Without warning, everyone except Hatagi, who managed to leap back onto a tree branch in time, were engulfed by the colossal wave.

Aleximus desperately clung to Anna, refusing to let go. But his grip came loose as another bout of pain caused him to keel over. His bleeding foot had cost him his sister’s hand, and Anna was swept away instantly by the ferocious current.

"ANNA!!"

A droplet of water flew upward and sank into Hatagi’s robe. Within seconds, it burned through the fabric like acid, imprinting a gaping hole on his thigh. Shit! He winced, hastily retreating higher into the tree. He undid his collar and threw his outerwear to the floor, narrowly avoiding death. That idiot! He jumped in headfirst! What the hell is this?!

He peered down, searching desperately for Dopi's figure. As he expected, Dopi, who had lunged toward the siblings, met a fate worse than death. Upon contact with the water, his skin had melted, peeling from his bones so quickly that it dissolved into grotesque goo. His liquidated remains soon blended in with the swirling dark tide.

“Fuck!” Hatagi growled. “What am I supposed to do here?! This isn’t how it was supposed to go!”

His eyes traveled to the statue, remembering the origin of the implosion. It happened then. But why?

That’s when he saw it. Floating out from behind the cave the waterfall and statue cleverly hid, the unconscious body of a young boy shone brightly. Jacender. This time, he emerged floating above the statue’s empty right hand; As if he was being gifted back to the world. Not only that, but Jace looked different. His messy black hair had been transformed into pure, snowy white. His injuries, including the lost organs, had been healed -- made evident by the gaps in his torn clothing. He was, miraculously, as good as new.

The floodwaters below began to recede, dissipating bit by bit as they were absorbed into the grass.

“No way…” Hatagi faltered, dropping down from the tree and landing on his feet.

“Khak!... Khak!” a voice coughed. Distanced a fair bit away from the statue, Aleximus was hacking, dispelling the water in his lungs. Oi, oi, oi! Hatagi thought to himself, dumbfounded. How’s he still alive?! Dopi got turned into fucking mush, but he gets off with a little cough? And where’d the other one come from? I gutted him myself. Not to mention the fact that he got slammed into the waterfall back there. They shouldn’t be alive! Who are these kids?

"Jace!" Aleximus called, noticing his brother. A wave of relief washed over him; His brother wasn’t dead. He could see Anna off near the trees a few steps away. She was knocked unconscious by the wave, but her chest heaved up and down, letting him know that she was alive. Thank god…

Jace’s body started to descend, and next to him, a thick blue and white book levitated by his side. “A Codex!” Hatagi gasped excitedly. “No way! You kids were holding out on me!” He laughed angrily, slowly approaching them.

“If I get that… It makes everything that happened here worth it.”

Aleximus’s mind raced with apprehension. “S- Stay away from him!” In a flash, Hatagi disappeared from his sight and appeared behind him, striking him with a kick. Aleximus went flying several paces back. “You really should worry about yourself, dumbass!”

Hatagi grinned, walked over to Anna, and raised her by the scuff of her neck. He unsheathed his dagger and slashed the blade along her arm, jolting her awake.

“AIEEE!” she shrieked, watching as the blood left her.

Aleximus jumped up, trying his hardest to stand, but his severed foot wouldn’t allow it. “LET HER GO!” He bellowed furiously.

Hatagi tightened his grip around Anna’s neck. “I won’t.”

“LET HER GO YOU PIECE OF SHIT! LET HER GO, OR I’LL–”

“--YOU’LL WHAT?!” Hatagi shot back, growing irritated. “DON’T YOU THINK YOU CAN FUCKING YELL AT ME, BRAT! WHO DO YOU THINK I AM?! DO YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST TAKE ME LIGHTLY?! HUH?!”

As a show of seriousness, he raised the blade again and ran it along Anna’s cheek, glaring as she howled in pain.

“You don’t seem to understand,” he started, dragging her closer to Aleximus.

Despite the pain searing through his severed foot, Aleximus tried to propel himself forward but crashed onto the ground again, just short of reaching Hatagi.

"STOP IT! PLEASE!!"

“You’re weak!” Hatagi continued, ignoring him. “I’ll kill her, and there’s nothing you can do about that. Then him. I’ll even make a fucking mask out of his face and wear it before I kill you! Make no mistake that you’ll all die tonight! You’ll fucking pay! Do you hear me?! You’ll pay!”

He heightened the knife and placed the tip next to her eyeball. “You know what your problem is?!”

"I SAID STOP, YOU IDIOT!!" Aleximus wailed. Tears of rage and self-loathing streamed down his face. He dug his nails into the ground, sobbing as he tried to crawl closer.

“Your problem is that you don’t have enough hate, kid!” Hatagi laughed, kicking him back. He wouldn’t give him the chance to get close. Not this time. “You don’t know what it's like to hate yourself when you can’t do anything! No, you don’t have the drive or will to change your shitty circumstances! You fucking suck! You need to be motivated! Not just have motivation! That's why your brother over there interested me way more than you ever could.”

DAMN IT, MOVE! Aleximus cried, ordering his body to act. MOVE, DAMN IT! I SAID MOVE!

Hatagi persisted in his sadistic assault. “But you know what? This was always the way it was gonna end! With all of you dead!”

Aleximus's blood ran cold. Was there really nothing he could do? Were his siblings just going to die? Because of him?

Then, Hatagi crouched and lowered Anna in front of him. “You kids just don’t know how to respect your elders. But it's not your fault! You weren’t raised right. That means it falls onto me to teach you a lesson in humility.”

A dangerous glow came off of Hatagi’s body. “You kids don’t know what Sanctum Energy is, do you? Well, listen up, ‘cause it's your lucky day!

Blinded by wrath, Aleximus tried to lunge at him, but with Anna in the way, his punch stopped just short. "Calm down," Hatagi warned. "I'm gonna show you firsthand how it works!"

He released her, allowing the ominous pressure emanating from his body to concentrate on his hand. "See, in the outside world, there’s different people who fall into different power classifications based on their baseline ability. Me and Dopi over there are what's known as Extractors." he coldly explained, hovering his hand above Anna's leg. "I'm an extra rare fighter able to siphon and redistribute Sanctum Essence at will. But that's not all…"

Aleximus watched in fear as Hatagi placed his hand down on Anna's leg. "If I use it in conjunction with my innate power," Hatagi continued, relishing in the torment he was about to inflict. Anna's anguished shriek pierced the air as her leg became branded with a marking: An aconite flower. "...Then I can even break down the human body!”

