Somewhere far away…
"Please… please, sir," the monster pleaded, his massive body trembling as he knelt.
"Give me another chance. I won't disappoint you again."
His voice echoed through the dark chamber.
A sharp pressure filled the air.
"Do you want to get yourself killed, you mutt?"
Apanirun's voice was calm but poisonous.
"I was caught off guard," the beast growled, clenching his fists.
"And stop calling me mutt. My name is Ikoko!"
Apanirun laughed softly, circling him, clearly enjoying the humiliation.
"Enough."
A deep, commanding voice thundered through the hall.
Both Apanirun and Ikoko froze instantly.
"You are disturbing our lord."
From the shadows stepped a towering figure his presence alone made the ground tremble.
Alakoso.
The right-hand monster of their king.
"We apologize, sir," Apanirun and Ikoko said in unison, bowing deeply.
Around them, other beasts and monsters watched in silence, their glowing eyes filled with hatred and impatience.
"Before our lord can leave this realm," Alakoso said coldly,
"the Seal must be completely destroyed."
Ikoko slowly stepped forward, clenching his fists.
"Please," he said through gritted teeth.
"Grant me one more chance. I will destroy him."
A long silence followed.
"…Very well," Alakoso said at last.
"But fail again—and you will beg for death."
Ikoko bowed deeply. "I won't fail."
Alakoso turned his gaze toward Apanirun.
"You entered the human world," he said.
"Why didn't you destroy the Seal?"
Apanirun smiled.
"I want to fight him at full potential."
The room filled with low, angry growls.
The monsters glared at Apanirun—but none dared to speak.
At Israel's House
"They're coming…"
Israel collapsed to the floor, clutching his head and chest.
"They're coming… they're coming…"
"Israel!" his father shouted, rushing upstairs.
"What's wrong, son?"
His mother followed closely behind.
"Honey, what's happening?!"
"I don't know," his father said, panic rising as he saw Israel writhing in pain.
"It hurts!" Israel screamed. "It hurts!"
Suddenly
The sky outside turned crimson red.
"What… what is that?" his father whispered.
The air screamed.
A black hole tore open above the house.
The roof shattered.
"ISRAEL!" his parents screamed as debris came crashing down.
From the darkness
Ikoko stepped out.
Grinning.
"Well well," he said. "We meet again."
Israel struggled to stand. "You…"
In an instant—
Ikoko lunged forward, grabbing Israel by the neck and lifting him effortlessly into the air.
Israel gasped, clawing at his hand.
His mother screamed and ran toward them.
"Stop! Please stop!"
Before she could reach them
SLASH.
Ikoko waved his claws.
Her body was torn apart in an instant.
"HONEY!!!"
Israel's father screamed, rushing toward her remains.
Without even looking
Ikoko struck again.
Silence.
Israel's scream shattered the air.
"MOM!!! DAD!!!"
Everything froze.
The world went cold.
Time itself seemed to stop.
Israel's eyes slowly turned gold.
Ikoko leapt back, dropping him.
"What… what's wrong with him?" Ikoko muttered.
Israel rose slowly.
The air warped.
Reality cracked.
His scream turned into a low, monstrous growl.
Everything around him walls, ground, debris
began dissolving into nothingness.
A glowing tattoo appeared on his chest.
A beetle.
In the next instant
Israel vanished.
Ikoko felt it too late.
Israel grabbed him.
SLAM!
Ikoko was hurled across cities—through buildings, through mountains—traveling thousands of miles in seconds.
Israel appeared above him.
SLAM!
He drove Ikoko into the ground.
"Kill… kill… kill…"
Israel's voice echoed unnaturally.
He lifted Ikoko again
SLAM!
Buildings collapsed. The earth split.
"Die… die… DIE!!!"
Far away—
"I need to get to him—now!" Tari shouted, flying at full speed.
Israel continued punching Ikoko, screaming uncontrollably.
"DIE! DIE! DIE!"
"STOP!" Tari shouted from the sky.
"Can't you see? He's already dead!"
Israel looked up.
Growling like a beast.
In a flash, he appeared in front of her.
"Everything is go—"
She couldn't finish.
BOOM!
Israel punched her straight into the ground.
Before she could hit
He grabbed her.
Threw her back into the sky.
"DIE! DIE! DIE!"
He caught her again
And slammed her down violently.
He charged toward her once more
But—
A figure appeared.
Blocking him.
"That's enough," Femi said calmly.
TO BE CONTINUED…..