The battle had begun.
Two forces charged toward each other, bloodlust in their eyes and kill-intent in their hearts.
King Larthur made the first move, dashing forward and attempting to strike Carter from behind.
"You didn't bring the woman who saved you," Larthur sneered.
Carter, calm and composed, his face both emotionless and terrifying, blocked the incoming sword strikes without saying a word at first. Then he spoke:
"Is that all you're capable of?"
Enraged, Larthur launched a direct assault—but it was a fatal mistake. With a swift movement, Carter severed the arm holding Larthur's sword. The king tried to cast a spell, but before he could finish, Carter unleashed Dark Faith—a powerful black sorcery that damaged Larthur and completely blocked his magic.
---
Meanwhile, on the Battlefield
Ron was also engaged in battle, but something felt off. A strange presence. His mind flashed back to a message from the Fourth Wall:
> "A mysterious figure has just entered the Mirror World."
Ron had thought it meant one person. But this… this felt like a large force.
Did someone else enter at the same time DA trapped King Larthur?
Who was it? Ron wondered.
But the battlefield pulled him back to reality.
King Larthur's right-hand man—a deadly spy—rushed at Ron. Without hesitation, Ron cast a Black Sorcery spell. Instantly, a magical box trapped the spy inside. Razor-sharp needles emerged and crushed him completely.
Ron looked across the battlefield.
King Larthur lay on the ground, a sword driven through his throat. Carter stood beside the body, victorious.
It was clear now: Carter's army was winning. With Larthur dead, his forces were collapsing. Ron had already eliminated their magicians with four well-placed spells.
But suddenly, the ground shook violently.
> [The Stone 'Stone of the Puppet Master' has been taken.]
A new message flashed from the Fourth Wall.
Stone? Ron looked around.
He flew into the sky, scanning the area. Then he saw him—a towering figure, 7 feet 11 inches tall, with a strong build and a calm, unreadable face. In his hand, something glowed—a stone.
Ron's heart sank.
The Stone of the Puppet Master!
He activated the Blade of Vengeance and rushed forward, going for a fatal strike. But the giant caught the sword with a single hand—without even looking up. His eyes remained on the glowing stone.
Suddenly, a volcano of blood burst from Ron's body. He collapsed to the ground.
The figure finally spoke:
> "You don't even know the extent of your abilities, nor can you control them. So how are you this strong?"
He turned and began to walk away.
Carter attacked from behind—but the man caught him by the throat without looking, then slammed him into the ground, knocking him unconscious. The impact shook the entire Hero Town Universe.
> "How are you guys this strong?" he muttered again, intrigued.
Carter's army surrounded him.
The man grinned—then, in an instant, the entire force collapsed, falling against the mirror-like ground.
He had released only 0.1% of his Ki—yet everyone gasped for air, overwhelmed by the pressure. Within seconds, all were unconscious.
All but Ron.
The mysterious figure walked away without a single backward glance.
---
—Second Layer of Reality—
Council of the Beyonders
In a secret online meeting, 13 High-Grade Beyonders convened—members of the powerful Council of Beyonders.
One of them spoke first. "I called this meeting because two Low-Grade Beyonders were just killed in the First Layer. They had gone to warn Aurora."
Another nodded grimly. "This cannot be overlooked."
A third added, "Elder 1, you spared the First Layer because they promised obedience. Now look what they've done."
One of the older Beyonders muttered, "I warned you. The First Layer doesn't deserve to live. We should have destroyed them long ago."
Their leader, Elder 1, raised his voice, calm but authoritative.
> "We will investigate before taking action."
He paused, then added:
> "If those people are involved in the death of our Beyonders… then they will pay."
He looked into the screen, voice like thunder.
> "The meeting is over. Await my command."
BACK IN MIRROR WORLD
Ron lay on the ground, terrified, watching as everyone around him collapsed.
> "Who is this guy?" he whispered, struggling to move.
He tried to get up, but the residual pressure of that man's Ki kept him paralyzed. Just 0.1% — and it was enough to crush Carter, Ron, and their entire force.
Then… silence.
The Stranger had left.
Footsteps echoed across the broken mirror ground. Ron slowly turned his head.
It was Yardy.
He wasn't alone—he had brought a few allies from the World of Dark Souls. With a sweep of their hands, they used telekinesis to lift the unconscious bodies and send them back to Earth through a temporary portal.
Yardy knelt beside Ron, helping him sit up.
"You're lucky you're even conscious," he muttered.
He placed his hand on Ron's shoulder—and in a flash of purple light, they teleported back to Earth.
---
Back in Hero Town — Night
The stars hung heavy in the sky.
Yardy laid Ron in front of a hospital entrance. As he turned to leave, Ron's voice—weak but firm—cut through the silence.
> "Why are you helping me…? We're enemies, aren't we?"
Yardy didn't turn around.
> "I'm not doing this on my own," he said.
"I have orders. And they're not from Dr. Thomas."
That made Ron pause.
If not from Thomas… then who?
He tried to remember—but his mind gave him nothing but static.
---
Hospital — Midnight
Ron woke up to the sound of machines beeping. A nurse informed him of the report.
> "You have multiple fractures... All your bones—broken."
Ron stared in shock.
Soon after, Locki arrived to visit.
Ron, still bandaged and pale, told him everything—about the mysterious man, the Puppet Master Stone, and how the entire force collapsed in an instant.
Locki's face was grim.
> "It's the same everywhere. Carter, the generals, even the mages who control elements...
All of them—every bone shattered."
He paused.
"That guy... he released 0.1% of his Ki, Ron. That's it. No attack, no spell. Just existence. Who the hell was that monster?"
Ron didn't have an answer.
---
The Next Morning
Ron was discharged early—his recovery unusually fast, thanks to his body's hidden powers.
As he stepped into his apartment, something caught his eye.
A book.
The Diary from Black Heart.
He had almost forgotten it.
Ron picked it up and was about to open it—when a sharp knock echoed from the front door.
He opened it slowly.
Standing there was DA.