Across the field, Gasper and Kiba stood facing each other.
A mild breeze swept through the grass, tugging lightly at their clothes
Neither of them spoke.
Gasper narrowed his eyes. 'Can't really get a read on him. Akeno said he's fast, but she never said how fast…'
Kiba slowly lowered one arm to his side. 'It's clear Gasper has definitely improved… but by how much?'
Blue energy gathered in his palm. In a brief flash of light, a sword, beautiful and steel-like in color, formed in his hand. He raised it to the center and relaxed his grip.
'…I really doubt he's caught up to my level… so maybe I'll go a bit gentle at first and see what he's got.'
Gasper stepped forward.
Kiba acknowledged the movement and smiled politely.
His figure then blurred.
Gasper's eyes followed the blur. 'Not bad.'
Kiba appeared right in front of him, feet digging into the earth as his blade carved a clean arc toward Gasper's chest.
Without hesitation, Gasper kicked off the ground.
His body twisted mid-air, narrowly slipping past the descending steel. As he rotated, his hand shot down toward the grass…
and closed around something cold.
The flat of Kiba's blade.
Kiba's eyes widened.
But Gasper gave him no time to process it.
Using the sword as leverage, Gasper twisted forward and drove his foot straight toward Kiba's face. The kick sliced through the air like a blade!
Kiba reacted instantly and raised his free arm to block the kick.
BAM!
The force of the kick echoed across the clearing.
Kiba's shoes dug deep tracks into the dirt as he skidded backward.
He exhaled slowly, steadying himself.
'That was… unexpected…'
A smile crept onto his face. 'Well… this just got a whole lot more interesting. Let's see if he can really keep up.'
Gasper glanced down at his hand as the sword dissipated into blue light. A thin line of red traced across his palm. 'That sword was sharper than I imagined.'
He flexed his fingers once.
'Gotta be careful then.'
Kiba let out a quiet breath. "My apologies, Gasper. It seems I was taking you too lightly. Please allow me to rectify that." A steel sword formed in his right hand.
Kiba's eyes sharpened as he let out a slow breath
Seeing that look, Gasper clenched his hand over the shallow cut on his palm and brought it up to his face.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then he slowly opened his fingers.
Two small crimson bubbles hovered above his skin.
Kiba's eyes narrowed.
Gasper leaned forward slightly…
and blew on them.
From the sidelines, Akeno smiled playfully.
"So you've finally stopped playing around," she murmured.
Kiba didn't spare the bubbles another glance.
After all, what could bubbles possibly do?
Still, he tucked the thought away. Just in case.
Then he moved. The grass parted beneath his step as he shot to the side, far faster than before.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished.
And reappeared behind Gasper.
His blade carved through the air in a wide arc.
Gasper's eyes widened.
He inhaled sharply.
Golden light flared around his right arm as he pivoted on his heel, driving his glowing fist straight into the descending blade.
The instant his knuckles made contact, a boom echoed across the field, but Kiba didn't slow his assault.
He drew back his sword for another strike.
Gasper reacted instantly, deflecting it with his left hand. As Kiba's momentum pulled him forward, Gasper cocked his fist back.
Golden light once again engulfed his fist. He swung a haymaker straight toward Kiba's head.
Kiba tilted his head just in time. The fist whistled past, grazing him, but he felt a sharp jolt on his cheek as if he had been kissed by lightning.
Planting his right foot firmly, Kiba stabilized himself and swung his sword in a wide, diagonal arc aimed at the bottom of Gasper's chest.
Gasper's eyes followed the rising blade. He pushed the ball of his right foot into the ground, driving himself backward and creating distance.
Leaping slightly into the air, he brought both hands together without hesitation, slapping them in unison.
Through the gaps between his fingers, strands of blue light seemed to be getting sucked inward.
Kiba squinted.
'No… it's not light.'
It was small but unmistakable.
It wasn't light—it was water. Tiny beads of it, reflecting the sky, swirled toward Gasper and glowed faintly as they condensed into a small sphere between his palms
.
And that sphere…
…was spinning at an incredible speed!
Seeing the unfamiliar move, Akeno's eyes widened as she felt the density of demonic power radiating from his palms. 'What is that?'