Anna’s leg decomposed within seconds, transforming eerily into a swirling haze of ash.

Wanna know what I call it? RotVenom! Ain't that cool?!" Hatagi cackled. “NO!” Aleximus shrieked. He was at a loss. What could he do? “STOP! PLEASE!”

But with Hatagi positioned behind Anna's body, he had ensured Aleximus's helplessness as he watched his fading sister. While the RotVenom relentlessly devoured Anna, inching closer to her waist, Hatagi cackled happily, whispering to Aleximus. “Come on… Where’s that hate?!”

"JACE!" the boy shouted through tear-filled eyes. "GET UP! YOU'VE GOTTA GET UP, YOU IDIOT! SHE’S DYING!"

But Jace's motionless body offered no response. “JACE!”

Hatagi's smile widened, oozing with confidence. As Anna sobbed, Aleximus slowly began to lower his arms. I can’t… I can’t save you!

He bit down hard on his lip, cracking the surface and letting a trail of blood run down his chin. Wracked with overwhelming grief and vulnerability, there was only one emotion Aleximus could turn to. Fury.

“Oho!” Hatagi piped ecstatically. “That’s the look, kid! Come on! Why didn’t you wear it earlier?! HAHAHA!”

With snot in his nose, Aleximus softly whispered a silent prayer. “Somebody... Anybody… Please... Save my sister…”

Hatagi opened his arms wide, basking underneath the moonlight. "No one is coming to save you. Now watch her die!"

KRAAACK!

The sound of thunder boomed through the air, sending a shockwave throughout the field. “What the–'' Hatagi jumped, readying his dagger. But it was too late; A bolt of lightning crackled through the sky, descending upon Hatagi's crouched figure with astonishing speed. The ground quivered beneath their feet as a gust of wind swept Aleximus, Anna, and Jace backward, while Hatagi was sent airborne. Accompanying him was another mysterious figure.

Aleximus's eyes widened, watching as a red sickle shot through the sky, separating Hatagi from the newcomer. The sickle was attached to a sleek silver chain affixed to a large shuriken. Faster than he could react, Hatagi’s arm was caught by the chain, and swiftly, his opponent spun the end that held the sickle, releasing it at an unrecognizable speed. It would have taken Hatagi’s head off had he not dodged in time. Instead, he sacrificed his arm by swinging it up and bearing the sickle’s speed instead, freeing him from the chains. Hatagi crashed to the ground heavily. A moment later, a small rain of blood came down upon his head, ending as soon as his slashed arm fell to his feet.

Shit! He growled, lamenting at the loss of his arm. “That,” A stern voice announced from above. “Was for my nephew.” The man came down slowly, lightning crackling around his body and throughout the air. It was fearsome -- Oppressive.

Aleximus recognized the voice immediately. His eyes followed him as he arrived with his back in front of him. His clothing was different, and he was masked, but he knew who it was. In disbelief, Aleximus opened his mouth, stammering with an outstretched hand. He gripped the man’s robe tightly the moment his foot had touched the ground. "Whoa there!" he chuckled. “Everything is going to be alright now, okay?”

With those words, hope was instilled into the boy. He was not dreaming. The person before him was real.

“Who the hell are you?!” Hatagi raged.

The man pulled down his half mask, appearing serious as he surveyed the scene. Since his talk with Aleximus earlier that day, he had donned a peculiar outfit. A dark purple kimono which could have been mistaken for black, embroidered with red spider lilies. On his right arm, underneath his large sleeve, a purple gauntlet was mounted on his arm, hiding its sneakily hidden golden blade. What's more, he had undone the bun on his hair, letting it flow freely.

And sure as the tears streaming down his face and his heartbeat thumping in his chest were real, Aleximus knew that what he was seeing was not an illusion. It was the genuine article.

"U-Uncle Matsuda..!"

-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------

A FEW MILES AWAY FROM THE AXIS, THE OUTSIDE WORLD

A man in white robes ran through the night. He wore a smile as he approached the Axis. “There’s an enormous amount of Sanctum Energy coming from there…”

He stopped, feeling closely for the tremors emanating from the distance. Matsuda’s power could be felt from afar, shaking the land.

“Interesting.”

WHOOSH!

And just like that, he was off again, focused only on getting to the Axis. I better not miss out on the fun!

-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------

THE FORBIDDEN AREA, THE AXIS

Where'd this shithead come from?! And why the hell is he so strong?! Hatagi asked himself. Damn it, I was so close... So fucking close!

"Here," Matsuda motioned, ruffling Aleximus’s hair. “I picked this up over there.” In his hand, he clutched Aleximus's severed foot. He placed it exactly onto the spot it had been cut from. From his sleeve, he took out a white talisman painted in ink. It was marked “復元”. "This might sting a bit. Brace yourself."

He put the talisman over the slashed section, allowing a radiant light to envelop Aleximus’s injuries. His uncle was right, it did sting; Like tiny bolts of lightning were sewing his flesh back together. He gritted his teeth, keeping his eyes focused on Anna.

Matsuda stood and smiled. "You did amazing buddy. I'm proud of you for taking care of your sister, alright? I could not be any prouder.”

A wave of happiness washed over Aleximus. It was a validation that his efforts had not been in vain, and his anguish had served a purpose. His trembling hands steadied, and his resolve grew stronger as he entrusted Matsuda with the next steps.

"U-Uncle Matsuda, Anna--"

"I know," Matsuda answered. He gave a quick look at her. The RotVenom was already eating up at her chest. "Powers like that can only be reversed by the person who affected them."

Aleximus's gaze shifted to Hatagi, his contempt fueling the inferno of wrath within him. He couldn't bear the thought of Hatagi escaping justice.

"Yes, him," Matsuda affirmed, a similar anger feeding on his eyes. A purple aura similar to Hatagi's burst out, cracking in the air like thunder. “Let me handle him.”

With a swift motion, Matsuda threw up several hand signs, clasping his hands together and locking his fingers. His middle fingers were raised and pressed together, channeling lightning through his hands. “Levin!” he roared, shooting a dark blast of electric energy from his fingertips.

ZA~KT!

