The sun hung lazily over the horizon, its warm glow casting a serene light over the now-stable island. Kei and Mia lay sprawled on the crystalline sands, their bodies aching from the ordeal. The occasional ocean breeze offered brief moments of solace as they caught their breath.
Kei lazily spun the Wave Flowing Dagger by its string, the faint hum soothing in the otherwise silent aftermath. “So,” he began, staring at the sky, “do you think we get a day off now?”
Mia, propped up against her twin-bladed scythe, managed a faint chuckle. “Doubt it. Knowing the System, something worse is probably already on the way.”
Kei groaned, closing his eyes. “Great. Can’t wait.”
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ARRIVAL OF THE HIDDEN FAMILY
Their brief reprieve was interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps crunching on the sand. Both of them sat up, their relaxed expressions shifting to mild irritation as a group of strangers emerged from the treeline.
The newcomers were clad in ornate robes embroidered with symbols of dragons and clouds, their posture radiating arrogance. At the forefront was a tall man with sharp features and piercing eyes that seemed to judge everything he surveyed.
“So,” the man drawled, his tone dripping with condescension. “You two are the ones responsible for clearing the corrupted Zone?”
Kei tilted his head, his expression blank. “And you are...?”
The man scoffed, his lips curling into a smirk. “We are of the Yun Clan, one of the most esteemed families in existence. You should bow in gratitude for our arrival.”
Kei blinked, unimpressed. “Uh-huh. Cool story, bro.”
Mia sighed, rubbing her temple. “What do you want?”
The man’s smirk faded slightly. “What happened here? The corruption was supposed to spread unchecked. And yet, we find two nobodies lounging on the sand like nothing happened.”
Kei exchanged a glance with Mia, their expressions equally unbothered.
“‘Nobodies,’ huh?” Kei muttered, standing up and dusting off his pants. He pointed to the now-stable Zone in the distance. “That’s what happened. We cleared it. You’re welcome.”
The group behind the man bristled at Kei’s casual tone. One of them, a younger man with fiery eyes, stepped forward. “Watch your tone, boy. Do you even know who you’re speaking to?”
Kei yawned, stretching his arms. “Not a clue. Don’t care either.”
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The younger man’s face twisted with rage. “You dare disrespect the Yun Clan?! I’ll teach you some manners!”
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THE "BOUNCY HOUSE" INCIDENT
As the younger man charged forward, Mia sighed, leaning back against her scythe. “This is going to be annoying.”
Kei, on the other hand, smirked. He activated Resonant Shield, deploying a large, vibrating barrier in front of him. The attacker didn’t even pause, leaping at Kei with a glowing sword raised high.
The moment he struck the shield, the vibrations reacted. Instead of deflecting the blow, the shield’s unique properties absorbed and redirected the energy, launching the man skyward. He somersaulted through the air, crashing down onto another shield Kei had deployed at an angle.
The chain reaction began.
The attacker bounced from shield to shield, each impact launching him higher or in a random direction. His shouts of anger quickly turned to panicked screams as he flailed helplessly in midair.
Kei crossed his arms, his smirk widening. “Welcome to the Bouncy House!”
The rest of the Yun Clan watched in stunned silence as their comrade ricocheted across the battlefield like a ragdoll. A few more members stepped forward, their pride clearly wounded.
“This is an insult to our honor!” one of them shouted, drawing a weapon.
Kei sighed dramatically, deploying another series of Resonant Shields. “You want in, too? There’s plenty of room.”
The second attacker barely managed two steps before being launched skyward, his cries of indignation joining his comrade’s.
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BEGGING FOR MERCY
Within minutes, half the Zhao Clan members were caught in Kei’s makeshift “Bouncy House,” their previously arrogant demeanors replaced by pleas for mercy.
“Stop this madness!” one of them cried, clutching at the edge of a shield only to be launched back into the air.
“We yield! We yield!” another shouted, their voice cracking as they bounced helplessly.
Mia, watching from the sidelines, couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
Kei shrugged, his grin widening. “Hey, they started it. I’m just making sure they... see things from a different perspective.”
The clan leader, who had remained silent until now, finally stepped forward. His piercing gaze locked onto Kei, his expression thunderous. “Enough of this farce! Release them!”
Kei raised an eyebrow. “What, no ‘please’?”
The man’s fists clenched, his aura flaring with power. “I said—”
Mia cut him off, her scythe glinting faintly as she stood. “Kei. Let them go. We don’t have time for this.”
Kei sighed, snapping his fingers. The shields dissolved instantly, and the Yun Clan members fell unceremoniously to the ground, groaning in pain.
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A LESSON IN HUMILITY
The clan leader glared at Kei and Mia, his pride clearly bruised. “You’ll regret this.”
Kei smirked, leaning casually against a tree. “Will I, though?”
Mia stepped forward, her gaze sharp. “If you’re here to investigate the Zone, do it and leave. We don’t have time to entertain your arrogance.”
The leader’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned to his fallen comrades, barking orders for them to regroup.
As the Zhao Clan retreated into the Zone, Kei turned to Mia, his grin fading slightly. “Think they’ll be back?”
Mia sighed, adjusting her Balance Talisman. “Probably. But if they are, they’ll think twice before underestimating us again.”
Kei laughed, tossing his dagger into the air and catching it effortlessly. “Well, if they do, I’ve got plenty more shields waiting for them.”
And with that, the two returned to the beach, their brief moment of peace disrupted but not destroyed.