The portal rippled once, then collapsed behind him.
The unknown figure stepped into a vast, ruined castle—walls cracked, pillars shattered, the air thick with dust and silence.
Moonlight spilled through broken windows, casting jagged shadows across the stone floor.
Statues lined the hall—faceless, ancient, worn by time.
Near each one stood a cloaked figure, silent and still, like guardians of forgotten truths.
The unknown man strolled, his cloak brushing the ground, golden eyes glowing faintly beneath his mask.
Then—
He saw him.
The golden-eyed killer stood near a collapsed archway, arms folded, long black hair swaying gently in the stale air.
He didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just watched.
The unknown figure chuckled softly.
Unknown Figure: "Oh, you're already here, my friend. What kind of business did you finish so quickly?"
The killer's voice was low, sharp.
Golden-Eyed Killer: "I have no reason to tell you about it."
The unknown man stepped closer, glancing at the silent watchers near the statues.
Unknown Figure (mocking): "Sneaky cat, heh."
A pause.
The killer's eyes narrowed.
Unknown Figure: "So just tell me, my friend—did you finish your business safely?"
The golden-eyed killer tilted his head.
Golden-Eyed Killer: "Well… yeah."
He turned slightly, gaze drifting toward the dark corridor ahead.
Unknown Figure: "I'm glad to know."
The unknown man smirked beneath his mask.
Then, a voice from the shadows broke the silence.
Shadowed Figure: "Silence."
The air inside the ruined castle grew heavier, as if the shadows themselves were holding their breath.
Then—
A voice echoed from the darkness.
Low.
Creepy.
Amused.
A figure stepped into the center of the hall, emerging from the shadows—but still cloaked in darkness. His face couldn't be seen, only the faint outline of his body and the eerie smirk stretching across his lips.
Mysterious Figure: "Well, well, well… have all of you rid yourselves of the errors?"
The room remained silent.
The cloaked watchers near the statues didn't move.
The golden-eyed killer turned slightly, his gaze narrowing.
The unknown figure who had just arrived through the portal stood still, watching.
The presence in the center was different.
Older.
Stronger.
And far more dangerous.
Most of the cloaked figures nodded silently, their faces hidden in shadow, their presence cold and still.
The air remained heavy.
Then—
The mysterious figure in the center glanced down at his wrist, checking a sleek, dark watch embedded with faint red runes.
His smirk faded.
His expression twisted into annoyance.
Mysterious Figure (irritated): "There's still a defect alive."
The words echoed through the ruined hall like a warning.
The golden-eyed killer turned slightly, his gaze sharpening.
The others didn't move.
But the tension in the room shifted.
Something unfinished.
Something left behind.
And someone was about to pay for it.
From the shadows near one of the statues, a voice broke the silence.
Shadowed Figure: "I know where the defect is… he's in my realm."
The mysterious figure in the center turned slowly, his golden eyes gleaming beneath the mask.
A creepy smirk stretched across his face.
Mysterious Figure (darkly amused): "You mean… that defect is in the Ninefold Hell Realm?"
A pause.
The air grew colder.
The cloaked watchers remained still, but tension rippled through the ruined hall like a silent warning.
Something was shifting.
The mysterious figure glanced at the others, then spoke calmly.
Mysterious Figure: "Then there's no need to worry about it."
But the golden-eyed killer didn't stay silent.
His voice was low, sharp.
Golden-Eyed Killer: "It could become an obstacle."
The mysterious figure paused, then slowly turned to face him.
A creepy smirk stretched across his lips.
Mysterious Figure: "Hmm… you're right. But most defects are useless. Their existence is nothing but trash."
He stepped forward, the sound of his boots echoing across the cracked stone.
Mysterious Figure (coldly): "But if that defect becomes an obstacle… then he will surely die in Hell."
A pause.
Then he tilted his head slightly, golden eyes gleaming.
Mysterious Figure: "Right, Raiken?"
The hall fell silent.
The golden-eyed killer—Raiken—didn't respond immediately.
But his eyes narrowed.
And the shadows around him seemed to stir.
The air in the ruined castle was thick with silence.
The mysterious figure stood at the center, surrounded by cloaked watchers and fractured stone.
He turned slowly, golden eyes gleaming beneath his mask.
Mysterious Figure (coldly): "Even if he escapes the Ninefold Hell Realm…"
He paused.
A smirk curled across his lips.
Mysterious Figure: "…he's still in Hell."
The words echoed like a curse.
Final.
Unforgiving.
Then he raised his hand slightly, voice sharp and commanding.
Mysterious Figure: "Now—dismissed. All of you."
The cloaked figures bowed silently.
One by one, they vanished into the shadows.
And the castle was left in silence once more.
Only the broken statues remained.