Chapter 4
Tears burst from Itasha's eyes, and she
began to speak with a trembling voice: "I've always wanted to live... I always wished to be part of a family! Since I lost my father and mother... I’ve been searching for a place where I could feel safe."
Brylo stared at her, his face filled with love and compassion. Then he smiled softly and said: "You won't be alone anymore. We’re here for you, always."
Before she could respond, and while Brylo's words tried to comfort her, the sound of a gunshot shattered the air. The sound was enough to freeze time for a moment.
The bullet pierced the air, striking Itasha's head directly. Blood sprayed into the air like a red fountain, and her small body fell to the ground motionless, like a broken doll.
Brylo froze in place, staring at the girl's body on the ground, shock overwhelming his features. He slowly approached her, then knelt beside her, whispering with a trembling voice: "Itasha?... "
From the darkness, Smart emerged, clapping slowly, a mocking smile on his face. He held a gun in his hand, and his sarcastic voice broke the silence: "How touching... but unfortunately, her role is over."
Brylo stood up quickly, his eyes burning with anger, and demanded in a sharp voice: "Why?! Why did you kill her?!"
Smart chuckled lightly, then said coldly: "Oh, don’t take it personally. I was just doing what needed to be done."
He then added with sarcasm: "By the way... I took care of Sbyam too. You have no one left to rely on."
Brylo’s eyes burned like embers, his fist clenching tightly. His face changed, filled with both rage and sorrow. He said in a voice full of hatred: "So that's it?... You will pay the price now!"
As the scene sank into darkness, Brylo's scream echoed through the space: "I’ll kill you!"
Purple whirlpools began forming beside Brylo, spinning furiously, as though they were fractured dimensions of anger itself. His sharp eyes, charged with rage, gleamed like blades slicing through the dense air. From the core of these whirlpools, dozens of massive dragons emerged, their blinding speed making them almost impossible to follow as they charged relentlessly toward Smart.
Smart stood motionless, his expression brimming with confidence, adorned with a mocking smile. Watching the oncoming horde like a casual observer at a spectacle, he muttered in a lazy, dismissive tone:
"Is that all you’ve got? How... boring."
The first dragon advanced, its jaws opening wide with a ferocity akin to a hurricane poised to devour the world. Within its maw, tongues of fire converged, pulling the surrounding air as though feeding on the life around it. The fiery brilliance surged violently, its colors reflecting on Smart's calm, unmoved face like a mirror.
Without a flinch, Smart extended a single finger, as if rearranging a chess piece in a game already decided. He whispered in a voice laced with chilling certainty:
"The choice is simple... death... or death."
In an instant, a thin strand of energy shot out from his fingertip—almost imperceptible, yet sharp enough to slice through the raging flames with surgical precision. The flames erupted violently, engulfing the arena in a massive explosion. The searing heat melted the very rocks beneath, while debris flew in every direction, turning the battlefield into a scene of chaos and destruction.
Yet, amidst the inferno, Smart remained immovable. His body didn’t shift an inch, his features as cold as ice, watching the chaos unfold with detached indifference. The flames danced in his unblinking gaze, a mere spectacle of no consequence.
On the opposite side, Brylo stood frozen, his body rigid and his eyes wide with disbelief. His mind churned with unanswered questions:
"How...? All the Shinigami vanished! What kind of power is this?"
Smart took a slow, calculated step forward, his voice cutting through the cacophony with lethal precision:
"Leave the girl... or this will mark the beginning of a war you cannot hope to survive."
As debris rained down and sunlight began piercing through the swirling dust, Brylo steadied his breathing. His rage morphed into unshakable resolve as he met Smart’s gaze and replied with unflinching defiance:
"Then let’s start the war now!"
Smart’s smirk widened, his face alight with the excitement of a man well-versed in battles of life and death. But before either could make their next move, a roaring purple vortex formed beneath Smart's feet, swallowing him in the blink of an eye.
---
Inside the vortex, the scene was entirely transformed.
