As the last light of dusk disappeared, submerging the world into absolute darkness, the boat built from the bones of a demon slipped from the ashen sand into the cold embrace of the dark sea.
Kurai raised a hand slightly, his voice calm but carrying quiet authority.
"Stay still."
Darkness spread from him like a living tide, wrapping around the boat and everyone on it. It clung to them, swallowing their presence.
"No monster will sense us now," he said. "Not unless I allow it."
At first, the boat moved slowly. Then, as time passed, its speed steadily increased. Before them stretched an endless expanse of black water, reaching toward the horizon, hiding horrors that no one could name. Behind them, the Soul Devouring Tree shrank, yet its presence lingered like a curse in the air.
Kurai turned his head for one last look.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Enjoy your time while you can," he muttered under his breath. "I'll come back for you."
His voice dropped into something colder.
"And when I do… I won't leave anything behind."
In the absolute darkness, the small vessel glided over the restless sea. The mast—formed from a demon's spine—groaned under the pressure of the wind. The boat cut through the waves like a blade, silent and precise.
No sound. No life. Only darkness.
After a long journey, something emerged ahead—a giant stone hand rising from the sea, its palm open toward the sky as if begging or defying something unseen.
Kurai studied it for a moment, then spoke.
"We stop there."
Sunny frowned. "Why?"
Kurai didn't even look at him.
"Because traveling at night in this sea is suicide," he replied flatly. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "And I'm not interested in dying for no reason."
Sunny sighed. "He's right. There are too many monsters under the water. One mistake, and we're done."
They settled on the headless statue. The stone was cold, ancient.
Nephis stepped forward. "I'll take the first watch."
Kurai glanced at her, then lay down without hesitation.
"Wake me if something interesting happens," he said, closing his eyes. "Not if it's just death."
Morning came slowly.
When Kurai opened his eyes, something massive stood in the distance—a towering wall of polished gray stone, rising above a vast chasm like a relic that refused to die.
For a moment, even he stayed silent.
Then he spoke.
"…So that's it."
Sunny let out a breath. "We made it. The human castle…"
Kurai didn't respond immediately. His gaze lingered on the structure, sharp, calculating.
Then he said, "There's no gateway."
Sunny blinked. "What?"
"I'm not going in," Kurai continued, as if stating something obvious.
Sunny frowned. "How can you say that? You don't even know what's inside."
Kurai finally looked at him.
"Exactly," he said. "And neither does anyone else."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Think about it. A place like this… and no one talks about it? No records, no warnings, nothing?"
Nephis stepped closer. "That doesn't prove there's no gateway."
Kurai's lips curved faintly—not quite a smile.
"It proves enough."
He turned to Cassie.
"Cassie," he said quietly. "You saw it, didn't you?"
Silence lingered for a second.
"A future where I don't go with you."
His voice softened, but only slightly.
"You already know why."
He looked back at the castle.
"There's no gateway. And even if there is…" he paused, "…I don't belong inside something like that."
He turned away.
"I'll move around the outskirts. Every two months, I'll come back."
Then, more firmly:
"And don't tell anyone I exist."
Sunny stared at him. "You're just going to leave like that?"
Kurai glanced back once.
"Try to survive," he said. "It'll make things less boring when I return."
"…Goodbye."
The other side of the castle was nothing but ruins—broken houses, shattered remnants of something long forgotten.
Kurai walked alone.
Monsters emerged. He killed the ones he could without hesitation.
Then, for the first time, he summoned all of his echoes.
"Clear the path," he ordered.
They moved like extensions of his will.
After some time, he climbed onto the rooftop of a ruined building and sat down, the wind brushing past him.
He looked at one of his echoes.
"…What are you, really?"
He reached out and touched it.
A rune appeared.
[Transform Echo into Your Darkness?]
Kurai's eyes flickered.
"…Yes."
[Not enough Dark Fragments to perform a transformation]
[Dark Fragments required: 110/250]
He clicked his tongue softly.
"…That's new."
Leaning back slightly, he muttered,
"Last time it was 100. So it changes depending on the echo?"
He stood and walked toward another.
"The Ascended Terror needed more…"
His hand touched the awakened monster—Soul Eater.
The rune appeared again.
[Transform Echo into Your Darkness?]
"…Yes."
Darkness surged.
This time, it connected—his shadow intertwining with the echo's, merging like they were always meant to be one.
Kurai watched silently.
"…So that's how it works."
A faint realization crossed his eyes.
"In my first nightmare… the creatures attacking the castle… they were all darkness-aligned."
He looked at his own hand.
"And I'm the same."
He exhaled slowly.
"No wonder it responds."
Then, after a pause, he spoke again—almost curious.
"But what about a normal echo?"
Silence answered him.
"…Guess I'll have to find one."
He checked his fragments.
[10/3000]
"…Pathetic."
Days passed.
He rested during the day. Hunted at night.
The distance between him and the castle grew.
Two months later, he returned.
Night covered the castle once more.
Kurai walked through shadows, gathering information without being seen, until he finally found Sunny in the slums.
Sunny looked at him, surprised. "You actually came back."
Kurai shrugged slightly. "I said I would."
Sunny told him everything—the gateway, the Fallen Terror, Nephis's actions.
Kurai listened without interrupting.
When Sunny finished, Kurai simply said, "So… you found your answers."
Then he went to Nephis.
"I heard what you've been doing," he said.
He didn't praise her. Didn't criticize her.
Just observed.
"…Keep going," he added quietly.
With Cassie, his tone shifted slightly.
"You're still seeing things, aren't you?" he asked.
He didn't push further. Just stayed for a while.
Later, he went to the castle itself.
Memories.
He needed more.
"All of them have changed," he muttered. "So they all need to be fed."
He exchanged what he didn't need.
"…Useless things should at least serve a purpose."
Finally, he returned to Sunny.
"I'm leaving again."
Sunny hesitated, then said, "I don't want to stay here."
Kurai looked at him carefully.
"No one needs me here," Sunny added.
For a moment, Kurai said nothing.
Then:
"Come with me."
Sunny blinked.
Kurai's voice was steady, but there was something deeper beneath it.
"No walls. No orders. No expectations."
A pause.
"Just survival."
Sunny looked away.
"…No."
Kurai didn't react immediately.
"I want to stay alone," Sunny said. "And be free."
Silence stretched between them.
Then Kurai nodded once.
"…I see."
He turned away.
"Don't die."
A brief pause.
"That would be disappointing."
And without another word, he disappeared back into the darkness.