Rudra walked through the Demon Dimension, which thrummed with dark energy, ever-present and unyielding. His footsteps echoed across the barren wasteland, where shattered ruins and broken stone monoliths loomed like forgotten relics. Streams of black lava flowed sluggishly through the land, while the sky above churned in a constant swirl of violent storm clouds.
He felt their eyes before he saw them.
Demons—hundreds of them—lurking in the shadows, perched on ledges, slithering between cracks in the earth. Not a single one made a move. No snarls. No attacks. Just silence… and tension thick enough to cut with a blade.
"Real welcoming crowd," Rudra muttered, not bothering to look at them. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongues? Or did I scare you that bad?"
No response. Only stillness. Unease.
Eventually, the land opened into something even stranger—a massive, ruined coliseum rising out of a crater, floating on chunks of broken terrain. The design was both ancient and alien, carved from obsidian and bone. Black flames danced along its edge like ghostly spectators waiting for the show to begin.
Rudra stepped inside.
In the center of the arena was a chained monstrosity—an enormous, three-headed hound. Its fur was black as the void, riddled with scars and glowing infernal markings. Each head bore a distinct expression: wrath, hunger, and madness. The chains binding it glowed with a sickly red hue, stretched taut as the beast twitched in its sleep—or was it waiting?
Then, from nowhere…
A heavy metal riff exploded in Rudra's ears.
He stopped mid-step. "…Are you serious right now?"
"Yooo let's gooo!" his system roared like an overhyped announcer. "Tell me this doesn't look exactly like a final boss arena! Ruined hellscape? Ancient coliseum? Monster in chains? This is peak Soulsborne energy!"
Rudra raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. And the music?"
"It's to set the mood!" the system said, like it was obvious. "You know—epic moment, slow walk, chains snapping in sync with the beat. The usual!"
"You really think I need a soundtrack to make this badass?"
"Bro, you're in the middle of the Demon Realm, walking toward a chained Cerberus look-alike in a death pit made of stone and flame. You deserve a theme song."
"…You do realize this isn't a game, right?"
"Says the guy who has a reality-bending system in his head and changed dimensional like it's Tuesday."
Rudra sighed. "Fair. But still doesn't explain why this sounds like the opening act for a demon rock concert."
There was a brief pause. Then the system mumbled sheepishly, "…I just wanted to make this scene feel… cinematic. Y'know—for the viewers."
"What viewers?"
"...No one. Shut up."
Rudra shook his head, lips twitching into the faintest smirk. "You're lucky I don't uninstall you."
He took another step forward. The ground beneath him thrummed like a drumbeat. The chains snapped taut, then—crack!—the first one shattered. Then the second. Then the third.
The beast's eyes flew open—six glowing orbs of fury.
With a triple roar that split the sky, the hellhound broke free, fire erupting from its mouths as the entire coliseum trembled.
Rudra remained still, his Rinnegan gleaming, the hilt of Yamato resting casually in his right hand—silent, poised, and waiting.
With a roar, Cerberus lunged, its three heads snapping in unison. The central head shot forward, aiming straight for Rudra's throat. But in the blink of an eye, he vanished.
"You'll have to try harder."
He reappeared behind the beast, moving with impossible speed, a silver blur of movement. Yamato cut through the air with precision, the blade slicing through Cerberus's armored fur with ease. Three clean strikes. One for each head. Cerberus staggered, but it was far from finished.
The beast roared in fury, its heads weaving together to focus on Rudra. In an instant, it summoned icy pillars from the ground, each as tall as a man, and launched them in a relentless barrage toward rurdra.
Rudra raised his hand and with a single motion activated Shinra Tensei. A shockwave of energy pulsed outward, destroying the ice pillars mid-flight, the shards of frost exploding in every direction.
He closed the distance again in a flash. With Judgment Cut, Rudra appeared above the creature's head, the blade descending in a vertical arc. The strike was so fast, the sound of the cut was barely audible, but the result was devastating. A deep gash opened across Cerberus's skull, dark blood spilling out as its center head howled in pain.
But the fight wasn't over. Cerberus was enraged now. With a screech, the beast's three heads converged, unleashing a blast of blue fire and ice in all directions, hoping to overwhelm its opponent. The explosion of energy lit up the ruins in a blinding burst.
Rudra stood at the epicenter, completely unfazed. His Rinnegan flared, and he slammed his hand into the ground, activating Chibaku Tensei. From the earth, massive chunks of rock and ice lifted into the air, spiraling around the beast, constraining it within an ever-growing sphere. Cerberus struggled, thrashing violently, but it was only a matter of time before the gravity-bound sphere crushed it under its own weight.
As the beast's movements slowed, Rudra closed the distance once more, this time stepping lightly onto the floating debris. He raised Yamato and unleashed a final, devastating Judgment Cut End—a dozen ethereal slashes that cut through space itself, carving across Cerberus in all directions.
