The sun was just beginning to set, casting an orange hue across Shinzai's skyline as Kael stood with his friends near the central square, discussing plans for the Academy's upcoming year. They had built something beautiful, a symbol of peace and unity—but the horizon, it seemed, still had secrets to unveil.
Suddenly, the air grew still, as if the very wind had frozen. The faint hum of energy rippled through the city. Kael's instincts flared, his senses sharpening in an instant. His hand subtly went to his side where he kept a dagger, but he quickly noticed something strange: no hostile intent. It was… unfamiliar.
Out of the sudden silence, a figure emerged from the shadows of the distant marketplace—a man, tall and garbed in robes that shimmered in the light as though they were woven from stars themselves. His skin was an unusual shade of deep purple, and his eyes burned like twin suns. He exuded an otherworldly aura, unmistakably powerful.
"Kael Renji," the man said, his voice both thunderous and calm, as though the weight of the universe sat behind every word. "I have come for you."
The group tensed. Kael's mind raced. Who was this person?
"You're a god, aren't you?" Kael asked, standing tall but cautious. He could sense the raw power in the man, something that was entirely outside the realm of human understanding.
The man nodded, his expression solemn. "I am Azephon, a god from a distant planet in a different dimension. I've watched you grow, Kael Renji."
The group exchanged glances, confusion spreading. Kael stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "A god… from another world?"
Azephon nodded again. "Many years ago, I sent my daughter to deliver a note to the Academy you once attended. The note instructed you all to prepare for a great threat—a villain named Kurojin Tsukiro. I didn't expect him to be defeated so quickly."
The group froze in realization. Kael, his expression darkening, slowly shook his head. "But we've already defeated Kurojin. A year ago. The war's over."
Azephon's gaze softened, though it was still filled with a weight that only millennia of existence could carry. "I know. The note was meant to guide you. To prepare you for the challenge ahead. But there is something you don't know, Kael. Something about your very nature."
Kael's heart skipped a beat. He had always wondered about the strange feeling that lingered inside him, like he was not entirely like the others. His abilities had always been far beyond the average Wielder's, his strength, resilience, and Will control something extraordinary.
Azephon continued, his voice a quiet whisper in the shifting winds. "Kael, you are not fully human. Your bloodline is far older, far more complex than you realize. Your grandfather, Raizen Kurai, was not from this world. He hailed from a different species, one that has long since faded into legend. Though he walked among humans, he carried the essence of his kind in his veins."
Kael's heart pounded in his chest. "My grandfather… wasn't human?"
"No," Azephon said with finality. "Neither your mother nor you are entirely of human blood. You carry 95% of the genetics of a different species—the Ilyria—a race that once walked across the stars. But your brother, Kaito, inherited only 57%. His blood is a diluted mix, far closer to humanity than yours."
Kael's mind whirled with the revelation. His entire life, every decision, every feeling of being different—it all started to make sense. The immense power he had, the connection to the void, to other realms—it wasn't just a fluke. It was his birthright.
"Then… I'm not even a full Ilyria?" Kael murmured, almost to himself, as the realization struck him hard.
Azephon stepped closer, his eyes filled with something akin to pity. "You are the most human of your kind, Kael. But your power, your potential… It is something the Ilyria have long awaited. You are the key."
Before Kael could respond, a soft voice broke the tension.
"I told you they'd figure it out."
Kael turned toward the voice, and there, stepping out from the shadows, was a young woman with silver hair that shimmered like moonlight. Her eyes, much like Azephon's, glowed a brilliant, unsettling gold. She looked no older than 18, but the aura she exuded told a different story—timeless, powerful, and enigmatic.
Kael blinked. "Wait… your daughter?"
The woman smiled, her expression amused yet oddly distant. "Yes, I am Azephon's daughter. My name is Liora."
And just as Kael was about to speak, he noticed something else—a subtle shift in Ryuu's demeanor. His face turned a slight shade of pink as his eyes were locked on Liora.
Kael's grin appeared before he could stop it. "Looks like someone's caught off guard," he teased, nudging Ryuu's shoulder.
Ryuu stammered, his face now fully flushed. "Sh-shut up, Kael!"
Kael couldn't help but laugh, despite the overwhelming gravity of the situation. "I didn't expect you to blush, Ryuu. I've never seen you like this."
Ryuu scowled, muttering under his breath, "She's just… different."
Liora glanced at Ryuu with an unreadable expression before turning her attention back to Kael. "I did indeed send the message to your Academy years ago. Kurojin was only a part of the grand design. My father and I… we have been watching you, Kael. There's much you still don't know about your true purpose."
Kael stood tall, his mind racing but his resolve firm. "Then tell me. I'll learn everything. If there's more to this, then I'll fight for it. I'll face whatever comes."
Azephon looked at him with pride. "You always did have the heart of an Ilyria. But the path ahead is not one you can walk alone."
Kael nodded slowly, a fire burning deep in his chest. "I'm not alone. I have my friends. And I'll protect this world, no matter what it takes."
The winds shifted once again, carrying with them the sense of something greater than Kael had ever known. He was not just the guardian of Shinzai; he was the harbinger of a new era. But even with all his power, the true test of his strength was yet to come.
And it seemed the universe was about to reveal what that test would be.