In the eternal void of the seal, time did not flow.

  Kazuki stood in the swirling darkness, unmoving—eyes half-lidded, his body emotionless.

  But deep within, something had changed.

  His mind stirred, and a strange connection sparked between him and his dark army—one far deeper than before.

  Whispers. Murmurs. Visions.

  He saw through their eyes.

  He could feel them.

  “A… pact?” he muttered, slowly raising a hand. Ethereal glyphs spiraled around his arm, glowing an eerie black-blue.

  One by one, his dark soldiers—some bestial, some humanoid—knelt before him in the darkness. As his magic pulsed, a strange transformation occurred. Their forms shimmered and began to evolve:

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  Basic soldiers gained blue-outlined armor with jagged black blades.

  Warriors stood taller, wielding monstrous weapons infused with cursed energy.

  Elites wore segmented, menacing armor with glowing blue sigils across their bodies.

  Generals emerged from the ranks, exuding overwhelming pressure—beasts in the shape of kings.

  Through the summoning pacts, Kazuki could now access their ranks, skills, memories, and even teleport to their locations should he ever escape this place.

  The void trembled with his growing presence.

  He muttered in Japanese, a quiet phrase filled with power, and declared—

  “Come forth.”

  The army rose in unison.

  A translucent screen flickered before him:

  > Total Dark Army: 1463 New Rank: Lord of the Abyss Abilities Gained: Summoning Pact, Telepathic Relay, Shadow Gate (Locked)

  Kazuki still couldn’t tell how long it had been. He didn’t sleep. He didn’t hunger. But he felt the weight of time pressing down on him.

  His body had grown stronger. His magic had deepened. His emotions, however, were locked—trapped under a steel cage forged by the seal’s curse.

  ---

  Outside the Seal… Two Years Later

  The world had moved on.

  The Duke and the others had searched desperately… but no signs came. The capital no longer spoke Kazuki’s name. The younger adventurers whispered of the “child necromancer” like he was a myth.

  The party had broken. Rinara had taken on missions alone. Garron stopped speaking of Kazuki. Elara visited the forest where he vanished every week. Drake trained relentlessly, as if trying to earn forgiveness he would never be given.

  And in the shadows… a replacement stood.

  On top of the Adventurer Guild Tower, Kairyuuha stared out at the skyline, cloak billowing in the wind.

  His eyes glowed red and blue, one hand on the hilt of his blade.

  “He’s grown,” he whispered to himself, watching the sealed dimension through a strange floating sigil. “His army evolved faster than I thought…”

  He smirked.

  “Maybe it’s time to open the door… just a crack.”

  As the wind howled and lightning flashed across the sky, Kairyuuha turned away, a dark grin spreading across his face.

  The game had only just begun.