In the beginning, there was nothing. This world was a vast green land, dotted with mountains and a desert sitting in the middle. It was small, far smaller than the sprawling domain of my King Zhou.
In the beginning, I came to. For reasons beyond my understanding, I had been brought back to life after being banished by Nüwa. The body I inhabited was the same as before, yet something within me had changed. I could feel it—a subtle shift in the core of my being. My personality, my very nature, had been altered in a way I couldn’t fully grasp.
I still remembered the darkness of my past, the wicked deeds that led to my ruin, the downfall I brought upon myself. But now, my heart recoiled at the thought of committing such atrocities again. It was as though my malevolent nature had been sealed away, leaving only remnants of a soul struggling to make sense of its purpose.
There was a silence in this world, an emptiness that stretched across the horizon, unbroken by the sounds of life. I wandered aimlessly through the lonely landscape, feeling like a phantom—a being that shouldn’t exist, cast adrift in a place that wasn’t meant for me.
Yet despite my disorientation, there was a faint pull within me, an inexplicable drive that pushed me beyond anything else.
I wanted to become a mother. Still, this land had no life. So, that man came to me. He gave me my powers, connected me to this land, and gave me the right to live my dream.
Time after time, he brought life here, and before long, I had built Ryuuji.
It was the people there who called it this way after witnessing a dragon inside the mountain that I sealed away. They called me their goddess, so, I acted as such while calling them my children.
Everything was going well for a few hundred years, but I grew bored of taking care of these humans. The desire to give birth to life, to be a mother still burned within me. I had declared that every human, every living thing in this world is my child, whether it is evil or not. Yet none of them, not even the most devoted, could truly satisfy the longing within me. I wanted more. Something different. Something beyond what this stagnant world could offer.
The boredom continued to gnaw at me, eroding the joy I once found in the people’s adoration. Their petty squabbles, the cycle of flowers blooming and withering with the passing seasons, even my exalted title of "goddess"—it all began to feel hollow, devoid of true meaning.
That man who had given me my powers and purpose had disappeared without a trace, leaving me alone in a world that felt increasingly stagnant.
So, I decided to seek out something I had never truly experienced: love. Genuine love, untainted by the deceit and lies that had characterized my existence before. I longed for something real, something that could ignite the fading embers within me.
It wasn’t long before a brilliant and beautiful man from Ryuuji came to me. He was ambitious and driven, and his eyes burned with a fire that mirrored my own long-lost passion. He asked me to become my disciple, to learn the secrets of the world from me. I sensed great potential in him, and, since I was desperate for a change, I took him in. Inside my temple, far above the clouds on the highest mountain of Tamia, I trained him in different martial arts, taoïsm, and other mystics.
For a time, this was enough. Teaching was something new to me so I found a new purpose very quickly, adapting my methods to his whims in the hope that he could grow stronger. After that first disciple, I took another in, and then another, until I had my temple filled to the brim with disciples.
Some accidents happened, but overall everything went great. And that first man that had been my disciple became my husband. It was a connection I had never allowed myself to experience before, as I was seeing humans as merely pawns. His devotion was genuine, and soon, we had a child.
Finally, after all this time I had achieved what I wished for. This was my creation, he was perfect, born from my flesh and blood, a life I could truly call my own. For the first time, I felt love, a love not rooted in divinity or adoration; it was simple, pure, and utterly something I could call “human”.
My husband and I raised our child in the temple, surrounded by the disciples who revered us. They saw the birth as a sign of divine favor, a blessing upon Ryuuji itself, and they treated our child with the same reverence they showed me.
But my love for this child was different. Perhaps I was overprotective, or over-loving, but It was an all-encompassing affection, fiercely protective and consuming, like a fire that burned hotter than anything I had felt before. I wanted to shield this child from all the darkness of the world, even the darkness that had once resided within me.
Time passed by and my husband fell ill. It was natural, humans were weak by nature, and they would all die eventually. These creatures cannot escape the cycle of decay that ruled since the beginning of time. His death was bitter, but I swore to make my child into someone as great as his father.
