Chapter 75: Extremely Complicated

In the midst of the snow, the cars, the winds, and the storm that fell over Kappz, Dante and Juno hurled themselves at each other.

On the first day, Clara had thought it was a terrible idea to train the girl in such a hostile climate. But as Juno began to realize over the days, Dante didn't need the storm to be more dangerous than any natural threat. He was a force in himself, ten times more ruthless and relentless than any gust of wind or avalanche that could arise. He gave no rest, no room for hesitation. Every movement was a test, a silent provocation, forcing Juno to adapt, to learn, to endure.

The ice and wind were no longer the most fearsome enemies at that moment. Dante, with his overwhelming presence, had become the greatest challenge Juno had ever faced. And that excited her immensely.

The Lunar Stone was being tested by Clerk and two of Meliah's colleagues, who decided to conduct some experiments to try to dilute the Cosmic Energy so it wouldn't rebound on Degol's skin. There was a sign that the stone really worked because, just by bringing it close to the foul-smelling dying man, he breathed more easily.

Without the Lunar Stone, with supplies and water stocked for another two months, the only thing she enjoyed doing was going up to the rooftop with a thermal visor that Marcus had developed as a gift for her, watching the two down below.

The device he gave her was far more interesting than she had initially thought. Even though the wind and snow normally blocked her vision, the thermal goggles saw beyond, focusing on the two clashing figures.

In the first few days, Juno had even caught a small glimpse of what Dante truly was. Clara had never even considered the possibility that he would go easy on her. From the times they had talked, Dante had made it clear that his training had been so rigorous that he had been beaten from the moment he woke up until he went to sleep.

Anything different from that wouldn't be him, she thought as she watched the girl use her arms to reach the old man's shoulder. Juno tried, she really did, but as time passed, her perception became sharper.

It was on the first day that Clara noticed that strange feeling of disbelief in her. As soon as the two returned, Clara saw Juno come in and almost collapse near one of the furnaces on the first floor. The girl sighed, her mind clouded, while Dante laughed, teasing her.

"Here. I brought you some food." Clara extended the small bowl and sat in front of her.

Juno and she began to eat. Clara thought the girl would talk about the experience, eight hours in the snow, having to chase after an old man, should have been something worth mentioning. But Juno's personality was one that wouldn't speak unless asked.

"What did you think?"

"It's tasty." She kept shoveling spoonfuls into her mouth. "Really tasty. Thanks."

At least she was polite. Clara liked her. She seemed like a very kind young girl. Well, if it weren't for nearly killing Degol Jones.

"I meant about Dante."

She opened her mouth, starting to understand.

"He… is kind. Very kind. I thought he was going to kill me." She spoke with such tranquility that Clara found it quite odd. "And he knows how to show me where I'm messing up. He said I'm terrible."

Clara couldn't help but laugh.

"That's just like him. What else?"

"He knows when to stop during the fight, but he doesn't hold back from hitting me." Juno raised her hand to her shoulder, pressing the muscle and bones, then her forehead with her fingers, and finally her right and left wrists. "He always grabs me in these places. I think it's because those are the points where I suck."

"You don't have to keep repeating that you suck, Juno." Clara ran her hand over her head, sliding her fingers through her long black hair. "I believe that, to Dante, you're an extraordinary person. As far as I know, he's never trained anyone else. So, it's okay to feel like he makes you feel awful, but that's just his way."

Juno nodded in silent agreement.

"And did you manage to hit him?"

"No. Not once."

At that moment, Clara understood what Dante was looking for. Even in denial, Juno smiled. Even losing, she wasn't sad, she seemed pleased.

"And that made you excited?"

"Yes, very. If I don't hit him, it means I can try again tomorrow. And he can teach me more." Her hands wrapped around the bowl, holding it with care. Her voice was much quieter than before: "And I can stay here longer… with you all."

Clara finally understood. Above all else, this girl was very lonely. When she met Marcus, her heart and mind always told her that it wouldn't matter if she was in the middle of a crowd or just with him, she would never feel complete.

The bitter feeling of not belonging anywhere was simply overwhelming, oppressive. And the more the desire to leave grew, the more trapped she became.

