Zerath eventually broke the silence, bringing the discussion back to something more concrete. According to him, there was no longer any real reason to wait: they would begin training the very next day, and they would do it together. His proposal was logical, almost obvious given their situation. Hinata nodded after a brief moment of thought, while Kert, lying on the bed, simply raised his hand in approval, without even bothering to sit up.
Despite that, a tension persisted. It wasn't expressed directly, but it was there, diffuse, settled between them. None of them was truly made for teamwork. Each had their own goals, their own priorities.
Yet, one thing now imposed itself as obvious: they could not afford to lose anyone along the way. Dying in that room meant giving up any chance of facing Mo-Zus, and therefore losing the reward that had brought them this far. Even if some of them, deep down, were not particularly inclined to protect the others, they no longer really had a choice. It was no longer a matter of affinity or willingness. It was a necessity. A tacit agreement, fragile, but real.
Elsewhere, far from the deceptive calm of the villa, Bakuzan continued his march, still accompanied by Erasa and Salomeh. The group had grown. Ravena and Neru had joined them, their presence adding an extra density to the already heavy atmosphere surrounding them. And then, as often without warning, he appeared.
Son of God.
His presence resembled no other. An intense light, almost unbearable, radiated around him, as if his very existence refused to be contained by ordinary laws. He did not walk. He was simply there, imposing, silent, until he decided to speak.
— An event is approaching.
His voice was calm, but carried a particular gravity, as if each word had been weighed long before being spoken.
— And I want you to attend.
Bakuzan slightly narrowed his eyes, attentive. Salomeh remained still, while Erasa observed without flinching. Ravena and Neru exchanged a brief glance, without a word.
Son of God continued:
— It is the awakening of Bivisu.
A slight silence followed.
— The shadow of the original gods.
These words seemed to weigh in the air. As if they awakened something ancient.
— At a time when the original gods were not yet capable of manifesting their own avatars… they produced, involuntarily, extensions of themselves. Imperfect projections. Intermediate forms.
He paused.
— Bivisu is this form of all these ex projections channeled.
Another silence.
Bakuzan did not look away.
His mind was already analyzing.
Son of God resumed, slightly more grave:
— What you must understand… as ineffables…
A brief pause.
— Is that what you might consider your natural predator… is about to awaken.
The wind seemed to rise around them.
Ravena frowned slightly.
— Your predator…?
Son of God did not respond immediately.
Then:
— Bivisu was sealed.
A pause.
— By me.
A slight silence.
— Or rather…
His gaze seemed to drift for a moment.
— By himself.
Ravena tilted her head slightly, perplexed.
— How so?
Son of God remained still for a few seconds.
As if he were diving back into a distant memory.
— Bivisu was… close to me.
His voice grew lower.
— Too close.
A brief silence.
— He carried out everything I asked of him. Without hesitation. Without limit.
A pause.
— And that is precisely what made him dangerous.
Bakuzan's gaze hardened slightly.
Son of God continued:
— For the meta-reality… he represented a risk.
A heavier silence.
— So I asked him to put himself on pause.
He slightly raised his head.
— Himself.
A faint breath passed through the group.
— For several billion years.
Time seemed to stretch.
— The limit I had set is approaching.
His voice became calm again.
— About two hundred years.
Ravena crossed her arms.
— So… he hasn't awakened yet.
— Not yet.
A brief silence.
— But it won't be long.
Salomeh spoke, stepping slightly forward:
— And you want us to confront him… before that?
Son of God gently nodded.
— Yes.
— Why?
She held his gaze.
— You said he obeyed you.
A silence.
— Then why not do it yourself?
The light around Son of God seemed to flicker imperceptibly.
He lowered his head slightly.
— I can.
A brief silence.
— But it would be pointless.
He slowly raised his eyes again.
— Bivisu does not act by will.
His words fell, sharp.
— He acts… because he must act.
The wind stopped.
— That is his nature.
A deep silence settled.
— And unless something… or someone…
A slight pause.
— Makes him understand that what he once protected no longer exists…
His gaze swept over the group.
— He will never stop.
This was only an omen.
The future held far greater upheavals for them, between the arrival of Bivisu and the mysteries buried within Mo-Zus's training room.
The next day, as agreed, Hinata, Zerath, and Kert stood before the immense entrance to the training room, doing a few stretches in a silence heavy with tension.
Beside the door, a guard wearing glasses waited, motionless, ready to open access. A second man stepped toward them, handing them a waiver to sign.
According to the warnings written on it, what lay inside was dangerous enough to cost them their lives.
Hinata exchanged a glance with Zerath and Kert.
None of them said a word.
Then, with a simple nod, they each signed in turn.
Nothing seemed capable of slowing their pursuit of power and evolution.
The guard quickly checked the signatures before turning his eyes toward his colleague.
A brief nod was enough.
The other immediately understood and pressed a button embedded in the wall.
With a metallic rumble, the immense door of the training room slowly opened.
Hinata exhaled softly. A light vapor escaped from her mouth.
Things were finally about to begin.
Behind her, Kert and Zerath also wore determined expressions, ready to face the unknown… even the worst.
When they entered the room, the door immediately closed behind them with a dull sound.
Despite that, they remained calm.
A few seconds later, a second door opened at the far end of the room.
The three then moved forward through a long narrow corridor before arriving at a strange place.
A forest.
Or at least… something that strongly resembled one.
The wind gently moved the trees while the smell of damp grass lingered in the air.
Hinata frowned.
— Is this… a forest?
Kert stretched slowly before smiling.
— Hm… I think we should avoid trusting appearances, right?