Chapter Fifty-Three: Concealed Arrangements
The chamber was cloaked in darkness, an imposing circle of thrones where masked figures sat in silence, their faces hidden in shadows, their auras thrumming with barely contained power. These were beings of immense influence, wielders of untold strength and authority. Each figure commanded respect, and here, in this dim, silent room, they gathered for one purpose: Yozora.
A low voice broke the silence, its tone laden with both awe and unease. "You’ve seen what he’s capable of. He used Neutron Star's Gaze on an ant like Rexx right after regaining even a fraction of his power. Now my intel tells me he defeated Mordrin…in humiliating fashion, no less. He could have simply killed him, but instead, he played with his food—and altered the very landscape of Molten Cradle with a comet. Just imagine what he’ll do if he fully unlocks his potential.”
Another voice cut in, sharp and calculating. “If he continues unchecked, his power will surpass us all. He is no longer Zeroed, he’s an anomaly—a force that will spiral beyond our control if we don't act.” The figure's voice grew colder. “He is dangerous. Too dangerous. If we wait, he’ll become a cosmic issue, a force even we cannot contain.”
Murmurs rippled through the assembly. Some nodded in agreement, their eyes a reflection of fear, while others regarded each other with tension, sensing the powerful balance that Yozora could shift. They had spent their lives guarding their power, meticulously maintaining the status quo. But now, Yozora’s mere existence threatened to upend it all.
A figure at the edge of the group spoke, their tone as steady as it was calculating. “We Zeroed him for this reason. We saw what happens when he’s left to his own devices, even with a fraction of his power. If he goes unchecked, he’ll become a catalyst, one that we cannot afford. Should…(spoiler) take an interest in him, this world as we know it will collapse.”
The words hung heavy in the air, casting a dark shadow over the gathering.
Then, a woman’s voice, calm yet chilling, shattered the unity of purpose with a single sentence. “Anyone who dares to touch him will find themselves in the reach of my blade.”
An icy silence fell over the chamber. Her aura flared, pressing the air around her, radiating a deadly intent that had even the most steadfast members leaning back in their seats. “He would still be Zeroed if Jezebel hadn’t interfered,” she continued. “We all know who’s to blame. However, I have to live with the fact that I was the one who made him vulnerable enough to even be Zeroed. The suffering he endured through that…is unimaginable.”
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One of the figures shifted uneasily, almost incredulously. “Regardless of his suffering, you do realize what he could become. If he reaches the apex of his power, even you—”
The woman’s voice sliced through the words. “Even I would support him,” she declared. Her eyes, flashed with lethal glare. “Yozora’s strength should be feared only by his enemies. If you’re so afraid, maybe don’t make him your enemy.”
Her voice turned mocking. “It seems that those most concerned about him are the ones who fear what they themselves would do with such power.”
The room grew thick with tension, her words striking like daggers.
A softer voice broke in, thoughtful and curious. “Perhaps our young Twelfth has a point. Perhaps Yozora’s power could serve a higher purpose if nurtured correctly.”
A harsh laugh erupted from the shadows. “Hope and idealism are luxuries we don’t have. That abominations potential is boundless, unrestrained. Do you genuinely think he will always be the person he is now? I say we act before it’s too late.”
The woman’s voice dropped, laced with deadly intent. “Belphegor.”
The room darkened further as a monstrous presence materialized beside her, emerging from the shadows. A colossal figure with twisted, obsidian horns and eyes that blazed like embers, Belphegor’s mere existence filled the air with an oppressive weight. His gaze swept over the council, and a low, rumbling growl vibrated through the walls. He lowered his head toward his mistress, awaiting her command with a terrifying patience.
The sharp-tongued figure recoiled slightly, the bravado vanishing as Belphegor’s smoldering gaze fell upon him.
The woman looked at the speaker, her tone cutting. “Consider this a warning. If you ever call him an ‘abomination’ again, I’ll let Belphegor feast on your remains.” She snapped her fingers, and Belphegor dissolved back into the shadows, but the terror he left lingered heavily in the chamber.
The silence that followed was deafening. Her loyalty to Yozora was undeniable, an immovable force, her warning unmistakable.
An uneasy, venomous voice whispered from another corner of the room. “This isn’t over, Enola. Protect him if you must, but know this—the balance must be kept, and if he tips it, we will act.”
Enola’s gaze bore into the speaker, but she held her silence, her posture calm and unyielding. One by one, the figures drifted back into the darkness, their shadows vanishing from the chamber, leaving Enola alone in the oppressive silence.
As the final echoes of their voices faded, Enola closed her eyes, sighing deeply as she let the tension ebb away. Alone now, she spoke softly to herself. “Yozora, whatever power you wield, they will never stop fearing you. But know this—when the time comes, you won’t stand alone.”
With that, she turned and vanished into the shadows, the empty chamber a reminder of the quiet war brewing among the stars.