Black Dragon X [LitRPG • Dark Fantasy]-Chapter 51 - 50 : Secrets of the Souls and Arkam

Night had settled over the city. Inside a quiet house in one of the old alleys,

Tsukishiro Ren sat alone by the window.

Moonlight seeped through the glass, falling onto the wooden table before him. On the table, There was a single card.

An old card... Its edges slightly worn.

Tsukishiro’s hand reached out slowly. He held the card between his fingers... And lifted it toward the light. The moonlight reflected off its surface.

And in its center, A strange symbol was engraved, like a black circle intersected by delicate lines. He continued to look at it in silence. Then he spoke quietly:

—"So..."

He paused for a moment.

—"...The pieces have finally moved."

He shifted the card slightly between his fingers. His eyes narrowed. Then he whispered:

—"Arkam..."

The name left his mouth slowly... as if it were an old memory. He kept staring at the symbol. Then he added:

—"It seems you have not forgotten your promise yet."

The wind stirred the window curtain slightly. The light across his face changed. After a moment, he said:

"But..."

He lowered the card slightly. He paused. Then he smiled faintly.

—"...It is not as everyone thinks."

A short silence passed. Then he lifted the card once again. His eyes grew darker. He spoke slowly:

—"Some masks...are worn for a long time."

Then he added in a quieter voice:

—"Until the world... forgets who is behind them."

Silence dominated the room.

Then suddenly, Tsukishiro let out a short laugh. It was not a natural laugh. It was a cold, savage smile.

He lowered the card slowly... Then he threw it onto the table. The card landed, spinning slightly. And he said quietly:

—"But it’s alright."

He looked toward the moon outside the window. And the savage smile remained etched on his lips in the silence of the night.

_

Meanwhile, in the Drakhaen Kingdom...

Night enveloped the kingdom in deep silence. On one of the high stone balconies inside the palace. Kuroya sat alone.

The cold wind swept over the massive walls, stirring his hair slightly. In his hands. He held his stone.

Kuroya lifted the stone before his eyes. He stared at it in long silence. Then he murmured in a low voice:

—"Hmm..."

He tilted his head slightly. His eyes narrowed as he studied the faint light within the stone. He spoke slowly:

"Three days..."

The wind passed over the balcony once again. Then he continued in a calm tone, though with a hint of anticipation:

"...That is more than enough."

He clenched his fist slightly around the stone. The energy within it flickered for a brief moment. A faint smile appeared on his lips. A smile that carried no joy... But a longing for chaos. Then he spoke in a low voice:

—"...To reclaim the chaos."

He lowered the stone slowly. And he looked toward the dark sky above the Drakhaen Kingdom. The stars were few. And the night. Was quieter than it should be.

But in Kuroya’s eyes... It was clear that this calm would not last long.

_

Meanwhile, in the middle of Azraqeen Mountain’s square, Kai was still waiting for Akira’s answer.

Beside him, Kanade stood with her arms crossed, watching in silence. As for Akira, he sat calmly... as if nothing weighed on him.

A long moment of silence passed. Then Kai finally raised his head. He looked directly at Akira and said:

—"So..."

He paused briefly.

—"...What will happen now?"

A short silence fell. Then, Akira smiled. But it was no ordinary smile. It was a wide, calm smile... as if something dark was hiding behind it. Then he spoke slowly:

"Finally, you’ve asked the right question."

He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.

"The Rift... has already appeared."

Kai froze slightly. As for Kanade, she raised an eyebrow.

Akira continued as if explaining something he knew well:

"And with its appearance... the cards have emerged. These cards are not merely ancient relics."

He lifted his gaze toward them.

"...They are keys."

Kai furrowed his brows.

—"Keys... to what?"

Akira did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked at the dark sky for a moment. Then he said:

"After three days."

He raised three fingers slowly.

"...A thousand souls will gather."

The silence grew heavier. Akira continued in a calm voice, but it sounded more menacing than before:

"A thousand souls... each card carrying immense power."

Kanade said slowly:

—"...And why exactly a thousand?"

