Zazm lounged on the couch, one leg slung over the armrest, staring at the ceiling with narrowed eyes. His fingers tapped rhythmically on his stomach as he muttered to himself.
"Should I go now… or wait?"
He wasn't expecting an answer. It was just one of those questions he asked out loud when his thoughts got tangled. The room was quiet, almost too quiet—until a door creaked open.
Kiyomasa stepped out, rubbing his eyes and running a hand through his messy hair. His expression shifted to mild confusion as he noticed Zazm deep in thought.
"You've been staring into space for a while now," Kiyomasa said, walking over. "What's on your mind?"
Zazm sat up a little, shrugging lazily. "Nothing special. Just… thinking about the Eighth Catalyst."
Kiyomasa's brows rose slightly. "The one whose threads are behaving abnormally?"
Zazm nodded. "Yeah, that one."
"They're from Japan too, right?" Kiyomasa asked, settling onto the edge of the couch.
"Mm-hmm." Zazm shifted his gaze toward the window. "But I figured it'd be better to deal with them last."
Kiyomasa tilted his head. "Why? Planning to go after them now?"
Zazm sighed and leaned back again, arms behind his head. "Still thinking."
Kiyomasa nodded slowly. "I think now's actually the perfect time. Miwa and Min-Seok have been with us for a few weeks now, and they've adjusted pretty well."
A smile tugged at Zazm's lips. "Yeah… they're part of the family now. Honestly, I was worried they wouldn't fit in at first."
"Oh, because of their personalities?" Kiyomasa interrupted, smirking slightly.
Zazm chuckled, rubbing his temples. "Exactly. Miwa is… a handful. Loud, sly, kind of a pain to deal with sometimes."
"And Min-Seok?" Kiyomasa asked, curious.
Zazm raised an eyebrow. "Quiet, but ridiculously overprotective of his little crush."
Kiyomasa blinked. "Wait—you noticed that too?"
"Of course I did," Zazm said, rolling his eyes. "Anyone with eyes could tell how much he likes Miwa. I'd have to be blind not to see it."
Kiyomasa let out a laugh. "You're not wrong."
Zazm exhaled, a soft smile forming. "Still… I'm glad. Whatever quirks they've got, everyone's getting along. Things feel… good, you know?"
Kiyomasa nodded, his tone matching Zazm's. "Yeah. Peaceful. Everyone's fun."
Zazm's smirk returned. "Speaking of fun… have you noticed Jennie lately?"
Kiyomasa frowned, puzzled. "Jennie? What about her?"
Zazm leaned in slightly, lowering his voice like he was sharing a secret. "Haven't you seen how she reacts around Jahanox these days?"
Kiyomasa blinked—then the realization hit. His smile widened slowly. "Ooh… now I get it."
Zazm grinned. "Yup. My boy Jahanox is getting game."
Kiyomasa laughed. "No way."
"We gotta become good wingmen for him," Zazm declared proudly.
"Deal," Kiyomasa said, bumping his fist with Zazm's.
Kiyomasa leaned back, glancing toward the hallway. "Hey… you know, I've been thinking."
Zazm raised an eyebrow. "About?"
Kiyomasa hesitated for a beat. "I think Caspian likes Jennie."
Zazm shot up straight like a spring. "What?"
Kiyomasa blinked, startled by the sudden reaction. "I mean—he's been really friendly with her lately. Like, extra friendly."
The playful glint that had sparkled in Zazm's eyes earlier vanished in an instant. His smile dropped, replaced by a cold sharpness. His eyes darkened just a shade.
"…Caspian isn't that type of guy," Zazm said flatly.
Kiyomasa tilted his head. "What do you mean, 'that type'?"
Zazm's voice dropped, quiet but firm. "The type to stick to one girl. If he really liked her, he would've already confessed. Or made a move. That's not what this is."
"Then what is it?" Kiyomasa asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
Zazm stood up, pacing for a second before stopping beside Kiyomasa. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and looked him dead in the eye.
"Keep a close eye on Caspian."
