"Where… am I?"
Ren's voice trembled as his eyes fluttered open. All he saw was darkness — endless, suffocating darkness. There was no sky, no ground, no sense of direction, only a void that stretched forever.
A chill swept over him. Not a single sound existed here — not the whisper of wind, not the rustle of leaves, not even his own heartbeat. The silence was so absolute it pressed against his chest, crushing him with its weight.
He swallowed hard, his voice cracking.
"What is this place?"
His question echoed endlessly, bouncing back at him, hollow and cold — as if the void itself mocked his confusion.
Then it came.
A voice.
Deep. Resonant. Commanding.
It wasn't just a sound — it was a presence. A voice so powerful it seemed to make the darkness itself quiver.
Ren spun around, his body tense.
"Who are you?" His tone was sharper now, defiant despite the dread coiling in his stomach.
The answer came, rumbling like thunder rolling across a dead sky.
"Me?" The voice almost seemed amused. "What do you think, vessel of the Ninth King?"
Ren froze.
Vessel?
"What do you mean, vessel?!" His shout echoed, but the void swallowed it just as quickly. "Show yourself!"
The darkness stirred.
From the shadows, something stepped forth — a figure draped in a cloak of writhing black mist, armored from head to toe in obsidian plates that gleamed faintly as though catching light that wasn't there. Every step it took sent a low tremor through the ground beneath Ren's feet — if there even was ground in this place.
The air grew heavy, crushing. Ren's knees threatened to buckle under the sheer pressure radiating from this being. His chest burned with every breath, yet… strangely, there was a sense of familiarity.
"So much power…" Ren's heart hammered wildly. His palms were damp, but he forced his voice to stay steady. "What… what are you?"
The figure's helm tilted slightly, and two glowing eyes ignited beneath the visor, cold and piercing.
"I am the power that lives within you," the figure said. The voice was calm but carried the weight of a thousand battlefields. "And now, after a long slumber… I have awakened."
Ren's breath caught. His chest tightened.
"What do you mean? I don't have any power."
The figure chuckled, low and dangerous — like a distant earthquake.
"You might be right… but there is a mistake in that belief." Its tone hardened. "You had powers beyond human comprehension. That is why… I was sealed within you."
Ren's fists clenched at his sides.
"Who sealed you inside me?"
"Your father. And your mother. They were the last holders of my power."
Ren staggered a step back as though struck. His throat went dry.
"My… father?"
The armored figure straightened to its full height, towering over Ren like a living fortress of shadow.
"First," Ren shouted, anger flaring, "tell me who you are!"
The figure slowly raised its hand, shadow mist swirling around it.
"I am the true form of the Ninth King."
Ren's breath hitched, his heart hammering in his ears.
"The Ninth… King?"
"Yes." The voice was absolute, final. "This is the true power of the Ninth King — a power no one can wield… except you."
Ren's voice broke.
"Then why?!" His shout tore through the still air. "If I was that powerful, why couldn't I use it? Why did I live as a weakling all these years?!"
"Because your parents sealed it too deeply," the knight said, its voice softer now, almost… pitying. "So deep that even you could not break it. But today…"
The figure took a step forward, and Ren's pulse quickened.
"…the power you now possess has triggered the awakening of your true self."
Ren's stomach twisted, fear and hope warring within him.
"Wait… you said my last hosts were my parents. How were they involved in this?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "They're dead…"
"No."
That single word struck Ren like a lightning bolt.
"No…" His voice cracked. "That's impossible. They died when I was a child."
"You are wrong," the knight replied with certainty that could shatter steel. "I can sense them. They are alive… though far from this place."
Ren's entire body shook. His legs nearly gave out.
Alive?
His heart thundered so violently it hurt.
"Then why?" His voice was raw, almost pleading. "Why did they leave me?"
"They did not leave you on purpose."
Ren's breath came in ragged gasps.
"Then who—"
"There is someone called Ku—"
"Master Kuro…" Ren whispered, realization dawning.
"Yes. Him. He knows where they are."
Ren's thoughts swirled into chaos. Questions clawed at his throat, demanding answers.
"I have so many questions…"
"Then ask."
"If I was strong, why was my power sealed?"
"When you were born," the knight said solemnly, "you carried extraordinary power — power no newborn should have. Had the world seen you as you truly were, they would have called you a monster. Your parents feared for you. So they sealed your power away."
Ren's voice wavered.
"Master Kuro once told me… I was a king. What does that even mean?"
The knight stood tall, like a shadow carved from eternity.
"Your parents were successors of the king's line. You were the perfect vessel for my power. Let me tell you a story…
"I was the Ninth King. I fought alongside the other eight kings to defeat the Shadow Demon. But I was gravely wounded — too weak to fight again. So I chose a vessel who would inherit my power.
"And after many years… you were born. You, Ren Akatsuki, were destined to become the next king."
