Underground Council Chamber – Time: Late Evening, Day of the Incident
The was carved deep into the bones of the earth.
Black stone, veined with glowing veins of mana crystal, formed a perfect circle beneath the continent's capital. The chamber pulsed with an eerie heartbeat—alive, old, and heavy with history.
Seven great thrones encircled the table, each throne bearing the crest of a major race: Humans, Elves, Beastkin, Spirits, Dragons, and Demons—with one seat left unclaimed at the back of the circle. That seat had always remained empty.
Tonight, every throne was filled.
A storm of silence hung thick in the chamber until it shattered—violently.
SLAM!
A silver gauntlet struck the obsidian table. The Human Chancellor, Lady Reivana Seris, rose to her feet. Her long white coat, trimmed in gold, rippled with her anger.
"Don't pretend you didn't see it," she hissed. "That was Leo."
Her voice echoed like a blade drawn in sacred halls.
Across from her, the Beastkin Elder—a towering man with the head of a lion and fur streaked with gray—nodded slowly. His claws tapped against his staff, but his voice remained calm.
"He moved like Leo. Fought like him. But that… that was only a fraction of his true strength."
"We shouldn't even be debating this," snapped the Elven Matriarch, her pale eyes narrowing. Her silver circlet glinted with mana. "The Treaty of Extinction was absolute. He was deemed a world-level threat. His soul was meant to be erased."
The Dragonkin emissary—a statuesque figure cloaked in volcanic silk—spoke without turning his golden gaze away from the table. His voice rumbled like distant thunder.
"Agreements crafted in fear rarely outlast the shadows that birthed them."
The room's temperature dropped slightly. Words stopped flowing.
And then—
A quiet chuckle.
All heads turned to the throne veiled in mist and black flame.
The demon representative sat lazily upon it, his crimson eyes half-lidded. His horns curved elegantly, his robes pristine, untouched by dust or time. He exhaled like someone watching a play he'd already seen twice.
"We remain neutral," he said softly.
The silence twisted.
The Elven Matriarch leaned forward, voice cold. "Neutral. Again. Even now?"
The demon's smile didn't waver.
"You mistake indifference for cowardice," he said. "We merely… respect a pact made in older blood than yours."
The Human Chancellor's brow furrowed.
"A pact?"
The Demon Delegate tilted his head. "You've forgotten already?"
Reivana's voice was tight. "You formed a pact with him… after the massacre?"
The demon didn't answer. He didn't have to.
The Elven Matriarch stood now. "Then the demon race cannot be trusted in any future joint operation. This silence… borders on treason."
"Not treason," the demon corrected, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeve. "Merely… remembrance."
The Spirit Queen, a translucent woman of water and wind, finally spoke, her voice like a whisper echoing from a distant lake.
"Regardless of your politics, Leo is back. His presence will spread panic. Fear will breed war."
The dragon emissary nodded.
"And the Academy?"
"They'll be the first battlefield," the Beastkin Elder muttered.
[Scene Change – Shadow Corridor, Outside Council Chamber]
Two figures walked quietly through a hidden passage, their cloaks lined with black feathers, their faces hidden beneath crystal masks.
The hallway twisted like a serpent through the mountain, far from any mortal eyes.
"They're splintering," said the taller of the two—his voice Human, sharp.
The other nodded—Elven, female, and precise. "The demons' neutrality was expected. The real issue is Leo's growth. That wasn't even 5% of his full capability."
"We can't risk waiting." The man's voice darkened. "If he returns again…"
"We'll need every trump card we've hidden," she whispered. "Including the Crimson Class."
The man paused.
"They're unstable. Kira is dangerous. Chris is volatile. The rest are scattered."
She turned.
"And yet… they survived. Which means they're useful. For now."
[Scene – Crimson Dormitory Rooftop, That Same Night]
Kira sat on the roof, legs crossed, the moonlight silver against his black uniform. His jacket hung loose, exposing the bruises that lined his side. Beside him, Rhea sat with her knees pulled to her chest, a blanket around her shoulders.
"They're talking about him, aren't they?" she whispered.
Kira didn't answer right away. His eyes were on the stars.
"Yeah. Probably tearing themselves apart over it."
Rhea sighed. "Good."
She looked down at her hands.
"They should be afraid."
The wind blew gently. Kira tilted his head, watching the clouds shift above the tower in the distance.
"Next time," he said softly, "I won't just watch."
[Final Scene – Hidden Chamber Beneath the Academy]
The room was lit by cursed fire and ghostlight. A mirror of black crystal hummed at the center, pulsing like a heart.
Liora stood before it.
The Headmistress's long crimson coat rustled as she moved closer, extending one hand toward the crystal. Her fingers glowed with binding magic, dark and ancient.
The image flickered.
Leo's face appeared—calm, unreadable. The vessel's eyes were empty, yet still smiling.
From a separate projection, a hooded figure flickered into view—cloaked in green flame, face entirely hidden.
"The council fractures," the voice said. "The demons refuse to move. The Sovereign Class watches in silence."
"And the Crimson Class?" Liora asked.
The figure hesitated.
"Stronger than before. Unstable. But not broken."
Liora turned toward the crystal.
"Then we break them properly. And rebuild them as weapons."
She pressed her palm to the crystal—and Leo's image rippled, his smile widening for just a moment before fading.
She whispered to herself.
"All kings fall… but not him."