LXIII

The desert stretched endlessly, a sea of golden sand glinting under the harsh sun. Pieces of the RV lay scattered, shredded into unrecognizable debris by Ranas’s aura blade. He stood amidst the wreckage, his towering frame casting a long shadow over the destruction.

His Nodachi, massive and gleaming, rested casually on his shoulder. Despite his aged appearance, every movement he made was precise, calculated, and filled with an unnerving ease.

Ranas was old, and he knew his time was running out. His body had already begun to falter under the weight of the years. That was why, when the Elsewhere Cult promised him immortality in exchange for completing an errand, he hadn’t hesitated.

Few organizations in the world could promise such a thing, and fewer still had the means to deliver. The Elsewhere Cult, however, boasted the most stable method. And for a man like Ranas, who had spent his life mastering the blade, the thought of living forever to perfect his art was irresistible.

He narrowed his eyes, scanning the sandstorm kicked up by his last strike. His target was somewhere within the swirling haze.

“I know you’re still here, Leora of the Guiding Light.”

A flash of gold burst through the storm, the telltale glint of her katana.

Ranas pivoted smoothly, parrying the strike with a resonating clang. He followed up with an overhead swing, the force of his blade cleaving through the air and sending shockwaves rippling through the sand.

Leora danced out of reach, her movements quick and fluid. She wielded her katana in one hand, her other arm cradling her young son protectively.

The battle was a deadly dance, Leora flickering in and out of sight like a mirage. Each of Ranas’s swings tore through the air with enough force to raise walls of sand, but none found their mark.

“Give up the boy, and you might live a little longer.”

Leora didn’t answer. Instead, she reappeared at his flank, her blade flashing in a swift arc aimed at his neck.

Ranas ducked effortlessly, countering with a horizontal swing that would have cleaved a lesser opponent in two. But Leora vanished again, her form dissolving into a blur as she retreated.

This time, she didn’t reappear. She ran.

Ranas’s lips curled into a grim smile.

“No, you don’t.”

Aura was many things. It could enhance the body, project energy, and manipulate the environment in ways that defied physics. The Seven States alone allowed for a myriad of superhuman feats.

But developing Special Abilities—those unique to an individual—was the pinnacle of aura mastery.

For the Seven Extremes, their abilities had been refined to such an extent that they were unrivaled within their specific categories. In Ranas’s case, his ability to amplify his strength had reached a level that made him unmatched in raw power.

“Peerless Rival.”

The moment he invoked his ability, the world around him seemed to shift. His speed, already formidable, multiplied in an instant. He became a blur, matching Leora’s speed with ease.

He closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye.

“Where are you going?”

Leora glanced back, her golden aura flaring as she tried to push herself further. But Ranas was relentless. With a single swing of his Nodachi, he unleashed a wave of destructive force that tore through the dunes, sending sand cascading into the air.

The sun blazed mercilessly over the desert, and the air shimmered with heatwaves. Sand shifted underfoot as Ranas faced Leora, his massive Nodachi gleaming in his hands.

Ranas’s aura flared, crackling like invisible flames.

“No one is faster or stronger than me. That’s just a simple fact of life.”

The weight of his presence alone pressed against Leora, whose breathing had grown labored. Beads of sweat dripped from her brow, mixing with the fine grains of sand clinging to her skin.

Leora’s katana trembled slightly in her grip, but her stance remained firm. Despite the strain in her movements, she had managed to parry and evade his last attack by a hair’s breadth.

Ranas grinned, his voice low and taunting.

“You make a fine struggle, but you will lose.”

Leora didn’t respond immediately. Her chest heaved as she struggled to steady her breathing. She was clearly pushing herself to her limit, and Ranas could see it.

“The rumors about you don’t lie. Your way with aura is excellent. But the things you can do? They’re commonplace in the Forbidden Region.”

Leora’s eyes narrowed, and her grip on her katana tightened.

“You speak of the Forbidden Region as if you are its equal. Last I heard, another expedition is underway…”

Ranas chuckled, a deep and gravelly sound that seemed to rumble through the desert.

“Silly child, no one is equal to the Forbidden Region.”

He adjusted his stance, casually twirling the Nodachi in one hand before letting it rest against his shoulder.

“If anything, it is you who has been coddled. The real strong roam the Forbidden Region unhindered. Your so-called ‘expeditions’? They’re nothing but excuses for you sheltered hunters to boost each other’s egos. Those who persevere may join the ranks of the strong. The rest? Deadweight.”

