In a dark, lifeless room, a dark-haired figure wearing a mask could be seen sitting quietly, resting his chin on his fist. However, despite his calm demeanor, there was this unsettling aura surrounding him giving him the presence of danger. Suddenly, a device in the room began beeping.
"My Lord, it is done," a masked face appeared on the screen after he answered. "Number 92 has been taken care of."
"Good. Now, move to the next phase. He failed to complete the job. I hope you won't," the lord said, his voice calm but commanding.
"Arrangements have been made, my Lord. He will be moving out in a few days," the masked figure replied.
"Good. Make sure he succeeds. I don't think I need to remind you of the consequences of failure," the lord added.
"My Lord." The masked figure bowed before the projection faded from the screen.
"What a headache," the masked man muttered, his tone devoid of emotion. Not that it mattered—his mask hid any possible expression.
Moments later, the device beeped again. This time, upon answering, another masked figure appeared on the screen. But instead of remaining seated, the man in the room stood and bowed slightly.
"Dark Lord," he greeted with a soft bow. The mask worn by the figure on the screen was different, It has been marked with a golden line beneath the left eye, clearly signifying higher authority.
"I trust you've made the necessary provisions. This must be completed within two weeks. The damage is more severe than we anticipated," the golden-marked mask figure said, her voice unmistakably female.
"Yes, Dark Lord. Everything is in order. Klaus Hanson will be dead within the next two weeks" the masked man replied, his tone respectful.
"Good. Know that failure this time will bring severe consequences," she said coldly before the screen went dark again.
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Suddenly, it began to tremble. No, it didn't just tremble—it shook violently. The entire space around it quaked, and cracks began forming in the ground beneath it. The once steadfast statue now had fractures running along its surface.
Then, a strange chanting filled the air, echoing throughout the space. The moment the chanting started, the statue began to slowly rise into the air. It wasn't gentle—the rising was accompanied by more shaking as if the statue resisted.
In a sudden burst, the statue shattered into pieces, sending debris flying everywhere. Dust clouded the area, making the sky and earth lose their color for a brief moment. The explosion was chaotic and monstrous.
When the dust settled, a pentagon-shaped bead hovered in the air, pulsating with a dark aura. Each pulse of the bead was like a heartbeat, and with every beat, a hum vibrated through the space, causing it to warp and distort.
The chanting grew louder and darker, and from the swirling clouds above, a portal slowly opened, casting an eerie shadow. A powerful suction force began pulling at the bead. At first, the bead resisted, but as the chanting deepened in tone, it surrendered and flew obediently into the dark portal.
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Back in Klaus's training room, he remained seated, chanting softly. Suddenly, he felt something foreign enter his soul sea—a dark, pulsing presence unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
Klaus's body shuddered as his consciousness suddenly slipped into his soul sea. The instant he arrived, another shudder coursed through him. His eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. Inside his soul sea, next to the familiar nine doors, was a massive dark-violet bead, floating ominously.
Five faces—emotionless yet disturbingly expressive—were etched into its surface, their eerie gaze fixed on him.
He swallowed hard, his throat dry. The object was imposing, far more real, and terrifying than anything he had seen in Fruity's memories. It loomed over him, radiating a sense of dread. He doesn't know where the fear is coming from, but he sure was scared shitless looking at the bead.
"Why the hell am I scared of this thing?" Klaus muttered under his breath, unsettled by the bead's presence.
"You should be scared, brat," Suddenly, the senior inside his soul sea said making Klaus look toward the first door "That thing... that's one of the Nine Forbidden Relics. Having it here is both a blessing and a curse."
Klaus raised an eyebrow, half curious, half alarmed. These days, he just doesn't get a breather about so many things wrong with things around him. He was about to ask what a Forbidden Relic was when the entire soul sea began to shake violently.
"Senior! What's happening?" Klaus panicked, feeling the space around him tremble.
"How... how is this possible?" His senior's voice, usually calm and wise, was now filled with shock. It was the first time Klaus had ever heard him sound unsettled. This made him feel something is wrong, but what...?.