The golden chamber trembled with the weight of choice.
Kai stood at the edge of the Hollow's prison, the Bloodlight shard pulsing in his palm. The core of the Hollow twisted midair like a storm of fire and shadow—ancient, sentient, and silent no longer.
Ayaka and Ren stood behind him, their breaths shallow, their hearts pounding.
Hisoka remained by the door, arms crossed. "It's awake, Kai. Whatever you're going to do… do it before it decides for you."
Kai didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on the swirling core, and for a moment, the entire world slowed. Inside the flames, he saw memories—not his own—generations of wielders who had touched the Bloodlight before him. All of them made the same mistake:
Destroy or obey. Never redefine.
But Kai… wasn't like them.
He stepped closer to the core and spoke, not with power, but with truth.
"I see you. I know what you are now. You were created not to consume, but to balance. You were twisted by fear… chained by those who didn't understand."
The Hollow pulsed, as if listening.
"I'm not here to destroy you," he said, raising the shard. "I'm here to rewrite you."
Ayaka's breath hitched. "Kai—"
But it was too late.
He thrust the shard into the core.
A blinding light erupted, the cavern splitting with ancient screams. The runes on the walls ignited, blazing with both flame and frost. Fire lashed against shadow. Light clashed with memory.
And then—silence.
The core dimmed, shrinking into a single glowing orb… and floated gently into Kai's hand.
The Hollow… was no longer a weapon.
It was a seed.
"What did you do?" Ren whispered.
Kai turned, eyes glowing with twin flames—red and gold. "I didn't break the cycle. I became the balance."