Leora’s jaw tightened. She knew he was trying to get into her head, but his words still stung.

“Coddled? Me? You don’t know anything about me.”

Her voice was sharp, cutting through the desert winds.

Ranas raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.

Stolen story; please report.

“Yes, coddled. To most hunters, the world is divided into two: the Claimed Lands and the Forbidden Region. But you’re wrong. The world is far bigger than that.”

He took a step forward, his aura intensifying. The ground beneath him cracked, and the air seemed to hum with energy.

“The Forbidden Region isn’t just a place. It’s countless rifts, floating islands, and worlds of unspeakable imagination—things you could never comprehend.”

Leora’s silence stretched, her gaze locked on him as if trying to decipher the truth in his words.

Ranas continued. “And that’s why it’s a pity. Someone with your talent could challenge the Forbidden Region and become something far greater.”

“You’re wrong about me, Ranas.” Leora finally spoke, her voice steady despite her exhaustion. “I’ve faced horrors that would make even the strongest of your ‘forbidden’ wanderers falter.”

Ranas laughed again, the sound echoing across the dunes. “Perhaps. But here you are, running. And here I am, proving why I’m called the Extreme Fighter.” With those words, Ranas entered his fighting stance. His Nodachi glowed faintly as his aura surged, and his body seemed to shift, taking on the attributes of his opponent.

“The Peerless Rival makes me faster, stronger, and better than anyone I face. That’s just how it works. You should know by now, running is futile.”

Leora flickered in and out of view, her speed leaving afterimages that shimmered like mirages in the heat.

“Lightspeed.” She darted away, sand scattering in her wake. But Ranas was already moving, his speed matching hers—and surpassing it. His Peerless Rival ability allowed him to replicate her speed and amplify it exponentially, leaving no room for escape.

“Enough of this,” he growled, raising his Nodachi high above his head.

His aura surged, and with a swift motion, he brought the blade down in an overhead swing.

“Aura Blade.”

A crescent of pure energy erupted from the Nodachi, cutting through the air with a deafening hum. The Aura Blade was a devastating combination of technique and Special Ability—a lethal move that extended the reach of his blade far beyond its physical limits.

Leora twisted mid-step, her instincts sharper than ever. She flickered again, dodging the incoming strike as the Aura Blade carved a trench into the sand.

Ranas smirked.

“You’re delaying the inevitable.”

The Aura Blade didn’t stop after missing its mark. With a flick of his wrist, Ranas manipulated the energy slash, causing it to veer and home in on Leora. The glowing arc of energy sliced through the air like a predator chasing its prey.

Leora’s breath hitched, but she didn’t falter.

“Not yet.”

She swiveled, her movements graceful and precise, changing angles to sidestep both Ranas and the Aura Blade. Her katana flashed in the sunlight as she hurled it at the incoming energy slash.

The blade struck true, intercepting the Aura Blade mid-flight and stopping it in its tracks. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the desert, scattering sand in every direction. However, not without paying the cost. Leora’s sword cracked under the immense pressure, the blade fracturing along its length with a sharp, splintering sound. She hesitated for only a moment before releasing the hilt, letting the ruined weapon fall to the ground.

Ranas raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed.

“You’ve got skill, I’ll give you that. But skill only gets you so far.”

In the momentary lull, Leora reappeared in his blind spot, holding her baby tightly with both hands.

Ranas sensed the shift and turned, his aura flaring defensively. What he didn’t expect was the infant’s wide-eyed focus—and the growing fireball forming in the baby’s tiny hands.

“BladabaBOOM!”

The fireball launched with surprising force, its intensity catching even Ranas off guard. The concentrated blast of heat and energy struck him square in the chest, sending him skidding backward. His aura shield cracked under the impact, and for the first time, his footing faltered.

Smoke and fire filled the air as Ranas steadied himself, brushing the soot from his tattered robes.

“A baby... with that much firepower?”

He glanced at Leora, who was already moving, her speed once again unmatched as she darted away with her child.

Ranas tightened his grip on his Nodachi, his aura flaring anew.

“Interesting. Very interesting. This might be more fun than I thought.”

With a deep breath, he infused his aura into the blade, the energy humming as it resonated with the metal. The weapon began to glow faintly before splitting in two, the long Nodachi transforming into a Katana and a Wakizashi.

"Be honored," Ranas said, his voice low and steady.

Leora’s gaze narrowed, her breathing ragged as she cradled her infant son against her chest. She didn’t reply, her focus solely on the battle ahead.

