THE BATTLE

The demon, undeterred by the explosion, vanished in an instant, reappearing before the flame user like a flicker of darkness. Its claws slashed toward his throat with blinding speed.

But the flame user was faster.

He raised his palm, and instantly, a small, glowing red magic circle formed in the air before him. At the same time, a second identical circle appeared on the back of his hand. A larger, pulsating crimson sigil ignited between them, summoning a sphere of swirling fire.

FWOOM!

He launched the fireball just as the demon struck.

The beast twisted midair, dodging the blast, and lunged again from the side. This time, its claws tore through his shoulder, sending him skidding backward across the wreckage-strewn floor.

The impact was brutal, but he barely flinched.

Before he could react, the demon was behind him.

SWOOSH!

A clawed hand slashed toward his back—aiming to rip him apart.

But at the last second, he spun on his heel, twisting his body just enough to narrowly dodge the killing blow. The force of the missed strike sent a shockwave through the ground, cracking the metal floor beneath them.

He exhaled slowly, eyes locked on the demon's glowing red gaze.

"You're fast," he muttered. "Faster than I expected. But I've fought your kind before… I know how this ends."

The demon tilted its head, unblinking.

Then—

Four massive demonic magic circles materialized in the air behind the creature. Dark energy surged and pulsed within them, condensing into seething orbs of destruction.

The flame user wasted no time.

He raised a single hand, and in response, a single enormous magic circle appeared above him, rotating with fiery intensity. Instead of splitting his energy, he focused it all into one attack—gathering every ounce of fire into a single devastating blast.

The demon's magic circles glowed brighter.

Both attacks fired simultaneously.

BOOOOM!

The two forces collided in a deafening explosion, flames and dark energy twisting together in a chaotic storm. The battlefield shook violently as the sheer force of the attacks ripped through the metallic walls, sending debris flying in all directions.

Through the smoke and flickering embers, the demon let out a guttural, earth-shaking roar—a sound so powerful, so unnerving, it made the air itself tremble.

It wasn't just a roar. It was pure, primal fury.

The flame user gritted his teeth. "Tch… You're seriously pissed now, huh?"

The demon extended its hand, and a new magic circle formed. This time, it summoned a weapon.

A massive, jagged-edged battle axe, its blade pulsing with dark energy, materialized in the demon's grasp.

Seeing this, the flame user only smirked.

"Oh? So you wanna do this the fun way?"

He extended his arm forward, summoning his own weapon—a pair of long knives, each as long as a human forearm, connected by a flexible, fiery chain.

As the weapons materialized, he spun them effortlessly, the flames trailing behind in streaks of light.

Then—they charged.

The demon swung its axe downward with devastating force. The flame user dodged, sliding under the attack as the axe smashed into the ground, leaving a deep crater. In the same motion, he lashed out with his chained blades, one striking the demon's ribs, the other snapping around its arm.

With a quick yank, he tightened the chain—pulling the demon toward him.

It responded instantly.

SLASH!

The demon twisted its body, breaking free and countering with a powerful kick. The flame user barely dodged, using his weapon to hook onto a piece of broken metal, swinging himself away just in time.

But the demon was relentless. It closed the distance instantly, swinging its axe in a vicious horizontal arc.

The flame user had no time to evade.

So he met the attack head-on.

He crossed his blades in front of him, and the moment the axe struck—a massive burst of flames erupted from his weapons, clashing against the dark energy of the demon's strike.

The two fighters locked in place, neither giving an inch. The sheer force of their attacks sent shockwaves through the battlefield, shaking the entire hall.

Both warriors stared at each other through the inferno.

Neither was backing down.

[Ten Minutes Later]

Hikari sat beside Ken, her hands glowing faintly as she continued healing him. But no matter how much effort she put in, his condition barely improved. The wound wasn't healing fast enough.

Her breath grew shaky as she wiped sweat from her forehead. Why…? Why is this taking so long?

She looked at her magic gloves. I'm using my full power, but at this rate… It could take two hours. He doesn't have that much time…

Fear tightened around her chest. Am I doing something wrong? Should I try using magic without these gloves?

Just as she was about to remove them—

A cold, dark presence filled the air.

