There was a heavy silence in the air; time itself seemed frozen. The spear was flying straight toward Akira, and everyone held their breath, unable to look away. As Akira tried to figure out how to block it, his eyes widened at an unbelievable sight — Raiga had caught the spear with his bare hands, gripping it with sheer strength.
Akira was stunned.
— Raiga?
Raiga grinned.
— Let's beat the hell out of that damn Chaos Spirit!!
A sly grin appeared on Akira's face.
— That's the Raiga I know!
But then, as he looked down, his eyes widened.
— Wait… I'm falling!
Just as he was about to hit the ground, Seraphina dashed in and caught him in her arms. Akira's face turned bright red.
— Uh… shouldn't it be the other way around?
Seraphina blushed as well and quickly set him down.
— Don't get the wrong idea. I was just… moved by your words, that's all.
— Hm… I see.
Raiga landed nearby, watching the two with a smirk.
— So… the girl's fighting too, huh?
Seraphina nodded.
Akira shouted:
— Everyone, battle positions! The spirit's about to attack!
Seraphina's face darkened.
— I-I can't fight…
Raiga sneered.
— Then what good are you!?
— Hey, be nice! You were shaking in your boots a minute ago!
Raiga snapped back.
— What? Me? Hahaha!
Akira laughed out loud.
After a brief silence, Seraphina spoke.
— I can use healing techniques.
— That's great!
Raiga looked at Akira.
— Heal this idiot first. He's full of wounds.
Seraphina immediately began healing Akira's injuries.
— This will take about five minutes.
— Got it. I'll protect you in the meantime.
Raiga focused, flames rising from his body.
— Come on, Chaos Spirit!
The spirit grew enraged.
— You truly think you can defeat me? To challenge me is to mock Lady Sora's power!
— Tell Sora he's next once I'm done with you!
The spirit formed blades of air and hurled them toward Raiga. He deflected them with sharp precision, gripping his sword tighter.
Then, the spirit lunged forward with its blade, clashing with Raiga in close combat. The air was filled with the sound of steel. Blocking those aerial strikes was almost impossible; Raiga took several cuts and jumped back, realizing he couldn't win up close.
The spirit taunted him.
— What's wrong? Not so confident now?
— Shut the hell up!
Flames burst from Raiga's eyes as a massive dragon silhouette appeared behind him. Akira and Seraphina froze.
— No way… that's…
— Yeah… it definitely is…
Raiga sent the dragon charging toward the spirit.
The spirit gasped.
— A dragon… interesting.
It raised its hands, summoning a violent storm that pushed against the dragon. The beast struggled to advance.
At that moment, Akira appeared behind the spirit and slashed. The spirit barely dodged — but then noticed its left hand was gone.
— Impossible… I deflected him easily! Unless… this power—
Akira muttered under his breath.
— Crimson Chaos… Valtherion must've named it that.
The spirit's eyes widened.
— Valtherion…? Crimson Chaos…?
Suddenly, its head throbbed violently as memories flooded in.
Blood. Fire. A battlefield drenched in chaos. The world itself seemed shattered.
When it opened its eyes, it was sitting in a pool of blood — but the hands, the clothes… they weren't his.
These were Sora Volgrath's memories.
A girl was crying before him.
— P-please… don't kill me…
A cold voice replied.
— You haven't even felt a fraction of the pain I've endured, Sora. Isn't this… fun?
Sora screamed.
— No, no… it's all Valther's fault! It's all his—
Before he could finish, he looked down — and saw his headless body.
The man's voice whispered coldly:
— Don't worry. I'll send all the Volgraths to join you soon.
Sora screamed in agony.
— Aaghhhh—!
The vision ended.
The spirit staggered, clutching its head.
— Aghh… these memories… Lady Sora's memories… Why did I see them? This has never happened before…
Raiga frowned.
— What's wrong with this guy?
Akira noticed the spirit's focus fading.
— I don't know, but now's our chance!
He and Raiga charged at full speed.
The spirit roared.
— Enough!
Both of them were blown back violently.
Seraphina ran to Akira.
— Akira!!
— I'm fine, Seraphina.
— Wait, you're still hurt!
— We can't stop now!
The spirit's fury reached its peak.
— I'll kill you all! You disturbed Lord Sora's rest!
Raiga shouted:
— Akira, we can't even get close!
— Wait… I can feel something. He's preparing an attack! Fall back!
— Got it!
The spirit roared:
— Volgrath Technique: Colossus!!
The air swirled violently, forming a colossal figure around it.
