One Week Later
[JNN Daily News Broadcast]
"Good morning, Japan! Today, we bring you the most wonderful news we have had in years. It is official: Tokyo and Kyoto are now, finally, at peace. Every single Gate that materialized across both cities has been cleared and stabilized."
The news anchor beamed, her smile genuine and bright.
"It has been a full week since the incidents ceased, yet the identity of the hero or heroes who saved our country remains a mystery. Whoever you are, on behalf of a grateful nation, thank you. That concludes our special report. Stay safe, everyone!"
Iron Fang Guild, Tokyo
"Sir, I knew it! I just knew it!" Kenta shouted, almost bouncing in his seat. "Renji is alive! I told you he would do anything to save the world. That guy is definitely our savior."
Kenta sat comfortably in the Guild Master's office, munching happily on a bag of snacks while watching the broadcast, a soft, proud smile on his face.
Hiroshi paced the room, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He stopped and stared at the television, then shifted his strange, intense gaze to Kenta.
"Hmm. Who exactly are you, Renji Kurozawa?" Hiroshi murmured to himself.
"You entered my guild as a mere E-Rank Hunter. And now this..."
He watched Kenta for a moment longer, the younger hunter completely oblivious to the tension as he reached for another chip.
"Kenta?" Hiroshi called out sharply.
"Yes, sir?"
"Pack your bags. We are going to Kyoto."
Kenta spun around in his chair, a wide, goofy grin instantly stretching across his face.
"Really, sir? You mean it? I'm going to pack right now!"
He dashed out of the office in a blur of excitement. For Kenta, this wasn't about guild business or politics; it was simply a chance to see his friend Renji again.
The Kurozawa Residence, Kyoto
"Shh."
Hikari pressed a finger to her lips, signaling Shinjo to stay quiet. They tiptoed across the living room floor toward the couch where Renji was deep in a nap, exhausted from the week's events.
They reached his side silently. Hikari carefully raised a glass of ice-cold water, positioning it directly over Renji's face. She tilted it slowly.
Just as the water began to fall, Renji's body flickered. He vanished from the couch instantly, reappearing on the adjacent armchair, sitting cross-legged and perfectly dry.
"What exactly do you two think you're doing?" Renji asked, his voice calm but sharp enough to make them both jump.
"Oh, come on, big brother," Shinjo laughed, recovering quickly. "We just wanted to annoy you a little."
Big Brother?
Yes. The explanation for Shinjo's presence in the house began exactly one week ago, in the Hall of Essence.
Flashback: The Hall of Essence
The moment Renji inherited the Abyss Lord System, raw, unchecked energy exploded outward from his body. Just as the shockwave cleared, Shinjo walked into the hall, tears of joy streaming down his face as he looked at the chaotic power swirling around Renji.
"Brother... I finally found you," Shinjo whispered, walking toward Renji, who was struggling to control the surge.
Renji, overwhelmed by the new power, reacted on instinct. He vanished through a void-step, reappearing instantly behind the intruder. He delivered a powerful kick to Shinjo's back, sending the man flying into a stone pillar.
"Wait! Wait! Brother, it's me, Shinjo!" the man shouted, raising his hands defensively.
Renji raised his fist, prepared to deliver a second, likely fatal, blow.
"No! No! Kerry! Kaelith! Diana!" Shinjo yelled the names desperately.
Renji froze. The names of his parents, his real name cut through the haze of his rage.
He lowered his fist, breathing heavily as he looked at the man.
"Who are you?" Renji demanded.
Shinjo stood up, groaning as he dusted the stone debris from his suit. "I am Shinjo. Your younger brother."
Renji flinched, stepping back. "I have a brother?"
"Yes. I am your brother. Our father told me to find you. He always spoke about you and your mother. He missed you both every single day."
Renji's expression darkened. "So, you're telling me my dad cheated on my mother, took another woman, and had you?"
Shinjo smiled, unbothered by the accusation. "Absolutely."
Renji frowned and punched him square in the nose.
"Ouch! Bro, that actually hurt!" Shinjo yelped, clutching his face.
Renji turned and walked away calmly. Shinjo hurried to follow him.
"I visited Dad at the hospital. He's stable now, and he really wants to see you. Also... I came here to save you from the bad people."
Renji stopped and laughed, turning back to face him. "Bad people? Seriously? And who are you to save me?"
Shinjo clenched his fist, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "I inherited my power from our father. I am an A-Rank Hunter. I've saved a lot of lives in Tokyo and overseas when Dad and I went on missions."
Renji chuckled softly. He walked past Shinjo, patting him on the shoulder.
"A-Rank. Not bad, little brother. But from now on, I'm the one who will protect you."
He flashed a wide, confident smile and whispered, "Hold on to me."
"You say what?" Shinjo asked, confused.
"I said, hold onto my shirt!"
Shinjo grabbed the fabric of Renji's hoodie tight.
"Dimensional Anchor," Renji whispered.
The world twisted, and they vanished from the Hall.
And that was how Renji met Shinjo, dragging his newfound younger brother home to be part of his strange, growing family.
----------
Aetheria:
Deep within the luminous caverns of Aetheria, the three Great Sages stood before a shimmering rift in the air. It wasn't a portal for travel, but a window, a scrying glass fixed intently on the movements of one man: Renji Kurozawa.
"Prepare yourselves," one Sage commanded, his voice echoing off the crystal walls. "We must capture this Mortal King and strip him of his soul before he fully ascends."
"Hahaha," another Sage laughed, a cold, resonant sound. "Yes. We will dismantle everything. Even Lord Oni, that wretched Demon King, will fall before us."
The Lords of Aetheria finalized their strategy. They weren't just planning a battle; they were orchestrating an execution. They marked the day on their celestial calendar. The strike would be sudden, and it would be absolute.
Renji felt the weight of the prophecy pressing on his shoulders. He knew the attack wasn't a matter of if, but when.
For weeks, he pushed his body and mind to the breaking point. He spent hours in isolation, struggling to master the chaotic, consuming art of the Voidmancer. He knew that against the Demon Lord, his current strength wouldn't be enough. Lord Oni's power was supreme, a force of nature that Renji had barely survived in a weakened vessel.
Japan, meanwhile, enjoyed a fragile, golden silence. The constant sirens and Gate alarms had stopped. Peace had returned, however briefly. Hunters hung up their weapons, retiring to spend precious time with their families, oblivious to the clock ticking down above their heads.
Renji tried to live in that peace, too. He, Shinjo, and Hikari made frequent trips to the hospital, sitting by Kaelith's bedside. They laughed and talked, reclaiming the years they had lost as a family.
But while the city slept, Renji remained awake. Night after night, he sat in meditation, sweat dripping from his brow. In the silence of his mind, the ancient voice of the Abyss Lord whispered to him, guiding him through the labyrinth of his new powers, showing him the hard, lonely path of becoming a true King.
Then, the atmosphere shifted.
The sky didn't just darken; it turned a bruised, unnatural purple, choking out the sun. Deep in space, astronomers and astronauts watched their monitors in horror. Reports flooded in of six massive cosmic bodies, asteroids the size of cities shifting their trajectory and hurtling straight for Earth.
But it wasn't just rocks.
Enormous, spectral chains materialized in the void of space, whipping through the orbital belt with devastating force. Satellites shattered into debris upon impact. Global networks failed instantly. The internet went dark. The lights of the world flickered and died, plunging civilization into a sudden, terrified blindness.
The wait was over. The time had finally arrived.