Night returned to the city.
But this time… it didn't feel normal.
The neon lights still glowed, cars still moved, people still laughed—but beneath it all, something had changed.
Something unseen.
Something watching.
Inside the old boundary house, silence filled the room once again.
Kuroshin Rei stood near the window, staring out at the distant city lights.
His reflection in the glass looked the same.
But he knew…
He wasn't.
"…You're thinking too much."
Aika's voice broke the silence.
Rei didn't turn.
"…I'm not."
She walked closer, stopping beside him.
"You always say that when you are."
He stayed quiet.
That alone was enough confirmation.
"…That guy," Aika continued, crossing her arms, "Ryuzen Kaito… he wasn't even serious."
Rei's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…I know."
"And you still barely kept up," she added.
"…I know."
She sighed.
"…You're frustrating."
Rei finally glanced at her.
"…You stayed."
She raised an eyebrow.
"What, you expected me to leave after all this?"
"…Yes."
She smirked.
"Too bad."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
Her expression softened.
"…You handled it well."
Rei looked away again.
"…Barely."
"Still counts."
From across the room, the old man spoke.
"You survived."
Both of them turned.
He stood near the table, watching quietly.
"…That is enough for now."
Rei frowned slightly.
"…For now?"
The old man nodded.
"You are adapting faster than expected."
Aika crossed her arms.
"Does that mean he's safe?"
The old man didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
He looked directly at Rei.
"No."
Silence.
Aika's expression dropped.
"…Seriously?"
"The Void does not stabilize," he continued. "It grows."
Rei's gaze hardened.
"…Then I'll grow faster."
The old man studied him for a moment.
Then—
"…Confidence is good."
A pause.
"But arrogance will kill you."
Rei didn't respond.
Because deep down…
He knew the difference.
Suddenly—
A sharp pain shot through his chest.
Rei flinched.
"…Tch—"
Aika's eyes widened.
"Rei?!"
He grabbed his shirt tightly, his breathing uneven.
"…Again…"
The room darkened slightly.
The shadows beneath his feet began to move.
Not violently.
But unnaturally.
"…It's reacting," Aika said quickly.
The old man stepped forward.
"Not reacting."
A pause.
"Demanding."
Rei dropped to one knee.
"…What does it want…?"
The shadows spread outward like cracks.
Thin.
Sharp.
Alive.
Then—
A voice.
Not from outside.
Not from the room.
From within.
"More…"
Rei's eyes widened.
"…What…?"
"More…"
The word echoed again.
Clearer this time.
Hungry.
Aika stepped closer.
"Rei, talk to me!"
But he couldn't.
Because that voice—
It wasn't stopping.
"More… power… more…"
His shadow surged suddenly, lashing out against the floor.
The room trembled.
Aika jumped back.
"…It's out of control!"
"No," the old man said calmly.
"…This is control."
She froze.
"…What?"
The old man's gaze sharpened.
"The Void is not losing control."
A pause.
"It is asserting dominance."
Rei clenched his teeth.
"…Shut up…"
The shadows rose higher.
Twisting.
Reaching.
"You are weak…"
The voice grew darker.
"You hesitate…"
Rei's breathing grew heavier.
"…I don't need you…"
"Without me… you are nothing."
Something inside him snapped.
"…I said shut up!"
The shadows exploded outward.
Aika reacted instantly.
"Barrier—First Bind!"
A protective field formed around her and the old man just as the darkness surged across the room, slamming against walls, tearing through seals.
The house shook.
Rei stood at the center—
Eyes glowing faintly.
Not fully gone.
But not fully himself either.
Aika's heart raced.
"…This is worse than before."
The old man watched closely.
"…Yes."
Aika turned to him.
"Do something!"
"…No."
Her eyes widened.
"Are you serious?!"
"If I interfere now," he said calmly, "he will never learn."
Aika clenched her fists.
"…He's going to destroy himself!"
"Or survive."
Silence.
That wasn't good enough.
Aika dropped the barrier.
Before the old man could stop her—
She ran forward.
"Rei!"
The shadows reacted instantly, striking toward her.
She dodged one, blocked another with a charm, barely managing to get closer.
"Rei, listen to me!"
No response.
Only the voice.
"Consume…"
Her eyes widened.
"…What?"
"Consume… everything…"
The shadows surged toward her again.
This time—
Faster.
Stronger.
She couldn't dodge.
"…Damn it—!"
But before they hit—
They stopped.
Frozen mid-air.
Aika blinked.
"…Rei?"
His body trembled.
Barely holding.
"…Don't… touch her…"
The shadows shook violently.
Conflicted.
Pulled between two wills.
The Void…
And him.
Aika stepped closer slowly.
"…That's it," she said softly. "Stay with me."
His eyes flickered.
"…Aika…"
Her name.
He said her name.
She reached out—
Gently.
Grabbing his hand.
"It's okay," she whispered. "You're still you."
The shadows screamed.
"Weakness!"
Rei's grip tightened.
"…Maybe…"
A pause.
"…But it's mine."
Silence.
Then—
The darkness collapsed.
All at once.
The shadows fell back, dissolving into nothingness.
The room returned to normal.
Rei's body gave out.
He fell forward—
But Aika caught him.
"…Got you."
His breathing was slow.
But stable.
The glow in his eyes faded.
Gone.
Aika exhaled deeply.
"…You're seriously trying to kill yourself."
No response.
Of course.
He was unconscious again.
The old man stepped forward.
"…Interesting."
Aika shot him a glare.
"You could've helped."
"…He didn't need it."
She frowned.
"…He almost lost."
The old man shook his head slightly.
"No."
A pause.
"He chose."
Aika looked down at Rei.
"…What do you mean?"
The old man's voice lowered.
"The Void demands power."
"…Yeah?"
"And he refused."
Silence.
That changed everything.
Aika tightened her grip slightly.
"…Idiot…"
But this time—
Her voice was softer.
Outside—
Far beyond the city—
A massive presence stirred.
Awakened.
Interested.
And watching.
Because now—
It knew.
The boy called Void…
Was not just a vessel.
He was resisting.
And that made him far more dangerous.
The balance had shifted again.
And the price of power…
Had only just begun.