The rustling of the leaves passed through the Mountain.
The crowns of the pine trees swayed slowly beneath the wind of dawn.
In the middle of the slope between the pines...
Ten figures remained motionless.
Scattered among trees and enormous rock formations.
Black garments covered their bodies.
Hoods and masks concealed their faces.
All of them kept their eyes fixed on the trail below.
Which disappeared between the trees.
Swallowed by darkness.
Number Seven remained watching the trail for a few moments.
When he spoke, his voice barely rose above the rustling of the leaves.
"It has been more than half an hour since the second bell."
Number Eleven cast a glance toward the trail.
"And the screams have stopped."
"I noticed."
The answer came from the other side of the slope.
Number Seven looked down again.
"How many have passed us so far?"
"Ninety... perhaps a little more," Number Eleven replied.
"Ninety."
The correction came from Number Four, a few meters behind.
Number Seven remained silent for several seconds.
"Then there are still many left."
Leaning against the trunk of a pine...
Number Thirteen discreetly raised his eyes.
"If they're still alive."
This time...
No one answered.
The wind passed through the trees.
Number Thirteen crossed his arms.
"They say the Alpha Supervisor has walked these trails since he was seven."
A shorter figure, hidden among the shadows, answered:
"We all train on this Mountain."
"Training is not the same as growing up on it."
Number Thirteen raised his eyes toward the darkness between the pines.
"For us, this is still terrain."
A brief pause.
"For him..."
"It's home."
Silence returned.
Until Number Eleven turned his eyes toward Number Two.
"What do you think, Number Two?"
Number Two remained staring at the trail.
"What do you want to know?"
His voice came low.
Without the slightest trace of unease.
Number Eleven held his gaze for several seconds.
"Haven't you heard anything from the Omega Supervisor?"
Number Two finally took his eyes off the trail.
"It is not for us to know the reasons of those above us."
His voice did not rise beyond what was necessary.
"We have a position to hold."
Number Eleven remained silent.
Number Two's gaze briefly passed over the others.
"And a plan to execute."
The wind crossed the slope.
The pine leaves trembled.
For a few moments...
Nothing but the rustling of the crowns could be heard.
Then...
Crack.
A branch broke on the trail below.
Number Two immediately raised his bow.
An arrow appeared between his fingers.
The others reacted at the same instant.
Hands slid toward their hilts.
Blades were partially drawn from their sheaths.
Every gaze converged on the trail.
A figure emerged between the pines.
With no visible weapon in its hands.
The hood concealed part of the face.
The black mask hid its features.
A narrow beam of moonlight passed through the crowns.
For a fraction of a second...
Two amber eyes gleamed beneath the shadow of the hood.
The wind moved the branches.
The light disappeared.
Number Two remained with his bow raised for another instant.
Then...
He slowly lowered the weapon.
The others did the same.
No word was necessary.
Number Two discreetly moved away from the trail.
Opened a passage.
The figure approached.
Passed between them without saying a word.
A few steps later...
Stopped.
Slowly turned its head.
Its eyes swept across the group.
For a brief instant...
Its gaze met Number Two's.
Then, it turned back toward the trail.
Continued upward.
Little by little...
Its silhouette disappeared among the pines.
A cold wind crossed the slope.
The leaves trembled.
Crack.
The sound of a breaking branch echoed.
Crack.
Another figure emerged between the pines.
Advanced a few steps.
One of its hands extended toward the group.
The movement was abrupt.
Before anyone could react...
The body lost its strength.
Dropped to its knees.
THUD.
Collapsed onto the damp earth.
In a single movement...
Blades left their sheaths.
Eyes swept across the darkness between the trees.
Number Two kept his bow pointed toward the trail.
Among the trees, behind the fallen body...
Éreon emerged.
The black garments were marked with stains of blood.
The katana remained lowered beside his body.
A drop ran down the edge.
Ping.
He kept walking.
Without haste.
Number Two followed every step through the tip of the arrow.
"Not today."
The string was released.
TWANG!
Éreon did not retreat.
His eyes followed the arrow's trajectory.
A short movement.