Kiyomasa blinked. "Wait...me? Wouldn't someone like Jahanox or Min-Seok be better for that? Minos too he's more observant."
Zazm looked like he was about to respond, but then Kiyomasa continued, shifting uncomfortably.
"…I know I'm too soft sometimes," Kiyomasa said quietly. "Too naive. I'm not as sharp as you or Jahanox....."
"No," Zazm cut him off, voice calm but resolute. "That's exactly why you need to do this."
Kiyomasa looked up at him, surprised.
"You're close to Caspian already. He won't see it coming. And more than that...." Zazm squeezed his shoulder gently. "I trust you."
Kiyomasa's eyes widened.
"I trust your heart. I trust your judgment. You're not just some naïve guy who smiles and goes with the flow. You notice things others don't. And if something's wrong with Caspian… you'll know."
Kiyomasa stared at him for a long moment, then gave a small nod. "…Alright. I'll do it."
Zazm finally smiled again, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Good."
The air between them grew heavier.
Outside the window, a wind picked up—soft, brushing against the glass like a whisper. Somewhere in the house, a floorboard creaked faintly.
---
Zazm lightly tapped the edge of his earring. A faint shimmer pulsed from it.
"Let's go," he said casually.
Kiyomasa nodded, lifting his hand as the silver ring on his finger began to glow with a soft white light. In a flash, both of them vanished.
And just like that, they reappeared in the throne room of Shadow Castle.
The air here was thick—velvety darkness that seemed to breathe. Shadowed pillars stretched into nothingness, and the mythical table in the center shimmered faintly with rune-like patterns. At the far end stood Zazm's throne, its edges jagged like black ice and trimmed in silver threads of spatial energy.
Zazm began walking toward his throne when Kiyomasa's voice cut through the silence.
"Hey, Zazm…"
He paused mid-step and turned his head slightly. "Yeah?"
Kiyomasa tilted his head, expression thoughtful. "How does this Shadow Dimension stay stable?"
Zazm raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Kiyomasa walked closer, eyes narrowed in curiosity. "I mean—Jahanox can use three powers at once now, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then… isn't one of those powers always active?" Kiyomasa asked. "This whole place—it's his. Shouldn't it disappear or fall apart if he uses three other powers? How is it still here?"
Zazm blinked, then let out a short laugh. "Ohh, that's what you're wondering."
He turned, leaning casually against the edge of the mythical table. "Let me ask you something instead," he said, pointing at the glowing ring on Kiyomasa's thumb. "What do you think that thing really does?"
Kiyomasa glanced down at it. "It lets us teleport here. To the castle. And then back home."
"Right," Zazm said with a smirk. "But how? This place isn't even on Earth's physical map. It's not even on any dimensional plane you've learned about."
Kiyomasa blinked, suddenly unsure.
Zazm's eyes sharpened. "Tell me—how can a little stone, made by me, access Jahanox's power and move you into it?"
"…Wait," Kiyomasa murmured, realization dawning. "You mean this dimension isn't being powered by Jahanox anymore?"
Zazm's grin widened. "Bingo."
Kiyomasa slowly walked toward his throne and sat, still mulling it over. "So… is it because you can control space? And you embedded something into these stones?"
Zazm pointed at him. "If you think those tiny stones are powerful enough to control space, you're dumber than I thought."
Kiyomasa laughed softly, shaking his head. "Alright, fine. What did you do then?"
Zazm leaned back on the throne, arms resting on the armrests like a king.
"Originally, the Shadow Dimension was just a pocket space Jahanox could summon through his shadow. Temporary. Fragile. Accessed only when he consciously activated it."
He raised one finger. "But I severed it. Disconnected it completely from normal spacetime."
Kiyomasa blinked. "Disconnected?"
Zazm nodded. "Think of it like… a living realm now. Independent. No longer tethered to Jahanox's power source. It still lives inside his shadow, yeah! but it's always there. Dormant. Like a parasite that fused too deeply with its host."
Kiyomasa rubbed his temples, slowly understanding. "So… the dimension doesn't count as a power anymore. It's just there."
