Lean On

Meanwhile, in the light blue dimension, Kemonoka endured a brutal beating. Kemonoka, in his wolf form, was being kicked and punched relentlessly by Cornelia.

"How are you still even in your wolf form, dog?" Cornelia sneered, delivering a powerful kick that sent Kemonoka crashing into a large cube on the ground.

The mechanics of werewolfism are straightforward: moonlight transforms a werewolf, sunlight reverts them to their base form, and in the absence of both, a werewolf remains in their current form until conditions changed.

Cornelia circled him, her tone mocking. "You really aren't the talkative one, are you?"

Ignoring the taunt, Kemonoka leaped into the air, trying to escape her relentless assault.

"Oh, you," Cornelia said with a hint of amusement, jumping up to meet him mid-air. "Get down from there!" She grabbed his leg and, with a swift motion, slammed him into the ground by it. The impact was thunderous, and Kemonoka groaned in pain.

Cornelia stood over him, a triumphant smile on her face. "Stay down, dog," she commanded, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

Kemonoka growled, rising onto all fours as his transformation began. His eyes turned a menacing red, muscles bulking up. Saliva dripped from his mouth as he doubled in size. His teeth grew sharper, and his claws appeared so lethal that even staring at them could evoke a sense of fear. His thick grey fur turned a glowing berry blue and bristled with sharpness.

"Oh, what's this? Some sort of super wolf form? What are you gonna do, bite me harder now?" Cornelia taunted, her voice dripping with mockery.

"Exactly," Kemonoka replied, his deep, raspy voice resonating through the void.

Kemonoka vanished, reappearing in the air as a blue blur zipping around Cornelia. 

"You're seriously doing THIS again? If you lack an arsenal, just say so—" Cornelia began, but before she could finish, Kemonoka clamped his powerful jaws around her midsection and bit down hard.

"AH!!! YOU BASTARD!!!" Cornelia screamed, her arms flailing wildly. She placed a hand on Kemonoka's face, her voice filled with rage, "Damiki Kankuso—Critical Magic: Organ Breaker!"

Red electric-like energy surged through Kemonoka's eyes and mouth, forcing him to release Cornelia and collapse in agony. Blood gushed and sprayed from Cornelia's wound.

"You really thought you could bite me in half, you sick bastard!" Cornelia spat, holding her bleeding midsection. "But you forgot one thing—I'm stronger than you'll ever be!"

Kemonoka struggled back to his feet, his body wracked with pain.

"Healing Magic: Heal," Cornelia intoned, a green light emanating from her hands to close her wounds.

Cornelia fixed her eyes on Kemonoka, a fierce determination blazing within them. "It's on, though!" she declared, readying herself for the next round of their brutal confrontation.

Meanwhile, Rukyoi was in hot pursuit of Jipami as she soared through the air. "Get back down here!" he shouted.

Jipami shook her head defiantly and hurled a body-sized cube at him.

"You, fu—" Rukyoi's words were cut short as the cube hit him head-on, knocking him onto his back. "God..." he muttered, trying to regain his bearings.

Suddenly, a pillar shot up from the ground, striking Rukyoi and launching him into the air. "GAH—" he cried out in pain.

Another pillar rose swiftly, hitting him directly in the arm with a sickening snap, knocking him further east in the air. Before he could react, a cube fell from the sky, slamming into him and pinning his legs to the ground with a crushing force.

"AAAAAAAAAH!" Rukyoi screamed in absolute agony. "MY LEEEEEGSSSS!!!!" His cries echoed through the air, filled with unbearable pain.

Rukyoi managed to push the cube off himself, gritting his teeth. "Dammit! DAMMIT IT ALL!!!" he shouted in frustration. He tried to use his left arm to lift himself off the ground, but a sharp pain shot through him, causing him to collapse back onto his stomach. "Is my arm also broken?!"

Determined, Rukyoi pushed through the pain and stood up. "Both of my legs are broken, and my left arm is snapped. But that won't stop me from—GETTING US OUT OF HERE!!!"

Despite his injuries, Rukyoi began to move, slowly at first, then forcing himself into a run. I can do anything as long as I have a goal, and as long as I think that this pain will be forever, I can make it, I can do it! Pain is nothing but feeling very uncomfortable. If I can imagine how good I'll feel after we win this and I heal, that's enough to keep me moving!