Hikari's body tensed as she felt it behind her. Slowly, she stood up, her hands trembling.

Her eyes widened.

The Black Chain User.He stood there, motionless,

She instinctively raised a hand, as if to shield Ken. The moment she did, the healing magic circle shattered into thin air, fading like dust in the wind.With fear in her voice, she spoke, "Please… don't hurt him. He's already dying."

The Black Chain User ignored her plea. "Move."

She shook her head. "No! I won't let you—"

Without another word, a black chain shot from his hand, wrapping around her arm.

Before she could react, she was yanked off her feet and thrown several feet away. She hit the ground hard, gasping in pain.

The Black Chain User stepped forward, kneeling beside Ken.His sharp gaze scanned Ken's body. His right arm was now half-covered in black energy, the corruption slowly spreading across his skin.

Then, his eyes settled on Ken's chest.

A small, glowing seal pulsed near his heart—a dark, intricate magic circle surrounded by unreadable symbols. The lines of magic burned against his skin, and from it, black veins spread like roots, intertwining with his body.

The Black Chain User reached out, attempting to touch the seal.

SZZZZZT!

A powerful spark of energy lashed out, forcing him to pull his hand back.

Narrowing his eyes, he coated his hand in dark magic. A black flame-like aura ignited around his palm, flickering violently.

This time, when he reached out—

BAM!

Something struck him from the side.

He turned his head slightly. Hikari had grabbed a piece of debris from the floor and thrown it at him.

Before she could do anything else, he simply raised a hand, summoning a magic circle.

A blast of invisible force sent her crashing into the wall.

She collapsed to the ground, pain shooting through her body.

The Black Chain User refocused on Ken.

With his flaming black hand, he pressed directly onto the seal.

Instantly—

A massive red magic circle erupted in front of him.

His hand moved slightly—and the text inside the magic circle rotated.

The seal responded.

Ken's entire right arm turned black.

Then—his torso.

The darkness spread rapidly, crawling across his skin, threatening to consume him entirely.

The Black Chain User twisted his hand again, adjusting the seal's markings.

The corruption reached Ken's neck.

Almost there.

But then—

CRACK!

A sudden bolt of white lightning erupted from Ken's body.

ZZZZZAP!

The force blasted the Black Chain User backward, hurling him across the room. He crashed into the ground, rolling before coming to a stop.

As he slowly pushed himself up, his head snapped toward Ken.

Something had interfered with the seal.

At that exact moment—

The demon, mid-battle with the Flame User, suddenly stopped.

Its head snapped toward the Black Chain User, its burning red eyes narrowing.

It let out a guttural growl—recognizing him as a new threat.

Then—it charged.

But before it could strike—

A voice echoed from nowhere.

"Return."

The Black Chain User disappeaed.

"What are you doing?!"The Flame User's voice cut through the tension.

Hikari looked up to see him.

He was furious.

"You're wearing the gloves?! After everything I told you?!"

She opened her mouth but couldn't find the words.

"I risked my life to buy you time!" he shouted. "And you're standing here making it even harder for us to survive!"

Hikari clenched her fists, her heart pounding. "I… I don't know how to use magic without them!"

"Then learn! Because if you don't—we're both dead."

She froze.

The weight of his words crushed her.

She looked down at Ken. He was still unconscious, his face twisted in pain.

Her hands trembled as she reached for him, her fingers hovering over his wound.

"What do I do…?"

She barely had the strength to move.

Her body was weak.

Her mind was panicking.

Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered, "Ken… you helped me when I needed you most… but now, I can't even help you…"

Her voice broke. "I don't know what to do…"

A sharp pain spread through her chest."Am I going to die here?"

As she stared at Ken's sealing mark, she noticed something.

The veins of black energy pulsing around it.

The pain etched onto Ken's face.

Her eyes widened in realization.

"He's not unconscious… he's feeling everything."

Then, she saw something else.

A metallic box nearby.

Hikari hesitated, then reached for it.

Inside, she found…

A letter.

And four large injections.

She carefully unfolded the letter, her hands shaking.

It was written by the Black Chain User.

"If you want to save him, inject these into your body. Each one grants 5% of my magic power. If you use them all, you will have enough to heal him."

Hikari stared at the words.

