Eleo, his body trembling from the lingering effects of battle, detransformed. His once vibrant, ink-covered form receded, leaving him exhausted but alive. He glanced at the bridge ahead, then slowly walked toward it, his footsteps heavy. When he reached the base of the bridge, Eleo formed an ink rope in his hands, using it to climb up. With every pull, his arms screamed in protest, but his will pushed him forward. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he made it to the top.

Kenji was the first to greet him. “Nice job,” he said, relief washing over his face.

Tony clapped Eleo on the back, though his eyes betrayed the concern he had felt. “Man, you had us worried there when you died.”

Olorun, standing nearby, frowned slightly. “Yeah, Eleo, how did you come back from the dead? What happened?"

Eleo paused, wiping sweat from his brow. “Hm... well, when I closed my eyes, all I saw was darkness. Then, a voice told me to wake up. I... I talked to him.”

Tony’s eyes lit up with sudden recognition. “Wait... were they cloaked in shadows?”

Eleo nodded slowly. “Yeah. They were.”

Kenji and Olorun looked at each other, visibly confused.

Tony’s voice dropped, almost reverent. “Eleo... you just spoke to Death himself.”

The silence that followed was thick with shock. Kenji’s mouth dropped open. “Death? You... you talked to Death?”

Olorun’s eyebrows shot up. “You're telling me that not only did you meet Death, but he gave you a second chance? Not that I’m complaining, but... damn. Why you?”

Eleo shrugged, looking genuinely uncertain. “I don’t know why. But it happened. And because of it, I’m still here. If I hadn’t come back, we’d all be dead by now.”

Olorun, ever the practical one, crossed his arms and chuckled dryly. “Except me, of course.” He shook his head, the weight of the revelation still settling in. “Anyway, Eleo... so, uh... can you invite me to your team?”

Eleo smiled, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Olorun, would you like to join my team?"

Olorun grinned, the tension lifting. “Hell yeah, I would!”

A blue message appeared before them, signaling the change: Olorun has joined Eleo’s team.

Eleo’s Team: Eleo, Tony, Kenji, Olorun.

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“Yahoo, boys!” Olorun laughed, throwing his arms in the air. “I’m in the party!” He grabbed Eleo’s arm, and the two started dancing, laughing despite the intensity of the battle they had just survived.

Kenji, watching them, kneeled down and picked up his broken sword, holding it in his hands with a sense of finality. Tony, leaning against the bridge’s railing, glanced at him. “You gonna repair that?”

Kenji shook his head, his expression distant. “No. I’ll sell it once we reach the city.”

Tony nodded, his tone casual, though there was an undertone of respect. “Fair enough. You earned it.”

While Eleo and Olorun were still caught in their dance, Olorun suddenly stopped, his face turning serious. “Guys, I need to talk to my brother. It’s... important.”

Eleo nodded, understanding. “Go ahead. We’ll wait here.”

Olorun gave him a grateful smile before turning and sprinting forward across the bridge. He ran for what felt like an eternity, his heart pounding, not just from the effort but from the anticipation of what awaited him.

After an hour, Olorun finally spotted his older brother, Babalawo, standing on a large, circular platform. The elder wore priestly robes, his hands folded behind his back. Beside him was Mayu, his assistant, her long, dark blue hair shimmering under the faint light. She was speaking quietly to Babalawo when she noticed Olorun approaching.

“I’ll speak with you later,” Mayu said softly before disappearing, teleporting away in a flash of light.

Babalawo turned slowly, his calm, knowing eyes meeting Olorun’s. “Ah, brother. I didn’t think Taki would let you pass. But it’s good to see you here. I was going to ask for your help with this wa—”

“I’m leaving,” Olorun interrupted, his voice firm but tinged with uncertainty.

Babalawo’s expression didn’t change. If he was surprised, he didn’t show it. “Oh. Well, good luck on your journey, little brother.”

Olorun blinked, confused. “W-what? Just like that? You’re not mad?”

Babalawo’s lips curved into a small smile. “Why would I be? If you want to go out there, to explore and live your life away from this... horror, then so be it. You’ve always been free to choose your own path.”

Olorun’s eyes welled with unexpected tears. His breath hitched as emotions he didn’t even know he had surged to the surface. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “Thank you for everything. For taking care of me, for feeding me, for training me.”

Babalawo embraced him, his arms warm and steady. “You’re my brother, Olorun. It was never a burden.”

They stood there for a moment, the silence between them filled with unspoken love and gratitude. When they finally pulled apart, Babalawo’s expression became more serious.

“There’s something I need to tell you before you go,” he said, his tone weighty. “It seems... we have five other brothers.”

Olorun froze, his heart skipping a beat. Olorun stood there, still processing the bombshell that Babalawo had just dropped. "Wait... what the actual fuck? Our dad is still alive?"

Babalawo nodded, his voice calm and composed. "Yes. It seems he enjoys... spreading his legacy. That’s why I’ll be looking for our other siblings and taking care of them. Four of them live in World 2, and the fifth is in World 3."

Olorun's head was spinning. He took a step back, trying to grasp the magnitude of what he had just learned. "So... we have five other brothers? And you’re going to look for them?"

Babalawo’s expression softened, as if he knew this was a lot to take in. "Yes, Olorun. I’ll handle it. Mayu and I will go find them. You have your own path to follow. No need to worry."

Olorun, despite the whirlwind of emotions, offered, "I could help. I could look for them with you if you want."

Babalawo shook his head gently, a knowing smile on his face. "No, little brother. This is something I need to do. You’ve already got your own journey to pursue. Don’t let this weigh you down."

There was a long pause, the weight of unspoken words between them. Olorun eventually nodded, accepting Babalawo’s decision. "Alright, take care of yourself out there."

Babalawo placed a hand on Olorun’s shoulder. "You too, brother. May the road ahead treat you well."

With that, they parted. Olorun turned and made his way back across the bridge, the revelations of the conversation echoing in his mind.

---

An hour passed as Olorun retraced his steps back to his friends. When he finally arrived, Eleo, Tony, and Kenji were waiting for him, resting by the bridge’s edge. Eleo spotted him first, standing and offering a weary but genuine smile.

"Everything alright?" Eleo asked.

Olorun nodded, though his mind was still turning over the details of his conversation with Babalawo. "Yeah... everything’s fine."

Tony raised an bonebrow, clearly curious but choosing not to press for details. "Glad to have you back. We were starting to wonder."

Kenji, still holding his broken sword, chuckled. "Well, now that the team’s all here, we should head for the city. We’ve got a lot to figure out."

Olorun grinned, the weight of his encounter with Babalawo fading as he rejoined his comrades. "Yeah. Let’s get moving."

And with that, the team—Eleo, Tony, Kenji, and Olorun—set off toward the distant city, their next adventure waiting just over the horizon.