"I'm not running anymore."
That whisper from Rio, more of an oath than a mere sentence, cut through the air thick with screams and blood. Then, in the blink of an eye—he vanished.
The grey wolf mask covering his face seemed to be just an illusion swept away by the wind. The air around him was torn apart, roaring softly from an impossible speed, shooting like an ethereal arrow toward the Domifirt who still stood arrogantly on the stage. This was Shunpo, but it was no longer the familiar movement he had trained. This was a Shunpo born from piercing desperation, from the fire of trauma burning behind his grey eyes, and from a determination that had now become a dagger in every one of his muscles.
The Domifirt, his arrogant smile never faltering, saw Rio coming. His cold, dismissive eyes observed the human's approach, as if watching an insect recklessly flying toward a flame. He didn't panic, not even when Rio was right in front of him, Gladius sword drawn, attacking with a series of slashes far faster and more deadly than before. A silver gleam danced in the dim hall, aiming for the neck, the heart, and every vital point.
SHIIIING! SHIIING! WHIZZ!
However, the Domifirt was still an extraordinary creature. His movements were fluid, almost surpassing Rio's initial Shunpo, like an unpredictable dance. He leaned his body, shifted his shoulders, and dodged with a casual ease, almost without effort. Every one of Rio's deadly slashes only cut through empty air, leaving Rio to pass through the storm of his own attack without touching a single thread of his cloak. Rio redoubled his assault, pouring all his energy into it, trying to find an opening, but the Domifirt was like an untouchable shadow, evading with an elegance that seemed to mock Rio's persistence, as if dancing between the swings of the sword.
"You're fast, kid," the Domifirt hissed, his voice calm yet laced with a mocking amusement, as if he were playing with his prey. "For a human. But you're still… too slow."
Rio didn't answer. His rage swelled, burning away the cold of his logic, but it also gripped him with an unbearable frustration. He knew he was fast, faster than he had ever thought possible. But this creature… this creature was an invisible wall, a wall of darkness that could not be scratched. Frustration seized him, forcing every fiber of his being to search, to find a weakness that never revealed itself. His sharp eyes scanned, his brain raced, searching for a pattern, an opening.
Right in the midst of Rio's frenzied barrage—a cyclone of sword and Shunpo that should have been impossible to avoid—the Domifirt saw an opening. Not an opening in Rio's defense, but an opening in the speed itself. He didn't just see Rio's body, but also the currents of wind surrounding him, the energy that propelled every Shunpo. His smile widened, a grin of premature victory.
Without warning, the Domifirt launched a kick. Not a kick aimed at Rio directly, but a spinning kick aimed at the air beside him—a strange, unexpected move, almost like kicking a void. However, the kick created an invisible shockwave, a twisting, spiraling burst of energy that tore through the air with a sharp hiss. Rio, who was moving at the speed of Shunpo, had no time to react. He was caught in that vortex of power, his powerful momentum suddenly twisted, thrown from its straight path, his body spinning uncontrollably in mid-air.
BRUUMM!!!
Rio wasn't just pushed. He felt his body being lifted, brutally spun, and then slammed—not into an ordinary stone wall, but right into the middle of a large relief carving on the wall. The relief, depicting the faces of dying humans with gaping mouths, was adorned with ancient cracks, as if it too were screaming from the impact.
The wall, old and fragile behind its worn tapestry, couldn't withstand the force of the collision.
KRAK! PRANGGG!
The sound of the impact was deafening, followed by the sound of shattering stone and splintering wood. Rio's body broke through the relief, creating a gaping hole that revealed darkness beyond. Debris of stone and wood fragments rained down from the hole, covering his now limp and helpless body. He slid to the floor, a sharp pain exploding in his stomach, spreading through his entire body like a flash fire. His breath caught, his lungs felt as if they were being crushed, and his vision spun violently, the world blurring.
"Rio!!!"
The panicked roars from Lisa and Dany tore through the air already thick with screams and blood. The sound of clashing swords, the snarls of Eaters, and the wails of the panicked villagers seemed to vanish for a moment, replaced by the desperate echo of Rio's name. They both turned, their faces now covered in sweat and blood—whether their own or from Eaters—filled with a deep horror as they watched Rio lying helpless among the rubble of the wall.