Precise.
CLANG!
The blade intercepted the arrow.
At the exact instant the arrow was deflected...
A figure broke through the lateral darkness.
The blade advanced from below toward Éreon.
Fast.
Silent.
Éreon rotated his hips.
His right foot slid out of the line of the cut.
CLANG!
The strike was parried at the last instant.
The two blades met.
For a fraction of a second...
The two remained close.
The veteran did not try to contest strength.
Instead...
He let his own momentum carry him.
Passed by Éreon.
And disappeared once again among the trees.
Éreon remained motionless.
The katana stayed low.
His eyes returned to Number Two.
For a few moments...
No one moved.
Number Seven lowered his blade slightly.
"He isn't underestimating us."
Number Four kept his eyes on Éreon.
"No."
A brief pause.
"He's assessing us."
Number Thirteen remained motionless.
"During training..."
His gaze remained on Éreon.
"He did this."
"Watched."
"Memorized our movements."
Silence fell again between the trees.
Number Thirteen tightened his grip.
"Then he hasn't forgotten any of them."
Number Four discreetly turned his gaze toward Number Two.
"Except one."
Number Thirteen followed his gaze.
Number Four continued.
"He has never seen Number Two use a bow."
Number Two remained motionless.
His eyes stayed on Éreon.
"What matters now..."
"Is keeping him here until the announcement of the sixth hour."
No one answered.
Little by little...
The figures began to disappear among the trees.
Some retreated into the shadows.
Others took positions among the rocks.
Number Seven advanced a few steps along the right side.
Number Eleven took the left side.
Number Thirteen advanced a few steps ahead.
Number Four disappeared between two enormous pines.
In moments...
A line formed in front of Number Two.
The bow remained raised.
The arrow was already positioned.
Before them...
Éreon remained motionless.
The katana stayed low.
His eyes slowly swept across each position.
Then...
Three figures moved at the same time.
One emerged from the right.
Another broke through the darkness from the left.
And, from the front...
Number Thirteen advanced.
The three blades converged on Éreon.
The side blades arrived first.
Éreon tilted his body to the left.
The blade from the right passed close to his face.
The cut coming from the left was already upon him.
Éreon turned.
The katana met the blade during the movement.
CLANG!
The edges slid against one another.
Éreon did not stop the blow.
He guided it.
The sword passed along the side of his body.
When he completed the turn...
Number Thirteen was already close.
Éreon turned his eyes toward him.
The sword threatened to rise.
Éreon adjusted the katana.
Number Thirteen lowered his head.
TWANG!
The arrow emerged from behind him.
Éreon tilted his head at the last instant.
SHHK!
The arrow passed grazing him.
The edge cut through the fabric of the hood.
Number Thirteen took advantage of the opening.
The sword came from below.
Éreon propelled himself backward.
The blade passed in front of his body, rising close to his garments.
At the same instant...
A shadow appeared above.
Another broke through from the side.
Éreon's feet had not yet returned to the ground.
Two blades advanced upon him.
The katana vibrated slightly.
Hummm...
Éreon's voice came low.
Almost a whisper.
"I know..."
"Totsuka no Tsurugi."
The instant his foot found support...
He propelled himself backward again.
The two blades passed within a few centimeters.
"Don't let him—"
Number Eleven's order died.
Éreon had already disappeared into the darkness.
Above them...
An enormous cloud advanced over the Mountain.
Little by little...
The moonlight disappeared over the crowns.
Number Thirteen raised his eyes.
The shadow advanced down the slope.
"Get out of the shad—"
Before he could finish...
The darkness swallowed them.
Nothing could be seen.
Then...
SHLK!
"Agh—"
A voice was cut off.
Footsteps crossed the leaves.
Too fast to indicate a direction.
CLANG!
Crack.
Something struck a tree.
"AAAAAH!"
The scream echoed across the slope.
Stopped.
Another emerged between the pines.
"AHH—"
Leaves trembled.
Fast movements cut through the silence of the darkness.
SHLK!
THUD.
Then...
Silence.
Only the wind returned through the pines.
The cloud continued advancing.
