A month had passed.
The mysterious ball of light within Akashi Seijuro's mind finally stirred.
He barely touched his dinner before rushing to his room.
He had waited for this day… for so long.
Now, the halo in his mind had fully transformed into a dazzling sphere of pure light.
The luminous ball, which had emitted a gentle glow from the start, now trembled violently, as if something inside was desperate to break free.
Time crawled forward. One hour… two hours… three hours… then another.
Finally, without warning, the ball of light exploded.
A blinding brilliance shot outward like a nuclear blast, a shockwave of radiance flooding his entire consciousness.
Akashi's heart clenched, but strangely, he felt no pain.
It was… peculiar. His mind felt simultaneously full and empty, as if every corner of his brain was being illuminated while some new space had opened inside him.
When the light dissipated, Akashi sensed something different.
His thoughts felt layered—new, unfamiliar consciousnesses suddenly appeared, as though memories had sprouted from nowhere.
Images—or rather instincts—flashed in his mind.
A pair of eyes.
Scarlet-gold and crimson, with a shimmering halo at their center.
Placid. Majestic. Arrogant. Domineering.
Eyes that belonged to a monarch, looking down upon all creation.
And yet, these weren't just images. His body too felt altered—subtle changes, a strange awareness of himself, instincts he didn't remember having.
"What… is happening? And why do these eyes feel… so familiar?"
Akashi shook his head, trying to clear the chaotic storm in his mind.
Time passed, and his consciousness gradually regained clarity.
But the moment he fully focused, the ball of light had vanished.
In its place stood a figure—exactly like him.
The sight made his hair stand on end.
This figure radiated cold authority, an aura that screamed of absolute dominance. An emperor surveying his domain.
Akashi instinctively asked, "Who… are you?"
The figure's lips curved into a faint, sinister smile.
"Of course," it replied smoothly, "I am Akashi Seijuro."
"What…?" Akashi frowned, confused. "I am Akashi Seijuro. Why… are you Akashi Seijuro?"
The figure's tone remained icy, unwavering.
"Akashi Seijuro is you—and me."
Akashi froze.
"You mean… another personality?"
The figure nodded. "Do not be afraid. I cannot harm you. We are originally one. You may think of me as… your other self."
Akashi's mind raced.
Then he recalled the ball of light. Its explosion… and the appearance of this figure.
"Then you… were born from that light?"
The figure's gaze was sharp, yet calm.
"Precisely. But the light itself is not my origin. The explosion simply divided our personalities."
Akashi fell silent, trying to comprehend.
He asked cautiously, "So… our thoughts can't communicate directly, right?"
The figure remained quiet. Akashi realized his guess was correct.
"Then… you must know things I don't," he continued.
The figure's icy eyes flickered. "Indeed. There is no harm in telling you. You would have discovered it eventually anyway."
He paused, as if collecting his words. "Our division was caused by the ball of light. Beyond that… some things are beyond explanation, at least for now."
Akashi's mind whirred.
Then the figure asked: "You have noticed something, haven't you? Those eyes… they are yours now."
Akashi blinked.
A faint halo glimmered in his own scarlet-gold and crimson pupils—sinister, commanding, and piercingly clear.
Everything before him was sharper. Minute details, once invisible, now leapt into focus.
Even the trajectory of a mosquito's next flight could be predicted.
"These… these are the Emperor Eyes…"
Recognition struck. The sensation, the overwhelming clarity… it was Seijuro Akashi's Emperor Eye.
His vision blurred, then returned to normal, leaving him dizzy but exhilarated.
"Do not use it recklessly," the figure warned. "The Emperor Eye consumes a tremendous amount of mental energy. With this body's current capacity, prolonged use is impossible."
Akashi nodded. His mental energy already felt drained.
"The Emperor Eye… is a gift of that ball of light," the figure continued. "Though its mechanism is unclear, your body now possesses the same talent as Seijuro Akashi."
Akashi processed the words slowly, connecting the dots.
Crimson hair. Heterochromatic eyes. The Emperor Eye.
Could it be… that he had acquired Seijuro Akashi's talent template?
A chill ran down his spine.
This was no longer just a rebirth.
This… was the awakening of a prodigy destined to dominate.