For the first time in decades...
The tournament had been suspended.
The news spread across the world in less than a single day.
«"The World Tournament has been temporarily suspended until further notice."»
No explanation was given.
And no one knew what had happened within the domain of Kyoketsu no Hikari.
But the rumors had already begun to spread.
Some spoke of Kaizen's return.
Others whispered about the appearance of the strongest man in the world.
And far from the eyes of the public...
A meeting that would determine the fate of one person was being held.
---
Deep within the headquarters of the Gaya Organization stood a massive circular hall.
At its center sat the organization's Supreme Leader.
Tsukiro.
Seated beside him were the leaders of the greatest organizations in the world.
- Thalen — Leader of Kyoketsu no Hikari.
- Kaya — Leader of Hakai no Tsubasa.
- Valiana — Leader of Kuroyami no Me.
- Akuro — Leader of Tenkuu no Ken.
- Takeshi — Leader of Seirei no Honō.
The atmosphere was suffocating.
Even the air itself seemed to have stopped moving.
No one spoke.
Until Tsukiro finally broke the silence.
"Kaizen has returned."
Silence fell over the room once again.
Akuro was the first to speak.
"No."
His voice was firm.
"Kaizen did not return."
He turned his gaze directly toward Thalen.
"He never left."
Thalen remained silent.
Valiana crossed her arms and said,
"The vessel is unstable, but that does not change the truth."
Her golden eyes narrowed.
"Jinsu no longer exists."
The moment those words left her mouth...
The temperature in the room dropped.
Thalen slowly raised his eyes.
"Choose your next words carefully."
But Valiana did not back down.
"I'm merely stating the facts."
Kaya let out a quiet sigh.
"No one in history has ever survived becoming Kaizen's vessel."
"And none of them ever returned."
Silence.
Takeshi clenched his fists.
"Are you suggesting we kill one of our own?"
Valiana answered without hesitation.
"If he becomes a threat to the world..."
"Then yes."
Akuro nodded.
"I agree."
"The Blacklist exists for this very reason."
Tsukiro looked toward Thalen.
"A formal proposal has been submitted."
He spoke calmly.
"Jinsu, member of Kyoketsu no Hikari."
"Candidate for Black Classification."
A deadly silence filled the hall.
The Black Classification.
A title reserved only for beings considered global threats.
And once a name was placed upon the Blacklist...
The entire world was granted permission to hunt and kill them.
Thalen lowered his head.
"Denied."
Valiana frowned.
"This is not your decision alone."
Thalen raised his eyes.
"Yes."
"It is."
For the first time...
A terrifying spiritual pressure leaked from his body.
The entire hall trembled.
"If any one of you intends to kill Jinsu..."
His voice was terrifyingly calm.
"I will stop you."
Silence.
Even Akuro's expression changed.
Kaya closed her eyes.
"And that is precisely why you should not be part of this decision."
"You're far too attached to him."
Thalen did not answer.
Because she was right.
Suddenly—
BOOOOOOM!!
The council chamber doors burst open.
Every eye turned toward the man standing at the entrance.
Long white hair.
Eyes that carried the light of lightning itself.
And an aura that made the ground tremble beneath his feet.
The man walked forward slowly.
"It seems I've arrived just in time."
Takeshi's eyes widened.
"Raigen..."
The man took the final seat around the table.
Raigen.
Leader of Raikō no Ikari.
The second strongest person in the world.
And the only man who had ever stood on equal footing with Thalen in the past.
He raised his gaze toward Thalen.
"I've heard enough."
Silence.
Then he said,
"I oppose any attempt to save him."
The hall froze.
"Jinsu died the moment he became Kaizen's vessel."
Thalen's expression darkened.
"Watch your words."
Raigen smiled.
"Why? Are you angry?"
Then he rose from his seat.
"If he appears again..."
"I will kill him myself."
For the first time since the meeting began...
Thalen stood.
BOOOOOOM!!
The ground beneath his feet shattered.
"You will not lay a hand on him."
Raigen took a step forward.
"Do you really believe you can defeat me again?"
Silence.
Everyone knew the history between the two men.
The strongest man in the world.
Against...
The second strongest.
Yet every single time...
Thalen had emerged victorious.
Raigen smiled.
"This time, I won't back down."
"And if you fail to save him..."
"I'll be the first to take his head."
At that moment...
Tsukiro stepped between them.
"That's enough."
Their auras disappeared instantly.
He looked at both men.
"The world cannot afford to lose either of you."
Then he turned to Thalen and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You still believe he can be saved, don't you?"
Thalen closed his eyes.
"...Yes."
"And what if you're wrong?"
Silence.
Then, at last, he answered:
"Then I will bear the responsibility."
A faint smile appeared on Tsukiro's face.
"Then bring him back to us."
Everyone's eyes widened.
Tsukiro raised his hand.
"The vote to place Jinsu on the Blacklist will be postponed."
He looked at all the leaders gathered in the hall.
"Until Thalen returns with his answer."
---
At the same time...
Inside Gaya's medical facility...
Yuna sat beside an empty bed.
Jinsu's bed.
Her eyes never left it.
"...You idiot."
No one answered.
She remembered his smile.
His awkward mannerisms.
And the moment he had shouted—
"Run... NOW!"
Tears began to gather in her eyes.
"You promised me..."
"You promised you'd come back."
And for the first time in years...
Yuna cried.
---
Elsewhere...
Kenji stood before a shattered training dummy.
His fists trembled.
"I lost."
He had repeated those words dozens of times.
"I couldn't even move."
He remembered Kaizen stopping his strongest attack with a single finger.
He remembered the fear.
And he hated that feeling.
BOOM!!
The training dummy exploded into pieces.
He lowered his head.
"What kind of king am I..."
"...if I can't protect anyone?"
For the first time in years...
The King of Swords began to doubt himself.
---
Elsewhere...
Levi continued to swing his sword despite the bandages covering his body.
Once.
Then again.
And again.
Blood dripped from his hands.
But he did not stop.
"You were taken..."
Another strike.
"Before I could defeat you."
Another.
"You idiot..."
His grip on his sword tightened.
"Who gave you permission to become Kaizen's vessel?"
BOOOOOOM!!
The training grounds split in half.
Levi raised his sword toward the sky.
"You still owe me."
Silence.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"So..."
"Don't die before I defeat you, Jinsu."
And he returned to training.
More fiercely than ever before.
---
High above the world...
Thalen stood alone atop the highest tower within Gaya Headquarters.
His eyes were fixed upon the moon.
And for the first time in a very long time...
The strongest man in the world felt powerless.
"Jinsu..."
His voice was barely audible.
Then he slowly closed his eyes.
"Wait for me."
"No matter where they've taken you..."
"I will bring you back."
Even if he had to...
Stand against the entire world.
And in an unknown place...
Within an endless darkness...
Jinsu slowly opened his eyes.
But the voice that greeted him...
Was not his own.
"Wake up, child."
His eyes widened.
And there stood Kaizen before him, smiling.
"Our story has only just begun."