In a deep section of the woods, above the thick cover of treetops, a man with storm grey hair and black eyes floated above. His hawk-like eyes peered at the canvas of green leaves below as he scanned for any trace of movement or flight. Meanwhile, hidden below the cover and hiding in a dense treetop, a boy with black hair kept his eye on the man above. Watching silently from a distance as he caught his breath, waited patiently, and let his shadow settle next to him.

Hey Sho...

Vera still had time to spare but didn't want to take forever. The quicker he dealt with Erigor, the better, but still, something about the free-floating assassin was off—something that couldn't be put into words.

Does anything feel off about him to you?

It was like Vera was fighting a different version of the insane yet calculative assassin he'd expected. Don't get him wrong, it was still there, but that insanity seemed more battle-luster than a deranged obsession, throwing him off his game.

'Tug' 'Tug' 'Tug'

Sho wasn't able to piece it together, either.

I don't get it...

Vera should have the advantage. He knew about Erigor six years in the future. What he was dealing with might as well be a rough draft of what was already shown to him in the story. Yet every time he thought he got a read on the assassin, he did something different, and it was strange.

Something's off...

It was like Vera was missing something.

Why can't I figure it out?

Vera stared for a long time, well after getting his breath back. Erigor had decided to float casually as if waiting for him to make the first move. Yet even then, he couldn't figure out why his nerves kept telling him to be wary of the image above.

What is it...

The mage moved like a leaf floating in the wind.

What's different?

Vera could have stood there for hours, but he wouldn't have gotten it. So eventually, after a few prods from Sho, he gave it up.

Whatever...

Vera would figure it out later.

I'll reflect on it after I win.

He had bigger things to worry about.

Come on, Sho...

Vera took a deep breath, sinking into his shadow as he watched the assassin above with a predatory gaze. His intentions were evident as he looked at the hawk in the sky and prepared to drag it back to earth.

Let's begin.

A hawk that wished to soar above all others.

The clouds looked like birds in Mira's eyes as she looked up at the sky, her head ringing after being sent flying through the woods.

That hurt...

It was a different kind of hurt from Vera's precisely painful punches or Karacka's heavy-handed blows; this one was simply powerful.

So that's what a Vulcan can do.

Mira was dealing with a monster's strength, it wouldn't be the same as a humans. It was raw and unfiltered, muscle mass in the purest sense.

Strange...

At that moment, as Mira felt blood trickle down her lip while she struggled to her feet, she realized that this would be the first time she faced a monster that could compare with her in terms of raw strength.

I thought it would be...

It was like a waking daydream.

Far stronger than me.

Mira felt like her body was burning with energy, the magic within her sweltering like a stoked flame as she wiped the blood off her lip and heard the heavy footsteps stomp towards her. Her eyes trembled with unsung power as she watched the Vulcan, a mass of muscle so big the dirt beneath it sunk with each thundering step and each passing growl.

"WOMAN!"

It was a monster, a tried-and-true monster, one of the ones the village elders would use for scary stories to keep children from wandering in the woods. It was a gorilla with a seething lust and gnarled fangs that would snatch little girls out of their houses if they misbehaved. Mira remembered having nightmares about this thing back in the village.

"Huh..."

Now, it just looked like another obstacle.

"You're shorter than I thought you'd be," Mira murmured with a dazed chuckle as she watched the gorilla roar and charge towards her, shoving trees out of the way like sticks in the mud. Her eyes were still shaking from the concussion she probably, no, definitely had. She reared back her demonic fist as the monster did the same. Her jaw clenched as her fist collided with the Vulcan's and stood still, perfectly matching its raw strength.

"Weaker, too."

Mira had come from a village where monsters were to be feared, and the unknown was a thing of nightmares. A year ago, seeing a Vulcan would have sent her into a panic or paralyzed her from pure terror. Now, she was staring down one, who looked at her with a confused expression, wondering why she wasn't a crumpled corpse.

"Woman?"

The experience was sobering for Mira. The idea that she could go toe to toe with monsters was never one she had considered before. It was new.

"Yeah, that's me."

It was invigorating.

"Is that scary?" Mira taunted mockingly as she watched the gorilla growl and roar, its giant arm raised back as Mira did the same. Her eyes were brimming with adrenaline as she planted her feet and threw a punch that crossed the Vulcan's and landed flush in its stomach, the exact moment its fist slammed into her cheek.