I vowed to mold our child into someone even greater than his father. My son would be stronger, wiser, a true heir to both my divine legacy and his father’s indomitable spirit. I dedicated myself entirely to his upbringing, teaching him everything I knew—martial arts, Taoism, and the ancient secrets that only a being like me could comprehend. I made sure he was trained in the arts of combat and the ways of wisdom, determined to protect him from the inevitable decay and corruption that had taken his father from us.
The new disciples watched in awe as my son grew and leaned at a pace far beyond that of any mortal. They spoke of him with reverence, seeing him as a living demi-god.
However, as my child grew, I noticed that the same fire that had once burned in my husband’s eyes was now present in his. It was a determination that couldn’t be stifled, a drive to explore and understand the world beyond the temple’s boundaries. He was restless, yearning for something more than what I could provide within the walls of our sanctuary.
Thinking that it would benefit him, I sent him on his way, fearing that I would shield him too much.
But what came back from his journey was not my son.
That man, I will never forgive him, not even in my death.
That’s why, when I saw you Luka, somehow, you reminded me of him. It had been a while since I had a disciple, yet I never had one like you.
Still, I get chills whenever I look at you. I cannot admit it, nor can I want to.
A weak man can scare the biggest giants.
This is what you are, even with everyone telling you otherwise, your failures until now brought you here by my side.
If only you weren’t born weak…
In the world of magic, no one could stop you.
Please, I beg of you… Do not become that man.
A letter to a bright future…
by Daji.
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“Huff… Huff… Esfelto!” Archibald screamed at the top of his lungs, casting a fireball straight at the dragonkin in front of him. The scaly man-lizard was struck in an instant, its body bursting into deadly flames, killing it on the spot in a cacophony of screams.
Lowering himself to the ground, he dodged an arrow sent by a skeleton archer, summoned by a goblin using necromancy.
“Balweiln!”
A blast of wind shot from his wand, slicing the bones of the skeleton in half with deadly force. The cut of wind didn’t stop there as it split the goblin in two, killing it on the spot.
He was surrounded, wave after wave, and his breath was ragged. Because of some god-forsaken creature, he was forced to kill his father’s reanimated corpse, as if the world was mocking his misfortune. This wasn’t anger that was fueling him anymore, it was pure rage. Normally, he should’ve hit his limits long ago, but he kept going, using his life force instead of mana to cast spells.
Archibald's eyes burned with a feral intensity as he fought on, each spell tearing through his enemies with increasing brutality. His body screamed in protest, muscles aching, and his vision darkening at the edges, but he ignored the signs.
Another wave of enemies emerged from the fog surrounding him: goblins, dragonkin, an ogre, each nothing more than insects in his eyes. Standing atop of mountain of bodies, the soil of the woods had become a bloody mess of meat and bones splattered everywhere. His beautiful blue uniform was fully stained with flesh and blood, and the scent of smoke caused by some wildfires filled his nostrils.
The sound of war inside the city had long been gone from his ears as his brain kept throbbing in pain as the life force from his body transformed figuratively his veins into molten lead.
“Come!” he roared, his eyes bloodshot as he aimed his wand once more. “I’ll kill you all, you vermin!”
They kept coming, an unending tide of beasts and abominations, throwing themselves into the slaughter without hesitation or remorse. The goblins charged forward, their shrill war cries cutting through the smoky air—until a wave of flame reduced them to ash, their screams lost in the inferno. The dragonkin lunged, swinging its scimitar with deadly precision, but Archibald moved faster, sidestepping the strike and unleashing a gravity spell that twisted the creature's insides. It crumpled, its body collapsing inward as though crushed by an unseen hand.
The ogre lumbered forward, raising its massive spiked bat high above its head. But before it could bring the weapon crashing down, Archibald's spell sliced through the beast’s legs like a scythe. The giant fell, bellowing in agony as it impaled itself on the very weapon it had intended to use against him. The ground shook with the weight of its collapse, and yet, before the dust could settle, another wave of creatures emerged from the choking haze.