Hatagi ducked, evading the blow, and dove for his weapon. A Mudra! He marveled, stepping back. And a powerful one… Really, who is this guy? And how does he know that?!

Giving Hatagi no time to think, Matsuda reached for the sickle and chain and spun it again. This time spinning it in a circular motion. With his other hand, he threw down a flurry of quick signs, seamlessly switching his grip on the weapon and charging it.

VZZZACK!

That chain..! Hatagi noticed, throwing his body to the side. He was only narrowly evading the blade. “I know you!” He sneered, fleeing into the air for safety.

Matsuda followed him with a deadpan expression, rushing through the air like a lightning bolt. Faster than Aleximus's eyes could register, Matsuda sank several blows into Hatagi’s body, chopping and punching him with frightening accuracy.

Afraid, Hatagi swiped with his dagger haphazardly, trying to keep Matsuda at bay. Shit, I can’t keep this up! I don’t know if he’s going to attack with the sickle, the chain, a Mudra, his hands, or all fucking four of them… I need distance. I need to buy time!

Matsuda recognized the growing fear filling Hatagi’s eyes. He’s up to something.

Hatagi took advantage of the distance between them and retreated to the ground. “You know, I shouldn’t have listened to little Anna there when she said there were only three of you. Tsk. Look where it’s gotten me. I should’ve listened to my gut.”

“You won’t be listening to anything soon.” Matsuda threatened, tightening his grip on his chain. “You’ll die here -- Without a grave.”

"If anyone else would have said that to me, I might not have believed ‘em," Hatagi muttered. "But you’re different, right? I used to hear stories about you back in Dorobo district. “Illawood’s Reaper” they called you.”

Matsuda’s brow creased. “Shut your mouth.”

“U-Uncle,” Aleximus stammered. “What is he talking about?”

“Uncle?! Ha!” Hatagi spat. “Is that what you’re calling yourself these days? Listen, kid, your uncle is a stone-cold killer. Isn’t that right? An assassin with lightning Sanctum abilities. They say your kimono is littered with red spider lilies -- Each one representing one hundred kills. You even use talismans and know Mudras! That’s secret stuff even amongst the top brass in the Embassy. But now you’re a family man huh? What a joke!”

Matsuda readied his chain again. Hatagi understood he was running out of time, but continued aggravating him. “You’re Matsuda Onix! One of the spearheads of the Hanako faction!”

The chain began to spin, charging up once more.

KZZZZTTLEEE!!

Hatagi raised his guard. "I heard rumors that you died years ago during the last Eden Search. Maybe you were hiding with the Cursed Sinner!"

Matsuda's sickle whizzed through the air, a blur of deadly precision. It sunk into Hatagi’s ankle, knocking him down and freeing his dagger from his clutches.

"Ha... Huff..." he breathed, struggling to stand. The loss of blood was dizzying.

"I'm... a deserter from the embassy myself, heh!" he laughed, annoying Matsuda further. "And based on what that kid was saying earlier, there's some shady shit going on here. How did you disappear? And who are these brats?"

Aleximus clutched Anna tightly, her deteriorating form slipping through his fingers. He desperately wished for time to slow down, hoping that there was still a chance to save her. He shifted his focus to his uncle, waiting for the moment of reckoning.

Matsuda's sickle whirled through the air again, slashing through the night with eerie speed. As Hatagi jumped around, he could sense the aura of death around Matsuda's attacks. One misstep and he was finished.

With a swift flick of his wrist, Hatagi batted aside the electric sickle and lodged his blade in between the holds, stabbing the chain into the ground.

“Let's see what you can do without your precious sickle!”

Matsuda cracked his neck, dashing forward, and extended the blade on his gauntlet. “Shit!”

Hatagi darted side to side, releasing an axe kick to Matsuda's shin. If I can knock him down, all I need to do is touch him with RotVenom!

As if telepathically, Matsuda read his intentions and halted his pursuit, grabbing onto the shuriken held on his waist. He had dispatched it before mounting his attacks with the sickle and chain.

FWIIIISHH!

He threw the shuriken into the air, affixing his fingers to another hand sign. “Levin: Art Of The Electric Shuriken.”

A streak of purple lightning boomed out of Matsuda's body and pierced the throwing star, splitting it into several hundred copies.

With the scene of purple lightning above him, waiting to rain down upon Hatagi, he had no choice but to chuckle in disbelief. “Well, fuck.”

What kind of strength does he have?! He whimpered inwardly.

Aleximus watched in amazement. Uncle Matsuda… Was he always this strong?

Matsuda walked towards Hatagi, "You will answer my questions. Should you give me an unsatisfactory answer, I will rain hellfire upon you. Should you lie, the lightning will eat into your flesh and blast you into nothingness.”

“Ha… Haha… And what if I answer with the truth? Will you let me go? After all this?”

Matsuda's eyes went dead, swirling with bloodlust. “Naturally not. You'll rue the decision of ever stepping in here, I assure you. You’re from the Embassy, right? Then you’re aware of the Shinobi Maxim. You issued the challenge -- You entered here and attacked children. You preyed on the weak. So it's only natural I prey on you.”

A grim shadow blanketed his face as he continued with a dark voice. “You'll die here regardless of your answer. The Oni of purgatory will feast upon your flesh and the Yokai of this plane will devour your soul. However, your body, and only your body… Will be left here, uncovered and ground to dust by the howling winds! So I'll only ask you once.”

He raised his hand and formed and formed a sign for a Mudra. “Who are you?"

Hatagi’s nerves lit on fire. His legs quaked with fear, spurred on by Matsuda’s proclamation. Will I die here? Having done nothing with my life yet?! Dammit, I won’t let it end like this!

He thought back to a person in his past. A man with black and purple hair.

“You’re sickening. You have nothing because you are nothing. My life belongs to the Embassy. I will serve my master faithfully, Hatagi. I suggest you find one and do the same. Get out of my sight. Or else… I will kill you. This is goodbye.”

No, Hatagi brooded, clenching his dagger. Not until I prove to him that he was wrong!

He turned back to Matsuda and thought for a moment. “Fine. I’ll tell you.”

-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------

"Stay still!" Aleximus urged. "If you keep moving, it'll spread faster!"

Anna groaned, whimpering something indistinct through her bloodied mouth. The RotVenom had already spread up to her chest and seemed to be getting faster. “W-What?” He stuttered, lowering his ear to her lips.

