We have travelled for almost a day and finally reach a small clearing in the forest. There lies a humanoid skeleton posed regally against a boulder, larger than me in stature.
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“Warzheil told me that higher dragons are incredibly rare. They can transform into human form while temporarily reducing their mana and strength in exchange for a compact body that strikes with the force of a catapult,” I muse, glancing at Warzheil, who seems to be holding back his emotions.
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“Forgive me, friend. I am too late. He must have fought with all he had, but power comes at a cost,” Warzheil murmurs, stepping closer to the skeleton.
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Before we can approach further, a figure clad in light armor blocks our path. It’s a woman, her presence commanding.
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“Your reputation precedes you, Thundersmith. I would prefer if we settled this without a fight,” she says, her blue hair cascading around her shoulders, her sword gleaming in the dim light.
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The atmosphere darkens as ominous clouds gather overhead, and I can see Warzheil crackling with thunder, his anger palpable. Thank the gods for my mask; otherwise, entering human cities would be a nightmare.
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“The shamelessness of your Holy Empire knows no bounds, does it? Listen here, girl, if you humans dare lay a hand on my friend, I will not let you leave alive,” Warzheil growls, his voice thunderous.
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“I am truly sorry for your loss, but we need these bones to forge a weapon that will aid us in slaying the demon lord and saving the people of these lands,” she replies, her tone firm yet sorrowful.
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“And they call Gravediggers like you, Heroes?. The only true heroes these lands have known are Heroleas and the ancients. One of them, behind you, is my friend and a god who saved your sorry excuse for an empire when the Hell fiends attacked and never asked for anything in return. And this is how you repay him?” Warzheil’s voice trembles with indignation.
The woman flinches slightly, her resolve wavering.
“I…” she begins, but is interrupted.
“We are truly grateful to god Drax, and we hope that his sacrifice will add to our power,” a bald man steps out from the right side of the forest, flanked by a group of paladins clad in gleaming armor.
“Can’t happen, won’t happen,” I interject, stepping forward.
“Commander! Look at that hand of his!” one of the paladins exclaims, pointing at my left arm.
“A demon?!” the woman gasps, her eyes widening in disbelief.
“Oh, so the Thundersmith has allied with demons now! Protect the Dragon god’s skeleton!” the Bald man commands, suspicion etched on his face.
The paladins take a defensive stance, ready to fight.
“Cruth, you know who the commander is, right?” the woman sneers at Cruth.
“Oh, yes! Pardon my insolence, but that right there is the natural enemy of us humans. I couldn’t stand them! They killed Cardinal Sir Makroth in front of my eyes. You know how much I hate them!” Cruth spits, venom lacing his words.
The woman turns towards me, her expression unreadable. “You all hold the Thundersmith. Don’t underestimate him; a single thunder will kill you if you let your guard down,” she warns as she steps closer.
“You stay out of this, Ronin. This is my fight. Now that you are half-demon, you are vulnerable to holy magic,” Warzheil retorts, his tone stern.
“Shut it, old man,” I shoot back, feeling a surge of confidence. “My mind is clearer than before.”
“You keep those paladins and the priest off my back, and I will deal with this girl,” I say, stepping away to create space. Warzheil seems to understand and gradually moves apart.
“Are you sure? She is one of the seven heroes and very strong,” he cautions.
“You will soon know why I was the best in my field before coming here,” I reply, determination coursing through me.
“I will count on you then,” he says, his voice steady.
I move to a separate space, but the hero doesn’t budge. She raises her hand, and suddenly, multiple spikes of light form in the air before her. With a single wave, the arrows shoot toward me.
Instinct kicks in, and I try to defend myself with my left hand, recalling how it worked against the goblin mage. But one arrow strikes my shoulder and vanishes into thin air.
I feel no pain. I lower my hand and find myself unharmed. The hero, who had previously seemed unfazed by me, now turns her full attention my way.
“My attack definitely hit him, and yet he is unscathed? Impossible. My light magic is powerful enough to harm even the demon lord’s base form, and I couldn’t hurt this peasant demon. It must be his suit. Let’s see how long he can endure,” she thinks, determination flashing in her eyes.
Hundreds of spikes materialize in the air, ready to launch at me. This could be bad; maybe my earlier luck was just that—luck. She appears to be a mage, and I need to close the distance quickly.
The hero drops her hand, signaling the start of her assault. I take off running toward her, and to my surprise, I feel faster than ever before. I’ve never sprinted like this; it’s as if the very air propels me forward. Yes, I can win, even without magic.
I lower my body, dodging as many spikes as I can. Most of them bury themselves into the ground, and I manage to close the gap between us. I use my spear as a staff to strike at her, but she effortlessly blocks my attack with the hilt of her sword.
“Heh,” she giggles, a sound that ignites a flicker of irritation within me.
I feel insulted. “I was trying not to accidentally kill you since you’re a hero, but it seems you’re a fine fighter. Allow me to go all out,” I declare, but the hero leaps back with incredible speed, as if I had been the one teleported.
