---
Inside the grand central hall of Akatsuki's hidden dimension, under the shimmering artificial moonlight, the trio sat at the massive round table. Magical maps floated around them, each marked with glowing sigils, shifting constantly.
Avi stood, hands behind his back, emerald eyes glowing softly.
Avi:
"The Royal Gathering was merely the beginning. The threads of fate are tightening, and dangerous currents are beginning to surface."
Yuno (calm):
"You're referring to the Elf souls?"
Avi (nodding):
"Yes. The forbidden resurrection spell is in motion. Several dormant sites across the kingdom are already reacting."
Asta (tilting his head):
"Wait, resurrection? Elves? I thought they were long gone?"
Avi (smiling faintly):
"Their bodies, yes. But their souls… remain tethered to ancient curses. The betrayal they suffered long ago left scars too deep. Certain forces seek to exploit that bitterness."
He projected an image of the Shadow Palace, the center of Zagred's past schemes, still radiating faint cursed energy.
---
Avi activated a separate monitoring crystal. His clones stationed across the Clover Kingdom continued gathering information.
System Notification:
> [New Activity Detected — Forbidden Artefact Unearthed in Kiten Outskirts. Traces of Forbidden Mana: High.]
Avi (thought):
"They're accelerating the preparation... likely fueled by rogue descendants and Zagred's residual influence."
Avi (to Asta & Yuno):
"Listen carefully. You will soon face battles you've never imagined. The Elf resurrection will not just bring back ancient enemies — it may trigger a chain reaction, unleashing multiple devils as well."
---
Far away, Lucius Zogratis stood in deep thought within his sacred chamber, manipulating streams of possible futures like threads of light.
Lucius (softly):
"The resurrection will eliminate countless pawns… and reveal those still hiding in my blind spots."
He paused, narrowing his gaze.
Lucius:
"But that Akatsuki faction remains unstable… particularly their shadow — the third one. The anomaly I cannot fully observe."
He focused on Avi's hazy projection.
Lucius (smiling):
"No matter. Even the puppeteer cannot prevent the inevitable."
---
The next morning, at Julius' tower, the Akatsuki trio visited upon receiving a personal summons.
Julius (welcoming smile):
"Ah, you three. I've been reviewing the reports from the Royal Gathering. Your performance... exceeded expectations."
Asta (excited):
"Thank you, Wizard King!"
Julius (more serious tone):
"But I sense something larger approaching. Unnatural magical pulses have been recorded near ancient ruins. Dangerous fluctuations — particularly around Kiten and the surrounding regions."
Yuno:
"It aligns with what we've also observed."
Julius turned slightly, his voice lowering.
Julius:
"Asta, Yuno — the kingdom may soon face threats that surpass even the last devil invasion. I will be assigning squads to investigate. But I expect Akatsuki to act independently and… efficiently."
Avi subtly nodded.
Avi:
"We will not disappoint, Wizard King."
Julius (watching Avi closely):
"Your squad is full of… surprises."
---
Returning to their dimension, Avi summoned his private system interface.
> [System Option Activated: Secret Auxiliary Force Recruitment.]
Avi (thought):
"We need eyes everywhere. Not just warriors, but healers, scouts, and information brokers."
He quietly recruited a small trusted group of commoners, orphans, former mercenaries, and even rogue mages—people who had no place in traditional squads but possessed unique talents.
Each was branded discreetly with an Akatsuki emblem — subtle, almost invisible — allowing controlled access to the dimensional base.
Avi trained them personally, disguising their training under the alias of "neutral world stabilization volunteers."
---
On one of his secret excursions, Avi visited a forgotten mountainous region where an old hermit resided — an ancient elf survivor who had hidden from both humans and the reincarnation curse.
The elder, barely clinging to life, sensed Avi's concealed power.
Elder Elf (weak voice):
"You... carry the weight of many fates… human… yet not entirely so."
Avi (softly):
"I seek to prevent your kind from being twisted again. Your people suffered enough."
The elder coughed but handed Avi a crystallized mana artifact.
Elder Elf:
"This… contains fragments of truth. Ancient blueprints of the resurrection spell. Use it… wisely."
Avi bowed respectfully.
Avi:
"Your wisdom shall not be wasted."
---
Back at the Akatsuki war room, Avi integrated the crystal into his system's predictive network.
System Notification:
> [Data Integration Complete — Hidden Elements of the Forbidden Resurrection Ritual Unlocked.]
A three-dimensional projection of the full resurrection cycle appeared — showing the interconnected mana currents linking multiple reincarnation nodes across the Clover Kingdom.
Avi (whispering):
"They've set multiple resurrection points. Simultaneous awakenings designed to cause mass chaos. Even if the Shadow Palace is sealed, these cracks will birth bloodshed."
Yuno:
"Then we stop them before it happens."
Asta:
"Yeah! Let's crush their plans!"
Avi (firmly):
"No. We let some triggers activate — but on our terms. We control the timing. Too early and Lucius may adapt. Too late and chaos will spiral."
---
The Puppeteer's Quiet Manipulations
Later that night, Avi ventured into the outer kingdom regions under his hidden identity — black robe, face concealed, aura heavily suppressed.
In secret, he intercepted cultist groups working for dark factions. He carefully planted false information about 'accelerating' certain rituals while redirecting others to locations he controlled.
Cultist (panicked):
"Master Zagred's curse… it's nearly complete!"
Avi watched from the shadows, whispering a silent command.
Avi (soft chant):
"May your plans proceed… precisely as I wish."
By controlling which cells succeeded or failed, Avi slowly shifted the entire reincarnation process onto a different timeline—one he could control.
---
Meanwhile, deep within the Spade Kingdom's frozen fortress, Zenon Zogratis meditated.
Behind him, a projection of Lucius flickered.
Lucius (calmly):
"Prepare the Dark Triad's next phase. The Clover Kingdom's stability will soon fracture. When the Elf awakening triggers, it will weaken their defenses — perfect for us."
Zenon simply nodded.
Unbeknownst to them, Avi's remote observation drones recorded everything.
Avi (monitoring from Akatsuki Base, smirking):
"Not as secretive as you believe. The longer you prepare, the deeper you dig your own graves."
---
In the peaceful Akatsuki dimension, the orphans played in the warm meadows. Farmers tended the mana-infused fields, unaware of the silent storm gathering in the world outside.
Asta and Yuno stood atop one of the floating platforms, gazing at the glowing barrier dome protecting their secret realm.
Asta (quietly):
"This place feels like a dream sometimes."
Yuno (smiling slightly):
"A dream we must protect."
From the shadows, Avi watched them — his expression unreadable, but eyes filled with fierce resolve.
Avi (thought):
"Soon... all the pieces will converge. And when the world believes it's falling into darkness, I will drag it back — unseen."
---
[TO BE CONTINUED...]