The queen held three Mythical Skills—gifts born from the emotions of the masses, shaped by the titles they bestowed upon her.
One was for bringing darkness to five kingdoms, erasing their light entirely. That earned her the title Lithaer the Pentagon, and with it came the skill: [Amnesia Fate].
Another was for wiping out an entire kingdom through a single shadow. They named her the Queen of Shadows, granting her: [Memoria Fate].
And finally, upon becoming a Floor Master, she received the terrifying skill: [Shadow World].
And now, for the first time, she used that skill.
[Shadow World]
The room plunged into darkness.
The next thing Ryusei and Haku knew, they were standing inside a vast, void-like space filled with twinkling stars and a majestic moon. The moonlight illuminated the queen's beauty as she floated mid-air, her silhouette calm yet imposing.
Beneath them was not earth—it felt like walking on air in outer space. It was breathtaking... yet for some reason, Ryusei felt a piercing loneliness.
The queen smiled. Her golden gaze, cold and gleaming under the moonlight, locked onto Ryusei. She extended her hand toward him—then closed it into a fist.
A giant shadowy hand erupted from beneath. Ryusei reacted instantly, leaping back just in time.
But that wasn't all.
In the blink of an eye, a beam of darkness shot from the hand—straight at Haku. It grazed his cheek as he barely dodged.
Ryusei seized the moment. While the queen's focus was on Haku, he dashed forward using Fast Strike to—
"Ryusei!!" Haku shouted, charging toward him. But another beam suddenly appeared, forcing Haku to dodge again. The moment the beam hit the ground, it exploded—splattering into thousands of shadowy droplets suspended in the air.
And then, they all launched at him.
He ducked, dodged, rolled—no time to breathe, let alone look back at Ryusei.
Ryusei didn't know what hit him. It came too fast to dodge. The object slammed into his shoulder—and that's when he noticed something strange.
His gaping wound wasn't healing.
He felt his mana react, trying to mend the flesh. But the flame-like shadows clung to the injury, preventing it. Without hesitation, he gritted his teeth—and sliced off his entire arm.
The pain was unbearable, but he suppressed it, just enough not to scream. Something he had learned... as an assassin.
The queen's expression wavered.
Her eyes widened in surprise. Her heart thudded, cheeks tinged red, and then—she smirked.
He was still the same.
Still her Takeru.
And that was why... if he wouldn't come to her side—she would have to kill him.
Ryusei's arm healed rapidly as the queen descended, gently landing on the ground.
She held her hand out.
"Ryu," she said softly. "I'll ask one last time... come to me."
Ryusei tightened his grip around his sword and raised it.
"Why? Why are you so obsessed with making me join you?"
She closed her eyes, her voice calm but fragile. "Why...?" She opened them again, golden and aching. "Because you belong to me."
Ryusei let out a dry chuckle. "I don't remember ever being an object."
The queen's smile dropped.
"Ryusei! Why are you like this?! Why won't you just come to me?!"
She clenched her fists. Her teeth sank into her lower lip.
"Ryu, listen. —————"
Her words became distorted. Like they were being filtered through static. Ryusei leaned forward, confused.
"Huh? What…? What's going on…?"
She was saying something important. He could feel it.
But her voice—was blocked. Muffled. Garbled like broken radio waves.
The queen stopped. Her eyes trembled.
Why can't I say it? She looked up at the moon as snow began to fall.
Just like that day.
The day she met him.
***
Tokyo. Years ago.
A woman lay beneath a bridge—battered and broken, body barely clinging to life. Her vision blurred. Her breath shallow.
And just before her eyes closed, she saw it.
A blurry silhouette.
She floated in a void for what felt like
forever—until cracks of light pierced through. Her eyes fluttered open.
An unfamiliar ceiling.
A warm room.
All her wounds were bandaged. She turned her head toward a large glass window.
And there stood a boy with black hair.
He turned around, his dark eyes cold—unnervingly so. It sent a chill down her spine.
But then he spoke, and everything changed.
"Hey! Don't move so much! Do you know how hard it was carrying you up here?"
The woman blinked, stunned. No one had ever spoken to her like that.
A smile formed on her lips. "First… I want to thank you… for saving me."