Her mind screamed not to trust it.

But…

Her hands tightened around the injection.

She glanced at Ken, then back at the note.

Her fingers trembled as she whispered, "You tried, even when you didn't know if it would work."

"So I'll try too."

With determined eyes, she raised the first injection.

And got ready to inject it.

Hikari's hands trembled as she held the injection, her breath unsteady, heart pounding in her chest. Tears blurred her vision, but her grip on the syringe remained tight.

"You tried, Ken… even when you didn't know if it would work."

She closed her eyes, and in that moment—

A memory surfaced.

---

A Summer Afternoon, Years Ago

The scent of freshly bloomed flowers lingered in the air, carried by a soft summer breeze. Laughter echoed through the park as families enjoyed the warmth of the golden sun.On a wooden bench, a young eleven-year-old Hikari sat beside her father, their hands occupied with small cups of melting ice cream. She swung her legs slightly, taking small bites, savoring the cool sweetness.

Her father, watching her with a smile, leaned back against the bench. "You like it, my little princess?"

She nodded eagerly. "Mm-hmm!"

A moment passed before she hesitated, gathering the courage to speak. "Dad… I don't want to be a healer."

Her father's smile didn't fade, but curiosity flickered in his eyes. "Oh? Then what do you want to be?"

She puffed out her chest, trying to look confident. "I want to be a fighter! A power user!"

Chuckling, he rested an elbow on the back of the bench. "So, you want to be like those warriors in the movies and battlefields, huh?"

She nodded quickly. "Yes! Fighters are cool. Healers just… they don't do anything but heal."

At that, her father let out a deep sigh, rubbing his chin as if thinking carefully. "You think healing is boring?"

She hesitated but eventually nodded. "Yeah… We just stand in the back. We can't fight, can't protect anyone."For a long moment, he didn't speak, simply watching her with thoughtful eyes. Then, he smiled. "Hikari… do you know why fighters can keep fighting?"

She tilted her head. "Because they're strong?"

Her father shook his head. "No. Because someone is there to heal them."

She blinked in confusion.

"Every hero on the battlefield has someone watching over them—someone who mends their wounds, restores their strength. Without healers, warriors wouldn't last. A battle doesn't end when the fight stops… it ends when someone gets back up."

Hikari's grip on her ice cream tightened. "But… it's not the same…"

He chuckled. "Do you know the difference between a fighter and a healer?"

She shook her head.

He said "A fighter sees safety in the eyes of others." He smiled warmly. "But a healer? A healer sees happiness."Her small chest swelled with something unfamiliar. A warmth spread within her—something more powerful than admiration.

Her father reached over and patted her head. "The world calls warriors heroes. But to those in pain, healers are greater than heroes."

His expression turned serious. "But remember, Hikari… a healer's path is not easy."

She met his gaze,

"You will heal many wounds, but your own? No one will heal them for you."

"That is the burden of a healer. But also, the strength of one."

For a moment, all she could hear was the distant laughter of children playing in the park. Then, slowly, she looked down at her hands—small, delicate, and yet, filled with a new kind of purpose.

Finally, she turned to her father, eyes gleaming with newfound determination.

"Then… I'll be a healer."

He grinned, ruffling her hair. "That's my girl."

---

The Present

Her fingers clenched around the injection, her body trembling.

"You're right, Dad."

A single tear rolled down her cheek.

"My first priority… is my patient."

With a deep breath, she raised the injection toward her arm.

But before the needle could pierce her skin—

CLANK!

Something knocked it away.

Her eyes widened as the syringe rolled across the floor, stopping a few feet away.

A shadow loomed over her.

Hikari's breath caught as she looked up.

The Flame User.

His masked face was unreadable, but his voice burned with frustration.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Hikari flinched, startled by his harsh tone. "I… I was just—"

"Do you think some cheap, artificial magic is the answer?" His voice was sharp. "Do you think this will heal him?"

Hikari's breath hitched.

"Never put your faith in borrowed power." His voice was low but firm. "If you're a healer—act like one."

Her eyes shook as she stared at him.

His words hit her like a blade.

What am I doing?

She looked down at her shaking hands.

"I was about to rely on something I don't even understand..."

"I'm sorry, Dad…"

Her father's words echoed in her heart.

