As Ken caught his breath, memories flooded his mind — flashes of a time before the resets, before the darkness.
He saw a younger version of himself, training under a mentor named Kaito. A man who taught him not just to fight, but to protect what mattered.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his head — soft, familiar.
"Ken... you must not lose yourself."
He blinked, eyes snapping open. Standing before him was the mentor — or at least, a vision of him.
"You carry a heavy burden," Kaito said. "The Abyss power is a double-edged sword. Control it, or it will consume you."
Ken swallowed. "How do I keep it from taking me?"
Kaito smiled faintly. "By remembering who you are — and why you fight."