Chapter 25: The Nullborn Ascends
The battlefield was silent.Even the wind dared not move.
Ren Kamizuki stood amid broken stone and bleeding students. His shadow flickered, stretching farther than it should, coiling like smoke from a dying flame.
They had tried to kill him. Again.
Kael Veylor's sword trembled as he crawled backward, blood dripping from his lips. "W-What… what are you?"
Ren didn't answer.Because the Codex was answering for him.
[Codex Nullum Response Triggered]
▓▓▓—Releasing Seal Layer: 4 of 7.
You are recognized as: Nullborn.
Memory Consumption: 8%.System Integrity: Unstable.
▓▓▓—Activating Core Protocol: "Inherit the Forgotten."
Light cracked out from Ren's body—no, not light.Something darker than black. A shattering pulse of voidlight twisted around his arms, and the runes engraved on the Codex writhed in response.
His eyes turned silver. Not glowing. Reflective.Like mirrors to something older.
"I remember…" Ren whispered, voice layered with something inhuman. "I was never supposed to return."
Students screamed. Faculty shouted to seal the ring, but it was too late. The Chains of Ascendancy had broken.
A voice echoed from the sky.
"A Nullborn walks the realm once more. You fools have awakened what we sealed at the dawn of cycles."
Ren blinked.And suddenly, he stood behind Kael.
One whisper:
"Null Order: Vanish."
Kael dropped, unconscious. Not dead. Not alive. Just… removed.
The Codex snapped shut.