A bright light began to emanate from him. Not an explosion, but an intense aura, a pure and brilliant blue, that illuminated the entire clearing. The light was not aggressive. It was calm, stable, confident. It pulsed once, then twice.
He placed his hand on the door again. This time, he felt no resistance. He felt a resonance. Like two musical notes tuning to form a perfect harmony.
A low rumble was heard. The ancient engravings on the door began to glow with the same light as Raizen's. Slowly, majestically, the colossal door pivoted on itself, revealing the familiar path to the Tempio Zenith.
Raizen opened his eyes, panting, sweat beading on his forehead, but a feeling of pride and accomplishment he had never felt before washed over him.
He turned to Takashi. And for the first time, he saw something he never thought possible.
Takashi Aomi was smiling. Not a smirk, not a half-smile. A genuine, open smile that lit up his usually impassive face.
Takashi Aomi:
Well done! That's very good... if you managed to open this door, it means you are truly a Zenith Star.
He paused, letting Raizen savor his success, before resuming in a more professorial tone.
Takashi Aomi:
There are five doors like this one, located in strategic places. They are our greatest secret, our way of moving without being detected.
1. One is in the city of Goma, where you carried out your last mission.
2. Another in the port city of Congo.
3. A third in the mountain city of Namon.
4. The fourth in the fortified city of Mbanza.
5. And finally, this one, near Kazemori.
Raizen was stunned by this information. He had never imagined such a network.
Takashi Aomi:
All these doors lead to the same place: the Tempio Zenith. But there is a fundamental rule.
His gaze became more intense.
Takashi Aomi:
Only Celestial Kara can open them. It is our greatest strength, and our greatest security. That's why you had to learn. Not just to fight, but to belong. To be able to come home, wherever you are.
Raizen looked at the open door, then at his mentor. He understood now. This training was not just about power. It was about identity. He was no longer a simple fighter. He was a guardian of the secret paths. A true Zenith Star.
A slight smile formed on his lips, a smile of admiration and understanding.
Raizen Vithar:
I understand better now... I understand why the Burned Bloods have never managed to find a single one of our hideouts. The strategy is incredible. It's not about hiding, but about being inaccessible.
Takashi nodded, his own smile having faded to his usual neutral expression, but a glint of satisfaction still shone in his eyes.
Takashi Aomi:
Exactly. Now, let's go.
Raizen Vithar:
Where are we going exactly?
Takashi's gaze was lost for a moment in the luminous passage, as if he were looking through time itself. His voice, when he answered, was deeper, laden with a weight that Raizen could not yet understand.
Takashi Aomi:
To the origin of our creation.
Without another word, he stepped into the luminous passage, leaving Raizen to follow, his heart pounding with a mixture of apprehension and fascination. The young Astroforge cast one last look at the bamboo forest behind him before crossing the threshold. He thought he was going to the Tempio Zenith for simple training. He now realized that he was about to discover a much deeper secret.
Next scene...
While Raizen began his training under Takashi's eye, elsewhere, the war of Kara did not stop.
City of Goma — East District
Known for its hot springs and eternal festivals, Goma vibrated with a joyful energy.
The laughter, the cries of merchants, the music of suspended lanterns: everything seemed to breathe life.
But, as always, shadows lurked where the light was brightest.
In an alley away from the tumult, the party had turned into a nightmare.
Four bodies lay in twisted positions, their faces frozen in fear.
Sitting on one of them, a Kageyami was sliding its black claws over the flesh, slowly, almost distractedly.
Kageyami (muttering):
Weak… Weak… The world belongs to predators.
A vibration in the air. Then suddenly, two agile silhouettes descended from the roofs, landing silently at the entrance of the alley. Two Astroforges.
Their white coats brushed the ground with grace.
Astroforge 1:
Celestial Kara: Covering Webs!
From his hands, he projected a network of bright, sticky Celestial Kara threads, which wrapped around the Kageyami.
But the Kageyami smirked. Its veins blackened, its muscles swelled, its skin cracked.
A deep rumble made the walls vibrate.
The black energy exploded, tearing the celestial threads like paper.
Superior Kageyami (growling):
Too many weaklings… All must disappear.
Black Kara: Shadow's Embrace!
The ground beneath the Astroforges' feet began to boil. Pillars of solidified shadow, sharp as spears, shot up from the earth. But the two seasoned Zeniths reacted in time, jumping back to avoid the deadly attack.
The ground began to tremble.
Astroforge 2:
Watch out! It's a superior Kageyami! Better be careful... Internal Kara: Muscle Reinforcement!
His body was enveloped in a bluish aura. He shot forward with lightning speed and delivered a powerful punch straight to the Kageyami's face. The impact made a dull sound, but the monster took the blow without even flinching. It immediately retaliated with a brutal headbutt that sent the Astroforge stumbling back several steps, his nose bleeding.
Another volley of shadow spikes rained down. His partner dived to push him aside, narrowly avoiding death.
The two Zeniths were panting, overwhelmed.
The Kageyami looked up toward the daylight, where the laughter of passersby echoed.
A monstrous smile formed on its deformed face. Ignoring the two Astroforges, it shot out of the alley, running at a terrifying speed toward the innocent crowd.
Astroforge 1:
No! It must not expose itself in the open!
But it was already too late. The monster had too much of a head start.
Its step raised a black wind. Panic was about to erupt.
But suddenly, a calm, almost mocking voice descended from the sky.
Voice:
Hey. Where do you think you're going like that?
A flash split the air.
A figure passed over them, so fast it seemed to be carried by the wind. It landed with disconcerting ease right in front of the Kageyami, cutting off its path. The man wore a duck-billed mask and had two swords on his back.
He made an almost lazy gesture, as if sheathing two invisible blades.
Then, without anyone understanding how, the massive body of the superior Kageyami froze. Cut lines appeared all over its body, and it collapsed into a thousand pieces, like a stone statue disintegrating.
The man with the duck mask sighed, hands in his pockets, without even looking at the result.
Duck Bum Darly:
You're in my city, you bastard.
And here, no one kills without being judged.
Not as long as Duck Bum Darly breathes.
The two stunned Astroforges stared at him with admiration.
Astroforges (breathing out, almost in unison):
It's him… The man with the duck mask!
Duck turned his head slightly, his gaze hidden behind the visor of his mask.
Then smiled proudly...
END OF CHAPTER 20