A few days ago, as Kojin sat across from Diablo in his office, a tense air filled the room.
"I did some investigating," Kojin began, his tone serious, "and I found out that Ukina is planning on stealing two important scrolls."
Diablo raised an eyebrow, folding his arms. "Scrolls?"
Kojin nodded. "The first one is located in the Iron Country. It has the ability to open dimensions, or so i heard. The second contains ancient symbols... symbols that can be used to activate a seal."
A flicker of realization crossed Diablo's face. "From what I'm hearing, it sounds like Ukina is trying to seal me away."
"That's exactly what I think," Kojin agreed. "You're the reincarnation of the Divine God, that explains one of the reasons you are so strong. She knows you're the only real threat standing in her way. If she seals you, she'll have a clearer path to achieving her goal."
Diablo sighed deeply, glancing out the window. "It's obvious. Ukina wants to take over the world—but she doesn't have the power to do it alone. That's why she's sending her Dark Sign members to invade cities, cause chaos... while she searches for more power. Typical villian behaviour."
Kojin's expression darkened. "And she's after the Millennia Stones too, isn't she? To revive the Divine Beast?"
Diablo nodded. "That's what I've gathered."
Kojin leaned back, his voice somber. "Years ago, when Ranpo and I were teenagers, Ukina—back then, she went by Olivia—died during a mission. Her body was never found. She was only 17, but already had A-rank power. And somehow… she came back. Stronger. Vengeful."
Diablo's eyes narrowed. "Looks like someone found her and made her the psychopath she is today."
He stood, heading for the door. "At this rate, I'll have to fight her myself."
As he opened the door, he paused, glancing back.
"She wants to get rid of me before her real plan begins. I'm the obstacle she needs gone. She knows she can't handle me, and she knows I'm yet to truly understand what I can really do. If I fuck up here and now, then it's over."
Kojin's voice held concern. "Be careful, Diablo... or you could get killed."
Diablo stopped, a slow smile forming on his face. "Who do you think you're talking to?"
He looked back with a spark in his eye. "There's not a being alive who can stop me. At best, they can restrain me—but *ONLY IF I ALLOW IT*."
Meanwhile, currently in the City of Steel…
Rin was deep in the forest, fists blazing with energy as she fought off a gang of criminals that were sending slashes of energy at her. She punched one into a tree and sent blast waves scattering through the woods, knocking the others down one by one while dodging their powerfull beams of energy shot at her. She was dodging slashes of energy that were wiping away trees, and was skillfully fight them off.
After the fight, she sighed, wiping her brow. "Wonder how Kinto's holding up…"
Deeper in the forest, three criminals were leaping between trees, trying to escape. Suddenly, one spotted Kinto casually sitting on a branch.
"Get outta the way before we kill you!" one yelled.
Kinto looked at them lazily. "I don't really care. I'm just doing this 'cause I was ordered to."
The criminals roared and fired their attack—Infinite Flood—a massive wave of water energy that tore through the forest, uprooting trees and flooding the area.
"You're weak!" one of them shouted. "Shouldn't have messed with us!"
Kinto, now standing on a different tree, yawned. "You're too slow.", the criminals turned back in confusion.
He snapped his fingers.
A glowing force field trapped the criminals instantly.
"What the hell?!" one shouted, panic in his voice.
"Shut up," Kinto muttered, snapping his fingers again.
The field detonated in a massive explosion, wiping out a huge section of the forest. Trees vanished into ashes, the ground was scorched—and a massive hole was left behind.
Rin coughed from the smoke and destruction. "Kinto—what the hell just happened?!"
"I obliterated them," he replied casually, walking away.
Rin stared at the crater, speechless. "How can someone make a giant hole in a forest with just a snap…?" Kinto had a look of disinterest on his face "She talks as if she can't do this with a single blast wave."
As Kinto strolled off, hands in his pockets, Rin found herself blushing. "He's… so cool…"
Elsewhere…
Mirio sat quietly on a hill, staring at the open sky. But his thoughts were far from peaceful.
Always the dark… always locked away…
He clenched his fists, remembering the dark rooms he was kept in as a child, the beatings from twisted adults… and then, the time when Shouya trapped him in Hell's Domain.
"If anyone traps me in the dark again…" he muttered, eyes glowing. "They'll pay."
Kirihai approached him, arms crossed. "Still dealing with that PTSD or what?"
Mirio didn't answer right away.
"I get it," she added. "You're angry… but I'm starting to worry about you."
He looked at her. "Are you afraid of the dark?"
"No. Not at all." Kirihai responded.
Mirio looked away. "When I was a kid… I was trafficked. Adults locked me in dark rooms and beat me for fun. Some kids were rapped for fun by adults, some were killed and beaten to death."
Kirihai gently patted his head. "You're going to be okay. That's why we need strength. To destroy everything that we hate."
Mirio nodded slowly. "Ukina… she found me. She saved me, i was treated like a sex toy by women, day in and out. Eventually they threw me out into the dumps to die. Ukina found me, and saved me. That's why I follow her."
Meanwhile, in a dark hall filled with candlelight…
Ukina and Kenji stood in the center of a candlelit circle. The flames flickered as shadows danced on the walls.
Kenji held out the scroll. "I got the space-time scroll, just like you ordered."
Ukina smiled darkly. "You never disappoint. Although it must have been quite hard to find."
She opened the scroll and placed it on the floor, swiftly performing a set of complex hand signs. Her hands moved like a blur—until she suddenly shouted:
"Open!"
A swirling portal tore into existence before them.
Ukina's eyes glimmered with wicked excitement. "Aside from the Fire and Sand Millennia Stones, the rest were sealed in another dimension… by the Divine God himself."
She grinned, her voice low and dangerous. "He separated the stones long ago… only the Demon Clan once had access to them. But they're gone now."
She clenched her fists, stepping toward the portal with an evil grin on her face.
"I'm so close… so close to achieving my goal."
END OF CHAPTER.