The killer's defeat

"I've come for your demise!"

"Who? Me?"

In the thickening gloom, a figure emerged, a specter that sent chills down Yuri's spine. The man was no ordinary stranger; he was a killer, his hands and face smeared with the damning evidence of his recent kills. His eyes were a haunting crimson, oozing an insatiable thirst for blood that was palpable in the air. With no pause, he drew his weapon, a glinting knife that reflected his sinister intentions.

The target, however, was as calm as the still surface of a lake. He summoned forth an earthen barrier, his hands weaving a pattern in the air and feet shifting to the rhythm of a primal dance.

"[EARTH MAGIC: SUFFOCATE]"

The ground beneath them rumbled ominously as the walls around them grew taller, a testament to his power. With a swift, dramatic drop of his hand, the quake was silenced abruptly. He retreated from the towering wall, his words echoing in the silence. He declared that his assailant would either be crushed by the falling rocks or suffocate from oxygen deprivation. He demanded his identity and purpose, to which Yuri, now regaining his composure, responded.

The revelation was a shock to the man; he had been oblivious to his hunter and the demise of his father. His lack of affection for his father allowed him to focus on the task at hand: neutralizing his would-be killer.

Just when they thought the climax had passed, a new threat materialized. A knife, seemingly materialized from thin air, was stabbing into their sanctuary. The man urged them to flee, prompting a panicked exodus. But he himself did not run. His loyalty to his guild members drove him to face the deadly threat alone. Despite Yuri's pleas, he stood his ground, refusing to abandon his post.

Suddenly, Yuri's heart skipped a beat. Akira was alive, and he was on his way. The man before him, however, was obstinate, ignoring Yuri's desperate calls to flee. His misguided sense of courage was putting him on a path to certain death. He slammed his fists into the ground, encasing them in a rock shell, grinning with misplaced confidence as dust filled the air, obscuring everything.

As the dust cleared, the killer had vanished. An attempt to decapitate him was narrowly avoided as the man shielded his head with his stone-clad arms.

"Look out!" he warned Yuri as he spotted the killer reappearing behind him, forcing him to duck.

"Run! Don't worry about me!" he urged Yuri.

"No, it's you who should run! He wants you!" Yuri countered.

"I'd risk it all for my friends. Now go!" The man's brazen declaration showed his disregard for his own safety. A faint glimmer of hope emerged as Akira was nearing their location.

With a heavy heart, Yuri complied, running towards the direction of the guild members. The man, left alone, fixed his gaze on the impending danger with a stern yet grim smile.

The killer lunged forward, aiming for his face. The man reacted swiftly, evading the deadly blow. He was taken aback by the killer's increased speed but retaliated by pounding the earth with his stone-clad fists. The killer, unfazed, smoothly dodged the strikes, aiming once again for the unprotected parts of his body. In a breathtaking move, he plunged his knife into his stomach.

Without missing a beat, the killer unleashed a swift kick to the man's face. Yet, it was like striking stone - the man remained steadfast, returning the blow with a smile and a powerful kick to the killer's chin. As the killer was momentarily caught in his hold, the man exploited the advantage, raining down a series of kicks on his adversary.

In a desperate move, the killer let his knife slip from his grasp, promptly shedding his right sleeve, and managed to wriggle free from the man's grip. He caught the falling knife mid-air, launching another attack aimed at his opponent's neck.

With a speed that belied his size, the man blocked the incoming attack with his rocky right hand, effectively keeping the killer at bay. The killer studied his knife, realizing its futility against the man's rock-solid defenses. A sense of provocation filled the air as he started to hop from one foot to another, his eyes locked on his target. Then, without warning, he made his move.

"[HOLLOW MIRAGE]"

Suddenly, the space around them was filled with multiple afterimages of the killer, a feat of speed and deception designed to disorient his opponent. The man was taken aback by the sudden influx of enemies, punching at the images only to see them dissolve into nothingness.