The knight extended a gauntleted hand. The darkness around them swirled violently, as though the entire void held its breath.
"Take my hand, Ren Akatsuki. Accept the power that is rightfully yours. Become the vessel of the Ninth King — let me become one with you."
Ren hesitated, every instinct screaming both danger and destiny. None of this made sense, yet deep within him, something stirred — a part of him that had been asleep all his life.
Finally, with a shaky breath, he reached out and grasped the knight's hand.
At that moment, the seal shattered.
A colossal surge of energy erupted from deep within him, so powerful it split the void with blinding light.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Ren's body convulsed violently on the bed. Black veins crawled across his skin, pulsing as raw power flooded through him like a tidal wave.
Inside his chest, the Black Heart's voice screamed in shock.
"No… this is impossible! His body… it's reacting! This power is changing him!"
Then, just as suddenly, silence fell.
But the Ren lying there was no longer the same boy. His body had grown lean, sculpted, every muscle honed as if forged in battle. His aura had deepened, thick and heavy, making the very room tremble.
Yume, sitting at his bedside, felt her blood run cold.
"Grandfather!" she cried, fumbling for her communicator. "Something happened to Ren! Please come quickly!"
Master Kuro's voice crackled through, grim. "What happened?"
"Just come!"
Moments later, Kuro appeared, his eyes instantly narrowing.
"What have I done…" he murmured, almost to himself.
"Grandfather," Yume said, panic in her voice. "What do you mean? What happened to him?"
"The power his parents sealed… has been unleashed."
Yume's eyes widened. "Sealed? Why?"
"To protect him," Kuro said darkly. "When Ren was born, he carried a power no child should have. He was chosen as the vessel of the Ninth King."
"A vessel…" Yume whispered, her throat dry.
"Yes," Kuro said. "And if he uses even ten percent of his Black Heart power with this… he could destroy every living being on this planet."
Fear gripped Yume — but alongside it came something else. Pride. Ren wasn't weak. He was the strongest of them all.
But Kuro's words cut through her thoughts like a blade.
"When he learns the truth, he may resent me. The Ninth King will tell him about his parents. That they are still alive."
Yume's heart skipped.
"Ren's parents… are alive?"
"Yes. But far away — beyond this world of hunters."
"Then where are they?"
"That is for Ren to discover."
Hours later, Ren's eyes snapped open.
"Father… Mother…" he gasped, sitting up, his breathing ragged.
Yume immediately rushed to his side.
"Ren! You're awake!"
But his expression was twisted — fury burning in his eyes.
"Where is Master Kuro?!" he shouted, the air around him vibrating with unleashed mana.
"Ren, calm down!" Yume cried, clutching his shoulders.
"How can I calm down?!" His voice cracked like thunder. "My parents are alive — and no one told me! For years I thought they were dead!"
Yume didn't hesitate — she threw her arms around him, holding him tight.
"They didn't leave you because they wanted to," she whispered, her own voice trembling. "You were chosen as a vessel, Ren. To protect you, they had to go. I promised I would be here when you needed me most. And…"
Her voice softened to a whisper.
"…I love you. So please, calm down."
Ren froze, the fury inside him crumbling. Tears welled in his eyes, spilling silently down his face as he buried himself against Yume's shoulder, his body shaking with quiet sobs.
"Why…" His voice broke. "…why must all this responsibility fall on me?"
"Because you were chosen," Yume said gently, brushing his hair back. "But you are not alone. I will stand by you — not just today, but for as long as I live."
Together, they rose, stepping out of the room.
Ren's gaze locked on Master Kuro, who waited outside.
"Master Kuro." Ren's voice was cold as steel.
"Yes, Ren," Kuro said, meeting his eyes.
"Where are my parents?"
Mana still pulsed around Ren, the air crackling with it.
Before the silence could stretch further, Yume reached up and flicked Ren's forehead.
"Ow—hey!" He blinked at her.
"For shouting like a madman!" Yume scolded, cheeks puffed. "You scared me half to death!"
Ren scratched his head, embarrassed. "I… didn't mean to."
"Then calm down next time!" she huffed.
Inside his mind, the Black Heart laughed so hard it wheezed.
"Pfft—ha! A few hours ago you weren't even afraid of a dragon, and now one girl's glare has you acting like a puppy!"
"Shut up!" Ren snapped aloud, glaring into the air.
The Black Heart only laughed harder.
"Seriously, this new form of yours… your body is capable of handling 46.77% of my full power now. And that's without even tapping into the darkness."
Ren's eyes widened. "…That much?"
"Oh yes," the Black Heart said smugly. "And this is just the beginning."
Yume tilted her head. "Ren… are you talking to yourself again?"
Ren groaned and waved her off. "Just ignore it."
But his gaze returned to Master Kuro, now sharper than ever.
"Tell me, Master. Where are my parents?"