"Exactly," Zazm said. "The stones or accessories? All they do is reach through tiny access points.
I made openings from this dimension to the outer world. I call them shadow holes. The rings latch onto those holes and pull us through."
Kiyomasa looked down at his ring again, the glow now somehow feeling heavier. "So it's not teleportation it's like… sliding through hidden doors?"
Zazm snapped his fingers. "Now you're getting it."
The throne room fell silent for a moment, the weight of this revelation settling between them.
Then Zazm chuckled.
"Man, I really am a genius."
Kiyomasa rolled his eyes but smiled. "Yeah yeah, we get it. You're the smartest guy in every room."
Zazm reclined with a satisfied hum.
Zazm stretched his back lazily, then placed his palm flat on the center of the mythical table. Instantly, a soft hum echoed through the throne room as purple hue particles began to spiral out from where his hand touched.
Like a pulse, the glow expanded outward, dancing across the carved symbols of the table. The runes lit up, one by one, until the entire surface shimmered with radiant, swirling violet energy.
Kiyomasa's eyes lit up. "Woah… this looks really cool."
Zazm gave a small grin, not hiding his satisfaction. "Right? Honestly, I didn't expect it to turn out this nice."
The moment he said that, his earring flashed with light and so did Kiyomasa's ring.
Zazm casually glanced down. "Alright. Signals sent. Everyone should be here soon enough."
Minutes passed.
The throne room remained still quiet except for the gentle pulsing glow of the table until a soft pop echoed near the entrance. A swirl of pink and blue mist drifted in, and from it stepped Jennie.
"Hey Zazm, Kiyomasa," she greeted warmly, her polite smile lighting up the dark room. "Is there a reason you called everyone so suddenly?"
Zazm nodded. "Yeah, but I'll explain once everyone's here. Go ahead and sit."
She nodded and gracefully took her place her throne nestled between Kiyomasa's and Jahanox's, glowing softly with her presence.
Then came the soft rumble of another teleportation ring. Two figures emerged this time Jahanox, serious as always, and beside him, the ever-smirking Caspian.
Caspian looked around and immediately scoffed. "Wait, I'm not the first one here? Now that's depressing."
Before he could get too smug, Jahanox bonked him on the head with a firm knuckle. "Have some shame. Just sit down."
"Ow," Caspian muttered with a dramatic pout, rubbing his head. "Fine, fine. Abused by my own teammate…"
He flopped onto his throne with his usual flair. Jahanox sat across from Zazm, nodding in his direction.
"What's this about, Zazm?" he asked, eyes sharp as ever.
Zazm opened his mouth to speak, but just then, the room was filled with a loud whoosh, like a gust of wind tearing through fabric.
Zazm smiled. "Looks like everyone's here."
All heads turned.
Standing near the entrance now were Miwa and Minos. But before anyone could greet them, Zazm blinked and pointed at Miwa.
"…Why are you in your school uniform?"
Miwa looked down at her skirt and cardigan with slight embarrassment. "Didn't you say a Catalyst should reach here as quickly as possible when summoned?" she replied.
Zazm chuckled. "Fair point. But it's fine. You can take a moment to change if you want. No rush."
Miwa turned as if to teleport away again, but before she could move, Minos casually grabbed her collar from behind.
"No need. We're already here. Don't make the others wait."
Caspian leaned forward dramatically. "Yeah, we nearly passed out from the wait."
Kiyomasa side-eyed him. "You got here like a minute ago…"
Caspian gave him a sheepish grin and put a finger to his lips. "Shhh."
Minos and Miwa made their way to their thrones Miwa still adjusting her blazer, Minos completely unbothered as usual.
The soft hum of energy from the mythical table deepened, reacting subtly to the presence of all seven thrones now being filled.
The Catalysts were gathered.
The silence was thick.
Zazm sat up slightly on his throne, elbows on his knees, eyes glinting with something unreadable.
"Alright," he said finally. "Now we begin."