An endless, purple-hued void stretched infinitely, devoid of gravity—a haunting realm that devoured all light. Smart floated weightlessly in the emptiness, as though he had become one with this surreal world. His expression remained unchanged, calm yet menacing, but the air of mystery enveloping him grew darker and more threatening with each passing moment.
He whispered softly, as though speaking to himself:
"A new world?"
A slight smile crept across his lips, only to morph into an unsettling, hysterical laugh. His eyes gleamed with madness, and his voice tore through the silence of the void:
"Where is the Time Technique?! I want it!"
His laughter echoed endlessly, reverberating through the emptiness like a sinister symphony. Suddenly, an overwhelming aura began emanating from his body, its sheer intensity distorting the purple void into a swirling chaos of colors. His energy resembled a storm, tearing through the fabric of the realm with terrifying force.
He tilted his head upward and shouted mockingly, his voice dripping with contempt:
"I’ll destroy the Raipozi Clan... every elder, every law, every shred of tradition! Wait for me, you cowards!"
In that moment, his energy erupted like a cataclysmic bomb, surging outward with devastating ferocity. The void trembled under the weight of his unleashed power, its very fabric unraveling and collapsing into chaos.
---
As Brylo retreated to the mountain peak, his breaths came in ragged gasps.
His body trembled under the weight of sheer terror, his wide eyes reflecting disbelief and unspoken horror as they fixated on the destruction left in Smart's wake. His thoughts shattered like fragments of broken glass, unable to comprehend:
"What is this power?"
From amidst the rubble and debris, Smart emerged. He floated like a dark specter, holding the lifeless body of the young girl, Itasha, in his hands. His expression was a harrowing mixture of madness and purpose, his eyes flickering with an erratic light akin to lightning heralding an imminent storm. The aura surrounding him crackled with white sparks, distorting the very air and filling it with a groaning tension that pressed against existence itself.
Rising slowly, Smart exuded an eerie calm as he approached Brylo, whose body remained paralyzed, rooted in place by overwhelming dread. His mind, overwhelmed, failed to process the scene before him. All he could see were Smart's eyes—cold, detached, and devoid of humanity.
Then, in a single heartbeat, Smart moved. His launch was an explosion of speed, faster than sound itself, shattering the silence with a deafening roar. Tossing Itasha's limp body into the sky like a discarded doll, he surged toward Brylo with the force of a lightning strike, surrounded by a storm of searing white sparks that consumed everything in their path.
Despite his heightened senses, Brylo could not track Smart's movements. For a fleeting moment, he thought his opponent had disappeared. But then, the chilling wind of death swept over him. Smart materialized behind him like a phantom from the shadows, delivering a devastating kick to his back. The impact echoed like a mountain collapsing, sending Brylo hurtling like a missile into the ground below. The collision left a massive crater, shrouded in clouds of dust and debris, as cracks spider-webbed across the mountain’s surface.
Gasping for air and struggling to regain his senses, Brylo barely had time to react before Smart reappeared before him—a harbinger of fate, inevitable and unstoppable. In his hand, a sword materialized, its blade radiating with crackling white energy. Its brilliance seemed to tear through the fabric of reality, a weapon of absolute destruction.
The assault began with merciless ferocity. Each strike of Smart’s blade reverberated like the wail of tortured metal, slicing through the air and finding its mark on Brylo’s battered body. Blood sprayed in violent arcs, painting a horrifying masterpiece across the battlefield. Brylo’s defenses crumbled under the relentless onslaught, his strength fading with every blow.
Smart's face twisted into an unrecognizable mask of fervor and insanity, his hysterical laughter ringing out across the mountains like the cries of a deranged storm. The ground trembled with each strike, as though nature itself recoiled from the chaos. Blood flowed from Brylo’s wounds in crimson streams, carving rivers through the dust-choked battlefield.
Unyielding and relentless, Smart continued his assault, his body engulfed in lethal energy that burned like an unholy fire. Each swing of his blade shattered the surrounding air, his movements a terrifying symphony of destruction. Brylo, broken and bloodied, could only endure the nightmare as the mountain crumbled around him, the winds howling in unison with Smart's relentless fury.
