Chapter 78
The Gate of Gealgilmesh.
A name whispered in fear even among the highest ranks of the Hunters' Bureau.
An anomaly unlike any other gate discovered in human history
It wasn't located near a city, nor in a populated zone.
It manifested far away from any human settlement… on a deserted island, forgotten by maps, erased by time.
And it devoured everything.
Even light and sound vanished within its sphere.
Birds that flew too close were never seen again.
The sea surrounding it was silent, unnatural — as if the world itself refused to breathe near that place.
That was where Renji Kurogane was heading.
The hour was deep ..the dawn of midnight, where the moon's silver glow brushed faintly against Takeda's residence.
The mansion's corridors were quiet, the faint hum of crickets outside the only reminder that life still existed.
Inside his room, Renji stood before the mirror.
He fastened the final buckle of his dark combat suit, the snug fabric whispering against his skin.
Each piece of equipment had a memory .. a scar, a purpose.
As he tied the last strap on his boots, his reflection glimmered faintly with an ethereal glow.
Blue aura, thin but intense, began to radiate from his body. It pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat ..
the energy of Januza, the essence of a god sleeping within him.
Renji closed his eyes.
He could feel it the hum of power coursing through his veins.
It was alive, restless, aware.
He whispered quietly,
"Let's go."
The words carried softly into the night.
As he stepped into the living room, the scent of freshly brewed tea greeted him.
Lily and Choji were waiting .. both dressed in light pajamas, their faces pale from trying to hold back emotion.
"Onii-chan…" Lily murmured, voice trembling.
Renji smiled faintly. "You're still awake?"
"Of course." Choji crossed his arms, trying to sound tough but his eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "You think we'd sleep while you're leaving for that place?"
Renji chuckled. "Heh, fair point."
The clock ticked softly behind them, marking each second as a heartbeat.
Lily stepped forward, clutching Renji's sleeve. "Onii-chan… please come back safe, okay?"
Her small hands trembled against his arm.
Renji knelt before her, gently placing his palm on her head.
"I will," he said softly.
"I promise. I'll come back stronger."
Lily bit her lip, eyes glistening. "You always say that."
Renji smiled, brushing a strand of her hair aside. "And I always mean it."
Choji stepped closer. "You better, Renji. If you don't—"
Renji grinned. "You'll drag me back yourself, right?"
Choji hesitated, then nodded firmly. "Yeah. Exactly."
The moment lingered the quiet warmth of family wrapped in the chill of farewell.
Then, softly, Lily whispered,
"Onii-chan… you're not alone anymore."
Renji froze for a moment.
Those words pierced through him deeper than she could ever know.
He smiled again, gentler this time.
"I know. Thank you, Lily."
Outside, the black SUV's headlights flicked on — Takeda behind the wheel, Hiroto in the passenger seat, waving lazily.
"Yo, let's move!" Hiroto called out, his voice cutting through the night.
Renji turned back to Lily and Choji one last time.
"Take care of each other, okay?"
They both nodded.
He forced a smile, then turned, walking toward the car under the pale moonlight.
Every step echoed with finality.
The door shut with a quiet thud, and the vehicle rolled forward — disappearing down the long road that led away from the Takeda estate.
The drive to the Bureau was long and silent.
City lights blurred past the windows like fragments of fading memories.
Hiroto leaned his arm on the window frame, glancing back.
"You're awfully quiet tonight, Renji."
Renji's gaze remained fixed outside. "Just thinking."
"About what?"
"About… what's waiting for me."
Takeda's voice cut in calmly from the driver's seat.
"The unknown, huh? You'll face it head-on, like always."
Renji smiled faintly. "You make it sound simple."
Takeda chuckled. "Nothing is ever simple. But that's what makes life worth fighting for."
Hiroto smirked. "Listen to the old man getting poetic."
Takeda glared at him through the rearview mirror. "You want to walk the rest of the way?"
"Eh?! N-no sir! I like riding, thank you very much!"
The car filled with brief laughter, the tension melting for just a moment.
When they reached the Bureau, the atmosphere was different ... too quiet.
The massive compound, usually brimming with activity and shouting officers, was now eerily subdued.
Dim lights lined the corridors. Only a few elite guards patrolled the entrance, their expressions cold, professional.
Takeda parked the car near the private access elevator.
They stepped out .. boots echoing against the marble floor.
"Less staff than usual," Hiroto muttered, glancing around.
Takeda nodded. "It's to keep things discreet. This mission isn't on record."
Renji frowned slightly. "A mission of secrecy…"
"Exactly," Takeda said. "The fewer people who know, the better."