As he ran, Rukyoi turned and noticed Kemonoka in his formidable blue form. "Dammit, Kemonoka... That form will kill you..." he muttered to himself, a mixture of concern and determination in his eyes.

Flashback (10 Years Ago)

A group of adults stood in front of the Great Ones, shrouded in darkness. Among them was a woman with long, wavy black hair, wearing a black slim long-sleeved bodysuit with a brown leather jacket over it, emblazoned with "N.P.T.E.O" on the back. She had a striking dragon tattoo that seemed to start somewhere inside her bodysuit and extended all the way over her left eye. This woman was Hokara Doragane.

"Hokara Doragane, what do you and your squad want to speak with us about?" asked Rai, the leader of the Great Ones.

Hokara stepped forward. "Dear Great One Rai, we've come across a child, alone in the forest."

"Well, return that child to their parents," Rai responded.

"The thing about that is," Hokara hesitated, "this child doesn't seem to have any connections, biologically or legally, to anyone within the Negative Point."

Rai raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying he appeared out of nowhere? Because it's extremely difficult to get into the Negative Point. Unless he's some terrorist intruder in disguise, I don't see how he would have gotten here."

"That's what we're confused about," Hokara admitted. "This child just showed up out of nowhere."

"Where is this child?" Rai asked.

Hokara stepped aside to reveal a young boy, Rukyoi, standing behind her.

Rai addressed the boy gently, "Young one, how did you get here?"

"There was a monster," Rukyoi replied, his voice trembling.

"A monster?" Rai repeated.

"A MONSTER!!! It was scary!" Rukyoi exclaimed.

Out of the shadows stepped Yunqi. "I got this, guys! Projection Magic: Memory Projection!"

Yunqi laid his hand on Rukyoi's head, and out of the boy's eyes came a vivid image of the monster. Its glossy black eyes with small white pupils, pistachio green rough skin, sharp claws, and purple glowing glyph markings extending from its face down to its waist. It had no lips, revealing sharp teeth, and its head was surrounded by black flames.

"Oh my, is that what I think it is?" Tai gasped.

"That's a Deathromancer," Kai confirmed.

"Young man, where did you come from?" Rai asked Rukyoi.

"West Mauna," Rukyoi replied.

"That was the village that got randomly destroyed! Now we have our culprit," Yunqi noted.

"Deathromancer, you say... What exactly is that?" Hokara inquired.

Rai explained, "Even the spirit world has its own hierarchy. Death rules over the spirit world, and below him sit multiple types of entities that live within the spirit world."

Tai continued, "The weakest beings in the spirit world are Living Spirits, which are souls of already living people, completely unaware of their existence and roaming mindlessly. Not everyone's soul resides there; only the souls of the weak. When the strong become strong, their souls completely form in their bodies."

Kai added, "The normal residents of the spirit world are what you'd call limbo spirits, souls who are neither evil nor good. Above them are ghosts, who are souls that have escaped the spirit world. The spirit world contains energy that balances souls to normal states, but when they escape, they not only retain their original power but also gain extra power from their life energy being converted into spiritual energy."

Rai elaborated, "A ghost can come into the living realm as four different types of ghosts: haunting ghosts, who are bound to locations; roaming ghosts, who are not bound to anything; vengeful ghosts, who are powerful and gain strength from their anger; and guardian spirits, who are somewhat strong ghosts bound to a person."

Tai stood before the group, her voice resonating with the weight of ancient knowledge. "Above them are the spirit world duality," she began, her eyes narrowing as she spoke. "They come in the form of spirit vanquishers who have the power to remove souls, and guiders who guide souls. But above them all and only below Death itself are Deathromancers."

The air seemed to grow colder as Tai continued, the gravity of her words sinking in. "When somebody dies with so much grief, hate, rage, and regret, that they carry so much mental anguish into the afterlife to the point of impressing Death itself, Death revives them as a Deathromancer. Deathromancers are highly powerful beings who regain an altered physical body."

Kai, always the scholar, nodded thoughtfully. "They have absolute control over their souls, and nobody can target their souls directly. Not even Death can touch their soul. They are nigh-immortal and can only be killed if their soul is completely erased. But even then, if they have enough hate, rage, grief, or regret left in them, they can completely bring back their soul."