“I don’t wanna die…”

Aleximus, overwhelmed with his inability to help, seethed at how powerless he was. A tear fell from his eyes and dropped onto her face. “You’re not gonna die! Okay?! I promise! I swear I won’t let you go! So please, Anna… Just hold on…”

He swung his body towards his uncle, who had backed Hatagi into a corner. They were still talking. If something didn’t happen soon, Anna would die.

It’s his fault! It’s all his damn fault! I’ll kill him! I’ll kill him! I swear!

A cry of suppressed rage exited his throat, shaking Anna. His snot and tears fell without regard for his appearance, and every rigid breath Anna took felt like spikes in his chest.

She looked at him warmly, lifting her hand. “Save your stre–” he started.

“--Stop crying.”

Aleximus froze and watched her curiously. "An-"

She shook her head, closing her eyes to the decay, and tearily, began speaking.

"I... I’ve always wanted to be brave like you,"

"You are strong! Stronger than me, Jace, and everyone else here, alright? So--"

"--I'm not strong!" she yelled. Her lip wavered as she spoke. "At least I wasn’t.”

His breathing became rough, ragged. “You… You were always strong, Aleximus. I… I saw it every day. That’s why I always bothered you!... I wanted to be the way you and Jace were. I was scared. And I hoped you could change that.”

She sniffled and lowered her hand. The RotVenom had already eaten up at one side of her body and she was losing strength in her arm. “When you fought with Jace… When you argued with Uncle Matsuda… Handling your emotions -- I wish I could do that. I thought I couldn’t.”

Her voice became more confident and instead of letting her arm fall, she grabbed his hand, clutching it tightly. “Earlier, you apologized to me. You were ready to give up your life for me, but your eyes… They weren’t going to give up that easily. I felt your strength flow into me when you did that. I felt strong and courageous, and -- and, happy! And most of all, I knew you’d be able to do it. I don’t know how or why, but I felt it! I want to be like that.”

"It's always... what I liked about you." she smiled. She sought to inspire him, to convey her belief in his resilience, and it worked. Aleximus was happy. But it was also torn.

But Anna… This wouldn’t even be happening if it weren’t for me.

His heart tightened and expanded within his chest, causing his breathing to quicken. The RotVenom climbed up Anna’s collarbone, slowly taking her from him. He shut his eyes to it, unwilling to watch her go.

But she pushed on, ignoring it and keeping her eyes on her brother’s. “Knowing I was your first concern… That helped me, ‘Lex. Seeing you hate yourself because you did the right thing -- Because you did your best to help me -- Well… That hurts even more than this!”

Tears escaped his eyes in droves, but he didn’t wail. He needed to assure her that it would be okay.

Before the RotVenom could take her arm, she placed her hand on his chest, imbuing a surge of energy through her palm. “Did you feel anything?”

He shook his head. “See?” She smiled, her nose becoming red. “That’s because deep down, it doesn’t hurt. You’re not in pain because of me. You’re in it because of yourself. And I don’t want you crying because of it!”

She pulled him as her arm disappeared, embracing him tightly. “I can’t heal what isn’t broken, so you’ll be alright! Your heart is strong. And you’re even stronger! So please…”

Her face became translucent, fading away with the rest of her body. “A-Anna!!” He shouted, trying his hardest to grab her.

She beamed happily as she dissolved, declaring her most heartfelt wish.

"Just this once, I wanna be brave too."

FSSHHH~

She scattered into the dust, leaving Aleximus alone, covered in her remains. Though he couldn’t see it, her spirit rose from her decayed vessel, smiling down at him.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Don’t cry,” Her voice rang in his ears. “It doesn’t hurt unless you let it.”

She turned to Jace before she vanished, asking him one final favor. “Take care of him, ‘kay?”

-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------

“What… Did you just say..?” Matsuda asked. His eyes had widened and the aura of calm and control he had maintained before had shattered. There was only panic. A Panic that had caused him to lose control of his barrage of shuriken which vanished immediately.

"Eclipse," Hatagi repeated. He had given Matsuda the information he sought. But he knew that information would throw him off-kilter.

There was a mixture of fear and recognition in Matsuda’s eyes. He remembered a burning city with bodies piled higher than he could see. He remembered the smell of his fallen comrades’ corpses. He remembered the Eden Search.

"LIAR!" he snarled, stepping towards Hatagi. His footsteps sounded like thunderclaps. He snatched his collar and grabbed Hatagi by the face, pressing his skin with the force of forty joules. Hatagi howled, feeling his skin melt under Matsuda’s grip.

“We wiped the Eclipse guild out over a decade ago! Mercurius died during the Eden Search! That’s a fact!”

Hatagi tried to pull away, rebutting Matsuda. “W-Well then, one of us is bullshitting and it sure as hell ain’t me, damn it!”

He shrieked, slipping away from his grasp, and held his bubbling cheek. “I’m a scavenger, alright?! I just go out and find rare items for the guild! Dopi was my partner! Whatever the boss needs us to find, we bring back! I don’t ask questions!”

No! Matsuda’s hands shook. Runnulf and Malik took care of him back then. It’s impossible!

“W-Wait!” Hatagi yelped, knowing he would attack again. “Before you ask… All I know is that his plans are the same as they were eleven years ago. I swear! That’s all I know!”

Matsuda stepped back, petrified. "This can't be..."

His chest rose up and down, trying to come to terms with the information. But then his mouth fell open in shock. He had realized something important. "You bastard!" He bolted forward, grabbing Hatagi’s collar.

A wicked grin stretched across the man’s face as blood oozed from his lips.

Matsuda's grip tightened his grip, fury emanating from his every pore. "Damn, you caught on already, old badger? Smart guy…" Hatagi chuckled.

Matsuda headbutted him in his face, shaking him furiously. "Tell me, who else knows about this place?! Who did you call?! You saw the Codex, didn't you? I know you sent them a message! Who else is coming?!"

Hatagi raised his hand in surrender, a sinister smirk etched on his face. "Just one person," he whispered, goading him on.“It’s no use, though! You should give it up! The person coming is an Upper! One of our four strongest! You have no chance against him if you’re gonna protect these kids! It’s over, Matsuda!”

Matsuda seethed, yelling angrily as he drove his fist into Hatagi’s mouth.

