Ashes of the Forgotten

Toshi continued to wipe out village after village, showing no mercy to anyone.

Everywhere he went, fear followed.

For every devil in Hell, one terrifying thought echoed in their minds—

"What if that killer comes here next?"

(Castle of Hell – Zokaris's Throne Room)

The heavy doors creaked open as Zokaris's minister hurried inside, his face tense with worry.

Bowing, he spoke urgently, "Glory to King Zokaris! My lord, an unknown figure has thrown all of Hell into chaos. In just one day—17 villages. 344 devils—massacred."

Zokaris's expression immediately darkened. His crimson eyes burned with frustration as he glared at the minister.

"And why am I hearing this just now?!"

The minister kept his head down, responding cautiously, "My lord, this began early yesterday morning. A strange meteor crashed into our kingdom… but since the impact was minimal, it was ignored."

Zokaris's eyes sharpened. "So, someone arrived from another world?"

"That's what we suspect, my lord."

Zokaris leaned back in his throne, lost in thought.

"Hmmm... It can't be a human… and the angels were wiped out long ago. Could Ikaris be behind this?"

"But he should be weakened… why would he come here?"

After a few moments of silence, he turned back to his minister.

**"Recall all devils sent to Earth immediately. Assign them a new task—find this 'killer' and bring me their head."

(A small village in Hell – Midnight)

A small devil girl hid behind a waterfall, clutching her mother's arm tightly.

The entire village was silent.

No voices. No movement. Only the soft sound of flowing water.

In a whisper, the child asked, "Mom… is the killer coming here too?"

Her mother held her even tighter, her voice trembling. "No, sweetheart… we're safe here..."

But then—

"Energy: 0.08%"

A low, echoing vibration filled the air.

For a moment, the water's flow halted, as if time itself had frozen.

And then—

BOOM!

A single step.

Just one step.

And the ground split open.

The waterfall's current shattered, droplets of water rising into the air. A thick cloud of dust exploded outward. The force of it was enough to make the mother and daughter stumble backward.

Then, from within the dust—

A figure emerged.

Toshi.

His eyes were lifeless, empty. No hesitation. No purpose.

The girl held her breath. She couldn't even process what she was looking at.

And then—

Suddenly.

Her mother was lifted into the air.

Toshi had grabbed her throat.

The woman gasped, pleading desperately, "P-please! We haven't done anything! Let me go!"

But Toshi's mind was blank.

And just as he was about to end her—

Small hands clung tightly to his leg.

The little girl.

Her voice cracked as she sobbed, "Please! Let my mom go! She has no one but me!"

"Please! Please don't take her away!"

For the first time—

Toshi's hand trembled.

A flicker.

A brief flash.

A memory, long buried, surged through his mind.

Another flicker.

A scene he couldn't recognize—yet somehow, it felt painfully familiar.

And then—

He let go.

The woman collapsed onto the ground, coughing.

Immediately, the girl threw herself at her mother, hugging her tightly, crying uncontrollably.

Toshi watched in silence.

Then, in a cold, hollow voice, he said—

"Listen… try not to meet me again."

And in the next instant—he vanished.

(Unknown Planet)

Far away, in a desolate world bathed in eternal twilight—

A stone throne stood atop a massive ruin, surrounded by nothing but silence.

Seated upon it, Ikaris smirked.

As if he had expected all of this.

As if he had been waiting.

Resting his chin on his fist, he whispered—

"Even if your memories are gone…"

"The pain of losing your parents and the fear that came with it,Still lingers within you,doesn't it?"

His voice echoed through the empty, crumbling halls.

And then—silence.