The giant's arm swung, sending Akira and Raiga flying through the trees.
— Aghhh!!
As the giant turned toward Seraphina, Raiga leapt forward and stabbed its arm — but it was made of pure air. No flesh, no blood, just wind.
He landed and stood in front of her.
Akira gritted his teeth.
— Pure air… how do we even cut that?
— We can't cut the air. We need to strike the body.
— But with that thing in the way, it's impossible to reach him!
— Then we'll have to hit from range.
Akira smirked.
— Perfect. I can handle that. I just learned how.
— Right… the arm. I almost forgot you did that.
— If I can pull it off again, this fight's over.
— Then do it. I'll distract that overgrown breeze.
Raiga charged toward the giant while Akira closed his eyes and focused.
— Valtherion! Valtherion!!
A voice echoed back.
— What is it?
— Oh, so you're awake. Sorry for disturbing your beauty sleep, you damn bastard!
— Watch your tongue, brat.
— That deal we made… you tricked me!
— I gave you the power you wanted.
— Yeah, but you didn't tell me I'd wake up every night haunted by nightmares!
Valtherion laughed darkly.
— I gave you my power directly — along with the weight of every soul I've slain.
— Why!?
— Because nothing comes without a price. Every act of good or evil has its cost.
Akira shouted angrily.
— If you knew that, then why did you kill so many!? Why did you torture them!?
Valtherion laughed again.
— Because it was fun.
Akira froze.
— F-fun!? You think playing with people's lives is fun!?
Valtherion spread his arms wide.
— I'm a killer who enjoys his work. Your morals mean nothing to me.
— You're a monster!
Valtherion's tone turned curious.
— So why have you come here, brat?
Akira glared back.
— I want more power!
Valtherion thought for a moment.
— Hmm… let me think… NO.
— Why not!?
— Because you haven't even reached the limits of what I've already given you.
— I used the crimson energy, but it wasn't enough…
Valtherion's voice boomed.
— There are abilities you haven't even discovered yet. Find them yourself. And don't bother me again.
As the Chaos Spirit's roar echoed through the forest, Akira and Raiga were barely standing, exhausted and bleeding. Their swords trembled in their hands — yet the colossal form of pure air loomed before them, unbroken and menacing.
Raiga asked.
— What happened, what's your old man saying?
Akira bit his lip and clenched his teeth, the blood flowing from his forehead filling his eyes.
— My old man refuses to give up his power… In this state, we must defeat him.
Raiga growled and clenched his sword.
— But how?
— I don't know…
The spirit roared once more and raised his arms into the air. Giant arms made of air descended like lightning. The two of them dodged simultaneously, barely avoiding the attack.
Akira and Raiga parried every blow with their swords, but they never got close. Each blow shattered the trees behind them and shook the ground.
For a long time, they remained solely on the defensive. Their arms trembled with each sword blow, their knees weakened. Their bodies were covered in scratches and blood.
Seraphina shouted anxiously:
— S-stop! You're bleeding profusely!
Akira glanced at Seraphina, panting.
— No… not yet!
Seraphina cried out, her eyes filling with tears.
— H-how can you still fight?!
Raiga countered with a bloody grin.
— Because we have a spirit to slay, idiot!
Akira nodded, a wry smile appearing on his blood-stained lips.
— Exactly…
Raiga quickly devised a plan.
— Akira! Hide in the trees and get behind him!
— Okay!
Without a second's thought, he dove into the trees. He spun around silently and reached the back of the spirit's giant leg. He slashed at its leg with all his might, the air ripping apart as the energy from the sword pierced… But there was no effect.
The giant roared, lifting his foot and bringing it down on Akira.
— Damn it!
At the last moment, he rolled to the side, but a massive gash opened up on his leg, gushing blood.
Raiga's voice echoed:
— You idiot, are you okay?!
— I'm fine… But it's no use wasting time on this guy's legs. Musclehead! Let's try attacking his head!
Raiga, his eyes flash.
— Okay! Come here, I'll throw you!
When Akira came to him in surprise, Raiga caught him with both hands.
— What? Throw me—
Before he could finish his sentence, Raiga threw him like a catapult. As Akira flew through the sky toward the giant's head, he cried:
— Well done, musclehead!
"What kind of muscle power is this…" he thought to himself.
He brought his sword down on the giant's head. Steel sliced through the air… But the result was the same. There was nothing else, no blood, just pure air. As Akira fell to the ground, he quickly straightened up and stabbed the giant's heart with his sword.
But… Spirit suddenly crossed his arms, protecting his chest.
