The Shadow's Desperate Flight
A sudden, sharp pang erupted in Kaito's chest, like a cold blade piercing his very soul. It wasn't just a physical wound; it was the resonance of a dying ember. One of the eight "Chosen Ones" was losing their spiritual energy at a terrifying rate. He could feel it—the life force of a powerful being leaking out like sand through an hourglass.
"I have to go... perhaps their light can guide my darkness," Kaito whispered, turning toward Hina. The air around him grew heavy, charged with a dark, electric tension. Seeing the sheer terror in Hina's eyes, he placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch cold yet reassuring. "Hina, take care of yourself. This path is mine to walk alone. I'll be back." In the next instant, Kaito summoned the abysmal power granted by Cun Lo. His body didn't just turn dark; it became a void, deeper and more terrifying than the night itself. He didn't take to the sky like a hero. Instead, he crouched low, his form melting into a "Liquid Shadow" that fused with the very cracks in the scorched earth. Using the villain's dark physics, he became a blur of ink against the grey world. He sprinted through the shadows of ruins, over broken highways, and through ghost cities, covering 200km in what felt like a single, elongated heartbeat. Wherever he passed, the ground turned black, scorched by the corruption he carried within.
The Golden Veil
At the city's perimeter, Kaito's momentum shattered. Before him stood a towering golden dome—a barrier so bright it seemed to pierce the heavens themselves. It was a stark contrast to the world of ash he had just traversed. From within the shimmering wall, a melody drifted out—a song Kaito recognized from the deepest, most guarded corners of his childhood diary. It was a tune he thought he had buried forever under the weight of the "Deletion."
As he reached out and touched the golden membrane, a musical jolt surged through his veins, vibrating in his bones. The barrier didn't repel him; it pulled him in like a long-lost child. For a moment, his vision was consumed by a blinding, holy white. When he finally opened his eyes, he gasped. His horrific shadow form had evaporated. He looked down at his hands—they were no longer stained with the black sludge of the void. He was a normal human again. His tattered, blood-stained clothes had been replaced by a clean, simple outfit, and the scars of war had vanished from his skin.
The Impossible Paradise
Kaito stepped forward into a world that defied all logic. The city was perfect—untouched, vibrant, and alive. It was exactly as it had been before the world broke. Tall glass buildings reflected the warm afternoon sun, shops were bustling with people laughing, and children played tag in the parks. The air didn't smell of smoke or death; it carried the intoxicating scent of rain-washed earth and Yuna's favorite yellow jasmine flowers.
People stopped what they were doing to smile at him. They didn't see a "Sovereign" or a monster; they saw a neighbor. "Greetings, Kaito! You're late!" a fruit seller called out with a wave. "Go on, she's already waiting for you at the central stadium." Kaito walked through the streets in a trance. Every corner was a memory. Every face was familiar. "This is more beautiful than my best dreams... there isn't a single drop of blood here," he thought, his heart aching with a hope that felt like a trap.
The Fatal Embrace
Inside the grand stadium, the atmosphere was electric. Thousands of people cheered, but the sound wasn't the chaotic roar of a crowd—it was a coordinated, rhythmic symphony. Petals of golden flowers drifted down from the sky like warm snow. And there, standing at the center of the stage, was Yuna. She looked radiant, her face delicate and glowing with a light that seemed to pulse with the heartbeat of the city. Her eyes found his, and for a second, time stood still.
"Big brother! I knew you would come back to me!" she cried out, her voice breaking with joy. She ran toward him, her footsteps light as air, and threw her arms around his neck. The warmth of her body against his was so real, so visceral, that Kaito felt his knees go weak.
As she held him, a heavy wave of dizziness washed over him. The world began to tilt, the cheers of the crowd turning into a soft, echoing hum. Then, Yuna pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, whispering softly:
"Big brother... don't look back anymore. We will stay together forever in this sanctuary. Don't be afraid of the dark. I am the SOL now, and I will always protect you. The world outside... the 'Deletion'... it was all just a bad dream. Just sleep now, Kaito. Let me carry the burden."
Kaito tried to speak, to ask her how this was possible, but his voice failed him. His consciousness began to drift into a sweet, golden abyss. The stadium faded, the lights dimmed, and his soul plummeted into the depths of his First Dream.THE FIRST DREAM: THE MELODY OF THE BEGINNING
The Awakening
Kaito opened his eyes to find himself in his old childhood bedroom. The smell of breakfast wafted from downstairs. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting long, peaceful shadows across his wooden floor. Everything felt undeniably real—the weight of the blankets, the ticking of the clock on his desk.
