Chapter 7- Showdown With Fate

I arrived a little too late. The destruction had already begun. It's not like I could've helped sooner—I was busy gathering information about this ritual, and about him, Crimson.

What's the situation here? An orange-haired boy facing off against that devil. A blonde-haired one, unconscious, with a familiar face crouched aside him, healing his wounds. And, of course, that four-eyed idiot trying his best to protect them from these dumb black Oscies. How... impressive.

Crimson has played things harshly than I anticipated. Indeed this wreckage is peak... The air is thick with smoke, the ground littered with debris, and a heavy, acrid scent of burning in the air. The night sky is stained by the blood moon above. I can feel the weight of the damage in the air—this place is on the brink. He's got to pay for this. No way I'm letting this slide.

"Ruby Scarlett?" That nerd yelled in surprise.

I flashed him a quick grin. "Long time no see, Kaitoooo. How've you been? Still playing hero, huh?"

Shizuka blinked. "Ah! Ruby-chan? You… you're here? After all this time?" she shouted even surprisingly.

"Yeah, looks like it," I replied, shrugging lightly. "Couldn't stay hidden forever, could I? Well, glad to see you're doing so well, despite everything, Shizuka."

Kaito shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day. What brings you back? You've been missing for ages."

"Well, life underground gets old pretty fast. Besides, I was busy doing a little research, you know? Figured I should check in when the world's going to hell. Not much else to do." I smirked, trying to lift up the mood.

Shizuka crossed her arms. "You always had a way of keeping things… interesting."

"Hey, someone's gotta keep the place exciting, right? But it looks like we're past the small talk. Time to get to work, yeah?"

I glanced over at the Crimson guy. "This is no time to waste, is it?"

"Ah, a new puppet for the show. How delightful." Crimson muttered. Is he mocking me?

"Puppet? Uhh, you seem to be mistaken. I don't dance to anyone's tune. But nice try."

"Is that so? *smirks* A little confidence wonn't change your fate, sweetheart. But I do like your spunk."

"Well, I'm glad something's catching your attention."

"How adorable. Fufu...I think you should be more focused on your little friends there."

"Oh, don't worry about them. They can handle themselves just fine. Unlike you, Chatterbox. Still all talk, no action."

"Oh?"

I smirked. "I'm practically an expert on everything about you by now. So you won't be able to continue your stuffs here on out."

"I highly doubt that. But, I know quite a bit about you too, Miss Bloodthorn Witch a.k.a Ruby Scarlett. You wield floral sorcery, manipulating blooms in ways most can't even imagine. Your Seishinsu (Spiritual presence)—so delicate and charming. Indeed its a pleasant sensation."

"Is that so? Well, yours? It stinks. Like garbage, honestly." I said that, but oddly enough, his Seishinsu felt so...nice?...for some reason.

"Hahaha...Ah, you're an interesting one. It seems I'm starting to take a liking to you."

"Oh, please. Don't make me laugh. There's no way I'd go out with a rotten, overripe fruit like you."

Enough chat—with that, I snapped my fingers, and countless red rose petals swirled around me, forming sharp blades aimed straight at him. They moved fast, slicing through the air like deadly shards, but of course, Crimson wasn't one to sit still. In the blink of an eye, he dodged them.

His face, usually expressionless, now had a faint hint of... annoyance? Oh? Is he finally taking me seriously?

"Ah, how delightful. But this is growing tiresome. Let's bring this to a swift conclusion, shall we?"

He elevated his hand, and just like that, several dark magical rods shot out from the thin air, aimed right at me. Oh, great. This is gonna be fun...

I raised my hand, casting my magic, and BOOM, the dark rods shattered, turning into cute, harmless petals. Tch, that's just how my power works. Anything with Seishin (spiritual magic)? I can transform it into shiny, delicate petals. Cool, isn't it?

If he keeps playing from a distance, I've definitely got the upper hand. But, if he comes down here... well, let's just say I've got a little plan tucked away. I've come prepared.

"Oh?" He muttered with fake admiration on his face of course.

Whatever. I couldn't care less about his mockery. Anyway, if my intel is on point—and I am pretty sure it is—he is definitely an Oscuro. That means there is an Orca, the heart of the Oscuro, somewhere around there. And once I shatter it, well, it would be game over. Hmph.