Akira's eyes widened.
—Big boy! I think I found his weak spot!
Raiga spoke excitedly.
— Really?
— His weak spot: his heart!
— Okay… Let's direct our attacks at his heart!
They both sprang into action again. Every attack, every slash, aimed for the spirit's heart. But the spirit shielded it with its hands at incredible speed, and no sword could reach it.
Minutes passed. They both gasped.
In an instant, they both jumped simultaneously, trying to reach his heart. The spirit caught them with its massive hand and pinned them to the ground.
Akira's bones shook, blood gushing from his mouth. Raiga had been struck in the chest.
Seraphina cried out through tears:
— Enough, stop!
They were both covered in blood, almost unable to walk. But the determination in their eyes remained unwavering.
Akira's sword suddenly cracked and broke. Its fragments sank into the ground.
— My sword… is broken.
Raiga took a deep breath.
— Given our current state… we only have one chance to attack.
Dragon flames rose from behind him. A massive dragon silhouette, made of flames, floated toward his left hand. At the same time, Akira's right arm ignited with red energy.
Raiga thrust his sword forward.
— Let's… do it together.
Akira grabbed Raiga's sword without hesitation. Two different powers, dragon flame and red energy, merged onto the same steel. The sword thundered and vibrated, the ground shaking.
They both jumped simultaneously.
"Let's do it!" Akira shouted.
"Yes! Let's teach that foolish spirit a lesson!" Raiga retorted.
The spirit roared, blocking their way with its hand. But the combined sword, that sword glowing with half dragon flame and half red energy… It split the giant air-made hand in two!
Light filled the sky.
The sword aimed directly at the spirit's heart.
The spirit cried out in panic:
— T-this is impossible!
In an instant, the sword pierced the heart. The spirit's body was split in half, followed by a massive explosion that shattered the ground.
Akira and Raiga fell onto the ground on their backs, their bodies weak. The spirit's screams tore through the sky, and the explosion that shook the surroundings finally sank into silence. As the clouds of dust slowly dispersed, the only sound was leaves falling from the trees.
Akira and Raiga lay on their backs, staring up at the sky. Their breathing was uneven, chests heaving like bellows.
— Did we… take him down?
Raiga, speaking with difficulty through a mouth full of blood, said:
— I don't know… I can't lift my head.
Akira took a deep breath and looked at the clouds drifting across the sky.
— I think… we did.
Raiga closed his eyes and smiled.
— That was a good fight, Akira.
Akira turned to him in surprise.
— You knew my name.
Raiga murmured without opening his eyes.
— Yeah… idiot.
Suddenly, their laughter echoed through the forest. Tired and bloodied, yet they were laughing.
But their laughter abruptly stopped. From the mist left behind by the explosion, a muffled voice echoed:
— H-how is this possible… H-how can two ordinary humans like you kill me… I, blessed by Lord Sora, can be destroyed by lowly beings like you!
Akira opened his eyes wide in excitement.
— I guess… we really did take him down.
Raiga laughed, tired but proud.
— Of course! With me around, losing is impossible!
Just then, Seraphina ran to them, tears in her eyes. She extended her hands and began a healing spell.
— Yes… you defeated him! But look at yourselves…
The light spread across Akira and Raiga's wounds. The bleeding stopped, cuts began to close. Yet sweat dripped from Seraphina's forehead, and her breathing grew heavy.
Akira looked at her worriedly. A thin trickle of blood ran from her nose.
— Sera, that's enough!
Seraphina protested.
— B-but—
Raiga added with a tired smile:
— We're fine… don't worry.
Seraphina shook her head helplessly but stopped the spell. Akira and Raiga shakily got to their feet.
Akira pulled a purple flare from his pocket and tossed it into the sky. The burst of violet light illuminated the forest.
Soon, another flare appeared in the distance.
— Let's go. Wake those two cowards over there, would you?
Seraphina bent down and touched the wounded bodies of Renzo and Gareth. She emitted a soft light. Both slowly opened their eyes.
Renzo froze at the sight of Akira.
— Akira… what happened to you?
Gareth looked around.
— What happened to the spirit?
Akira spoke in a low voice.
— I'll explain on the way back to the palace.
The five of them began moving forward together. Renzo and Gareth supported Akira and Raiga's injured bodies.
After a while, near the edge of the forest, Yui appeared, sitting under a huge tree. Her eyes lit up with excitement, and she stood.
— You finally made it!
But seeing Akira and Raiga's state, she was shocked.
— W-what happened to you two?!
Akira replied in a low voice.