However, Dante and Marcus had built the structure for her in such a way that everyone inside had a place to stay, and Clara had found reliable people. It had taken Marcus some time due to his distant personality, but Dante… when she looked for him on the first floor, he was holding two children in his arms, lifting them up as he pretended to hand them over to the dog.

Was it a silly game? Yes, but it was enough to bring out laughter all around.

An overwhelming power granted others the ability to trust when something bad happened, but only the power to openly express emotions allowed people to reach their hearts.

Dante noticed Clara watching him and spun the children around, making them wave.

"They're waving at you too, Juno," Clara said.

Juno, initially surprised, slowly turned. Her eyes met those of the people around her, who were waiting anxiously for her response. The pressure increased. The children were smiling, gesturing enthusiastically, but something made her hesitate. She, who was used to facing physical challenges and difficult situations, now found herself before a simple social interaction that seemed more complicated than any gust of wind or Dante's training.

With a hesitant movement, Juno slowly raised her hand. When her fingers touched the cold air, she felt a wave of embarrassment, and as she quickly lowered her head, her face flushed. It wasn't just the cold that made her shrink. it was the feeling of being seen.

Clara laughed.

Her first day had been warm. Dante had managed to integrate that girl with the others without saying a word, just with his welcoming energy. And outside, after nearly three weeks of a harsh storm, the two were still battling.

Juno was still excited, trying to win the game of tag. Dante, however, showed why the Felroz from the Reservoir never stood a chance. He brought her down in different ways, every time.

His hand opened, deflecting Juno's arm. He spun under the rays that tried to stun him and used his leg to push her back. Even being old, as he claimed to be, his flexibility was perfect.

Clara had seen him fight the Felroz in the city a few times, and his level of focus, even while training someone, was immense. Juno used her ability to increase her speed and tried to touch him in every way, but it was in vain.

Dante dodged without moving from his spot. And when the girl's arm stretched too far, he grabbed her wrist, jumped, and landed on her back, sinking her into the snow.

To Clara, Dante's simplicity was what made his fighting style so appealing. Now, she doubted Juno thought the same.

"It must be extremely frustrating to see that his simplicity makes him so strong."

"Yes, it must."

Clara turned, seeing someone who shouldn't be there. She tried to get up, but the person's hand came down on her at the same moment.

Juno was helped to her feet by Dante. As soon as they stood, a scream echoed from the shelter. Dante recognized it instantly. He dashed at full speed. Before she even realized it, Juno was right beside him, matching his speed.

Someone was falling from the building, from the ninth floor.

"Clara," Juno shouted. "It's Clara."

Dante looked up and saw the silhouette of someone.

In the span of a second, all his energy shifted at once. Juno was left behind, unable to keep up anymore. Dante spun in midair and stretched out his hand.

His eyes met Clara's. Time slowed, Dante watching her arm extend. Their fingers were almost touching, the distance between them so small it felt like a single breath would be enough to close it.

But then, a red light, intense and piercing, burst from the rooftop, cutting through everything. It expanded abruptly, an explosion of color that seemed to swallow the surroundings. The crimson glow ignited the scene, its intensity disorienting Dante for an instant. The connection between him and Clara, the tension in the air, everything was severed like a sharp blade, turning what had been a moment of closeness into a new threat.

A man's deformed face stared at them. On one side, his skin was burned, wrinkled, and darkened, as if consumed by relentless flames, leaving the flesh unrecognizable. The other side, however, was made of metal, as if his body had been fused with a cold, mechanical construct. Metallic lines and shapes intertwined with the charred flesh, creating a grotesque fusion of man and machine.

"You need to choose, old man." Flames shot toward another direction, where Juno was coming from.

The impact was so strong it seemed to push back the very storm that had been relentlessly battering Kappz, as if the strike had altered the weather itself. The howling wind was momentarily diverted, dragged by the force of Dante's energy. The man, half-human, half-metal, felt the hit reverberate through his mangled flesh, the pressure making him stagger back a step. But he did not fall.

Still standing, he seemed to have absorbed the blow, but the pain in his metallic expression was unmistakable, no matter how much he tried to hide it.