"Heh, why do you look so angry? Cheer up a little, you said you wanted to fight me."

It seems clear that Katsuragi makes Yara annoyed with him.

"Aww, what's wrong? Is this End Bringer already tired~? What a shame, I thought you 'really' want to fight me. Come on!"

At the same time, Dargo managed to help Carmira stand up while protecting her from a high-rank Abyss.

CLANG!

"Damnit, there's too many of them!"

"What?! There's more?!"

However, something fell from the sky. Not something, someone. Wearing a tall mech suit, and a blue visor.

"Shield: Online."

"Kai?!"

Dargo puzzled.

"Wait, Carmira you know that person?"

Carmira nodded.

"I do. Kai and I met at the Awakeners Association building few months ago."

Kai took out a small drone and ordered it to heal Carmira and Dargo's wounds. Both of their wounds immediately healed after being healed by the small drone earlier, then Kai asked Carmira without looking at her.

"Carmira, where's Shin Katsuragi?"

CLANG!

Kai looked towards the sound and saw Katsuragi holding back from a fairly brutal attack from Yara.

"Woah woah, Relax a little, why do you look angry?"

However, Katsuragi was a bit careless where he only defended the upper part of his body, while the lower part was clearly exposed.

SWOOSH!

Yara managed to attack Katsuragi's leg and caused him to fall. She grabbed him by the neck and slammed him to the ground again. 

"You surprised me earlier, but I realized that you... are really bad at bare-knuckle fighting. Acting tough and only being able to withstand my attacks, there was no counterattack at all."

TSHOOM!

Yara managed to dodge an energy bullet fired by Kai.

"Yara, member of The Veil. Status: Wanted. You better surrender, or I'll have to do my job the hard way."

PSSSSHHH!

High pressure steam was released from behind Kai's mech suit.

"Hot steam is released. Increase speed."

SWOOSH!

Without thinking twice, Kai quickly headed towards Yara. She noticed the punch headed her way as well, but she dodged it and distanced herself from Kai.

SLAM!

Kai's punch hits the ground. 

"Hm, don't think you can be safe Shin Katsuragi, our fight isn't over.."

Yara threw a glass bottle and caused a thick cloud of smoke, so Kai couldn't track her. Then, Dargo rushed to help Katsuragi stand up.

"Come on, we're taking you to the clinic now- huh??"

Dargo saw that Katsuragi's wound was healing rather quickly.

"Katsuragi, do you... have regeneration skill?"

"Huh? Oh, that's new.."

"H-Hey, why do I feel like you will use that regeneration for something not good.."

"What? It's regeneration, it's not like I can use it to hurt others."

However, Katsuragi's face was slightly annoyed. That caught Carmira's attention, making her a little worried. Without thinking twice, Katsuragi walked away from the already clean Abyss Field.

A few weeks later.. 

Morning sunlight filtered through Katsuragi's apartment as he adjusted his gloves, preparing to leave. The quiet murmur of the city outside felt distant, overshadowed by an inexplicable sense of foreboding. Just as he reached for the door, a voice echoed in his mind, soft but commanding:

"Come to the Nexus Haven, Katsuragi. It is time."

He froze, his hand on the doorknob. The voice wasn't Carmira's or even Xiang Hua's, it was unfamiliar, yet it carried an undeniable weight.

The Nexus Haven stood at the heart of Shanzhou, its ethereal glow a beacon of divine energy. Katsuragi entered cautiously, his eyes scanning the towering marble pillars and shimmering sigils etched into the walls.

"Xiang Hua?" 

He called, expecting the familiar figure of the Pathkeeper of Creation.

Instead, a radiant light descended, forming a woman cloaked in robes of jade and gold. Her presence radiated both warmth and immense authority.

"I am Tian Yi," 

She said, her voice calm yet piercing. "Elder of Creation and the goddess of Shanzhou. You have been summoned because your journey demands it."

Katsuragi's eyes narrowed. "Summoned? By you? Why?"

Tian Yi's expression remained serene. 

"Because the power you wield and the path you walk are deeply entwined with the fate of this world. Yet you lack understanding-of yourself and the chaos within."

Before Katsuragi could respond, the chamber around him shifted, dissolving into a swirling void of light and shadow. He found himself standing in an endless expanse, with Tian Yi watching from a distance.

"What's this supposed to be?" 

Katsuragi demanded, his irritation creeping into his voice.

"This," 

Tian Yi said, her voice calm but unyielding, 

"is the Creation Domain, a place where power is born and tested. To move forward, you must confront the fragments of your fractured soul."

Shapes began to materialize around him, twisting into shadowy figures with indistinct faces. Their presence was oppressive, their whispers filling the air with doubt and scorn.

