The Pure Chaos
Chapter 10: The Pure Chaos
A sharp explosion shattered the silence of the night.
Yuji's eyes snapped open.
His heart pounded violently against his chest.
Something was wrong.
The air smelled of smoke.
Distant screams echoed through the streets.
The moment he turned to his side—his breath hitched.
Lyra was gone.
His body froze.
A sudden wave of dread slammed into his chest.
"…Lyra?"
No answer.
He quickly threw off the blanket and rushed to the door, flinging it open.
The inn was in chaos.
Guests murmured in fear, workers huddled together, whispering nervously.
Yuji grabbed the innkeeper.
"The red-haired girl with me—where is she?!"
The woman's eyes widened. "I—I don't know! She left before dawn, I think!"
His stomach twisted.
He turned to ask others—
But the answer was always the same.
No one had seen her.
Then—
A second explosion shook the city.
BOOM!
Yuji's head snapped toward the window.
His pupils shrunk.
Outside—
The Moon Whisper Mansion was on fire.
Flames devoured the massive estate, thick black smoke rising into the sky.
Yuji felt his whole body go cold.
He didn't need an explanation.
He knew exactly what was happening.
"LYRA!"
He ran.
---
The City in Chaos
The streets were a battlefield.
Soldiers in full armor rushed past him, weapons drawn.
Citizens slammed their doors shut, locking their windows.
Fathers pulled their children inside.
Merchants abandoned their stalls.
Fear gripped the entire city.
Yuji ran faster.
His mind was spiraling.
She wouldn't… No, she would.
Lyra had her powers back.
She felt guilt for not protecting her family.
She wanted revenge.
Of course, she would go after them.
His jaw clenched.
He should have stopped her.
He should have protected her.
But—
Who was he to stop her?
He was nothing.
He clenched his fists.
"Please… Lyra… be safe."
Then—
His foot caught on a loose rock.
CRASH!
Yuji fell hard.
His knee scraped open, blood oozing from the wound.
Pain shot up his leg.
But he didn't care.
He gritted his teeth, pushed himself up, and kept running.
---
The Moon Whisper Mansion—A Bloodbath
By the time he reached the gates of the mansion, he was breathless.
His chest heaved.
His legs burned.
But what he saw—
Made his stomach churn.
Blood.
So much blood.
Dead bodies of soldiers and nobles were scattered across the courtyard.
The flames reflected in the puddles of crimson, painting a picture of hell itself.
Yuji staggered forward.
His eyes darted around, searching desperately.
"LYRA!"
Silence.
Then—
A voice.
"Who are you?"
Yuji turned sharply.
A young man stood before him.
Blonde hair.
Noble attire.
An aura of authority.
Yuji's rage ignited.
One of them.
One of the bastards who ruined Lyra's family.
His teeth clenched.
"Shut the fuck up!" Yuji spat. "Where's Lyra?! What did you do to her?!"
The noble's lips curled into a small, amused smile.
Instead of answering, he simply turned to his soldiers.
"FIND LYRA."
The men immediately scattered.
But before they could find her—
A door creaked open.
Yuji's breath caught.
A blood-stained figure stepped out.
Lyra.
His heart squeezed painfully.
Her red hair clung to her face, soaked in crimson.
Her clothes were torn, drenched in blood.
She looked—
Exhausted.
But before Yuji could move—
The noble rushed forward.
He grabbed Lyra—
And pulled her into his arms.
"LYRA!"
Yuji's whole body froze.
The man held her close, his voice shaking.
"I was so worried about you!" he whispered. "When I heard what happened, I came back immediately… I was so afraid something had happened to you."
His hands gently cupped her face.
"Look at you… what did you do to yourself?"
Yuji's stomach twisted painfully.
His mind screamed at him to move.
To say something.
But—
He couldn't.
The noble turned to his men, his voice commanding—
"BRING THE BEST HEALERS. NOW."
The soldiers rushed.
Yuji clenched his fists.
"Lyra," he said hoarsely.
He stepped forward.
"I just… I just need to talk to her—"
But the noble lifted her up.
Yuji's world tilted.
"…Wait."
The man carried Lyra inside.
Yuji lunged forward.
But—
CLANG!
A soldier's sword blocked him.
Yuji's teeth clenched.
His voice shook with fury.
"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!"
The noble finally turned back.
Then—
He smirked.
He gently kissed Lyra's hand.
And then—
He looked Yuji straight in the eyes.
"I'm her fiancé."
Yuji's soul shattered.
His whole body froze.
The words echoed in his head.
Fiancé.
The kiss.
The way he held her.
The bond between them.
Yuji's knees hit the ground.
His mind broke.
---
The Night of Despair
Night fell.
Yuji sat on the cold ground, unmoving.
His chest felt hollow.
Why… why does this always happen?
He wanted someone to talk to.
Someone who wouldn't abandon him.
Someone he could trust.
But every time he found that person—
They left.
Aria rejected him.
Selene rejected him.
Every girl rejected him.
He tried for years.
He hoped.
And for the first time—Lyra gave him that hope again.
She treated him differently.
She laughed with him.
She trusted him.
They lived together.
He thought… maybe… she was the one.
But no.
She had a fiancé.
She belonged to someone else.
Yuji gritted his teeth.
His fingers dug into the dirt, his nails breaking from the pressure.
Tears streamed down his face.
He hated this.
He hated himself.
Why? Why wasn't he enough?
The nobleman came back outside.
Dressed in a night robe, he smirked at Yuji.
"Oh? You're still here?" he chuckled.
Then—he laughed.
Yuji's hope crumbled.
His heart was completely shattered.
His voice was barely a whisper.
"…Can you give me some money?"
The noble raised an eyebrow.
"Are you a beggar?"
Then, with an amused smirk, he tossed a small bag of coins at Yuji's feet.
"Here. Take it. I'm in a good mood tonight."
Yuji didn't react.
"…Is Lyra okay?"
The noble grinned.
"Yes. Better than before."
"She's happy with her family reunion."
Yuji slowly nodded.
"…That's good."
Then—
He stood up.
And walked away.
Back toward the city.
With nothing left.