Lisa gritted her teeth, her jaw hardening. Rage burned in her sharp black eyes, not just at the Eaters, but at herself. She knew how strong Rio was, how hard he had trained. But to see him hit so brutally… something inside her screamed. She tried to break through the siege of dozens of Eaters that relentlessly swarmed her, each of her slashes filled with double the force, trying to create an opening toward Rio.
Dany, parrying the sharp claws of an Eater with one hand, glanced anxiously at Rio, his heart feeling as if it were being squeezed, a feeling of anxiety he rarely felt. Dammit, he's too fast! Dany thought, a piercing thought in the midst of his fierce fight. He's different from a regular Eater. This isn't just Shunpo... this... this is the true Aura of a Domifirt.
The Domifirt, as if unconcerned with the chaos happening around him, walked slowly toward Rio. His steps were calm, full of confidence, as if no power in the world could stop him. A wide grin was etched on his handsome lips, the smile of a predator savoring every second of its prey's suffering. The nails on his fingers lengthened, turning into terrifying, gleaming black claws, sharp and curved like daggers ready to tear. From the tip of each claw, a thick, dark blue fluid began to drip, making small tik-tik-tik sounds as it hit the dusty stone floor. The putrid scent of the fluid was stinging, making the surrounding air feel corrosive, devouring all the oxygen, and causing the prone Rio to feel an overwhelming wave of nausea.
Seeing the dark blue fluid dripping from the Domifirt's claws, Lisa felt her heart stop. She had heard Kakek Henry discuss a certain type of poison, one that didn't kill, but tortured. That poison! That's no ordinary poison! Lisa thought, her breath caught in her throat. Instantly, her anger turned into acute panic. She had to stop the Domifirt. She had to protect Rio.
With resolute determination, Lisa swung her sword, slashing two Eaters at once, creating a small opening. She was ready to dash, ready to charge at the Domifirt, even if it meant sacrificing herself. However, just as she was about to leap, she felt a touch on her leg. A small child—one of the remaining human villagers—had fallen behind her, stumbling, nearly trampled by a darting Eater. The child was crying pitifully, his innocent eyes looking up at Lisa with absolute terror.
Lisa froze. Torn. I have to protect him. But Rio…
Her gaze was split between the child now clinging to her and Rio lying helpless under the threat of the Domifirt's poisonous claws. Her brain screamed at her to save Rio, but her Gladius instinct, which taught her to protect the weak, locked her feet in place. She couldn't leave the child. A frustrated groan escaped her lips as she was forced to parry another Eater's attack, moving her farther from the Domifirt.
Meanwhile, Dany, who also saw the poison dripping from the Domifirt's claws, felt his adrenaline surge. That poison! Kakek said it was the vilest of all! Dammit! he snarled. Without a second thought, he launched a series of rapid slashes, cutting off the arms of an Eater that was lunging at him. With incredible strength, he grabbed the severed arms—still dripping with thick black blood—and threw them at high speed toward the Domifirt, who was leisurely walking toward Rio.
WHUUSH! WHUMP!
The two Eater arms shot out like projectiles. The Domifirt, without stopping his stride, simply shifted his body slightly to the side, easily avoiding one arm. The other, he parried with a hand that had just elongated, then threw it back at Dany with far greater force.
"You're too noisy, human," the Domifirt hissed, without glancing at Dany. His eyes were fixed only on Rio.
Dany grumbled, dodging nimbly. He knew his attacks were futile; the Domifirt was too strong, too fast. But he had to try. He kept throwing shards of stone, splinters of wood, anything he could reach at the Domifirt, trying to distract him, but the Domifirt was like an unscratched wall, every attack either dodged or parried with ease.
Dammit! We don't have time! Dany thought, sweat beading on his temples. He saw Lisa was also trapped, forced to protect the small child cowering behind her. They're both tied down, they can't help Rio. Rio, hang on!
The Domifirt finally arrived in front of Rio, his steps calm, his smile widening, revealing a set of perfect white teeth that felt obscene. A malevolent glint in his cold eyes signaled his terrible intent. He raised his right hand, his black claws dripping with the dark blue poison now level with Rio's face.