Chapter 27
At the top of the building, a bald man stood beside an elderly woman crouched with her eyes closed in deep concentration. The silence was broken by the man's mocking voice:
"Oi, old hag! Get down there now!"
Without lifting her eyelids, the old woman replied, her voice calm yet imbued with an air of mystery:
"Go. I'll create a Shikigami and use one of the techniques of the previous users to protect you."
The man chuckled softly, placing his hands on his hips as he replied with sarcasm:
"Your substitution technique? Intriguing. Maybe I'll give it a try later."
The old woman stayed silent, while the man turned toward the edge of the rooftop. His eyes sparkled with malicious excitement as he gazed at the figures below—Suero, Moryo, and Kamyo—standing near the building's entrance.
Laughing loudly, he shouted:
"Once I finish them off, I'll be rich!"
With no hesitation, he leaped off the edge toward them, leaving the old woman behind.
The old woman remained seated on the ground, motionless, her eyes still closed. White electric sparks crackled and danced around her body, growing more intense with every passing second. She whispered softly, her words resembling a chant:
"Substitution ritual… bring forth the strongest man you have!"
The sparks flared violently as a glowing vortex appeared in front of her, whipping the air into a chaotic frenzy. Slowly, a massive hand began emerging from the vortex. The old woman continued her ritual, her voice steady with determination:
"Smart Bessix… Contract Technique! Come forth, Shikigami!"
But as the ritual neared completion, her face suddenly paled. Her eyes shot open, wide with terror, as sweat dripped from her brow. She muttered, her voice trembling:
"What?! I can't control his technique!"
From the vortex emerged a tall man, his jet-black eyes as cold and empty as an icy void. He spoke with cutting indifference:
"You wretched hag."
The old woman shuddered, retreating instinctively, her wide eyes filled with dread. She stammered internally:
"He's contracted to his own body! He's become a Shikigami in full control of himself! A killing machine!"
Smart began stepping toward her with slow, deliberate movements, his presence radiating a murderous aura. Frozen in fear, the old woman's thoughts raced:
"I summoned the entire body! He's beyond my control!"
Stopping directly in front of her, Smart raised a single finger and gently pressed it against her forehead. His quiet voice carried an icy threat:
"The choice is simple… death… or death."
Her gaze fixed on his finger, her entire body trembling. Suddenly, with horrifying force, her head exploded into shards, blood spraying across the floor.
Smart remained still, his face emotionless. He calmly wiped the blood from his hand and spoke in a tone devoid of warmth:
"All I desire… is to kill. That's all."
In an instant, he disappeared, reappearing at the edge of the rooftop. His eyes, devoid of emotion, briefly landed on Ronda before shifting downward to where Suero, Moryo, and Kamyo stood facing the bald man. His gaze locked onto Moryo, carrying a coldness that foreshadowed an impending storm.
Suddenly, like a ghost, Smart vanished again, only to materialize on the ground in a flash of lightning, directly in front of Moryo. With a single, devastating punch, his fist connected with Moryo's face, unleashing an enormous explosion of dust and debris. Moryo's body was flung through the air like a ragdoll, crashing into the building's wall with enough force to leave a deep crater.
The dust gradually settled, revealing Smart's calm, emotionless face—a visage as cold and unyielding as a lifeless statue. The heavy breathing of Suero and Kamyo broke the silence, their wide eyes betraying the shock and disbelief coursing through them. Kamyo's voice cut through the stillness, a scream of fury as his trembling fists clenched tightly:
"Who the hell are you, you bastard?!"
Smart turned his head slowly toward Kamyo, his gaze piercing and indifferent, like the chill of a winter storm. Kamyo felt a suffocating wave of pressure envelop him, an aura so overwhelming that he muttered under his breath:
"What… is this feeling? It's… unbearable."
But there was no time for reflection. In a blink, Smart vanished, his figure dissolving into a faint blur. Before Kamyo could react, a powerful hand clamped onto his face, gripping it with the strength of an iron vise. Smart's jet-black eyes locked onto Kamyo's, his expression unchanging as Kamyo writhed in a futile attempt to escape.
White sparks began crackling around Smart's hand, their intensity searing into Kamyo's flesh. The pain was immediate and excruciating, drawing a bloodcurdling scream from Kamyo. Meanwhile, Suero sprinted toward them, his fists ablaze with blue sparks that roared like raging flames. His voice thundered with desperation:
"KAMYOOO!!!"
But his efforts were in vain.
Smart's grip tightened, and with a sickening crack that echoed like splintering wood, Kamyo's head exploded into a shower of blood and bone. The gruesome fragments scattered across the ground, splattering Suero's face. He froze mid-step, his body trembling as sheer horror paralyzed him.
