The night had reached its deepest hour.
Darkness covered the kingdom like a funeral shroud, and beneath it countless battles raged across the burning streets. Steel clashed against steel. Prisoners roared with madness while knights fought desperately to hold the line. Flames consumed houses, painting the sky crimson, and smoke rose like black pillars toward the heavens. It was a night that seemed determined to devour the entire kingdom.
Yet amidst all that chaos, a single spark of light rose against the darkness.
Ironically, it was not one of the kingdom's heroes.
Not a knight.
Not a royal.
Not even the protagonist of this story.
It was the very man who had once been destined to kill the princess.
Cilard.
Fate had given him the role of a villain. A blade meant to pierce the heart of a kingdom. Yet fate had been disrupted the moment he encountered the creator of his world. Zeo had entered the story intending to kill him, but that encounter had changed something neither of them fully understood.
And now, instead of hunting Ash...
Cilard stood between him and death.
The blood-covered prisoner slowly tilted his head, staring at the newcomer with unsettling curiosity. His smile widened until it looked almost painful.
"Tell me..." he said softly. "Do you bleed too? What color is it?"
Disgust flashed across Cilard's face.
He looked at the man as though he were staring at filth.
"The same color as your family."
For a moment, silence hung in the air.
Then the prisoner burst into laughter.
A twisted, delighted laugh.
"Then I know exactly what color it is. After all..."
His grin stretched wider.
"I was the one who opened them up to see."
Something snapped inside Ash.
Fear vanished.
Not completely.
But enough.
Enough for rage to take its place.
His trembling hands clenched around the dagger until his knuckles turned white.
"Killing your own family..."
His voice shook.
"...you're nothing but a monster!"
With a furious shout, he charged.
Cilard blinked.
A moment ago the boy had been frozen with terror.
Now he was running toward a nightmare.
The prisoner laughed and lunged forward, his sword piercing through the air like a serpent seeking prey. But Ash's eyes were locked on his movements. He remembered every lesson his body had learned through pain.
The shoulders move first.
Then the hips.
Then the strike.
At the final moment, Ash lowered his body.
The blade passed above his head.
And he stepped inside the attack.
Thrust.
The dagger sank into flesh.
Blood erupted into the air.
Red.
Warm.
Human.
Ash froze.
For the first time in his life, he had stabbed someone.
For the first time, he had truly wounded a monster.
Yet the thing standing before him did not scream.
It smiled.
A horrible smile.
An inhuman smile.
A smile that belonged to something wearing a man's skin.
Fear flooded back into Ash's body.
The prisoner raised his sword.
Death descended.
But before it could arrive, a figure flashed between them.
Metal collided with steel.
Cilard blocked the attack effortlessly.
With a powerful kick, he launched the prisoner backward, sending him crashing through a broken wall.
The prisoner rolled to his feet.
His expression twisted with frustration.
"Why?!"
He screamed like a spoiled child.
"I was about to taste his blood! Couldn't you wait your turn?"
Dark energy exploded from his body.
His aura surged.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
"Fine!" he roared. "I'll kill you first!"
Cilard remained completely emotionless.
His gaze shifted briefly toward Ash.
"Do you know how to deal with people like this?"
Ash remained silent.
Cilard smirked.
"Watch carefully."
Slowly, he drew his twin daggers.
Green light flowed from his body.
At first it resembled mist.
Then it became a raging river of energy.
The prisoner launched himself into the sky and unleashed three devastating attacks simultaneously.
The air screamed.
The ground shattered.
But Cilard did not retreat.
Instead, he leaped upward.
Directly toward the attacks.
The green aura around him expanded.
A dragon's silhouette emerged from the light.
Massive claws.
Towering scales.
Ancient fury.
"Dragon Claw."
The dragon roared.
The sky trembled.
And the attack descended.
The prisoner's expression changed for the first time.
Fear.
Boom.
The explosion illuminated half the kingdom.
Ash shielded his eyes.
When the smoke cleared...
Nothing remained.
Only drifting ash.
The battle was over.
Cilard landed silently on the broken street.
The power of that attack had been enough to overwhelm even the damage barrier protecting the kingdom.
Ash stared.
Wonder filled his eyes.
Power.
The power needed to protect.
The power needed to save.
The power needed to change fate.
For the first time, he understood why people sought strength.
Yet Cilard looked dissatisfied.
His daggers slid back into their sheaths.