In the end, Smart suddenly stopped.
His sharp inhales and exhales filled the air, each breath carrying a restrained, simmering fervor. He stood over Brylo’s shattered body—a broken puppet, drenched in blood and stripped of all dignity. Smart’s expression gradually shifted, the intensity of his earlier madness giving way to cold indifference. Slowly, he lifted his head, his gaze falling on the lifeless figure beneath him. His features were void of emotion, save for a faint flicker of disgust.
With one hand, he grabbed Itasha’s limp body as though it were weightless, then directed a withering glare at Brylo's crumpled form. His voice, laced with disdain, cut through the silence:
"Disgusting!"
He paused, as though savoring the moment, before adding with a mocking tone that dripped with venom:
"Defeating someone from the Raimo Clan... and now his friend. And at the hands of someone like me? Someone without your vaunted techniques? Pathetic."
Turning slowly, Smart began to walk away, his voice carrying a sardonic edge as he continued his tirade:
"The greatest sorcerers of the next generation—eliminated! How fortunate you all are. Truly, you should count the blessings you possess!"
But then, he froze. His body stiffened, his movements halted as if struck by an invisible force. His expression shifted—first to one of unsettling shock, then to an eerie, sardonic smile that spread slowly across his face. His voice dropped to a low murmur, as if he were speaking to himself:
"Speaking of blessings... I have one too."
Lifting his head, his laughter erupted, sharp and tinged with madness. The sound echoed across the desolate battlefield, growing louder and more unhinged with each passing second.
"My child... Moryo! That’s his name."
Resuming his steps, Smart strode forward with a calm, unhurried gait, leaving behind a scene of utter devastation. The fractured mountain, the shattered remains of the Mana organization’s stronghold, and the blood-soaked battlefield bore witness to his unparalleled dominance. Each step seemed to mark the beginning of a darker chapter, the air heavy with the weight of his actions.
Yet, amidst the chaos, something unexpected began to stir. The blood that had pooled around Sbyam Brius's broken body started to shift, as though imbued with a faint, unnatural energy. Subtle pulses rippled through the crimson stains, a haunting reminder that perhaps life, or something far more sinister, still lingered within.
—
In one of the luxurious hotels, Smart arrived at a door on the top floor. His footsteps reverberated across the marble floor, filling the silence with an imposing presence. Slowly, he opened the door, revealing Raizo seated on a sofa, his cold expression unwavering. One leg was crossed over the other, and his sharp eyes were fixed on the child, Itasha, cradled in Smart’s arms.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Raizo spoke, his voice low and dripping with mockery:
"You didn’t kill her, did you?"
Smart didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he entered the room with confident strides, laying the small body of the girl on the wooden table in front of Raizo. He stared at her lifeless form for a few moments before replying in an icy tone:
"No… I killed her."
Raizo’s eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise, but he said nothing. Smart continued, his gaze never leaving Itasha’s body, as if peering into something unseen:
"I killed her, but… I took her power."
Raizo’s voice betrayed a hint of intrigue:
"How?"
Without hesitation, Smart knelt down. He pressed his fingers into the child’s skull, the sound of grinding bones shattering the silence of the room. After a few heavy seconds, Smart extracted a small, rounded object that gleamed faintly with a metallic sheen—a bullet that had pierced her head.
Raising the bullet before his face, he spoke with cold finality:
"The technique… is inside this container."
Raizo smirked faintly, a mixture of admiration and malice crossing his face before he spoke:
"Smart, as always."
Rising to his feet, Smart casually wiped the blood from his hand, then spoke with a businesslike air:
"The money?"
Raizo leaned back slightly on the sofa, his smirk widening into a sarcastic smile as he replied:
"It’ll be transferred to your account soon. Don’t worry."
Smart placed the bullet beside Itasha’s body on the table, casting a sharp glance at Raizo before murmuring in a low, lethal tone:
"This is the Unlimited technique."