“You won’t ever stain this place with your filth!” Archibald screamed, his voice hoarse and strained.
This place, this castle, it was everything to him. His home, his salvation, his admiration, his dreams, his love, everything was here.
They had killed his father, used him as a mere pawn, conspired to kill Morgann, and caused
so much destruction…
“I will be… a knight!” Gritting his teeth, Archibald shouted his aspirations as he unleashed another fury of spells towards the fog.
A goblin slipped past his spells and sneaked beside him, its small dagger stabbing into his leg. A sharp jolt of pain shot through him, and he grunted, stumbling slightly. The creature's malicious grin twisted into a sneer as it tried to press the attack, but Archibald was quicker.
With a fierce growl, he reached down and grasped the goblin’s wrist, twisting it until the dagger fell to the ground. Using the momentum, he swung the creature around, hurling it into a nearby tree with a sickening thud. The sound of snapping bones accompanied its groan, and he turned his attention back to the oncoming wave of enemies.
But it was too late. That small moment of inattention was precious in his defense and now the demons were close to him, almost at arms reach. He felt the blood sipping through his uniform, the warmth mingling with the cold misty air, but he still stepped forward.
The first enemy arrived, a small dragonkin. With a twist of his body, Archibald grabbed the creature, yanking it closer as he unleashed a spell directly into its face. A blast of fiery energy erupted, engulfing the dragonkin in a searing inferno that left nothing but a charred husk in its wake.
He then stepped back, bracing himself for the next attack of two goblins that lunged at him from opposite sides. He raised his wand, spinning it slightly to conjure a gravity spell while crouching down. The two goblins were sucked in just above his head until they crashed into each other with brutal force.
Above him, an imp with long bat-like wings aimed his bow at him, ready to shoot.
“Come to me, barrier!” Archibald shouted just in time, creating a thin layer just above his head, shielding him from the volley of arrows.
Seizing the moment, Archibald flicked his wrist and cast a slicing wind spell. A razor-sharp gust tore through the air, severing the imp’s wings with a clean, decisive cut. The creature screeched in agony as it plummeted, flapping uselessly in a desperate attempt to regain control.
Without hesitation, Archibald advanced, meeting the imp mid-fall. He kicked it hard, sending it spiraling away like a ragdoll. The satisfaction of dispatching another foe was short-lived, as he felt a surge of energy drain from him, fatigue tugging at his limbs.
Suddenly, the oppressive fog around him thickened, swirling with the stench of smoke and blood. He could hear the guttural growls of more creatures lurking in the shadows, their eyes glinting like malevolent stars.
“More?” he muttered to himself, barely able to catch his breath. “Does this ever end?”
In response, a sudden gust of wind took him by surprise, making him stumble backward as a figure shot past him. It was so fast he couldn’t even catch the full movement, but the figure skidded to a stop right at the edge of the fog, its legs crashing down with such force that the ground beneath them trembled.
“Jason Borone, Knight of Sora, is here,” the figure announced, his voice booming with authority. With a swift motion, he readied his fist in a stance that signaled an impending strike.
He only punched the air. And yet, it shook the very place Archibald was standing on. Trees around them were split in two from the sheer force of the shockwave, and, in an instant, the fog dissipated, revealing a horde of enemies in shock, their eyes wide as they witnessed the devastation wrought by the ex-captain of the knights.
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Archibald’s heart raced as the scene unfolded before him. The oppressive gloom lifted, replaced by this shining star of hope that had just arrived.
“Now, that’s an entrance,” Archibald muttered, his shoulders slumping in fatigue as the adrenaline surged through him. He had fought valiantly but felt on the brink of collapse. That man was his ideal, an embodiment of strength and justice, and never in his life had he thought he could see the day when he would be saved by him.
