Kei stared at Varyss for a few seconds without uttering a word, as if measuring every fiber of his being. Every blink, every held breath seemed to last centuries, and the air between them grew thick—almost electric.
Arata crossed his arms, his jaw barely tightened, watching the scene with a haunting stillness that promised no intervention. His gaze was steady and analytical, as if he were calculating every move that would follow.
Yuto and Kael remained motionless, yet every muscle was coiled, ready to react in a heartbeat. A faint crunch of debris underfoot or a subtle whistle of the wind was enough to make their eyes move in sync, anticipating any attempt at an attack. This isawkward... Yuto thought, his eyes never wavering.
Eirene sat back on a nearby rock, resting her elbows on her knees. A slight smile played on her lips, as if the silence itself gave her confidence. Her eyes tracked Varyss's figure, calculating without haste, letting the tension swell around her without the need for words.
Kei sheathed his sword and closed his eyes; the silence became almost unbearable, as if the world itself were holding its breath.
He took a step forward.
[100%]
The echo of his footstep rang out, cutting through the air like a lethal whistle. His monochromatic purple aura began to expand, licking the ground, distorting space, and making dust and leaves float gently around him. Every shadow trembled, as if even the sun hesitated to light the battlefield.
Varyss tensed, his confidence faltering despite his attempt to hide it. "Zero… Resonance…" he muttered, shifting into a defensive stance.
Eirene remained seated on the rock, chin resting in her hands, watching. Every one of Kei's movements was calculated; every breath, measured. Yuto and Kael held onto every last thread of air, while Arata absorbed the scene with an unshakeable gaze.
A gust of wind swept through the area, stirring dust and fallen leaves that drifted in the light of Kei's aura. Every shadow seemed to lengthen and quiver.
Finally, Kei opened his eyes. Without a word, he drew his sword, the metal gleaming with the same light emanating from his aura. The world around him seemed to shudder, waiting for the first move.
Zero Resonance...I have no ideawhat the hell this is, Kei thought. Before Varyss could react, he lunged like a bolt of lightning. His fist, surging with supernatural force, slammed directly into Varyss's stomach, sending him flying back several meters like a ragdoll.
Varyss gasped in shock as the blow landed. "W… What…?" he wheezed while mid-air. He hit the ground hard, rolling to cushion the fall, and finally managed to push himself up, taking an unsteady step to stabilize. He breathed with difficulty, his eyes wide, incredulous at the power of that sudden strike.
Dust swirled around Varyss, particles floating in the air, illuminated by the purple light bleeding from Kei. Every breath the young man took seemed to vibrate through the environment, resonating even over the nearby rubble. Eirene, still seated, watched without blinking, her hands on her knees, gauging every pulse of the aura that was faintly warping the space around them.
Yuto and Kael exchanged quick glances; no words were needed. They knew any reckless move could be fatal. Arata stood behind them, arms crossed, his face mask-like, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed that even he felt the weight of the moment.
[99%]
Kei's vision blurred for an instant, but his aura continued to flow without wavering. A second later, clarity returned, and he set his stance firmly.
Varyss struggled for air, trying to pull himself together.
"Fine then… let's begin."
He locked eyes with Kei and, without hesitation, charged.
Kei did the same, sprinting to meet him in battle. Eirene is abit strange...I guessI'llnever understand her.
Kei ran like a lightning strike, his feet cutting through the ground while every muscle vibrated with pure tension. Varyss reacted instantly, raising his arms in a block and leaping laterally. Kei's fist collided with the air in front of him, kicking up a plume of dust that drifted between them, lit by the purple aura licking the floor.
Without pausing, Kei spun and launched a leg sweep; Varyss leaned back just in time to dodge, feeling the rush of air tear past him. The clash of forces reverberated, making the ground creak, and for an instant, the world seemed to hold its breath: no human sound, only the friction of air and the vibration of particles glowing in Kei's light.
Varyss counterattacked, slashing through the air with force to shove Kei back. Kei reacted with an agile leap, dodging the blow and feeling his opponent's tension in every fiber of the air. The distance between them shrank and expanded in an instant—a dance of attack and defense where every breath counted and every movement could decide the next clash.
[96%]
Kei felt a dull throb in his head, but he didn't stop. I'll dieif Igetcareless... he thought, knitting his brows.
They stopped for a mere second, evaluating each other with fixed stares and ragged breathing. Kei's aura continued to glow, pulsing with restrained power, while Varyss adjusted his stance, ready for the next explosion of speed. Without warning, Kei moved again—a flash of light and motion announcing the beginning of the end.
"Let's end this," Kei whispered, and immediately sprinted toward Varyss. He didn't move in a straight line; his trajectory curved to the left, as if dancing around his opponent.
With a swift, precise motion, he unsheathed his sword and delivered a slash that tore through Varyss. Without stopping, he pressed his attack, executing several consecutive slashes from right to left, each faster than the last. The air around the blade seemed to vibrate, kicking up dust and small leaves as Kei's purple aura licked the ground in his wake.