Little by little...
The moonlight returned.
First over the crowns.
Then over the rocks.
Until it reached the slope.
Upon a rock formation above the trail...
Éreon remained motionless.
Before him...
Number Four was still standing.
The katana pierced his body from behind.
The tip of the blade emerged before his chest.
Ahead of them...
Number Two was kneeling.
The bow remained fallen beside him.
For a few moments...
No one moved.
Number Four still held the sword.
SHLK!
Éreon withdrew the katana.
The body lost its support.
THUD.
Fell onto the stone.
Number Two remained motionless.
His gaze remained fixed on Éreon.
Ping.
Blood ran down the edge of the katana.
Around them...
Bodies remained scattered among the trees.
Éreon advanced toward Number Two.
Number Seven reacted at the same instant.
Entered from the right.
The sword cut diagonally across Éreon's trajectory.
CLANG!
The blades met.
Number Seven advanced upon the contact.
Pressed.
Éreon did not contest strength.
Yielded to the pressure.
Discreetly rotated his wrist.
The angle of the katana changed.
SCREEECH!
Number Seven's sword slid out of the line.
His own momentum carried the veteran with it.
He passed along Éreon's side.
Éreon did not even follow his movement.
Continued descending.
Directly toward Number Two.
At the same instant...
From the opposite side...
Number Eleven entered the line.
The sword came against his flank.
Éreon halted his advance.
CLANG!
The katana met the blade.
Number Eleven immediately withdrew his arm.
The tip of the sword descended.
Changed angle.
One step forward.
The second cut came against the abdomen.
Éreon rotated his hips.
The blade passed close to his garments.
His katana descended with the movement.
CLANG!
Met Number Eleven's sword again.
This time...
Number Eleven pressed.
Éreon sustained the contact.
The blades slid.
SCREEECH!
Number Eleven advanced one step.
Éreon yielded another.
The pressure did not last.
Number Eleven broke the contact.
Rotated his sword.
The cut returned from the side.
Éreon raised the katana.
CLANG!
The impact made both blades vibrate.
Behind Number Eleven...
Number Two reached the bow.
The arrow appeared between his fingers.
He pulled the string as he moved away.
He did not wait for a perfect opening.
Number Eleven's body was still between him and Éreon.
Number Two shifted a few centimeters to the side.
Found a small line between the two.
Fired.
TWANG!
The arrow crossed the space between the blades.
Éreon noticed the movement.
The katana deflected Number Eleven's sword.
His body tilted backward.
SHHK!
The arrow passed close to his shoulder.
Number Eleven did not interrupt the exchange.
The deflected sword returned diagonally.
Éreon tilted his torso to the left.
The edge passed before his face.
TWANG!
Another arrow.
Éreon moved his eyes.
The shot came from the left.
Exactly where his body was moving.
If he completed the evasion...
He would enter its trajectory.
Éreon planted his foot against the stone.
Interrupted the movement.
And entered Number Eleven's guard.
SHHK!
The arrow crossed the empty space.
The katana met Number Eleven's sword.
CLANG!
A short movement of the wrist deflected the blade outward.
Éreon advanced through the opening.
Number Eleven tried to recover his sword.
Too late.
Éreon was already inside his guard.
The katana turned.
SHLK!
The blade entered beneath the ribs.
Number Eleven's body stiffened.
Éreon withdrew the katana in the same movement.
Number Eleven's knees gave way.
THUD.
Éreon did not stop.
Resumed his descent.
Directly toward Number Two.
Footsteps touched the stone behind him.
Number Seven was already upon him.
The sword came against his back.
Éreon turned.
CLANG!
The katana met the blade.
Number Seven advanced upon the contact.
Éreon yielded half a step.
The pressure diminished.
Number Seven withdrew the sword before Éreon could guide it.
Rotated his wrist.
The blades slid.
SCREEECH!
The cut returned against his neck.
Éreon leaned his torso back.
SHHK!
The edge passed close to the mask.
Number Seven did not allow distance.
Advanced together with the retreat.
The sword returned.
Éreon changed his guard.