Gasper slowly shifted his middle and ring fingers on both hands, creating an opening so small that, if Kiba hadn't been paying attention, he wouldn't have noticed.
And then it appeared.
A stream.
A high-pressure jet of water shot from Gasper's fingers.
Kiba reacted instantly, sprinting to evade it—but Gasper wasn't about to let him escape. He followed Kiba's movements with perfect precision, maintaining the stream even as Kiba landed on his back and rolled across the ground.
The water slammed into the surrounding trees, slicing through several trunks cleanly, each one splitting in half as if cut by a blade!
Seeing this, Akeno raised a hand, forming a circle in the air, and readied herself to intervene.
Kiba opened his left hand. Blue energy took the form of a light blue blade, and he swung it directly into the stream just as it was about to reach him.
Crackle!
In the blink of an eye, the same jet stream that had been chasing him froze solid!
A smile crept onto Gasper's face as his hands were locked in place by the spreading frost.
He drew in one deep breath.
SSSssss~!
The frost, as if standing too close to the sun, melted instantly from his hands.
Gasper wiped his wet hands on his clothes. 'Yep… without a doubt… Kiba is the fastest person I've ever fought.'
'…Well. With the exception of Crowley, of course.'
Kiba took a step forward and blurred into motion.
Gasper advanced as well, one hand tucked casually behind his back.
Bubbles formed and drifted lazily into the air.
Kiba swung his ice sword directly at him.
Gasper brought his hidden hand forward, a small magic circle igniting in his palm. Water appeared instantly, forming into a dense mass that collided with the incoming blade.
Crackle!
Kiba's eyes widened as the sword became encased in ice. Instinctively, he let go of the hilt as the frost traced down, trying to encase his hand. 'He used my own sword against me!'
Kiba jumped back.
But Gasper didn't relent. He swept his hands fully to the left, a new magic circle igniting in his palms—then, in one fluid motion, he whipped his right hand back to the right. The water condensed within the circle shot forward like a whip.
Kiba barely had time to react, leaning back to avoid it, but the tip of the whip still grazed him, slicing a thin strand of his hair.
Gasper smirked. Without missing a beat, he pulled the whip back, and suddenly, Kiba felt it coil around his ankle and yank him forward.
As Kiba hurtled through the air, pulled closer by the whip, Gasper drew back his right fist and extended his left hand, holding it steady as if framing Kiba in a painting—ready to strike the instant he got close enough.
Kiba, seeing the move, pressed his free hand to the ground as the whip dragged him across the earth. The contact left a trail of brilliant blue light in its wake, tracing his path like a streak across the ground.
Gasper's fist shot forward, aimed straight for Kiba on the floor—
—and then a wall of swords erupted from the ground right in front of him.
BAM!
Gasper slammed into it with immense force. The swords melded together at the point of impact, shattering from the collision!
Meanwhile, the water whip coiled around Kiba's ankle began to soften, dissolving into his pants.
Feeling the water seep into his clothes, Kiba backflipped three times across the ground before skidding to a stop safely out of range.
He exhaled, his cold breath leaving his lips in a misty cloud.
"He's really aggressive…" Kiba muttered, eyes narrowing. 'To think water could be used like this…'
Kiba let out a misty breath. '...I can't let him keep controlling the pace of this fight… if I do…'
Across from him, Gasper stood with one hand clenched in front, the other behind his back, chin slightly raised, and legs spread wide.
Gasper slowly began approaching him, each step slow and steady.
Kiba reached out an open hand. Blue light solidified.
'…I'll lose.'
A sword formed—hollow and see-through, almost as if it were made of glass.
Kiba took a step forward, eyes locked on Gasper's.
But neither rushed to meet the other. They began to circle instead, neither of them breaking eye contact, the only sound between them the soft crush of grass beneath their feet.
"Kiba… do you have it?"
Kiba stayed silent.
"The will to truly wield the swords you pride yourself on?"
"Of course I do."
"Then show me, Kiba…" Gasper's voice dropped. "Your determination."
BAM!
Kiba launched off the ground, the earth beneath him folding under the force of his leap.
Gasper raised a hand and pointed it like a spear, a magic circle igniting at the tip of his middle finger. A ball of water formed at its center.
And then he fired.
As the dense clump of water rushed toward him, Kiba did not move away!