Ranas raised both blades, his aura crackling like static electricity. He swung them in a wide arc, their edges cutting through the air with a sound like tearing fabric. “Tempest Blade!” he roared.

The storm-like barrage of cuts erupted around him, a whirlwind of slashes that lashed out in every direction. Sand flew into the air, caught in the tempest, creating a chaotic curtain that obscured the battlefield. Leora darted to the side, her speed a blur as she activated her Special Ability.

“Lightspeed!”

Her form flickered in and out of view as she attempted to dodge the storm of attacks, but the onslaught was relentless. The cuts began to accumulate, slicing into her arms and legs. Blood stained her tattered clothes as she shielded her son, twisting her body to take the brunt of the attacks.

Ranas frowned, watching her movements with a calculating gaze.

Despite her determination, her speed wasn’t enough to completely evade his strikes. He adjusted his swings, each cut more precise, more focused.

“Give up,” Ranas said coldly, his voice cutting through the storm.

Leora didn’t respond, her face a mask of defiance. She spun, narrowly avoiding another slash, her katana long discarded after its destruction earlier in the fight.

“This isn’t you,” Ranas continued, his tone almost mocking. “A warrior like you should know when the battle is lost.”

He moved faster now, creating afterimages of himself as he circled her. Each strike came from a different direction, forcing Leora to move erratically to avoid being overwhelmed. Still, the cuts kept coming, her body accumulating more wounds with each passing second.

“Live to see another day,” Ranas said, his voice taking on a cruel edge. “Give up. No need to persist.”

Leora gritted her teeth, clutching her son tighter. She knew he was trying to break her spirit, to force her to surrender, but she refused to give him the satisfaction. Her child whimpered softly, sensing her distress, and her resolve hardened.

Ranas’s gaze flicked to the infant, his movements slowing slightly. While the Elsewhere Cult wanted the boy dead, Ranas had no intention of delivering a corpse. He couldn’t trust the Cult to honor their promise of immortality, but a living child gave him leverage.

“Give up,” Ranas repeated, his voice softer now, almost pitying. “You can’t win this.”

Leora stumbled, her body screaming in protest, but she refused to fall. Her aura flared briefly, a golden light that illuminated the swirling sandstorm.

“I will never give up,” she said, her voice steady despite the pain.

Ranas sighed, tightening his grip on his blades. “Then I’ll break you until you have no choice.”

Ranas smirked, his aura-laden Katana and Wakizashi at the ready. He eyed Leora, her battered form trembling but still standing. Blood seeped from her wounds, staining the sand beneath her feet. The infant in her arms cried loudly, the sound cutting through the tension like a blade.

“Your guard is open,” Ranas said coldly. He made a simple stabbing motion, his Wakizashi thrusting toward Leora with deadly precision.

The baby’s cries grew louder, piercing through the chaotic battlefield. But then, something unexpected happened—Leora smiled.

A burst of white light descended from the sky, its brilliance momentarily blinding Ranas. Instinctively, he retreated, leaping back to put distance between himself and the sudden phenomenon. When his vision cleared, he saw two new figures standing protectively in front of Leora.

One was a woman with dark brown hair tied back into a loose ponytail, her sharp eyes glinting with confidence. The other was a man in a crisp black suit, his dark hair framing a face devoid of emotion.

Leora exhaled shakily, her smile widening despite her obvious exhaustion. “The two of you took long enough.”

Ranas’s gaze darted to the sky, piecing together the source of the light. His expression darkened. “That was the World Path, wasn’t it?” he said, his tone a mix of curiosity and disdain. “So… the Association has decided to intervene.”

The brown-haired woman gave Leora a once-over and raised an eyebrow. “You look like shit,” she remarked, her tone laced with sarcasm.

The man in the suit glanced at his wristwatch, his expression unchanging. “Three minutes until the World Path recovers. We should be able to last that long.”

Ranas let out a hearty laugh, his aura flaring as his blades glowed brighter. “Quite arrogant of you,” he said, stepping forward. “Unlike Leora, I don’t need to hold back against you for fear of harming the infant. Who even are you?”

The man’s gaze turned icy, his voice carrying an undercurrent of menace. “Just a deadbeat dad, trying to make things right.”

As he spoke, ethereal blue butterflies began to manifest around him, their delicate wings glowing faintly. They hovered in the air, their presence eerie and unnatural.

“Now,” contemplatively added the man, “How do you want to die?”

~063