Kamyo's lifeless body crumpled to the ground, blood gushing from the gaping wound where his head had been moments before. A crimson pool spread beneath the corpse, the metallic scent of blood thick in the air. Suero's wide eyes remained fixed on the scene, disbelief etched into every fiber of his being. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the quiet drip of blood hitting the floor.
Smart turned slowly toward Suero, his footsteps deliberate and heavy, each one reverberating like the toll of a bell. Standing inches away, Smart stopped and gazed into Suero's soul, his icy eyes a void of menace. Lifting a single finger, he pressed it against Suero's forehead. His voice, calm yet suffused with lethal intent, whispered:
"The choice is simple… death… or—"
Before the words could leave his lips, a vibrant green flash streaked across the horizon. It shot toward Smart with the speed of a bolt of lightning, illuminating the battlefield. Smart turned his head unhurriedly, his indifferent gaze locking onto the approaching light.
It was Moryo. His body crackled with radiant green sparks that surged and danced with undeniable power, casting an eerie glow around him. His voice rang out, filled with blazing fury:
"You bastard!"
Moryo launched himself forward, his fists clenched tightly, his movements as swift as a raging tempest. His rage was palpable, his eyes fixed on Smart like a predator targeting its prey.
Smart released the paralyzed Suero, letting him collapse to his knees, and began walking toward Moryo with ghostlike calm. Each step he took exuded eerie confidence, as though the confrontation ahead was nothing more than an inevitable consequence.
In an instant, Smart vanished, leaving a cold void in his wake. Moryo halted, scanning the area as the vibrant green sparks radiating from his body illuminated the surroundings in a striking display of power.
Suddenly, Smart materialized beside him, as if emerging from the shadows themselves. Before Moryo could even register his presence, Smart's fist, like a thunderbolt, surged toward his face.
The impact was cataclysmic. A deafening shockwave ripped through the air, scattering dust and debris in all directions. The entire area was swallowed by a swirling tempest of chaos. Moryo was flung backward by the force of the blow, but with an acrobatic twist mid-air, he regained his balance. His boots scraped the ground as he landed, his face contorted in anger, the green sparks around him flaring with renewed ferocity.
Across the battlefield, Smart descended with unnerving calm. His footsteps echoed, unhurried and deliberate, as if carrying the weight of inevitability. His cold demeanor sent shivers through Moryo, whose frustration boiled within him.
"Dammit…" Moryo thought, clenching his fists tightly. "That aura… it's suffocating! He's not human… but he's not a shikigami either. What is he?!"
Smart didn't give him the luxury of time to contemplate. In a blur, he moved—faster than the eye could follow—straight toward Moryo. Alarm surged through Moryo's veins as he shouted instinctively:
"Dammit!"
Before he could react, Smart appeared before him, delivering a bone-crushing kick that sent spit flying from Moryo's mouth. The force detonated like an explosion, launching Moryo through the air like a discarded puppet.
But Smart wasn't done. He pursued Moryo with terrifying speed, gripping him by the collar mid-flight and hurling him skyward. The world seemed to hold its breath as Smart appeared above Moryo in an instant, driving a devastating kick into his back.
The resulting impact was apocalyptic. Moryo plummeted to the ground like a meteor, shattering the earth on impact and leaving a massive fissure in his wake. Blood spilled from his mouth, his battered body trembling. Despite the overwhelming pain, he forced himself to rise. His eyes burned with anxiety, anger, and a glimmer of determination.
Before him, Smart approached, his measured steps accompanied by the quiet crackle of white sparks. His eyes were devoid of emotion, his movements precise and mechanical—a harbinger of death.
Moryo's mind raced, analyzing the impossible odds stacked against him.
"Magically… I'm stronger than him," he thought. "But his speed… it's unreal! I can't keep up. I need an opening… even if it's risky."
The green sparks around Moryo surged as he stepped forward, his resolve hardening. Through gritted teeth, he spat:
"I'll KILL YOU… FOR KAMYO."
Smart didn't respond. He didn't even flinch. The white sparks enveloping him grew brighter with each step, as if feeding off his cold resolve.
Suddenly, both combatants propelled forward like bolts of lightning, their movements leaving streaks of energy in their wake—too fast for the human eye to follow. The collision was seismic, green and white sparks clashing in a maelstrom of power. The resulting explosion shook the ground, sending ripples of energy through the battlefield.
Both fighters staggered back momentarily, but Moryo refused to relent. With fury fueling his every move, he lunged at Smart again, his fists blazing with green sparks that rained down like meteors.
Moryo unleashed a relentless barrage of punches, his strikes a blur of green light and force. Yet Smart, unshaken, blocked each attack with a single hand. His movements were almost mocking in their ease, as if he were merely toying with his opponent.
Frustration mounted in Moryo as he exerted every ounce of his strength, yet nothing broke through Smart's impenetrable defense. Then, with surgical precision, Smart counterattacked. A swift kick to Moryo's stomach sent him tumbling across the ground, his body battered and bleeding.