He advanced!
He raised his translucent sword—and the water erupted into droplets on contact, every last one of them getting sucked into the blade.
Gasper's eyes went wide. "HUH?!"
'My water attack… got absorbed?!' His gaze snapped to the sword. It was no longer translucent; it was filled with liquid, swirling slowly inside the glass-like blade.
Kiba arrived in striking distance and swung the steel sword in his right hand. Gasper ducked beneath it.
Kiba lowered the translucent sword in his left hand toward the ground.
And gave it a light tap…
'The ground is shaking?' Gasper's eyes darted downward.
He heard it.
BOOOM!
Like a geyser, water slammed into Gasper's body from the earth below and sent him flying into the air.
"He used my own water against me?!" he shouted as he tumbled skyward.
Below him, Kiba drove both swords into the ground. A wide section of earth lit up with brilliant blue light—and blades exploded upward in a towering forest of steel.
Gasper, reaching the peak of his ascent, watched as the mountain of blades rose closer and closer with every millisecond.
He took a deep breath and flipped himself upright
And took a step…
Slosh.
Both Kiba's and Akeno's eyes went wide.
He was…
Stepping on a glowing bubble!
As Gasper took another step, a new bubble formed from his free hand and drifted into position beneath him.
Slosh.
Kiba spread his wings, ready to close the distance once more—
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, KIBA!"
Kiba raised a brow.
"If you value your life…" Gasper said, his voice low and deliberate, "you won't take another step."
Gasper slid a hand into his pocket and let the other rest at his side. He lifted one leg, tilted his head back, chin pointed up toward the sky—while his eyes bore down at Kiba from above.
"You seem confused. Am I right?"
A bead of sweat ran down Kiba's brow. 'Is he… bluffing?'
"Kiba… take a look around… Tell me—what do you see?"
Kiba swallowed.
But he did as he was told.
And what he saw…
Were bubbles.
All around him, everywhere, were bubbles. Dozens of them, each one glowing faintly with golden energy, drifting at every angle. Above him. Beside him. Behind him.
"You see them, don't you? You are surrounded."
"Every time we stayed still just to look at each other—every moment we broke apart—I released a few bubbles into the air. Even when we were talking, I was sending out a full, steady stream of them without you ever noticing a single one."
Kiba stared at the nearest bubble. A small, slightly confused smile crossed his face. "That's great and all… but what exactly are these bubbles supposed to do?"
Gasper's lips curved into a slow, mischievous grin. "Well… if you're so curious, then allow me to show you."
He pulled his hand out of his pocket and took out a single toothpick. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it spinning lazily toward the nearest bubble.
The tip barely grazed its surface.
BOOOOOOM!
A small explosion tore through the air.
Kiba's eyes went wide. "Wha—what the… But how?!"
Gasper planted his feet firmly on the bubble beneath him and leveled a finger at Kiba.
"A bubble is always to be underestimated; after all, what can a bubble do? Is that not what you thought, Kiba?" He let that hang in the air for just a moment. "But the thing is…"
His voice sharpened. "You think only blades can be used as weapons? Anything can! Especially when that said thing can store energy. Do you get it now, Kiba? If its form is broken, the energy inside will release outward no matter what!"
He put his left hand on his left shoulder, and with his right, he pointed at Kiba as he leaned forward.
"Retire now, Kiba, or face the wrath of my… BUBBLE BATH!"
Kiba scanned the air around him once more. '…I'm completely surrounded.' His gaze drifted upward. 'He even covered the space above me…'
His grip tightened on his sword.
…
Then he sighed
Seeing no way out, Kiba raised both arms. His swords dissolved into particles of pale light.
He let out a soft chuckle. "I know when I'm beaten… but to think I would be done in by bubbles." He shook his head slowly. "Should I take this in stride or as a joke?"
"Take it as neither, and learn to not be caught off guard like that again." Gasper grinned and placed a hand over his chest. "But seeing what you're truly capable of today… my mind is now utterly unclouded, Kiba. I say this with complete certainty…you will go far."
A soft giggle broke out from not far away.
"My, my…" Akeno's voice was warm and playful, edged with quiet amusement. "Rubbing salt in the wound—so brutal…" She smiled. "I'd expect nothing less from my student."
BOOM!
