After being swallowed whole by that shadowy darkness, I found myself drifting into a place of utter void—a realm so pitch black that it felt like I had plunged into the deepest abyss of existence. There was no ground, no sky, no light. Only a heavy, suffocating silence wrapped in infinite shadows.
I tried to move, to look for anything... but I couldn’t even see my own hands. The sensation was unnerving, like being suspended in nothingness. The emptiness felt alive, like it was watching , judging . And worse—I was alone.
Before I was pulled into the darkness, I had held onto Envi—the sealed system gifted to by the Goddess of Benevolence. But now... Envi was gone. No trace of her voice. No faint glow. Nothing. Panic started to creep in as I scread out her na.
"ENVI! Where are you?! Wake up, damn it!"
My voice echoed endlessly, swallowed by the void with no response. I ran—blindly—through the darkness, hoping, praying that I’d bump into her. But no matter how far I ran, nothing changed. It was like the world had been frozen in this state of emptiness.
And then it happened.
[!!!WARNING!!!]
[A POWERFUL PRESENCE IS APPROACHING!]
[THE TRUE TRIAL OF BLESSING IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!]
The notification flashed in front of like a beacon in the abyss, and I felt a jolt in my chest.
"What?! The trial hasn’t even started yet? Are you freaking kidding ?!"
I gritted my teeth. All that I had gone through—eight blessings, near-death battles, fla gods, divine blessings—and it still wasn’t the real trial?
As I cursed under my breath, the atmosphere suddenly shifted. The darkness thickened. Sothing—soone—was coming. I could feel its pressure, like a divine force descending upon . The void, once silent, was now filled with a terrifying energy that made it hard to breathe. Sweat rolled down my neck. My instincts scread at that I was in the presence of sothing ancient... and deadly.
And then I heard it.
A voice. Calm, deep, and echoing like it resonated through the fabric of my soul.
"Finally... You’ve arrived, Child of Fate."
It was a man’s voice—but it carried the weight of sothing more. Just hearing it made my knees feel weak, like it reached into my mories, my fears, my regrets.
Slowly, a figure began to form out of the shadows. He walked with purpose, his steps silent, yet each one sent ripples through the darkness. He wore robes that resembled the divine attire of the other gods... but unlike their brilliant whites and golds, his were deep black, embroidered with runes of forgotten power.
Above his head hovered a halo—not one of light, but a dark ring that shimred like it was made from the cosmos itself. His face, however, was... censored. I couldn’t see it clearly, as if sothing was hiding it from , masking his true nature. He had long black hair, and at the center of his chest was the unmistakable crest of Dark Magic.
There was no mistaking it.
"You... You’re the God of Darkness," I said cautiously.
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Correct. I am the ruler of shadows and the underworld. The progenitor of Dark Magic itself. I am the one they call... the God of Darkness."
I had guessed it already, but hearing it confird from his own mouth still sent chills down my spine. He stood before , the very deity whose existence had been wrapped in mystery—feared by the other gods, revered by none, yet undeniably powerful.
A part of wanted to ask him to return to Cosmoria—to help the other gods battle the Unique Monsters that had invaded. But looking into his obscured gaze, I could tell: he wouldn’t be swayed so easily. He had his own agenda, his own path.
"Tell your na, Child of Fate," he said, his voice lowering.
"I’m... Naoki von Blackmore," I replied.
But he didn’t move. Didn’t nod. Just stood there, waiting.
"I asked for your real na," he said, softly but firmly.
My breath caught.
He knew. He knew the truth.
"I’m... Takahiro Nao," I admitted, my voice shaking slightly. "How do you—how do you know that?"
He didn’t answer. Just smiled faintly again, almost... fondly.
"Very well, Takahiro Nao. Your trial begins now."
He raised one hand, and from the darkness itself, he conjured a form—a presence that I recognized instantly.
My body froze.
The figure that erged was massive, cloaked in shadows. Fangs. Claws. And eyes that glead like burning voids.
Canis. The One Who Conquers the Shadow.
"No... That’s impossible! I already defeated you!" I shouted, my rage boiling to the surface.
Canis let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "What you defeated was rely a fragnt. A sliver of my true strength."
I clenched my fists. So all that pain, all that loss—Rosan, everyone—wasn’t even against his full power?
"I’ll explain everything," Canis said, smirking, "but only if you survive."
That was all I needed.
I summoned my katana—[Kagegiri]—from the abyss, the blade responding to my fury. Canis’s smirk vanished the mont he saw it.
"So... you still carry the blade that ended my fragnt. Fitting."
I didn’t waste another second.
"I’m not here to reminisce," I growled. "Let’s finish what we started."
Since it was in the dark, making the [Shadow Conqueror] trait active, increased AGI and STR stats by 50%. It made my body lighter and stronger.