Without another word, Smart turned and exited the room with steady steps. The door closed behind him with a soft metallic click, leaving the silence to settle once more..
---
The stillness left behind by Smart in the room was suffocating, as if the very air was saturated with tension. Raizo sat motionless, reaching out for the bullet on the table. He held it between his fingers, staring at it as though it were a key to an entirely new world. But the moment shattered when the bathroom door creaked open.
A small child emerged, no older than six. It was Spailo, his innocent face still unmarred by the cruelty of the world. Yet he froze in place as soon as he caught sight of the scene before him. His wide eyes were filled with terror as they fell upon Itasha’s lifeless body sprawled on the table, blood pooling beneath her like a broken doll abandoned by fate.
Spailo’s gaze was fixed on the corpse, his words faltering in his throat before he managed to whisper in a trembling voice, barely audible: "Why... why is there so much blood? What happened to her?"
Raizo remained expressionless, his cold, piercing gaze locking onto the child like a hammer crashing down on a fragile soul. He responded in an icy monotone: "This is the world, Spailo. Didn’t I tell you? If you can’t bear it, you can return to your little home."
Spailo froze, his small body trembling under the weight of this harsh reality. Raizo, however, showed no concern. He shifted his gaze back to the lifeless Itasha, his voice now carrying a gravity that seemed to encompass the entire room: "The world is cruel. And no one can stop this chaos... except the devil."
His tone sharpened, a sinister edge cutting through the air as he continued, his words like an ominous declaration: "I will create the Rizsius Organization... and I will begin the destruction. Are you ready, Spailo?"
The silence was oppressive. Spailo stood motionless, his eyes glued to Itasha's body, paralyzed by a blend of fear and shock. In that moment, the air grew unbearably heavy, as if time itself had halted.
Raizo stared into the void, his cold indifference etched into the grim tableau of the room: the blood-soaked body of the young girl, the gleaming bullet on the table, and a small child staring at the end of his innocence. The scene was an unspoken promise—a declaration that Spailo’s world had begun its slow descent into darkness.
—
Outside the hotel, in the streets of the city illuminated by the warm glow of the daytime sun, Smart walked with calm steps, his hands in his pockets, his expression carrying a mix of coldness and contemplation. The silence enveloped the place like a curtain hiding something mysterious. His gaze wandered between the buildings and the empty streets until he broke the silence with his quiet, yet astonished voice: "Where is everyone?"
The city, usually bustling with activity, was completely deserted. No people, no sounds, only the faint rustle of the wind. Smart continued walking, caught between searching and doubting, but suddenly his steps halted. He froze in place, his eyes widening in deep shock as he saw someone standing steadfastly before him, like an unyielding rock.
It was Sbyam Brius, the young man he thought had perished. His body appeared completely clean, devoid of any blood, and his features bore a mix of mockery and confidence.
"Impossible…" Smart muttered in a trembling voice, but he quickly composed himself.
Sbyam, with a mocking smile gracing his lips, replied in a calm voice dripping with sarcasm: "Yoo… It’s been a while, hasn’t it?"
Smart remained silent for a moment, then mustered his courage and cautiously asked: "What happened to you? How… are you back?"
Sbyam lifted his head toward the sky, his eyes glinting with a growing madness. He began speaking, his voice gradually shifting from calm to hysterical: "I’ve understood the essence of healing energy… When you fully harness your energy, you must reverse it entirely. That is the secret to achieving limitless healing energy!"
He paused for a few seconds, then burst into maniacal laughter, staring at the sky with his mouth wide open: "When you stabbed me, I unconsciously reversed my technique… The result? A healing technique that restored me completely. But you know… the reason for your loss is simple: you didn’t cut off my head."
Smart stood still, his voice cold and indifferent as he replied: "My loss? Are you kidding me?"
Sbyam, lifting his head once more with wild madness: "It’s over. I’ve uncovered the essence of the healing technique… The game is over now! I’ve become the strongest!"