The giant in the tuxedo slowly removed his glasses, the lenses glinting in the remnants of the fading fog, before he casually untied his tie. The gesture was almost dismissive as if he were preparing to engage in something far more serious than a mere battle.
All this time, against the men of the Empire, he had fought in this attire.
“The soldiers of the Emperor were taken care of,” Jason Borone said, his voice booming without a hint of fatigue. If nobody knew about it, no one would believe this man was retired, Archibald thought. “You fought well, Archibald. Now, let me handle the rest.” He smiled at the young noble, a sense of pride enveloping him upon seeing such a valiant soul fighting against insurmountable odds.
For the first time, the demons knew they were outmatched. What this man had done, casually destroying their means of teleportation with a single punch, wasn’t a small feat. And now, without their master’s power, they were alone and defenseless.
It only took a few seconds. In that mere span of time, Jason charged forward, a whirlwind of movement and power. He decimated each creature in front of him with his bare hands, fists connecting with bone and sinew, sending goblins and dragonkin sprawling in disarray. It was a sight to behold—his movements were fluid, almost dance-like, yet laced with lethal precision.
With each enemy that fell before him, Archibald could feel the tides of battle shifting. The once-confident horde now stumbled back, eyes wide with fear, realizing that they faced not just a man but a force of nature. And, like a true gentleman, Jason didn’t even spill a single drop of blood on his tuxedo.
“Is this all you’ve got?” Jason taunted, his voice echoing across the battlefield. He deftly sidestepped a lunge from a dragonkin, countering with a swift uppercut that sent the creature crashing into a nearby tree, splintering the trunk upon impact.
Archibald couldn’t help but smile despite his exhaustion. And here he thought for a moment that everything was over. But there was nothing to worry about, after all, he was here.
“Fighting someone bigger than you is not easy, hm?” Jason continued, a playful glint in his eye as he seized a goblin by its throat and crushed its skull with a sickening crunch. The creature went limp in his grasp, its lifeless body falling to the ground with a thud.
It was the last one of them. With that final act, the battle was over. The beautiful knight born in a foreign country had trampled over them like insects as if they were never an inconvenience to begin with.
“Is that everything?” Jason asked, swiping his hand with a napkin.
Archibald’s chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, fatigue gnawing at his limbs. “There is still their leader…” he managed, his voice strained. “But he disappeared as soon as he arrived.” He scanned the battlefield, the scattered bodies of fallen creatures surrounding them, but there was no sign of the enemy’s commander.
Jason’s expression didn’t change, his calm demeanor unshaken. “Figures,” he said, folding the napkin and tucking it away. “Aside from the Emperor who’s an idiot, I hardly think the one behind this demon appearance is.” His gaze swept across the clearing until he heard the sound of lightning crashing in the distance.
Archibadl’s heart skipped. That’s right, he had almost forgotten Kanami’s situation. “Kanami is fighting a very strong opponent,” Archibald strained his voice as hard as he could as he slumped to the ground to get some rest. “Also, their leader, Kiku, said that it was important to distract her.
But he didn’t answer. Instead, Jason's eyes darkened with realization as he looked down at the body sprawled across the battlefield. “Archibald, this is…” His voice trailed off, the sorrow in his gaze unmistakable.
Archibald forced himself to look away from his father's remains, his heart wrenching with a mix of grief and exhaustion. "Just go!" he shouted, desperation lacing his words. "Please, I can't help her myself. My father… he got what was coming to him. It's okay." His voice cracked at the end, but he gritted his teeth, forcing the tears to stay back.
Jason hesitated for a moment, his fists tightening at his sides. He knew that Archibald was trying to be strong, to hold himself together, but the pain in his voice betrayed the toll this battle had taken. There wasn’t time to console him now. Kanami needed him. With a solemn nod, Jason turned away, his expression hardening with determination.
“I’ll go,” he said, his voice steady as he broke into a sprint toward the sound of the distant thunder.
“Get some rest, soldier.”