It's strong...

Mira bit back a hiss as the Vulcan groaned in pain, the two flying apart from the force as they were sent flying in opposite directions. Vanishing into thickets of vegetation.

But so am I.

Not even a second passed before they charged back out and were aiming for each other's throats.

A Vulcan's monstrous roar sounded in the distance as Erigor floated above the treetops. Whistling a new tune as he glanced in the direction of the noise.

Careful Kageyama...

It was followed by a loud series of shockwaves that echoed from miles away, yet still strong enough to make it look like the air was trembling far off in the distance. It wasn't hard to guess who that inhuman power must have belonged to, not when Kageyama's forte was evasion and stealth over raw strength.

You might've created a monster.

Erigor chuckled at the thought as he turned back to the forest below, happily noting that after he killed the boy, he could kill the girl if Kageyama died. An outcome that, while unexpected, wouldn't be a total loss, not when Erigor was itching for violence.

Come on, kid...

It took all his self-control not to fly to earth and search through every tree for his opponent.

I'm right here.

Erigor was cautious, though, enough to know that flying beneath the treetops would put him at the greatest disadvantage. He would be in a cramped space with limited visibility, and it wasn't worth it.

Come and get me.

Above the treetops, though, where he only had to worry about attacks from below, there wasn't any risk. It was even better because he knew the kid couldn't run away or stall forever, not when Erigor had a perfect route toward little Ms. Demon.

Just try and kill me.

The idea alone put a smile on Erigor's face. One that was as twisted and perturbed as he was, but never once did he move his vision from below. His eyes scanned through the forest like a bird waiting for prey, and once he spotted it, a slight rustle among one of the many dense branches below.

There you are.

There wasn't a moment's hesitation.

"Wind Blade"

Erigor swung his scythe as a blade of wind shot towards the foliage nearby that rustled with an unseen inhabitant. His eyes squinted with unsaid suspicion as he heard it connect with something but not spill any blood, only to widen as he heard a telltale noise from behind and glanced over his shoulder to see a new threat barreling toward his back.

'Click'

A wind blade that was drawn from the cover of leaves.

Smart.

Erigor chuckled as he tilted his body in the air, loosening his muscles as he fell like a rock. His body twisted to turn what would be a killing blow into a new gash along his side, not deep but not very surface layer either, as he stalled a meter or two above the treetops.

I must've hit the shadow.

Erigor chuckled at his folly, turning it into a lesson as his eyes whipped towards the source of the last attack to see the boy shooting towards him. The kid bounced across treetops like a leopard on the prowl, and the sight got Erigor's blood pumping.

"That's it, kid!"

He shot forward, gliding inches above the sea of trees with a sharp smile. He idly ran his head over the stray leaves as he flew on a collision course.

"Let's enjoy this!"

Sparks flew when the two crossed blades and Erigor was confident his smile had never been wider. The wind wept with joy over his new battle, and Erigor twisted his weapon before he kicked the boy back to the cover of trees, just for the boy to come rocketing back out an instant later with his weapon drawn, determined to hammer away at his foothold above the trees.

"Come on, kid!"

Erigor knew it was possible. If it was this kid...

"I'm right here!"

It was only a matter of time before the wind gave Erigor a new tune to dance to.

"So let's fight!"

Erigor roared ecstatically as he continued blocking cuts of steel. Sparks flew in the air with each passing shot the boy took at him, with each following kick sending the brat back into the sea of leaves that rested below before the kid charged back out, ignoring any new injuries and solely focusing on attacking Erigor like a relentless bloodhound.

"OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!"

It was like the boy had caught a whiff of his blood and refused to back down from the chance to create more. Abandoning everything other than offense, he shot out of the trees, exchanged blows, was sent hurtling back toward the ground, and immediately shot back out for rounds two, three, four, and then some.

This is fun!

It was like an endless assault, making Erigor unfathomably happy until something odd prickled his conscience. As if warning him that there was something amiss with this dream come true.

Why is this so fun...

As of telling him that this wasn't natural.

No...

The wind whistled in warning, making things more explicit in his battle-struck frenzy.

Why is the kid making this so much fun?

