Falkon’s roar caused the castle to tremble.

“Gamiko, you’re up.”

Joesph stepped back with everybody else.

“Calm down, Brother.”

Nero approached Falkon with open arms.

“It’s me, Gamiko.”

“Gamiko…”

Falkon looked at Nero from head to toe. He then looked past him.

“There’s a lot of people here I don’t recognize.”

Falkon held his head.

“That’s right…I was imprisoned by those traitors.”

His eyes reddened.

“Those spineless bastards deserve to die a thousand deaths!”

The ice castle began to tremble.

“Calm down, Falkon.”

“Move out of my way, Gamiko. I’m gonna hunt down the ones who hurt our family!”

“Listen to what I’m saying. The world is a lot—”

Nero’s words were cut short by the backhand of Falkon.

“Shut up! I don’t know how much time has passed for you, but it’s only been a minute for me! You might’ve forgotten what happened then, but it’s still fresh in my mind!”

“Falkon’s sentence was to be frozen in time. To him, it’s like he blinked and traveled 10,000 years into the future.”

Rouge mumbled. Falkon grabbed Nero.

“Don’t stand in my way, Gamiko. Our mother’s soul won’t rest until everyone involved in her death is sent to the Void Realm!”

“Hm? He knows about the Void Realm?”

Miko mumbled.

“Isn’t this bad? He’s completely out of control. Gamiko still haven’t—”

*Bam!*

Ecko’s swallowed her words after an explosive sound reverberated in the castle. She saw Falkon laid out on the ground with Nero standing over him.

“Our mother’s soul? Forgotten?”

Nero lifted Falkon by his neck.

“Don’t talk about things you know nothing of.”

He brought Falkon’s face close to his and made him look into his eyes.

“I’m the one who spent 10,000 years tormented by what happened that day. I’m the one who hears her screams in his dreams every night. I’m the one who can no longer remember her smile but can’t forget her disfigured face.”

He slammed Falkon on the ground and shook the castle.

“You’re not the only one who knows pain, Brother.”

Falkon tried to break free from Nero’s grasp.

“W-Why can’t I move your hand?”

“Weren’t you listening? It’s been 10,000 years. While you were frozen, I challenged the heavens over and over again. I’m not the same weak kid brother you left behind.”

Nero’s eyes darkened until they resembled an abyss.

“I’m the Demon Dragon God, Nero. The Deicider, and He Who Brings Destruction Upon The World. Someone who was frozen in time can’t hope to compete with me.”

He lifted Falkon off the ground before slamming him again.

“So calm down like I said, or I’ll show you why I’m so feared.”

“….Don’t tell me, this was how he planned on dealing with them?”

Alexus was dumbfounded.

“Force them to submit with brute force, huh? That’s a good plan.”

“Of course you would think so, Andreas.”

“But he has a point, Ecko. It’s been 10,000 years. Falkon was a monster who my master acknowledged and helped trained. If he wasn’t frozen he would’ve probably been stronger than I am. But he was frozen, so he doesn’t pose much of a threat to Nero now.”

Joesph watched as Nero handled his brother.

“……..”

“…….”

The two silently glared at each other.

“So this is Uncle Falkon?”

Falkon turned his head to the side.

“Hello.”

A stooping Miko waved at him.

“When did he?”

Momo started having a migraine.

“Two Gamikos?”

Falkon became confused.

“Mind if I help you out, Gramps?”

Nero grinned.

“Sure. Have a crack at him.”

“Alright.”

Miko showed a wide smile.

“Hello, Uncle Falkon. My name is Gamiko Dragna the Third, your Grand-Nephew. It’s nice to meet you.”

“……”

“You must be confused. One moment you were detained by the bastards who stand in the way of your revenge, the next moment you hear that 10,000 years have passed. Yet, people are still standing in your way. It must be frustrating.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying you have all right to be angry. Forgive and forget is easier said than done. Not everyone can stay rational all the time, some of us don’t even want to. For some, the only path in front of them is one of rage and destruction. I mean, yeah your life would be easier if you moved on. You’d be able to obtain peace if you turn a blind eye. However, they can no longer live in peace. For them, peace is worse than hell. That is because they can no longer part with their rage. The source of their anger has already burnt into the brain. They relive it whenever they close their eyes. It’s all they dream about.”