She summons more spikes of light, but this time I will rely on the martial arts I learned from my grandfather. Well, technically, I learned most of it from him, but I’ll be using a technique I saw in movies.
The hero shoots the spikes at me again. I take a deep breath, spinning the staff in a circular motion, mixing in leaps and dodges to maintain the spear’s momentum. It works; I manage to deflect most of the spikes. But suddenly, the attacks cease.
Dust fills the air, obscuring my vision. At first, I can’t see anything, but then my sight sharpens. I fall to my knees, feeling a wave of weakness wash over me. Yet, I notice something peculiar: colorful winds swirl around me. Is it even wind? I can see the outlines of the hero standing outside the smoke, as well as the trees and objects behind her. But I can only perceive this with my left eye. It’s dizzying.
But I can make use of this power. I rush from the right side of the smoke, eager to exploit the surprise. There it is—the look of bafflement on the hero’s face, she must not have expected me to deflect all of her spikes.
Hero’s Perspective:
As I start running to avoid Ronin, confusion fills my mind. “He deflected all of my spikes with a staff? Only primordial class weapons can do that. Does that mean his staff is a primordial class? Not only that, but he is not your run-of-the-mill fighter. I have never seen someone with this level of skill in this world,” I think, my heart racing.
“I need to end this before it spirals out of control.”
I begin to chant while simultaneously launching a few spikes, hoping to catch him off guard. This time, I hold back, allowing him to run straight in. Normally, I wouldn’t take such a reckless approach, but I need to take chances or I’ll end up exhausted.
I run at him, and for a brief moment, I see fear flash across his face. But then, to my surprise, his expression shifts to determination.
“Got you,” I say as I strike, but something feels off.
I clearly see my blade pierce his chest. As I vanish from his view, the blade misses his heart by a wide margin. In fact, it’s almost as if it struck the opposite side.
“Light of Goddess: Exorcism Blade!” I exclaim, watching as the sword glows briefly before the light fades.
Ronin’s Perspective:
“Huh? The skill didn’t work?” She questions, confusion evident in her voice.
“Hey, are you mocking me? You had such a good chance to stab me in the heart!” he retorts, a hint of mockery in his tone.
I’m taken aback by his resilience. “You are no ordinary demon. I used holy magic on you, but it didn’t work. It would work on any being, regardless of race. And why are you not dead even though I stabbed you through the heart?” I ask, bewilderment clouding my thoughts.
“My heart? Isn’t a heart supposed to be toward the center, on the left side? It seems you miscalculated,” he replies, a smirk forming on his lips.
“To the left? But that was the case on Earth! Wait, is he by any chance…” I think, realization dawning upon me.
“It seems like your men are giving the old man a hard time,”I say, glancing over myshoulder. Warzheil appears to be holding his own, unleashing thunderbolts that scatter the paladins. He looks like a possessed Viking, his fury palpable.
“Hey, did your mana run out?” I try to get under the Hero’s skin as I challenge her.
“Wait, I haven’t introduced myself. I am Ava, one of the top seven heroes,” She say which catches me off-guard.
“Oh, I see you are Ava…” I hesitate as I am overwhelmed by the coincidence.
What? That’s my sister’s name. But she is nothing like what I remember. It must be a coincidence?
“O-oh, my name is Ronin,” I stammer like an Ameture.
“You’ve got the look of someone who’s seen too much,” Ronin began, his tone neutral, his mask obscuring the tremor of recognition threatening to break his composure. “A warrior forged in fire, fighting not for glory, but to escape something—or someone."
Her eyes narrowed. “You speak as though you know me.”
“I’ve known many like you,” he replies, his voice steady. “People shaped by shadows, trained to be weapons. The kind of people who don’t belong in this world, much like myself.”
She tilted her head slightly, intrigued but cautious. “And what makes you think I don’t belong here?”
Ronin took a step forward, slowly, deliberately. “Because your movements, your methods—they tell a story. One of discipline, pain, and... betrayal. Am I wrong?”
Her grip tightened on the hilt of her sword, but she didn’t interrupt.
“I’ve crossed paths with those who came from places they’d rather forget,” he continues, his tone softening. “A shady Cults that tore families apart and turned children into killers.”
The shift in her posture was subtle, but Ronin caught it—a flicker of unease, of recognition. He pressed on.
“I’m looking for someone,” he says, his voice almost a whisper. “A girl who was taken by that cult. They told her lies, twisted her against the ones who loved her most. Do you know what that feels like?”
Ava’s eyes darkened, her expression unreadable. “You are a fool if you think you can just lie and try to manipulate me.”
I held up my hands in a placating gesture. “I have no reason to lie. I’ve seen what they do. I’ve seen how they break people, how they pit them against each other to serve their agenda. And I’ve seen how they twist the truth to keep their victims from ever finding peace.”
