Pasta pointed at the mask in Tori’s hand, his brow furrowed. “You’re really a Hunter?”
Tori hid her mask behind her, her head bowed and her arms trembling. She gripped the mask and looked up at Pasta with a sigh. “You just had to show up now, didn’t you? How is it that you're always causing trouble?”
Pasta glanced between her and Kabal, confusion etched across his face. “How is this my fault? You lied to us about being an adventurer!”
“I didn’t lie,” she said, her voice soft as she looked down to his wounds.
“Yeah, you did!” Pasta yelled, “You told us you were an S-class adventurer!”
“I never said that,” she whispered, her focus still on his injuries.
Kabal crouched, placing a hand on Pasta’s forehead. “Why didn’t you tell me she was a Hunter? We’re enemies, remember? Or did that slip your mind?”
Pasta slapped Kabal’s hand away, glaring. “She lied to us! I swear, I didn’t know!”
Tori flinched at his words, her head lowering as she stepped forward. “Yeah, I did lie to you all back then,” she said, reaching back for her weapon. “So, if it’s a fight you’re after… don’t hold back. ”
“I knew it!” Pasta yelled, scratching his head with a laugh. “For a second there, I thought I was losing my mind.”
“Losing your mind?” Kabal asked.
“Yeah! I was this close thinking I was wrong,” he chuckled.
Tori sighed, her grip tightening on her scythe’s hilt. “If you’re ready to fight, then just—”
“Fight?” Pasta asked, spinning to face her. “Why would I fight you? We’re friends! We’re in the same party, remember?”
Tori froze, looking up at him with wide eyes. “We’re... in the same party?”
“Of course!” Pasta grinned. “I don’t care if you’re a Hunter or whatever else. You’re still part of us. Me, Emilia, Mr. Swordsman, Hudson, and you: The Saviours of Pyrovile.”
“Saviours?” she murmured, the word tugging at a memory.
Rain poured down in a luminous city in the dead of night, each drop catching the glimmer of neon lights. She lay crumpled on the ground, soaked to the bone, her strength slipping away. A blue-masked Hunter loomed above her, his hand extended.
A soft chuckle escaped her lips as the memory faded. “Thank you, Pasta,” she said to herself.
Pasta blinked, his head tilting. “Did you say something?” he asked, standing up and sheathing his sword. Adjusting his hat, he gave her a questioning look. “Anyway, isn’t there something you’re supposed to say?”
She furrowed her brow, mirroring his expression. “I already admitted I lied. What more do you want? A hug? Because that’s not happening.”
Pasta folded his arms. “An apology would be nice-”
Tori cleared her throat with an exaggerated cough, slipping her mask back on with a smirk. “I really didn’t expect to run into you here, Pasta. What are you even doing in the middle of the woods?”
Paster lowered his gaze, “Emilia is missing,” he said, his voice heavy. “We need your help finding her.”
Tori’s smirk softened as she twirled a strand of her hair. “Oh... Emilia’s fine.”
“What?” Pasta’s head shot up, his eyes narrowing.
“She’s with a friend of mine,” Tori said, the smile lingering on her face as she recounted the details.
After a moment, Pasta sank to his knees in the snow, relief washing over him. “So Emilia is safe,” he whispered, lowering his head. “I didn’t need to do a thing again, funny.”
Tori held him by the shoulder, her colourful eyes on him. “Come to think of it, I heard there was a crazed adventurer who stormed into the town of hunters. That was you, wasn’t it? I can’t think of anyone more stupid.”
“Yeah so?”
She nodded, giving him a thumbs up. “Congrats for not dying out there, Pasta. You deserve it”
Before he could respond, a deafening crash echoed through the forest. Tori turned, slipping her mask on. “I almost forgot,” she whispered. “You should leave, Pasta. Given your condition, you may not survive what’s going to happen here.”
Pasta pushed himself to his feet, his eyes dark and determined. “That Darius guy is here, isn’t he?” He gripped his sword, the energy around him flaring despite his injuries. “Then there’s no reason for me to leave”
Tori opened her mouth to argue, but his fiery aura stopped her. What grudge did Pasta hold against Darius? she wondered, gazing at the distant snowstorm rumbling through the forest.
