No. 1 strolled forward, utterly unfazed by the tension. He barely spared Winter a glance, his hands in his pockets, that smug smile never leaving his lips. He moved right past Winter, straight toward the trees where Kyo and the kids had run, as if Winter wasn't even worth his time.
Winter's eyes widened. He couldn't let No. 1 get anywhere near them. In a heartbeat, he lunged, summoning twin frost daggers and aiming for a swift, lethal strike at No. 1's back.
But steel shrieked against ice—No. 2 was already there, his scythe intercepting both blades with brutal precision. The force sent Winter stumbling, barely catching himself as No. 2's glare burned with raw, wordless hatred.
No. 1 just chuckled over his shoulder. "You're predictable, you know that? I figured you'd try something dumb." He didn't even break stride, whistling a tuneless melody as he left the ruined campsite behind.
Winter's frustration boiled over. He darted left, then right, trying to break through No. 2's defense, but every move was blocked, every desperate feint met with a savage counter. No. 2's scythe danced, its edge whistling inches from Winter's throat.
"Get out of my way!" Winter snarled, slamming dagger after dagger into No. 2's guard.
No. 2's eyes narrowed, voice finally breaking his silence—a cold, brittle rasp. "He's not going to stop. And you're not going to save them."
No. 1's laughter rang out from deeper in the forest, distant but chilling. "You really think you can do it all alone, dumbass? You're a bigger fool than I thought!"
Winter's composure slipped. He threw himself at No. 2, wild and reckless now, but No. 2 was relentless. Every strike was deflected, every step forward punished by a brutal counter. Winter's heart hammered with panic—he could still hear Varia sobbing, Volio's terrified wail, and Kyo's desperate shouts growing fainter.
He realized, with sickening clarity, that he had to trust Kyo. That he had to win here, now, or none of them would survive.
No. 2 blocked another desperate lunge, then spun away, putting distance between them. His face twisted with something like pity and disgust. "You know he's insane, right? No. 1—he's sick in the head. He enjoys this."
Winter's hands shook with rage. "Then why do you follow him?"
No. 2's eyes flashed with old pain, but he said nothing. Instead, he lunged, his scythe arcing for Winter's throat—a killing blow.
Winter parried, ice clashing with steel, then unleashed a flurry of jagged dark spikes, each one aimed to maim or kill. No. 2 spun, deflecting the barrage, sending slashes of energy hissing through the smoking air.
They fought in furious silence, rage and hatred fueling every move. Winter's anger was raw and desperate; No. 2's was cold, ancient, and personal. Neither would yield, their battle locked at a brutal stalemate as the echoes of No. 1's laughter faded into the burning woods.
Kyo sprinted through the brush, Volio bouncing on his back, Varia's hand clutched tightly in his own. The cabin finally came into view—a fleeting sense of hope—until Volio, trembling, twisted to look behind them. His shriek was thin and wild. "Kyo—he's coming! He's coming!"
Kyo jerked his head around, heart plummeting. No. 1 emerged from the smoky gloom, strolling up the path like he owned the world, sunglasses reflecting nothing but fire and fear.
"Long time no see, kid," No. 1 called, grinning like a wolf in a chicken coop. He stopped just outside the ring of light from the porch, flicking his lighter with a practiced thumb. "You've grown. Still got that spark, or did you finally burn out?"
Kyo's whole body tensed, electricity rippling down his arms as he set Volio on the ground. "Get inside. Now. Both of you!" His voice was sharp, leaving no room for argument.
Varia almost tripped over the threshold, dragging Volio behind her. She was crying, but Kyo didn't dare look away from No. 1 as the door slammed shut.
No. 1's smile widened as he pulled a battered cigarette from his pocket, lighting it with a flick and taking a long drag. "This your first real fight, Kyo? Or just the first one where you know you'll die?"
Kyo set his feet, fists trembling, static crackling around them. "I'm not scared of you."
No. 1 snorted, blowing smoke through his nose. "Sure you're not. Still got that chip on your shoulder, huh? Still crying about what happened to your old man?"
Kyo's breath caught in his throat. The memory stabbed like a hot knife—his father's screams, the smell of burning flesh, No. 1's silhouette in the flames.
No. 1's voice dropped, almost gentle. "Less than half a month ago, wasn't it? Flames everywhere. You couldn't save him. Tell me, does it still hurt, or did you finally get numb?"
Lightning arced around Kyo's fists, rage blinding him. "Shut up!"
He lunged, moving faster than he'd ever moved in training, arm cocked for a punch that could shatter bone. No. 1 barely twitched—he just flicked his cigarette. The burning ember exploded in a cloud of acrid smoke right in Kyo's face.
Kyo reeled, coughing, eyes streaming. "Oh, that's gotta hurt!" No. 1 jeered, taking another slow step forward.
But Kyo erupted from the smoke, electricity surging, and caught No. 1 square across the jaw. The impact sent the man flying back, crashing through a tree trunk with a crack like thunder.
For a split second, Kyo felt a wild surge of hope—until the world spun, pain flaring in his chest as the delayed shockwave from the earlier explosion finally caught up to him. He dropped to one knee, gasping, vision swimming.
No. 1 spat blood on the ground and wiped his mouth, cackling. "Well, damn, kid—you actually got some bite behind all that bark." He dug into his jacket, pulling out a fistful of small, cylindrical explosives. "But let's see how long you last now that you're out of tricks."
Kyo forced himself upright, electricity still buzzing around him, heart pounding with terror and fury. He glanced at the cabin—Varia's wide eyes watching from the window, Volio crouched beside her, both faces frozen in fear. He knew he couldn't let No. 1 reach them, no matter what it cost.
No. 1's laughter echoed across the clearing, mingling with the distant roar of fire and the thunder in Kyo's veins. The nightmare was far from over.