The sound of the breaking chain echoed through the hidden sanctuary.
Clang...
This time, the noise didn't stop at the walls of Hell.
It spread through every realm.
Even Heaven fell silent.
Jimin stood before the ancient gate, staring at the glowing symbol on his wrist. The silver-and-crimson mark pulsed like a heartbeat.
"...Again."
He clenched his hand.
"Why does this happen every time I come here?"
No answer came.
Instead...
The enormous gate slowly began to glow.
Ancient symbols carved across its surface awakened one after another, filling the chamber with soft silver and crimson light.
Jimin stepped back instinctively.
"I didn't touch it..."
The symbols weren't reacting to the gate.
They were reacting...
To him.
Far above...
Yoongi stood alone on a balcony overlooking the endless crimson plains of Hell.
The wind tugged gently at his dark robes.
Behind him, Jungkook approached quietly.
"You knew this day would come."
Yoongi didn't turn around.
"I hoped I was wrong."
Jungkook rested one hand on the stone railing.
"You've been carrying this burden alone for too long."
A faint smile appeared on Yoongi's lips.
"It became easier with time."
Jungkook looked at him.
"No."
"You just became better at hiding it."
Silence settled between them.
Finally, Yoongi spoke.
"When we sealed the sanctuary..."
"...I promised I'd protect him."
Jungkook's expression softened.
"And you've kept that promise."
"For centuries."
Yoongi closed his eyes.
"But promises aren't always enough."
Meanwhile...
The Archangels prepared to leave Hell.
Namjoon looked toward the palace one last time.
"We're missing something."
Jin nodded.
"The truth has been hidden from both realms."
Taehyung remained unusually quiet.
His thoughts weren't on Heaven.
They weren't even on Hell.
They were on Jungkook.
After centuries apart...
Their reunion had lasted only a few moments.
Yet countless unanswered questions remained between them.
As they reached the palace gates...
Taehyung suddenly stopped.
A feather drifted gently through the crimson air.
Pure white.
Impossible.
White feathers couldn't exist in Hell.
He caught it before it touched the ground.
The moment it landed in his palm...
A voice whispered.
"Find him..."
Taehyung's eyes widened.
"...Jimin."
The feather dissolved into light.
Namjoon turned immediately.
"What happened?"
Taehyung slowly closed his hand.
"I finally heard his name."
The four Archangels looked at one another.
For the first time...
They weren't searching for an unknown soul anymore.
They were searching for...
Park Jimin.
Far beneath the palace...
The glowing gate suddenly spoke.
Not with sound.
But directly into Jimin's heart.
"Welcome home..."
Jimin froze.
A tear slipped down his cheek without him realizing it.
"...Home?"
He had spent his entire life searching for a place where he belonged.
Could this impossible sanctuary...
Really be calling him home?
The chamber trembled once again.
And somewhere beyond the sealed gate...
Something smiled.
The words echoed through the sanctuary.
"Welcome home..."
Jimin's entire body froze.
His heartbeat quickened.
"...Who's there?"
His voice trembled through the silent chamber.
No answer came.
Only the gentle glow of the ancient symbols illuminated the massive gate.
The silver-and-crimson mark on his wrist shone brighter than before.
Jimin slowly stepped closer.
"I've... never been here."
"So why does this place know me?"
The gate remained silent.
Then, tiny golden particles began rising from the floor.
They floated around him like fireflies dancing in the night.
One by one...
They transformed into glowing memories.
Jimin saw a little boy sitting beneath a giant silver tree.
The child smiled brightly while reading a book much too large for his tiny hands.
Beside him sat another boy, slightly older, laughing as he gently ruffled the younger one's hair.
Jimin couldn't see either of their faces clearly.
Only their laughter.
Only the warmth between them.
The older boy smiled.
"You'll never be alone."
The younger child laughed.
"Promise?"
The older one held out his little finger.
"I promise."
The vision suddenly shattered.
Jimin instinctively reached forward.
"Wait!"
The glowing lights scattered into the air once again.
His chest tightened.
"...Why does that promise feel so familiar?"
A single tear rolled down his cheek.
Not because he understood.
But because his heart remembered something his mind had forgotten.
Meanwhile...
The Four Archangels crossed the border between Hell and Heaven.
The golden gates slowly opened before them.
Countless angels bowed respectfully.
But Namjoon didn't return their greetings.
His mind remained occupied.
"The name..."
He looked toward Taehyung.
"Are you certain?"
Taehyung nodded without hesitation.
"I heard it clearly."
"Park Jimin."
Jin folded his arms thoughtfully.
"If Heaven forgot someone..."
"...then someone erased those memories."
Silence filled the golden hall.
Even Hoseok's usual cheerful expression disappeared.
"If that's true..."
"...then who had the power to erase history itself?"
None of them had an answer.
Back in Hell...
Jungkook stood alone upon the palace balcony.
His gaze remained fixed on the endless crimson horizon.