She tried to sit up, her body trembling from weakness.
"Hey! I told you not to—!"
The boy paused.
Only just now did he notice her beauty.
Golden eyes that shimmered like stars. Hair as dark as the void.
"B-Beautiful…" he blurted, face turning red. "N-No, I mean—!"
The woman chuckled softly. She'd seen many reactions like his before… but his warmth felt different. It wasn't lust. It was something purer.
Her laughter faded into a harsh cough.
"Are you okay?!" the boy asked, rushing over. "I told you not to move…"
She wiped her mouth.
"Where am I? And who are you?"
He crouched beside her. "I'm Takeru Mizuhara. This is where I live. And you?"
The woman looked away, expression dim. "…Umbra. Just call me that."
Takeru raised a brow. "Umbra? That's such a weird name."
She forced a smile. "Right? But… it's what my parents called me."
Takeru sensed the sorrow in her voice.
"I know!" he said. "I'll call you Umi instead. 'Umbra' sounds so depressing."
She looked at him. "Umi? Why that?"
He beamed. "I took the first two letters of your name and added an 'I'. It means ocean. It matches the 'Mizu' in my name—it means water."
Her heart fluttered.
Ocean…
It was the first time someone gave her a name that felt… warm.
And that was how Umbra met Takeru.
She stayed in his luxurious high-rise apartment—the kind of place she never imagined existed. At night, the city lights twinkled like stars. It was a peaceful, beautiful world. How Takeru came to own it was a mystery.
They played games. Explored the city. And most nights, she waited for him to return home—always late, always mysterious.
Then one night, he came back drenched in blood.
"Takeru!" she cried, rushing to him.
But the blood wasn't his. She sighed with relief.
"Oh, Umi," he said, smiling. "I thought you'd be asleep by now."
Her heart skipped. How was he so calm…?
"…Why are you covered in blood?"
He grinned.
"I completed my mission. Now we can spend more time together."
Her chest tightened.
A mission? Did he… kill someone?
But despite her thoughts—she wasn't afraid of him.
Strangely… she felt closer to him.
After that, Takeru stayed home more often. He even got a pet snake—a white one. It slithered around like it belonged there.
Life became bliss.
Until her body… began to fade.
She wasn't supposed to be in that world. She was being pulled back.
She vanished that night, beneath a giant Christmas tree covered in lights, as snow fell around them.
She returned to her own world—heart aching. Even if he'd forgotten her, she wanted to see him again.
Decades passed.
She became Charlotte Lestear—a hero. Just to find a way back.
She found nothing.
Eventually, hatred consumed her. Why couldn't she return? Why was she so alone?
She turned her fury against the world itself. If fate stood in her way, she'd crush it.
She covered kingdoms in darkness. Became Lithaer the Pentagon. Destroyed Vazrothvra's kingdom.
And finally, she was sealed in a dungeon—by the remaining heroes—after becoming a Floor Master.
Her memories began to rot away with her.
Until one day…
A boy with wings and a black snake walked into the dungeon.
Her heart leapt.
Even if he looked different—she knew. The moment she read his shadow's memory, she was certain.
He had returned.
Takeru…
But he didn't remember her. No, his memories were somehow sealed.
And worse… he had someone else with him. Someone who vowed to protect him.
Her gaze turned cold. Her heart—twisted.
If she couldn't have him in this world…
She'd keep him in her shadows.
Forever.
***
Back in the void.
The snow fell gently.
The queen caught a flake in her hand. It melted instantly.
Everything fades with time.
Except her.
She turned to Ryusei.
"This is the last time I ask," she said softly. "Please… come to me."
It almost sounded like a plea.
Ryusei didn't move. His sword remained steady in his grip.
The queen's expression hardened. Her warmth vanished.
She glanced at Haku—no longer attacking him—before returning her gaze to Ryusei.
"Very well," she said coldly. "You've made your choice. And I've made mine. I'll kill you… as gently as possible."
A black sword materialized in her hand—forming from shadows.
"This shall be… our final dance."
Her golden eyes gleamed with killing intent.
The atmosphere shifted.
The snow stopped falling.
And under the moonlit sky, the final battle between the queen and her challengers… began.