Yami's body hit the cold stone floor.
His scythe clattered beside him, its once cursed blade now dull—just a weapon again. The black aura that had consumed him was gone, leaving behind only the faint flickering of the dungeon's torches.
Lina stayed frozen, her hands still gripping Yami's face. Her breath was shaky, her heart pounding.
It took her a moment to realize what she had just done.
Her face flushed red, but she quickly pulled away, glancing at Rei and Rachel.
Neither of them said a word.
Rachel was still trembling, clutching her staff. Rei's sharp eyes were locked on Yami's motionless form.
"…Is he—" Rachel began.
"He's alive," Rei interrupted, his voice calm but strained.
Lina let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
Yami's chest rose and fell slowly, but his face was pale—far too pale.
His body looked like it had been drained of every ounce of strength.
"He pushed too far," Lina muttered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "His power… it's not something he can control yet."
Rei stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "No. That wasn't just his power."
Lina's heart skipped a beat.
She glanced at Yami, then at the cracked stone beneath him.
He hadn't just lost control.
He had awakened something darker.
The Aftermath
Rachel slowly approached, her voice still shaking. "W-What… what was that? That wasn't him, right?"
Nobody answered.
Because none of them knew for sure.
Lina glanced at Kira's lifeless body, still sprawled out in a pool of blood. Her face was frozen in fear—an expression that would never fade.
Even in death, she still looked exactly like Yami's sister.
Rachel swallowed hard, forcing herself to look away.
"…She really tricked him, didn't she?"
Rei's jaw clenched. "Yeah."
Lina turned toward the corpse, her glasses glinting in the dim light.
"She was after the God of Death's power."
Rachel's eyes widened. "What…? How do you know that?"
Lina adjusted her glasses. "I saw it in her eyes… right before she died."
Her voice lowered.
"She wanted him to lose control."
Rachel's breath caught in her throat. "Why would anyone want that?"
Lina didn't answer.
Because she wasn't sure.
Yami's Dream
Yami drifted in an endless void.
No light.
No warmth.
Only whispers.
"You gave in."
"Weak."
"Unworthy."
He clenched his fists, trying to block out the voices—
But they only grew louder.
"You are nothing but a puppet."
"You will lose yourself."
"You already have."
Yami's heart pounded. He saw flashes of Kira's face—her fake smile, her twisted grin—then his real sister's smile.
Her voice echoed in the void.
"Why couldn't you protect me, Yami?"
His breath caught.
No—
That wasn't real.
It couldn't be real.
"Shut up…"
The whispers grew louder.
"Weak."
"Failure."
"Monster."
"Shut up!"
Suddenly—
A cold hand touched his shoulder.
Yami turned—
And came face to face with a cloaked figure.
Its face was hidden beneath a hood, but its voice was calm.
"Do not fear the darkness."
Yami's breath caught.
"You are not its servant."
The figure leaned closer—
"You are its master."
Back to Reality
Yami's eyes snapped open.
His body ached. His mind felt like it had been shattered and pieced back together again.
The first thing he saw was the dungeon ceiling.
The second thing he saw—
Was Lina's face, leaning close.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh… You're awake."
Yami blinked slowly.
"Why… are you so close?"
Lina's face turned bright red. She immediately pulled back, adjusting her glasses in a flustered panic.
"I-I was checking if you were breathing, idiot!"
Yami groaned, trying to sit up. His entire body felt like it was made of stone.
"…What happened?"
Nobody answered right away.
Finally, Rei spoke.
"You killed her."
Yami froze.
His heart sank as the memories started flooding back—
The shapeshifter.The rage.The blood.
He clenched his fists, staring at the ground.
"…Good."
Rachel flinched at the coldness in his voice.
Lina looked away.
Rei didn't react at all.
But deep down—
They all felt the same thing.
Fear.