*
Dain stood firm, Falcon at his side, his breath visible in the icy air. The clearing was illuminated by a radiant aurora, the colours rippling across the dark skies like silk. As the cold wind bites on their exposed necks.
Across the frozen expanse stood Darius and Thorne, their figures stark against the white backdrop. Their comrades lingered behind in silence, their gazes locked on the tension between the opposing sides, waiting for a signal to attack.
Dain stepped forward, his boots crunching against the snow. Darius and Thorne followed suit, stepping closer. Dain removed his mask, letting it dangle from his waist. His gaze pierced through Darius.
“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Dain said, his voice calm yet laced with a bitter edge. “Father. Uncle.”
Darius offered no reply, but Thorne stepped behind Dain with a faint growl. “The sky is indeed a masterpiece,” Thorne mused. “A canvas of splendour to frame this… family reunion, isn't it, Dain?”
Ignoring him, Dain kept his focus on Darius. “I’m in no mood for chit-chat, so I’ll be clear,” he said, voice steady. “Mother is sick. She wants to see you. Return home.”
Darius exhaled, his breath clouding in the cold. “I’ve finally uncovered a lead to a godly weapon.”
“The same so-called weapon that drove you to follow that mad swordsman?” Dain asked, taking another step closer. “I know. And frankly, it’s irrelevant. There’s no guarantee it even exists.”
“Faith is what sustains me, son” Darius replied, his tone calm yet resolute. “Without it, you wouldn't be looking at a mighty figure but a feeble old man leaning on a broken stick.”
Dain rubbed his hands together for warmth, letting out a slow breath. “You’re chasing phantoms, Father. And now you want to take on Ryunosuke, guardian of the third and fourth? Don't you think you're overestimating him? He isn’t like the Demon King, you know.”
The wind howled, carrying snow through the clearing. “A dull blade can never gain favour in the eyes of a smith, just as my strength must be tested beyond its limits for me to finally find pleasure in it,” he said, brushing the snow off his beard. “The sacrifices I’ve made have already consumed me, son. I will see this through.”
Dain lowered his gaze. “I’ll say it one last time. Return home. Mother isn’t interested in being visited by your ghost.”
The silence between them thickened, broken only by the wind. Dain’s fists clenched, a faint blue shimmer sparking to life around his body. “If you won’t listen, I’ll drag you back myself.”
Thorne growled, stepping forward to place a heavy hand on Dain’s shoulder. “There’s no need for this, just le—” His words cut off as a crystalline cube of azure energy enveloped his hand. "Not good," he whispered. The cube sent him hurtling backwards. Thorne smashed through snowfields and mountains alike, leaving craters in his wake before slamming into a frozen cliff side. The cube shattered, its fragments sparkling like shattered glass against the icy wall.
He opened his eyes and saw a gigantic cube crashing into the hill, sending it to smithereens.
Meanwhile, Darius didn’t flinch, his eyes locked on Dain. Without a word, he gave a subtle nod to Bastian. The towering figure lunged forward but was stopped by Falcon’s fist, crashing through his body. No blood spilt—only shattered rocks scattered across the ground, reforming into Bastian’s shape moments later.
“Heh, let’s go, big guy,” Bastian said, his rocky face piecing itself back together with a grinding sound.
“Bring it on, you stone-headed freak!” Falcon shot back, cracking his knuckles with a smirk.
“You’re short on men,” Darius whispered, his voice heavy with disdain. “Do you think you can stand against me like this?”
“Of course I do,”
Zephyr gave a soft chuckle, her chains rattling as she unfurled her curled blades. Twirling one, she hurled it toward Dain.
In the forest, Tori ran, through and tapped the side of her mask, activating a series of spinning mechanisms that transformed the mask into a translucent visor, displaying energy readings.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Her headphone wheels spun causing her scythe to flare with violet energy as her speed surged, slicing through the icy field and diverting Zephyr’s blade with a quick swing.
She landed, her scythe’s edge catching the faint shimmer of falling snow. Rising, she tilted her head toward Dain. “Sorry I’m late, boss,” she said with a smirk. “Who am I beating up today?”