One by one, he fought the apparitions, but to no avail. The phantoms closed in, their spectral forms taunting him with the threat of impending defeat. He attempted to dispel them by striking the ground, but the afterimages persisted, ghost-like and unyielding.

In this dire situation, every step seemed to bring him closer to the end. Just as all hope seemed lost, the wall beside them exploded into a shower of debris. Akira had arrived, his entrance marked by a ground-shaking blast. Caught off guard, the killer was forced to retreat, creating a moment of respite in the thick of the battle.

"Who're you?" The man questioned Akira's appearance.

"I'm here to rescue you!"

"AGH! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH TODAY? A KILLER CHASING AFTER ME, SOME UNKNOWN GUY WHO COME TO RESCUE ME, MY FATHER DIED, AND SOME WEIRD GUY JOINED MY GUILD OUT OF NOWHERE??? HECK IS MY DAY WEIRD!" The man shouted because of the absurdity of today.

"You! Shut the hell up! You should leave! Before he-" Akira's words were cut off, and he deflected the killer's attack.

"How? I killed you!" As he glared at Akira, the killer couldn't fathom what he had seen after Akira arrived.

"That's unfortunate, isn't it? You're going up against the wrong man! "

The killer examined his neck, and the scar he had created vanished with no trace. He believed he possessed advanced self-healing abilities that shouldn't be possible given that he was on the verge of death.

From here on, Akira remained focused and would not ever let his mistake be repeated. He unleashed his blood slash to make him back away further and the killer dodged it.

The killer remained wary of Akira, he didn't know he would survive such a fatal attack on the vital spots.

"That scythe of yours has proved to cause quite an immobility to react quickly. What was the point of using a heavy weapon against a weapon that had much more mobility?"

"I don't care, this is my signature style of fighting!" Akira didn't care.

"Quite an audacious idiot!"

In an instant, the killer flashed in front of Akira. He lunged his knife, trying to stab his eyes. Akira ducked his head and pushed him with both of his hands. He did not blink, remaining focused on his speed.

Akira reassured himself not to be killed again because the killer's target was next to him. If he died, then it would all be over.

Akira stood calmly as he exhaled his breath. Akira launched forward and released an upward blood slash.

The killer maneuvered to the right, and his red-glowing eyes left a red light trace as he moved. He spun his knife and tried to impale Akira right into his left stomach. Akira did a side flip to the right and kicked away his knife.

The killer's knife was removed from his hand and backed away as he touched his wrist. Akira's moves were excellent as the man viewed their fight.

He then stood up and asked to join Akira. Akira disagreed with his request, and soon the man disagreed with his disagreement. He then unexpectedly launched ahead at the killer as he was unarmed and defenseless.

His stupidity made Akira pursue him to stop him and then...

He was stabbed.

He had a second knife in his pocket, he then stabbed him right in the stomach as he vomit up blood.

"You're an idiot, just like your father!" The killer whispered and he let out his knife after stabbing him. The killer's ears then budged as his eyes were expressionless.

The man then chuckled and punched him right in the face, crushing his facial bones. However, the killer didn't avoid him somehow.

"I'm still standing..." The man lied as he staggered.

His legs were numb, and he couldn't feel anything. He kneeled, panting and vomiting a lot of blood. Akira hurriedly healed him, and finally, it was over. The man got back on his feet while touching his stomach because he could still feel the pain.

It was their victory, and the killer was finally defeated and knocked unconscious. The man thanked Akira for his help. Akira facepalmed because he didn't know what he was thinking. He could've died which made him worried, but he survived, and the mission was completed.

Akira sensed Yuri was hiding and told him and the rest of the members to come out.

As of now, the killer has been neutralized, but then again, who hired him? Yuri inspected his body and all of his belongings in his pocket.

He just found one thing. He was a gang member called "The Red Riot." One of the most infamous gangs in the western part of Celesta.

From his ID, he learned that his last name was similar to Akira's, which made him curious. His name was

"Shin Keita ".