Akeno sent a lightning bolt crashing directly between them, blowing dust and wind everywhere, distorting the bubbles' forms, and scattering them.
Making them pop…
BOOOOM!!!
In a violent chain reaction.
BAM!
Even the bubble Gasper was standing on was sent flying, dumping him face-first into the soil.
As he was about to get up, something pulled him by the back of his collar.
"So… did we practice that little stunt together?" Akeno stood him upright by the collar, leaning in close behind him, her voice warm against his ear.
"..." Gasper blinked several times.
"…I have no idea what you're talking about…"
She giggled in his ear.
And Gasper tried to take a step away from her.
But her grip on his collar was iron, stopping him after only two steps.
Kiba, watching the scene play out, started to wonder if this was the same person he had just fought.
"Care to explain that spell? After all, I don't really remember us practicing it," she said, her voice turning stern.
Gasper looked off to the side and whistled. "What spell? I tried quite a few, didn't I?"
"Oh, you know—the one that was splitting trees in half. The one I know for a fact we talked about and have not tested." Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her grip on his collar tightened further.
"Well, you see… I have no excuse for that." He shifted slightly under her grip, a small bead of sweat forming at his temple.
Kiba stepped forward. "Uhm, Akeno-san, it's really not that big of a deal—actually, it was a good way to get me thinking on my feet."
"It's sweet of you to try to come to his rescue," she said, closing her eyes briefly before opening them slowly. "But no matter how you spin it, using an untested spell in combat… is never a good idea."
She softened her tone just a bit. "That said, for a first attempt, the results weren't bad—and I'm glad neither of you got hurt badly."
She released Gasper's collar, and he let out a long, relieved sigh.
"But even if the results were good…"
Gasper turned to face her fully.
She put a hand on her cheek, a warm smile tugging at her lips. "Doing something so reckless calls for… a little correction."
She licked her lips slowly.
Gasper turned to Kiba, and Kiba turned to him.
And gave him a smile filled with pity.
'…Fuck.'
*****
—
The room was filled with threads of every color—red, white, and, most important of all, gold.
At the center sat a woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties. Black hair cascaded down her back, flowing over a white toga. Gold bracelets adorned her wrists, and gold ornaments held her hair away from her face.
Her expression was serious as she studied a single thread held delicately between her fingers.
The string was different from all the others…
It was glowing a bright blue.
Her golden eyes stared at it deeply. 'Months have passed, and yet…' She sighed, a sneer tugging at her lips. "It's still here."
Snip!
"Just be patient, sister," rang out a voice.
She turned toward it to see a woman with the same hair and eyes as her, but she looked to be in her early thirties. She was snipping a thread with her shears. "But Atropos, it's been months. What if it causes a problem that we just can't fix?"
Atropos let out a slow sigh. "You have said that too many times to count this month alone, Lachesis. There is no need to worry; anomalies like this usually fade within a month or two, and the person goes back to normal."
Lachesis's brow furrowed. "But sister… it's been over six months."
"Yes, it has," Atropos replied, her gaze drifting back to the glowing thread. "But fate remains the same, sister."
"As far as we know."
"It's not just us, it—"
"Yes, I know. The Norns and the others say the same," Lachesis interrupted.
She looked down at the thread in her hand. "But what if we're wrong? I mean… for a thread tied to the Red One to change like this—wouldn't fate itself change?"
A sigh came from the other side of the room, and both sisters turned toward it. Another woman with the same hair and eyes sat there, weaving a thread. She looked younger than the two, perhaps in her early twenties.
"It would," she said, "if that thread were of extreme importance to the Red One."
Lachesis narrowed her eyes. "What are you implying, Clotho?"
"What I'm saying," Clotho replied, "is that any vampire put in a position like him would lead the Red One down the same path, regardless."
"Stop speaking nonsense, Clotho," Atropos snapped. "If he were replaced, Fate would not remain the same. Fate is fickle like that—replace him, and the calamity that would follow could be… incalculable."
Clotho exhaled hard through her nose. "But would the end result not be the same, sister?"
"In theory… maybe. But it is best that we not test Fate, sister."
Clotho's eyes drifted to the glowing blue thread, lingered there for a moment, and then looked away. "Whatever you say, sister."
←—TO BE CONTINUED—