Chapter 14: Black Lights

Sometimes, true terror does not arrive with screams or explosions.
It comes in silence.
That instant when everything stops… and you know something is about to break.

The world built by the gods, with its sacred rules and promises, once seemed unshakable. But even divinities forget that every structure—no matter how divine—rests upon trust. And when that trust collapses, everything else crumbles with it.

Today, faith has begun to falter.

There are no wars more dangerous than those born from within.
No betrayal more lethal than the one disguised as salvation.
And no enemy more terrifying than the one who believes they act in the name of a higher purpose… because for that enemy, every sacrifice is justified.

As the city dresses itself in fire and the sky watches in silence, the gears of fate turn violently.

There is no turning back.

The truth seeps through the cracks of lies.

And the Black Lights… are no longer just a shadow.

They are the beginning of judgment.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Night had fallen violently upon GODS. The air—once crisp and serene at such heights—was now thick with smoke, swallowing what little light remained. The stars had vanished, hidden behind a dome of darkness stretched across the sky like a veil of war.

Edén stood on a hilltop, the burning city sprawled beneath his feet. In the distance, the screams of civilians blended with the roar of explosions. Every corner of the territory was consumed by a chaos meticulously orchestrated.

—Why are they doing this? —Edén’s voice, broken by helpless rage, barely rose above the cacophony—. What gives them the right to destroy this city and slaughter all these people?

Before him, standing like a defiant shadow, Kai let slip a smile devoid of emotion.
—I asked myself the same question when I was a child, —his words were soft, almost resigned—. Why were those people destroying my city? Why did they kill everyone I loved?

Silence followed, broken only by the crackling fires in the distance.

—I never understood it as a boy, —Kai continued—, and I still don’t. What had my city done to deserve paying for a war we never provoked? There was never an explanation… only fire.

—Bullshit, —Edén snapped, fury rising—. My friends… my coach… everyone who was there. Did they deserve to die too? I saw your face, Kai! I saw you smiling over their corpses. You’re no different from those monsters.

A metallic glint cut through the darkness. Kai’s katana pressed against Edén’s throat with inhuman speed.

—All those people had to die, —he whispered coldly—. They were insignificant humans. They had no place in the divine plans…

—Divine plans? —Edén stepped back, rage and confusion colliding in his gaze.

From behind Kai, the hooded figure labeled Seventeen interrupted firmly.
—Captain, you’d better stop. That information is classified.

Kai hesitated for a few seconds. Then he nodded and lowered his weapon.
—You’re right.

Edén, still gasping for breath, couldn’t tear his eyes from the scar carved across his enemy’s face.
—That burn on your face… must have hurt like hell, —he said in an icy tone—. Whoever gave it to you… I should thank them.

Kai’s eyes flared with rage.
—Shut up!

—Did I hit a nerve? —Edén smirked faintly—. So it really did hurt.

A furious scream tore through the air as Kai lunged forward—but before he could reach Edén, his katana clashed against binding chains. The metallic ring echoed like the toll of judgment.

—He cannot escape, —the hooded figure murmured, tightening the chains.

Then it happened.

A bolt, brighter than day, crashed from the heavens with thunderous force, splitting the ground in two. In the blinding light, Edén managed to seize Yuki’s unconscious body into his arms.

—Thanks… Yohei, —he whispered as a protective current of lightning wrapped around them.

—Shut up, —Yohei’s low voice answered, appearing at his side like a living thunderbolt—. If you keep talking, they’ll find us.

From the hill, Hooded Seventeen spoke urgently into his radio.
—The hostages have escaped. They can’t be far. Find them immediately.

A new voice responded, deeper and unnervingly calm.
—That won’t be necessary. I already have them.

A colossal figure emerged from the shadows. So imposing was its presence that the ground itself trembled beneath Edén and Yohei’s feet.

Both shot off toward the forest, branches tearing their skin as they tumbled hard onto the earth. Yuki remained cradled in Edén’s arms, still unconscious, while his own heartbeat thundered violently in his chest.

—I’m sorry… —Kai muttered, lowering his gaze—. I lost control.

