Killua nodded.
"That fight was insane."
"But we pulled it off."
Biscuit gave a faint smile.
"This battle made one thing clear."
"Our strength isn't just for surviving anymore."
"We can change the world."
Ryker remained silent for a moment. He looked toward the clearing sky, something unreadable passing through his eyes.
"Yes."
"But winning this battle doesn't mean the end."
He turned back to them.
"Gon. Killua. Biscuit."
"We keep moving forward. Together."
The three met his gaze. Then nodded. No hesitation.
The Dark Beast's destruction brought a fragile calm. But Ryker's mind did not settle. He could still feel it. The darkness had not vanished. It had only receded. Waiting.
"Ryker. We won."
Killua stood beside him, voice steady.
"But the darkness… it's still here."
"I know."
Ryker exhaled slowly.
"We only destroyed a part of it."
"The real problem is still ahead."
Gon stepped forward, unease creeping into his voice.
"Then what do we do next?"
"Can we really erase it completely?"
Ryker fell silent for a moment. Then answered.
"I've taken countless abilities."
"They've made me stronger."
"But if we don't destroy the true source…"
"None of it matters."
"We go deeper."
"We find where it all begins."
Biscuit's expression turned thoughtful.
"From what you sensed…"
"This darkness might not be limited to the continent."
"It could be rooted in the world itself."
Ryker's eyes narrowed.
"That's exactly it."
"It's not just an entity."
"It's embedded into the foundation of this world."
Silence followed.
Then — a shift. Ryker's head snapped toward the horizon. His gaze sharpened instantly.
"It's here."
Gon, Killua, and Biscuit felt it too. The atmosphere changed. Heavy. Unstable. Something was coming.
"This energy…"
Ryker spoke quietly.
"It's a signal."
"A summoning."
"Something is being called."
Killua's eyes narrowed.
"You mean another enemy?"
"We don't know yet."
Ryker's voice remained cold.
"But whatever it is…"
"It's stronger than anything we've faced."
The ground shook. The sky twisted. Clouds spiraled unnaturally as if the world itself was being pulled apart.
Then — it appeared. A massive black vortex opened in the sky. It devoured the light around it. At its center — a presence. Deep. Endless. Terrifying.
"What… is that?"
Gon's voice broke the silence.
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