Erigor blinked in a sudden realization as he looked at the boy, who charged in for another strike. The two exchanged a quick flurry, during which Erigor cut the boy's cheek, and the boy got a nick on his arm before Erigor sent the kid packing down to earth. The kid threw his sheathe up desperately, trying to hit an airborne enemy, and Erigor tilted his head leisurely as it flew past.

He must know this won't work...

Erigor knew the kid wasn't dumb, and even if the kid were having a good time, too, he wouldn't sacrifice victory for a game of constant defense.

So why is he doing it?

Erigor didn't take the kid as one to play a game where he wasn't confident he had a chance at winning.

Why isn't he using his shadow?

Erigor frowned at the boy's odd behavior. The strange situation toyed with his nerves until he heard the wind whistle in warning, and he froze. His eyes flicked down in confusion as he realized the boy wasn't coming back up. Only to widen as his neck prickled.

Oh...

Erigor whipped his gaze back to the sky, only to be met with the sight of the shadow flying out of the sheathe thrown earlier, towering over him, its hands clasped and reared back like it was ready for the spike of a lifetime.

That's where it was.

Erigor let out a manic chuckle before his head was hit with the force of a sledgehammer, ringing the bells in his head and sending him barreling back to the ground he had tried so desperately to escape.

It was in the sheathe.

With that single move, a single lapse in judgment as Erigor was blinded with joy and glee.

Not bad.

A hawk was sent crashing down to earth.

A plume of dust, dirt, and debris kicked up in the distance as Mira slammed into the ground. Her teeth gnashed as the Vulcan raised her by the leg and threw her into the surroundings. Blood trickled from Mira's lips as she flew through rows after rows of trees before she got her bearings and vaulted to her feet, rolling to the side as the Vulcan fell from the sky like a rampaging meteor.

"WOMAN!"

It was starting to become more straightforward for Mira.

"Is that the only word you know, you big ape!"

Through the pain and dizziness, she started to feel a bit more like herself. She was beginning to get more comfortable in her skin. Every punch she threw was heavy enough to level boulders, and every punch she received could trample trees. It was simple.

"WOMAN! WOMAN!"

This fight was simple.

"Thought so!" Mira shouted with a mocking smile, her eyes clear as she watched the behemoth barrel after her and raise its hand to squash her like a bug. Her blood was pumping in her ears as she sidestepped at the last second and let it sink into the dirt. Her mind raced to devise a plan that would allow her to win.

Vera would toy with it till it got tired or irritated enough to mess up.

Mira huffed as she threw a hook into the muscular pillar of an arm, her fist sinking into it with a sharp force before the Vulcan growled and backhanded her in a sudden burst of energy. Mira could barely get her demonic fist between herself and the blow as she flew into a nearby tree.

I'm not at that level yet...

Mira was too slow, sloppy, frantic, and self-conscious of her movements to pull off that insane style of fighting—the kind where one mistake meant the end of everything, and victory meant dragging their opponent by the nose. That style was reserved for the experienced or geniuses.

I'm not Vera.

She was neither.

That's fine...

Mira steeled herself as she pried herself from the bark she was stuck in, her eyes burning with a feral determination as she watched the gorilla barrel towards her. Its enraged roar echoed through the woods as she gritted her teeth, planted her feet, and met the incoming fist with her own. The clash between the two forces echoed for miles as she dug her heels into the ground.

I don't need to be.

Mira's fist immediately whipped back into the Vulcan's, the two trading blows that shook the trees and echoed for miles. The impacts sounded like cannon shots, echoing through the forest, yet neither fell nor backed down.

So come on...

Mira's fists stung with pain, and her body ached with fatigue. Yet, she never once lost her crazed grin that looked far ahead, past the Vulcan and towards what lay beyond it. Mira still had to fight that snake bastard and then help Vera. This was just a fucking joke compared to that.

Try and knock me down!

Mira didn't even realize when her human fist broke from the strain or the Vulcan's blows left bloody gashes and heavy bruises. She didn't notice it when the magic in her body began roaring into a raging bonfire, when her right eye sharpened into a more demonic one, or when her body started changing to match the inhuman power of the Vulcan.

Hit me all you like!

