ARC 3 — Chapter 34: The First Battle
The sky was collapsing.
Black clouds twisted around the enormous dimensional tear while crimson lightning flashed across the ruined city.
Adrian stood in the center of the destruction.
His new blue blade burned with cold energy.
Beside him, Adriana held her crimson whip tightly.
Behind them stood Rin Kaito.
Across the ruined buildings, the Twelve Elite Warriors had taken their positions.
And above them all—
The unknown creature watched.
Its enormous crimson eyes remained fixed on Adrian.
"THE FIRST BATTLE BEGINS."
The creature's voice shook the ground.
Adrian raised his blade.
"Then let's finish it."
Rin immediately grabbed his shoulder.
"Don't rush."
Adrian looked back.
"Why?"
"Because you don't understand your new power yet."
Adrian looked at his sword.
The strange symbol on its blade pulsed.
"I understand enough."
Rin shook his head.
"No. You don't."
Adriana stepped between them.
"Then teach him while we fight."
Rin looked at her.
She tightened her grip on the crimson whip.
"Because they're not waiting for us to figure it out."
A sudden movement caught their attention.
Malraeth disappeared.
"Adrian!"
Rin pushed him aside.
CLANG!
Malraeth's weapon collided with Rin's.
The force sent both of them backward.
Malraeth landed smoothly.
"Still protecting your students."
Rin raised his weapon.
"Still hiding behind your title."
Malraeth smiled.
"First Elite Warrior."
Rin's eyes narrowed.
"Malraeth."
She attacked.
Rin blocked.
BOOM!
The rooftop cracked beneath them.
Meanwhile, another Elite Warrior appeared in front of Adrian.
Adrian barely blocked the first strike.
CLANG!
The impact forced him backward.
The warrior attacked again.
Adrian ducked.
The weapon passed above his head.
He swung his blue blade.
The warrior blocked.
Their weapons locked.
Adrian looked into the warrior's eyes.
"Which one are you?"
The warrior smiled.
"Seventh."
He kicked Adrian backward.
Adrian landed near the edge of the rooftop.
The Seventh Elite Warrior charged.
Adrian raised his sword.
Blue energy exploded.
ICE BREAKER!
A massive wave of freezing energy shot forward.
The Elite Warrior jumped through it.
Adrian's eyes widened.
"Fast."
The warrior appeared behind him.
Adrian turned.
Too late.
A strike hit his side.
He was thrown across the rooftop.
"ADRIAN!"
Adriana's whip shot forward.
It wrapped around the Elite Warrior's arm.
She pulled.
The warrior was dragged toward her.
Adriana spun.
CRACK!
Her crimson whip slammed into the ground.
A crimson shockwave exploded.
The warrior was thrown away.
Adriana looked toward Adrian.
"You good?"
Adrian stood.
"Yeah."
He wiped dust from his clothes.
"Just getting started."
Adriana smiled.
"Good."
They turned toward the Seventh Elite Warrior.
Adrian raised his blade.
Adriana raised her whip.
The warrior looked between them.
"Two against one?"
Adriana answered.
"Twins."
Adrian added:
"Big difference."
They charged.
---
Across the battlefield, Rin and Malraeth continued fighting.
Their movements were almost impossible to follow.
Strike.
Block.
Counter.
Dodge.
Strike again.
Malraeth swung her weapon.
Rin ducked.
He attacked her ribs.
She blocked.
He kicked her backward.
Malraeth landed on a broken tower.
"You've improved."
Rin stood across from her.
"So have you."
Malraeth smiled.
"No."
Her eyes began glowing.
"I've evolved."
Dark energy exploded from her body.
Rin's expression changed.
"That's not your normal form."
Malraeth's armor changed.
Black markings spread across it.
Her weapon became longer.
Her eyes turned completely crimson.
"I am the First Elite Warrior."
She raised her weapon.
"The Deceiver."
Rin tightened his grip.
"I remember."
Malraeth vanished.
Rin barely blocked.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact destroyed the tower.
Rin fell through the rubble.
Malraeth descended after him.
She raised her weapon.
"Where is your confidence now?"
Rin suddenly grabbed her wrist.
Malraeth froze.
Rin smiled.
"Right here."
He slammed her into the ground.
BOOM!
Malraeth bounced off the surface.
Rin followed.
He struck again.
Malraeth blocked.
Rin attacked from the opposite side.
She blocked again.
Then—
Malraeth smiled.
Rin's eyes widened.
"You fell for it."
A second Malraeth appeared behind him.
Rin turned.
Too late.
The copy struck him.
Rin crashed into a building.
He looked up.