As Jason vanished into the forest, Archibald sank to his knees, letting out a ragged breath. The world around him seemed to blur, the adrenaline finally fading, leaving him in the grip of his injuries and exhaustion. He closed his eyes, struggling to stay conscious, every breath a reminder of how fragile the line was between life and death. Yet, in his mind, the only thought went to the hope that Kanami would be safe.
He needed Jason to succeed—because if they failed, then all her suffering would be for nothing.
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A few minutes earlier, just after Kanami managed to lose Kenshin…
Kanami stumbled forward as she pressed a hand to her bleeding side. She sat beside a tree, her breath coming from ragged gasps. Her limbs ached, but she had managed to escape Kenshin’s onslaught… for now.
Of course, it wasn’t for long. As soon as she got some rest, the ground beneath her feet shook, and a flash of lightning split the sky. She sighed in exasperation before clicking her tongue in annoyance.
“Found ya!” Kenshin’s tone was joyful as if he was playing a game. He jumped from a nearby branch and landed right in front of her, spinning his spear around his body. “Why did you run away from me? I thought we were having fun?” he sneered, his eyes alight with a madness that barely seemed human.
Kanami gritted her teeth and forced herself to face him despite the pain. “There’s nothing fun about this,” she said with a sigh. Her dead eyes looked straight at him as she held her dagger firmly between her fingers.
Kenshin tilted his head, his smile widening upon staring at her. “Come now, Kanami. I know what makes you tick,” he said, slowly lowering himself into a stance. “You don’t care about this place and no one cares about you. We’re both pariahs that only seek blood.” His voice dripped with a twisted sort of familiarity, believing firmly they were kindred spirits.
Kanami’s expression didn’t change though she moved her feet slowly, matching his readiness.
Kenshin’s grin widened, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. “You’re not just any girl…” he continued, his voice growing more impassioned. “You’re a warrior—just like me! You understand what it means to live and die by the sword.” He took a step closer, his tone almost pleading. “You don’t need that guy,” he said, his words laced with a maddening sincerity. “Throw him away. Throw everything away and join me!
His offer hung in the air, a twisted temptation to abandon everything for the promise of something dark and primal. Yet, for all his enthusiasm, there was an emptiness in his gaze—a hollow hunger that could never be sated, no matter how much blood was spilled.
Kanami didn’t waver. She stared at him, a slow breath escaping her lips. Even though he was just a mad dog spewing nonsense, something he had said resonated within her.
How many times had she wished to discard everything and let go of this so-called morality? How many times did she try to fit in within society, with no success whatsoever? A dog, that’s what she was, just like him. To fight, to kill, to survive, this was her whole life.
“You will never find a family,” Kenshin pressed as if he finally grasped what Kanami held on to. “There is no place to call home for us. I tried myself.” There was a bitter edge to his tone, as though the memories of his own failed attempts were clawing at him.
Her chest tightened, and for a moment, she wavered. It was true, her master told her so many times.
There is no hope in Tamia
Even if Luka had held his hand towards her, even if for the first time in her life someone had reached her fully…
The problem was still here. To her, one person wasn’t family. She was glad, and herself felt she was ungrateful, but it was still not enough. Luka was a friend, her first friend yes, but nothing more. The warmth of a single person could not replace the longing for something greater, for a place where she felt truly at home. She was grateful, but she was still hollow, and perhaps that made her ungrateful.
Kenshin’s voice cut through her thoughts. “See? You know I’m right,” he taunted, his smile widening as if savoring the cracks in her resolve. “No matter what you do, you’ll always be alone. People like us... we’re only good for one thing.”*
Her jaw tightened. She hated how his words felt like a truth she had fought so hard to deny. She hated that he seemed to see right through her. But more than anything…
She hated that she even wavered for a moment.
After all, he never wavered even once. He went above and beyond and became a hero here. He was from the same family as her and while she felt jealous at times…
She still admired Wrimbo.