Mira didn't pay attention to anything other than overpowering the monster in front of her because she didn't have the time or skill to whittle it down. She couldn't risk her life-fighting in a way where one mistake would end it. She was bound to fuck up eventually, and that would be it. This was a better option—a test of endurance and pure strength.

I'LL GIVE IT BACK A THOUSANDFOLD!

That was a game Mira was confident she would never lose.

Vera heard rapid cannon fire in the distance as he deeply breathed and settled himself. His eyes never left the dust cloud kicked up courtesy of Erigor's crash site.

Good job, Sho.

Vera tilted his head upwards as he saw his shadow land on the treetops.

'Tug'

Sho nodded before sinking into the branches and shooting toward the area above the dust cloud. Their little trap was now in place for whenever Erigor decided to try to leave the disadvantageous terrain of the forest floor.

When Erigor tries to fly away...

Sho was now in prime position to catch Erigor off guard if he tried escaping to the sky above.

Kill him.

That being said, if he missed, it was over.

'Tug'

Erigor wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.

"Thanks, Sho," Vera murmured as he walked over to where his sheathe had landed. He picked it up and put it over his sword as he walked towards the billowing dust cloud. His eyes never wavering as he stood in front of the edge of his radius and called out to the smokescreen and the one hiding inside it.

"Come on out, Erigor."

Vera's injuries stung, and he'd gotten beaten up after being knocked back to earth so many times, but he was still alive. He would still win.

"Let's end this."

He refused to do otherwise.

"I'm right here," Vera taunted with a grin as he held a loose hand in his sword, waiting for the wind to carry Erigor up to 'safety' above or for the assassin to come rushing out into his waiting arms, but neither ended up happening.

What's he waiting for...

There was only silence.

There's no way that was enough to knock him out.

Vera frowned slightly as he watched the dust cloud rise and dissipate. His finger nervously scratched the hilt of his sword until he saw the dust fade entirely, revealing a man standing in its epicenter, in the middle of an impact crater.

"You're the best kid..."

His voice was grave, and there was blood trickling down his head, staining his grey hair red, but when he looked up, his eyes were erratically bright.

"YOU SURE GOT ME!"

His smile was even brighter.

Erigor's concussed... isn't he?

Vera furrowed his brows in thought as he palmed his sword, his face forcefully blank to hide the utmost caution he was looking at his enemy with.

That's bad...

A concussion would usually be a good thing, practically a guaranteed win for Vera if he played his cards right, but this was different.

I won't be able to predict what he does now.

Erigor was different.

I need to finish this quickly before-

"HEY KID! WHAT ARE YOU SPACING AROUND FOR!" Erigor roared, pulling Vera out of his head as the assassin charged with his scythe drawn back, his face contorted in a manic grin as the two clashed blades. Vera reacted swiftly as he parried the sweeping blow and sent a spinning kick to Erigor's head, giving him room to catch his breath as the assassin flew back into the crater.

He's not going to flee.

Vera realized it the second Erigor shot back out of the crater, dashing towards him without a care. The exact process repeated as Vera dodged the heavy blow and sent Erigor packing without a moment to rest or reprieve.

He's having too much fun.

Erigor repeatedly rushed Vera, his sloppy attacks fueled by blind bloodlust and instinctive glee never landing flush but never-ending. Until one in particular whiffed past Vera's neck and was punished ruthlessly. Vera retaliated with an elbow that broke Erigor's nose before sending a kick to the assassin's abdomen that sent him crumbling to the ground. Vera's eyes narrowed on the chance as he raised his blade, ready to unsheathe his sword and finish it.

"Pfft!"

A crackling laughter erupted from the man at his feet, and Vera's body froze. Every nerve in his brain spurred him to dash backward, away from the laughter, as he let out a shaky breath. His eyes never left his opponent as a loud laugh escaped from the depths of Erigor's chest.

"KAHAHAHAAHAHA!"

Incessant, loud, and clear guffaws brought tears to Erigor's eyes. The entire charade put a deep-rooted unease in Vera's heart as he watched with a white-knuckled grip on his sword. Sweat dripped down his face, and he licked his dry lips while the assassin stood shakily on his feet.

"THIS IS WONDERFUL, ISN'T IT!"

The jarring laughter spewing from Erigor's lips created a sense of unease.

