The night was supposed to be quiet.
For the first time in a long time, Kai, Axel, and Leo had felt something close to safety inside the old house. No sirens. No alarms. No running.
Just silence.
But silence never lasts.
A low hum echoed outside.
Then another.
Then red lights painted the walls.
Axel sat up instantly. "No way…"
Leo was already moving. "They found us."
Kai stood slowly, his expression changing the moment he felt it. Something was wrong. Not just danger—
Finality.
Before anyone could react—
A massive explosion rocked the front of the house.
The walls shook violently. Glass shattered. Dust filled the air.
Kai rushed forward. "UNCLE!"
They ran through the smoke into the living room.
Everything was destroyed.
Burn marks across the walls. Broken furniture everywhere. The front door was gone completely.
And on the floor—
Kai's uncle.
Still.
Kai froze.
"…No."
Axel stepped forward, voice breaking. "He—he tried to protect us…"
Leo checked quickly, already knowing the answer. His silence said everything.
Kai dropped to his knees.
For a moment…
Everything stopped.
No Underlord voice.
No government.
No Dragon.
Just him.
And loss.
His fists trembled. "Why…" he whispered. "He had nothing to do with this…"
Outside, footsteps approached. Calm. Controlled.
A speaker crackled.
"Target confirmed eliminated."
Axel's eyes widened in rage. "They killed him like he was nothing…"
Leo's face darkened. "This wasn't a warning… it was a message."
Kai slowly stood up.
The air around him changed.
Not power. Not yet.
Something worse.
He walked toward the broken doorway.
Rain poured outside. Lights from armored vehicles lit the street like a battlefield.
Government forces stood ready.
A commander stepped forward. "Kai. Surrender. This ends now."
Silence.
Kai didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Then he whispered:
"…You shouldn't have done that."
Axel grabbed his arm. "Kai… don't—"
But Kai stepped forward anyway.
One step.
Then another.
Inside him, something stirred.
Not fully awake…
But angry.
Listening.
The faint red glow returned to his eyes.
Slow. Controlled. Burning.
Leo whispered, "This is going to turn into a massacre…"
Kai looked at the soldiers.
At the weapons.
At the people who took the last safe place he had.
And for the first time…
He didn't try to hold it back.
"…You wanted me alone," Kai said softly.
His voice cracked—but not with sadness.
With rage.
"…Now you've got me."
The wind picked up.
The rain fell harder.
And something inside Kai finally stopped resisting.
The Underlord smiled in the silence.
"…Yes."