His expression remained cold.
"Still not enough..."
His voice was barely a whisper.
"Can I even catch up to him?"
Then—
A shockwave rolled across the city.
Both of them turned.
The source came from the direction of the main street.
Ash's eyes widened.
"What was that?"
A chill ran down Cilard's spine.
Memories surfaced.
A young man.
White eyes.
Impossible power.
A creator who should not have existed.
Zeo.
Cilard's gaze sharpened.
"Wait here."
Without another word, he vanished toward the center of the kingdom.
Toward the place where monsters were fighting.
Toward the place where fate itself was breaking.
Meanwhile—
Inside the Mirror World.
Death stood frozen.
"Mirror World?"
His expression darkened.
"Why?"
Across from him, Zeo stepped backward.
Or rather...
The body that looked like Zeo.
Because Death could tell something was wrong.
The aura felt different.
The presence felt different.
Then those cold words reached his ears.
"Before we kill you..."
The figure stared directly into his eyes.
"...tell me. Were you the one who interfered with the Seventh Creator Test?"
Death narrowed his eyes.
So that was it.
He immediately understood.
The fairy.
The fairy was controlling the body.
But why?
Was this some kind of trap?
Still, he answered.
"Ah."
A grin appeared.
"Yes. That was me."
His eyes became mocking.
"Why? Did you know him?"
His smile widened.
"That coward ran away a long time ago."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The killing intent surrounding Zeo's body deepened.
"Then..."
The voice became colder than ice.
"...I suppose I should avenge him as well."
Death remained silent.
But inwardly, confusion continued growing.
Why create this world?
Why trap him here?
What exactly were they planning?
Deep within Zeo's consciousness, Razya stood before him.
Her expression was unusually serious.
"Will you really be alright?"
Her voice carried concern.
"You already failed once."
Images of the past surfaced.
Captain Shin.
The man who had saved him.
"If we fail this time..."
Her gaze trembled slightly.
"...your entire world will be erased."
But surprisingly...
There was no hesitation in Zeo's eyes.
Not this time.
"If I die here..."
His fists clenched.
"My imaginary world disappears anyway."
His gaze burned.
"This is our last chance."
A terrifying determination entered his voice.
"I'll kill this bastard."
Razya stared at him silently.
Then finally nodded.
"Very well."
A faint smile appeared.
"I'll return control."
She extended her hand.
"But I'm helping."
Zeo smiled.
A genuine smile.
"Thank you for everything, Razya."
The moment she heard those words...
Pain filled her chest.
Regret.
Guilt.
Memories she wished she could erase.
She lowered her eyes.
"I should be the one apologizing..."
Then she forced a smile.
"Let's survive first."
The next moment—
Zeo opened his eyes.
Back inside the Mirror World.
Death was still observing his surroundings cautiously.
Watching.
Waiting.
Searching for an escape.
Then Zeo smiled.
"You look scared."
Death snorted.
"Death fears no one."
"We'll see."
Zeo slowly raised one finger.
Death frowned.
Confusion appeared in his eyes.
Then Zeo remembered.
A memory.
Captain Shin standing before him.
"Remember."
Shin's calm voice echoed through time.
"My element consumes tremendous stamina."
His gaze became serious.
"If you use it..."
He tapped Zeo's forehead.
"...focus on what you're drawing."
Back in the present—
Zeo focused everything onto his fingertip.
A tiny spark appeared.
Small.
Insignificant.
Yet unmoving.
The atmosphere twisted.
Death's eyes widened.
"No..."
Cold sweat appeared.
"No one learns his techniques this fast."
Then another terrifying thought surfaced.
Who was the true genius?
The man who created the technique?
Or the monster who mastered it this quickly?
The spark grew.
The air distorted around it.
Reality screamed.
Death's instincts exploded.
He looked around desperately.
No matter.
He only needed four more seconds.
Four seconds to escape.
Then—
CRACK.
He looked upward.
The spark was gone.
Something far worse had replaced it.
Winds exploded outward.
Temperature surged beyond reason.
Buildings melted.
The streets liquefied.
The sky itself ignited.
Hell had descended.
Flames consumed everything.
Zeo's arm burned black.
His flesh cracked apart.
Only Razya's healing kept him alive.
Then Zeo looked at the inferno.
And fear struck him.
Because he finally understood.
This was the same position Shin once stood in.
The same terrifying power.