They entered the elevator. The metallic hum filled the silence as it ascended.
When the doors slid open, a sharp gust of night wind greeted them.
The rooftop stretched wide beneath a star-studded sky.
There waiting by the helipad ..was a sleek black helicopter, blades turning slowly in idle rotation.
President Nakamura stood beside it, his long coat fluttering in the wind.
Next to him was Wang Chi, the Regional Commander of the East Asia Bureau, arms crossed with his usual stoic expression.
Takeda, Hiroto, and Renji approached.
President Nakamura turned first. "Renji Kurogane."
Renji straightened, bowing slightly. "Sir."
Wang Chi's sharp eyes scanned him up and down.
"So, you're really doing this."
Renji nodded. "Yes."
President Nakamura stepped forward, his tone grave.
"This isn't just a normal gate, Renji. It's more like a dimension ... an entire realm that swallowed an island whole. Inside it, light and sound are meaningless. The atmosphere nullifies detection. The creatures there don't see ... they sense. They move faster than you can think, faster than light itself. One wrong step, and you're gone."
He paused, letting the silence weigh down the air.
"No one who's gone there has returned. Are you sure you're ready?"
Renji met his gaze without flinching.
"I'm sure. It's a long shot… but I can do this. Thank you, Mr. President."
President Nakamura nodded slowly. "Good. Then may fortune favor you, Kurogane."
Renji turned to Wang Chi, bowing respectfully.
"Thank you for supporting this mission, Commander Wang Chi."
Wang Chi gave a faint smirk. "Support? Don't thank me yet. Just make sure you survive. That'll be thanks enough."
Renji chuckled softly. "Understood."
Then, he turned to Hiroto.
Hiroto sighed, scratching his neck. "You know, kid… you're about to walk into hell. So just remember don't be reckless. Survive first, then win."
Renji nodded. "I'll remember. I won't die ... I'll come back stronger."
Hiroto smiled faintly. "Heh. I know you will."
Finally, Renji turned toward Takeda.
Their eyes met.
The air grew still.
Takeda's gaze was firm, but his aura trembled faintly .. worry hidden behind discipline.
Renji smiled. "It's okay, Takeda-sama. I'll be okay. Take care of Lily and Choji for me while I'm away."
Takeda inhaled deeply, his voice heavy..
"I will. But remember your training .. everything I've ever taught you. It will be your lifeline in that world. The monsters there… they move faster than light. You need to react faster. You need to be faster."
Renji stepped forward, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you, Takeda-sama… for everything."
Takeda's arms hesitated for a moment before he returned the embrace.
He whispered, barely audible, "You've done well"
Renji's smile deepened, warmth flickering in his chest.
Then he stepped back.
"Oooh Takeda-sannn," Hiroto interrupted suddenly, grinning.
"You're getting all soft, aren't ya"
"I'll kill you," Takeda said instantly, face flat.
"Ehh?! Wait, I didn't even say—!"
Renji laughed quietly. "You'll never change, Hiroto-san."
Hiroto crossed his arms with mock indignation. "Hey, someone has to keep the mood balanced."
"Balanced, he says," Takeda muttered.
The brief moment of humor settled the tension again .. fleeting, but needed.
Then President Nakamura's voice cut through the wind.
"I'm counting on.... no… the world is counting on you, Renji Kurogane."
Renji faced him, his expression calm but resolute.
"I understand, President Nakamura."
He took one final look at everyone.
Takeda, standing firm with pride.
Hiroto, smiling awkwardly but sincerely.
And the leaders who entrusted him with humanity's last hope.
Renji bowed once more, then climbed aboard the helicopter.
The engine roared to life.
Wind howled across the rooftop as Renji looked out the window, waving once —
And the helicopter rose, cutting through the night sky.
For over an hour, they flew through darkness.
The city lights faded into the distance, replaced by the endless black of the sea.
Renji sat in silence, staring out the window. The horizon was empty .. no stars, no glow, only a vast stretch of darkness that grew thicker with every mile.
The pilot's voice broke the quiet.
"Approaching coordinates to the Gate of Gealgilmesh. Estimated two minutes to entry point."
Renji's hand tightened around the strap of his seatbelt.
The faint hum of his aura stirred again, wrapping him in soft blue light.
He took a slow, steady breath.
This is it.
The beginning of the conquest of Gealgilmesh.
The helicopter tilted forward, descending toward the fog-shrouded island ahead.
And as the moon disappeared behind the veil of shadows—
Renji Kurogane's descent into the unknown began.
To Be Continued…