Day 1

The chamber hummed with the usual rhythm of conversation—banter, debates, and the occasional sarcastic remark. For once, there were no wars to fight, no disasters looming over them. It was rare to have a moment of peace, and for a while, they allowed themselves to enjoy it.

Jay sighed, rubbing his temples. "Can someone remind me why we're having this meeting? Because as far as I can tell.

then the world trembled, and the tea in Zhen's cup rippled from the force.

For a moment, no one spoke. They glanced at one another, waiting for someone to comment.

"That was…" Roy started, but before he could finish—

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

The sky erupted. What began as a single strike turned into a relentless assault. Flash after flash, the lightning split across the heavens, illuminating the room in bursts of white and violet. The deep growl of thunder rolled endlessly, as if the storm itself refused to end.

Yami grinned, standing up. "Okay, now this is interesting."

Merlin, who had been silent, finally spoke. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "Something is wrong."

Another thunderclap shook the building. The sound wasn't normal—it was aggressive, like a war drum announcing its arrival.

"Alright, I don't like this anymore," Alexia said, standing.

"Let's go," Ryuta ordered.

Together, they rushed outside.

The moment they stepped into the open air, they knew this was no ordinary storm.

The sky had turned black, swirling like an open void. Heavy clouds churned unnaturally, and streaks of lightning danced within them, arcing wildly before striking the ground in rapid succession. But the most horrifying part?

The lightning wasn't random.

It was targeting people.

Down below, in the streets, people screamed and scattered. A young man barely leaped out of the way before a bolt struck where he had been standing. Another person dove behind a cart, just as another flash nearly incinerated them.

Jay cursed under his breath. "That's not normal weather."

"Look!" Chun pointed toward the sky, her sharp eyes narrowing.

They followed her gaze—and what they saw sent chills through them.

The lightning twisted unnaturally, as if something was guiding it. Each bolt curved midair, adjusting its path to strike the fleeing civilians. It was almost like the storm itself was hunting them.

Roy clenched his fists. "This isn't a storm. This is an attack."

Zhen's voice was low, controlled. "But from who?"

A deep rumble shook the ground, and the clouds pulsed as if something within them was alive.

Then—a single bolt of lightning changed course.

It didn't strike the civilians this time.

It came for them.

"Move!" Ryuta shouted.

They barely had a second to react before the lightning slammed into the ground just feet from where they stood. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, throwing them back. Dust and debris filled the air as static crackled around them.

Zhang coughed, pushing herself up. "That was way too close."

Merlin stood, brushing off his cloak. His usual calm demeanor was gone. His eyes were locked on the sky, sharp with realization.

"They're here," he murmured.

Alexia turned to him, confused. "Who?"

Merlin's gaze darkened.

The sky growled in response.

As the storm raged on, Ryuta felt something shift in the air. A strange pressure filled his chest—a deep, unnatural wrongness.

And then, the world around him broke.

For a brief moment, everything froze. The storm, his friends, the entire city—paused as if time itself had stuttered.

And in that silence, Ryuta saw him.

Standing amidst the chaos, cloaked in the flickering glow of light, was a lone figure.

A figure that should not exist.

Himself.

Future Ryuta stood motionless, watching. His face was unreadable, his eyes shadowed beneath the storm's glow.

Ryuta felt his own heart hammer in his chest. "Why… Why did you do it?" His voice wavered, confusion flooding his mind.

Future Ryuta's expression didn't change. His voice, however, carried something heavy.

"I had to." A pause. A flicker of regret. "It was part of the plan."

The storm screamed around them.