Two Malraeths stood before him.
Then four.
Then eight.
Rin stared.
"Illusions."
All eight attacked simultaneously.
Rin closed his eyes.
"Not this time."
He took a breath.
Then—
He vanished.
The copies attacked empty air.
Rin appeared behind the real Malraeth.
"Found you."
Malraeth's eyes widened.
Rin struck.
BOOM!
She was sent through three walls.
Rin landed.
Malraeth emerged from the rubble.
She smiled.
"Still sharp."
Rin pointed his weapon at her.
"Always."
---
Adrian and Adriana were struggling.
The Seventh Elite Warrior was incredibly fast.
Every attack forced Adrian backward.
Adriana's whip repeatedly tried to catch him.
But he avoided every strike.
"He keeps reading our movements," Adriana said.
Adrian nodded.
"Then we stop being predictable."
"What do you have in mind?"
Adrian looked at her.
"Trust me."
Adriana smiled.
"Always."
They separated.
The Seventh Elite Warrior followed Adrian.
He attacked.
Adrian blocked.
The warrior swung again.
Adrian ducked.
Then Adrian deliberately dropped his sword.
The warrior paused.
Adriana's eyes widened.
"Adrian?"
The warrior attacked.
Adrian grabbed the warrior's arm.
The warrior tried to pull away.
Adrian smiled.
"Now."
Adriana's whip wrapped around both of them.
The crimson energy exploded.
BOOOOOOM!
Adrian jumped backward.
Adriana pulled the whip.
The Elite Warrior was slammed into the ground.
Adrian's sword flew into his hand.
He raised it.
"Blue Flash."
A beam of blue energy shot forward.
The warrior blocked.
But Adriana was already behind him.
Her crimson whip struck.
CRACK!
The warrior was thrown through a wall.
Adrian and Adriana stood together.
Adrian breathed heavily.
"That worked."
Adriana nodded.
"Definitely."
The wall exploded.
The Seventh Elite Warrior walked out.
His armor was damaged.
But he was still standing.
Adrian's expression changed.
"He's still up."
The warrior smiled.
"Much better."
His energy increased.
"You've finally begun fighting like the twins from the records."
Adrian froze.
"The twins from the records?"
The warrior suddenly disappeared.
He appeared behind Adriana.
Adrian's eyes widened.
"ADRIANA!"
He moved.
But another Elite Warrior appeared between them.
The Sixth.
He blocked Adrian's attack.
CLANG!
Adrian was pushed backward.
The Seventh attacked Adriana.
She blocked with her whip.
The Sixth attacked Adrian.
Adrian blocked.
Suddenly, the twins were separated.
Two Elite Warriors against them.
Then a third arrived.
Then a fourth.
Adrian looked around.
"We're surrounded."
Adriana's breathing became heavier.
"Looks like it."
Rin suddenly appeared beside them.
He blocked a strike from the Fifth Elite Warrior.
"Don't let them separate you."
Adrian looked at him.
"How?"
Rin kicked the warrior away.
"Fight together."
Adriana nodded.
The twins moved closer.
Blue and crimson energy began mixing.
The Elite Warriors hesitated.
One of them stepped backward.
"What is that?"
Another answered:
"The Twin Resonance."
Rin's eyes widened.
"Already?"
Adrian looked at him.
"What is Twin Resonance?"
Rin didn't have time to answer.
The energy exploded.
BOOOOOOOM!
A massive blue-crimson aura surrounded Adrian and Adriana.
Their weapons began changing.
Adrian's blade became longer.
Ice formed along its edge.
Adriana's whip became brighter.
Crimson energy formed sharp arcs around it.
Adrian looked at his sister.
"Ready?"
Adriana nodded.
"Let's do it."
They moved.
The battlefield changed instantly.
Adrian attacked the Sixth.
Adriana attacked the Seventh.
They switched positions.
Adrian struck.
Adriana followed.
Adriana attacked.
Adrian followed.
The Elite Warriors couldn't keep up.
CLANG!
BOOM!
CRACK!
One Elite Warrior was thrown across the street.
Another crashed through a building.
The remaining warriors watched.
Malraeth stopped fighting Rin for a moment.
She stared at the twins.
"They've awakened it."
Rin looked at her.
"What's wrong?"
Malraeth didn't answer.
Rin's eyes narrowed.
"Malraeth."
She finally spoke.
"That resonance hasn't appeared in centuries."
Rin looked at Adrian and Adriana.
"Why?"
Malraeth smiled.
"Because there haven't been two compatible vessels."
Rin froze.
"Vessels?"
Malraeth looked toward Adrian.
"The creature wasn't lying."
