The days passed peacefully, days Saruto and Void hadn't known in a long time. They lived under one roof with Morvan and Carmelina, sharing food, laughter, and memories.
Every night, before going to sleep, Saruto would sit quietly and take out his crystal ball, making a call to his fiancées, Emilia and Star. Their voices eased the weight of the days, and their smiles restored some of the warmth he had almost lost.
One day, during a long call, Carmelina called out from behind him. Saruto went over and introduced his fiancées to his mother. They talked at length about Saruto childhood, his stubbornness, his strength, and his kindness, which he only showed to those he truly loved. Just before the call ended, Carmelina leaned close to the crystal and said in a mother's heartfelt tone, "Take good care of my son after you get married."
Emilia and Star smiled and said confidently, "We promise."
The month Hades had granted Saruto had passed. It was time to say goodbye. Saruto stood before his parents, hugged them tightly, and then pulled away with difficulty. He made one last call to his fiancées via the crystal ball. "Take good care of yourselves, Emilia and Star," he said with a quiet smile that masked deep longing. "And wait for me."
"When will you finish your training?" Star asked, her voice filled with worry. "When will you return?"
"I don't know when I'll return," Saruto replied firmly. "But my goal is clear. After I finish my training, I'll go to the worlds where my friends are: Lucien, Kyle, and Ryan. Then... I'll defeat Umbra. And then I'll return to you."
"May you return safely," Emilia and Star said in unison.
Saruto smiled, waved to them, and ended the call. Void approached and said quietly, "The vacation is over... Let's get back to training."
Saruto nodded in agreement. At the training grounds, the two arrived to find Hades sitting and waiting for them. She stood up immediately upon seeing them and greeted them. Saruto stepped forward and returned the crystal ball to her, saying confidently, "We're ready."
Hades smiled faintly and said, "Then… let's begin training."
She opened two dark portals. Saruto asked cautiously, "Are you going to put us through another illusion?"
"No," Hades replied.
She gestured for them to approach her. They stood before her, and she placed her hands on their heads. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them, they glowed with a frightening white light. She suddenly withdrew her hands, and two black orbs pulsating with dark energy appeared in her grasp. "What are those orbs?" Void asked, surprised.
"Try to use the energy of darkness," Hades said coldly.
The two did as she instructed, but nothing happened. "What did you do?" Saruto demanded sharply. Hades replied, "These two orbs… are your Dark Energy. I stole it from you."
Then she threw each orb into one of the two portals. She added, "The test is simple… you must find your energy and reclaim it."
"Is that all?" Saruto asked confidently.
"Sounds easy," Void added with a smile.
They entered the portals. The moment they stepped through, they were separated into different worlds. Each stood bewildered before an immense, endless labyrinth with towering walls and thick shadows. Then Hades voice pierced their heads: "I forgot to mention… your energy has been divided into a hundred parts, scattered throughout this labyrinth."
She paused for a moment, then continued, "There are monsters swarming inside. You must collect the pieces to raise your Dark Power so you can fight. Each piece is worth 1% of your power..."
She fell silent, then said decisively, "Let the second test begin now."
Saruto stood in his own world, gazing into the depths of the labyrinth, his eyes gleaming with defiance. In another world, Void smiled coldly. This kind of hell was where they were born to fight.