"You think strength alone will save you?" 

Tian Yi's voice echoed. "Strength without understanding leads only to ruin."

Katsuragi scowled, his fists clenching. "I didn't come here to be lectured."

The figures lunged at him, forcing Katsuragi to draw his blade. He struck swiftly, his attacks precise, but the figures reformed with every slash.

"They cannot be destroyed by brute force," 

Tian Yi said, her tone sharp. "This is a trial of will, not strength."

As the fight dragged on, Tian Yi's voice continued to resonate, her words cutting deeper than the figures' attacks.

"You fight to protect others, but you cannot even protect yourself from your own darkness."

Katsuragi looks disinterested, his movements are agile. 

"Look, I don't know why you called me here. Is it just to show that you're smart?"

"You are blind, Katsuragi,"

Tian Yi said, her tone unyielding. 

"Blind to the truth of what you are-and what you could become."

The oppressive whispers grew louder, the figures multiplying around him. Katsuragi's frustration boiled over, his vision blurring as his aura flared uncontrollably.

"Okay that's enough.."

A surge of black energy erupted from Katsuragi, enveloping him in a shadowy armor. His body moved on instinct, his strikes tearing through the figures with terrifying precision. His face was obscured by a mask-like shadow, and a massive scythe formed in his hands, crackling with dark energy.

"Okay, this is new.."

Tian Yi's eyes widened as she watched the transformation. 

"Itaris." 

She whispered. 

"So, the power of Authority stirs within you."

Katsuragi's voice was low and distorted as he glared at her. 

"You wanted to see my power? Here it is."

The figures charged again, but this time Katsuragi moved like a force of nature, his scythe cutting through them with terrifying ease. Each swing unleashed waves of destructive energy, leaving nothing in their wake.

"Is this what you wanted, goddess?" 

He smirk, his voice dripping with venom. 

"To see me like this? I'm sorry to disappoint you," Katsuragi smirked.

Tian Yi stepped forward, her expression calm but firm. 

"This is not control, Katsuragi. This is chaos."

Her words struck a chord, and Katsuragi froze, his scythe hovering mid-swing. The energy around him flickered as he struggled to rein it in.

"You fight not for others, but for yourself."

Tian Yi continued. 

"Yet this power will consume everything if you cannot master it. Is that what you want? To destroy the very people you wish to protect?"

Katsuragi's grip on the scythe tightened, his breath ragged. Slowly, the shadowy armor began to dissolve, and the scythe faded from his hands.

"Oh yeah? Who said I want to protect other people? Not me."

As the void around them returned to the chamber, Katsuragi collapsed to his knees, his body trembling. Tian Yi approached, her gaze softening.

"The power within you is not your enemy." 

She said gently. 

"But neither is it your ally-not yet. To wield it, you must understand it. And to understand it, you must first understand yourself."

Katsuragi looked up at her, his expression conflicted. 

"You know how?"

Tian Yi extended her hand, a glowing sigil appearing in the air. 

"By walking the path ahead. This mark will guide you, but the journey is yours to undertake."

He hesitated before accepting the sigil, feeling its warmth seep into his skin.

As Tian Yi began to fade, her voice lingered in the air. 

"Remember, Katsuragi. To protect, one must also destroy. But destruction without purpose leads only to despair."

Left alone in the chamber, Katsuragi clenched his fists, the weight of her words heavy on his mind.

"Damn it, why do I feel mad at her?"

As he stepped out of the Nexus Haven, the sigil glowing faintly on his hand, he knew one thing for certain: the path ahead would demand more of him than he ever thought possible.

The chamber of the Nexus Haven settled into silence after Katsuragi's departure, but the tension lingered in the air. Tian Yi exhaled softly, her gaze lingering on the faint sigil of Finality that hovered before it faded into nothingness.

"Well," 

She said aloud, her tone playful yet tinged with unease, 

"He has quite the temper. But then again, he wouldn't be who he is without it."

The sound of footsteps echoed through the chamber. Turning, Tian Yi spotted a figure stepping gracefully through a shimmering veil of light. The Elder of Harmony, Aquilla, emerged with an ethereal elegance, her silver robes swaying gently as she approached. Her long, jet-black hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders, framing emerald eyes filled with a quiet intensity.

"Tian Yi." 

Aquilla greeted, her voice calm but firm. 

"What are you playing at this time?"

Tian Yi smirked, tilting her head innocently. 

"Playing? Me? Surely you know I don't play games, dear Aquilla."

Aquilla's sharp gaze narrowed. 

"You keep pushing him. Testing his patience. Don't think I didn't feel it, his awakening. That power... it's unmistakable. You know who he was."

Tian Yi chuckled, a teasing lilt in her tone. 

