Chapter 14

In the City of Beura

The towering buildings harmonized with the bustling pulse of the city, where life knew no stillness. Amid this vibrancy, in one of the high-rise apartments radiating a quiet warmth, a twelve-year-old girl named Yamato lay on her bed. The soft lights in the room reflected on her innocent face, while her eyes gazed intently at the artificial stars adorning the ceiling.

She stared at them deeply, as though searching for a secret answer in this miniature universe suspended above her. Suddenly, she raised her small hand toward the stars with a slow, longing motion and said in a childlike voice filled with yearning:

"Brother! Why haven’t you returned yet?"

She rose from the bed sluggishly, pushed aside the shawl that had covered her, and walked toward a family photo hanging on the wall. The picture featured her brother, Veb, alongside the rest of the family, while Yamato stood next to them, laughing with unforgettable innocence. She smiled faintly as she observed that frozen moment in time.

Turning toward the window, she saw the moon rising high in Piura’s sky, casting its mysterious calm over a city whose noise had quieted with the arrival of night. Her expression shifted as she gazed at it, her eyes carrying complex emotions far beyond her young age. She whispered softly and warmly:

"Brother Veb… thank you. You took care of me when I was lost in my clan."

Silence lingered for a moment, as if the entire city had paused to listen to her words. Yamato returned to her bed with slow steps, as though an invisible weight was pulling her down. She threw herself onto the bed with a hint of boredom, her eyes drifting back to the stars on the ceiling—stars that had never offered answers but always comforted her with their infinite silence.

—

In the Region of Ronda

The flatlands stretched endlessly, utterly silent, as if abandoned since the dawn of time. Suddenly, the stillness shattered. The ground cracked violently, and the echoes of explosions filled the horizon. From within the debris, Solio emerged, soaring through the air like a storm, his eyes gleaming with madness.

On the ground, Moryo stood unwavering, his gaze fixed on Solio’s movements in the sky. In an instant, Moryo launched himself like a meteor toward Solio, the latter responding with a crazed grin. Moryo raised his hand, unleashing a massive green spark that sped toward Solio with terrifying speed. But Solio was faster, maneuvering sharply to evade the attack. The spark continued its trajectory, colliding with the barrier surrounding Ronda. It rebounded with immense force, scattering shards in all directions, leaving deep scars on the ground where they struck.

Solio landed on the ground with astonishing speed, a cloud of dust swirling around him. On the opposite side, Suero watched intently, his sharp eyes brimming with vigilance. With every step Solio took closer, the ground beneath his feet burned. Suddenly, he spat out small spheres onto the ground, which rapidly grew into massive, terrifyingly shaped beasts.

"What is this?!" Suero exclaimed in shock, watching the monsters form before his eyes.

As Moryo regained his focus, Solio continued his charge toward them, his maniacal grin unwavering. He unleashed a flurry of rapid punches at Suero, who narrowly managed to dodge them, his eyes blazing with fierce anger. Suddenly, a green flash appeared behind Solio. Feeling the imminent danger, Solio ascended into the air just as Moryo , surrounded by furious green sparks, lunged at him with a devastating punch.

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Solio evaded the attack skillfully, leaving Moryo ’s blow to strike the ground, creating a deep crater. Moryo joined Suero, the two standing side by side, their eyes locked on Solio with determination. Opposite them, Solio stood just a few steps away, staring at them with a mocking smile, as though victory was already his.

Moryo began to move slowly, his steps heavy and deliberate. Solio spoke with a voice dripping with sarcasm:

"Why do you wretched sorcerers hate monsters so much?"

Suero responded sharply, his voice like a blade:

"Because you kill humans!"

Solio chuckled lightly, placing a hand on his head, his laughter filled with disdain:

"But… weren’t humans the ones who created us? Then, bear the consequences!"

Suero shouted angrily:

"I don’t know all the details, but humans made a mistake… everyone makes mistakes! No one is immune to error!"

Suero’s hand began to glow blue, his fist tightening as violet sparks danced around it. Solio looked at him with a sly grin and said:

"Then… atone for your mistakes by taking responsibility for creating us!"

