Deep within the Abyss prison, ten men stood atop the rubble, each with a distinct, heavy, suffocating aura that testified to their ranking at the very top of the prisoner hierarchy.
One of them stepped forward, a thin man. He was Ranked Prisoner Number Five, Sirkath.
"Freedom has finally returned to us," he said in a quiet voice… but revenge alone is not enough.
All eyes turned to him. He continued with a smile, "I suggest that each of us take a number of prisoners under our command, not necessarily to destroy the kingdoms, but to spread terror and tell the Ten Kingdoms that we have returned."
A short silence followed, then smiles began to appear, one after another. The idea appealed to them all. Each Ranked Prisoner began to choose their followers. Except for one. Ranked Prisoner Number One, Niraval. He stood alone, motionless. One of the Ranked Prisoners approached him and asked cautiously, "Why didn't you take anyone with you?"
The next moment, a terrifying aura erupted from Ranked Prisoner Number One body. An overwhelming, suffocating energy made the ground crack beneath their feet. "Do you think I'm so weak... that I'd rely on others?" he said coldly.
His aura surged toward the prisoner who had questioned him, nearly crushing him completely, had it not been for the swift intervention of Rank Five, Sirkath, who acted as a barrier between them. "He didn't mean to underestimate you," he said nervously.
The aura abruptly ceased, and silence returned. Nerval turned his back and said, "Don't make that mistake again."
Then, each of the ten Ranked Ones set off toward the kingdom they had chosen as their destination. Some were driven by revenge. Some by sheer destruction. And some by reasons yet unknown.
Meanwhile, Ethan flew through the sky, his face etched with worry. He tried to contact Saruto telepathically, but received no response. He tried again—nothing. Even when he tried to trace his energy, he couldn't find him. It was as if Saruto had vanished from this world. "Something's jamming the signal… or rather… isolating it," he said in a low voice.
He wasted no time. He contacted the headmaster of Hartz Academy, told him everything that had happened, and ordered him to secure the academy immediately to protect the students. Then he began contacting the kings of the Ten Kingdoms, one by one, warning them of the impending danger. As he spoke, a frantic voice came from the king of the Dragon Kingdom: "They've arrived!"
The scene of destruction was immediately clear. Ranked Number Five, SirKath, stood in the heart of the kingdom, his followers behind him, spreading terror, burning cities, and mercilessly crushing soldiers.
"Hold on, Your Majesty," Ethan said sharply, "until we find a solution to this catastrophe!"
But before he could finish, another call came… and another… and another. Every single king told him the same thing. The prisoners had arrived. And the destruction had begun.
Ethan gritted his teeth and said angrily, "Damn it..."
Then he spoke to the King of the Storm Kingdom and asked him quickly, "Where is the island your son Kyle and the other heirs have gone to?"
The king replied hesitantly, "Why do you care about them now?"
Ethan said confidently, "Don't underestimate these youngsters... They will play a crucial role in helping stop this catastrophe."
The king told him where they had gone, and after pinpointing the location, Ethan sped off, unaware that someone was watching him. In the Dark Kingdom, the prisoner Niraval stood before the gates of the royal palace. He pushed them open.
He entered with calm steps, unconcerned by the guards. One of them shouted, "Stop! Who are you?!"
But with just one look, they fell to the ground, torn apart, their remains scattered in the corridors. Deep within the palace, Norvan, the Dark King and Saruto father, sensed that intrusive energy. His body was weary, the illness evident, yet he rose nonetheless.
He walked down the corridors, seeing the corpses, until he sensed an energy behind him. He turned swiftly, drew his weapon, and said in a firm voice, "Who are you?"
Niraval laughed and said, "I am…"
Norvan eyes widened in surprise. The prisoner said, "I don't want to fight here. Let's go to the Time Chamber. I don't want to destroy this palace."
Norvan paused for a moment, then said, "As you wish."
Together, they headed towards the Time Chamber. As for Ethan, upon reaching the island, he stopped abruptly. A massive barrier surrounded the entire island. He tried to break through it but failed. He said in astonishment, "Who put this barrier in place? And is the purpose… to keep Saruto and the others away from what's happening?"
He clenched his fist and said, "Umbra… what are you planning?"
As he searched for a way to breach the barrier, he heard two voices asking, "Do you need help?" Inside the island, Saruto and his friends were sitting around a table laden with food, laughing, enjoying themselves, unaware that the kingdoms had sunk into destruction.