POW!

Hatagi’s teeth shattered, caving in, but his smile persisted. “You’ve lost, man. I mean really… Look behind you if you need the proof.”

Matsuda turned around, disheveled, and gasped in horror at what he saw.

Aleximus collapsed on the ground covered in the dust that had once been his sister. His arms were open as if she was still in them, and his breathing was labored.

"A-A... Ann..."

Like his heart was collapsing in on itself with every breath, he fell over on his side, heaving up and down. A whirlpool of feelings flooded his mind. The stinging sensation in his healed foot, the numerous concussions he had suffered, and even the tears he cried just a little while before, were nothing compared to the burning sensation in his chest.

He tried to steady his breathing but it was no use. His eyes had fixed on something in front of him. Something that had fallen from Anna’s head as she vanished. Her white Swallowtail headpiece.

It was riddled with soot, blood, and all manner of grime. And with that, he couldn’t control himself.

“NGHHHEAAHHH!!!!!” He snapped, letting out an anguished cry. Everything he had held back in front of Anna had come out. Everything he felt was being laid bare.

He grabbed his head, squeezing as tightly as he could, blubbering loudly. A jumble of voices started to overlap in his mind.

“Aren’t we safe here? I don’t get why you need to fight!”

“What were you thinking?! Do you know how dangerous that is?! What if you were hurt?!”

Regret consumed him. Blame held him. And remorse broke him.

He remembered the promise he made to her; That he would keep her safe. “Of course, we're safe here.”

He stretched his hand out to touch her blackened headpiece. The blood and grime in his hair only served to make him want to throw up. It was as if he’d been pushed into a tiny, cramped space and forced to inhale garbage.

“The outside is not the wonder of a place that you may believe it to be. Knowing how to fight shouldn’t delude you into believing you can take on the world. There are dangerous people out there. People who would hurt you and your sister. Is that something you want to happen?”

His uncle had warned him. There were dangers he was unprepared for, and now he understood why. He had been reckless. It was because of him that his loved ones were endangered.

He buried his face into the grass, digging his fingers into his arms, and yelled crazily. IT’S ALL MY FAULT! He cried, hyperventilating. WHY?! WHY?! I DIDN’T KNOW! I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY! DAMN IT, I’M SORRY!

His own words came back to him, causing his heart to seize up. “I was so adamant about leaving that I, well… I got distracted about who I was really doing it for, you know? And now, because of me, the outside world is inside.”

“All that training -- All of it -- was my doing. I even forced you to heal us! No one forced me to, but I forced you! That wasn’t fair of me, alright?”

I lied, He realized. I promised I’d keep her safe… I…

He couldn’t catch his breath. The burning pain in his chest coupled with his loss of blood made him lightheaded. He grabbed his chest, trying to touch the pain. But he couldn’t. It was somewhere deep -- A place he could never reach.

“You saw what lying did! How it hurt Anna! I’m not gonna do the same thing with Uncle Matsuda!”

Even Jacender had warned him. His brother, who only helped him out of belief, was knocked unconscious and nearly killed because of his overzealousness. It was a miracle that he was still breathing.

“Your problem is that you don’t have enough hate, kid!”

I... I'm worthless... Aleximus lamented, sobbing shakily.

“You don’t know what it's like to hate yourself when you can’t do anything! No, you don’t have the drive or will to change your shitty circumstances! You fucking suck! You need to be motivated! Not just have motivation!”

A cold sensation permeated the boy’s trunk and then sank lower into the pit of his stomach. It nestled in his belly and shot up his sternum until he felt his chest contract. His fingernails propped deeper into his arms, breaking through his skin and soaking in blood.

Copious amounts of saliva dripped out of his mouth. He felt that if he didn’t let the feeling out soon, he wouldn’t be able to breathe at all.

“A-Aleximus…” Matsuda whispered softly.

Slowly, the boy looked up, sweat, blood, water, tears and all covering his face. His crowded mind blocked out all noise. Matsuda mouthed something urgently, turning to run toward him, but Aleximus couldn’t make it out. He didn’t care.

Behind Matsuda, Hatagi laughed fiendishly. He had seen it all. Anna’s death and Aleximus’s breakdown. He held no remorse; He didn’t care either.

Matsuda had his back fully turned to Hatagi as he approached his nephew. It was then that time felt like it slowed to a crawl in Aleximus’s eyes. Uncle… What’s he saying? It’s over… Anna… She’s…

His eyes slowly widened as he watched Hatagi lunge upward carefully, staggering as he picked up his collapsed dagger. He aimed to attack Matsuda’s exposed back. With a mad grin, he raised the weapon, ready to sink it into him.

In milliseconds, a surge of dark rage coursed through Aleximus’s veins, electrifying his nerves. Spurred on by instinct, he thrust out his arm toward Hatagi’s direction.

“LEAVE HIM ALONE!”

DKHOOM!!!

A translucent blast of black-red energy shot from the boy’s hand, firing dangerously into Hatagi’s area. Caught off guard, Matsuda narrowly dodged and dove to his side, his shoulder getting nicked by the shockwave. “What the–”

The pressure blew away the space between him and Hatagi, knocking Matsuda to the floor and splitting the ground below them, sending Hatagi flying back.

KARACK!

Too late to defend, Hatagi was knocked into the great statue. He bounced off roughly, slamming his head against its chin, and landed awkwardly on his leg. The weight of his tattered body and his dazed mind proved to be too much; He collapsed immediately. “Wha..?!”

DWRRROOOOMM

A rumble came from above, causing them all to look. The great statue, already worn from Jace’s crashing into it, and the implosion of the waterfalls earlier, had cracked. With that breach of stability, the rift ran through the statue’s chin and down its face and arms, blasting apart slowly.

Shit! Hatagi understood. His expression had become one of panic. And he knew if he didn’t move, he would be crushed. In another moment, a treacherous hail of rock as sharp as spears would come down upon him with a vengeance. But he couldn’t move. His legs had been harmed from his previous fall.

No..! No! No! No! Not like this! FUCK!

“H-Help me!” He cried, pleading with Matsuda. “You can’t leave me like this! Please! This isn’t honorable! A shinobi would never–”

“--I…” Matsuda cut in callously. He raised his chin and sneered at him with a low voice. “...Am no longer a shinobi!”