[87%]
Kei felt a sharp tear in his arm, but he didn't stop. Every cut connected with precision, forcing Varyss to retreat under the barrage of blows. Finally, Kei launched an upward hook, sending him airborne; before he could fall, Kei leapt and slashed him again, slamming him back down against the ground.
Giving him no time to recover, Kei continued the assault. A powerful strike sent Varyss flying to the left, leaving him visibly wounded and reeling. Dust and leaves swirled around them, illuminated by the purple aura that vibrated with every one of the young man's movements. Every hit was calculated, rapid, and brutal—showcasing Kei's unyielding rhythm.
[79%]
Kei felt dizzy, pain radiating through every muscle, but he knew stopping wasn't an option: Varyss would show him no mercy. With every forced breath and every cut that landed, his body screamed for rest, but his eyes remained locked on his target. Every movement had to be precise, fast, lethal… and pushing forward was the only way to survive.
Varyss rose slowly, his body bloodied and trembling with pain. Every breath was an ordeal, but his eyes burned with hatred.
"You damn idiot…" he hissed through gritted teeth, each word pulled out with effort. Then, with a scream that tore through the air, he continued: "You're nothing but a mistake! A specimen that shouldn't exist!"
Every word was laced with fury and agony; his body could barely hold itself up, but rage kept him upright, willing to keep fighting the one who had destroyed his plans.
Kei's vision was blurry and dizzy, his breathing ragged; from that distance, he couldn't hear a word Varyss was saying. The purple aura still hummed around him, stirring dust and leaves as he tried to keep his footing.
"What did you say? I couldn't quite hear you…" Kei said, cupping a hand to his ear and frowning slightly. He wasn't trying to mock him, even though the scene would have looked ridiculous from the outside. His hair fell over his eyes, matted with sweat, and a trickle of blood ran down his lip, yet he seemed more concerned with understanding Varyss's words than with the pain or the chaos surrounding him.
A moment of silence followed, where only the whisper of the wind and the distant rustle of leaves could be heard. The contrast between the gravity of the battle and Kei's slight clumsiness made the tension feel… strangely light, if only for a second.
Varyss ground his teeth in fury, his jaw trembling with pain and helplessness. His eyes burned with loathing, but even so, he knew he was powerless in that state; he was completely at the mercy of what he had always called a "specimen." Every tense muscle and forced breath served as a reminder: for the first time, he was not in control.
Dust still hung in the air, mingling with the purple light from Kei. Varyss was half-upright, fuming with impotence, while Kei, panting and dizzy, barely managed to stand firm.
Yuto frowned, eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. Every blow, every cut, seemed to carry more weight than any words could. Kael remained rigid, arms crossed, breathing carefully, aware that even a sudden move could change everything.
Eirene, still on the rock with her chin in her hands, didn't blink. Her eyes followed every vibration of Kei's aura, measuring and calculating, as if she could anticipate the young man's next move. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips, as if the tension itself were… fascinating to her.
Arata stood behind them, arms crossed, face stoic, but even he couldn't suppress a slight nod of recognition at the strength displayed. His gaze absorbed every detail, aware that this was much more than a simple brawl.
The silence stretched for a few more seconds. No one spoke, but the world seemed to hold its breath, watching Kei and Varyss as if it knew that what had just occurred wasn't just a confrontation, but the start of something much larger.
Eirene stood up from the rock and signaled to Arata; without hesitation, he followed. Together, they walked toward Varyss.
Confused and weak, Varyss tried to struggle, but his movements were clumsy and useless. They both gripped his arms firmly, making escape impossible.
Kei stepped forward with steady strides, his eyes fixed on his target. His breathing was heavy, but the purple aura still vibrated around him, illuminating every contour of Varyss's body. When he reached him, he sheathed his sword and clenched his right fist, pulling it back in a movement thick with tension.
With one last surge, he delivered the final blow directly to Varyss's face. Kei's strength made the very air seem to compress in that instant, and finally, Varyss slumped to the ground, defeated, unable to continue. Silence reigned once more, broken only by Kei's heavy breathing and the faint crunch of dust and debris under his feet.
[70%]
Kei closed his eyes and let out a slow sigh, exhausted by the intensity of the fight. When he finally opened them, he noticed a crumpled piece of paper next to Varyss. Without a second thought, he picked it up and unfolded it; on it, a marked address pointed to a specific location, clearly planned in advance.
Yuto and Kael approached Kei cautiously, curiosity reflecting in their eyes, while Eirene and Arata remained by Varyss, watching the scene in silence.
"So… where do you think it leads?" Yuto asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Kei didn't answer. His eyes scanned the paper, his vision blurred by dizziness and extreme exhaustion. Suddenly, he stumbled, lost his balance, and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"Kei? Kei!" Arata shouted, rushing toward him, while Yuto and Kael scrambled to surround him and ensure there was no immediate danger.
The paper still rested in his hands, the marked address glowing faintly under the light of the purple aura as it slowly faded away. In silence, they all understood that what they had found was more than just a message: it was the beginning of something much larger.