The old man arranged seven chairs in a circle, wiped the table one last time, and opened the door. Evening rain tapped softly against the windows while a lantern flickered above his head.
He folded his arms proudly.
"Finally," he muttered. "A peaceful reunion."
The door creaked open.
Ikiro Sanim walked in first.
He looked around the empty room and grinned.
"Wow, I'm first. Looks like the legendary Blue Emperor is the most punctual member of Devil Horns."
He dropped onto a chair and stretched his legs.
A few moments later, Katsa entered. Her eyes were healed, and for the first time her expression looked calm.
"Hey, Ikiro," she said. "How was your training?"
Ikiro smirked.
"Good. And you? You look like someone finally deleted the nightmares from your brain."
Katsa rolled her eyes.
"Almost."
Before either could say more, the front door opened again.
Michael stepped inside.
The air changed instantly.
He stopped in the doorway, eyes narrowing.
"Do you guys feel that?"
Ikiro and Katsa stood up at once.
A heavy, ancient pressure filled the room.
Then Salim walked in.
A dark mark glowed faintly on his forehead—the Eye of Mahakaal.
The lantern flickered violently.
The old man nearly dropped a cup.
"What in the world is that on your face?!"
Salim sat down casually.
"Long story."
Everyone stared at him in silence.
Then the door burst open again.
Ton rushed inside at full speed, nearly knocking over a chair.
"Move! Move! Move!"
"Why are you running?" Michael asked.
Ton looked around nervously.
"I thought something was chasing me."
"Nothing is chasing you."
Ton paused.
"Oh."
Before anyone could react, the room trembled.
A crimson aura filled the doorway.
Lacod Junyu entered slowly, his red kingly aura trailing behind him like fire.
The old man swallowed hard.
"You people are getting more dangerous every week."
Junyu smiled.
"Missed me?"
The others were about to speak when a deafening roar echoed from outside.
Everyone rushed out.
A gigantic dragon descended from the clouds, its wings cutting through the rain. Lightning flashed behind it.
On its back sat Mil, holding the black blade Yoru no Kiba.
He landed dramatically in the courtyard.
The dragon lowered its head, then dissolved into blue light and vanished into the tattoo on Mil's back.
Silence.
The old man stared at all of them.
Then he screamed,
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO ALL OF YOU?!"
Rain fell quietly.
No one answered.
Junyu burst into laughter.
Ikiro laughed next.
Then Michael.
Then Katsa.
Soon all of them were laughing so hard they could barely stand.
For the first time in weeks, the Devil Horns sounded less like warriors and more like a family.
Junyu wiped a tear from his eye.
"Alright, enough. Everyone tell me the craziest thing that happened during your seven days."
Mil raised his hand proudly.
"I became the King of Dragons."
Ton said flatly,
"I got violated by a lizard."
Salim shrugged.
"I have a third eye now."
Katsa smiled.
"I can smile now."
Michael sighed.
"My wife is my sister."
Ikiro leaned back.
"I became a storyteller."
Junyu crossed his arms proudly.
"I tanked one thousand bombs."
Mil laughed so hard he almost dropped his sword.
"Okay, mine is the only real one."
Junyu pointed at him.
"Mine is real too."
"So is mine," Salim added.
The room went silent.
Junyu blinked.
"Wait… all of that was true?"
Everyone nodded.
Junyu grabbed his head.
"I told you idiots to become stronger, not become legendary!"
Ton lifted his clawed hand.
"By the way, I'm technically part lizard now. Look at this."
Michael immediately pointed at him.
"Can we please go back to the first thing you said? What do you mean a lizard violated you?!"
Salim interrupted.
"Forget him. Did you hear Junyu say he survived a thousand bombs?"
Junyu pointed back.
"Forget me! Did you hear what Ton said?"
"STOP!" Katsa shouted.
Everyone froze.
She took a deep breath.
"We need to calm down and think about what we're doing at the Black Meeting."
Michael nodded.
"She's right. Let's take a break from fighting for ten minutes. Write your new powers on paper and pass them around."
Everyone sat down and started writing.
Junyu glanced at Salim, who was quietly muttering to himself.
Junyu slowly stood up.
"Oh my god…"
Everyone looked up.
"This guy is talking to a ghost!"
Salim slammed his paper on the table.
"IT'S NOT A GHOST! THERE'S AN ENTITY INSIDE MY BODY!"
Junyu waved his hand dismissively.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever helps you sleep at night."
The old man looked around his destroyed living room, the dragon scorch marks outside, the cracked floor from Junyu's aura, Ton's claws scratching the table, and Salim arguing with invisible entities.
He sat down heavily.
"I think all of you forgot something."
Everyone turned toward him.
He pointed at the ceiling.
"THIS IS MY HOUSE!"