"Ah, so you felt it too? Of course, you would. He carries pieces of Itaris within him. That fire, that strength... and that temper. It's like seeing an old flame reignite, isn't it?"

Aquilla's expression hardened, her fingers clenching at her sides. 

"Tian Yi, this isn't some game. He's not Itaris. He's Shin Katsuragi, a man trying to find his place in a world that burdens him with a legacy he didn't choose. If you keep provoking him, you might push him too far."

Tian Yi took a step closer, her smirk softening into a gentle, knowing smile. 

"And yet, you can't help but see Itaris in him, can you? That's why you're here. You felt his power, and it stirred something in you-something you thought you buried centuries ago."

Aquilla's jaw tightened, but she didn't respond immediately. Her gaze drifted to the empty space where Katsuragi had fought moments ago, her voice quiet when she finally spoke.

"It's true." 

She admitted. 

"I felt him. For a moment, it was as if Itaris himself were standing there. But it's not the same. Katsuragi carries pieces of him, yes, but he's not the man I..." 

She trailed off, her voice faltering.

Tian Yi raised an eyebrow, leaning slightly closer. 

"The man you what, Aquilla? Loved? Feared? Admired?"

Aquilla's emerald eyes flashed with irritation, but her tone remained steady. 

"The man that I admired." She said firmly. 

"And that's why I won't let you push him into a corner. You know as well as I do that Itaris's power comes with a cost. If you push Katsuragi too far, he might become something even you can't control."

Tian Yi laughed lightly, waving a hand dismissively. 

"Oh, relax. I'm not trying to turn him into a monster. Quite the opposite, actually. I want him to see what he's capable of, to understand the potential he carries. But," 

She added with a sly grin, "it's interesting to see you so protective. Does your heart still ache for your long-lost lover, Aquilla?"

Aquilla turned away, her shoulders tense. 

"You don't understand. It's not just about Itaris. It's about what his power did to him-and what it might do to Katsuragi. I don't want to see another man consumed by the Abyss."

Tian Yi's expression softened, though a hint of mischief lingered in her eyes. 

"You're too serious sometimes, Aquilla. It's endearing, really. But I'll ease up, for now. The boy has more resilience than you give him credit for."

Aquilla turned back to her, a flicker of frustration in her gaze. 

"Just remember, Tian Yi: power doesn't just test the wielder. It tests those around them. If you keep playing with fire, don't be surprised when you get burned."

Tian Yi chuckled again, placing a hand over her chest in mock sincerity. 

"Oh, I'll keep that in mind, dear. But tell me, Aquilla-if Shin Katsuragi really is Itaris reborn, what will you do? Will you guide him, or will you run from him?"

Aquilla froze, her expression unreadable. After a moment, she turned and began walking toward the shimmering veil of light.

"I'll do what I must," she said quietly. "Just as I always have."

As Aquilla disappeared into the light, Tian Yi stood alone, her teasing demeanor fading into something more contemplative.

"Shin Katsuragi," she murmured to herself, her gaze distant. 

"You carry more than just power. You carry the echoes of a man who shaped this world and broke it. I want to see if you can rise above the shadow of your past."

The Nexus Haven grew silent once more, but the air remained heavy with the weight of unspoken truths and unresolved emotions.

At the same time, Katsuragi was sitting on a bench outside Nexus Haven. Until a woman appeared. 

"You look stressed." 

The woman said and sat down next to Katsuragi. Her appearance was quite unique, like a Shanzhou superior. Silver hair, dark red clothes, and two eyes of different colors, red and blue. 

Katsuragi felt a little suspicious but he remained calm and said. 

"Maybe. And who are you?" 

The woman turned to Katsuragi. 

"Call me Lucia. Don't worry, I'm not looking for trouble, Shin Katsuragi."

For a moment, Katsuragi looked confused. Had he ever told the woman named 'Lucia' his name? However, Carmira also appeared. 

"Eh? Katsuragi, what are you doing here?"

In an instant, Carmira slowly turned around and looked at Lucia, her face suddenly becoming anxious. 

"E-Eh?! M-Marshal Lucia?!" 

Lucia just smiled at Carmira and waved. 

"Hi Carmira, long time no see since you graduated from the academy." 

"I-It's been a while!"

Lucia returned her gaze to Katsuragi.

"You... are you really Jigoku's son?"

Katsuragi was a bit surprised when Lucia said that.

"I don't know, I don't remember anything other than the last few weeks. Sigh, I have to go now. See you later."

Carmira was shocked and apologized to Lucia.

"Sorry for his behavior Marshal! Katsuragi!!”

Lucia looked at Katsuragi, her left eye shining as if she could see Katsuragi's aura.

"Interesting..."