The same loneliness.
The same burden.
His body trembled.
Then another memory surfaced.
"If you master even one of my techniques..."
Shin's voice echoed.
"...you'll become stronger than most Creators."
A pause.
Then—
"More dangerous, too."
Zeo stared at the burning world.
"Dangerous..."
He breathed slowly.
"If that's what it takes to protect them..."
His eyes hardened.
"...then I'll become a monster."
Another wave erupted.
BOOOOOOM!
The ground collapsed.
Everything sank into a sea of fire.
Death attempted to escape.
Then suddenly froze.
His face turned pale.
Because he sensed something.
Someone.
Outside the Mirror World.
A presence.
A familiar presence.
"No..."
Fear appeared for the first time.
"Why is he here?"
His breathing became uneven.
"I can't let him see me."
He looked toward Zeo.
"Damn it."
Then turned and ran.
"I'll come back later!"
The Mirror World began breaking apart.
Cracks spread across reality.
Zeo released the gathered power.
A wave of destruction surged forward.
Everything in its path vanished.
Metal melted instantly.
Stone evaporated.
Even the air burned.
Death's scream disappeared beneath the inferno.
Then silence came.
Zeo finally exhaled.
But the power remained.
Still growing.
Still consuming.
Razya's voice sounded beside him.
"He's gone."
Then she looked at the apocalypse surrounding them.
"...now how are you going to stop this?"
Zeo remembered another lesson.
Shin's warning.
"You'll probably manage to draw some of it."
His master's voice echoed.
"But that's not the hard part."
The memory smiled bitterly.
"The hard part is getting rid of it afterward."
Zeo laughed weakly.
"Master was right."
The power devoured everything.
The world.
The ground.
The sky.
Even him.
His skin burned.
His clothes turned to ash.
Blood flowed from his eyes.
Then his nose.
Then his ears.
"I can't control it anymore."
Razya pushed herself to the limit trying to save him.
"If this continues..."
Her voice trembled.
"...we'll die to our own power."
Then—
The collapsing Mirror World suddenly froze.
The flames stopped moving.
The cracks stopped spreading.
Even the destructive power Zeo could no longer control became still.
Then footsteps echoed.
Only then does Shin appeared.
His face remained completely emotionless.
Without warning, he appeared before Zeo.
"What?"
Zeo stared in disbelief.
Shin grabbed him by the collar.
"That's enough for today, kid."
His voice was calm.
"Leave this mess to me."
Then—
He threw Zeo out of the collapsing Mirror World.
Like throwing a child away from danger.
Shin turned toward the place where Death had vanished.
His eyes narrowed.
"Really dead?"
Silence.
Then he sighed.
"I'll worry about that later."
The monstrous power continued trying to break into Zeo's world.
Shin rolled his shoulders.
"First..."
His gaze became sharp.
"...let's clean up this disaster."
Meanwhile—
Zeo fell from the sky.
The Mirror World disappeared behind him.
Below...
His kingdom appeared.
Calm.
The fires were controlled.
The prisoners captured.
The battle finally over.
Relief filled his chest.
Then darkness began consuming his vision.
The Creator State shattered.
His glowing hair returned to normal.
The divine aura vanished.
And suddenly—
Two warm arms caught him.
Zeo forced his eyes open.
At first he thought he was dreaming.
Because standing before him was the same girl.
The girl he had seen before.
Again.
And again.
And now...
For the third time.
His blurry vision slowly cleared.
Then his eyes widened.
"Razya...?"
She frowned.
"Don't talk."
Her voice sounded annoyed.
"I'm taking you somewhere safe."
Zeo blinked.
Then blinked again.
Because it really was her.
Not a tiny fairy.
Not a glowing spirit.
But a girl.
A beautiful young woman.
Her wings were gone.
Yet it was undoubtedly her.
"You were..."
His voice weakened.
"...that girl the whole time?"
Razya glared at him.
"What nonsense are you saying?"
Then she looked away.
"We'll discuss it later."
Zeo laughed weakly.
"I think I've had enough surprises for one day."
Above them, the first rays of sunlight appeared.
The long night was ending.
Darkness retreated.
Golden light spread across the kingdom.
Across the streets.
Across the ruins.
Across the people who had survived.
Zeo watched the rising sun through half-open eyes.
A tired smile appeared on his face.
"It's finally morning..."
And for the first time since entering this world...
The dawn felt earned.