— We fought a spirit.
Yui crossed her arms and gave a mocking look.
— You look completely beaten. Are you sure that counts as a fight?
Raiga angrily tried to straighten up.
— What are you saying! We completely wrecked him!
Akira rolled his eyes.
— And the others with us… the lost team.
Seraphina stepped forward and bent down.
— Yes… we were attacked here and got separated. We're alive thanks to Akira.
Renzo and Gareth thanked him again.
Raiga puffed out his chest.
— If I hadn't crushed that spirit, you'd all be dead by now. You should be grateful, hahaha!
Akira replied with a teasing smile.
— Really? I remember someone trembling in fear at the edge.
Yui's eyes flashed.
— Is that true?!
Raiga paused for a moment, then laughed and waved his hand.
— Ahaha! Of course not! Anyway, we need to get to a hospital fast. We need our wounds treated.
Yui became serious.
— You're right. But… you don't have horses.
Akira frowned.
— Right… how are we supposed to go with only one horse?
Renzo said thoughtfully.
— Let's stick together until we get out of the forest. Then Akira and the muscle guy can take the horse to the hospital.
Gareth grumbled.
— Are you kidding me? It'll take forever to get to the palace without a horse!
Yui took a deep breath.
— There's nothing we can do. We need to take the injured to the hospital.
At that moment, Yui glanced at the top of the giant tree. She sensed someone was watching them.
And indeed… a small child was sitting atop the tree.
— So you noticed me. Are you really human?
Yui stayed silent, narrowing her eyes.
Akira shouted.
— Who are you?
The child jumped down from the tree.
— My name is Kian. You don't need to be afraid. I'm not dangerous.
Renzo asked suspiciously:
— Then why were you spying on us?
Kian smiled calmly.
— I just started watching. I only want to help you.
Akira raised an eyebrow.
— Help?
Kian nodded.
— Yes. You're injured. I'm a doctor.
Raiga burst out laughing.
— Hey, kid! How old are you? Ten or something? I'd believe you were a doctor like that!
Kian answered seriously.
— My name is Kian, sir. Also, I'm 13.
Yui was still skeptical.
— How can we trust you?
Kian smiled again.
— You're not in a great state right now.
Akira thought to himself: That's true… but…
Kian continued.
— Even if I wanted to kidnap or kill you, I probably couldn't. You look strong. Especially you.
He pointed at Yui.
Yui became serious at first, then smiled slightly.
— I guess you're right. You and the man with you couldn't beat me even if you tried.
Kian froze for a moment, looking at her in surprise.
Yui smirked.
— So my guess was right.
Kian's mind raced: How does this guy know the old man? Did he really guess, or is there something else?
There was a moment of silence. Then Kian smiled and stood up.
— Let's go.
The six of them began walking through the forest together. Akira and Raiga rode the horse, the others alongside them.
After about an hour, a large structure appeared through the trees. It was made of wood, single-story, but wide, with several sections.
Akira asked curiously.
— What is this place?
Renzo tensed.
— Who in their right mind builds a house like this in the middle of a forest?
Yui looked carefully.
— It looks like a dojo.
Kian laughed.
— Definitely. This is a dojo. You'll soon find out what kind of madman made it.
———
The door of a dark room creaked open. The footsteps of the man entering echoed on the stone floor. The orange flames radiating from his hands briefly lit up the dim room. His face was completely hidden in shadows.
A woman sat in a chair, long green hair falling over her shoulders, watching the moonlight through the window. She spoke without moving.
— Welcome, Rion.
The man replied in a harsh voice.
— What is it, Sora… why did you summon me?
The woman turned her head slightly, smiling.
— Aren't you being a little rude?
Rion clenched his fists, sparks of fire lighting the surroundings even more.
— Shut up. Tell me what's going on.
Sora stood, her calm expression unchanged.
— The spirit I sent into the forest… is dead.
A moment of silence fell. Then Rion's eyes flared, his voice filled with shock and anger.
— The spirit you sent is dead?! Or… could it be the old man's doing?
Sora took a deep breath, her eyes glowing faintly in the shadows.
— I suspect the same thing.
Rion took a few steps, sparks falling to the dark floor and igniting it.
— So… should we tell our brother?
Sora was silent for a moment, then spoke while looking out the window.
— No. He's on a mission right now. He doesn't want to be disturbed.
Rion gritted his teeth, a faint smile appearing on his face.
— If it really was that old man behind this… things will get complicated faster.
Sora closed her eyes, murmuring in a whisper.
— They're already complicated…