I activated Kagegiri’s second form—[Yami no Shogun] gives a 50% VIT, AGI, and STR stat buff. This gives a total of two tis the increase in AGI and STR. In addition, my Dark Magic damage also doubles!
A surge of power erupted from as black armor engulfed my body—sleek, samurai-styled armor ford from condensed Dark Magic. My hair turned white, flowing like starlight, and my eyes glowed with ethereal energy.
The void trembled.
Even the God of Darkness raised an eyebrow, faintly amused. But I had no ti to pay attention to him.
I lunged at Canis, blade raised.
The battle began.
He t my strike with his claws, and the collision sent shockwaves through the darkness. His speed was unbelievable—faster, more savage than before. He struck with the precision of a predator, each blow aiming to cripple .
But I adapted. I used [Yanagi-Uke] to redirect his attacks, countering with shadow-infused strikes of my own. Even without Envi’s system guidance, my instincts had sharpened. My will burned hotter than ever.
Our fight turned into a deadly dance—blades and claws clashing in the dark, echoes of our fury tearing the void apart.
"I won’t lose to you again!" I roared, striking at his flank and barely grazing him.
"You’re stronger now," Canis admitted. "But is it enough?"
He activated his true form—a monstrous wolf enveloped in flas of black and violet, his body pulsing with raw Dark Magic. I could barely keep up, but I had no choice.
"I’m not the sa person I was back then," I growled. "This ti... I’ll finish it."
This ti, I’d fight not just for myself—but for the deities battling above, for Cosmoria, for those I’d lost, and for the truth that had been hidden behind shadows.
And I would win.
...
Canis lunged forward again, faster this ti—his claws tearing through the void like twin blades of obsidian lightning. I barely managed to sidestep, sliding across the shadowy ground as sparks of dark magic burst around us. His fangs snapped inches from my throat, and the pressure of his bloodlust hit like a wave.
"Damn it!" I cursed, rolling backward and gripping Kagegiri tighter. My breathing was heavy. My body was already feeling the toll.
This wasn’t the sa Canis I had fought before. His movents were sharper, more vicious, more calculated. Every attack pushed further back, testing my limits. His full power was a whole different league—and for the first ti since entering the void, doubt crept into my heart.
Can I really beat him... without Envi?
No. I have to. I don’t have the luxury of doubt right now.
"I can see it in your eyes," Canis growled, pacing in a slow circle around . "That fear. You’re still unsure. Still broken. Even after all this ti, after all that power, you’re still weak inside."
"Shut the hell up," I muttered, but my voice cracked slightly.
He struck again—this ti faster than my eye could follow. I blocked, barely, but the force sent flying. I crashed into the dark floor, coughing, tasting blood in my mouth.
"You think you’re worthy of the Blessing of Darkness?" Canis scoffed. "You can barely stand."
I struggled to my feet, panting. My body was screaming in pain. No... I can’t lose. I can’t lose now.
Images of Solis, Miranda, and Flareth flashed through my mind. Their determination. Their faith in . The Unique Monsters bearing down on Cosmoria while I was stuck here, fighting for a blessing I wasn’t even sure I deserved.
And then I saw her.
Rosan.
Her smile. Her eyes. The way she’d stood by in that final mont, even as death closed in.
She died... because I wasn’t strong enough.
The rage returned—burning brighter than ever. I let it flood through , seeping into every nerve, every inch of my being. My aura surged, and the armor of the Yami no Shogun glowed with renewed energy. Kagegiri vibrated in my hand, responding to my will.
"I may be broken," I said slowly, "but every scar I carry has made who I am. And I’ll carve a new path through the darkness—starting with you, Canis."
The shadows roared as I dashed forward. Our blades t again—claws against steel—but this ti, it was different.
I was faster.
Stronger.
Each strike I delivered was fueled not just by power—but by purpose.
Canis snarled, clearly caught off-guard. "This... isn’t the sa as before."
"No," I said, eyes blazing. "Because I’m not the sa."
I feinted to the left, slashed right, and landed a clean hit across his chest. He howled in pain, black blood splashing across the void. I pressed forward, not giving him ti to recover. My movents were a blur, a storm of shadows and steel. I was no longer holding back.
"I fight for those who believe in . For those I’ve lost. For the gods still standing their ground."
Canis leapt backward, panting heavily now. The fight was turning. He could feel it too.
But he wasn’t done yet.
With a growl, he channeled a massive surge of energy.
"[True Form of the Shadow]"
The shadow around us warped, and tendrils of darkness exploded from his body.
"This is my true form, Takahiro Nao!" he roared, his body expanding, mutating—becoming a horrific shadow beast with four glowing eyes and nine tails that stretched across the horizon.
He had beco sothing out of a nightmare.
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