Another month slipped by in a blur of relentless training.
Kairo pushed himself harder than ever, his body aching with every swing, every sprint, every brutal repetition. Sweat poured down his face as he trained without rest, driven by a burning determination that refused to let him slow down.
Then, without warning, a void-like figure materialized from the shadows, gliding silently toward him. At the same moment, Kai appeared beside Kairo, his tall frame casting a long shadow.
"He is one of my best friends," Kai said calmly, placing a reassuring hand on Kairo's shoulder. "So, wanna have a chat with him?"
Kairo wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing heavily. "Ok… if you say so."
The void man turned his featureless gaze toward Kai. Kai responded with that same creepy, too-wide smile, his milky-white eyes glinting unnaturally.
In a blur too fast to react to, the void man's hand plunged straight into Kairo's abdomen. A wet, tearing sound filled the air as he ripped out Kairo's stomach and intestines in one horrifying motion.
Kairo's eyes bulged in shock. His legs gave out instantly, and he collapsed to his knees, clutching the gaping wound with trembling hands. Blood poured between his fingers as agonizing pain exploded through his body.
"Why… did you do that…?" he gasped, voice hoarse and broken.
The void man lifted the dripping organs to his face, his formless presence somehow radiating satisfaction. "Well, to make sure you reach that place, you need some sacrifices. And yeah… I wanted to fill myself. I wanted to feel hunger, so I took it from you."
Without hesitation, he began devouring the stolen organs right there, the sickening sounds of chewing echoing through the clearing. "Uhh, it is so good. Well then, here's the scroll. I hope you can read it. It will take you where you need to go—that contract you have formed. Yeah, it will make sure you reach his commands. So… well then, I will leave."
The void man vanished into shadow as abruptly as he had appeared. Kai remained, watching Kairo with an unreadable expression.
"You need to tolerate pain too, Kairo. It is part of the training," he said quietly, his voice carrying a strange gentleness that only made the scene more twisted.
Kairo tried to scream, but an invisible force clamped his mouth shut by some unknown magic. His eyes widened in panic as muffled cries vibrated in his throat. The pain was unbearable—searing, endless, ripping through every nerve like liquid fire. Just like the Tormentor's pain…
He screamed and cried for three full days, writhing on the ground in brutal agony, tears streaming down his dirt-streaked face. His body trembled violently, unable to heal fully, each second stretching into an eternity of torment.
On the third day, as the haze of pain momentarily cleared, Kairo spotted a small piece of paper lying near his blood-soaked hand. With shaking fingers, he reached for it and unfolded the crumpled note.
It read: Get away from there. He is using you as a ritual to make sure that he becomes a human again and you become a monster. Make sure you run away from him. If you want proof, look at your feet and dig where you have found this paper.
Kairo's breath hitched. A cold dread slithered down his spine, heavier than the pain. No… this can't be…
Despite the agony still pulsing through him, he forced his demon nails to extend and began digging frantically into the earth where the paper had lain. Dirt flew in clumps as he clawed deeper and deeper, his arms burning, his vision blurring from exhaustion and blood loss.
He kept digging until his nails scraped against something hard.
Kairo froze, chest heaving. Slowly, he pulled out a human skull, yellowed with age and caked in soil. Etched crudely into its forehead were the words: Brother Number 137.
His blood ran cold.
Kairo's mind reeled in disbelief. No way… No way. No, no, no, no—this shouldn't be happening!
He staggered toward the nearby river, legs trembling beneath him. Leaning over the water's edge, he stared at his reflection. The beautiful face he once knew had twisted into something monstrous—fangs glinting, skin darkened with unnatural markings, eyes glowing with feral light.
It was just a smile… wasn't it?
A massive mutated alligator, half-human and half-beast, erupted from the river with a thunderous roar, jaws wide open. But the moment its gaze met Kairo's, the creature froze, then slowly backed away into the water, whimpering.
"Monsters… they won't attack me. But why? Please, tell me this is a dream…" Kairo whispered, voice cracking.
His enhanced hearing—far too sharp now—caught the faint rustle of movement behind him. Kai had been watching. Kairo didn't even hear him approach; the older brother had hidden with absolute silence, moving faster than sound itself. The realization sent a fresh wave of dread crashing over him.
No way… This is turning me into an absolute monster. That curse is way too inhuman. Should I really leave him? I thought I finally got a wonderful brother… but it all went so bad. I just can't handle this.
His knees buckled. Kairo dropped to the ground, shoulders shaking as hot tears of blood streamed down his monstrous cheeks, mirroring Kai's own bloody tears.
"I forgive him…" he choked out, voice thick with pain. "Why didn't you ask me? If you did, I would have actually sacrificed myself for you, my big brother. Why didn't you ask me? Why didn't you believe in me? If you had asked… I would have given you my humanity. But uhh… I think I will run away from here as fast as possible. Before I turn into a monster completely. That's what a normal person would do, right?"
He paused, breathing ragged, then continued in a broken whisper. "But my heart… after my father's teachings, I've changed so much. How could I forgive someone and sacrifice myself for others? Well… I think it's a good thing after all."
For a brief second, Kairo's monstrous features softened. His face returned to something almost normal as a genuine, warm smile touched his lips. Then, just as quickly, the monstrous appearance flooded back.
His kindness suddenly twisted, melting into something darker—colder. His expression shifted, eyes narrowing with a new, sharper edge. It seems like power changes a kind person into evil…
Kairo clenched his fists, staring at his transformed hands. "Well, this should be more than enough. That guy… he's really turning me into a monster. So no matter what happens, I need to run away from him. And I have the scroll, so I have to make sure I don't get caught."
He summoned the mysterious book into his hands. The pages flipped open on their own. Only one page was visible, the rest blank and eerie.
The text read: Great. You have all you need. Just run away and find your destination.
"Well, I have to believe in my own powers," Kairo muttered, jaw tightening with resolve. I need to make sure I follow his act.
Just then, Kai's voice called out from nearby.
"Kairo, come here and eat this lion. You have to be strong, am I right?"
Forcing a smile onto his monstrous face, Kairo approached. He tore into the offered meat without hesitation.
"Brother, can I take rest?" he asked, keeping his voice steady.
"Yeah, you can take a lot of rest, Kairo. Because a ritual will be started after an hour," Kai replied smoothly.
"An hour? Are you really sure?"
Kai nodded, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Yes, I am. And it is a surprise for my younger brother." He threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing unnaturally through the trees.
Cold sweat trickled down Kairo's back. Even after I love him like a brother, he's betraying me. No way I'm gonna follow him. And it's only in an hour…? I have to start making moves—now.
He discreetly pulled out the scroll the void man had given him and activated it. A brilliant white light bloomed from the parchment, guiding him forward. As he slipped away, Kairo glanced back one last time.
Kai was dragging out piles of bones from a hidden pit—each one labeled Brother 1, Brother 2, and so on. He spoke to the skulls softly, as if they were old friends, stroking their surfaces with eerie affection.
Ahh, thank goodness I'm lucky that I found that note. He really manipulated me into thinking that he loved me, and I blindly agreed. Now I have to run away as soon as possible. Uhh… how dare he.
Kairo's lingering kindness ignited into burning anger and fierce pride, fueling his steps as he followed the guiding light deeper into the unknown.