That’s what she wants. Being a beacon of hope like he was, becoming something that the people of this world can look up to, and becoming something that can break this curse.
“I want to be like him,” she thought fiercely, her grip tightening around her dagger. To have someone to love, to have a place to call home, to be this brilliant instead of her gloomy self.
Still, she knew it was just an idealized version of him. The truth of this ‘hero’ was far darker and his path seemed filled with despair and hatred.
“Now, Kanami. Embrace that side of yourself,” the spearman smiled, extending his hand towards her.
Perhaps this was it. Something in her mind was telling her she didn’t try hard enough like her life was just passing by as she hoped for a change.
But nothing will change, not even in a million years once she is gone. Fate had decided that she would be a monster, fate had decided that she would be ostracized. She couldn’t be Wrimbo, not even in her wildest dreams. Still, hearing his laughter and someone telling him what she thought herself ignited in her an ember of defiance.
A contradiction, mixed feelings that she couldn’t ignore either.
She wanted to give up, but she still had some fight left in her. Perhaps it was futile, perhaps she would surrender soon after, but right now…
She had a friend waiting for her.
“Shut up,” she sliced the air, but Kenshin retracted his hand just in time before getting cut. “You and I cannot be more different,” she smirked, her glare becoming even fiercer.
“You’re a monster who discarded your human heart. You couldn’t fit in because you chose to, not the other way around,” She gripped the handle of her dagger tighter, the edge biting into her palm as her nails drew blood. “I was cursed from birth. I never had a choice to begin with. As far as I know, you just fucked up your life yourself,” she sneered, a wicked smile spreading across her face.
“You bitch…” Kenshin growled, lowering himself into a combat stance, his grip tightening on his spear. “Then why do you even give a shit about this world, huh? Why do you even care about this weakling?”
“Because he likes me. Do I need another reason?” she replied, feigning confusion as her gaze flicked to him.
With a swift lunge, she aimed for him again, but Kenshin expertly deflected her dagger by lifting his spear, the clash sending vibrations up her arm.
“Then fucking die!” Kenshin screamed in rage as he thrust his spear toward her torso. Kanami twisted her body right in time to avoid the tip and then pressed onwards with a single step, her foot slamming the wet soil.
Her arm dove towards Kenshin’s neck. The warrior went wide-eyed upon seeing her calm demeanor and her precise movements. It was as if he could see his own death in the reflection of her eyes.
Just in the nick of time, he opened his mouth, his sharp teeth glinting as they clamped down on the blade of Kanami’s dagger. The impact was explosive, shattering the weapon in an instant, fragments scattering like shards of glass.
Kanami staggered back, shock coursing through her. “What the—” Before she could recover, Kenshin lunged forward, his crazed laughter echoing in her ears. “Did you really think you could take me down so easily?” he taunted, the madness in his eyes intensifying.
In a flash, lightning struck the warrior’s spear, the tip crackling with raw energy. Kenshin tackled her with his shoulder, forcing her to stumble backward. As he rotated, he swung his spear in a lethal arc.
Drawing on every ounce of her strength, Kanami ducked and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the spear’s deadly thrust. But as soon as the tip slammed into the ground, an explosion erupted, shockwaves reverberating through her body. The force knocked her off balance, sending her sprawling onto the damp earth.
As soon as she regained her footing, she saw him lunge forward again relentlessly, his spear poised to pierce her. With a swift movement, she drew a small knife hidden in her tights and expertly used it to deflect the spear’s point, redirecting its deadly momentum away from her body. The blade clashed against metal, a sharp ring echoing in the charged air.
The tip of her blade slid along the spear’s length until reaching Kenshin’s body, and with a twist of her arm, she redirected its trajectory toward his neck.
But just as the blade was about to connect, a surge of energy enveloped the spear. Lightning crackled, illuminating the space around them as Kenshin activated the energy at the spear tip. A shockwave erupted, sending searing pain coursing through Kanami’s side and causing her to jolt back, gasping.
