The man, impaled by the sword, was momentarily stunned. He calmed himself, then said, "It's been a long time since I saw my blood flow to the ground. It brings back an unpleasant memory."
Simone cut him in two, shouting, "Lucien!"
She raised her sword, already lodged within the man's body, until the blade exited through his head. But the sword remained motionless. The man turned his head, and Simone shivered at the sight of his furious, blood-filled face.
"YOU ALL MUST DIE," he said in a calm yet heavy voice.
"YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!" Simone shouted in unison, trying to move her sword. Lucien rushed at him with his spear, aiming for his head.
The man kicked the sword aside, piercing his body completely with it. Simone, robbed of her weapon, attempted a right hook. Suddenly, roots thrust from the ground and pierced her stomach.
Surprised, Lucien charged faster, but Asti shouted, "Lucien, look! The three trees next to you!"
The trees, seemingly fixed a few minutes earlier, collapsed toward him, transforming and growing in unnatural ways.
Lucien narrowly avoided the falling trees, which now seemed to grow on their own. He quickly turned his head and spotted the man walking toward the debris on the ground.
The man opened one of the three trees, pulling out a thin wooden stick, then struck the air. A violent wind arose, blinding Lucien, who raised his hands to protect his eyes.
The man spread his legs, with his left leg forward and his right leg back, pointing the wooden stick downward. He launched himself at Lucien; the latter saw a stick protruding from his hands and hammered his lung.
Lucien was sent flying into the air and hit a tree with a brutal force. The impact was so severe that his right lung exploded, leaving him half-dead.
The man looked at Asti, signaling that he was next. Suddenly, a black fire and lightning—like beings covered in thunder—raced across the sky at incredible speed, as if several entities were attacking simultaneously.
Realizing the distance, he understood that what was in the sky was above his village. He rushed in that direction.
Asti waited until the man was gone for good, then ran to Lucien to check on him. The unconscious man was bleeding from his ears, mouth, and nose. The most severe wound was on his chest—the mark of the staff was so intense it looked like a burn.
Asti searched for Simone, who had five holes in her abdomen but was still awake, unlike Lucien.
Waiting for help, she tried to get up but was stopped by Asti.
She sighed in relief. "It's you, Asti. I thought it was the other one coming to finish me," she said, suffering from her injuries.
"Lie down. It's over now. Tell me, how can I stop you from bleeding out?" Asti asked, worried.
"As you can see, the holes are clean, but luckily, if they come out the back, I'd be dead already," Simone replied with a worried smile.
"You'll need me to sew you up. The five holes, at least, so you're not in immediate danger," Simone insisted.
Asti, stressed, took the first aid kit. "Are you ready? It's not going to be pleasant," he said, determined.
"Just do it, and shut up," Simone replied.
Meanwhile, Hikiri was surrounded by three cannibals. They attacked him from all sides.
Hikiri, calm, rushed at the leader.
"Besides disrespecting my parents, you disrespect me by thinking I'm weak. Try to follow this," the leader said, touching the ground and pointing at Hikiri.
Roots emerged from the earth, aiming at Hikiri, who destroyed them with his katana.
"Is that all you can do?" Hikiri asked.
At those words, the three enemies snapped their fingers. The leader struck brutally; Hikiri dodged with his arm. Seeing the impact on the ground, he understood he shouldn't get hit again.
The leader tore off a long piece of root, which he held like a sharp, straight weapon.
He aimed at Hikiri's back, but sensing the attack, Hikiri countered, planted his fist, and launched his blade diagonally toward the leader's torso. The leader retreated, avoiding the blade.
"Missed, you arrogant little fool," said the leader with a smirk.
Hikiri smiled in return. "I said my blade needed to touch you to hurt you."
A bloody line appeared on the leader's torso; it opened, and blood burst from his body, causing him to collapse to the ground.
Hikiri dodged the leader's attack with the roots and found himself face-to-face with Cicatrice.
"And you, why aren't you attacking me?" Hikiri asked.
Cicatrice, with an insistent gaze, replied, "You've still not noticed, have you?"
Hikiri looked around. The trees, once distant, had moved closer, with sharp branches and roots visible outside the ground.
Cicatrice spread his legs, staying still for a few minutes.
Hikiri, unable to tolerate being surrounded by all these trees, advanced toward Cicatrice.
Cicatrice raised his right arm and struck into the air.
At the same moment, fourteen branches extended to reach Hikiri, and twenty roots encircled him, lunging toward him.