Chapter Title: The Eyes of the Sovereign
The chapter opens with heavy footsteps echoing through the grand, frost-tinted halls of the Russian Hunter Association. President Andrei, sharp in his military coat, storms into his office, slamming the door behind him. His breath visible in the cold air, he paces briefly, then slams his fists hard against the desk. THUD!
"One man!" Andrei snarled, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "One fucking man causes black holes to appear across the globe, levels half of India, and now—poof!—they vanish like ghosts, and we're left picking up the pieces!"
Beside him, Boris stood in firm silence, his arms behind his back like a seasoned soldier, his aide, stood rigid by the window, the neon glow of Moscow's skyline casting long shadows across his face. Before he could respond, the secure line BLARED to life.
The screen flashed: [S.U.H.A. – SOVEREIGN UNION HUNTER ASSOCIATION, The Body that governs all other hunter Associations]
Boris leaned in. "The Sovereign Union. They're trying to reach you, sir."
Andrei rolled his eyes. "What do those bureaucratic bastards want now?"
With a grunt, he picked up the call and placed it on speaker.
A calm, elderly voice echoed from the other end. "Have you located the missing piece that escaped Nagurskoye?"
Andrei tensed. "No. Not yet. But we're searching every inch of the border."
There was a pause.
"Then consider this official. Classify him as Target S."
The call ended. Click.
Boris blinked. "S… Target S? That's… serious."
Andrei exhaled sharply, the weight of the words settling like ice in his veins. Boris paled. "An S-Class target? That means—"
"—a Knight may be coming,after him if we cannot find him quickly but the truth is Rokky is long gone from our reach, I just can't say that to them you know?"Andrei said.
Location Shift: Greenland
Far across the frozen Atlantic, hidden deep in Greenland's icy heart, stood a colossal fortress carved from steel and stone. The insignia S.U.H.A. was engraved into the metal gates. It was the Sovereign Union Hunter Association, a shadow organization composed of the most powerful elder hunters and policymakers in the world—a council that moved silently, but whose decisions shaped the world order.
Inside the fortress, a massive circular room housed six silver thrones, each six feet tall and forged with sacred inscriptions. Five of them were occupied, their occupants shrouded in semi-darkness.
Only one sat fully visible.
Minister Ivar an ancient man clad in flowing traditional Chinese robes, his white hair tied neatly behind his head—opened the meeting with a steely gaze.
"It's time we intervene."
Another voice, cold and cynical, echoed from the shadows. "The boy is a growing problem. First, India. Now these black holes? He's being accused of killing the Emperor's bloodline. If we allow this to spiral further, the hunter world's reputation will collapse we've been keeping an eye on him since even before the death of Bartoni but we can't let this get anymore tough than it is ."
A third voice chimed in. "Mujin has submitted a request for a hearing."
Ivar nodded. "So we shall give the boy a hearing,But only once we have retrieved him."
There was silence. Then Ivar raised a hand.
"I propose we send a Knight."
He raised his voice. "Those in favor say 'Hey', those against say 'Ni'."
In unison, five voices thundered, "Hey."
"Very well," Ivar concluded. "We send Knight Óðr,He will find the boy and bring him in."
Location Shift: A Train Leaving India
The sunlight glimmered through the glass windows of a slow-moving train as it rumbled along the edge of the continent. Inside, Sakamoto, Rajesh, and Jayesh sat on worn seats, wind brushing against their faces through a cracked window.
Rajesh turned to Sakamoto, curious. "What did you mean by 'I made new friends'?"
Sakamoto smirked, eyes gazing out the window. "It's… monkey-related."
The three shared a quiet laugh, the tension of their recent battles momentarily forgotten.
Jayesh leaned back, arms behind his head. "I think we've earned this train ride. No more teleporting."
Rajesh chuckled. "You still owe me details. What happened inside that black hole?"
Sakamoto only smiled. "Let's just say… there's a whole army in my shadow now."
Location Shift: An Unknown City – Late Evening
A warm restaurant buzzed softly with ambient chatter. People laughed over steaming bowls and sizzling pans. At one quiet corner table, a man sat alone. Draped in pitch-black ceremonial robes, his hood low over his face, he carefully placed a pair of chopsticks beside a bowl of steaming rice and cream,His movements were precise. Deliberate.
He bowed his head and drew a slow symbol in the air—an ancient sigil lost to time.
"Bless the silence. Bless the mission."
He was the Black Pope,And he had just arrived.
End Chapter.
Next Chapter Preview:
The Sovereign Knight begins his descent…
The world starts to tighten its grip…
And Rokky, the prisoner of Nagurskoye, steps out of the shadows.