He paused, the weight of his words hanging in the air. "Deathromancers also have one more way of being destroyed, and that's if their soul is brought to absolute peace, where they are completely satisfied with themselves. This is why it's extremely rare to see one, because most of them have succumbed to being satisfied while sleeping. One bonus of being a Deathromancer is that they have complete access to the spirit world and soul magic. Their mana is dark mana, and they gain their destiny magic as their secondary magic, which can be indicated by the element surrounding their head."

Yunqi, ever the pragmatist, interjected with a determined tone. "Well, I guess we have a Deathromancer to take care of. Let's get on the move!" He turned on his heel, ready to spring into action, but was halted by Rai's commanding voice.

"Halt!" Rai's hand shot out, stopping Yunqi in his tracks. "You still need to get this child to safety. Send him to the sanctuary at once!"

Hokara, always the loyal soldier, snapped to attention. "Yessir!" She responded with a firm nod, ready to carry out the order.

Fifty minutes later, Hokara arrived at the Sanctuary, guiding Rukyoi safely inside. The atmosphere was serene, a stark contrast to the dark empty they had just left behind. Inside, the Sanctuary buzzed with the youthful energy of its inhabitants.

Tomiro Karagoku, a 13-year-old boy with an air of authority beyond his years, was in the middle of a chase. "Return that to me now, you brat!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the spacious hall.

Setchi, a mischievous 6-year-old, darted around the room, clutching a letter tightly. "No! Who is it?!" he called back, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"It's my younger cousin, you little nuisance!" Tomiro shouted, his frustration mounting as he struggled to catch up.

As Tomiro sprinted forward, Oto, a cheeky 7-year-old, stuck out his foot, tripping Tomiro to the ground. "Watch your feet, Tomiro," Oto said with a smirk.

Tomiro glared up at them, his pride bruised. "You cheap little pricks," he muttered, raising his hand. With a swift motion, a gust of wind swept through the room, snatching the letter from Setchi's hand and depositing it neatly into Tomiro's grasp.

Setchi pouted, disappointment clear on his face. "Awww..."

Tomiro, triumphant, held the letter aloft. "If you want to know so much, I can always read it to you," he teased, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Before the situation could escalate further, Hokara's firm voice cut through the air. "Children."

All eyes turned to Hokara, the authoritative tone in her voice instantly commanding their attention. The playful chaos subsided, replaced by a respectful silence.

Hokara stood at the entrance of the Sanctuary, her presence commanding attention as she introduced the new arrival. "This is Rukyoi. He's going to be living with you guys in the Sanctuary for a little while."

Tomiro, standing nearby, couldn't help but mutter, "A new one joins the fray every day..."

Oto, always direct, turned to the newcomer. "Rukyoi, what can you do?"

Rukyoi's response was blunt. "Nothing."

Oto's expression hardened. "Well, make yourself useful. It's a hard, hard world to live in."

Hokara shot Oto a reproachful look. "Oto, try to be a little bit nicer to the newcomer."

Oto, chastised, quickly corrected himself. "My apologies, Mrs. Doragane."

Setchi, bursting with enthusiasm, called out, "Rukyoi! Most of everyone is outside playing! You should probably wait to introduce yourself when everyone comes back inside!"

Tomiro winced at Setchi's volume. "Setchi... Could you please stop screaming in my ear?"

Setchi grinned mischievously. "Of course not!!!"

Suddenly, the door across the room was kicked open, and a wave of children poured in. Among them was Gisei, a lively five-year-old, brimming with energy.

Gisei charged towards Setchi, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Come here, Setchi! I've created a new attack!"

Setchi's competitive spirit flared. "You're on!" He met Gisei's charge with equal enthusiasm.

Estel, a composed seven-year-old, watched the chaos with mild irritation. "Please stay away from me while you fight."

Tegami, Age 5

Tegami, sitting quietly, couldn't help but express her concern. "Gisei, please don't get hurt!" Her eyes tracked the movements of the fighters, worried but resigned.

Lapi, Age 5

Lapi clutched her stuffed bunny tightly, her voice small and pleading. "Please stop fighting..."

Hade and Rebyu, Age 9

Leaning against a wall with a practiced air of indifference was Rebyu. She glanced at the younger children, her tone dripping with disdain. "How immature all of you are."

Beside her, Hade shared her sentiment but added a touch of challenge. "If you're gonna fight, at least make it interesting." He leaned back, waiting to see if the younger kids could entertain him.

