The night offered no rest.
---
I lay there.
With my eyes closed.
---
But inside…
everything was in motion.
---
SCAR.
Kuroyami.
Akarania.
---
And somewhere deeper—
the limit.
---
'You can feel it, can't you?' whispered SCAR quietly.
---
I opened my eyes.
---
'Yes.'
---
Silence.
---
'Then break it.'
---
I sat up.
---
The words were simple.
But…
they carried too much weight.
---
At that moment—
---
Akarania activated.
---
[BREAKTHROUGH CONDITION DETECTED]
---
I froze.
---
— What?
---
[REQUIRED: EXTREME ENVIRONMENT]
[RECOMMENDED: SECRET UNDERGROUND]
---
My heart began to race.
---
— Where?
---
A pause.
---
And then—
---
a path appeared before my eyes.
---
Like a map.
---
Deeper than the academy.
Lower.
---
There…
where no one goes.
---
I stood up.
---
— I see.
---
…
---
I didn't wake So A.
Or Aki.
---
If it's dangerous—
better to go alone.
---
Footsteps in the silence.
---
Corridors.
Stairs.
Darkness.
---
The further down I went—
the heavier the air became.
---
The scent had vanished.
---
The crows had fallen silent.
---
'I don't like this…' I whispered.
---
But I carried on.
---
And finally—
---
a door.
---
Huge.
Old.
---
Not like before.
---
This one…
felt oppressive.
---
[GOAL ACHIEVED]
---
I exhaled.
---
— So, it's here.
---
I touched the door.
---
And at that moment—
---
it opened.
---
By itself.
---
COLD.
---
Real.
---
I went in.
---
And the world…
changed.
---
It wasn't a dungeon.
---
It was…
another space.
---
Darkness.
Endless.
---
And…
whispers.
---
Hundreds.
---
— New…
— Weak…
— Interesting…
---
I clenched my teeth.
---
— I'm not for you.
---
The whispers laughed.
---
— Everyone says that…
---
A step.
---
And suddenly—
---
A SHADOW.
---
Before me.
---
Formless.
But…
power.
---
Enormous.
---
Akarania activated immediately.
---
[ANALYSIS: IMPOSSIBLE]
[LEVEL: UNKNOWN]
---
— Excellent…
---
The shadow spoke.
---
— Have you come to destroy yourself?
---
I raised my katana.
---
— Yes.
---
Pause.
---
— Then start with the pain.
---
The next moment—
---
BLOW.
---
I didn't even see it coming.
---
I was knocked back.
---
BLOOD.
---
— TOO WEAK.
---
I got up.
---
— I know.
---
I lunged forward.
---
LIGHTNING!
SPIRITS!
SCAR!
---
BLOW!
---
Empty.
---
— Slowly.
---
Another blow.
---
I fell again.
---
My body…
couldn't take it.
---
But…
I got up.
---
Again.
---
— More.
---
BLOW!
---
Pain again.
---
Another fall.
---
— Why? — asked the shadow.
---
I was breathing heavily.
---
— So that…
---
I raised my head.
---
— I can become stronger.
---
Silence.
---
And suddenly—
---
the shadow drew closer.
---
'Then give it up.'
---
'Give up what?'
---
'Yourself.'
---
My heart stopped.
---
SCAR laughed.
---
— Do it.
---
The spirits were silent.
---
So were the crows.
---
I closed my eyes.
---
A pause.
---
A long one.
---
…
---
And then—
---
— No.
---
Silence.
---
— I won't back down.
---
I stood up.
---
Again.
---
Blood was flowing.
---
My body was trembling.
---
But my gaze—
remained.
---
— I will become stronger…
---
I took a step.
---
— just as I am.
---
The shadow froze.
---
And for the first time—
---
it did not attack.
---
A pause.
---
— Then…
---
It retreated.
---
— Go on.
---
The darkness parted.
---
Clearing the way.
---
Deeper.
---
I stood.
---
Barely alive.
---
But…
I smiled.
---
— It's only the beginning.
---
And I took a step forward.
---
To a place…
where boundaries are broken.
---
And people…
either become stronger.
---
Or disappear.