"What a terrifying dream I had... I was a monster? No, that can't be right," he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
"Kaito! If you're not down in two minutes, I'm giving your breakfast to the neighbors!" His mother's voice boomed from the kitchen. Kaito let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He was home. He washed his face, dressed in his school uniform, and ran downstairs, his backpack bouncing against his shoulders.
The Shadow of a Friend
On his way to school, the morning air felt crisp and perfect. He met his childhood best friend at the usual corner—Cun Lo. He was leaning against a lamppost, his face calm and unreadable. Cun Lo always had a mysterious aura, even as a kid, as if he knew the secrets of the universe but found them boring.
"Cun Lo... man, I had the craziest nightmare today. I felt like I was some kind of dark king," Kaito said, trying to laugh it off.
Cun Lo looked at him with those deep, piercing eyes. "A dark king? You? You can't even finish your math homework on time, Kaito. But you are acting weird. I mean, you're always a bit of a glitch, but today you look like you've seen a ghost."
They raced to school, laughing and shoving each other. But in class, Kaito couldn't focus. He kept looking at his palms, expecting to see black smoke.
"Kaito! Since the window is so interesting, perhaps you can answer the question on the board?" the teacher snapped. Kaito stood up, his mind a blank slate. Cun Lo tried to whisper the answer, but the teacher had already seen enough. "Hallway. Now."
The Musical Clash
After a long day, Kaito returned home. To clear his head, he put on the heavy, old headphones his father had given him before he passed away. He started to hum a melody, trying to fix the lyrics of a song he had been working on.
In the newly occupied house next door, Yuna was unpacking her boxes. She stopped when she heard the muffled humming through the thin walls. She listened for a moment, then groaned. "Great. A neighbor with zero rhythm and even worse lyrics," she thought, annoyed.
That evening, Kaito's mother called him down. "The new neighbors finally moved in. They seem lovely. I've invited them for lunch, so go over there and be a good host."
Kaito grumbled but obeyed. He rang the doorbell, and it was opened by Yuna's mother. At the lunch table, the talk soon turned to music. "My Yuna is a prodigy," her mother said proudly. "She's been scouted by three labels already."
Yuna was nudged into singing a short verse. Her voice was breathtaking—it was like liquid gold, filling the room with a resonance that made Kaito's skin prickle. But when she finished and everyone clapped, Kaito remained silent.
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" Yuna asked, her eyes challenging him.
"Your voice is amazing," Kaito said honestly. "But the lyrics? They're shallow. They don't have any soul."
The table went silent. Yuna's face turned a fiery red. "Excuse me? At least I don't sound like a dying cat through the wall! Your 'lyrics' this morning were a disaster!"
Their mothers burst into laughter, breaking the tension. "Look at them! A pair of artists already at each other's throats!"Sunday's Masterpiece
The mothers decided to make a game of it. "If you two can write one song together—a real masterpiece—we'll get you both those premium studio mics you've been eyeing."
On Sunday morning, Yuna didn't wait. She marched into Kaito's house and found him snoring, drooling on his pillow. His mother let her into the room, and she didn't hesitate to pull the curtains open.
"Get up! We have work to do, and I'm not losing that mic because of a lazy amateur!"
"Sunday is for sleeping, you melody-maniac!" Kaito groaned, burying his face in the pillow.
They spent the next four hours in a literal war zone of creativity.
"The bridge needs more emotion!" Yuna shouted.
"It needs logic, not just screaming!" Kaito yelled back.
By lunch, they hadn't written a single line, and their mothers were laughing at them from the kitchen. "Bye-bye, gifts!"
The Secret on the Headphones
An hour before the "final deadline" at dinner, Yuna sat on Kaito's bed, her head in her hands. "It's no use. I can't find the right words. Everything feels fake."
Kaito looked at her, then reached for his headphones. "Put these on. And don't talk until it's over."
He played a file from a year ago—a song Yuna had posted on an anonymous forum that had only gotten three views.
Yuna froze. Her eyes widened. "How... how did you find this? I deleted it months ago because everyone said it was boring."
"I saved it," Kaito said quietly. "I've listened to it every night for a year. Your voice was perfect, Yuna. It was just the words that were missing. So... I rewrote them for you. Here." He handed her his crumpled diary.
Yuna read the lyrics. They were deep, raw, and spoke of a loneliness she thought only she felt. Her eyes sparkled with tears as she realized Kaito hadn't just been listening; he had been understanding her. At the dinner table that night, when Yuna sang the improved version, a heavy, beautiful silence fell over both families. Kaito watched Yuna's radiant smile and felt a peace he didn't think was possible. He forgot the "Sovereign." He forgot the war. He didn't realize that this perfect, warm dream was the very cage designed by the SOL to keep his darkness locked away forever.