The rift closed behind them, but the echo of the Reaper's laughter lingered like a curse in the wind. Akira hovered midair, his golden aura dimming as exhaustion crept in. Kuroo floated beside him, still alert, eyes locked on the spot where the voice had echoed.
> Akira (breathing heavily): "That wasn't the end…"
> Kuroo (serious): "He played us. Used a puppet to measure our strength."
They descended slowly to the scorched battlefield. The world around them was quiet again—but not at peace. A tension hung in the air, heavy and unspoken.
From behind a broken obelisk, the Ruler of Light stepped forward, his expression grim.
> Ruler of Light: "You've done well. But now you must understand—what you fought… was only the beginning."
He raised his hand, and a ripple passed through space. A gateway appeared—shimmering and unstable.
> Ruler of Light: "This… is a path to a forgotten realm. A place even gods fear. You may find answers there. But beware."
Akira glanced at Kuroo.
> Akira: "We're already in too deep to turn back."
> Kuroo (grinning faintly): "Besides, I'm curious who's behind the Reaper's mask."
They entered.
---
Unknown Realm – The Forgotten Nexus
The realm was… incomplete. Broken structures floated midair. Clocks reversed. Gravity shifted randomly. The laws of reality were barely holding together.
Whispers echoed around them.
> "The puppet was just a voice." "The Reaper… is bound… not free."
Suddenly, an orb of light hovered before them. A memory fragment.
It activated.
A vision flashed—The Reaper, standing before a colossal throne of void, bowing.
> Reaper (in vision): "My master… The vessels of light and shadow are growing stronger. Soon, the balance will tip."
The throne did not reply. Only a shadow shifted behind it.
> Akira (jaw clenched): "He's not the final boss. He's a servant."
> Kuroo: "Then who's the one pulling all the strings?"
They continued forward.
Deeper into the Nexus, they passed murals that depicted multiple versions of themselves, in different timelines—some dead, some corrupted, some victorious.
Suddenly, a whisper reached them—this time… familiar.
> *"Akira… Kuroo… you must choose."
A new figure emerged from the distortion, cloaked in radiant light and shadow fused together. Its voice echoed with power.
> Figure: "The Realms are converging. You either unite them… or perish in their collapse."
Then—
The vision broke. They were back in the Nexus.
> Akira (softly): "So that's it. That's our mission."
> Kuroo (nodding): "Unite the timelines… stop the collapse… and find the one behind the throne."
They clenched their fists in unison.
The next war wasn't just for survival. It was for the fate of every timeline ever created.
End of Chapter 27