The clash resumed in the second circle of houses, where Salix was thrown forcefully against the imposing statue of the demigods. The son of Tefine slammed violently against the monument. The metallic sound of the impact rang through the air and, for an instant, it seemed as if the entire structure was shaking. Salix fell to the ground, stunned by the blow, while the dust kicked up by the collision danced around him.

Meanwhile, 'Shirei' emerged from the Interworld and headed towards him. It was then that his eyes dilated and his breathing became labored. A look of recognition crossed his irises as Cragar's son jumped at the sight of the statue, as if a memory had awakened in his soul. His attention was completely absorbed by the monument, leaving his guard down and his mind vulnerable.

Taking advantage of his opponent's moment of weakness, Salix stood up and lunged forward, taking advantage of 'Shirei''s distraction. His chain traveled quickly and the blade sliced through the air, aiming for Cragar's son with lethality.

"Are you having a heart attack by any chance?" Said the boy.

Before the silver blade could penetrate his body, the demigod dissolved into the shadows, disappearing into thin air only to reappear instantly behind Salix. The son of Tefine managed to react to the imminent blow, instinctively pushing the chain outwards and protecting his side with his arm. He was sure he could parry the attack, but realized too late that it had been a feint.

'Shirei' aimed at the opposite side, totally defenseless, and struck forcefully under Salix's armpit, a punch that made him wince in pain. The demigod was thrown against the wall of another house, the sound of shattering stone and wood filling the air.

With a glance, 'Shirei' examined his hand, where a gauntlet made of pure darkness was wrapped around his forearm. The dark armor swirled until it vanished as if it had never been there, and the son of Cragar returned his focus to the fight. The demigods who lived in the surrounding houses began to gather around him. Some were armed, but kept their distance. The tension was palpable in the air and they observed the scene, probably determined to understand the situation before intervening.

"Don't get in the way!" The son of sleep shouted from afar.

Salix emerged from the house into which he had been thrown and, with an imperious wave of his hand, put most of the surrounding demigods to sleep. The bodies of some fell heavily to the ground, while those who had been affected by the spell began to writhe in restless sleep, tormented by the nightmares that had just enveloped them.

'Shirei' watched as some demigods hurriedly fled from the building he had hurled his opponent into, a pink-toned house adorned with a myriad of sparkling diamonds on the walls. The glittering and well-kept atmosphere of the residence confirmed his hypotheses and the demigods who emerged from it seem to embody the image perfectly. The children of the goddess of beauty, all with a flawless and radiant appearance.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

However, his attention was once again captured by the movement of Salix, who advanced towards him with a measured pace. The son of Tefine's silver eyes shone with a fierce light, marked by an intensity that reflected his inner fury. His weapon floated ominously around his arm, the sharp blade at the end of the chain like a predator ready to spring towards its prey.

'Shirei' remembered the words of Salix, who had often boasted in the past about the origin of his weapon. Created personally by Corgi, the master smith of the gods, and then obtained through a skillful exchange that had demonstrated the cunning and ingenuity of the son of Tefine.

'Skills that not even a son of Lodal, the god of the market, could have surpassed' in his words.

Cragar's son closed his eyes, determined not to waste any more time with Salix. If he wanted to complete the first step of his revenge, he couldn't stop there. 'Shirei' prepared to get rid of the demigod once and for all and took a step towards him.

As soon as the tip of his foot touched the ground, a blanket of shadow quickly spread, enveloping the entire square in gloomy darkness. It was a sign that 'Shirei' signature technique had activated, a dark power emanating in the most natural way possible.

The purple-eyed boy calmly walked forward. As he moved, the ground beneath his feet began to boil and shake, a sign that something powerful was waiting, ready to respond to his command.

"You're serious," commented the son of Tefine.

"Stop talking."

Salix grimaced, then nodded, "As you wish."

The two demigods studied each other for a brief moment, before launching an attack against the enemy.

'Shirei' sped up with his hands open, not caring that he was disarmed.

From the heart of darkness at his feet emerged two ghostly figures, harpies with a sinister and disturbing shape. Their black wings spread menacingly, while their fiery eyes glowed with a malevolent light. With a flap of their wings, the creatures cawed and closed in on 'Shirei', coming to his hands to mutate into two shadow daggers, sharp as the sharpest of knives.

The dark blades vibrated in the air ready to be used as instruments of destruction in the hands of Cragar's son. With a cold expression, 'Shirei' grabbed the shadow daggers and began targeting his enemy. Salix concentrated entirely on protecting himself from the attacks he couldn't dodge, but forgot that he had to attack himself. The son of Cragar grabbed the enemy demigod's chain and pulled him towards him, then struck him with a furious kick to the abdomen.

'Shirei''s superhuman strength prevailed once again, and Salix was forcibly thrown backwards, his body propelled by the momentum of his opponent's attack.

'Shirei' prepared to advance towards his enemy and defeat him, but suddenly, she who should not have arrived so soon appeared. The goddess of love raised her hand towards the demigod.

Cragar's son doubled over as he mentally ordered Venorias to turn back. The shadow daggers vanished from his hands and the boy did his best to remain standing. An immaterial hand seemed to grip his heart from within in a relentless grip, causing a searing pain to spread through his chest. He couldn't breathe anymore.

At the same time, Aena's anger shone through her eyes, a divine fury that burned with intensity as she watched the conflict that had just unfolded before her. Her imposing presence and her power were the exact problem that Salix would have liked to avoid but, now, the choice remained one.

"You, forbidden demigods, always causing… trouble."