Her sword trembled slightly, a crack in her otherwise unyielding demeanor. “You said you’re looking for someone. Who? And By any chance, Do the word “Earth” ring a bell, Mister Ronin?” She asks
“Wha…? How do you know?” I narrow my eyes, suspicion creeping in. I can’t let this slide How does she know?
I hesitate, choosing my words carefully. “A girl... her name was Ava. She was taken from her family long ago. Trained, manipulated. I’ve been searching for her ever since.”
Ava’s laugh was bitter, sharp. “Ava? So that’s your angle. Let me guess—you are from The Shadow Company?”
Wait how does She know about the company? No, wait. I need to calm down. This can’t be mere luck. Is it possible She is my Ava?
My chest tightened, but he kept his mask of calm. “That’s right.”
“Oh I used to work for The Shadow Company too, this makes it easy, I can kill you without regrets then.” She admits, Her voice steady yet guarded.
“My code name is Dark. I assume you are human too, despite how you are now, are you maybe a Cyborg? let me see you face too.” She ask, Curosity in her voice.
I hesitate, unsure if I should reveal my face. What if she recognizes me? From what I know, my sister was fed hatred toward me, telling her lies about me selling her to the Shadow company to make extra money. i should take a different approach.
“No, I can’t show my face. If you are from there, then you know why right?”
“Wasn’t that rule only for the top 10? Don’t tell me you are one of the top 10?”
“yes, I am no.2”
I must find out if she is or is not my sister. If not, then I must eliminate her.
“What is such a high ranker doing here?” she asks, her voice cold and sharp. “Did you get reincarnated and ask for this demonic body from a god?”
I steadied myself, pushing down the storm of emotions threatening to break through. “I’m on a mission given to me by a close friend,” I says carefully, keeping my tone measured. “He found clues about the whereabouts of his beloved sister—clues that led here. He became the number one operative of the Shadow Company but destroyed it when he uncovered their lies. We parted ways to search separately, but I ended up here. By chance, your name matches hers.”
Her eyes narrowed, suspicion giving way to hostility. “By any chance,” she says, her tone laced with venom, “is your friend’s name Shar Roheiz?”
The air seemed to freeze around me. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to nod. “So,” I says softly, “you are his sister. I’ve finally found you.”
Her blade trembled in her grip, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hesitation. But then her anger surged back, cutting through the momentary crack in her armor.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think I can take us back,” I adds, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Take me back?” she spits, her words dripping with venom. “I don’t even have a blood relation to that bastard now. He sold me to the company for his own gain. Why would I ever go back?”
I flinched at her words, but I forced myself to respond. “I don’t know what they told you, but I worked alongside Shar. I know what kind of man he is. He hated the company—tore it apart trying to find you. They lied to you, Ava. They manipulated you because they feared what might happen if you learned the truth.” Her laugh was bitter, sharp, cutting through the fragile hope I clung to. “Lies!” she snaps. “Do you think you can rewrite my memories with your sweet words? I lived that nightmare. I know what he did!”
“You know what they told you,” I say, keeping my voice calm despite the ache in my chest. “If he sold you, why didn’t they tell you where he was? Why keep him from you, Ava? They feared you might uncover the truth—that he never stopped searching for you, never stopped loving you.”
Her blade rose again, a barrier between us. “Enough!” she shouts. “So what if it’s true? I have a family here now—a son,a daughter and a husband who loves me. The world Shar left me in gave me nothing but pain. I died in the Star Labs’s Cosmic Room, Goddess Ethis gave me new life, a purpose by bringing me to this world. He couldn’t give me any of that.”
Her words hit me like a sledgehammer, each one driving deeper into the fragile hope I’d carried for years. My vision blurred, and it took me a moment to realize tears were streaming down my face. I raised a hand, brushing them away, but they couldn’t be wiped under this mask.
What do I do? She doesn’t need me? But I did all that for her! Should I show her my face?
“You wanted to see my face, right?”
I gather the courage to remove my mask. There is a glint of surprise on her face.
“Like I thought, you are human. You look around my age too, but what’s with that black eye? Is it robotic?”
She doesn’t recognize me! Well, I guess I can’t blame her since she was small when they kidnapped her.
“Hey! Are you crying?” she asks, her voice softening.
What’s she saying? I rub my cheeks to find out that a stream of tears has started flowing from my eyes. When did I last cry? I tried, I tried my best, Grandpa. But I couldn’t keep her happy OR safe.
Ava moves closer but stops shortly after.
“Sorry, I don’t know what pain you are in. But my goddess commands me to kill you. And to be honest, you look like a nice guy. But I can’t let you leave now that I have told you who was part of the Shadow company. I will ask the goddess to reincarnate you in this world. Though I can’t guarantee you to remember your past. Mister Ronin, I hope you find peace. Please try your best to fight back, Although it’s useless since I will be using my special power, which grants me god power.”
Huh? Her goddess wants me dead? Why does she have to disrupt my reunion?
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