A year had passed, and Archer had woven a fragile family with Zero and Hayate, though the quiet boy with the weathered book—later known as Mr. One—remained a guarded mystery, opening up only to Zero.
Zero trained Archer in basic combat, his voice a steady drumbeat reminding the boy of his inescapable fate tied to the Eight Earths.
Yet, despite his innate Soul Energy, Archer couldn't harness it willingly, frustration gnawing at his young heart like a relentless tide.
One night, at ten years old, Archer slipped into a dream that felt like a wound.
A girl with dark green hair, her beauty radiant and kind, smiled at him through another's eyes.
Her voice, soft yet fleeting, spoke words that slipped from his grasp like sand. The dream melted, her figure waving goodbye as Archer reached desperately, his heart aching with a sorrow not his own. Her image dissolved, and he awoke with a stifled scream, sweat beading on his skin in the cold night, his chest tight with a nightmare he couldn't comprehend.
He stumbled to Zero, his voice trembling as he recounted the vision.
"I saw a girl I've never met," Archer said, his wide eyes haunted. "I felt things—emotions that weren't mine, but they tore through me."
Zero leaned back, his brow furrowed in thought. "You felt things, huh?" he murmured, his voice heavy with recognition. "That was your past life's memories, Archer. You connected with him last night."
"Connected?" Archer's voice cracked, confusion swirling with a spark of awe.
Zero's eyes softened, a rare vulnerability flickering. "I faced something similar years ago, just before I unlocked my ability. It's your past life." His tone carried the weight of experience, tinged with quiet encouragement.
"So that was him? My past life?" Archer's voice wavered, a mix of dread and curiosity. "He felt so… sad. Miserable. Who was he?"
Zero's gaze hardened with resolve. "You won't find answers sitting here. Go back to sleep. Tomorrow, we'll try something to wake that power in you."
"What are we trying?" Archer asked, his brow raised, a flicker of nervous excitement in his chest.Zero's lips curved into a determined smile."I'm going to help you unlock your ability."
Morning broke, and Zero led Archer to a desolate island, its barren sands stretching under a gray sky.
"What are we doing here?" Archer asked, his voice tinged with unease as he scanned the empty expanse.
"I told you," Zero said, shedding his coat with purpose. "We're unlocking your ability."
"I get that, but how?" Archer pressed, his heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and fear.
"Your eyes glowed green twice—both times you faced death," Zero said, his voice steady but intense. "I thought about putting you in danger, but that won't do. So, we'll do something else." He began jumping, loosening his limbs like a warrior preparing for battle.
"What are you planning, Zero?" Archer's voice trembled, suspicion tightening his throat.
"Isn't it obvious?" Zero said, crouching as if to lunge, his eyes gleaming with fierce intent. "We're going to fight—lives on the line."
"Lives on the line?" Archer's heart lurched, panic flooding his veins as he stumbled into a defensive stance. "What do you mean?"
"It's two birds with one stone," Zero said, his voice a mix of encouragement and challenge. "Combat training, and maybe you'll unlock your ability in a real fight."
"I don't see how this—" Archer started, but Zero cut him off, charging forward with relentless speed.
Archer knew he couldn't match Zero. Desperate, he kicked up dust to obscure his mentor's vision, darting behind him for cover. Heart racing, he grabbed a rusted pipe from the ground and lunged, aiming for Zero's back.
Zero, senses razor-sharp, spun and kicked backward, sending Archer sprawling. Before he could recover, Zero seized his leg, yanking him forward to land a blow to his face.
Archer's fear surged, but he swung the pipe toward Zero's head, forcing him to release and step back. Seizing the moment, Archer pressed forward, unleashing a flurry of kicks and punches, each move fueled by desperate determination.
Zero dodged effortlessly, catching Archer's final blow and gripping his arm tightly. In a frantic bid, Archer aimed a kick at Zero's head.
"This isn't working," Zero muttered, his voice calm but tinged with frustration. "Alright, let's try something new. I'll use my ability."
Before Archer could react, Zero vanished. Confusion gripped him. "Did he go invisible?" he thought, scanning the empty air, his pulse hammering.
A sharp pain exploded in his head as Zero reappeared behind him, striking with the stolen pipe. Archer staggered, disoriented, catching a glimpse of Zero before he vanished again.
"He took the pipe without me noticing," Archer thought, his mind racing. "It's not invisibility—it's something else."
"Your defense is full of holes," Zero's voice echoed from behind. "Next, I'll stab your arms."
Pain seared Archer's arm as Zero reappeared, stabbing and vanishing in an instant. Archer's breath hitched, fear and frustration clawing at him. He had no time to think."The next attack is the last," Zero's voice warned. "I'm aiming for your head."
Archer spun, finding no one. His heart thundered, knowing the end was near. In a desperate bid, he stopped moving, forcing his mind to focus.
"There's a gap," he realized, his thoughts sharp despite the panic. "Less than a second between his appearance and attack. If I time it right, I can dodge."
He waited, every muscle tense, dropping his guard to bait Zero. The moment came—Zero materialized, a gun aimed at Archer's head.
Archer dodged perfectly, but Zero anticipated it, holding his shot. Mid-leap, Archer was defenseless, suspended in the air.
Zero pulled the trigger.
Time slowed as the bullet hurtled toward Archer's head. Terror gripped him, his thoughts a frantic scream:
Is he serious?
Is he really going to kill me?
Zero's face, cold and resolute, confirmed the danger. This is it, Archer thought, despair threatening to swallow him.
Then, something ignited within—a fierce, primal will to survive. His eyes blazed green, the same ethereal glow from his birth.
The bullet froze midair, trembling as if bound by an unseen force. Archer landed, his gaze locked on Zero, his body moving as if another soul commanded it.
He stretched his arm toward the bullet, twisting his wrist. It fell to the ground with a soft clink.
Zero's eyes widened, his guard snapping up. "He's drawing power to his legs—not energy, but fire," he muttered, awe and caution in his voice.
"Show me what you've got, Third Emperor!"
Archer lunged, faster than sight, flames trailing from his feet, scorching the earth. His fist, wreathed in fiery energy, struck Zero's guarded arms, the force sending him crashing backward.
For a moment, Archer was unrecognizable, a vessel of raw, otherworldly power, as if the 3rd Emperor himself had taken hold.
Then, he collapsed, the fire fading, his body trembling from the surge. "This… kid…" he gasped, exhaustion claiming him.
The next day, Archer awoke to find Zero, his left arm bandaged.
"Did I do that?" Archer asked, guilt twisting his gut like a knife.
"Nah, this was from another fight," Zero said, brushing it off as he left the room, his voice light but strained.
"I know I did that," Archer whispered, sorrow heavy in his chest. "Why lie to me?" The guilt of hurting his mentor gnawed at him, a quiet ache beneath his resolve.
Suddenly, the world shifted. Archer found himself in an empty chamber, a man seated on a floating throne, his presence commanding. "Who are you? Where am I?" Archer asked, his voice trembling with shock and awe.
The man chuckled, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "You don't recognize this place? It's a chamber—your soul's physical form. And me?" His laugh echoed, both warm and ominous.
"I'm the Third Emperor. The Joker."