The Ultimate Void

Chapter 5

Exagora rushed toward Sato, his condition rapidly deteriorating. Kayerl's relentless attacks had left Sato in a dire state, his body covered in blood and riddled with injuries. His head, hand, and chest bore deep wounds, yet Kayerl showed no intention of stopping. Instead, he aimed for total destruction.

With Sato barely conscious, Kayerl seized him at full speed, his hand crushing Sato's left eye with brutal force. Sato let out a bloodcurdling scream, the pain unbearable, as Kayerl prepared to gouge out the other eye.

Suddenly, Exagora appeared, gripping Kayerl's hand mid-strike. The area around them was in chaos—scorched trees, deep craters, and shattered rocks testified to the ferocity of the battle. With a flick of his wrist, Exagora slammed Kayerl to the ground with overwhelming force.

Kayerl gasped, struggling to rise as his thoughts raced.

"So this is the one we were supposed to investigate? His power is immense—far beyond what Daw or I could manage. We'd need someone from the Five Pieces to stand a chance against him."

Exagora glared at Kayerl, who could barely stand. Then, turning his attention to Sato, he placed a hand over him, emitting a soothing energy that instantly healed Sato's shattered body. His lost eye regenerated, his wounds disappeared, and his strength returned.

Sato awoke with a start, blinking in disbelief.

"Am I... dead?"

"Calm down," Exagora said firmly. "You were on the verge of death, but I saved you."

Sato, his gaze hardening, turned toward Kayerl.

"Was it you? Were you the one who killed them?"

Kayerl, trembling, stammered, "I-I-It wasn't me... It was Daw." He collapsed before finishing his sentence.

Exagora looked at Sato.

"The moment I touched him, my energy waves weakened his entire body and Source. He won't be getting up anytime soon."

Sato nodded solemnly. "What happens now?"

Before Exagora could respond, two figures appeared in the distance. Hovering mid-air were Daw and Niva, the latter holding Aiko captive within a glowing, spherical energy prison.

Exagora narrowed his eyes.

"So, you must be Daw, the one Kayerl mentioned. Who are you, and what do you want?"

Daw smirked, his voice dripping with arrogance.

"So, he talked about me. How unfortunate for him. It's not unexpected coming from you, Exagora."

"You know my name, then. Let's get to the point. What are your motives?"

"I'm afraid I can't reveal that," Daw replied. "I'm simply on a mission to investigate the entity behind those humans. Now, let's make an exchange. Your hostage for ours, and we'll disappear."

Exagora scoffed.

"Who do you think you are to demand anything from me? That girl doesn't hold enough value to be a hostage, and I won't let you leave without answers."

Sato, enraged, shouted, "We have to save Aiko no matter what!"

Exagora silenced him with a swift strike, knocking him unconscious.

"Stay out of this."

Daw chuckled, hovering confidently.

"You don't seem to like the idea of trading hostages, but I am at the Cube level. A fight with me here could spell disaster for the human world."

Ignoring the warning, Exagora lunged toward Daw but halted mid-charge. His gaze shifted to a middle-aged man standing in the distance the same one lured by mysterious figure.

Exagora clenched his fist.

"Hmph. For now, I'll let you go. But next time, I'll kill you."

With a sharp motion, Exagora pointed at Aiko's energy prison, shattering it instantly and bringing her safely to the ground. Daw acted quickly, rescuing the unconscious Kayerl before retreating into the sky with Niva.

After ensuring Sato and Aiko were safe at a nearby training area, Exagora raced after the middle-aged man. The figure was just entering an apartment when Exagora fired a small beam of energy, aiming to intercept him. To his surprise, the attack was effortlessly blocked.

Exagora paused, analyzing the situation.

"That was no ordinary block. A Sphere or Cube-level entity would need a large barrier or a counterattack to stop it. Either the protective layer has been enhanced, or someone else intervened."

Unbeknownst to him, a shadowy figure observed the scene from afar thesame Mysterious figure.

"Everything is proceeding as planned," the figure thought. "You're still in the dark, Exagora. That's why you'll never stop him."

Inside the apartment, the middle-aged man activated a network of energy and transmitted a message.

"Informant from the Temporary Realm to Order's Information Management: I have critical news. The former Supreme Being is sighted in temporary relem the information is verified.

Back to Training area

Sato regained consciousness, surrounded by his friends.

Daiki: "Are you okay, bro? Who attacked you and Aiko?"

Saki: "I'm just glad you both are safe."

Kazuki: "Your safety is all that matters right now."

Sato recounted the events. "I was attacked by someone who wasn't human. He said he was with those who killed... them. He destroyed my eye and left me to die, but Exagora saved me."

Daiki sighed in relief.

"I knew Exagora wasn't a bad guy."

Sato clenched his fists.

"Thank you for saving Aiko. But I'm powerless. Next time, I'll be stronger. I'll have my revenge on Daw and protect everyone from these dangers."

Exagora stepped forward.

"I've told you all I know about our enemies. But there's a new complication. An Order informant saw me, which means others will get involved."

Haruto frowned.

"So they'll come after you?"

"Not directly," Exagora replied. "They'll likely send someone to investigate the situation-and the enemies I was fighting. By now, that job has already been assigned."

Absolute Realm

In a dark chamber within the Absolute Realm, Eryx Solis sat upon a lone chair. A figure approached, delivering a request. "Lord Eryx, there is a mission request for you."

Eryx glanced at the document, a faint smile crossing his face. "So, they've located Exagora. They want me to investigate."

Rising from his chair, he spoke softly.

"It will be good to see an old friend. Send them my response- I'm ready."

Rising from his chair, he spoke softly.