Rukyoi stood quietly, taking in the whirlwind of personalities and dynamics in the Sanctuary, realizing just how different his life was about to become.

In the shadows of the doors, a voice rang out, vibrant and full of energy.

"Yeah!!!"

Out of the shadow stepped a young boy with auburn hair, his eyes shining with a Scheele's green hue. He sported a blue shirt paired with jeans, and a large vertical scar marked his right eye. This lively kid was none other than...

Cenione Najma, Age 6

"Push yourself to the limit, Setchi!" Cenione called out enthusiastically.

"Thank's, Cenione!" Setchi replied with equal fervor.

"No problem, Setchi—" Cenione began, then paused as his gaze fell upon Rukyoi.

"Oh? Who are you?" Cenione inquired, walking up to Rukyoi.

"My name is... Rukyoi... Rukyoi Totewai," Rukyoi answered quietly.

"Rukyoi, huh? That's an interesting name. The name's Cenione Najma! I'm assuming you're new here. I'm kinda new too. Me and some others have only been here for a month, but dude, is it fun!" Cenione exclaimed with a wide grin.

"What's the deal with some of these people?" Rukyoi asked, his curiosity piqued.

"We kind of all come from a past of misfortune, especially Oto. Speaking of, why are you here?" Cenione explained.

"I kind of... appeared here..." Rukyoi admitted.

"What? How?" Cenione's eyes widened with surprise.

"I don't know..." Rukyoi shrugged.

"Well, that's kind of... boring to say the least. Did you have family?" Cenione pressed gently.

"I lived with my grandma, but she died a few days ago," Rukyoi confessed.

"Oh... Well... In the Sanctuary, I've learned that mostly everyone here has some sort of buddy system!" Cenione brightened up.

"What's a buddy system?" Rukyoi inquired.

"I don't know myself, but I feel like it's right. Everyone here is a part of some kind of duo. Setchi and Oto, Estel and Gisei, Lapi and Tegami, and Hade and Rebyu. I'm friends with Tomiro, but in two years, he's leaving to pursue his career in joining the N.P.D.O! So maybe I could be friends with you and Kemonoka!" Cenione explained eagerly.

"Kemonoka, who's that?" Rukyoi's interest was piqued.

Cenione pointed towards Kemonoka, a figure standing apart, shirtless and masked, his back bearing the cruel marks of past torment.

Kemonoka, Age 6

"What happened to him?" Rukyoi inquired, his gaze fixed on Kemonoka's scars.

"Before he joined the Sanctuary, he was an orphan who got locked up in a chamber at night, and was whipped for the entire night by the orphanage nun. He spent the entirety of his life like that until he was rescued by Mrs. Doragane. I would try being friends with him, but there's one thing—" Cenione began.

Without hesitation, Rukyoi dashed over to Kemonoka, his hand reaching out to touch the troubled boy's shoulder. Kemonoka recoiled, his movements jerky and anxious.

"Kemonoka... is that your name?" Rukyoi asked tentatively.

But Kemonoka responded with whimpers, akin to a frightened animal.

"What the—" Rukyoi started, perplexed.

Cenione intervened, pulling Rukyoi aside. "Kemonoka is a werewolf."

"He is?" Rukyoi's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, and that's why all the other kids are scared of him. They think he might bite them or something, because they're stupid kids," Cenione explained matter-of-factly.

"Aren't you also a kid?" Rukyoi challenged.

"Yes! But I like to see the good in everyone. Nothing makes me feel better than seeing a smile on people's faces, and that's what the Sanctuary is all about!" Cenione proclaimed with unwavering optimism.

"Also, out of all of the people here, why would you want to be friends with me and him?" Rukyoi questioned.

"Everyone here has their own dynamics, but I kind of am a kid with no dynamic to bounce off of. So maybe I'll strike gold with you two. We can be an amazing trio!" Cenione suggested enthusiastically.

"Well, before that happens, I have something I need to do," Rukyoi declared, determination gleaming in his eyes.

Approaching Kemonoka once more, Rukyoi spoke softly, "Kemonoka..."

Kemonoka remained silent, his gaze fixed on Rukyoi.

"Don't be scared of me... Can I see your back, please?" Rukyoi requested gently.

Though hesitant, Kemonoka slowly turned around. Rukyoi placed his hand on Kemonoka's back, and a green light emanated from it, gradually healing the scars that marred Kemonoka's skin.

