The moon hung high in the star-speckled sky, casting a silvery glow over the forest clearing where Ikaru's companions had gathered. A large bonfire roared at the center, its golden flames licking at the cool night air. Around it, Ellie, Rura, Xyser, Qunsil, and Aariea were seated, their faces lit with rare joy and camaraderie.
The atmosphere was alive with laughter and excitement. Plates of roasted meat and fruits were shared, and the sound of a wooden flute—played skillfully by Rura—melded with the crackling fire.
"Finally," Ellie said, raising her goblet of wine, her voice brimming with pride. "We've gathered as one. The Essence of Darkness is complete!"
"To us!" Xyser added, his sharp claws clicking against his own goblet as he raised it high.
Qunsil smiled shyly, her beast-like ears twitching with the sound of the music. She clutched a piece of fruit in one hand while observing the merriment with a hint of childlike wonder.
Aariea, seated slightly apart, watched the others with a serene smile. Her golden eyes reflected the firelight as she rested her delicate hands on her lap. Despite her ancient nature and vast power, there was an undeniable warmth about her presence.
Ellie looked around the group and frowned slightly. "Where's Ikaru?"
---
Far from the bonfire, Ikaru stood on a rocky outcrop overlooking the forest. The wind tugged at his dark cloak, and the moonlight accentuated the sharp features of his face. His crimson eyes stared out into the endless horizon, filled with a quiet intensity.
He could hear the faint echoes of his companions' laughter behind him, but he paid it no mind.
"Celebrating…" he muttered to himself, his tone laced with disdain. "As if we've already achieved something."
For Ikaru, joy and celebration were meaningless. They were distractions, remnants of a life he had long abandoned. His focus was absolute, his purpose unwavering.
"I have no time for such trivialities," he whispered, tightening his fists. "The world will not bend to laughter and wine. Only power… only resolve will shape our destiny."
---
Behind him, footsteps approached. Without turning, Ikaru already knew who it was.
"Ikaru," Ellie called softly, her tone a mix of frustration and concern. She stopped a few paces away, crossing her arms. "You should be with us. We're celebrating what we've built together. You're the reason this group exists."
Ikaru remained silent, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
Ellie sighed, stepping closer. "You always do this. You push us away, acting like you're above all of it. But we're your allies, Ikaru. We're here because we believe in you."
Finally, Ikaru turned to face her, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dark. "Ellie," he said, his voice calm but unyielding. "I don't seek belief or companionship. I seek strength. Strength to bring this world to its knees. To mold it into what it should be."
Ellie's expression softened, though her frustration remained. "And you think you can do it alone? That you don't need us?"
"You misunderstand," Ikaru replied, stepping closer. His presence was overwhelming, even in the quiet moment. "I need you all. But not for frivolous celebrations or emotional ties. I need you to become the strongest versions of yourselves. Only then will you be of use."
Ellie opened her mouth to argue, but the intensity in Ikaru's gaze silenced her. She sighed again, her shoulders slumping. "You're impossible, you know that?"
Ikaru didn't respond, his eyes drifting back to the horizon. After a moment, Ellie turned and walked away, leaving him alone once more.
---
Back at the bonfire, the others noticed Ellie's return.
"Did you find him?" Xyser asked, his claws glinting in the firelight.
"He's being himself," Ellie replied, sitting down with a weary sigh. "Brooding, dismissive, and entirely focused on power."
Rura smirked. "Sounds about right."
"Do you think he'll ever change?" Qunsil asked quietly, her voice soft and hesitant.
Aariea, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "Ikaru carries a weight none of us fully understand. Change is not his path. But perhaps… in time, he will find something beyond his purpose."
The group fell silent, the weight of Aariea's words settling over them.
Despite Ikaru's absence, the celebration continued late into the night. The bonds between the members of the Essence of Darkness deepened, their shared laughter and stories forming the foundation of something unbreakable.
Far away, Ikaru remained on the outcrop, his mind consumed by thoughts of the future. The faint echoes of his companions' laughter reached him, but he dismissed them, his focus unshaken.
"The time for joy will come," he murmured to himself. "But only when the world kneels before me."
The stars above shone brightly, bearing silent witness to the birth of a group destined to reshape the world.
---------------------------------------
After Three years -
The once quiet and humble training grounds had transformed into a place where power and tension flowed like the wind itself. An expanse of barren land, surrounded by towering trees and jagged rocks, stretched as far as the eye could see. The scent of wet earth and the distant hum of the forest in the early morning filled the air. It was a place where Ikaru and his allies had honed their bodies, minds, and magic—pushing the limits of their strength in preparation for the challenges that lay ahead.
---
At the center of the training grounds stood Ikaru, his dark cloak fluttering like a shadow against the rising sun. His face, once youthful and full of uncertainty, was now hardened by time and relentless effort. His crimson eyes glowed with a quiet, terrifying power. He had spent the last three years pushing his body and mind to their limits, and in that time, he had surpassed every boundary he had once known.
Each muscle, each movement, had become an extension of his will. His magic, once dark and undefined, had crystallized into a terrifying, absolute force.