*
Falcon strode forward, his boots crunching against the icy ground as he twisted his arm, loosening up. “You must be the Ryder my men must be talking about,” he said, staring at Bastian. “Gotta admit, your gift’s impressive, but… simple at best.”
“Bold words for someone who’s half-bird,” Ryder whispered.
A faint smile tugged at Falcon’s lips as he cracked his neck, wearing his mask. Before he could advance, a jagged spike of ice erupted from the ground, stabbing into his back.
“You’re done,” Ryder said, his face stoic.
Falcon remained still, his body trembling as majestic wings of black and silver burst forth, shattering the icy spear in a glittering explosion. In a heartbeat, he closed the distance between them. Falcon seized him by the neck and hurled him skyward.
Ryder’s body arced through the frozen air, his wide eyes reflecting the endless heavens. Falcon leapt after him, his powerful wings propelling him with ease. With a single flap, he unleashed a storm of razor-sharp feathers.
Raising his arm, Ryder summoned an enormous block of ice that towered like a mountain, absorbing the attack. As it shattered into a mist of crystalline shards, Falcon closed in, driving a heavy punch into Ryder’s chest and sending him plummeting toward the earth.
Before Ryder could hit the ground, Bastian leapt high, catching him mid-fall and cackling. “This guy’s too fast,” Ryder groaned. “And his gift is a pain.”
“Who said you could look away?” Falcon growled. In a blur, he struck them both, his blow sending them crashing into the snow.
Ryder scrambled to his feet, cursing under his breath as he summoned numerous ice pillars that surged upward like frozen mountains, hurtling toward Falcon. The winged hunter weaved through them all, his sharp wings cutting some in his path.
Closing the gap, Falcon stretched out his arm, his fist glowing with raw power. “Have a quick nap,” he said, slamming his punch into Ryder’s face. The impact shattered the icy form into pieces.
Far ahead, one of the distant ice structures began to reshape itself, taking on Ryder’s form.
Falcon’s sharp eyes caught the movement, and he smirked. “You’re a tricky one, aren’t you?”
"If this goes any further, I'll be forced to use the third power," Ryder whispered, catching his breath, his gaze shifting toward Zephyr. "I can't waste too much energy in this fight, so hurry up"
*
Tori clicked her tongue, flicking a speck of ice from her scythe. “Pasta nearly made me late to the party,” she muttered, glancing over at Zephyr.
“What kind of weapon is that?” Zephyr asked, lowering her blade.
“Oh, this?” Tori spun the scythe, its edges gleaming like liquid moonlight. “Just a little something I whipped up. Pretty sick, right?”
“Splendid. I crafted my weapon as well. Shall we test which one reigns superior?”
Tori tapped the side of her glasses, a glowing hologram flickering to life, displaying Pasta and Kabal sneaking through the forest. “Snuck a little bug on them,” she said with a playful shrug. “Can’t believe he came back after all that ruckus earlier. Pretty reckless, Pasta. Pretty reckless.” She shook her head and turned back to Zephyr. “And, no, we don’t need to compare.”
Zephyr arched an eyebrow, her irritation evident. “Why not?”
Tori stepped forward, her boots cracking the ice beneath her as her aura radiated power. Her cold breath ghosted against Zephyr’s face as she locked eyes with her. “Because mine outclasses yours. Simple.”
Zephyr’s grip tightened on her blades. “Don’t you think you’re standing a little too close?” she asked, her chained weapons swinging into her hands.
She lunged, driving both blades toward Tori’s ears.
Tori spun her weapon, deflecting the strike before leaping back. “Whoa there,” she said with a smirk. “I’d like to keep my head attached, thanks.”
Zephyr’s growl deepened as she dashed forward. Tori took a deep breath, unleashing a flying slash that carved through the air like a silver crescent. Zephry dodged it, but the attack cleaved the ice in two, the crack extending to the far horizon.
Tori gave her a sly smile. Zephyr followed up by hurling one of her chained blades. Tori intercepted it, catching it mid-air with her scythe and stabbing it into the frozen ground. She adjusted her glasses, the frequencies flickering.