White sparks flickered around Smart’s body, as if rage and fervor were boiling within him. He responded with a cold smile: "So, shall we begin round two?"
Sbyam raised his hands to the sky, his tone growing deeper and more menacing: "Really?!"
He repeated it, louder this time: "Really?!"
Then exploded into a fit of mad screaming: "Really?!"
Smart charged toward Sbyam, soaring like an arrow, the sword formed from white sparks in his hand glowing as if it were a flame of rage. He aimed directly for Sbyam's head. But just before the sword could reach, Sbyam muttered softly:
"Immortal Mountain Technique."
The sword stopped in mid-air, as if an invisible barrier had blocked it. Smart tried to break through, but to no avail. Shock was evident on his face. Meanwhile, Sbyam stared at him with absolute seriousness.
In a fleeting moment, Sbyam directed his hand toward Smart, speaking in a deep voice:
"Little Kurmo."
A small black spark emerged from his finger, seeming ordinary at first. But when it shot toward the building behind Smart, the building exploded completely. Stones scattered in the air like torn leaves.
Smart was pushed backward through the air, skillfully flipping to avoid the explosion. But when he refocused, Sbyam had disappeared from his position.
Smart, with an eager smile, shouted:
"Where did you go?! Let’s curse each other out!"
In the sky, Sbyam was reclining freely, gazing at the calm blue. His features were shadowed by sorrow, his eyes tracking a small bird flying away. He whispered to himself:
"I'm sorry, Itasha... I couldn’t protect you."
On the ground, Smart prepared for battle. The white sparks around his body intensified, wrapping around him in anger and fervor as if reflecting his inner fierceness. However, in contrast, Sbyam remained calm, whispering to himself in a sad tone:
"If I had known how strong I was back then... I wouldn’t have lost that fight."
He was transported back in his memories to his mother Estoria's words:
"The power you carry, my son, is not just a gift. It is a responsibility. A heavy responsibility."
He felt the weight of those words as he stared at the sky. Then, he spoke to himself again:
"I wasn’t ready to bear that responsibility."
--
On the ground, Smart raised his hand toward the sky, where Sbyam was floating. He screamed madly:
"I will kill you!"
In the sky, Sbyam floated steadily, his body balanced as if gravity no longer mattered to him. His eyes carried a mixture of cold calm and deep sorrow as he stared at Smart below. His voice was cold but laced with a hidden challenge:
"Are you the father of Moryo?"
Smart froze in place, as if Sbyam's words had pierced through his mental defenses. In a soft voice, tinged with disbelief, he whispered:
"What?"
At that moment, the white spark surrounding his palm began to fade slowly, as if his doubts were weakening his resolve. Sbyam, with a faint but harsh smile, continued:
"Your son... carries the technique of his clan."
These words echoed like an invisible slap to Smart, who remained frozen in place. The spark had now completely disappeared, as though something inside him had shattered.
In the sky, Sbyam pointed his finger toward the ground, his eyes flashing with both anger and sorrow as he looked at Smart. His voice was like a cutting sword:
"You don't deserve to be his father."
The words sank into Smart's mind like poisoned arrows. He thought to himself in silence, filled with melancholy:
"Really? Is what he's saying true? Have I let him down this much?"
---
Sbyam, up above, his eyes now glowing with mysterious energy that shook the air around him. His voice deepened, carrying a tone of confidence but filled with bitterness:
"Even among all those who inherited the Kurmo technique from the Raimo Clan, none have been able to master it."
Energy began to gather around his hand, dancing like a majestic black spark, surrounded by a bright purple aura. The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy, as if gravity had multiplied several times. Ripples appeared in the surrounding air, as though space itself began to bend under the weight of his power.
Sbyam raised his finger toward Smart, and words slipped from his lips in a sad but decisive voice:
"Space-Time Rift"
The air rippled violently, as if all of nature responded to this terrifying declaration. A black-purple aura appeared before Sbyam, swirling fiercely and making a sound like a silent roar. In an instant, a rift opened in the fabric of space, resembling a glass crack pulsing with mysterious energy, as if reality itself was beginning to shatter.
