Noir's Past.

The trees that were around the Ryu, after being in contact with its aura, dried up followed by melting. However for what happened to a human who tripped and wasn't able to run away… It was a gruesome sight. Except for that one unfortunate human, everyone else managed to make their way out.

Noir was at a considerable distance from the Ryu as well as its aura, marking his own safety as the priority. He glanced behind him, Evelyn was standing there, horrified by the sight that unfolded itself before her.

Reaching out to her, "Don't stand here, evacuate before things take turns for the worse."

With each second passing, the Ryu wrecked more and more havoc. There wasn't any time to waste, at least not at a moment like this.

Evelyn was still in deep shock, truth be told any normal human being would behave the same way, but in this world.. or in Noir's eyes at least it wasn't being 'normal', it was being 'weak'.

'That is the very reason I refuse to remain with the weak. Sheesh.'

However, leaving her to die wasn't an option, "Evelyn, do you want to die? Because that's what will happen if you stand there. Your fear won't stop that thing." he added with a high-tone, "MOVE."

Finally, she snapped out of it. Words failed her—maybe from shock, maybe from something else. She didn't speak. She just shot Noir a lingering look, one that said everything she couldn't, before turning and walking away, 'Take care.'

'At last, I can freely indulge in the battle without worrying about anyone else.'

Aligning himself along a tree behind him, Noir chanted, "Âmes déchirées, tissez."

The cursed weave. Due to the exhaustion his body was already dealing with, the pain that arrived along with the cursed weave, seemed more painful than usual. 

Almost as if someone poured molten lava inside his skin, all nerves burning with extreme pain. His brain felt like it was.. It was about to blast at any moment, the result of over-using of the blessing's abilities. 

Nonetheless Noir had to proceed with the battle. Black threads released themselves from the tips of his fingers, more firm and swift than ever. With precise control of the threads, Noir decided to use them like a 'needle' or perhaps a 'knife'.

'At extreme speeds, even a needle can be deadlier than a bullet.'

The first thread of the tip of his index finger, surged towards the Ryu at an insane speed like a meteor heading towards a planet. It pierced through the Ryu's left side of the stomach, or whatever was in place of the stomach.

The Ryu which seemed mad till now, had finally been brought to 'some' senses, thanks to Noir. It rushed towards Noir like a wild beast which it indeed was. While Noir could dodge the attack in normal circumstances, right-now? He couldn't, at least not swiftly enough to completely dodge the Ryu.

Despite all this, for some reason, a smirk appeared on his face, faint but it indicated towards insanity, 'I hope it works. 

"First Weave." the threads, this time appeared from his left hand's fingertips, they coiled around his legs swiftly, and with the help of those, he managed to move himself faster than ever dodging the Ryu with a mere distance of 4 hands perhaps.

'So it can be used this way as well? Good.' he managed to once again keep considerable distance.

Now, the only issue was the extreme levels of pain inside his head, which was largely due to using healing, cursed threads, first weave, all at the same time. Keeping his head calm became his priority at the moment.

'Three drops of rain, falling from the sky. Peaceful.'

Three black threads lashed out, hooking onto the trees surrounding the Ryu. One by one, they pulled tight, weaving a snare as Noir locked them into place. The trees groaned under the strain, their leaves thrashing as if they could sense what was coming.

Before turning the threads fatal, he exhaled deeply. SNAP, all the threads melted the trees they were sticked with and rushed straight for the Ryu. 

A wailing cry echoed through the trees, high and wavering, lingering in the air like a ghost's lament. It was the Ryu's scream, struggling for its life. Smoke engulfed the whole forest.

Unable to see anything, Noir waited for the smoke to disappear before walking in to inspect the situation.

'It wouldn't die with just that, would it?'

Controlling an hybrid? Impossible. Killing it in its Ryu form? Not possible either.

The veil of smoke had disappeared, Noir walked in to check the condition of the hybrid.

'It should have come to its senses, if it doesn't well...'

Things won't be sunshine and rainbows. Lucky for the Ryu, it was in its senses or more like it wasn't ?

A female with white hair, pale skin, wearing clothes that seemed to be made of fur, 'dark blue' fur to be precise, her age seemed to be somewhere around 19. She didn't had a single wound on her body yet she seemed exhausted, tired almost as if she did have and was lying unconscious on the ground.

Noir sighed in exhaustion, he wouldn't be this tired had he transformed into the demonic form.. At least that is what he thought. 

The battle lasted for hardly 20 minutes or perhaps even less. He slowly reached out to her in hopes that she might wake up and he won't have to carry her to the village. Fate however, wasn't in his favor.

'...I will just wait for help to arrive.'

He sat beside her, waiting for others to arrive. Previously everyone had evacuated and went to call for the hunters of the village, leaving only Noir behind.

While they didn't say he had subdue the Ryu, it was needed as he had to prove his capabilities and what is more better than defeating a high-ranking Ryu?

…

Noir sat beside the unconscious hybrid, exhaustion settling into his bones like lead. The forest was eerily silent now, save for the distant rustling of leaves.

He exhaled, forcing his mind to stay focused. The battle was over. The threat was neutralized. But still… something wasn't right.

His golden eyes flicked toward the girl.

A hybrid, unscathed despite the chaos, silently lying beside him like an innocent being.

His fingers twitched. A strange feeling slithered up his spine. Something 'Wrong'.

Then—Her lips moved.

Noir's body went rigid.

'She was unconscious, wasn't she?'

And yet…

In the dead silence of the forest, she whispered a name.

His name.

"Nero."

Noir froze. His heartbeat stopped.

How?

No one here should know that name. Not his real one. Not in this world.

A sharp, suffocating cold clawed at his throat. The air felt too thick.

Then—her eyes snapped open.

And the moment they met his—

His mind shattered.

He wasn't in the forest anymore.

He was falling.

Falling.

Down.

Down.

D̷̍̈́͐̑̔̎͂̄͜ơ̶̡̏w̶̘͎̬͌̊̒́̽̐n̶̖̓͑͛̆͆͗̕͝.̸̢̛̖̳̘̳͙̤̍͂̓̈́̂͑̄͜͜.̵̘͕̺̞̙̠̦̳̳̄̐̄̄̄̀͒.̷̡̲̼̹͚͆͐̂̏͒

Flashes of light. A corridor stretching infinitely. Voices screaming in his ears.

A room. A throne.

A silhouette staring down at him.

And then—he remembered.

Everything.

Noir's eyes snapped open. He gasped—a sharp, ragged inhale. His hands were shaking.

His golden irises flicked toward the girl, now unconscious again.

His voice came out as a whisper.

"What… are you?"

…