Nyari screamed.
The moment the two forces were about to collide—
everything stopped.
Not slowed.
Stopped.
Even Jinwi fell silent.
Kai's fist was still mid-air.
The Light God's spear hadn't moved.
Time itself… had cracked.
Then—
Nyari dropped to her knees.
"Kai… it hurts…"
Her voice was wrong.
Too distant.
Too empty.
Kai's eyes widened.
"Nyari?"
The golden cracks on her face spread—
not slowly.
Instantly.
Like glass shattering.
The Light God spoke, calm:
"She cannot hold both."
Jinwi snapped back:
"Then remove yourself."
"You misunderstand," the god replied.
"She is not breaking because of me…"
A pause.
"…she is breaking because of him."
Silence.
Kai froze.
"What…?"
Nyari's fingers clutched her chest.
Her aura flickered—gold… then gray… then nothing.
"I… can't… breathe…"
Kai rushed forward—
but the moment he touched her—
BOOM.
A shockwave threw him across the room.
Jinwi's voice turned sharp:
"Don't touch her!"
Kai hit the ground hard.
"…What the hell was that?!"
"She's rejecting balance."
Kai's heart dropped.
"That makes no sense."
"It does," Jinwi said coldly.
"You are forcing two absolutes into one vessel."
The Light God added:
"She must choose."
Kai stood up.
"No."
Nyari looked at him—
eyes shaking.
"…Kai… I don't want to choose…"
Kai clenched his fist.
"You won't."
The Light God raised its hand again.
"Then she will die."
That was it.
Something in Kai… snapped.
Black energy exploded.
Violent.
Unstable.
Different.
Jinwi reacted instantly:
"KAI—STOP."
Too late.
Kai's voice dropped—
no emotion left:
"Then I'll break the rule."
The ground beneath him cracked.
His aura turned darker than before.
Not controlled.
Not stable.
Jinwi whispered:
"…you're going too far."
Kai didn't respond.
He looked at the Light God.
"If balance kills her…"
"…then I'll destroy balance."
Nyari's eyes widened.
"Kai… don't…"
But he stepped forward.
The Light God's voice shifted—
first time… cautious:
"You would abandon equilibrium… for a human?"
Kai answered instantly:
"She's not 'a human.'"
"…She's mine."
The Light God moved.
Fast.
The spear reformed—
and this time—
it wasn't aimed at Kai.
It aimed straight at Nyari's heart.
Kai reacted instantly—
but for the first time—
he wasn't fast enough.
The spear pierced—
Silence.