The burn left a dark mark on her skin, and she stumbled backward, breath hitching in her throat. However, she didn’t have the luxury of time to recover. Kenshin was relentless, swinging his spear in a wide arc, lightning crackling with each rotation, illuminating his frenzied expression.
“Fucking die already!” he shouted, his voice filled with rage and desperation. “Tenrai Yari!”
With that, he thrust the spear forward, the energy coiling around its length, transforming it into a lethal projectile aimed directly at her.
Gritting her teeth, she channeled the wind of Araël around her dagger and swung at the projectile. Destruction imbued, it nullified all magic. The red lightning imbuing her dagger clashed with the lightning of Kenshin’s attack.
That simple movement cut the projectile in two, pursuing its course behind Kanami in deadly explosions.
Kanami seized the opportunity of her opponent’s mistake. Charging forward, with her heart pounding, she focused entirely on him. With a single grunt, she swung her dagger at full force in a wide arc, obliging Kenshin from blocking it with the handle of his spear.
The man grunted under the impact, his feet sliding backward against the soil.
Kanami didn’t give up as she slashed once more, this time with even more strength as her legs gave her more momentum.
Kenshin blocked once more. Then once more and once more, a furry of relentless slashes yet slow and deliberate, leaving no opening for him to even move.
Metal clashed against wood in the forest, each step she took shook the ground slightly more as she pushed forward.
“Huryaa!” she screamed, channeling everything into one final attack. Her whole body crackled with red lightning, her blade glowing ominously as she swung with all her might. The force of her strike made Kenshin falter, his madness momentarily replaced by shock.
In the competition of raw strength, even without the aid of magic, she triumphed. With a powerful blow, she sent his left arm reeling to the side, the force of her attack crumbling his defense and leaving him wide open for her next strike.
“Shi—” Kenshin cursed as he realized there was no way for him to block the next slash.
Kanami charged forward, her dagger poised to pierce his throat. The blade sliced through the air, and blood gushed from the wound, splattering against her skin.
But just as she thought victory was within her grasp, an unexpected force struck her in the gut.
Her eyes widened in shock as she registered what had happened. Kenshin had sacrificed his right arm to shield his throat, the dagger embedding deep as he used the momentary distraction to launch a punch with his other fist.
The blow knocked the wind out of her, sending her staggering backward, the world around her spinning. Pain radiated through her abdomen, mixing with the adrenaline of the fight, leaving her breathless and momentarily disoriented.
Kenshin grinned through the blood that dripped from his wounds, a manic light in his eyes. “Shit… I almost died,” he chuckled, grabbing the handle of the dagger embedded in his arm. Without a care in the world, he pulled it out and shattered the blade with his bare hands. “Guess I underestimated you.”
He tossed the metal shards aside, the jagged pieces of her last blad clattering to the ground. “But I’m tired of playing with a broken bitch like you.” His stance shifted as he licked the blood from his arm.
Kanami staggered backward, still feeling nauseous from the blow he gave her. Any normal human would have died from it, but luckily she wasn’t.
Still, now she was defenseless and her limbs had given up. She had used everything in that last attack and the fight had been going on for far too long.
If only she hadn’t been taken by surprise then perhaps…
“In the end, you were a disappointment,” Kenshin spat, his spear poised in the air to deliver the final blow.
“Svelto, five” A deep voice interrupted the both of them, making Kenshin turn around in surprise.
“What the—” Before he could finish his thought, a figure shot through the air, delivering a powerful punch that connected squarely with Kenshin’s spear. The impact lifted him off the ground, and he flew back several meters, landing hard on the ground with a grunt.
Kanami blinked, her vision clearing as she took in the newcomer with a smile. “Mister… Borone!” she gasped, clutching her sides in pain.
The ex-captain of the knights smiled back, sighing in relief. “Glad you are okay, Kanami. Good work on holding him off this long.”
“Huh?” Kanami blinked again. She couldn’t believe it. Was she just now… being praised?
