Ai-chan sat alone in the dim room, untouched food placed beside her. The warm dishes had gone cold long ago, just like the hope in her eyes. She stared at the floor, her hands trembling slightly, her breath shallow.
The door opened softly.
Umbra stepped inside.
For once, there was no anger in his face. No cruelty. His voice, when he spoke, was unusually gentle.
"Why aren't you eating?" he asked quietly.
Ai-chan did not look up.
Umbra moved closer, slowly, almost carefully. He raised his hand, as if to touch her cheek—just for a moment.
Ai-chan stepped back instantly.
"Please…" her voice cracked. "Please let me go. My Shinchan… my children… they are waiting for me."
Tears rolled down her face as her strength gave up. She fell to her knees, sobbing.
"I beg you… please…"
The room fell silent.
Then Umbra's expression changed.
His calm shattered.
His eyes burned with rage.
"You always think about Shinchan," he snapped. "Always him!"
Ai-chan looked up, fear mixing with pain.
Umbra clenched his fist.
"He has already arrived," Umbra said coldly. "And I will kill him."
Ai-chan gasped.
"And after that," Umbra continued, his voice dark and twisted, "I will marry you. If you want, I'll even raise your children."
That was it.
Ai-chan stood up in one sudden motion—
SLAP!
The sound echoed through the room.
"GET OUT!" she screamed, her voice breaking the silence like thunder.
Umbra froze.
Slowly, he turned away.
As he walked out, his voice was cold again.
"Guard this room properly," he ordered the guards outside. "She will not go anywhere."
The doors slammed shut.
Ai-chan collapsed back onto the floor, crying silently.
The Villains' Meeting Room
Umbra entered the dark hall where the other villains were already waiting.
One of them laughed.
"They defeated our soldiers easily," another said with irritation.
Before Umbra could reply, a servant rushed into the room.
The villains glared.
"Do you have no manners?" one of them growled.
The servant bowed deeply. "I'm sorry, my lords… but this is urgent."
Umbra raised his hand. "Speak."
The servant swallowed hard.
"Someone has entered the weapon room. The mysterious box… it's missing."
The room went silent.
Umbra's eyes narrowed.
"Go," he said calmly.
The servant ran out.
Umbra turned to the others, his voice sharp and dangerous.
"So… Shinchan and his friends have taken our treasures."
A slow, dark smile appeared on his face.
"Enough games," Umbra said. "It's time we charge them directly."
The villains nodded.
War was no longer coming.
It had already begun.