"That should be better..." Rukyoi murmured, a sense of relief washing over him.

"Did you just—" Cenione began, astonished.

Oto, who had been observing the scene unfold, approached the trio with a stern expression.

"So you could do something, you liar. Make sure to keep Kemonoka safe with that power, because if you don't, I'll shove my fists up your butt. In a cold world like this, friendship is the only thing that can indirectly fail a person, so make sure to keep you and your ally strong, because if you don't, you're just killing two people with a boulder," Oto warned, his words carrying the weight of experience and wisdom.

Ten years had passed since the events that unfolded in the Sanctuary, and Oto now sat reading a newspaper, flanked by Setchi and Kiiro.

"Season students take on a large vampire eradication mission!? Why couldn't we get that kind of mission? I feel like we should be a tad bit more capable than they are," Oto remarked, frustration evident in his voice.

"Ryoshi Taisaku, the inheritor? I've never heard of that guy in my life!!" Setchi exclaimed, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"Yeah, last time I checked, there isn't a Taisaku clan in the Negative Point," Kiiro added, voicing her skepticism.

"Rumors say that the winter season just found this guy off of the streets," Oto disclosed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Seriously? Off of the streets?" Setchi echoed, incredulous.

"That doesn't sound professional at all if you ask me," Kiiro commented, sharing Setchi's sentiment.

"And look, Mrs. Doragane's son is the trapper! I wonder how strong he is," Setchi mused, pointing out an article in the newspaper.

"He's a human and Soriteoi Hachto hybrid, his potential is immaculate!" Oto declared confidently.

"I could have totally been a stronger inheritor! I could have learned the ways of the winter man!" Setchi lamented.

"Winter god Setchi doesn't sound like an interesting title," Oto teased.

"Yeah, that sounds like a minor character," Setchi conceded with a chuckle.

"When has a god ever been a minor character?" Kiiro interjected.

"Probably in some religious text—" Setchi began, only to be interrupted by Cenione's entrance.

"Cenione!" Setchi exclaimed, surprised by her sudden appearance.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off taking out some old woman's trash or something?" Oto joked.

"Well, something's up and coming! So I get a huge break for the time being!" Cenione explained excitedly, holding multiple sheets of paper and tape.

"And what exactly are you doing?" Oto inquired, curious about Cenione's sudden burst of activity.

Cenione handed Oto one of the sheets of paper, which read, "Come to the promotional test battles, to see your favorite Inheritor Cenione win!"

"It's happening already?!" Oto exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes it is! And as the fall season's inheritor, I'm going to proudly claim my victory in the name of you guys and my two allies!" Cenione declared confidently.

"Beat that Ryoshi guy for me!" Setchi urged with a grin.

Cenione smiled back. "I don't even know the guy, but when I meet him, I'll give it my all!"

Setchi's admiration for Cenione was evident in his words. "You're the strongest guy I know, and I mean it! You actually managed to beat Osoi's demon form!"

Cenione nodded solemnly. "If he had unlocked any more of that demon, I wouldn't be where I am today! I'm thankful for how much control he has over that demon of his!"

Oto interjected with a practical question. "Cenione, what will the first fight be?"

"It's us versus the spring season's students! They might be tough, but I think our team will prevail," Cenione explained confidently.

"I'll go cheer you on!" Setchi offered with a grin.

"Yeah, I'll be there too! There's nothing wrong with supporting a friend!" Oto chimed in, showing his solidarity.

"Thanks, guys!" Cenione responded gratefully.

However, the room's mood shifted as Osoi entered, visibly moping and clutching a bag of salt and vinegar chips.

"Osoi! Hey, dude!" Cenione called out, noticing his friend's despondency.

But Osoi remained subdued, lost in his thoughts. Cenione approached him cautiously.

"You... okay?" Cenione inquired gently.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine... Just really down about not being the inheritor," Osoi confessed, his tone heavy with disappointment.

"I'm deeply sorry, Osoi, but when I saw the opportunity, I had to take it," Cenione apologized sincerely.

"It's fine... good luck on your fight though. I won't be there, my mom wants me to stay here..." Osoi trailed off, his voice tinged with resignation.

"Well, at least in spirit, you'll be there," Cenione offered, trying to lift his friend's spirits.

