The scene shifted once again as Kazuki remained lost within the depths of his dream. The familiar darkness of that surreal dimension stretched endlessly around him, a silent, empty void untouched by time. The suffocating presence of the Chaos Spirit had vanished — no monstrous eyes in the sky, no heavy voice booming through the air. There was nothing now but silence… and himself.
Yet, he wasn't truly alone.
Before him stood two versions of himself from this very lifetime. One was a tiny, newborn infant, lying there with soft, unfocused eyes that struggled to perceive the world around him. The other was a five-year-old Kazuki — a young boy with wide, curious eyes and an innocent face still untouched by the bloodstained future that awaited him.
And then there was Kazuki's current self — the eight-year-old boy who had been summoned to this world, already carrying burdens and knowledge that far outweighed his years.
Despite the unsettling nature of this gathering, Kazuki smiled. It wasn't a cruel smile, nor one born of arrogance. It was calm… peaceful, even.
He took a step forward, his footsteps making no sound on the invisible floor of the dream world.
Looking at his younger selves, he spoke softly, his voice carrying both warmth and a strange, distant melancholy.
"How are you all?"
The newborn Kazuki, too young to comprehend anything beyond instinct, merely gazed up with confused, innocent eyes. His tiny fists waved clumsily in the air as if trying to grasp something unseen.
The five-year-old Kazuki, though visibly puzzled, didn't seem entirely shocked. It was as if some ancient, subconscious part of him had always sensed that things like this existed, that there was more to the world than what could be seen or touched. He blinked and tilted his head, trying to make sense of the older boy standing before him.
Kazuki chuckled softly at the sight of them and knelt down, gently patting both of their heads. The newborn squirmed slightly at his touch, while the five-year-old's eyes softened with a mixture of confusion and comfort.
"You'll both grow," Kazuki murmured quietly. "Stronger, wiser… and far lonelier. But don't worry too much about it. It's just how it's meant to be."
He spoke those words not out of bitterness, but as a quiet promise — a silent acknowledgement of the road he'd chosen to walk.
After a long moment, Kazuki lifted his gaze, sensing something shifting around him. The air in the dream world thickened for a heartbeat, as if the dimension itself were holding its breath.
He looked behind him, half-expecting the Chaos Spirit to reappear, but the endless void remained still.
A faint, wistful smile touched his lips.
"I guess even you got tired tonight…" he whispered.
And then — like a thread cut by invisible hands — the dream shattered.
Kazuki's eyes shot open, the heavy darkness of his room replacing the endless void. The world was silent, save for the faint rustle of leaves in the night breeze. He lay still for a moment, listening to the muffled sounds of a kingdom deep in slumber.
The soft glow of the moon spilled through his window, casting pale silver light across his bed and walls.
He turned his head and stared out toward the sleeping kingdom beyond the glass. The streets were empty, the houses still. Not a single soul stirred at this hour.
A quiet, knowing smile played on his lips as a single thought echoed through his mind.
"I've already done what I was meant to do… The pieces are in place. Now, it all depends on you. That's all I can say for now."
He let out a slow, tired breath, his body heavy with exhaustion yet his mind as sharp as ever.
The game was set. The board was his.
And the night, ever the silent witness to his unspoken ambitions, kept its quiet watch.