The attacks hit with pinpoint accuracy, slashing through the air like lightning, each strike causing Cerberus to crack under the force. The sphere collapsed inward, and the beast crumbled into nothingness, its shattered form dissolving into fragments of ice and stone that scattered into the freezing abyss.
"Pathetic," he muttered, the glow of his Rinnegan fading as his eyes returned to normal. Rudra stood amidst the aftermath, his expression unreadable. His gaze dropped to Yamato, now resting silently in its sheath once more.
Suddenly, a faint object floated where Cerberus had once stood. Rudra raised his hand as the glowing item descended into his palm. It transformed into a Devil Arm. A smirk tugged at his lips.
He gave it a try, After a moment, the system's voice echoed in his mind, "What are you thinking, Host?"
Rudra responded with a quiet chuckle. "I didn't give anything to Romeo after he became my student."
The system's voice responded, "So, are you going to give this to Romeo?"
Rudra sealed the arm in a scroll. "Yeah. I have Yamato, and I won't be using this." He stretched, then added, "Well, now, let's go meet the person waiting in that ruined palace."
With that, he left the battlefield and set his sights on the distant palace.
****
Back in the real world, The sun hung high over Crocus as Jura, Erza, and Mirajane finally arrived at the royal palace. Its towering spires glinted in the daylight, a beacon of order amid the chaos brewing beyond the city walls. At the gates, guards stepped forward, weapons crossed in caution.
"State your names and your business here," one guard said firmly.
Jura responded without a word, reaching into his robes and presenting a letter sealed with the royal insignia. The guards exchanged quick glances, recognizing the mark. One stepped aside with a nod. "Please, follow me."
The trio moved through pristine marble corridors adorned with golden chandeliers and ornate columns. Erza and Mirajane exchanged glances, noting the unsettling calm. There were no whispers of unrest, no signs of fear—just the usual bustle of palace life, as if the city weren't on the brink of something unimaginable.
They arrived before the grand double doors of the throne room. Two guards stationed there opened them with a solemn creak, revealing the vast chamber beyond.
Inside, nobles, soldiers, and advisors mingled, their conversations hushed and oblivious to the storm gathering outside. But all eyes turned to the throne—where Princess Hisui sat in place of her father, King Toma E. Fiore.
She stood as the trio entered, her expression one of quiet relief. "Saint Jura. You've arrived."
Jura bowed deeply. "Your Highness."
Her gaze shifted behind him, searching. "Where is Rudra?"
Erza stepped forward, her tone respectful yet urgent. "Princess, may we speak in private?"
Hisui's expression softened at the sight of her. "Ah, Titania. And Mirajane of Fairy Tail. I'm grateful you've come." She gave them a graceful nod.
They returned it politely.
Hisui turned to the room, her voice rising. "Everyone, please leave us."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd as nobles and guards began filing out. All except one.
A tall man with blond hair and a sharp black suit remained beside the throne, his piercing black eyes fixed on the guests.
"Sir Victor," Hisui said, her voice tightening. "That includes you."
Victor gave a slow, polished smile. "As your fiancé, I believe I have a right to be present."
Hisui hesitated, caught between duty and distrust. In the silence, tension thickened.
Jura stepped forward diplomatically. "Forgive me, Princess—but may we ask, where is King Toma? And Knight Arcadios?"
Hisui's face darkened. She looked away. "They are both... bedridden."
Shock passed between the trio.
Erza's voice was steady but urgent. "What happened?"
"I will explain everything," Hisui said, then looked them in the eye. "But first... where is Rudra?"
Jura exhaled, then began. He detailed their journey—the train, the sudden descent into a nightmarish demon dimension, the twisted terrain, the horrors that hunted them. Finally, he described how Rudra had used his power to cast them back into the real world—while choosing to stay behind.
Hisui listened, her hands clasped tightly before her, her eyes never leaving Jura.
"Before we were pulled back," Jura continued, "Rudra gave me a final instruction: to block all travel routes into Crocus. He said the rift was triggered when too many people gathered in one place."
Victor stepped forward, his tone skeptical. "And you're certain of this?"
Mirajane's voice was cold, cutting. "We saw what happens to those who didn't escape. That place devours everything."
Hisui didn't hesitate. She stood tall. "Then we must act. Immediately. Close the borders. Halt all incoming travel. Seal the stations."
The aides outside the chamber scrambled to carry out her orders.
But Victor remained unmoved. A faint smile played at his lips as he turned slightly, shadows flickering in his gaze.
So, they've uncovered the cause, he mused silently.
And then, as if summoned, a chilling voice whispered in his mind.
Don't worry. The one we needed stayed behind. You'll get what you wanted.
Victor's smile deepened.
Yes, he thought. Everything is going according to plan.