Hatagi gulped, fear riddling his body. “YOU GODDAMNED BASTARDS! I CAN’T DIE! I WON’T! NOT LIKE THIS!”

CCRRRRKK~

The statue shattered. Above Hatagi, several sharp boulders began to fall.

No… I still haven’t shown him! I…

His life flashed before his eyes. Images of no consequence, as he had discarded them to the past, but one scene stuck out to him specifically; A person from his past.

-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------

CORONATION CEREMONY, FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, ONIX EMBASSY

The man's silky black and purple hair sat neatly along the collar of his golden-black Longpao robe, and he kneeled above several hundred onlookers below.

Standing before him with a wrapped object in hand, was a young man and young woman; Their faces long forgotten by Hatagi.

The man looked composed and regal. His face had no hint of emotion, and his eyes were hidden behind their closed lids.

Hatagi was among the onlookers, watching from below with eyes of betrayal and jealousy. “Is this how you treat your friends?! You bastard! After everything I did for you?! You’ll pay! I promise! I will–”

The man didn’t even look at him but spoke coldly. “Should you make another move, you will be executed on the spot.”

“Why you..!” Hatagi roared, taking a step forward. A malignant energy seeped from his body and the crowd parted quickly, ducking for cover. “Who do you think you are?!”

The man slowly rose, his back still turned to him. “Know your place. This holy ceremony will not be disrupted by you. You insult what the Embassy stands for. Perhaps it is because you have nothing to respect. Well, let me tell you this:”

Guards grabbed Hatagi, pulling him back through the door. “L-Let me go, damn it!”

The man continued, his back becoming bigger as Hatagi was dragged out. “You have nothing because you are nothing. Should you like to be taught a lesson in respect, I will gladly be your teacher. As a servant of the Embassy, that is my duty. Stray dogs shouldn’t bark madly in a home -- ‘lest they be put down.”

The doors began to close over Hatagi, leaving him helpless to the man’s words. “This isn’t over!” He shouted. “You hear me?! I’ll show you! I’ll prove you wrong! I’ll prove you all wrong!”

The man didn’t turn. He simply let the doors close behind him. “I doubt that.”

-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------

THE FORBIDDEN AREA, THE PRESENT, THE AXIS

With that, Hatagi was thrust back into the present, his eyes filled with shock.

A single stone came down atop him quicker than the others. There was no way out. He had failed to do as he promised all those years before. He had become nothing.

A tear welled in his eyes -- A symbol of resignation. He had accepted his fate.

Kurai…

SPHHHLT!!!!

Splitting open his head in an instant, a hail of broken statue parts fell, blanketing his body and removing him from their line of sight. His brain matter and blood painted the stones that pierced his body.

With lightning-like reflexes, Matsuda grabbed the unconscious Jacender and removed him from harm's way, tucking and rolling towards Aleximus. “Don’t look!” he warned.

But Aleximus saw it; He saw all of it. The disgusting mash of brains glued to the rocks, the splatter of blood that stained the collapsed statue and the grass below it, and the teardrop that fell from Hatagi’s eyes before he was scattered across them all.

Though he had no idea what it was really about, it filled the boy with indescribable catharsis to see his tormentor suffer before he died. So much so that he felt that he needed to suffer even more.

He sprang to his feet, shaking with rage. “You…” he breathed, jumping forward, ready to desecrate his corpse. "Aleximus, stop! It's over!!" Matsuda yelled, grabbing his arm.

"NO!" he shouted back, resisting his uncle’s grip. A swirling pool of insanity filled his pupils as he slobbered. “AGHH!”

Matsuda knelt near him and delicately placed his other hand on Aleximus’s face. He still doesn't know what's going on… he thought. Aleximus had believed they were still fighting. That was how much the battle had shaken him.

Matsuda looked him in the eyes. “Aleximus… Aleximus! Buddy, hey… hey… He’s gone. He can’t hurt you anymore. He can’t hurt anyone else. You got him, okay? You got him.”

Aleximus's face didn't change. Instead, it became increasingly more feral. He pushed at his uncle, fighting against his strength. Matsuda pulled him into his chest, embracing him quietly. "Anna's gone!" His uncle urged, pulling him into his chest. There was a sharp feeling of pain at the fact that he even had to say those words out loud. "She's gone and there's nothing you or I can do about it okay?! Nothing!"

“YOU’RE WRONG!” He bawled, digging his fingers into his uncle’s shoulder. “HE HAS HER! WE HAVE TO GET HER BACK, UNCLE! WE HAVE TO! PLEASE! WE NEED–”

“--SHE’S GONE! I HATE IT AS MUCH AS YOU, BUT THAT'S THE WAY THINGS ARE ALEXIMUS!” Matsuda teared up, cutting him off. His voice dropped again, lowering in sternness. “She’s gone, son. She’s gone…”

Aleximus clenched his fists tightly and pulled his hand down. His fingers had been trickled with blood. Matsuda’s blood.

“U-Uncle..?” He whimpered, pulling away. “Did I..?”

He thought back to when the blast of energy had been expelled from his fingers. It had nicked Matsuda’s shoulder and nearly taken off his head. He had almost killed his uncle.

"Listen, buddy,” Matsuda sniffled, shaking his head. He didn’t want him to worry.

“She may not be here, but I need you to be. I should’ve done more to protect you, and I swear, I am sorry I didn’t. However, right now -- at this moment -- there is only one thing both of us need to protect. We can’t dwell on what's been lost. Only on how to save what it is we still have."

They both turned to the unconscious Jacender and the book by his side. Life slowly seeped back into Aleximus's crazed eyes. However, the light in them had dimmed down incredibly low -- Almost as if desaturated. They were tired.

He nodded, keeping his eyes on his brother.

“You and Jace need to leave the Axis immediately. It's no longer safe for you here.”

The wind blew harshly behind them as if backing Matsuda’s warning. “W-Why?”

His uncle picked up Jace and the book, throwing them over his shoulder. “You won’t understand, but in short, he was from the Eclipse guild. They were fanatical zealots who killed thousands during the Eden Search a decade ago. We thought we wiped them out back then… But we were wrong.”

He eyed the rubble Hatagi was buried in and noticed his dagger’s blade poking out. It was the only surviving trace of him. “Their members have tracking runes engraved onto their bones. They're untraceable by the Imperial Database and unregistered on the Mormon Records. So, should that rune go out once a member dies, their guild will be alerted to their last known position; And by the way he spoke, someone stronger will be coming soon. We're compromised here.”