From the rift, a massive spark of energy shot toward the ground at an incredible speed. The light emanating from it was enough to illuminate the sky, and the pressure in the air rose to a terrifying level. The spark raced like an angry bolt of lightning toward Smart, who stood motionless, his features carrying clear melancholy.
The ground shook violently as the energy approached. The surrounding buildings crumbled like paper castles, their debris scattering in all directions. The atmosphere became electrified, as if all of nature had descended into utter chaos.
As the spark drew near, Smart watched it approach, his face showing a mixture of sorrow and grief. Inside him, a whispering voice echoed softly:
"I'm sorry..."
In that moment, memories flooded into Smart’s mind like a raging torrent. Images from the past chasing one another, sounds, laughter, and tears, all crashing into his mind like a storm:
His son Moryo’s innocent voice calling out to him.
Moments of weakness where he couldn’t be the father his son needed.
Difficult confrontations he had avoided rather than facing them with courage.
The massive spark drew closer, the black and purple swirling together to create a terrifying light that engulfed everything. Smart lifted his eyes toward it, but this time, there was no fear. Only deep sorrow, and a face marked by regret.
---
The Past - (Flashback)
On a quiet night, the warm lights of the city reflected off the bustling streets as people walked calmly, their worries vanishing under the glow of the nightlife. In a small house, the sound of a crying baby filled the air... it was Moryo Smart, lying in his small crib, while his mother, Biola, gently held him, trying to calm him down.
Biola moved around the room, wearing a star-shaped necklace around her neck, gently rocking her baby from side to side, looking at him with a tired yet loving smile. Still, Moryo's cries didn't stop. Suddenly, a knock echoed at the door. Holding her son in one arm, Biola walked toward the door, opened it, and saw Smart standing there, dressed in a sharp suit, his tired expression quickly changing to warmth as he saw his wife and son.
Biola smiled as she handed him the baby: "I think you're going to work a miracle and calm him down."
Smart gently took his son into his arms and began walking around the room, speaking softly to him. It wasn’t long before Moryo quieted down, stopped crying, and started laughing with a sweet, childlike giggle.
Smart smiled and said: "You're amazing, little one!"
In the background, Biola watched, her eyes shining with love. Smart walked up to her while holding Moryo and looked into her eyes, softly saying: "You are my whole world."
He embraced his family, and in that moment, a warmth filled the room, while the moonlight from the window cast a magical glow over the scene.
---
(Six and a Half Years Later)
The sky boiled with fury, and the rain poured violently as if crying for a curse that had befallen the city, while the lightning split the sky with its deafening roars. Behind a dark window, young Moryo, no older than seven, tossed and turned in restless sleep.
The lightning struck with such force it seemed to call for death, and Moryo woke up in a panic, his heart racing violently, his trembling voice calling out: "Mom...!"
His eyes were fixed on the window, staring at the desolate city that seemed to be dying. The eerie silence and the waterlogged streets made him feel the cold loneliness pierce his small heart. He whispered fearfully, his voice barely audible: "Mom... I'm scared..."
But the darkness was too harsh to answer him.
Moryo slowly got out of bed, his small feet reluctantly carrying him toward the door. He pushed the door open with a trembling hand, only to discover a horrifying scene. The house, once his warm refuge, was now a wreck. The furniture was torn apart, and the walls bore witness to a disaster he couldn’t understand.
Moryo stood frozen for a moment in the destroyed living room, his voice shaking: "Mom?..."
Suddenly, the lightning tore through the sky again, as if announcing another tragedy. Moryo turned toward the corner, and there... was the disaster that would change his life forever.
The bodies of his parents, Smart and Biola, lay in a pool of blood, horribly mutilated, as if they were the victims of an angry demon.
Moryo’s eyes widened, his face pale as if life had drained from him, his chest rising and falling as if drowning in a sea of terror. Sweat mingled with tears on his face, and his small steps carried him slowly toward his parents, but he stopped just before touching them, as if his heart refused to believe it.