The day of the battle arrived, and the arena crackled with tension as Arasu and Mizuma engaged in a fierce duel. Everyone watched intently, their eyes fixed on the combatants. Mizuma, heavily damaged but determined, wielded his scythe against Arasu, who stood resolute in his magical armor. Among the crowd stood Setchi, Oto, Kiiro, Gisei, Lapi, Kemonoka, Rukyoi, Estel, Nagarimu, Enerida, Cenione, Aki, and Haiamu.

"My wicked blows are... wicked useless against your armor!" Mizuma panted, wiping sweat from his brow.

"About time you've realized that!" Arasu taunted as Mizuma lunged forward, striking at him repeatedly with his scythe. But to no avail, as the weapon bounced off Arasu's impenetrable armor.

"I gotta hit you harder!" Mizuma grunted, frustration evident in his voice.

"I won't give you the chance!" Arasu declared, countering with a powerful punch that sent Mizuma crashing to the ground, unconscious.

"By knockout, Arasu wins!" Aki announced, prompting cheers from the crowd, except for Enerida and Nagarimu.

"He seriously brought an entire crowd with him, how insulting," Enerida remarked disdainfully.

"It only adds onto the atmosphere, Enerida," Nagarimu replied calmly.

"The next fight will be Nagarimu and Cenione!" Aki announced.

"Welp, I guess you're up now. Break a leg, Nagarimu," Enerida quipped.

"Break a leg indeed," Nagarimu responded with a smirk.

As Nagarimu and Cenione prepared to face off, the crowd erupted into chants of "Cenione! Cenione! Cenione!"

"Ah yes, the sound of people rooting against me. It makes me so excited, but I feel so disrespected. I'll make this victory a special one just for him for making me feel insecure," Nagarimu muttered to herself, her expression unsettling.

"The fight shall start in, 3, 2, 1, GO!" Aki declared.

"This is the first fight, if you give me your all, I'll give you mine!" Cenione declared bravely.

"I heard you put up fliers for this too. I'll make sure to disappoint your fans for you, to show them the honorable way of fighting," Nagarimu retorted, summoning her two large purple fans.

"Was that a fan pun?" Cenione quipped, summoning a giant glowing battle axe.

Nagarimu vanished from Cenione's sight, surprising him. "What the—"

Before he could react, Nagarimu appeared behind him and slashed him across the chest with her fans. Cenione collapsed, his eyes lifeless, blood spraying from the gaping wound.

"Cenione! By knockout, Nagarimu wins!" Aki announced, teleporting Cenione to her side as the Sanctuary children surrounded him.

"Cenione, you're going to be okay!" Aki reassured him, watching in astonishment as his wound rapidly healed.

"What... he healed? But how?" Aki wondered aloud.

Meanwhile, across the arena, Nagarimu and Enerida observed the scene.

"What did you do, Nagarimu?" Enerida asked incredulously.

"I'm teaching those kids a lesson on respect, while also having fun," Nagarimu replied with a chilling smile.

As Cenione began to regain consciousness, Setchi and Oto approached him with words of encouragement.

"It's alright, Cenione. It only means you have to try harder in your next fight!" Setchi reassured him.

"Yeah, train a little bit more, you know!" Oto added, offering his support.

Across from the horrified crowd, Nagarimu muttered a chilling incantation with a devious smirk on her face.

"Skill 4: Double Impact," she whispered, her voice carrying an ominous tone.

In an instant, blood sprayed into the sky, drenching the faces of the unsuspecting spectators. Lapi's scream pierced the air, echoing in the distance, while the rest of the crowd stood frozen, their faces contorted with shock and disbelief. Cenione's body was gruesomely bisected, blood, guts, and organs spilling out in a horrifying display.

Nagarimu watched with twisted satisfaction as panic spread among the crowd, reveling in the chaos she had caused. Aki, overwhelmed with horror, frantically tried to make sense of the gruesome scene before her. Beside Nagarimu, Enerida turned away, a bead of sweat trailing down his face.

"I had a feeling you would do that... Why... just why... Nagarimu..." Enerida's voice trembled with a mixture of horror and disbelief.

"He wasn't interesting in the very least, that's why," Nagarimu replied with a chilling smile, tilting her head provocatively towards Enerida.

As screams and cries filled the air, Oto remained silent, his expression grave and stoic.

Enerida sighed heavily, realizing the weight of the task ahead. "Oh boy, I have to give Mizuma the happy version of this..." he muttered, dreading the difficult conversation to come.