As the red moon cast its eerie glow over the world, the warriors of Arcane High braced for what was to come. The ground trembled, the air thickened with an oppressive force—the sign of an incoming disaster.

  But before Ryuketsu could make his first move, something unexpected happened.

  A portal of golden light tore through the sky, illuminating the darkness. The very air around it twisted, as if time and space itself were bowing to whatever was about to emerge.

  And then, he stepped out.

  A figure cloaked in flowing black and gold robes, his long silver hair swaying with an unnatural grace. His very presence distorted the energy around him.

  The moment Raizo saw him, his eyes narrowed. This was no ordinary magician.

  “Zenmu…” Raizo whispered.

  The name alone sent chills down the spines of those who had heard the legends.

  ?? The Sage of Eternal Flow – Zenmu was a being who existed outside of time, one who had seen the rise and fall of countless civilizations.

  ?? Master of Void Magic – His abilities didn’t rely on elemental forces or physical strength. He wielded Void Magic—the power to erase, reshape, and rewrite reality itself.

  ?? Once a God-Killer – There were whispers that he had single-handedly defeated an entire pantheon of gods, erasing them from existence as if they had never been born.

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  But most importantly…

  ?? He was the only being Ryuketsu had ever feared.

  Zenmu stepped forward, his glowing golden eyes staring into Raizo’s very soul. The ground beneath his feet did not crack, nor did the wind move. It was as if existence itself refused to acknowledge him.

  “You are strong, Raizo,” Zenmu said in a deep, calm voice. “Stronger than anyone else in this world.”

  Raizo smirked. “Obviously.”

  Zenmu didn’t smile. “But you are not ready.”

  That caught Raizo off guard. Not ready? He had spent five years training beyond limits. What did this old man mean?

  Before Raizo could respond, Zenmu raised a hand—and suddenly, everything stopped.

  The wind. The sounds. The movement of clouds.

  Time itself had ceased.

  Only Zenmu and Raizo remained unaffected.

  Zenmu stepped closer, whispering, “Ryuketsu has surpassed your expectations. Even with Infinity, even with all your power… if you fight him now, you will die.”

  Raizo’s smirk faded.

  “Then what do you suggest?”

  Zenmu extended his hand, and in his palm, a black and gold orb floated, pulsating with unknown energy.

  “If you wish to survive the coming battle, you must break the limit of existence itself.”

  Raizo stared at the orb.

  A new power.

  A new evolution.

  But at what cost?

  As Raizo reached for the orb, Zenmu whispered something under his breath.

  A secret no one else could hear.

  A truth that had been hidden for centuries.

  “Ryuketsu… is not the true enemy.”

  Raizo’s eyes widened.

  Before he could ask, the golden portal reopened.

  Zenmu stepped backward, vanishing into the void.

  His last words echoed in Raizo’s mind:

  “If you wish to win, find me again… before it’s too late.”

  And just like that—the battle against Ryuketsu had become something much bigger.