The Heavenly Demons

The crushing weight of Zain Mark's aura pressed against Arka, sending a violent shudder through his body. His instincts screamed at him to resist, but his mind was already calculating. This isn't an attack—it's a test.

Zain's golden eyes studied him carefully. "Come on, Arka. Show me something interesting."

Arka grit his teeth. Damn bastard… He inhaled sharply, focusing his willpower. The pressure didn't disappear, but his body stopped trembling. His movements were slow, but he straightened his posture, locking eyes with Zain.

The moment their gazes met, the pressure vanished.

Zain smirked, his hands tucked into his purple coat pockets. "Not bad, 11th Ātman. You didn't pass out."

Arka exhaled, keeping his composure. "You did that just for fun, didn't you?"

"Obviously," Zain grinned. "I wanted to see if you were still you after… well, you know." He twirled his finger in the air, as if hinting at something more.

Arka didn't like that.

"Alright," Arka crossed his arms. "Enough playing around. Why are you here?"

Zain's grin faded slightly. "Business, of course. The government has finally stopped ignoring us. They've created something new—an organization specifically made to hunt us down."

Arka's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

Zain's voice lowered slightly, carrying an eerie weight.

"The Heavenly Demons."

A cold silence followed those words. The air in the room seemed to shift.

"The hell kind of name is that?" Arka finally muttered.

Zain chuckled. "I know, right? Sounds like something out of a bad novel. But don't let the name fool you. These guys aren't some cheap bounty hunters. They were created with only one purpose—eliminating the 11 Ātmans of the Underworld."

Arka processed the information quickly. The 11 Ātmans—him included—were the most powerful and dangerous figures in the underworld. If the government had decided to take direct action, that meant things were far worse than he had assumed.

"How strong are they?" Arka asked.

Zain leaned back against the wall. "They're special. Not just skilled fighters—monsters. Each one has been modified, enhanced in ways that shouldn't even be possible. The government has access to things that we don't, Arka. They aren't playing around anymore."

Arka clenched his fists. "And how do you know all this?"

Zain's smirk returned. "Because I killed one."

Arka raised an eyebrow. "One of the 'Heavenly Demons'?"

"Yeah," Zain flicked imaginary dust off his sleeve. "Poor guy. He didn't even realize how badly outclassed he was." His voice carried amusement, but there was something else underneath—something colder.

Arka remained silent for a moment, processing everything. "Alright," he finally said. "They want to hunt us down. Fine. But why are you here, telling me this? What do you want from me, Zain?"

Zain pushed off the wall and walked closer, lowering his voice. "Because, Arka… you're not normal."

Arka frowned. "Gee, thanks."

Zain ignored the sarcasm. "You don't remember, do you?"

Arka's breath hitched slightly. "Remember what?"

Zain chuckled darkly. "Exactly."

A deep, unsettling feeling crept up Arka's spine. His memories were fragmented, distorted. He had flashes of his past life as a detective, but this new existence—the memories of Arka Darshana—felt incomplete.

Zain tapped his temple. "You think you just 'woke up' as Arka? No, my friend. You were always meant to be Arka Darshana."

Arka's body stiffened. "Explain."

Zain leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper.

"The Realms, Arka. That's the real secret. That's what you were after in your past life, wasn't it? The truth behind everything? And now… you're right in the middle of it."

Arka swallowed, his mind spinning.

"The Realms exist," Zain continued, "but they're not just dimensions or alternate worlds. They are the very foundation of reality itself. Different layers, stacked upon each other, overlapping yet separate. And guess what? You, Arka Darshana, are directly connected to them."

Arka took a step back. "That's insane."

Zain's grin widened. "Is it? Then why do you feel like something is off? Why do you feel like you're not supposed to be here, yet at the same time, this world bends to accommodate you? It's because you don't belong to just one Realm."

Arka's hands curled into fists. His mind reeled. Was this the real reason he had been targeted in his past life? Had his pursuit of the truth led him here?

Zain gave him a knowing look. "You're not just another underworld boss, Arka. You're something else. Something even I don't fully understand yet."

A heavy silence followed.

Then—

A loud knock on the door.

"Boss!" It was another subordinate, voice urgent. "You need to see this. Now!"

Arka shot Zain a glance before striding over and opening the door.

"What is it?"

The subordinate looked pale. "It's about the Morgan Gang. They just sent a message."

Arka raised an eyebrow. "A message?"

"Y-Yeah… it's written in blood."