Miko pointed at Falkon.

“It’s the same for you isn’t it?”

“…….”

“I’ll take your silence as a yes.”

Miko smirked.

“You poor, poor soul. Anger has consumed everything inside you. Your rationality, your hope, your dreams, your emotions, your heart. It left you a husk of your former self. It has replaced your soul. Now, you’re nothing but a personification of bottomless rage.”

Falkon’s eyes sharpened.

“What do you know?”

“What do I know, you ask?”

Miko stood up while looking down on Falkon.

“I’m the same.”

His eyes shone a neon blue.

“I’m a husk of a human overflowing with ungodly rage birth from madness. This rage is the only reason why I’m still alive. It’s the only thing that keeps me moving. It’s the only reason why I haven’t taken my life. I mean, I can’t just die leaving those fuckers to live happily ever after. No, they must feel my rage. They must experience my pain. I can’t go to hell alone.”

His fangs peeked out of his mouth.

“We must all go together so that we can slaughter each other for all of eternity.”

Behind him, his family wore concerned expressions. As if oblivious, Miko showed a bright smile.

“That’s how you feel right?”

“…Yeah.”

Miko nodded and pointed at Nero with his thumb.

“That’s how your brother feels too. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have tormented the world the way he did. He made even the heavens and hells fear his rage all while admiring it. They even gave him a title. The audacity.”

“They think it’s a game.”

Nero frowned.

“Well, it is a game. Just a really shitty one.”

Miko shrugged.

“…….”

Falkon’s body started to relax. Noticing this, Nero released him. Everyone behind them tensed up when he got to his feet. Falkon looked at Miko.

“Kid.”

“You can call me, Miko.”

“Miko, how can someone as young as you know what I’m feeling. From what I can tell, your parents and siblings are alive behind you.”

(So he can sense blood relations.)

“Well, I’m an Irregular.”

Falkon’s eyes widen but quickly returned to normal.

(It’s as I thought.)

“Gramps, your Father was Augustus’ successor, right?”

“That’s right.”

“And Uncle Falkon, you were to be your father’s successor?”

“I know what you’re thinking. So I’ll come out and say it. I know about the secret abilities of Irregulars.”

“?!”

Falkon’s words shocked everyone except Nero and Miko.

“I figured as much when you mentioned the Void Realm.”

“The Graveyard of Immortals, where Higher Beings go after being killed.”

Miko nodded.

“I never expected that Augustus would tell anyone when he didn’t even tell his wife or apprentice…You must’ve been something like a backup plan for him. He must’ve had a lot of faith in your abilities…Either that, or he intended for it to be passed down to future clan leaders.

Falkon nodded.

“My father also knew.”

“But he was killed and you were imprisoned. As a result, information about Irregulars and the world was lost until I appeared…”

“……..”

Falkon stared at Miko in silence. Nero saw this and smiled.

“Looks you’re beginning to calm down.”

“It’s not like I’ve lost my rage….It’s just that it’s the first time since the war someone wasn’t trying to calm me down. It’s the first time that someone was truly trying to understand my rage and not preach to me about being logical.”

“I figured as much. I know how annoying it can be when you’re angry and people keep telling you to calm down. It makes you feel as if it’s wrong for you to be angry. As if your feelings don’t matter.”

“And yet, you tried to make me submit?”

“That’s because you pissed me off. I was simply expressing my anger.”

Nero laughed. Falkon stared at him a bit before laughing himself. Seeing this, people started approaching them.

Some time passed.

“So let me get this straight, the Higher Beings changed the laws of this world and made it so that mortals can’t hurt them. They then created a system that allows those same mortals to fight in their honor? Now these “Proxies” control the world?”

“Pretty much.”

Nero nodded.

“Then those bastards ran away!”

The castle trembled. His rage was beginning to overflow again.

“Well, they won’t be able to run away forever.”

Miko spoke while leaning against a wall. He seemed to be in deep thought.