Confused about words like ‘Mormon Records’, Aleximus's breathing became more ragged. Someone more terrifying than Hatagi was coming. It felt like a bad joke.

Matsuda pulled the dagger out of the rock and stared at it. He eyed the man he saw in the reflection of the blade -- his old self. He did not like seeing that man again. He had thought he left him behind years ago. But now, that man was who the boys needed in order to survive. With extreme hesitance, he extended his arm, handing the blade to Aleximus.

“Listen, you can stay here, beaten and weak if you want. You can let things repeat themselves when they come and lose everything, or you can live for tomorrow, come back stronger, and save your brother. Unfortunately, this is the outside world. This is what you will have to deal with when you go; Whether you wanted to find this part of it or not. Now it just depends on if you can handle its horrors.”

The boy had lost his innocence. Matsuda understood that. But what's done was done. Aleximus had to grow up now.

"Let's go."

-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------

HOME, THE AXIS

CRE~AK

Matsuda looked down at the staircase below him and with a reluctant sigh, he walked down, Jace in tow, and beckoned Aleximus to come down. "Close that door behind you."

They had entered Anna’s room, and to Aleximus’s surprise, Matsuda pushed back her dresser, revealing an iron trapdoor underneath a loose plank.

Matsuda placed his hand on the door, sending a slight pulse of energy through it. It swung open, exposing an old platform with a lever. Aleximus realized what it was at once. An elevator shaft..?

They climbed down into the open area and mounted the elevator shaft. Inside the area was a hollowed-out tree with a few spots of stone wall here and there. There was little light, but they preferred it that way. They wouldn’t have to see the heavy sadness apparent on the other’s face.

“Uncle, what is this place?” Aleximus asked quietly. Matsuda flicked the lever, sending them down. “And what happened to Jace’s hair?”

Matsuda took a look at Jace. “He hasn't unlocked his Sanctum Chamber yet. His body probably couldn't handle the massive energy introduced to it and adapted as a result. It's not life-threatening, but he'll probably be out for a while.”

An explosive sound went off above them. “..!” Aleximus jumped, preparing himself for a fight.

“Conserve your energy. They’re here, but they won't find us that quickly.” Matsuda said grimly. They destroyed the outer barrier. We’re no longer shrouded from the outside world. What strength…

He focused his attention back on Aleximus. They were almost at the bottom. “As for this place, it was built long ago underneath this giant Ash Tree. I didn’t know about it until your father introduced me to it. If I had known that keeping the real way out of the Axis from you would turn out like this…”

A frustrated expression wrapped his face, but he exhaled and disregarded it. “Well, anyway, there isn't much time left. Let's hurry.”

-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------

CRRRRRRR

The elevator reached the bottom and they promptly exited. Around them was a mossy wall and a few flickering torches. In front of them was a quaint iron door with a small window. Two stuffed bags sat on standby.

BOOOM!

A deafening explosion went off above them. It was closer now.

“Damn it!” Matsuda gasped, disbelievingly. “How did they know where we were? And so fast?!”

He lowered Jace and grabbed one of the bags, throwing it to Aleximus. “Quickly, put this on!”

Aleximus scrambled and put it on, listening closely for instructions.

“Hold your brother. I need to get the door.”

Matsuda put Jace over Aleximus' back and stepped towards the door, drawing his sickle. He slashed his palm and placed it on the empty hand-shaped slit in the wall. The torches turned purple as the door shook open, revealing a long corridor.

“Aleximus, the place you must get to is called Pendragon. It’s a country far from here, but should you two arrive, they will welcome you and take you in. Those bags will have everything you need to survive the next few months.”

He dug into the sleeves of his Hakama and removed some tattered papers. “Here, when you get there, find Malik! Tell him who sent you and where you’re from. But only him! Never let anyone know where you came from, got it?”

He shoved the papers in Aleximus’s bag and the Codex in Jacender’s.

Another boom came from above, this time shaking the very tree house. Sweating nervously, Aleximus grabbed his uncle’s arm. “W-What about you?”

Matsuda didn’t look him in the eye. His lip trembled but he stood up firmly, heartbroken.

“Once you get to Pendragon, you’ll be safe.”

He reached down, embracing Aleximus tightly. “U-Uncle..?”

Matsuda stood and before he could react, Aleximus was shoved swiftly into the open corridor. He and Jace crashed onto the floor.

"Go through this tunnel!" Matsuda commanded, slamming the door shut. Aleximus scrambled to his feet. “UNCLE MATSUDA!”

"--You keep going, and you don't stop–”

“UNCLE MATSUDA, NO!”

“--Not until you get out, got it?! Not for any–”

“YOU CAN’T LEAVE US! OPEN THE DOOR! PLEASE UNCLE-”

“--IM SORRY ALEXIMUS!"

His words were sincere, and the gravity of them shut the boy up. Tears came to Matsuda’s face. “I am sorry. I want to go with you! I… I just can’t.”

A look of melancholy emerged as he smiled behind the door. “You know, when I… first got the chance to raise you both, I was against it… I had never been a very familial person, even with my own brother and sister. I always thought that family wasn’t something I was meant to have. But you three… You changed that.”

Several memories flashed through his mind. He remembered their first steps; Their first birthday, taking them fishing, putting them to sleep, and cooking them their meals. He found warmth in the little things.

“At first I took care of you all out of obligation to your father and mother. I cared about them. Raising kids was scary to me. I didn’t know if I’d be the right person to nurture their legacy.”

Aleximus banged on the door, crying and shouting from behind. “I don't care! You’re our only parent! Open the door! I'm begging you! Don't go!”

To those words, Matsuda sobbed silently. He was their parent. No matter how much he could’ve thought otherwise.

He placed his hand on the door over Aleximus’s. “I was scared to make the choice to become a father… But who knew that it would end up becoming one of the best decisions I ever made?”

Aleximus choked on his tears, slamming harder against the door.

“Aleximus,” his uncle asked gingerly. “Can you do me a favor?”

Aleximus bit his lip and lowered his hands. It was futile to stop his uncle. He had already made up his mind.

“...Yes...”

His uncle stood, looking at him through the small window with a goofy smile. "I need you to live."

