"
Mikel's eyes didn't leave Kurayami.
"…It's really hard to raise a blade against one of our own," he said quietly.
A pause.
"But if you've broken the rule…"
His grip tightened.
"…then you must face the consequences."
"…Right, Kurayami?"
The air between them trembled.
Meanwhile — Outside the Castle
The sun hung low as Haruto walked through the castle grounds, hands loosely at his side, a faint smile still lingering from his time away.
"…Man," he muttered, stretching his shoulders slightly.
"Back to reality, huh…"
Just then—
A soldier sprinted past him in a hurry.
Haruto raised a brow.
"Hey," he called out casually. "Where are you running in such a hurry?"
The soldier skidded to a halt, turning quickly.
"Oh—Captain Haruto!"
He saluted hurriedly, breath uneven.
"It's Captain Kurayami—!"
Haruto blinked.
"What about him?"
The soldier swallowed.
"It's said that Captain Kurayami tried to eliminate the King! Something's happening inside the throne room—soldiers have been called as backup!"
Silence.
Haruto's smile vanished.
"…What?" he said slowly.
His eyes widened.
"What the hell did I just hear…?"
A step back.
"No way…"
His voice dropped.
"…There's no way he'd do that."
Without another word—
He bolted.
Rushing toward the throne room at full speed.
Back in the Throne Room
The King suddenly burst into laughter.
Loud.
Twisted.
"…HAHAHAHA!"
The sound echoed across the hall, sending chills through the air.
"Since you're going to die anyway…" he said, his voice dripping with madness—
"I might as well tell you the truth."
Kurayami's eyes narrowed.
"…What?"
The King's grin widened.
"That damn bitch… Kanon…"
A pause—
"…was killed… by me."
Silence.
Then—
"Hahahahaha!"
The laughter grew louder.
Crueler.
"But your father wasn't any better," the King continued mockingly.
"That scum tried to sell her to me."
His eyes gleamed.
"But since I couldn't get my hands on her…"
He leaned forward slightly.
"…I killed her."
Something inside Kurayami snapped.
His eyes widened—
Pure rage flooding through them.
"You… fucker!!"
In an instant—
He moved.
A blur of killing intent.
His blade shot straight toward the King's neck—
But—
CLANG!
Mikel blocked him again.
Steel screamed against steel.
"Move!" Kurayami roared.
"I'm going to kill him!"
His voice shook with rage.
"Get the hell out of my way, Mikel!!"
Mikel's expression remained firm.
"…It's my duty to protect the King."
His voice was unwavering.
"So if you're a threat to him…"
His grip tightened.
"…then I have no choice."
A pause.
"…Sorry, Kurayami."
BOOM—
Their swords clashed again.
This time—
Mikel overpowered him.
Kurayami was forced backward, his feet sliding across the ground from the impact.
Before he could recover—
Mikel stepped forward.
Fast.
Precise.
Deadly.
His blade cut through the air—
Aimed to finish it in one strike.
But—
CLANG!!
Another blade intercepted it.
The impact rang loudly through the hall.
Mikel's eyes widened slightly.
"…What are you doing…?"
A pause.
"…Haruto?"
Standing between them—
Sword raised.
Breathing steady.
Haruto.
Haruto stood firm, his blade still locked against Mikel's.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"…Seems like something happened while I was gone, huh," he said casually.
His grip tightened slightly.
"Well… I won't let you guys kill him."
Mikel's eyes narrowed.
"Do you really think you can defeat us, Haruto?"
Haruto let out a small breath, his smile not fading.
"I know we can't defeat you," he replied honestly.
A pause.
"But if you try something on us…"
His tone dropped slightly.
"…I might have to use it."
Silence.
Mikel's gaze sharpened.
Haruto continued—
"You know, right? If I use it now… the entire castle will be destroyed."
His eyes shifted slightly toward the throne.
"…Even the King would die."
The King's face twisted in anger and panic.
"What are you doing, Haruto?!" he shouted.
"Why are you protecting that bastard?!"
Haruto didn't respond.
Behind him—
Kurayami, still shaken, stared at him.
"…Why are you—?" he began.
But before he could finish—
Mikel spoke.
"Haruto."
His voice was calm, but heavy.
"I don't want to lose two of our important soldiers."
A pause.
"I'll give you one chance."
His eyes locked onto Haruto.
"…Turn back."
Haruto closed his eyes for a brief moment—
Then smiled again.
"…Sorry."
"I'll have to refuse."
Silence.
Mikel slowly drew his sword.
"…Then if that's how you want it."
His voice turned cold.
"You won't be able to use it."
A step forward.
"If you do… you will not only cause destruction here in the castle…"
His gaze hardened.
"…it can also cause damage to the people and children outside the castle."
"Tsk…" Haruto clicked his tongue.
The tension snapped.
Mikel moved.
In an instant—
He was in front of them.
Fast.
Overwhelming.
Haruto and Kurayami both raised their blades—
CLANG! CLANG!
They tried to block—
But the force behind Mikel's strikes was monstrous.
Too strong.
Too fast.
SLASH—
Both of them were thrown back, cuts forming across their bodies.
They crashed against the floor, struggling to regain balance.
Mikel stepped forward slowly, his presence suffocating.
"I told you…" he said calmly.
"…it's pointless."
"You can't defeat us."
Haruto gritted his teeth, blood dripping from his arm.
(What the hell do we do now…?) he thought.
(There's no way to escape from this monster…)
The air grew still.
Heavy.
And then—
A shift.
A presence.
A cut—
—THUD.
Something rolled across the floor.
Silence.
The King's body stood still for a brief second—
Then—
His head fell.
Beheaded.
Blood sprayed across the throne.
Everything stopped.
Mikel's eyes widened.
"…No—"
He turned sharply.
"NOOO!!!"
Shock filled the entire hall.
Haruto froze.
Kurayami's eyes widened in disbelief.
Every soldier stood stunned—
Unable to process what just happened.
Behind the King's lifeless body—
A figure stood.
Drake.
A menacing grin stretched across his face.
Blood dripping from his blade.
At the same moment—
Two more presences entered.
Calm.
Deadly.
"…Took you some time," Gara said with a faint smirk.
Behind him—
Haido stood silently.
They had returned.
Mikel's expression twisted with fury and disbelief.
"…What have you done…?"
His voice shook—
Not with fear—
But rage.
"DRAKE!!!"