Yami walked without direction, his eyes fixed on his own hands. They were trembling. The image of Kamui was still there — the sound, the pressure, the smile. His body failed, and he fell.
— Is he dead? — Momo asked, looking at the outstretched body.
— No. Just passed out — Kaen replied, crouching down. — He's still breathing.
— Then let's get him out of here.
The smell of old wood invaded the air.
Yami slowly opened his eyes.
The ceiling was cracked. Dark. Unknown.
He sat up suddenly.
— Where am I?
— You were lying on the ground — Ayane said. — We found you.
Kaen crossed his arms.
— What happened? Lost to the weakest kyobokags?
— Shut up, Kaen — Emiko replied before Yami could say anything.
"So what happened there?"
"Nothing, I was just tired."
"Let's sleep, guys, the sun rises here, you know?"
"All right." Kaen affirmed.
Everyone settled into the abandoned house and, little by little, silence took over the place. The wind passed through the cracks in the broken windows and made the wood creak from time to time. One by one, they fell asleep. Except Yami.
He remained lying down, staring at the cracked ceiling, feeling his own hands trembling as if they were still in front of that monster. The image of Kamui wouldn't leave his head — the smile, the suffocating pressure, the overwhelming presence.
Then a sound cut through the silence.
Scratching at the door.
Low. Slow.
Yami slowly got up and walked to the entrance. The moonlight came through the broken window and projected a silhouette outside. Tall. Still. The doorknob began to turn slowly.
The door opened.
Yami stood motionless.
For a moment, he swore it was Kamui.
But before anything could happen, a blur passed beside him and a strike cut through the air. Kaen appeared and eliminated the kyobokag in a single attack. The body fell heavily to the ground.
Kaen turned his face to Yami.
— Seriously… what happened to you?
Yami looked down, taking a deep breath.
— I saw a monster… humanoid.
— Humanoid? — Kaen frowned.
— A Kamui. He said he was the personification of pride.
For a few seconds, no one said anything.
Then the punch came.
Yami was thrown against the living room table, which broke with the impact. The pain shot through his entire body.
— Are you delirious? — Kaen advanced, irritated. — Kamui of pride? Since when do you make up that kind of thing?
— I'm not lying — Yami replied, trying to get up.
— I've wanted to punch you for a long time — Kaen continued. — Good thing you're delirious like this.
But he didn't back down.
— If this Kamui of pride beat you up, then get up! Now it's my turn to beat you up.
Yami wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stared at Kaen with a different look.
— You bastard…
Kaen grabbed Yami by the leg and dragged him out of the house before the noise woke anyone up. The door slammed behind them and the night enveloped them. The forest stretched out ahead, dense and silent, lit only by the moon.
Yami broke free with force.
— You want to fight? Then fight properly. Yami said.
Kaen advanced without hesitation and threw a direct punch. Yami barely managed to block and was pushed back a few steps, feeling the impact vibrate through his arm.
— Where's the Kamui of pride now?
— Kaen provoked.
Yami took a deep breath.
The air around him began to grow heavy.
Something dark formed on his fingers.
First like smoke.
Then like threads.
Black lines began to come out of his fingers, extending through the air.
Kaen took half a step back.
Yami raised his hand, and two lines shot forward like whips.
Kaen crossed his arms to defend, but the impact threw him against a tree, which cracked with the force of the collision.
He fell to his feet, smiled.
And advanced again.
This time dodging by a hair another line that tore the ground beside him. The earth opened in a deep, straight cut, as if it had been crossed by blades.
Yami moved his fingers.
The lines responded immediately.
They stretched, bent, changed direction in the air.
Kaen was dodging all of them but another one wrapped around his leg and violently pulled him to the ground.
Before he could get up, three lines came down like stakes and pinned him by the coat.
Kaen forced his body.
His muscles tensed.
He tore the fabric and freed himself in the impulse, advancing straight at Yami and landing a punch in his face.
Yami fell. They began to trade punches.
The fists flew with fury.
Until Yami grabbed Kaen's wrists and tied them with brute force. He pulled Kaen's face to his knee and delivered a violent knee strike.
He landed three punches in Kaen's face.
Kaen broke free and punched Yami in the stomach, who froze for an instant. Kaen continued with three punches to Yami's face.
The two backed away, panting.
The wind grew stronger.
The leaves began to swirl around them.
— You finally decided to fight…
Yami stood still with different eyes, deeper.
Suddenly several kyobokags appeared crawling through the forest. Walking slowly.
The girls woke up and went outside.
"Is this serious? Did you guys forget that they are attracted by soul energy?" Momo said irritated.
"You guys are real shit huh." Emiko murmured.
"I'm sorry." Kaen affirmed.
"Sorry." Yami said with his head down.
"Let's kill these kyobokags quickly." Ayane affirmed. Yawning.
They prepared to fight until the ground where Yami was standing collapsed, one by one the ground disappeared and they fell.
Suddenly in a Castle a man sitting asked.
"They they fell?"
A woman replied "yes."