Rin's expression darkened.
"Then what exactly are they vessels for?"
Malraeth looked at the sky.
"I don't know."
For the first time, Malraeth sounded uncertain.
"But whatever is coming..."
She looked back at the twins.
"...it needs both of them."
---
The enormous creature above the city suddenly moved.
Its hand entered the dimensional tear.
The sky shook.
Everyone stopped fighting.
The creature spoke.
"ENOUGH."
A shockwave blasted across the city.
Adrian and Adriana were thrown backward.
Rin grabbed them before they fell.
The Twelve Elite Warriors were also forced back.
Even Asmodra had to shield herself.
The creature's hand moved toward the city.
"THE VESSELS ARE READY."
Adrian looked up.
"What vessels?"
The creature's enormous fingers opened.
A dark sphere appeared in its palm.
Inside the sphere was a strange image.
A boy.
Adrian stared.
The boy looked exactly like him.
But there was something different.
His eyes were completely black.
Adrian's heart stopped.
"Who is that?"
The creature answered.
"The Original."
Adriana looked at her brother.
"Adrian..."
The image changed.
Now the boy was standing beside a girl.
The girl looked exactly like Adriana.
Rin stared.
"The original twins."
The creature continued.
"THEY WERE NOT DESTROYED."
Adrian's eyes widened.
"Where are they?"
The creature smiled.
"Beyond the first dimension."
The sphere disappeared.
Adrian raised his sword.
"Take me there."
Rin immediately grabbed him.
"No."
Adrian turned.
"Why?"
"Because that's exactly what it wants."
Adrian stared at him.
The creature laughed.
"WISE."
Rin looked upward.
"You want him to cross the boundary."
"YES."
"Why?"
The creature's eyes glowed brighter.
"BECAUSE ONLY THE VESSEL CAN OPEN THE FIRST GATE."
Rin's expression changed.
Adrian looked at his hand.
The Origin Mark appeared on his palm.
A matching mark appeared on Adriana's.
The twins stared at each other.
"What does that mean?" Adriana asked.
Rin answered quietly.
"It means the creature isn't trying to kill you."
Adrian looked at him.
"Then what does it want?"
Rin looked at the enormous dimensional tear.
"It wants you to open the door."
Suddenly—
A voice came from behind them.
"He's right."
Everyone turned.
Asmodra stood on a broken tower.
Adrian raised his sword.
"You knew."
Asmodra looked at him.
"Yes."
Adrian's eyes hardened.
"You knew all of this."
"I knew some of it."
"Then tell me the truth!"
Asmodra looked at the Origin Mark on Adrian's hand.
"The first gate cannot be opened by demons."
Her eyes moved toward Adriana.
"Nor by humans."
Then she looked back at Adrian.
"It requires two souls born from the same origin."
Adrian's expression changed.
"The twins."
Asmodra nodded.
"Exactly."
Rin looked at Asmodra.
"And what happens when the gate opens?"
Asmodra didn't answer.
Adrian stepped toward her.
"What happens?"
The Demon Queen finally spoke.
"The original comes back."
Silence.
Adriana looked at Adrian.
"Then why is that bad?"
Asmodra's eyes became cold.
"Because the original is not the person you think he is."
The creature above suddenly laughed.
The sound shook the entire sky.
Asmodra looked upward.
"It's starting."
The Origin Mark on Adrian's hand began burning with blue energy.
Adriana's mark responded with crimson energy.
A circular gate began forming beneath them.
Rin immediately moved toward the twins.
"Get away from it!"
But the gate was already opening.
Adrian looked down.
A voice whispered from beneath the ground.
Welcome back.
Adrian froze.
Adriana grabbed his arm.
"Adrian?"
He looked at her.
"I've heard that voice before."
"Where?"
Adrian stared into the forming gate.
"In my dreams."
The gate opened.
A massive eye appeared beneath them.
And then a voice spoke from the darkness.
"My vessels have finally returned."
Rin's face went pale.
The Twelve Elite Warriors stepped backward.
Even Asmodra lowered her weapon.
Adrian raised his blade.
"Who are you?"
The voice answered.
"Ask your master."
Adrian slowly turned toward Rin.
Rin stood frozen.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"Rin?"
Rin didn't answer.
Adrian took one step toward him.
"You know that voice."
Rin finally looked at him.
His face revealed something Adrian had never seen before.
Fear.
Then Rin whispered:
"Yes."
Adrian tightened his grip.
"Who is it?"
Rin looked at the gate.
"The person who taught me everything I know."
The gate opened wider.
Rin's voice dropped to a whisper.
"My master."
TO BE CONTINUED.