Chapter 49
Silence returned to the area, broken only by the howling wind and the slow descent of snowflakes. Moryo and Spailo stood face-to-face amidst the harsh weather. Finally, Moryo spoke, his voice carrying both questions and determination:
"Spailo? I truly wonder... what are your motives? Why are you doing all of this? Were you always cruel by nature, or did cruelty shape you?"
Spailo did not answer immediately. He remained silent as red sparks crackled around his clenched fist, burning with barely contained fury. At last, he spoke in a calm yet heavy voice:
"The world is cruel. Those without cruelty cannot survive. Only demons or the ruthless can handle this reality... or perhaps both together."
In response, green sparks flickered to life around Moryo's fist, reflecting his growing rage. The two exchanged sharp, unyielding gazes,as if the inevitable clash had already been decided.
Both prepared themselves—sparks surging, determination hardening their expressions.
Suddenly, Spailo and Moryo launched at each other like two intersecting arrows, their faces set with seriousness and determination. Moryo clenched his fist, which crackled with glowing green sparks, and lunged forward with a direct punch aimed at Spailo's face. But with precise movement, Spailo tilted his head to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow, and countered with a fierce punch targeting Moryo's body. His fist struck, causing a thunderous sonic boom to erupt.
Despite the impact, Moryo endured it bravely. In a swift motion, he grabbed Spailo's leg with one hand and pushed it aside, seizing the moment to charge his fist with the pulsing green energy. With a devastating punch, he struck directly at Spailo's face, triggering a powerful air explosion that sent Spailo flying like a ragdoll before he crashed violently into the ground. Snow blasted in every direction, scattering like crystalline shards.
On the other side, Moryo landed lightly on his feet, his expression etched with seriousness before he called out in a firm voice:
"Spailo! Are you kidding me?! We both know you're much stronger than this!"
A few meters away, Spailo remained lying on his back, his face unreadable and silent. As Moryo approached him with slow, steady steps, he continued in a voice filled with intensity:
"I don't want this fight to be meaningless! If one of us is going to die today, then let's make it a battle worth remembering!"
Spailo didn't respond. He simply gazed at the sky with deep contemplation, prompting Moryo to shout louder, his voice sharp with frustration:
"Come on! Show me everything you've got! Let me see the power you're hiding!"
A deadly silence swallowed the frozen landscape, the only sound being the eerie whistle of icy winds sweeping through the snow-covered scenery. Suddenly, a shadow flickered through the stillness, moving swiftly toward Moryo from behind. It belonged to Phantom Borna, her fist clenched tightly, ready to strike with a swift attack.
But just before her punch connected, a green spark ignited around her arm like a raging serpent. Her hand froze in place before it could reach Moryo. He turned his head calmly, his eyes burning with an intense and piercing gaze. His stare locked onto Borna's, and her face twisted in frustration as she thought to herself:
"Damn you! The Time Technique… it's more troublesome than I expected!"
Before she could react, a voice roared from behind her—Raizo's voice, filled with unwavering determination:
"ONOKO BORNA…!"
Raizo was charging toward her, his body enveloped in golden electricity that melted the snow beneath his feet. His eyes radiated with a dazzling golden glow as he shouted with unshakable resolve:
"Spiritual Fusion!"
In an instant, golden lightning exploded from his body, wrapping around him as if it were an extension of his very being. It surged forward at the speed of light toward Phantom Borna. At that very moment, the sky split apart with a deafening golden thunderstrike, illuminating everything in sight. Raizo's body vanished, consumed by the electricity as if it had devoured him.
The heavens trembled, and the ground quaked violently. Snow melted and disappeared as if it had never existed, while tongues of lightning slashed through the air. The wind transformed into a raging storm, whipping Moryo's clothes wildly as he shielded his face with his arms, unable to open his eyes amidst the chaos.
Trees were uprooted and set ablaze under the wrath of the thunder, and the overwhelming pressure crushed everything in its path. The raging winds mercilessly tore through the battlefield—until suddenly, everything stopped.
A terrifying silence engulfed the area.
Moryo slowly lowered his arms and opened his eyes. Before him stood Phantom Borna, but now she was massive. Her body was cloaked in golden, crackling electricity, making her look like a being from another world. Her terrifying eyes glowed an ominous gold, her long claws gleamed in the darkness, and her body was encased in a black layer of energy, its edges shimmering with gold like an imposing suit of armor.
In shock, Moryo whispered, his voice barely audible, laced with awe and disbelief:
"What… the hell is this…?"
He looked at the monstrous figure standing before him. The battlefield had been reduced to a barren wasteland—no trees, no snow, nothing but destruction. In contrast, Phantom Borna stood calmly, her glowing, fearsome eyes locked onto him, while an eerie silence loomed over them, as if death itself were lurking in the stillness, waiting for the slightest misstep.
—
At Suero's Family Home
Kaso and Yamato were taking off their heavy coats at the entrance. Yamato spoke with childlike enthusiasm:
"That was an amazing day, wasn't it?!"
Kaso smiled gently and replied:
"Yes, it truly was."
However, Yamato's expression soon shifted to confusion as she hesitantly asked:
"Who were those two girls?!"
Kaso looked at her, mirroring the same puzzled expression before responding with uncertainty:
"I don't know! Maybe… maybe they're Suero's friends?"