She clenched her fists.

The Flame User turned sharply. "There's no time for your personal things.Do what I told you."

His voice cut through the panic in her mind.

"Remove your gloves."

She reached for her gloves and ripped them off, tossing them aside.

Kneeling beside Ken, she pressed both hands onto his wound.

Her breath was shaky, her heart racing.

"Come on. Just focus. Just do it."

She closed her eyes.

"Feel it. Feel the magic inside you."

But—

Nothing happened.

Her hands trembled.

"No, no, no—"

She tried again.

And again.

But the magic wouldn't come.

"Why? Why isn't it working?!"

Her breath quickened. Panic surged inside her.

She turned to Ken—

His eyes… were slowly closing.

Her chest tightened.

"No. No, no, no—"

She pressed two fingers to his wrist—

His pulse was dropping.

Her world spun.

"I—"

She tried again, her voice cracking.

"Come on. Come on!"

Still… nothing.

Then—

Ken's eyes fully closed.

Her heart stopped.

She froze.

Her hands covered her mouth as tears burst forth.

"No… no… no…"

And then—

A voice.

"Why are you giving up so easily?"

Hikari's breath hitched.

Slowly—she turned.

Behind her—

A girl.

Her age.

But…

She was transparent.

A ghostly presence.

The girl smiled softly."Hikari… I know you can do this."

Hikari's voice trembled. "W-Who…?"

The girl took a step closer. "I believe in you."

She reached out—placing her hands over Ken's wound.

"Now, put your hands over mine."

Hikari hesitated.But something… something in this girl's presence felt familiar.Slowly—she placed her hands over the girl's.And then—She felt it.For the first time in her life—Magic.

Hikari gasped, her hands still trembling from the sudden surge of magic. The warmth of power flowed through her fingertips, something she had never felt before. Beneath her hands, Ken's wounds slowly closed, the eerie black energy dissipating into nothingness.

For a brief moment, a flicker of hope lit up inside her.

"Did it… work?"

Her gaze shot up, searching for the mysterious girl—But she was gone.

Just vanished, as if she had never been there.

Hikari's breath came in short gasps.

"Who was she…?"

Her mind raced for answers, but before she could process anything, something made her freeze.

The battlefield—

Silence.

Her heart clenched as she turned her head toward the fight.

The demon was gone.

The monstrous presence that had shaken the entire facility, the terrifying force that had slaughtered countless… had simply disappeared.

She widened her eyes in disbelief.

"Did… it retreat?"

Then, her gaze fell upon the Flame User.

He stood there, breathing heavily, his stance unsteady. His masked face was still directed toward where the demon had been.

His body—

Bloodied.

And yet—

The demon had left.

Hikari felt her body waver. Her vision blurred.

The weight of everything—the battle, the healing, the emotions—

Overwhelmed her.

And as the world around her faded into darkness…

She collapsed.

Unconscious.

The Flame User stood there,

She, too, had lost consciousness.

His eyes then turned toward Ken—

Still lying there.

But… something was different.

Slowly, he stepped forward, approaching Ken's body. His eyes scanned the once-glowing seal on Ken's chest—Only now…The light had vanished.There was no more eerie glow, no more flickering magic pulsating from it. Instead, what remained was… a mark.The exact shape of the sealing circle.It was burned onto his skin.The Flame User crouched beside Ken, carefully pressing his fingers against the marking. It was warm—not with heat, but with something else.

"So this is what the seal looks like…" he muttered under his breath.

His fingers lingered over the strange marking for a moment before he pulled his hand back. He saw both Ken and Hikari, lying unconscious before him.

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair."Now… how the hell am I supposed to take them with me?"He tilted his head slightly, as if thinking."And… what's the time now? Damn it. It's already too late."His eyes flicked to the ground.There, near Hikari, were the injections.The ones left behind by the Black Chain user.

Without hesitation, he reached down and grabbed them, tucking them into his clothes. His fingers tightened around them for a moment before his gaze lifted back toward the unconscious pair.

Then—

He felt it.A presence.Someone approaching.From the dark hallway.The Flame User's gaze snapped toward the hallway.He saw a pair of glowing red eyes. He said "again red eyes"...