“There are people out there, both mortals and immortals, who want to get rid of the Proxy System. Everyone has their reasons for wanting it, but there will be a time when those who’ve been looking down on the world from a safe place will be thrown back into the flames of war. When that happens, they’ll have to face the consequences of their actions.”

He looked at Falkon.

“You’ll get to have your revenge. I promise you that.”

“I see…But, to think that Krow would grow up to be so important. He was the least talented of all of Augustus’ children. And yet, he’s strong enough to pose a threat to the empire. I would’ve never expected it.”

“It’s because he and the group he’s a part of is a major threat why you were freed.”

Joesph spoke up.

“You’re unstable and hard to predict, but your strength is the real thing. You might be weaker than all the Branch and Clan Leaders now, but I’m sure you’ll make up for it with your obsession for revenge. That obsession will definitely make you stronger.”

He stretched his hand towards Falkon.

“Don’t make me regret freeing you.”

Falkon grasped his hand.

“I don’t care about your regrets. I’ll just do as I want.”

Joesph smiled.

“That’s fine too.”

“Good.”

Falkon turned around.

“Now, free my children and then we’ll go free Ravel.”

“Alright.”

Like before, the three clans' insignias were used to shatter the ice encasing Falkon’s children. Fog once again filled the castle. When it faded a teenage boy and girl appeared wearing royal robes. The boy had azure hair while the girl had purple.

“…….”

The girl looked around and spotted her father. She then looked past him and observed those behind him. The boy stood at her side with a deadpan expression. His eyes silently fell on Miko.

“A beast….”

He showed a smile. Miko slowly returned the smile.

“Father, how many years have passed?”

The girl spoke.

“I was told 10,000.”

“I see.”

That was all she said.

“These are my children, Chika and Verde. They’re biologically 17 & 18.”

(That means that they’re in my age group.)

Miko observed Falkon’s children.

(Tia’s blood seems to be very potent in the boy. He has golden eyes like her and his father. The way he singled me out earlier…He must have sharp instincts. As for the girl—)

Chika turned and spotted Miko who was waving at her. She smiled and waved back.

(She seems like quite the fighter.)

Nero was talking to his niece and nephew and started introducing them to Sasha and the twins. After Falkon explained the situation to his children, the next destination was set.

“Now, we go wake up Ravel.”

“You said that she was put into a dream world.”

Nero nodded.

“Unlike you, she was just sleeping. I wanted to free you first because I need your help handling her….You see, I don’t think I can hit her like I did you.”

“Well, I can’t hit her either.”

“What?”

“I mean, you never saw me scold her did you?”

“…So you’ll be no help if she gets violent.”

“Nope.”

“….Fuck.”

Behind them, the branch leaders were shaking their heads.

“Um, I have a question.”

Kirika spoke up.

“Since she was just put to sleep, is there a possibility that your sister continued to grow stronger over the millennia she slept?”

Everybody paused.

“…I never thought about that.”

“If Ravel’s abnormal abilities really strengthened while she slept…”

The brothers looked at each other.

““Ah, fuck.””

The group left the castle and now stood in front of the stairs leading to the rainbow palace.

“So…What are we going to do?”

Nero flinched when he heard Rouge’s question. Rouge’s eyes narrowed.

“Surely, you’re not planning on going in there without a plan.”

“………”

“Need I remind you that Ravel inherited Grandmother’s powers of Primordial Chaos? She can warp reality at the snap of a finger. If her powers have indeed strengthened over the years, it will be dangerous even for us Branch Leaders.”

“….I’ll think of something.”

“I recall you uttering those exact words before I was thrown into a dimension consisting of giant flesh-eating worms, where I fought tirelessly for a year before escaping.”

“…But did you die though?”

Rouge was about to pull his sword but he was held back by Darwin and Ecko.

“If she was simply throwing a fit I could handle it, but Ravel went berserk when she was captured. She was only captured alive because she exhausted her powers. We can’t rely on that this time.”

Being unable to hurt his sister made things a lot harder for Nero.

“Ah, screw it. We’ll think of something.”

He started climbing the steps with a huge smile on his face.

“I’ll just need to work another miracle, no big deal. I’m Nero after all.”