Yoongi quietly approached him.
"You've been unusually quiet."
Jungkook smiled faintly.
"I've spent centuries in silence."
"I suppose it became a habit."
Yoongi stood beside him.
"The prophecy is moving faster than either of us expected."
Jungkook's smile faded.
"It isn't the prophecy I'm worried about."
Yoongi looked at him.
"...It's Jimin."
Jungkook nodded.
"When he remembers..."
"...he'll have to choose."
Yoongi lowered his gaze.
"And if he chooses neither Heaven nor Hell?"
A soft breeze passed between them.
Jungkook answered without looking away from the horizon.
"Then..."
"...both realms will lose him forever."
For the first time in centuries...
Fear crossed Yoongi's face.
Not fear for himself.
Not fear for his kingdom.
Fear...
For Jimin.
Far beneath the sanctuary...
Beyond the sealed gate...
A shadow slowly opened its eyes.
A warm smile appeared on its unseen face.
"So..."
"Our little star..."
"...is finally finding his way home."
The ancient chains trembled once more.
And somewhere in the endless darkness...
A distant bell rang.
Only once.
But its sound reached every corner of Heaven...
And every corner of Hell.
The ancient bell continued to echo.
Once.
Twice.
Then...
Silence.
Jimin slowly turned toward the enormous sealed gate.
The glowing mark on his wrist burned hotter than ever before.
It wasn't painful.
It felt...
Lonely.
As though something behind the gate had waited countless centuries for him.
Jimin whispered,
"...Who are you?"
The sanctuary answered.
Not with words.
With light.
Thousands of glowing particles surrounded him before gathering into a single beam that struck the center of the gate.
The ancient symbols began moving.
One by one...
They rearranged themselves into an unfamiliar language.
Jimin couldn't read a single word.
Yet...
He understood every letter.
His lips moved on their own.
"The Heir..."
"...shall remember."
The moment he spoke those words—
BOOM!!
The sanctuary shook violently.
A third chain wrapped around the gate snapped apart.
CLANG!
The sound exploded across every realm.
The remaining chains glowed brightly, struggling to hold the gate shut.
Far above...
Every angel inside Heaven froze.
The golden sky dimmed.
Namjoon looked toward the horizon.
"It happened again..."
Jin quietly whispered,
"Another seal..."
"...has broken."
Hoseok clenched his fists.
"This is happening too fast."
Taehyung suddenly spread his emerald wings.
His eyes widened.
"I can hear him."
The others stared at him.
Taehyung closed his eyes.
For only a heartbeat...
He heard Jimin's voice.
"Who are you...?"
Then...
Silence.
Taehyung slowly smiled.
"He's alive."
Inside the Crimson Palace...
A deafening alarm echoed through every corridor.
Ancient runes lit up across the walls.
Demon soldiers hurried through the halls in confusion.
One guard rushed into the throne room.
"Your Majesty!"
"The sanctuary has broken the Third Seal!"
The room fell completely silent.
Even Jungkook's calm expression disappeared.
"...Third?"
Yoongi whispered.
"That shouldn't be possible."
Jungkook looked directly at him.
"He isn't awakening because of the prophecy anymore."
Yoongi's crimson eyes narrowed.
"Then why?"
Jungkook answered quietly.
"Because..."
"...the sanctuary itself has chosen him."
Deep beneath the palace...
Jimin stumbled backward as the entire chamber trembled.
The massive gate slowly opened...
Not completely.
Just enough to reveal a narrow gap.
Brilliant silver light poured through the opening.
A warm breeze touched Jimin's face.
Then...
A hand emerged.
Not threatening.
Not frightening.
Gentle.
The unknown figure reached toward him.
A familiar voice whispered...
"Come home, Jimin."
Jimin slowly lifted his trembling hand.
Their fingertips were only inches apart.
Then—
A powerful crimson flame burst between them.
The gate slammed shut.
BOOOOM!!
The entire sanctuary shook.
Jimin was thrown backward, crashing onto the stone floor.
The glowing hand disappeared.
Outside the gate...
A deep, ancient voice echoed with overwhelming fury.
"WHO DARES INTERFERE?"
At the same moment...
Yoongi appeared inside the sanctuary in a flash of crimson fire.
For the first time since Jimin had met him...
The King of Hell looked genuinely frightened.
He immediately knelt beside Jimin.
"Are you hurt?"
Jimin stared at him, still trying to catch his breath.
"...Who..."
"...was behind that gate?"
Yoongi didn't answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the sealed entrance.
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"...It's too early."
Far away...
Jungkook stood alone on the palace balcony.
He looked toward the sanctuary.
Then quietly said...
"...The final countdown has begun."
❖ Who reached out to Jimin from behind the gate?
❖ Why did the sanctuary choose Jimin as The Heir?
❖ Who unleashed the crimson flames that stopped Jimin?
❖ Why was Yoongi truly afraid for the first time?
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