Zephyr smirked, hurling her second blade. This time, the world seemed to drain of colour.
Tori froze, the blade phasing harmlessly through her. Suddenly, countless afterimages of Tori materialized, frozen mid-motion but poised as if running.
Zephyr clenched her jaw. “Damn. She figured it out before I could pull it off,” she muttered, recalling her weapons. “I’ll deal with her the normal way. Can’t waste time here.”
As the distorted space dissipated, Tori lunged, her scythe colliding with Zephyr’s twin blades in a burst of sparks, slicing through the frozen wasteland.
Zephyr grunted, pushing Tori back with sheer force, and followed up with a swift kick that sent her skidding across the ice. Before Tori could regain her footing, the flying blade came at her again. She managed to block the strike, sending her crashing into the ice.
Tori groaned, coughing as she clutched her chest. “Damn it... Dain was right. This isn’t going to be easy,” she whispered, forcing herself back to her feet. Her eyes burned with determination. “Alright. Let’s go again.”
Zephyr smirked, raising her weapons. “Gladly.”
*
The battlefield shook as devastation marred the once-pristine snow. Two families of hunters clashed, their conflict reverberating across the frozen wasteland. Dain stood resolute amidst the chaos, his keen gaze fixed on Darius, making sure he didn’t attempt to intervene.
“Shouldn’t we get started?” Darius asked, his face lacking an ounce of emotion. “Before he arrives. Oh, my mistake—he’s already here.”
A guttural growl ripped through the air as Thorne’s presence shattered the icy tranquillity. The ground quaked, fissures forming beneath their feet, and the once-clear skies churned into a stormy void. Snow swirled violently, blotting out the horizon with blinding white.
Dain turned back, his pupils shifted, taking the shape of cubes as his gaze cut through the storm. From the ruined hills, and shattered forests, Thorne emerged—a towering beast, larger than before, his horns jagged and eyes burning crimson. In an instant, he vanished.
Falcon broke from his fight, streaking through the storm to intercept Thorne. He slammed into the beast with all his might, muscles straining as he pushed back against enraged Hunter. Tori joined moments later, her weapon spun with a mind of its own through the air in a desperate attempt to pierce Thorne’s hide. The strikes glanced off his thick fur, doing little to hold him back.
“Changing the plan already?” Dain said, “What happened to me fighting both of them?”
“You can’t fight two monsters alone,” Falcon said, his voice strained as he struggled to hold Thorne at bay. “My wings can’t even pierce through him”
“Oh?” Dain said, glancing at the other hunters. “What about your end of the bargain?”
Tori chuckled through a cold sweat. “Astria will have our heads if we fail to perform our duties.”
Dain sighed, his gaze shifting to Ryder and Zephyr. “Fine. I only need to bring you in anyways, so.” He turned to Darius, his voice lowering. “Let’s end this.”
Darius turned down, looking at his hands and feet now encased in Dain’s cubes. “Hmmn”
“As you taught me,” Dain whispered, his voice cold. “First rule, never let your guard down.”
The cubes pulled him skyward as hundreds more materialised, surrounding him in midair before crashing into him. Leaving behind a cloud of blue sparkles, Darius fell from the sky, and landed on his feet, unscathed. He tore off his sweatshirt to reveal his bulging muscles, cracking his neck, his breath visible in the icy air. “Good boy,” he said, his tone almost approving. His gaze drifted to the storm above. “Now show me the spirit of a warrior”
He stomped his feet on the floor and launched himself at Dain. Time slowed as Dain leapt back through a portal, appearing behind Darius with a cube-coated punch that drove his face towards the snow. Darius caught himself before touching the ground, swinging back with a powerful strike.
Dain dodged, teleporting again, his relentless barrage of punches pushing Darius further back. A cube formed around Darius’s arm, throwing him into the air again.
Dain stood on a flying cube, leaping into the air to meet Darius. Their fists collided once more, sending shock waves across the frozen earth.
Darius steadied himself, using the flying cubes as stepping stones, aided by the passing breeze under his feet.
He launched himself forward as hundreds of cubes came at him full throttle, his movements were quick, destroying each one sent to his path with raw strength.
