CHAPTER 5: Who are you ?

The last attack I had thrown at the first beast was different from the movements I was used to. It had surprised me. It was much faster—so fast that I wasn't even able to see it when it cut through the beast. But it had taken a lot more strength.

The other beasts hovered above, seemingly hesitant to attack.

But that didn't last long. They plunged toward me again after parting ways. As always, they attacked from different directions.

This time, however, I could only attack them by controlling my weapons, not grabbing them.

I threw my weapons again, directing the lines to the beasts' throats. But just inches before reaching their targets, the beasts managed to dodge.

It surprised me. The beasts had always been more inclined to attack than defend. My fast-moving weapons should've been more than enough to take them by surprise. Looks like I was wrong.

They returned high above, continuing to fly and seek an opening.

Deciding not to waste my time, I directed the weapons toward them.

My blades soared, one behind the other. But when the first one reached a certain distance, it suddenly disappeared.

I immediately redirected the second one back to me.

That had never happened before. During my training, I had only moved the weapons around me, never bothering to send them too far. But it seemed there was a limitation.

From the moment they had first appeared, I had managed to keep them from disappearing, not knowing exactly how to make them reappear and not wanting to risk losing them. But now, one was gone.

"Crrrrrr!" The roar of a beast snapped me back to reality. The two of them were coming straight for me, again from different directions.

I had only one weapon now, but it was more than enough to take them down.

I directed the weapon again toward their throats. But again, they dodged. I had tried this a couple of times, but I always missed—as if they knew exactly where and when the weapon would strike.

Understanding that strategy would never work against them, and feeling my strength constantly being drained by the weapon, I decided to grab it again.

They came at me again... but I waited.

Until they were close enough.

And when they were finally inches from me, ready to tear me apart, I instantly directed the line toward them, and the weapon followed in an instant.

I felt an enormous part of my remaining strength vanish as their lifeless corpses fell to the ground. I had no time to celebrate my success in mastering my new ability, though.

"It's time to go."

After defeating the monsters by only controlling the weapons, I had enough confidence to try the strategy I had come up with to get out of this cave.

Doubt lingered. I didn't know much about the distance limitation of my weapon, nor what I would be facing outside the cave. But now was my last chance.

I didn't have much strength left, and after the beast assault, it wouldn't be long before the next wave arrived.

I directed the weapon to my hand and grabbed it, lifting it toward the ceiling. Tightening my grip with both hands, I traced the line connecting the weapon to the ceiling.

Then, slowly, I directed the weapon along the line, lifting my body in the process.

I ascended cautiously, wondering if I would find myself inexplicably back on the ground like when I had tried to climb the roots.

But that worry soon disappeared as I climbed higher—only to be replaced by an even greater fear as I watched winged beasts enter the cave through the crack.

This time was different. There were not just three but dozens of monsters.

I had just been attacked. I should have had more time before they attacked again, but that wasn't the case. I didn't have time to worry about my miscalculation, though.

I had only one weapon left, and I was far from the ground. Falling from this height would certainly be fatal.

The beasts hovered around me as I continued to ascend toward the crack in the ceiling.

I didn't know what to do, but I had to find something—and fast, since one of the beasts had finally decided to attack.

I pulled myself higher using the weapon and released it, directing it at the beast that dodged effortlessly.

I started falling but quickly recalled the weapon, catching it mid-air and using the momentum to kick another beast approaching me.

Still balancing myself, I tried to regain my balance, but a swarm of them came at me again.

I directed my blade toward them, this time managing to take some down. But most dodged again.

I didn't have enough strength left to use the instant attack I had performed twice before, the one that had allowed me to take them down effortlessly.

But before learning to control the weapons, I had taken down the beasts by simply wielding them.

So I did.

Keeping a firm grip on the weapon, I stopped manipulating it whenever a beast was close enough and instead slashed at them. Then, maintaining my hold, I continued using the weapon to keep from plummeting to the ground.

I repeated the process, cutting down more and more beasts. I knew I could kill them all if I continued, but I didn't have enough strength to do so.

Deciding to ignore the beasts—who had now grown more reluctant to attack—I directed the weapon straight toward the ceiling, much faster than before.

The beasts followed me, some nearly reaching my feet, but I accelerated.

Then... I finally reached the ceiling...

Passed through the crack...

And I was out.

I was surrounded by trees, one much larger than the others standing before me, the red glow coming from above illuminating the leaves. It was a marvelous sight, especially for someone like me who remembered nothing but a dark, terrifying cave.

I landed on the ground, preparing myself to fight the flying beasts, whether they came from the cave or the sky. But nothing happened.

At least, not from them.

A loud crash behind me, followed by a powerful roar, sent a suffocating pressure through the air—far greater than that of all the flying beasts combined.

I turned around, only to see something I wasn't ready for.

It was a winged monster, but not like the ones I had fought before.

It was massive, its wings spread wide above the trees. Its body was black as night, more akin to that of a gigantic lizard, with a long neck leading to a scaled, horse-like head. Its large eyes glared at me fiercely, and curved horns rolled back from its forehead.

Back in the cave, I hadn't known what those winged beasts were, having lost all my memories I assumed. But for the one standing in front of me, a name immediately flashed in my mind. I knew exactly what it was.

"A dragon!"

"I'm glad you still know at least that much, but I'm offended that you still haven't noticed me," a voice said.

I jolted in fear. The voice came from the front, but not from the dragon's head—it was lower.

That's when I realized the dragon wasn't alone.

Just beneath it, a figure sat on a large rock. He—or maybe she?—wore a plain mask covering their white-haired head, their small, almost fragile body clad in what looked like a ninja uniform.

I had no memory of this person, most likely a child in their early teens. But for some reason, I had a feeling…

I needed them.

Or maybe… they needed me?

"Who... are you?" I whispered, breathless.

The dragon roared again, making me instinctively raise my weapon. The beast opened its massive jaws, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. A dark mist—so black it made the cave seem bright in comparison—condensed in its mouth, forming a deadly sphere.

Then, it aimed the orb at the child.

I wanted to scream at them to dodge, but I couldn't speak.

"If I were you, I'd worry about her instead," the child said, nonchalantly, pointing toward me.

And then…

I felt something cold against my throat.

A far heavier presence than the dragon's loomed over me.

I turned my gaze to the right—and saw her.

A breathtakingly beautiful woman with long brown hair and a majestic red combat-ready kimono. She held a weapon—the same as mine, except glowing far more intensely—pressed against my throat.

Her glare was fierce, perhaps even more so than that of the dragon.

"the dragon!"

I turned back to the beast—just in time to see its head fall to the ground, severed from its lifeless body.

The child hadn't moved an inch.

Then, the slight pressure on my throat brought my attention back to the woman.

"I'll say this slowly so that your weak mind can process it," she said, her voice calm yet as powerful as a god's roar. "Who are you?"