But Crimson, being his usual smug self, seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. With a twisted grin, he said, "Too bad that's not the right place."

He is sharp...but an idiot. I steadied myself, already planning my next move. If I could land a hit on his heart, this fight would be over. But before I could even focus, he vanished—like smoke carried by the wind.

"Uhh... where—"

My eyes searched around. Where had he gone? The air grew colder, heavier. I could feel him somewhere close, but—

"Looking for me?" a deep, mocking voice purred.

I froze. His presence was unmistakable—right behind me.

"Oh, my apologies," Crimson continued, "Did I interrupt your little strategy building? You seemed so... focused. Don't stop on my account. I love watching you try."

I extended my hand, summoning my petals again. This time, they swirled with more intensity, glowing faintly under the blood moon's eerie light. I aimed directly at him. From this close, there was no way he could escape.

"Got you this time!" I said.

But just as the petals were about to reach him, he vanished again.

"What the—?!" I spun around, scanning the area. Was he teleporting? No. He was just moving too fast, faster than my eyes could track.

I gritted my teeth and launched another wave of petals in his direction. And another. And another. Each time, he dodged effortlessly, weaving through them like a shadow slipping through cracks.

"Will you stop moving for a second?!" I snapped with frustration bubbling over. "I mean, ugh, how about a fair fight instead of this dodgeball nonsense?!"

But he kept evading. Each miss only fueled my annoyance.

"Seriously?! Do you have a speed cheat on or something?" I growled, aiming another flurry of petals. Once again, they cut through empty space as he slipped out of reach.

It felt infuriating. But then...Before I could even blink, a sharp, brutal force slammed into my gut.

"Ugh!" The air was knocked out of me instantly, and a deep, searing pain radiated through my body.

"Ah, gah—what the heck?!" I gasped, grabbing my stomach as my body was launched backward. The world blurred as I flew through the air.

I crashed hard onto the ground, skidding and rolling until I came to a stop. My back ached, my head throbbed, and every inch of me screamed in pain.

I coughed, struggling to catch my breath. "Ouch... okay... that... that was brutal. Who punches faster than their own shadow?!" I groaned, forcing myself to sit up despite the sharp protests from my ribs.

Above me, Crimson hovered with his usual smug composure. He tilted his head slightly, his glowing eyes narrowing as his voice oozed mockery.

"Oh dear, I didn't think you'd go down that easily," he said. "Maybe I misjudged the infamous Bloodthorn Witch. Or... perhaps you're just a little too rusty after all those years in hiding?"

I glared up at him, gritting my teeth. "Rusty, huh? Maybe you should come down here and find out just how sharp I can still be."

"Is that so?" Saying that, he furled his wings and descended, landing right infront of me. He spread his hands wide and made himself wide open and completely vulnerable.

"Your wish, my command, " he said mockingly. The smirk on his face dared me to take the bait.

"Oh, how generous of you," i said, forcing myslelf to stand despite the pain in my body. "So you're trying to spoil me now, huh?"

Without wasting another second, I surged forward. I forced my movements to be sharper, faster, more precise this time. Raising my hand, I unleashed my petals once again, aiming directly at his chest.

And they hit. Dead center.

A wicked grin spread across my face. "That's what happens when you let your guard down, genius."

But, I felt something off, like a strange pull in the air, and then I heard that laugh—low, mocking, and all too familiar. Crimson laughed, but blood poured from the gaping hole in his chest, dripping down to the ground. I could see right through him. How? How is this possible? How is he still standing? How the hell is he still alive?

My mind raced. Is his Orca somewhere else?

No. Even if it was located somewhere else, there is no freaking way someone can survive a direct hit from that blow. What the hell is this thing?

He kept laughing, his voice dripping with amusement. I wasn't done. With a swift motion, I unleashed my razor-sharp petals again, aiming for every last vital spot in his body. It left so many holes in his body, he looked like a walking slice of Swiss cheese. This should do the work, or maybe not?

I could still hear his irritating laugh. "Shut it down you idiot!" I yelled and with it, I shot my final attack aimed directly at his face. Great. Now he is ripped into shreds. So satisfying. But still...for some reason...I couldn't rest easy. Is that it? Did I really defeat him?

"No you did not." I heard that voice.