"I am no longer the boy who once doubted himself," he whispered, his voice deep and steady, as if the wind itself carried his words.
The ground around him cracked as his power pulsed outwards, the earth responding to his will. His body radiated an aura of overwhelming strength—a reflection of the sheer force he now commanded. Ikaru's path was clear. He would not stop until the world had been remade, until the Essence of Darkness was the only force standing in its wake.
Ikaru's potential become Far beyond any entity in whole Universe. Now he is the one who stands at the top of Pinnacle.
---
Ellie stood at a distance, her eyes narrowing as she observed Ikaru's display of power. The wind whipped through her red hair as she flicked her wrist, summoning a wave of crimson magic that crackled in the air. Her demonic power surged around her, flowing like a river of molten fire.
Three years had passed since she had joined the Essence of Darkness, and in that time, her power had grown exponentially. Her magic—rooted in her demonic heritage—had become more potent with each passing day. The flames of hell itself bowed to her, and the shadows trembled at her command.
Her Emerald eyes met Ikaru's, and she felt an undeniable pull, an understanding between them. She had become more than just a demon child; she was a force to be reckoned with. Her powers are now even on Par of Celestial and high level Demons. Still, even with all her newfound strength, Ikaru's power dwarfed hers.
But Ellie had no intentions of surpassing him. She knew her place in this group, and that place was beside Ikaru—fighting for the same cause.
---
Not far from Ellie, Rura gracefully moved through the trees, her long elven legs carrying her silently across the terrain. A half-spider, half-elven hybrid, her unique body had undergone its own transformation over the years. Her spider-like features—now far more pronounced—had only added to her already exceptional agility and strength.
Her silvery hair blended into the surroundings as her sharp eyes glinted with a predatory focus. The poison in her fangs had become more potent, and her web-spinning skills—once a novelty—were now deadly, capable of ensnaring even the strongest of opponents.
The forest itself seemed to bow before her as she moved with unnatural speed and grace. Every step was calculated, her senses sharpened by years of constant training and refinement.
Yet, even in her newfound power, Rura felt the weight of Ikaru's dominance. She had grown stronger, but still, she knew her power was but not more than even a fraction of what Ikaru commanded.
---
Xyser stood at the edge of the training grounds, his eyes glowing with the faint, eerie light of his cursed power. The years had only deepened the curse within him, and with each passing day, his cursed magic had become more volatile, more unpredictable. He could feel the curse thrumming beneath his skin, a constant presence that never ceased to torment him.
But that same curse had also made him stronger. His power had grown to the point where he could manipulate the curse, turning it into a weapon. Dark tendrils of shadow would coil around his hands as he summoned blasts of cursed energy, each one tearing through the air with ferocity.
Xyser had never known peace, but in this group, he had found a purpose. He could feel the power of his allies surrounding him, growing, and he knew that together, they were capable of anything.
Still, even with all his cursed power, he couldn't deny the overwhelming strength of Ikaru. It was a truth he had come to accept.
---
Not far from Xyser, Qunsil crouched on all fours, her sharp beastly features blending into the shadows of the forest. Her half-beast blood surged through her veins, and with each passing day, she felt herself growing stronger, faster, more attuned to the primal forces within her.
Her enhanced senses—keen hearing, superior vision—allowed her to detect even the slightest movement in the trees. Her claws, sharp as steel, glinted in the sunlight as she sliced through the air, practicing her precision.
But Qunsil knew that even her beastly nature, her instincts honed over years of survival, paled in comparison to the power of Ikaru. She had grown strong, yes, but there was still a vast chasm between her abilities and his. A Chasm that even Universal Length can't measure.
---
Finally, Aariea stood on a high rock outcrop, her celestial form radiating an ethereal glow that seemed to purify the very air around her. She had not required training, for she was already a being of immense power—an ancient force that transcended mortal comprehension. Her golden eyes shimmered with the wisdom of ages, and the very earth seemed to reverberate with her presence.
Despite her unmatched power, Aariea chose not to flaunt it. Her connection to Ikaru, however, was undeniable. She was not simply an ally; she was a force that understood his darkness, his vision, and her purpose was to stand beside him in his journey.
Even now, she could feel the weight of Ikaru's power surging through him, as though he was a sun in the center of their group. It was a power that they all recognized, even as they grew stronger themselves.
---
The forest stood silent as the five allies gathered, their presence filling the space with an air of foreboding power. They had become legends in their own right—capable of shaking the very foundations of the kingdoms they once knew.
But as they stood side by side, they all knew the truth. Ikaru was their leader, their foundation, their path forward. His strength eclipsed theirs, and his power was an insurmountable wall that no one could breach. They had reached the pinnacle of strength, yet they were only beginning to understand the vast depths of Ikaru's potential.
As the wind rustled through the trees and the sun set, casting long shadows across the training grounds, a single thought echoed in the hearts of Ikaru's companions.
They were unstoppable together.
But even united, they all understood one thing: Ikaru would always be the strongest. Everyone knew that the Strength they contains are just equal to 1% power of Ikaru. As from it Anyone could understand at what Level does Ikaru Stands now. And that strength would be the force that would reshape the world.