“Now, you little runt,” Jason continued, looking back at Kenshin who slowly stood back up with a growl, his sharp teeth grinding ferociously.
“How the fuck are you here?” Kenshin shouted in disbelief. “Where is the Emperor? Isn’t your city burning?”
“It has been already taken care of,” Jason replied, swiping his hands clean.
Kanami looked at him expectantly, until she realized something. His muscles were tense, almost shaking.
Now I see… Her heart sank and warmed up at the same time.
Jason wasn’t a stranger to this curse. Being a good friend of Satô Ryuuji, he had witnessed Wrimbo’s growth his whole life. Yet, he wasn’t immune to the curse at all. While he had become used to being around Wrimbo, the same couldn’t be said of Kanami.
Still, through sheer force of will, he could fend off the effects for a while.
“So?” Kenshin smirked, poising himself with his spear. “You’re just a retired knight! You guys are worthless and weak! Even if you took care of these idiots, you’re still just trash, ready to be taken out!”
With that, Kenshin dashed forward, the tip of his spear crackling with lightning, aiming straight for Jason’s chest.
“Watch out!” Kanami shouted, her voice strained as she pushed herself away.
She saw how that attack had wiped out a good part of the forest back in Ryuuji. Without the power of the dragon of destruction, she would be dead by now.
But Jason was unfazed; he merely regarded the man rushing toward him with an expectant gaze. Just as the spear was about to make contact, he sidestepped, using the momentum to grab the spear’s handle and lower it.
“Let me teach you a lesson only an old man like me can give you,” he said, his voice steady despite the strain of his bulging muscles. Time slowed for a moment, before Jason connected a punch straight to Kenshin’s torso, making him gasp in shock as the blow reverberated through the forest.
The warrior was sent flying once more until he crashed violently against a tree. As soon as he regained consciousness, he found Jason towering over him, a look of unwavering determination on his face.
“You said we were worthless?” Jason challenged, his voice low and steady.
“That’s right!” Kenshin barked back, slowly pushing himself to his feet, brandishing his spear toward him. “You don’t know war! You’ve been isolated for hundreds of years! The people of Sora have grown weak, and that’s why we will murder all of you!”
The mixed blood chuckled, his eyes fiercely defying the man in front of him. “There is nothing you guys can do… Once I’ve taken care of you, I’ll murder every last one of your people!” With that, he abruptly thrust his spear towards Jason’s face.
The speed was frightening and the distance at which they were from each other made it that even Kanami couldn’t see it coming. Yet, as soon as it felt like it connected, Kenshin’s eyes widened.
Jason had grabbed the tip of the spear casually with one hand, slowly moving it away from his face. “I think you might get a bit ahead of yourself, young man,” he replied in a cold, low voice. “This country is our home. We have faced worse than you people.”
Jason’s grip tightened on the spear, slowly bending it. “You’ve caused chaos today. Caused the death of many people. For what, exactly?” he asked, his voice carrying a calm but deadly seriousness.
Kenshin’s eyes shook as he tried to pull back his spear, but Jason’s grip on it was too tight. “B-Because—”
“I’ve heard from someone that you love fighting, that you think of yourself as the strongest…” Jason's voice remained steady as he applied more pressure, the spear creaking under his strength. The tip snapped, shattering into pieces that fell to the grass.
“You’re lucky to have come here, right now,” Jason continued, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the warrior. “If Wrimbo had still been alive, none of this would’ve happened.”
He cursed under his breath. How foolish was he? Thinking that once the king of mages was dealt with, life would return to its normal state like a slow-flowing river.
“How foolish,” Jason remarked, shaking his head. “Punks like you…”
He readied his fists, ignoring Kenshin’s sudden whimper and cackling teeth.
“We the knights of Sora, were dealing with it on a daily basis.”
A boom echoed in the forest. A punch so deadly that it left nothing in its wake. His armor shattered, his body broken beyond repair as he lay there, dead.
This… was the true power of a knight.