The Prequel (Ryuta Vs Original Joker) Zodiac Ruins POV
The Zodiac Ruins Base was silent, save for the hum of the massive enchanted screen before them. The air felt thick, heavy, as if the entire room itself was holding its breath.
They had seen many battles. Many warriors fall.
But this?
This was something else.
Aelius sat forward, elbows on his knees, golden eyes burning with intensity. His jaw clenched. "This isn't just a fight anymore."
Leonis exhaled sharply, his golden aura flickering against the dim room. "No. This is a statement."
Kael, lounging lazily against the couch, crossed her legs. "Or a suicide attempt." Her sharp eyes, however, betrayed a flicker of something rare—uncertainty.
Orion was gripping his bow so tightly his knuckles turned white. He wasn't one to be easily shaken, but right now, he had no words.
Zephyr, standing near the window, arms crossed, let out a slow breath. He had seen madness before. He had seen bravery. But what he was watching now was…
Something beyond both.
Lucian, who had remained quiet until now, finally spoke. "This is where everything changes." His voice was neutral—calm even—but there was a sharpness in his gaze.
Because on the screen, before their very eyes—
Ryuta had just done the impossible.
---
On the battlefield:
Ryuta stood before The Original Joker, bloodied, yet unshaken.
The world trembled beneath their presence.
The Joker's grin was wide—mocking, cruel. "You really think you can rewrite fate, boy?"
Ryuta didn't answer.
Instead, he raised his sword.
Not toward his enemy—
But toward himself.
---
Back in the Zodiac Ruins Base:
The room went still.
Aelius' breath hitched. "Wait. What the hell is he doing?!"
Kael's smirk faded completely. "No. No way. Don't tell me—"
Leonis slammed his fist on the table. "Don't be reckless, Ryuta!"
Zephyr's grip on his own arm tightened. "…He's really going through with it."
Lucian watched without blinking.
Orion, who had been silent, finally let out a whisper.
"…He's betting everything."
---
On the battlefield:
Ryuta's grip on the Return of Life Sword was unwavering.
The blade pulsed—alive with energy.
And then, he plunged it straight into his own chest.
---
Zodiac Ruins Base:
"WHAT?!" Aelius shot to his feet.
Kael's eyes widened, for once, without a trace of her usual amusement.
Leonis stood, his golden aura flaring. "That sword—it's not meant for this!"
Orion's fingers trembled slightly over his bowstring. "That idiot…"
Zephyr's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. "No. Look at him."
Lucian remained silent, watching. Waiting.
---
On the battlefield:
The moment the blade pierced him, Ryuta changed.
His body erupted into light.
Not golden, not fiery, but pure white.
The battlefield stilled. The Original Joker's grin faltered for the first time. "What…?"
Ryuta lifted his head. His wounds were gone. His form was transcendent.
His voice rang out—not loud, but absolute.
"I am not bound by fate."
He stepped forward.
And in that instant—
The Original Joker moved back.
Not out of strategy.
Not out of mockery.
But for the first time—out of fear.
---
Zodiac Ruins Base:
Silence.
Aelius swallowed hard. "…That power…"
Leonis' hands curled into fists. "That's no longer just Ryuta."
Kael let out a shaky exhale. "He's something else now."
Orion rubbed his face. "So much for being normal…"
Zephyr, his mind processing every detail, finally muttered:
"…He broke the system."
Lucian exhaled, finally speaking. "He rewrote himself."
They all stared at the screen, watching Ryuta advance—his very presence warping reality around him.
This was beyond any battle they had ever seen.
Beyond any warrior they had ever known.
This was the moment Ryuta became something more.
And deep down, they all knew—
Nothing would ever be the same again.