Rei moved through the city like a shadow.
He didn't need a map—his senses stretched far beyond what they once were. The Sovereign System allowed him to see mana in ways others couldn't. Every building, every streetlamp, every living being pulsed with energy, and he could feel it all.
Yet, amidst the familiar glow of humans, one presence stood out.
Dark. Heavy. Watching him.
They're still here.
Whoever had sent the assassin wasn't done. Someone was testing him, studying him.
Rei didn't intend to play their game.
He stopped beneath a flickering neon sign, his golden eyes scanning the rooftops. Then, without hesitation, he raised a hand—
And crushed the air itself.
A shockwave rippled through the alley, distorting space. A split second later, something lurched from the shadows—a figure wrapped in dark armor, barely dodging the unseen force Rei had unleashed.
The stranger landed with unnatural grace, their helmet reflecting the neon lights.
"You're quicker than I expected," they said, voice distorted by a mechanical filter.
Rei tilted his head. "And you're stupid for sticking around."
The figure chuckled. "Oh, I wasn't here to fight. Just to confirm something."
Their armored hand rose, revealing an Obsidian Insignia glowing with eerie blue light. The moment Rei saw it, his vision flickered—
A memory, buried deep within his bloodline, surfaced.
That symbol… It belonged to the EbonLords.
Not humans.
Not Abyssborn.
But something older—the true enemies of the Sovereigns.
The ones who had ended their reign.
Rei's expression darkened. His fingers curled into a fist, and the air around him twisted, distorting like a mirage.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
The armored figure merely chuckled.
"You already know the answer, Monarch of Ruin."
Then, in an instant—
They vanished.