"I NEVER WANT IT TO END!"

A feeling of fear crept up Vera's neck in response to such a display.

"JUST A LITTLE MORE!"

Vera flinched as he saw Eriogr move for his weapon, only to descend into stunned silence as Erigor picked up his scythe, holding it with two hands before leveling it over his knee.

'SNAP'

Then broke it in two with a swift strike.

"That's better," Erigor said with a dazed chuckle as he tossed the remains of his weapon to the side. His barely lucid gaze tilted back to Vera, who watched in utter disbelief silence before he asked with a shaky breath. Unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

"What are you doing?"

Unable to understand why Erigor had destroyed his weapon.

"Why did you destroy your weapon!" Vera yelled with pent-up rage and frustration, his voice laced with confusion and irritation. He couldn't tell if he was being looked down on, mocked, or both, and it was all getting on his nerves.

"What's with you, Erigor!"

Erigor was prickling all his nerves.

"What do you want!?" Vera shouted with deep-seated frustration. His eyes furrowed as he tried to piece together the person before him but couldn't come up with a concrete answer. Meanwhile, the assassin approached without a weapon, his hands swaying lazily by his sides.

"That's obvious, kid."

They were both limp, yet they were poised to kill, and with every drunken step Erigor took forward, Vera came to a deeply rooted conviction.

"Freedom."

Erigor was too dangerous to be left alive.

"I don't want anything weighing me down."

The lucid grin on Erigor's face sent shivers down Vera's spine as he tensed his legs with his sheathed sword in hand. His eyes glinted with haste as he decided to cave in the assassin's head as quickly as possible in any manner possible.

Sho...

Vera immediately shot forward with his clasped sword, but it wasn't because he saw a chance to end the fight and was going for it. It wasn't because he was looking for a path to victory in the shortest route possible, and this was the way.

No matter what...

No, it was for a far more straightforward reason than that.

We have to kill him.

It was because Erigor felt like more of a threat without his scythe.

There was a slight breeze as Kageyama limped down a torn-up path. His breath was heavy, and his limbs were exhausted as he made his way back.

The girl should be dead soon...

The Vulcan Kageyama had dumped on her doorstep wasn't a regular one. Forest Vulcans usually worked in groups, and that was the leader. The 'alpha,' so to speak, was easily a B-rank monster. The girl was too inexperienced to handle that, so all that was left was to complete the mission and fucking leave.

Now, there are only three targets left.

The crazy bodyguard with his weird-ass shadow magic and the two defenseless brats were all that was left. The ones he should target were clear.

I'll head towards the weaklings.

That was the most logical course of action for Kageyama to take. Rayule was out for the count. Karacka was most likely defeated. Erigor was either still in the process of killing the insane kid or already looking for the others, and even if Erigor was still fighting, it's not like Kageyam was in the state to help him. He'd probably just get in the way.

Damn monster...

That punch had nearly killed him.

Like hell I'm fighting that strength head-on.

Kageyama clicked his tongue at the absurd idea, walking deeper down the path until he heard a noise in the distance. His body stiffened as he heard a loud bang echo through the forest, his eyes flicking to the left as he froze in disbelief at what he saw.

What the hell...

Kageyama watched in disbelief as a loud, continuous stream of dirt and debris kicked up from the woods and made its way straight toward his position. It looked like an enormous beast on a warpath through the forest. Yet, it ended with a hulking carcass flying out of the woods, cutting in front of a stunned Kageyama as its velocity kicked up a gust of wind and crashed into a nearby tree.

No fucking way.

Kageyama turned towards the crash site, his eyes wide as he saw the giant corpse of the Vulcan. A new hole in its stomach the size of a fucking pothole.

How-

"Hey, fucker..."

Kageyama froze in disbelief as he heard a voice from the woods and turned to where the noise had come from. His eyes became wide as saucers as he saw a bloodstained girl with white hair walking out of the woods. She had a broken left arm hanging limply by her side, a demonic right arm covered in monster blood, and a crack in her skin that spanned the right side of her face. It was like she'd crawled out of hell.

"I'm still alive..."

Even her right eye had a slit-like pupil like a snake's, and her right arm thrummed with dark energy as she gave a vicious and mocking grin.

"Miss me?"

There had to be something wrong with these fucking kids.