The decision was made before the sun fully rose.
No celebrations.
No delays.
Only urgency.
Within the central hall of the Raizen Clan, the atmosphere had shifted completely. What was once a place of loud voices and raw confidence was now filled with quiet intensity. Leaders stood in a circle, their expressions firm, their focus unbroken.
Nyx stood at the edge of the chamber.
Uninvited.
Unrestricted.
Watching.
Kael leaned casually against one of the stone pillars, though his eyes betrayed his attention. "You really changed the mood around here," he muttered quietly. "They don't even argue like before."
Nyx didn't look at him. "They're thinking."
Kael smirked slightly. "Yeah… that's new."
At the center of the hall, the Raizen leader raised his hand slightly, calling for silence that didn't need to be demanded.
"We don't have time to question whether this threat is real," he said. "We've all felt it."
Several of the others nodded.
Reluctantly.
But undeniably.
"The disturbance was not natural," another elder added. "And if what the outsider said is true…"
His gaze flicked briefly toward Nyx.
"…then this is no longer a matter of territory."
The room grew quieter.
Because those words meant something.
Something none of them liked.
The Raizen captain spoke next, his tone still edged with resistance. "Even if that's true… informing the other clans is dangerous. Especially Hoshin."
A low murmur followed.
"They'll twist it."
"They always do…"
"They'll think this is a trick…"
The leader didn't deny it.
"They might," he said. "But that doesn't change what's coming."
Silence.
Then—
"We send the message," he finished.
The decision settled heavily.
Kael let out a slow breath. "…And here we go."
Nyx remained still.
But his eyes shifted slightly.
Because this—
Was expected.
But still important.
"How?" one of the elders asked. "We can't just walk into their territory."
The leader turned slightly. "We don't."
He gestured to one of the guards near the edge of the chamber.
"Prepare a Spirit Carrier."
That got a reaction.
Even Kael straightened slightly.
"…You're serious," he said.
Nyx's gaze flickered briefly toward him. "What is it?"
Kael crossed his arms. "It's how clans send messages when things are… important. Really important."
Nyx didn't respond.
But he understood.
The guard bowed slightly and left immediately, moving with urgency.
The room fell into a tense silence again.
Until—
One of the elders spoke, his gaze fixed on Nyx.
"And what about him?"
All eyes turned.
Kael sighed quietly. "Yeah… I knew that was coming."
The Raizen leader looked at Nyx.
"You started this chain of events," he said. "Whether intentionally or not."
Nyx met his gaze.
"Yes."
A pause.
Then—
"Do you intend to involve yourself further?" the leader asked.
Nyx didn't hesitate.
"I already am."
The answer was simple.
Direct.
Unavoidable.
The captain frowned. "That's not reassuring."
Nyx tilted his head slightly. "It's not meant to be."
A ripple of tension passed through the room.
Kael smirked faintly. "He's got a point."
The leader raised a hand slightly, silencing any further reaction.
"…Then you'll remain," he said.
The captain looked at him. "You're allowing this?"
The leader's voice remained steady. "For now."
Another pause.
Then—
"But understand this," he added, looking directly at Nyx. "If your presence brings conflict to this clan…"
Nyx cut him off.
"It will."
The room went still.
Kael closed his eyes briefly. "…You really don't help yourself."
But Nyx continued.
"Conflict is already coming," he said. "Whether I'm here or not."
Silence followed.
Because again—
He wasn't wrong.
The leader exhaled slowly.
"…Then we prepare for it."
At that moment—
The guard returned.
But he wasn't alone.
Floating just behind him was a small, glowing entity, no larger than a human hand. Its form was fluid, shifting slightly like a flame, its light pulsing softly.
Kael nodded toward it. "That's the Spirit Carrier."
Nyx observed it carefully.
"…It's alive."
"Yes," Kael said. "In a way."
The leader stepped forward.
"Bring it here."
The guard obeyed, guiding the glowing entity toward the center of the chamber. The Spirit Carrier hovered calmly, its light flickering gently as if waiting.
The leader placed his hand near it, not touching.
And began to speak.
"This is Raizen," he said, his voice firm and clear. "To all clans who receive this message."
The Spirit Carrier pulsed slightly, absorbing every word.
"A foreign threat has entered our world. It is not a guardian spirit. It does not follow natural laws. It invades, it connects, and it adapts."
The room remained completely silent.
Every word mattered.
"We have confirmed its presence," he continued. "And we have destroyed one of its manifestations."
Nyx's eyes narrowed slightly.
Careful wording.
Not revealing everything.
But enough.
"This is not a warning," the leader finished. "This is a declaration."
The Spirit Carrier's light intensified slightly.
"We will not face this alone."
With that—
He stepped back.
The Spirit Carrier hovered for a moment.
Then—
It shot upward.
Disappearing through the ceiling in a flash of light.
Gone.
Carrying the message.
Kael let out a low whistle. "Well… no going back now."
Nyx didn't respond.
Because now—
Things would move.
Fast.
Far Away…
In the Hoshin capital—
The same moment the Spirit Carrier arrived, the air shifted.
It appeared in the center of the royal chamber, its light cutting through the stillness.
The elders turned instantly.
"…Raizen," one of them muttered.
Nyx's father watched silently.
The Spirit Carrier pulsed.
And began to speak.
Back in Raizen
The hall remained silent even after it left.
Because everyone knew—
What came next wouldn't be simple.
Kael stretched slightly. "So… how long before they respond?"
Nyx's answer came without hesitation.
"They already have."
Kael blinked. "…What?"
Nyx's gaze shifted toward the entrance of the hall.
"…We're about to find out."
A faint ripple of energy passed through the air.
Not from within.
From outside.
The guards near the entrance stiffened.
One of them turned sharply.
"…Someone's here."
The room tensed instantly.
The captain stepped forward, his aura rising. "Already?"
The doors—
Opened.
Slowly.
And standing at the entrance—
Was a figure.
Alone.
Calm.
But carrying a presence that silenced the entire room.
Kael's eyes widened slightly.
"…No way."
Nyx's gaze sharpened.
Because he recognized it.
That energy.
That presence.
Familiar.
Deeply familiar.
From long ago.
From a place he had left behind.
"…So they sent you," Nyx said quietly.
The figure stepped forward.
And finally spoke.
"Yes."
A pause.
Then—
"I came to confirm something."
The room held its breath.
Because whatever this was—
It wasn't just a response.
It was the beginning of direct contact.