Akira smiled again. A deeper smile. Then he said:

"Because that is the required number. For the Soul Crossroads."

He paused for a moment. Then he pronounced the name clearly:

"...To make use of Shin’s blood." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The wind passed between the rocks. As if the place itself had fallen into silence. Kai looked at him sharply.

—"Shin’s blood...?"

Akira nodded slowly. Then he said:

"The Void. Because Shin is the only one who has touched the true Void."

The word was heavy. The fire dimmed slightly. Akira continued:

"When those souls gather...The Void will take form. And that Void... will be the door. And to open that door.."

Kanade froze slightly. She said:

—"...A door to what?"

Akira did not answer immediately. Instead, he gave them a deep look. Then he said quietly:

"...To free Arkam."

Kai smiled immediately.

—"Arkam... yes, that’s what we want..!"

Akira nodded slowly. Then he said:

"He was only waiting."

Then he added in a lower voice:

"...For the keys to be gathered."

Kanade remained silent for a moment. Then she said:

—"So all of this... ...Was planned? It seems many have preceded me."

Akira did not deny it. He simply maintained that same smile. Then he said:

"The world is always moving..."

"...Even if it does not realize it."

Kai continued to stare at him. Then he said slowly:

—"...And what is Skyler’s fate now?"

This time, Akira looked directly at Kanadi. And he said:

"Skyler’s soul... will be contained. In this mountain, the same place where Kanade’s soul was contained."

Kanadi stiffened slightly. But Akira continued without pause:

"Because the stone screamed while he carried it..."

His eyes fixed on the stone and on Kanade.

"...And you will become its bearer."

Kanade did not move. But her gaze shifted slightly.

Kai looked between her and Akira. Then he said:

—"And who will start all of this?"

Akira opened his mouth to answer But at that moment, A tremendous sound suddenly roared.

Booooooom.

The ground shook violently. Dust flew from the rocks around them. Kanade turned quickly toward the source of the sound.

Then, Thick dust surged into the air. Visibility became blurred. And the very air changed. It turned into a heavy pressure. As if something enormous had descended upon the place.

Kai felt his chest tighten. His breathing grew heavier. He said in a tense voice:

—"...What is this?"

Kanadi clenched her fists. The air had become suffocating. As if immense energy was filling the place. The dust began to settle slowly.

Then, A tall shadow appeared at the entrance between the rocks. Someone. Standing there. Their features completely hidden behind the swirling dust.

The silence grew unbearably heavy. Kai stared at the shadow. And understood nothing. Kanade stepped forward unconsciously. Then the word escaped her lips in shock:

—"...You?"

As for Akira, He did not seem surprised. Instead, his savage smile grew even wider. As if he had been waiting for this appearance from the very beginning.

But the dust continued to conceal the newcomer’s face. The shadow did not move a single step. And the silence, Hung heavily between everyone. As if the world itself had paused for a moment.

Yet one thing was clear... But this time The darkness was no longer still as it once was.

_

In another part of this world...

Far from all kingdoms... No cities. No humans. Only black rocks... and cracked land. In the depths of a deserted valley

There stood a massive stone door, half-buried in the ground. The door was not ordinary. Ancient symbols were engraved upon it... Symbols whose meanings no kingdom knew anymore.

The wind passed through the valley with a faint sound. And suddenly, One of the symbols trembled slightly. Then the faint light that had surrounded it for a long time went out.

Somewhere inside the door... Massive black chains stretched in every direction. And at their center... A huge body was bound.

It did not move. It did not breathe. But Suddenly... One of the chains trembled slightly. The sound of metal echoed through the void.

Then, One eye slowly opened. An ancient eye... deep... filled with something indescribable. A silent moment passed. Then, A heavy sound emerged. A sound like a slow heartbeat. Thump...

A moment of silence passed.

Then came the second beat. Thump... The wind stopped. As if the entire valley had listened to that sound. The chain ceased trembling. But the eye remained open. Then the voice whispered again:

"...Finally... Skyler."

Then, One of the small lines on the stone door cracked. A thin fissure... barely visible. But that was enough. For something... on the other side... Was no longer bound as it had been.