The sky above the mountain fortress of Umbra Citadel roared with black thunder as the invasion began.
Thousands of Wielders—students, veterans, and elite forces from around the world—poured into the battlefield outside the Citadel. Snow was falling thick, the wind sharp, but no one shivered. Not from cold. From anticipation. From fear. From determination.
Ryuu, Hana, and Tetsu stood near the front of the assault, flanked by Kaede and the elite instructors from their academy. The Obsidian Crossroads Wielders. Zhen Kairo. Seraphine Vale. Magnus Kreel.
The invasion had begun.
But something was off.
Too quiet.
No resistance. No alarms. No sign of Kurojin's top fighters.
Until—
BOOM.
A massive rumble shook the earth as hidden doors in the mountain walls burst open. Floodlights from the Citadel lit up hundreds… no—thousands of figures emerging from within. Wielders froze.
Kaede's eyes widened. "No… we're too late."
Across the entire snowy battlefield, over 2,000 henchmen in dark armor lined up in perfect formation. Their bodies sparked unnaturally—each one modified, enhanced, twisted by corrupted machines, their Wills distorted. Their eyes glowed a sickening crimson, showing no fear. No soul.
Seraphine Vale's voice was sharp. "This isn't a trap. It's a declaration."
Zhen Kairo cursed under his breath. "Kurojin moved his army out of the chamber days ago... we came charging into an open field, and now we're surrounded."
Magnus Kreel growled. "So be it."
Tetsu clenched his fists. "They were ready for us."
Ryuu pulled his sword. "Then we fight anyway."
Hana looked to the Citadel, where dark silhouettes watched from above.
And one—Raven, hovered in the air with a smug grin.
Another—Lilith, hands behind her back, watching them like a bored observer.
And in the shadows deeper within, Kurojin Tsukiro watched through an unseen mirror, his hands folded.
"Let's see if they survive the first wave," he murmured.
Back on the field, the corrupted army charged.
Tetsu roared. "EVERYONE! FORM DEFENSE LINES!"
And the war began—chaotic, brutal, and massive.
But one person wasn't there.
Kael Renji still had no idea it had started.