—Save the excuses for later, —replied Hooded Eighteen, his eyes glowing with intensity—. Right now, we deal with them.

The city—once alive with lights and music to celebrate the arrival of the Divine Council—had become a battlefield. Hanging flowers and golden banners now fluttered above fallen bodies and streets drenched in blood.

From one of the tallest towers, Aphrodite descended with inhuman speed and elegance. Her hair, lit by the glow of the fires, floated as if defying gravity itself.

—This is a massacre… —she murmured, taking in the scene before her.

One of the hooded figures charged at her with a dagger, but he never took another step. A spear of pure energy pierced through him, stealing even his breath. Aphrodite didn’t so much as glance at him.

—I will not let this continue, —she declared, activating a seal upon her wrist.

Nearby, Olivio sent three enemies flying with a single wave of his hand. His usually serene face now reflected only frustration and anger.

—This was supposed to be my week off… —he muttered—. Something always happens whenever I want to rest.

The city was quickly swallowed by a heavy, suffocating haze.

Aphrodite suddenly dropped to her knees, coughing violently.
—This… isn’t normal gas, —she said, clutching at her throat—. It’s cursed magic…

Olivio collapsed beside her. His body trembled, his pupils blown wide from the poison in the air.

A laugh echoed through the shadows.

—So easy, —a voice rang out, sharp as a needle—. Much easier than I expected.

From the rooftop above, a hooded figure descended slowly, eyes glowing with a sickly violet arrogance.

—What a disgrace for such a respected goddess, —he mocked—. Brought low by a mist crafted by mere humans.

Ares appeared amidst the flames.
—I wouldn’t call it mist, —he said in a deep, rumbling voice, striding forward as if his very presence dispersed the haze—. I’d call it cowardice.

The hooded figure turned sharply.
—How are you still standing? This should have paralyzed you!

—A god of war does not fall to the tricks of amateurs, —Ares declared, his eyes locked on his foe—. Are you the one leading this slaughter?

The figure chuckled under his breath.
—I’m only a messenger… a pawn in the great game of our prophet. Every death you see here is part of his vision, his divine plan.

Ares’ gaze sharpened. He stepped forward. Then another.
—You call the murder of innocents a divine plan? These soulless bodies? —he raised his spear—. Then you’re about to know the true judgment of a god.

All the spilled blood upon the ground began to vibrate. To stir. To answer his call. Ares’ body became encased in armor forged from liquid crimson, and for a fleeting moment, the moon itself turned red.

—Hear me, fallen souls, —he whispered with solemn reverence—. I, Ares, grant you a new purpose.

A thunderous shockwave shook the very foundations of GODS. The twelve members of the Council, still trapped within the barrier, all turned their heads at once.

—That power… —Amaterasu muttered, frowning—. It can’t be.

Odin slammed his staff into the ground.
—Ares has awakened his Crimson Blood… a forbidden technique.

On the battlefield, the hooded invader staggered back.
—What… what the hell are you doing?!

—Honoring them, —Ares answered, advancing slowly—. You have unleashed the wrath of the vengeful dead. And now… you shall become their vessel.

The hooded figure unleashed chains, projectiles, bursts of shadow. Nothing stopped him. Ares’ spear whistled through the air, and in the blink of an eye, the enemy’s right arm was torn off completely.

A scream of agony ripped through the night.
—Damn you!

—Don’t be hasty, —Ares sneered, savage—. It’s far from over.

A rain of blood fell upon the battlefield. A ritual without altar, yet rich in sacrifice.

—I swear it, soul by soul, —he said as his spear pierced the invader’s heart—. I will avenge them all.

The cursed haze began to dissipate.

The enemy’s body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. The blood ceased to respond. Silence returned.

Drenched in crimson, Ares breathed heavily.
—I must find the others… before another god falls.

And with that, he vanished into the smoke.

The perspective shifted back to Eden and Yohei in the middle of the forest.

A voice crackled through a radio hanging from one of their attackers’ necks:
—That won’t be necessary. I already have them.

And then the ground shook. A shadow fell over them.

A giant.