BOOOWM!!!

Something crashed through the ceiling, landing behind Matsuda. Whatever it was was hidden by dust from the fall.

Matsuda turned to the newcomer and then back toward Aleximus. Commandingly, he yelled, “Go!”

Aleximus hesitated but nodded, grabbing Jacender and throwing him over his shoulder. He was heavy, but he couldn’t leave him. They needed to survive.

He bolted down the hall without looking back.

"What's this?" A cheerful voice asked in the smoke. Some of his outfit stood out through the airborne soot. He was the man who Hatagi had called.

"You weren’t planning on leaving, were you Mr.Reaper?❤️" they giggled sinisterly. “How droll!”

Matsuda paid the intruder no mind and simply watched Aleximus disappear from his sight. He was exhilarated that he’d listened, escaping danger.

"I won't let you get any further."

He raised his sickle and chain, charging them with a thunderous blast, shaking the bunker as he turned to his new enemy. He had a smile on his face.

His attacker wore a smile too. “Perfect. I was hoping you’d say that!”

Matsuda spun the sickle, making the electricity take a living shape. It came together, forming a peculiar sight; The head of a tanuki.

The attacker’s eyes widened with delight as they stepped forward. They pushed away their hood, revealing blue hair, and grinned happily.

Cooly, Matsuda curled his lips, emboldened with passion. "Stay the fuck away from my kids."

The enemy grinned gleefully, and with one swift movement, they both lunged forward, clashing in the middle.

KABOOM

A splatter of blood sprayed the door’s window, obscuring the boy who ran behind it.

Aleximus didn’t look back.

-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------

ALEXIMUS

He kept running. The pain, exhaustion, and loss overwhelmed him. Everything he felt in the past few hours -- the blood loss, his throbbing leg, and even his psychological state -- had accumulated, making his movements increasingly more sluggish. Despite that, he carried on with his brother on his back, silently tearing up.

“Damn… It..!”

He thought about Anna, who had been happy, celebrating her birthday just a few hours prior. Her voice clouded his mind, haunting him as he ran.

He thought about Jace and how he had almost died saving her. Thoughts of Hatagi and Dopi fuel his irregular gasps for air.

"Huff... Huff..."

Even when he thought he had exhausted his supply of tears, the heartache of the day’s experiences kept them flowing.

“Your problem is that you don’t have enough hate, kid!”

He tried shaking it off; Ignoring Hatagi’s daunting words. “No… No..!” he muttered.

“I’LL KICK THESE BASTARD’S ASSES RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!"

He grit his teeth, nearly stumbling. He was alone, left with only his thoughts and the sound of his footsteps. A silence that only made the words hurt more

“But you know what? This was always the way it was gonna end! With all of you dead!”

"No..." he said aloud, afraid of the blame. "It's all my fault! I’m sorry! I’m sorry Anna!"

“You’re weak!” Hatagi had told him. He was foolish to think he could make a difference without the strength required to do so. Even uncle had warned him. He hadn’t listened.

“I’ll kill her, and there’s nothing you can do about that. Then him. I’ll even make a fucking mask out of his face and wear it before I kill you! Make no mistake that you’ll all die tonight! You’ll fucking pay! Do you hear me?! You’ll pay!”

Aleximus's chest heaved up and down; His frustration reached its boiling point.

“Listen, you can stay here, beaten and weak if you want. You can let things repeat themselves when they come and lose everything, or you can live for tomorrow, come back stronger, and save your brother.”

FWWOOO

The sound of wind reached his ears. Ahead of him, a few paces down, there was an exit. The shining moon made it appear as if it were a white light.

“Knowing I was your first concern… That helped me, ‘Lex. Seeing you hate yourself because you did the right thing -- Because you did your best to help me -- Well… That hurts even more than this!”

He stopped, remembering Anna’s words. She had urged him not to blame himself. It was her dying wish. But how couldn’t he? So many alternatives played out in his mind. Maybe he shouldn’t have started training. Perhaps he should have been upfront with his uncle since the beginning. And maybe he should have never even involved Anna.

It was torture.

He recalled his uncle’s words. “Unfortunately, this is the outside world. This is what you will have to deal with when you go; Whether you wanted to find this part of it or not. Now it just depends on if you can handle its horrors.”

His eyes became animated and streamed with hatred. They were dark. Callous.

“You don’t have the drive or will to change your shitty circumstances! You fucking suck! You need to be motivated! Not just have motivation! That's why your brother over there interested me way more than you ever could.”

An inkyness permeated through Aleximus’s spine, chilling his body. He realized that Hatagi’s words held the truth. The sheer truth and power they had in his mind had him believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was what he needed to hear. They affirmed his unsteady conviction.

“You don’t have enough hate!”

The next words that escaped Aleximus’s lips were powerful -- raw. They felt truthful and stemmed from the depths of his soul as he approached the exit.

"It's not my fault..." he muttered darkly. A sinister chaos enveloped his expression, sparked only by the thought of revenge. His uncle's words had created a goal for Aleximus. But Hatagi’s words created a burning need -- something he wouldn't rest for until it'd been completed.

"It's yours."

He shook his head slowly, convincing himself as he walked out of the corridor. A gentle breeze met him as he found himself standing on a cliff-top. “I get it now,” he muttered, forgetting that Jace was still on his back. Everything else faded away.

I'm going to find what you love... His dark eyes outlined themselves with a black-red hue of blood.

“I’m going to find what you love -- your ‘Eclipse’...”

He basked in the presence of the moonlight above, looking down at the outside world for the first time in his life. There was nothing more than an expansive stretch of forest and barren land on all sides.

“I’ll hunt every single one of you down… And make you all pay without exception…”

He breathed with a wolf-like hunger. His eyes were no longer that of a little boy’s; He was more than that now. He understood that. And now he’d make the world understand it.

His smile contorted into an eerie grin, the likes of which surpassed Hatagi’s.

He had only one intention now, and it would be done in memory of his sister.

“I’m going to wipe you all out!”

[Black Swallowtail]

The Final Ashfield (Scrapped Cover) [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/796092068912037918/1218419498286059530/Untitled276_20210904204316.png?ex=66079895&is=65f52395&hm=a0abc6deb5fce8d54d78dd5f6b3cf12885857c3ef4480645b4c68b3b04a3b874&]