The time passed quickly. Okotuka checked his watch—only five minutes were left. He called Mezu and Shiver over and informed the others that he would be leaving.
"Dad, which floor is the inauguration ceremony being held on?" Shiver asked.
"It's on the twenty-third floor of the East Tower," Okotuka replied.
They found the teleportation circle once again and were instantly transported to the twenty-third floor.
"Welcome to the inauguration ceremony!" said the same short man Mezu had seen when they first entered the tower.
"Thank you," Okotuka replied.
"Please take the seats in the front row. They've been reserved for you."
"Sure."
Okotuka, Shiver, and Mezu headed toward the front row. A massive stage stood at the front, with seating arranged for nearly two thousand people. As they walked, Mezu noticed many unfamiliar faces—important ones. Okotuka greeted several of them politely.
One of them stepped forward with a bright smile. "Oh my goodness! It's been so long since I last saw Mezu. I think the last time was when he was only two years old."
"Yes, he's definitely grown," Okotuka said, glancing at Mezu. "Though he still needs to learn some manners."
"Oh no, he's perfectly well-mannered," the woman laughed. "Look how cute he is!"
She pinched Mezu's cheeks.
Mezu froze. He had no idea who this woman was—or why she was acting as if she had known him for years.
"It seems Shiver has grown up as well," she said, raising her hand toward him.
Before she could pinch his cheeks, Shiver gently brushed her hand away."Auntie, I'm not a little kid like Mezu anymore."
"Oh—right. Sorry," she said, chuckling.
"Kira, we'll be taking our seats now," Okotuka said. "See you next time."
"Of course. Take care," she replied. "Goodbye, Shiver and Mezu."
As they moved away, Mezu silently hoped he would never have to meet her again.
"Everyone, please take your seats. The inauguration ceremony will begin shortly," announced a woman dressed in black.
The hall fell silent as people hurried to their places.
"We welcome you all to the inauguration ceremony of the tallest tower in the world," the woman continued. "To begin, we invite Yuniki Kurozawa to deliver a short speech."
From within the crowd, a man stood up. He wore the same white cloak Mezu had seen earlier. Calm and composed, he walked toward the stage.
Everyone present knew exactly who he was.
KOT — Rank 2.
"As such a large gathering has come together today," Yuniki began, "I would like to speak a few words about why we are truly here."
He paused.
"We are not here merely to celebrate a tower. We are here to prepare for what is coming."
A subtle tension spread through the hall.
"The greatest mistake the Human Empire can make right now is underestimating the Dark Forces. They have been silent for the past two years—and silence does not mean weakness."
"For millennia, we have fought them. And now, their stillness tells us only one thing."
"They are preparing."
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
"Hayanikichi has already dispatched three KOT squads to gather intelligence on their movements," Yuniki continued. "The East Tower stands on the easternmost border of the Human Empire. Its purpose is simple—to watch."
"To watch Konnichi Kurokawa."
At the mention of the name, a ripple of unease ran through the audience.
"He has escaped our grasp too many times," Yuniki said. "So many, in fact, that we no longer know his location."
The hall remained dead silent.
In the corner of a hall a hand was raised. She was the same woman who had met them in the party hall - Lora Mitrezana .
"Any questions Lora?"
"Yes, how do we know that the dark forces are preparing for something and not retreating? I say this is the best time for us to leave them alone."
"What you said might be true but we haven't given them such a blow which will make them retreat. "
"As I said earlier we must be prepared for anything. And we must find the most powerful person in the whole world and hunt him down. For that we need your cooperation. We are sending 1000 elite warriors through the East capital to guard the borders. "
Another voice interrupted.
"But how do we hunt Konnichi when the KOT has failed so many times?"
Yuniki's gaze hardened."Failures carve the path to success. For now, we must do everything we can."
The hall slowly filled with murmurs once again.
Mezu's head suddenly throbbed.
He raised a hand to his temple, his breathing growing uneven. The voices around him began to fade, replaced by a sharp ringing sound.
What… is happening?
His vision blurred.
The hall vanished.
Mezu found himself standing on cold ground—no, not ground.
Bones.
Cracked skulls and shattered remains stretched endlessly beneath his feet. A dark red sky loomed above, heavy and suffocating.
A voice echoed through the emptiness.
"Are you sure about this, Konnichi?"
"Yes," another voice replied—cold, sharp, and terrifyingly calm."We will make the first move."
"But isn't this too dangerous?"
Silence.
Then Mezu saw him.
Konnichi stood ahead, staring straight into the darkness… and then—
Straight at him.
"There is something watching us," Konnichi said quietly.
Mezu gasped.
The vision shattered.
He snapped back into the hall, his heart pounding violently.
No one seemed to notice.
Except—
Yuniki.
Their eyes met.
And Yuniki's expression changed.