Eden swallowed hard as the creature came fully into view: over three meters tall, with metal plates embedded in its skin and eyes glowing like burning coals. Each step left a crater behind. This was no human.

—We’re screwed… —he muttered, feeling his body turn heavy as lead.

—You focus on protecting her, —Yohei said without turning, referring to Yuki—. I’ll handle the big guy… and the one with the katana.

Eden wanted to argue, but the look Yohei threw over his shoulder was enough. Cold. Unyielding.

—That one, —Yohei growled, his voice dripping with restrained rage—. That Kai bastard… he’s mine.

A spark ran down Yohei’s body. His electric aura surged outward in all directions, as if the heavens themselves had descended onto the earth.

—Don’t be an idiot, —Eden spat through gritted teeth—. That guy is a hundred times stronger than you. And yet…

He forced himself to his feet. Trembling. But standing.

—…even so, I have to face him. For me… for everyone he’s killed.

His sword began to darken, coated in a pulsing black aura that seemed to devour the very light around it.

—You’re allowed to get in my way, —Yohei snarled as he launched himself at the giant with blistering speed—. But don’t you dare die. Not until this is over.

Kai unsheathed his katana in a single motion. The blade gleamed with a crimson flash as it intercepted Eden’s strike.

A metallic crack echoed through the air.

—Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, —the swordsman said calmly—. Surrender. I’ve no intention of hurting you more than necessary.

Eden staggered back, spitting blood, but his eyes burned with resolve.

—This isn’t just between you and me anymore. This is for everyone you and your kind have slaughtered. I will never forgive you.

His shadow stretched across the ground. Then it split.

—Darkness Technique: Shadow.

A second figure emerged behind Kai, forged of pure darkness. Its blade fell like lightning… but Kai caught it effortlessly between his fingers.

—You’ve improved, —he admitted—. But it’s not enough.

The clone was shattered instantly. In the blink of an eye, the real Eden was slashed across the arm. Then the leg. Finally, a brutal kick to the stomach sent him crashing against a tree trunk.

—You’re nowhere near my level, —Kai declared, his katana still spotless.

Meanwhile, thunder rumbled only a few meters away.

Yohei roared in fury as his electrified fists slammed into the hulking hooded giant. Each blow made the earth tremble. But his opponent was tougher than expected—an armored beast built to take punishment.

—I would’ve preferred fighting the other one, —Yohei muttered as he dodged a charging strike—. But you two will do… for a warm-up.

The battle was not over yet.
Amid shattered trees and scorched earth, Eden’s body struggled to rise. Yuki still lay unconscious behind him. Yohei stood his ground against two opponents, his right arm ruined but his pride unbroken.

Unknown 17 stepped forward, breaking the silence.
—You shouldn’t have separated from your partner, he said, locking eyes with Yohei. It only weakened you.

Lightning cracked again in Yohei’s eyes.
—That demon is not my partner, he spat through his teeth. He was only an obstacle.

The forest shook as Yohei propelled himself with what little energy remained. His strike slammed into Unknown 18’s torso, hurling him against a boulder. The other hooded figure moved to intercept, but was stopped by a shadow.

Eden.
—I won’t let you face these monsters alone, he said, gripping his sword tight.

Unknown 17 recoiled, startled by the boy’s shifting aura.
—You shouldn’t be standing, he muttered. You’ve already gone beyond your limits.

—I don’t care, Eden answered. As long as I can keep fighting, I won’t let anyone else die because of me.

The sky trembled.

Yohei crouched, clutching his shattered shoulder. His breathing was ragged, but his eyes never wavered.
—Eden, fall back. The big one’s already on his feet.

Unknown 18 rose from the rubble, lips twisting into a grin.
—You’ve got guts, I’ll admit… but that won’t be enough.

Before he could strike, a dry voice cut through the chaos.
—It’s over.

An overwhelming pressure fell upon them all. Even the ground seemed to freeze. From between the trees, Unknown 20 appeared without a sound. He didn’t need to introduce himself—his aura did it for him.

—W-what…? Yohei stammered, cold sweat dripping.

Kai, still holding his katana, lowered his head slightly.
—Boss…

—The mission is finished, the leader said softly. We’re leaving.