“You can’t keep this up forever, Father!” Dain yelled, propelling himself higher. Raising both his arms, summoning thousands of glowing cubes, their light cutting through the storm’s darkness.
The storm answered with fury, lightning crackling across the sky. Darius unleashed a burst of power, intensifying the chaos. Tornadoes ripped through the land as thunder roared, threatening to bring down the heavens.
Lightning tore through the dark skies, revealing Darius. A bolt of light struck him, causing his body to radiate a blinding energy, electricity surging through him and his eyes glowing white. He remained mid-air, poised for another punch.
Dain’s expression hardened. “I’ll bring you back to her, even if I have to break your legs to do it!” He absorbed the lightning into his cubes, creating a chain reaction across the illuminated storm.
Both men screamed as their powers clashed. Darius hurled a colossal strike of lightning, shattering countless cubes. The explosion tore through the battlefield, uprooting trees and merging the tornadoes into a massive storm. The impact reverberated through the realm, shaking it to its core.
From their hidden perch, Pasta and Falcon barely clung to a boulder, their feet swinging in the wind.
Thorne remained unmoving, his gaze fixed on the sky. Falcon retracted his wings, grabbing Thorne's feet, Tori doing the same also.
Ryder and Zephyr held tight to their chained blades embedded in the ice, while Bastian was launched into the clouds, his laughter echoing above the chaos.
As the storm dissipated, the two men collapsed to the ground. Darius landed on his feet, his shadow cutting through the fading tempest. He strode forward, emerging from the haze with Dain leaning against his shoulder for support.
Dain slumped onto a nearby rock, coughing, his gaze steady on his father. "You're bleeding," he murmured.
Darius wiped a shallow cut from his forehead. He knelt before Dain, his expression unreadable. "You travelled across the world just to drag me back? Still playing the child after all these years."
A faint chuckle escaped Dain. "A mother's boy through and through," he replied, voice laced with defiance. "Her letters always mentioned you. She wanted you home, yet here you are, chasing after strength again. If anyone’s clinging to childishness, it’s you."
Darius didn’t respond immediately, his silence weighted. Finally, he stood, towering over his son. "She didn’t ask you to bring me back, did she?"
Dain said nothing, his silence an answer in itself.
Darius sighed. "I understand," he said, his voice carrying both weariness and resolve. "From the time I was a child, I sought strength, mastering every technique I could find. But no matter how much I learned or achieved, there was no purpose. I married, again and again, searching for something more. When I met your mother, she saw the dream I carried, and she believed in me. I can’t abandon that, Dain."
“So you won’t meet her?”
Darius gave him a cold stare. “I never said I won’t,” he whispered. “The name ‘Butcher’ suits you, son. Go home to your wife. It’s time you left this life behind,” he said, turning to Falcon and Tori. “Let the new generation have their time”
Dain laughed out, hitting his leg. “You really are something, telling me that”
But his grin faltered as Darius coughed, blood streaks dripping from his lips.
Darius twisted to look behind him, his expression hardening. Ice shards jutted from his back, glinting in the dim light. Ryder stood in the distance, his eyes sharp. "You let your guard down too many times, old man," he sneered.
Zephyr wasted no time, hurling her spinning blades toward Darius’s neck. But a cube materialized around the weapons, turning them to dust before they could reach him.
Dain’s voice was soft, almost teasing. "You alright?"
Darius didn’t answer.
Dain smirked. "Yeah, I shouldn’t have asked."
The air itself seemed to hold its breath before a tremendous surge of energy erupted, shaking the entire realm. The burst sent waves of power rippling across the Fourth, leaving thousands unconscious in its wake. Confusion and fear spread like wildfire throughout the realm of the departed in mere seconds.
The ice shards piercing Darius shattered, revealing only shallow wounds. He straightened, his gaze drifting through the brewing storm. "Tell the swordsman I have no quarrel with him," he said, his voice calm but firm. Above, the heavens roared with lightning, red and blue streaks intertwining, as the cries of dragons echoed across the sky.
A faint smile tugged at Darius’s lips as he watched the storm. "I’ve got bigger prey to hunt."