CLANG!
The blades met.
Number Seven broke the contact.
A step to the side.
Attacked again.
CLANG!
Éreon deflected the cut.
Creeeck...
The string tightened.
Éreon's eyes moved.
Number Two had left his previous position.
He was descending along the side of the rock formation.
Looking for another angle.
Number Seven advanced.
The sword came diagonally.
Éreon left the line.
The cut passed close to his shoulder.
But he did not move away.
Entered.
His free hand closed around Number Seven's armed forearm.
Éreon pulled.
Number Seven lost half a step.
TWANG!
The arrow was already in the air.
Éreon noticed its trajectory.
Turned his body.
Dragged Number Seven with him.
The veteran realized too late.
Tried to plant his feet.
Resist the movement.
Could not.
The arrow was already upon them.
SHHK!
The arrow pierced his shoulder.
The impact interrupted his movement.
His armed arm gave way.
Éreon released the forearm.
Number Seven staggered.
Éreon was already upon him.
SHLK!
The katana pierced his neck.
The body remained motionless for an instant.
Then...
THUD.
Fell among the leaves.
Éreon did not stop.
Turned toward Number Two.
Advanced.
TWANG!
Another arrow was already in the air.
CLANG!
The katana met the projectile.
The arrow was deflected.
Crack!
Buried itself in the trunk of a pine.
The distance began to disappear.
Number Two did not retreat.
On the contrary.
He propelled himself forward.
A new arrow appeared between his fingers.
The string was pulled.
TWANG!
Éreon moved his head.
SHHK!
The arrow passed close to the mask.
Number Two did not slow his step.
Another arrow.
TWANG!
Éreon shifted his body.
The katana rose.
CLANG!
The projectile was sent upward.
The distance continued shrinking.
Number Two drew another arrow.
TWANG!
This time...
The shot came from only a few meters away.
Éreon turned his body.
The arrow passed close to his garments.
When he completed the movement...
Number Two was already before him.
Too close for another shot.
Éreon attacked.
The katana advanced toward his head.
Number Two bent his knees.
His body descended.
SHHK!
The blade tore through the hood.
The black fabric was ripped away.
White hair, cut close to the head, stood out beneath the moonlight.
Light-brown eyes remained fixed on Éreon.
Number Two was already sliding across the ground.
One hand touched the earth.
Passed along Éreon's side.
Éreon began to turn.
But he did not have time to complete the movement.
Number Thirteen was already entering the line.
The sword descended at the same instant.
Éreon raised the katana.
CLANG!
The blades met.
The impact interrupted his rotation.
Behind Éreon...
Number Two completed his turn over the ground.
One knee found support.
The bow was already returning to position.
An arrow appeared between his fingers.
The string stretched.
Creeeck...
Éreon heard it.
His eyes remained on Number Thirteen.
The pressure on the katana increased.
Éreon rotated his wrist.
The blades slid against one another.
SCREEECH!
Number Thirteen's sword was guided downward.
His body followed the movement.
Éreon took half a step to the side.
Pulled the katana.
Number Thirteen was carried along.
Directly into the line of fire.
Number Thirteen's eyes moved.
The arrow was coming toward him.
In a fraction of a second...
Number Thirteen abandoned any attempt to recover his balance.
The foot that still touched the ground propelled his body to the side.
His torso fell.
His legs left the ground.
His body rotated almost parallel to the earth.
SHHK!
The arrow crossed the space above him.
Number Thirteen continued the rotation.
The sword followed the entire movement.
The edge described an arc around him.
Éreon was already entering from the side.
The katana descended.
Number Thirteen completed the turn.
His sword rose with his body.
CLANG!
The two blades met.
The impact deflected the katana outward.
Number Thirteen landed on one foot.
The other found the ground right after.
Éreon slid half a step backward.
For a few moments...
None of the three moved.
Number Thirteen readjusted his stance.
The sword remained low before his body.
Number Two was already positioning another arrow.
The string began to tighten.
Creeeck...
Éreon remained motionless.
The katana vibrated discreetly in his hand.
Hummm...
His eyes remained on the two.