Kai sheathed his blade without question.
—Yes, sir.

Eden, staggering, stepped forward.
—You’re not leaving that easily!

His shout was raw, visceral. He swung his sword, one last attack wrapped in shadow. Unknown 17 caught the blade with ease. He was no longer the same figure who had let Eden stand earlier. This time he stopped him… without effort.

—I’m sorry, Eden, said a voice he knew all too well from behind the mask.

When the hood fell, Miya’s face was revealed.

Time froze.
—What the hell are you doing here…? Eden whispered, stunned.

Miya gave no answer. She simply drove her fist into his stomach. The world went black.

—My poor lost lamb… murmured Unknown 20 as a portal opened behind them. Soon I’ll lead you to the path of truth. But not now… not yet.

And in an instant, they were gone.

The forest fell silent.

Then the world returned: branches snapping, wind whistling, the faint murmur of fading electricity. Yohei collapsed to his knees, exhausted. The barrier around the city vanished as though it had never existed.

Far away, the Council of Gods scattered in haste.

The barrier was gone.

The city still burned in places, wrapped in smoke and ash. Among ruined plazas and broken towers, silence settled like an unwanted guest. The battle was over, but victory belonged to no one.

Zeus descended through torn clouds of energy. His boots crushed the blackened ground as his eyes swept over the field, one body at a time. He saw blood. Corpses. The remnants of a war that should never have been fought here.

At the center of the chaos, he found what he sought.
Three unconscious figures lay sprawled on the ground: Eden, Yuki, and Yohei. Despite their injuries, they were alive.

—They survived… he muttered, relief and fury tangled in his voice.

A current of wind carried the essence of what had occurred. He could feel it—the lingering trace of that power. Dark, complex, unlike anything he had ever faced.

Ares appeared soon after, his spear still dripping blood. His stern face barely masked his frustration.
—Father… what happened here?

Zeus did not answer immediately. In his fist he held a folded letter, barely visible between his fingers. He studied it for a moment before tucking it inside his robe, where only he would know it existed.

—The war has begun, he said gravely. But it won’t be like the ones before.

He turned to Ares, his gaze hardening.
—Find Shun. And deliver this message to the King: we face someone with strength beyond even his. We cannot fight as individual gods… we must act as one will.

Ares froze for a moment.
—Stronger than Shun? That’s… impossible.

—Do it, Zeus ordered sharply. No arguments.

The god of war obeyed, lifting the three youths into his arms before vanishing in a blaze of light.

Zeus remained alone.

He looked up at the sky, torn by portals, and at the false calm draped over the ruined city. Then he closed his eyes.

Kai’s words from the mountaintop echoed back like a curse:

"To create a new world… the old one must first be destroyed."

A simple phrase. Yet one heavy with truth. Many had thought it before… but only a few dared to see it through.

When Zeus opened his eyes again, the gods had already gathered in the Olympian hall. All of them knew what had transpired. No explanations were needed.

—We know what happened, he declared firmly. And though I regret involving you all, it is time to face the truth.

Odin crossed his arms, thoughtful.
—Weakness cannot be shown. If we falter now, we’ll lose more than we already have.

—I agree, Amaterasu said coldly. The people must not know. If fear spreads, the consequences will be worse.

Zeus remained silent for a moment, then nodded.
—Then we stand firm. We will not retreat. But we will not forget. We won’t let tonight’s sacrifice be in vain. We will avenge those who fell. And if this so-called prophet believes he can bend us… he is mistaken.

From her corner, Pachamama gave a weary smile.
—First time you’ve said something that makes sense, Zeus…

As the twelve gods debated, far from Olympus, Eden slept.

But his rest was not peace.

Inside the abyss he was beginning to recognize as his own being, the demon’s chains trembled. The angel watched him with arms crossed. And a new darkness, heavier still, hovered between them.

And somewhere within that darkness, a voice whispered the same thing over and over…

"Destroy the world. Destroy their lies. Destroy their truth."

And though Eden did not yet understand its meaning, something within him had already begun to change.

Because when fear turns to rage…
the light inside can just as easily become darkness.