Zazm leaned forward, elbows on the glowing table, his voice calm but weighted.
"The reason I called everyone today," he began, "is because I've made my decision. I'll be going after the final Catalyst now."
The room went still.
No one questioned him at first. They all knew this day would come. It was just… sooner than expected.
Jennie tilted her head, her voice soft. "You've been holding off on that task for a while… Why now?"
Zazm shook his head. "Exactly because I've been holding off. I've already taken too long—and we don't have enough time to spare."
That last part hung in the air like smoke.
Minos's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by 'not enough time'?"
Kiyomasa straightened in his seat. Miwa, who'd been swinging her legs, now sat still, gaze fixed on Zazm.
Zazm didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked to Jahanox.
Their eyes met. Jahanox gave a silent nod.
The smile on Zazm's face faded. His usual chaotic calm melted into something colder—sterner.
"It's about time," he said, "that I stop playing puzzles and tell you everything there is."
Jennie's hands clenched in her lap. Miwa sat upright like a soldier being briefed. Caspian, ever nonchalant, leaned forward lazily, lips curled in a faint smirk.
"What's the big hold-up?" he said. "Just say it already."
Zazm took a breath. "You all know the universe is heading toward disruption. That's not news."
Minos nodded. "You mean all the timelines inside this universe, right?"
"Yes," Zazm confirmed. "But I believe the disruption didn't begin here. I believe it started in a completely different universe in our multiverse… and from there, it began to spread."
Minos slowly nodded again. "And that's all you've told us before."
Zazm looked around the table. "Right. But there's more. Much more."
He paused.
"I want to ask you something," he said quietly. "What do you think it really means… when I say not just our universe, but several others, are going toward 'ruin' or are getting 'destroyed'?"
Miwa raised her hand with a half-smile. "Uhh… that everything goes boom and disappears?"
Jennie gently raised her own hand. "Doesn't it just mean it'll, well… break? Collapse or something?"
Zazm nodded. "You're not wrong. But you're also not entirely right."
He stood up from his throne, arms crossed.
"A universe," he began, "can't just vanish. That's not how it works. You can't snap your fingers and make an entire timeline, a whole reality, cease to exist.
That's not what ruin looks like."
The room darkened slightly. The purple hue on the table flickered.
"Let's talk just about our universe," Zazm continued. "As more time passes, it will spiral further into collapse. And by 'ruin,' I don't mean an explosion… I mean unprecedented chaos."
Kiyomasa asked quietly, "Like… what kind of chaos?"
Zazm's voice dropped lower.
"Timelines that were never connected before will begin to entangle. At first, subtly. Then… violently.
You'll start seeing monsters....things that don't belong to any world. The boundary between dreams and reality will blur. Gravity could stop functioning. Or increase tenfold.
People may vanish without a trace. Two timelines could collide say, ours and the Jurassic era and now you're dodging dinosaurs on your morning walk."
Every Catalyst in the room went still.
Even Caspian's smirk faded slightly.
Miwa's eyes widened. "Wait… like… glitches?"
Zazm nodded. "Yeah. That's one way to put it. Think of it like a video game falling apart. Worlds bleeding into each other. Physics losing meaning. Stories breaking. Nothing making sense."
He exhaled. "That's what 'ruin' means."
Silence swallowed the room.
Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, Jennie asked, "Can we stop it…? Fix it?"
Everyone turned to Zazm again.
And he looked at them at every face.
Because the next answer… would shake them even more.
Zazm went quiet for a long moment.
Then he spoke, his voice low. "There's no way to save the multiverse."
Everyone stiffened. Even Caspian looked visibly shaken.
"But," Zazm continued before anyone could interrupt, "that's yet. There's no way yet. In a few years, the world's done for… if we don't act."
Minos raised his hand, still shaken. "Didn't you just say we can't save it?"
Zazm smiled slightly. "Yet."
Everyone exchanged confused glances.
Jahanox stepped forward. "You all know there's a problem in the multiverse, like a virus, right?"
Everyone nodded.
"If a virus infects a computer, what do you do after removing it?" he asked.