He whispered, barely audible, trembling: "Mom?... Dad?... "
But the only reply was a heavy silence and the sound of the rain, which seemed to be crying with him.
Unable to suppress his emotions, Moryo collapsed to his knees in the darkness. A scream tore from the depths of his heart, breaking the silence of the night: "Noooooooooo!"
The night’s rain showed no mercy, flooding his innocent face with cold tears as he remained there, alone among the rubble. He cried bitterly, his voice mingling with the screams of nature, as the rain washed away the traces of innocence that had been ripped from him.
There was no one to comfort him. Only the storm bore witness to his sorrow, and the city stood mute before the tragedy of a small child.
—
The Present...
The violent spark of the "space-time rift" sped toward Smart with destructive force, sweeping everything in its path. In those final moments, Smart stood motionless, surrendering to the fate that had chased him for years. His eyes shimmered with a faint glow, and a pale smile spread across his face.
He whispered to himself in a voice barely audible above the roar of the spark: "So, this is the end... I tried to destroy the clan that stole our lives... but now I face the greatest sorcerer the world will ever know. Maybe this is my fate."
He slowly closed his eyes, allowing his body to accept its fate. The colossal spark engulfed everything around him, its immense size making it impossible to see his body within it.
When the energy finally dissipated, it left behind a giant crater in the ground, its depth revealing the extent of its destructive power. Dust rose into the air, and silence filled the space, save for the wind playing with the scattered debris.
---
Sbyam, who had descended to the ground calmly, stood at the edge where Smart had been moments before. He looked carefully, searching with his eyes for any trace of the body... but there was nothing. No body, not even remnants that would indicate his presence.
He spoke in a low voice, barely audible, as if talking to himself: "Did he die?... It doesn’t matter. It’s not important anymore."
No expression betrayed his thoughts; his face was as immovable as stone. He stared for a moment at the empty space before turning with steady steps, as if carrying an invisible burden on his shoulders.
He said quietly: "I need to find Itasha."
He walked away from the crater, bypassing the destruction left in his wake. His steps did not falter, and his direction was clear: the hotel, where the next piece of the puzzle awaited.
—
Inside the Dark Academy Grounds...
Brylo hurriedly quickened his steps, running frantically toward the main gate. His breaths came in quick gasps, and fear overtook his features, as if he sensed something terrible approaching. He reached the large gate, pushing it forcefully, the sound breaking the stillness as it creaked open.
Before him stood Sbyam, emerging from the shadows, holding a small lifeless body in his arms. Itasha, the little girl who had been the last hope, her small body swaying lightly, her pale face covered in shadows.
Brylo's eyes widened in shock, freezing in his place, unable to comprehend the sight. He called out with a trembling voice: "Sbyam! Is... Is that you?!"
Sbyam lifted his weary eyes toward him, a mixture of sorrow and anger on his face, responding in a heavy, calm tone: "Brylo... I'm glad you're still alive."
Brylo tried to gather his words, responding quickly: "Yes... Laura healed me using the healing technique. But..."
His eyes slowly moved to Itasha's lifeless body in Sbyam's arms, and he spoke in a broken voice: "But my health isn't what matters now..."
Sbyam passed Brylo with heavy steps and entered the academy. He stood at the threshold of the door, turned his head slightly, and looked into the emptiness ahead. Then, in a low voice filled with meaning, he spoke: "Brylo... the world is harsh. Should... should we become like this world? Should we kill everyone?"
Sbyam's words struck deep within Brylo, and he found himself sinking into his thoughts. He stared at the ground, mumbling hesitantly: "No... I don’t know what’s right... I don’t know if killing everyone will really bring any benefit..."
Sbyam continued his slow steps inside the academy but stopped for one final moment, not turning around, and said in a low but weighty tone: "And should there always be a benefit?"
He moved away, leaving Brylo standing at the entrance, frozen like a statue, lost in his inner struggle.
End of the Chapter.