Blood dripped from Moryo's mouth as he struggled to his feet, his fierce gaze locking onto Smart. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, determination blazing in his eyes.
Smart, unfazed, advanced once more. This time, the white sparks around his hand began to coalesce, forming into the shape of a glowing, ethereal sword. The weapon crackled with lethal energy, its brilliance illuminating the battlefield.
Moryo stood tall, despite the toll on his body. His eyes burned with an intense green glow, the sparks around him spiraling into a vortex of raw energy. He whispered under his breath, his voice steady but laced with desperation:
"This… is my last choice…"
With every step he took, the green sparks intensified, enveloping his entire body in radiant light. The world seemed to pause, the wind carrying the silence of impending doom.
Moryo began to speak, his voice low and ominous:
"Realm Expansion: The Time Re—"
A sudden, violent explosion shattered the moment. A nearby building erupted in a fiery blast, sending debris flying in every direction. Moryo's focus snapped toward the source, his eyes filled with tension and uncertainty.
Smart remained unmoving, his gaze unwavering as he continued to stare at Moryo, unaffected by the chaos unfolding around them.
—
The battle raged on amidst the chaos of explosions and debris, each strike punctuating the cacophony of destruction. Pico, with relentless ferocity, threw rapid punches at Veb, who danced around each blow with remarkable agility, flipping backward and dodging with ease. But then, from an unexpected angle, Baysal surged forward. Her pink-shimmering energy swirled around her fist as she delivered a devastating punch straight to Pico's face. He had been focused entirely on Veb, and the punch caught him off guard.
The impact was explosive, sending Pico flying backward, a shockwave reverberating through the air. He quickly righted himself, standing firm with a grin still plastered across his face. Before him stood Veb and Baysal, unyielding and determined, as if daring him to try again.
"Is that all you've got?" Pico called out, his voice eager, full of excitement. With perfect synchronicity, Veb and Baysal launched at him, moving with impressive speed. But Pico, ever the showman, vanished before their strikes could land, reappearing behind them in an instant, his eyes burning with the thrill of combat.
Veb and Baysal whirled around, fists crackling with energy—Veb's brown and Baysal's pink, their power rising in tandem. Pico's own blue sparks began to glow, cascading to the ground like a shimmering rain.
"This is going to be fun," Pico murmured, his grin widening.
With a blinding flash, the three of them collided. Their movements were a blur, their steps pounding the earth in perfect unison. Baysal screamed with excitement as she slammed her fist into Veb's, combining their energies into a single, tremendous force. The pink and brown sparks fused together and shot toward Pico, who was charging forward with equal intensity.
The clash was spectacular. A brilliant flash illuminated the area, lighting up Pico's smiling face, but in that moment, he tripped over a small stone. It was enough to throw him off balance. The massive energy blast that followed tore through the air, striking him square in the chest. The explosion that followed was deafening, shaking the entire city as the building it hit crumbled into a blaze of fire and smoke.
For a moment, Veb and Baysal stood side by side, gazing at the charred remains of Pico. Smoke billowed from his body. But then, his eyes suddenly gleamed blue, and a voice rasped through the air:
"Realm Expansion: The Blue Realm."
In the blink of an eye, the world around them shifted. The very ground disappeared, and they found themselves in an eerie, gravity-less void. A vast, blue realm stretched out before them, an endless expanse that seemed to absorb all light, as if the nightmare itself was devouring their very reality.
Within this strange Realm, Pico's body began to regenerate at an astonishing rate. His form reassembled itself until he was whole once more, his mocking grin never faltering. Veb and Baysal exchanged tense glances, unease creeping into their expressions.
"We've been pulled into his realm," Veb muttered, his voice laced with worry.
Baysal, her voice a mix of fury and frustration, shouted:
"You bastard!"
Pico's laughter echoed in the void. "Solio and I are not human," he sneered. "We are shikigami, created by Lord Brylo!"
Veb's face darkened at the mention of the name:
"Mr. Brylo? He was Master Sbyam's ally... but didn't he die?"
Baysal's eyes lit up at the name, her voice dripping with excitement. "Mr. Brylo?! I've missed him!" She slammed her hand onto the ground, unleashing a bright pink spark. The spark formed a glowing path that cut through the darkness of the blue world.
The two of them stood on this glowing path, staring down Pico with a renewed sense of purpose.
"Sbyam isn't the only one who's strong," Pico taunted. "Even his students are amazing? How wonderful!"
Baysal smirked, her voice dripping with disdain. "We'll curse you, you sorcerers of the Rizsius Organization!"
Pico's grin turned mocking:
"Let's see who curses who!"
Thescene froze, the tension thick in the air, as Pico stood confidently, awaiting the next round. Veb and Baysal readied themselves for whatever would come next.
End of Chapter.