(From Ivan's Perspective)

  I opened my eyes, but instead of the ceiling of my cabin at the Busan complex, I saw only an endless grey fog. There were no sounds of the port here, no hum of ventilation. Only a viscous, cold void.

  "What? Where am I?" I rumbled, trying to feel for a weapon, but I couldn't even feel my own hands.

  From the fog, a tall, flickering figure slowly materialized. No face was visible, but two eyes stared at me from the darkness: one glowed with a toxic green light, like an old watch dial, while the other was flooded with absolute blackness.

  "Ah... it's you, Time Demon," I exhaled, relaxing slightly. Although, relaxing around him was always a fool's errand.

  "Yes, it is I, Ivan," a rustling voice replied, coming from all directions at once. "Long time no see in the halls of the mind."

  "What do you want?" I frowned. "Our contract is for power in battle, not for idle chatter in the middle of the night."

  "Oh, Ivan, why so harsh immediately?" The Demon laughed lightly, and the sound carried the chime of scattering seconds. "Have I ever let you down? How many times have I saved your life by showing you the enemy's blade before the strike even landed?"

  "At what price, Time?!" I felt anger boiling inside me. "To help us, you took half the lifespan of a thousand people in my country! That’s not help; that’s usury paid in blood."

  "And yet, it is still not the most profitable contract for me," the Demon brushed it off. "But I am here for something else. Changes are coming, Ivan. Terrible, irreversible changes. And they must be prevented."

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  "What kind of changes?" I grew wary.

  "Mira... She has gone mad in her love for her brother. She is gathering all the Demons of Fear—the First, the Second, even the small fry—to go to war against Heaven. She wants to blast a path upward and force those sitting there to lift the curse from Subject Zero."

  I snorted.

  "And what’s so bad about that? You’ve told those fairy tales about his curse many times yourself. Isn't it only fair to return a hero's memory?"

  "IVAN!" The Demon's voice suddenly became thunderous; the fog around us swirled into a violent vortex. "These are not fairy tales! You do not know what that curse is! It is the only thing restraining his essence! You have no idea what he becomes when he loses control. I saw it thousands of years ago. It was an uncontrollable, absolute power. When he is in a rage, no one can stop him—not Mira, not the legions of gods. The only one capable of even touching him in such a state is Aurora, but she will never stand against him. Never!"

  The Time Demon drew closer, his green eye flashing right in front of my face.

  "I recognize her power. And I recognize his. They are the only ones who can rightfully be called the King and Queen of Hell. If they took the throne, I would even help them. They could build a world in the abyss similar to this one, end our eternal infighting. But under no circumstances—do you hear me?!—under no circumstances must the curse be lifted from Zenhald while he is in this world!"

  "Why are you telling me all this?"

  "Because I am not the only one who thinks so," the Demon calmed down again, receding into the shadows. "War and Catastrophe are already on my side. All the Second Generation demons agree with me: Zenhald at full power is the end for all of us. Right now, we are negotiating with the Third Generation. But most importantly... we need to convince Aurora. She must understand this better than anyone."

  He fell silent, and I felt the fog beginning to press against my chest.

  "I want to hear your answer, Ivan. Whose side are you on? Will you help Mira awaken the monster, or will you help us leave him in peace?"

  I remained silent for a long time, processing what I had heard. The image of "Subject Zero" I had heard so much about didn't fit the image of a world-destroyer.

  "Listen, Time Demon... I have never seen him in person. I haven’t spoken to him. I don't understand what you're asking. Until I see him myself, until I talk to him, I won't know if you're lying to me or not. I will not betray those who gave me strength for the sake of your fears."

  "Fine..." the Demon's voice became a mere whisper. "There will be time, and you will see it all for yourself. The War Demon is already seeking out others to convey her will. And now—wake up. A difficult day lies ahead of you."

  The world around me exploded in white light.

  I sat up abruptly in bed, drenched in a cold sweat. The cabin was dark, with only the dim light from the deck filtering through the porthole. My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped beast.

  "The King and Queen of Hell..." — the phrase echoed in my ears.