Yamato remained silent for a moment, confusion still written all over her face. Kaso, too, seemed deep in thought.
---
By the Fireplace
Suero sat in front of the fireplace, where the flames danced quietly among the burning logs, the crackling sounds cutting through the silence in the room. His gaze was fixed on the fire with an eerie calmness, as Laura's voice echoed in his mind,
"Oi, Suero! Don't you want to join us? Don't you want to destroy the magic system?"
He remained silent, replaying her words in his head as a heavy stillness filled the air. Internally, he mused:
"The magic system? What does she mean? We can't do that… But… are we truly free in this world?!"
His eyes stayed locked on the fire, as if it reflected the questions storming in his mind:
"Is this our fate? To remain bound, living in fear of fighting monsters? Can this world really change?!"
But his deep thoughts were suddenly interrupted by his father's voice, calling out softly:
"Suero?"
Suero snapped out of his trance and quickly responded:
"Yes?"
Kaso and Yamato exchanged curious glances as they observed the exchange between Suero and their father. Rashid spoke in a warm tone:
"Will you all come with me to Beura?"
Kaso immediately asked:
"Why? Is there something special?"
Rashid shook his head with a gentle smile:
"Not really, but the weather is beautiful. Let's enjoy the winter together!"
Yamato's eyes sparkled with excitement as she cheered:
"Really?! Let's go! I want to see Beura covered in snow!"
She eagerly grabbed Kaso's small hands and tugged on them with excitement:
"Come on, Kaso! Let's go now!"
Kaso chuckled warmly and replied gently:
"Alright, alright, no need to rush!"
Then, Yamato turned to Suero, calling out in a cheerful, childlike voice:
"Big brother, come with us! The trip won't be complete without you!"
Suero gazed at her calmly, his voice pulling itself out of the depths of his thoughts. A faint smile played on his lips as he said
"Alright, let's go, princess."
Yamato beamed with pure joy, while Suero's subtle smile hid a turbulent storm within.
Rashid then said in a lighthearted tone:
"Get ready and wear something warm. The winter here is harsh!"
Kaso let out a small laugh before grabbing their coats, helping Yamato put hers on. Once everyone was dressed, Rashid stepped outside first, walking calmly. Yamato followed, practically bouncing with excitement, while Kaso smiled warmly.
Suero was the last to step out, closing the door gently behind him. As their footsteps pressed into the thick snow, they made their way through the forest, heading toward Beura, which awaited them under the crisp winter sky.
---
At the Base of the Mana Organization's Mountain
Moryo stood frozen in place, staring in horror at the ghostly form of Borna, which seemed to radiate with a terrifying glow. He stammered, muttering under his breath as if speaking to himself:
"That man was just in front of me a moment ago… and now, he's gone?! Is this the result of a sudden shift in nature?!"
But then, Raizo's earlier scream echoed in his mind like a thunderclap:
"Spiritual Fusion!"
Moryo's eyes widened in sheer terror as he whispered in his thoughts:
"No… He didn't disappear! He merged with that entity!"
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as Raizo's voice resonated from within Borna's ghostly form, though now carrying the overwhelming tone of a monstrous being—filled with mockery and disdain:
"Do you really think this is something impressive?! You, people of Kaisima, believe you possess the strongest magic. But the World Sages… they have powers and sorcerers far beyond your imagination!"
Raizo's words sent a wave of unease through Moryo, whose face shifted into a mix of caution and anticipation.
Raizo continued laughing, his voice erupting from Borna's spectral mouth, the eerie resonance amplifying his menace:
"You're nothing but pests! The World Sages have already decreed your extermination. And I am here now… to wipe you out completely!"
His declaration struck Moryo like lightning, leaving him murmuring in disbelief:
"Extermination?! Is that… what they've planned?!"
Raizo sneered, his tone dripping with amusement as he responded:
"Yes! The nation of Kaisima and its people… are doomed! And how I long for my true homeland!"
Suddenly, without any warning, Spailo emerged from the shadows like a phantom, striking Moryo from behind with a devastating kick. Moryo's body was sent flying through the air, tumbling across the ground multiple times, the rough terrain scraping away the skin on his face. Blood gushed from his wounds, painting red streaks over the frozen snow.
At that moment, Borna's ghostly form turned toward Moryo's fallen body, while Spailo stood beside him with a calm, almost indifferent posture, as if guarding his master.
Raizo's voice echoed from the spectral figure:
"Oh? It seems this boy fell too easily!"
Spailo smirked and remarked:
"You mean that man? Or… Jan, was it?"
Raizo responded in his monstrous tone:
"I don't know his name, but yes… him."
Spailo glanced at Moryo coldly before speaking cautiously:
"He's not much of a threat to us. But we should be wary of Moryo."
Raizo laughed mockingly, his voice dripping with scorn:
"Moryo?! Hah! He doesn't concern me! He's weak like the rest. Before the Onoko Phantom… everyone is powerless!"
Spailo remained silent, watching as Moryo struggled to rise. Blood dripped from his wounds, staining the ground. Yet, despite the pain coursing through his body, his usual sharp expression returned.
Even as his breath came in ragged gasps, his icy demeanor remained unshaken,as if he were defying everything before him.
Spailo turned to Raizo and said calmly:
"It looks like he won't go down so easily."
Raizo smirked but said nothing.
---
End of Chapter.