Caspian's smile was gone. "You restart the computer."
"Exactly," Jahanox said, snapping his fingers. "Same with the multiverse. After eliminating the virus, Zazm will have to rewind time. Back to the moment disruption began in each universe."
Zazm sat down and added, "But I'm not strong enough. Not yet. Changing time for a single timeline is impossible right now. For entire universes..."
Kiyomasa asked, "So… what would you need to do?"
Zazm crossed his arms. "I'd need a few hundred years to become that powerful."
Shock rippled through the group. Zazm raised his hands quickly. "But here's the thing. Between each universe… lies something. A vast space of anti-matter. Or maybe it's dark matter. It's called the Void. No one and nothing can exist there. Not even time."
Jahanox blinked. "This is new."
Zazm nodded. "That's because I've only just figured it out. I've been thinking… What if I can survive the Void? If I can, I could train there. Since time doesn't exist in the Void… I could spend centuries training and return here in seconds."
Jennie looked worried. "But… isn't anti-matter supposed to destroy matter instantly?"
"Exactly," Zazm said. "That's the biggest hurdle. Surviving the Void."
Minos raised a hand. "How would you even train there?"
Zazm smirked. "By creating fake timelines."
Miwa stood abruptly. "That's impossible!"
Zazm shrugged. "They'll just be empty shells. No planets, no people. Just space and time. I'll observe them. Learn how they work. That's how I'll get stronger."
Minos, still pale, asked, "And you mentioned… fixing other universes. So, does that mean… we're going there? To other universes?"
Zazm's expression darkened. He nodded. "Yes. We'll have to visit other universes and find the clues that will reach us to the first universe, the first place where it all began from. Thanks to my powers, I believe I can track them."
Miwa spoke up, fear in her voice. "Will we… see our own versions?"
Minos answered, "That shouldn't happen, right? A different universe means totally different beings."
Zazm chuckled softly. "Not exactly. Universes also branch off from each other, just like timelines. The closer a universe is to ours, the more similarities we'll find."
Kiyomasa tilted his head. "So it's possible to meet our copies?"
"Very possible," Zazm confirmed. "But don't expect exact clones. In nearby universes, your counterparts might just be younger or older. In distant ones… they might be animals. Or aliens with green horns."
Jennie blinked. "What?"
Zazm grinned. "The multiverse is vast. Expect the unexpected."
Everyone was visibly terrified—but also confused.
Zazm raised his hand gently and spoke, "Don't worry. We'll find a solution. In the end, everything will be fine. But for now... let's focus on getting stronger."
His voice was firm, but his eyes held a spark. "I'll head out to search for the eighth Catalyst soon. But before that, let's make a little promise."
Everyone looked at him curiously.
Without warning, Zazm jumped onto the table, standing tall in the center. They all stared in confusion as he extended his hand forward and said with a small grin, "Let's promise... tI find a solution to every problem."
The room fell silent until Miwa, full of energy, leapt up beside him with a light bounce. She placed her hand over his and said brightly, "Let's promise to make it insanely fun and entertaining!"
Kiyomasa quickly joined, placing his hand gently on top. "Let's promise to be there for each other."
Jennie hopped up next, her eyes shining. "Let's promise that we all stay together and see the end together."
Caspian jumped on with a playful smirk. "Let's promise that I don't get robbed by Zazm again."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Even Minos, usually the most reserved, smirked as he added his hand. "Let's promise to, I don't know... become even better friends."
Jahanox walked up slowly. He placed his hand on the stack and spoke in a calm but intense tone, "Let's promise to destroy this damn problem and live peacefully, like normal humans, once this is all over."
Then, together, they raised their hands into the air, sealing the promise.
Suddenly, Jennie tilted her head and asked, "Wait... why does it feel like we did this without the eighth Catalyst?"
Zazm blinked, then smacked his forehead. "I completely forgot!"
He scratched his head and said with a sheepish grin, "Guess we'll just have to do this all over again later."
Everyone laughed again, the tension finally breaking.
____________________________