Ravihiro rose to his feet, every movement smooth, predatory, wrong. His crimson gaze swept across them allโfamily, companions, disciples.
"Witness," he whispered, voice layered with countless others.
"๐๐๐ฉ๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฌ."
And with thatโ
The rift swallowed him whole.
The chamber collapsed, screaming shadows devouring the light.
And Ravihiro was gone.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!
In an instant, Ravihiro's entire body DISAPPEARED like he was consumed by the void itself.
Haruno gasped as her wrist was released, staggering backward.
The moment he vanished, the blue flames died out, the air became lighter, and the suffocating presence lifted.
But something was very, very wrong.
๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ง๐ค๐ ๐๐ฃ
"๐๐๐๐ฉ... ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐?" Rumina's voice was barely above a whisper.
The soldier father looked at the Sky Demon Sect Leader, eyes filled with excitement.
"๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐จ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ข๐ฎ ๐จ๐ค๐ฃ?"
The Sect Leader remained silent for a moment, his expression unreadable.
Then he spokeโ
๐๐๐ split personality
The night was eerily quiet. A cold wind howled through the towering buildings, whipping Ravihiro's cloak around him as he stood on the edge of a skyscraper. Below, the city lights flickered like dying embers.
His eyes gleamed red, glowing like embers in the darkness.
But his reflection in the glass window beside himโ
Had a different face.
"๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐... ๐จ๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐ก๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐?"
The voice was his.
But it wasn't.
A second presence stirred inside him, its laughter chilling.
"๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ฅ," Ravihiro muttered.
"๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ฅ?" The voice echoed mockingly. "๐'๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐ค๐ค ๐ก๐ค๐ฃ๐, ๐๐๐ง๐ค. ๐๐ค๐ช ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ง๐."
Ravihiro clenched his fists, nails digging into his palm.
"๐๐ค๐ช ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ'๐ฉ ๐ง๐๐๐ก."
"๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ข๐?"
A sharp pain stabbed through Ravihiro's head. The world blurred, and suddenly, the reflection in the glass grinned at himโbut this time, it moved on its own.
"๐ ๐๐ข ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช."
"๐๐ค, ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช'๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ."
"๐'๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐. ๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐ก๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ง๐ช๐ฃ ๐๐ฌ๐๐ฎ, ๐๐๐ง๐ค?"
Ravihiro took a step back, staring at his reflection. The other him had a cruel smile, a devil's smile.
"๐๐๐ค... ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช?"
The reflection chuckled, tilting its head.
Then, in a voice that sent shivers down Ravihiro's spineโ
"๐๐ช๐ง๐ค๐ง๐ฎ๐ช."
Ravihiro's breath hitched.
The name felt familiar. Too familiar.
๐๐๐จ ๐ค๐ฌ๐ฃ ๐ฃ๐๐ข๐โฆ twisted into something monstrous.
Before he could reactโ
A faint rustle.
Someone was watching.
From the shadows of the nearby rooftop, a figure stood in silence, eyes locked onto him in confusion.
Their expression was unreadable.
Did they see everything?