Wha—? Seriously? He instantly regenerated his shattered body?

"How quaint, you believe your little petals can stop me?" Crimson shook his head in amusement. "Foolish."

"Allow me to tell you a fun story, I'm not that good in storytelling though—" he continued. "I am indeed an Oscuro. There are many like me—some even stronger. We are called the Asuras. We possess the ability to regenerate endlessly, as long as our Orca remains unharmed." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "But even we have our limits. Once our Demonic Seishin is depleted, we grow weary. After all, even immortals must rest."

He straightened, his voice colder than before. "As for me... I am the only Oscuro in existence without an Orca. This unique condition makes me truly immortal. I can regenerate as much as I desire, without end. Absolutely amazing, right?

His tone grew even more deliberate as he spoke. "We reside in a place far away from your Earth. The sky there is a deep, unrelenting blood-red, and the air carries a strange weight, thick with an ancient presence. It is a realm of unending chaos, a place where the laws of your world don't apply. We call it the Demonic Realm."

He paused. "The Devoids—your typical brainless Oscuros—somehow possess the ability to travel between our realms. But we Asuras... we do not. At least, not until the Blood Moon rises."

He continued further, "For ten years, your world remains untouched. But once every decade, the Blood Moon appears on both realms—the sign that both worlds align. On this night, the barriers between us weaken, allowing the Devoids to pass more easily between realms."

He let out a small chuckle. "Even if I hadn't shown up tonight, the Devoids would still have created chaos. That was inevitable. But as for me... I actually arrived here ten years ago. I was unaware of this event then. I spent that time traveling through your realm, gathering information, searching and waiting. And now, at last, the night has come."

He continued after a short pause, "There exists a very very precious artifact, one that was transported from our realm to yours by some notorious Oscuro years ago. It is known as the Yonzol—the heart, the essence, the Orca of our God, Judas."

"The Yonzol is not simply an object; it possesses its own consciousness. It has been centuries since it was brought into your world, and over time, it has adapted to your realm. It has taken a liking to this place."

"It seems the Yonzol chose to share its Seishin, bestowing powers upon certain humans. These humans, the Vorixas, I believe. Your powers are not yours alone. They are the Yonzol's gift, and we, the true owners, are its rightful claimants."

His voice grew colder, more detached. "We must reclaim the Yonzol, as it rightfully belongs to us. Yet, I must warn you: if we succeed in this, your world will collapse."

His gaze hardened, his voice as cold as ever.

"The Yonzol has provided enough Seishin for your world to thrive, but it's also become the anchor. Your world now depends on it, whether you realize it or not. If the Yonzol is taken from your realm, so is your Seishin. Without it, your world will wither away. You and everyone here will simply cease to exist."

"Cease to exist—?" I paused for a moment, trying to take in everything he said. The weight of it all sank in, but I couldn't let him know how rattled I was.

"Uh, that's a lot to take in," I said, keeping my tone steady. "But… what does all of this have to do with the blood night and the ritual? I need more than vague answers if you want me to understand."

He replied, "The ritual,The Aeternus Eclipsa Lunaris, is designed to exchange both realms. All the residents of the Demonic Realm will come here, and all of you will be sent there. It's not as simple as a mere swap, though. You won't survive in the atmosphere of our realm—at least, not for long. My intention is to cast the ritual and spare you the most pain possible. The Yonzol's whereabouts remain a mystery, but through this ritual, we'll gain what we seek without the need for a prolonged search."

He continued, his tone still matter-of-fact.

"I spent ten years searching for the Yonzol, but my efforts were in vain. That's why I've resorted to this ritual. It's the only way to reach to the Yonzol. A direct exchange of realms—it's the perfect solution." He finished with a grin on his face.

The perfect solution, huh?

He then unfurled his wings, the dark membranes stretching wide as he rose into the air, a smirk lingering on his face.

"Enough with the stories."

With a powerful beat of his wings, he soared high above, leaving the ground behind.

As he ascended, he positioned himself right in front of the blood moon, casting his dark silhouette against the fiery orb. His figure was outlined in the crimson light, blending with the moon's eerie glow. The contrast between the darkness of his wings and the unsettling red of the sky made him seem even more menacing, a living shadow against a backdrop of doom.

Is this it? The end?