"It will be good to see an old friend. Send them my response- I'm ready."

Pausing, Eryx's smile faded. "What are you up to, Exagora? There's something suspicious going on."

He turned to the messenger. "Send this information to Karmon as well."

Training Area

Haruto: "What's your current relationship with Order? Enemy or ally?"

Exagora: "Currently neutral, but they're definitely unhappy since I left them. Now, everyone, back to work."

The tension eased slightly among the group. Many had initially assumed Exagora tried to trade Aiko or prioritized her safety, but the truth was more complicated—it was due to an informant from Order.

While the marked individuals returned to their rigorous training, Exagora turned his attention to the unmarked people standing silently in the background. These individuals, with low energy levels, had yet to be trained or involved in any meaningful way.

Standing before them, Exagora's presence carried the weight of an impending announcement.

Exagora: "Most of you here are parents or relatives of the marked ones. I felt it was important to speak with you directly about your children's futures and address any questions or concerns you might have."

Mrs. Kurosawa: "Ryohei—oh, sorry, Exagora—we're slowly adapting to the situation. It's still hard to accept that the boy we raised is now... a supernatural being. But I want to thank you for saving us. All I want now is for these children to stay safe and happy. Haruto has always shared a special bond with you. I think he's even happier now."

Exagora: "Aunt, I understand how difficult this must be for you, especially since you've seen me grow up. And yes, for someone like Haruto, this life may indeed feel more... fulfilling."

For a moment, Exagora paused, reflecting on his time with Haruto. Despite his usual disdain for humans due to their low energy levels, Haruto was different. His unique way of thinking and the time spent with him felt oddly nostalgic.

Other families, like the Tanaka and Nakagawa families, echoed similar sentiments. They wanted their children to be safe and were doing their best to adapt.

---

Emi, Ren, and Hiro's Request

Emi & Ren: "Sir Exagora, we'd like to train and protect ourselves too."

Exagora: "Don't call me 'sir.' Just Exagora is fine. If you're both serious about it, I don't see why not."

Suddenly, Hiro Tanaka, Daiki's younger brother, stepped forward.

Hiro: "I want to join as well."

Mrs. Tanaka: "Hiro, no! This is too dangerous."

Hiro: "Mom, Daiki's risking his life. I need to learn to defend myself too. I don't want to be the reason anyone gets hurt."

Seeing the determination in his son's eyes, Mr. Tanaka intervened, silencing his wife.

Mr. Tanaka: "If this is what Hiro wants, we should support him. Just take care of yourself, Hiro."

---

The Training Announcement

Exagora brought Emi, Ren, and Hiro to the training area where the marked individuals were practicing.

Exagora: "Everyone, I have an announcement. These three will be joining the training."

Kazuki: "Emi, Ren, this is dangerous. Why do you want to do this?"

Emi: "We don't want to be a burden on you anymore, especially after what happened recently."

Kazuki: "But still, the idea of directly involving yourselves in this fight—"

Hiro: "Sorry to interrupt, Kazuki-nii, but this is something we need to take responsibility for. We have to protect ourselves."

Kazuki hesitated but was eventually swayed by Daiki and Haruto's reasoning.

Daiki: "You should be proud. They're growing up."

Haruto: "It's not a bad idea. They can learn for self-defense. And if it's not a good idea for them, it shouldn't be for us either."

Kazuki: "Alright. Just be careful."

Daiki: "I'll teach them the basics myself. Under my guidance, there won't be any problems."

Asuka: "I'll help too."

Emi: "Thank you, Asuka-nee!"

---

A Visitor from Order

Amid the preparations, a new figure arrived in the Temporary Realm. Eryx Solis, Order's Supreme Being, stood in the city alongside his attendant, Cypus.

Cypus: "Lord, we've arrived. This is the town where Exagora was last reported."

Eryx Solis: "So this is the Temporary Realm. If not for my protections, this realm would collapse under my presence."

Cypus: "What do you think Exagora's doing here?"

Eryx Solis: "Even as his friend, I never understood his reasons for leaving Order. But this area… it's filled with crime and lawlessness. Beings from the Absolute Realm come here for things they can't do back home. Its political value makes it untouchable, but also ungovernable."

Cypus: "Should we contact Exagora directly?"

Eryx Solis: "Not yet. Let's observe for now. Our task is to inspect, and Karmon has already been informed."

---

Haruto's Conversation with Exagora

As the day's training ended, Haruto approached Exagora for a private conversation.

Haruto: "About our payment. You hired us, right?"

Exagora: "I could pay you infinite money. There's nothing in this realm beyond my reach. But to avoid suspicion, how about 1 million yen per month?"

Haruto: "That works. And about Order's informant?"

Exagora: "What do you want to know? Every organization has informants in the Temporary Realm. This one just happened to spot me. They'll likely send someone high up for inspection and inform Karmon."

Haruto: "I thought Supreme Beings were too important to be sent on inspections. And what exactly is Karmon?"

Exagora: "You ask too many questions. Supreme Beings are important, but I'm a special case. As for Karmon, it's one of the seven organizations closest to this realm. They handle things their own way."

Haruto: "What's their way?"

Exagora: "Go home already."

---

A Message from Beyond

Fifteen days later, strange figures appeared in front of government buildings across the Temporary Realm. These beings, impervious to mortal weapons, delivered a chilling message:

"This message is dedicated to the leaders of the human world. We are beings from other realms and wish to have a conversation with you. Please designate a place for a meeting. We look forward to it."

Amid disbelief and fear, human leaders had no choice but to comply. A meeting was scheduled, bringing together the world's leaders and these enigmatic visitors under the banner of the United Nations.