The weight of the morning pressed heavily on Aizen's shoulders. His body was drenched in sweat, his fists trembling, his chest heaving from hours of relentless training. The air around him quivered with the faint residue of Black Mana, unstable and violent — the proof of his obsession to master it fully.
"Aizen, you need to rest your body." Mark Suzuki's voice cut through the silence. His tone was calm, but beneath it was concern. He stepped forward, the mask he once wore gone, revealing eyes that carried both wisdom and exhaustion. "You're restless. You need to stop training now and take a break."
Aizen clenched his fists, golden eyes burning with defiance. "No, Mark. I can't stop. I need to get stronger — strong enough to stop that rampaging dragon. If I fail, the world will fall… my family will be destroyed. What will I do if they're gone? I'll have nothing. I'll be weak and useless!" His voice shook with anger, the memory of his grim vision still echoing in his mind.
Mark sighed, his expression softening. "You've already mastered the ancient techniques of the Black Lion, Aizen. You're pushing yourself past your limit, and for what? Strength alone won't protect them. If you keep this up, you might win the battle… but you'll lose your family because you never spent time with them. Think about it." His voice lowered, almost a whisper. "Victory means nothing if you return to an empty home."
The words struck deep, piercing through Aizen's storm of determination. His breathing steadied, though his pride resisted. "…Alright, fine. I'll spend time with them. I'll… play with my family." His tone softened, though his fists were still tight. "But I'll train at night. I won't let my guard down completely. How long until the Purple Dragon arrives?"
Mark's gaze turned grim. "About one week. That's how long you have before she descends into this galaxy."
A heavy silence followed. Aizen turned away, his golden eyes narrowing at the purple glimmer that stained the distant sky. A week. Only a week to prepare for what could end everything.
---
Far away, in the quiet halls of the Arcime home, Lyra Subaru sat in silence. A sudden surge of warmth — no, familiarity — had flooded her heart. Her vision blurred, and before she could stop it, memories that were not her own carved themselves into her mind.
"Hey sister! Look what I made!" A child's voice, cheerful and bright, rang out in the void of space.
Lyra's vision filled with two small girls — floating beyond the stars, their laughter echoing. In their hands shimmered impossible creations: one held a swirling nebula of pure light, the other a dense black star that pulsed like a living heart.
"Wow, Linias! That's amazing! Look, I made a black star!" the first girl said.
The other spun her creation proudly. "Father, look! We made galaxies! Aren't they beautiful?"
A towering figure appeared, his face obscured, his voice vast and kind. "My children… both of your creations are wonderful."
The scene shifted. One of the girls pointed excitedly. "Sister Lyra, look! A giant worm slithering across my planet!"
Lyra's younger self gasped in wonder. "Woah, what is that?"
"It's a space worm, sister! The size of a planet! Father showed me!"
"Then let's tell Father and Mother before we go explore more! Otherwise, they'll get angry when we return!"
The two little goddesses giggled, hand in hand, their eyes full of light.
Then — the memory shattered.
Lyra gasped, snapping back into the present. Her chest tightened, her hands trembling. "W-what was that? Those memories… they felt so real." She pressed a hand against her heart, her eyes wide with fear and confusion.
She whispered to herself, "Am I… really her? The one they call the Creator God?"
Her gaze turned to the training yard, where she could faintly sense Aizen's energy still lingering. "I should ask him… maybe tonight. But he's always so tired from training. No… not tonight."
She closed her eyes, determination flickering in her heart. "If Aizen is shouldering so much, then I'll do the same. I'll train my magic until I can stand beside him… until I can help him face the battle that terrifies him so deeply."
Outside, the purple glow above the horizon shimmered again — larger, brighter, creeping ever closer.
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End of Chapter 69