Solio began to run lightly and confidently, while on the other side, Moryo and Suero charged toward him with resolute steps, like two storms moving in majestic harmony. In a fleeting instant, Moryo appeared like a phantom before Solio, his punch aimed directly at Solio's face. Yet, Solio dodged the attack effortlessly, the maniacal grin never leaving his lips.

On the other side, Suero emerged like a sudden shadow beside Solio, his punch launched with pinpoint accuracy. But Solio, with a swift motion, evaded this attack as well, moving as though he was dancing to the rhythm of the battle. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Solio extended his hand with a light touch to Moryo 's abdomen and whispered with supreme confidence:

"Soul Distortion!"

Shock spread across Moryo 's face as he felt a sharp pain piercing through his body. In that moment, Solio's thoughts danced coldly within him:

"My technique… reshaping the soul. With a single touch, his end is inevitable!"

Dark violet sparks began to emanate from Solio’s hand, poised to transfer into Moryo ’s body and end his life. However, before the technique could succeed, Suero leapt in with lightning speed, delivering a powerful kick that sent Solio tumbling across the ground like a broken doll. Suero shouted in a muted fury:

"I won’t let you kill anyone else!"

He stood beside Moryo , who was coughing violently, blood streaming from his mouth and staining the ground like a red path. Suero turned toward his leader in concern, speaking in a tense voice:

"Moryo ! Are you alright?"

With great difficulty, Moryo spoke, his voice filled with pain and frustration:

"What… what did he do to me?"

Moryo fell to his knees, vomiting more blood in torrents. He lifted his trembling hand and pulled aside the fabric covering his abdomen, revealing a horrifying sight: his skin was glowing red, as if on the verge of melting. Suero’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at Moryo ’s abdomen.

Meanwhile, the sound of Solio’s hysterical laughter filled the air, dripping with mockery and madness:

"What a disgrace! I wanted to kill you right in front of him… but it seems luck is on your side!"

He doubled over with laughter, tears streaming from his eyes. He continued in a mocking tone:

"My technique was about to erase your soul completely… what a pity! But don’t worry, this mark on your abdomen will remain as a souvenir from me. That is, if you even manage to survive—which I highly doubt!"

Solio stood up, carefully wiping his tears, then directed his gaze toward Suero, who stared at him in a mix of shock and caution. Suero spoke in a low voice, laden with disbelief:

"What… are you?"

Solio smirked deeply, raising his eyebrows with mock allure:

"Me? I’m you! Didn’t I tell you before? We’re two sides of the same coin."

Suero remained frozen in shock, his eyes filled with questions as he whispered softly:

"How far have you gone?"

Solio chuckled lightly, his voice dripping with disdain:

"We monsters and Shikigami, unfortunately, don’t have the trivial emotions you cling to. We’re… far superior to that!"

Suero advanced with steady steps toward Solio, while blue sparks danced around his body, illuminating the ground beneath his feet with an enchanting glow. His eyes blazed with unyielding determination, and his voice came out firmly, tinged with disbelief:

"It’s my duty... to kill you!"

On the other side, Solio remained smiling, his face showing no sign of concern for what he was hearing. He stood with confident and infuriating calm, as if Suero’s words were nothing more than a frivolous noise unworthy of response.

When they were face to face, only a few small steps apart, their gazes met like two swords poised for a clash. Suero spoke, his tone growing sharper and more vicious:

"I understand now… I must kill you in the most brutal way possible. Why? Because, like you, I don’t care about anything! I promise you, Shikigami, you will end here!"

Nothing changed in Solio’s expression; his wide smile remained a deep mockery, as if Suero’s words hadn’t even reached him. Suddenly, Suero spoke in a low voice, yet charged with certainty:

"I’m the only one who will eradicate all of you… and I won’t leave this honor to anyone else."

Moments of silence passed, heavy as though eternal. The two stared into each other’s eyes, each reading the other’s intentions with deadly precision. In the background, Moryo collapsed to the ground, closing his eyes, exhausted and shackled by pain.

A stillness fell over Ronda, as though the earth itself had stopped breathing. The looks exchanged between Suero and Solio were charged with promises of death, the readiness to kill the other present deep within their souls.

End of the Chapter.