Once Su Yin was calm, Kin turned to the three intruders. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice cold and anything but friendly.
Thena, the girl Kin had struck earlier, stood from where she had crashed, glaring at him. Her pride had been wounded—getting caught off guard by a young boy was not something she could easily accept. She clenched her fists, ready to teach him a lesson about hitting girls. However, before she could make a move, the smallest of the three girls, Thia, stepped forward.
"You're Ashell," Thia said, her voice steady despite the tension in the room.
Kin's eyes widened in shock. No one knew that name—no one. He had never spoken it out loud to anyone since he had summoned his curse. His frown deepened, and his grip tightened. Without hesitation, Kin summoned Kasir, his heavy battle axe.
"I'll ask again," he growled, his tone carrying a dangerous edge. "Who are you? And where did you hear that name?"
"Tell Vera to stop suppressing your curse," Iku's voice resounded in Thia's head
Thia, unfazed by the axe or the hostility radiating from Kin, calmly turned to Vera, the young woman among them.
"Vera, can you stop suppressing my curse please," Thia said, almost like an order.
Vera hesitated for a moment before addressing Thia. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes," Thia replied with confidence. "And do the same for Thena. If she wants to fight him, she'll need all her strength."
Reluctantly, Vera nodded. "Alright, then," she said softly, lifting the suppression she had been maintaining.
The change was immediate. A suffocating aura of death filled the room, pressing down on everyone present. For those who were mere humans, the weight was unbearable. Several dropped to their knees, their faces pale as if they had seen the grim reaper himself. Some even collapsed entirely, unable to withstand the overwhelming sensation.
Kin's expression darkened as he felt the oppressive energy intensify around him. He gripped Kasir tighter, his eyes locked on the trio.
"You've just made a grave mistake," he warned.
Ashell wanted to stop him, but she held back… She knew exactly, what was going on. After all, she had also sensed Iku inside Thia.
Kin narrowed his eyes, Kasir's weight steady in his hands as he faced Thia. The oppressive aura of death radiating from her was undeniable, but he stood firm, refusing to back down. The others watched from a distance, unsure of how the clash would unfold.
Thia stepped forward, her calm demeanor masking the storm of power within her. With a flick of her wrist, a dark mist formed at her side, swirling and condensing until it took shape—a long, menacing scythe. The weapon radiated an energy so chilling that even Kin felt a shiver crawl up his spine.
"So, you are the one carrying Ashell's curse," Thia said, her voice calm but laced with curiosity. "Let's see if it's as powerful as I've heard."
Kin's frown deepened. "You'll regret meeting me," he said, raising Kasir, his sleek, deadly axe. The air around him shifted as he drew strength from Ashell's domain, his muscles tightening and his movements becoming sharper. He lunged forward, sword aimed at Thia in a blur of speed.
Kin adjusted his stance, Kasir glowing faintly in his grip. The oppressive aura surrounding Thia was suffocating, but he stood his ground, his sharp eyes locked on her every movement.
Without another word, Thia dashed forward, her scythe slicing through the air with a haunting whistle. Kin reacted instantly, stepping to the side with precision and using Kasir's broad blade to parry her strike. The collision sent a ripple of force through the room, shaking the walls, but Kin didn't falter.
"Not bad," Thia admitted, retreating and blinking a short distance to his flank. She lashed out again, her scythe coming down in a deadly arc, but Kin was ready.
He twisted his body smoothly, avoiding the strike by mere inches before countering with a powerful swing of Kasir. The heavy axe forced Thia to blink away again, reappearing a few feet behind him.
"Fast reflexes," she thought, her grip tightening on her weapon.
Kin smirked, swapping Kasir for Ken in one fluid motion. The lighter sword fit perfectly in his hand as he surged forward with startling speed, forcing Thia onto the defensive. Each strike was precise and calculated, testing her defenses while exploiting every small opening.
Thia's scythe twirled in response, deflecting his blows, but her movements weren't as refined as his. Kin could see it—her strength was raw, her power undeniable, but she relied too much on the overwhelming force of her curse.
"You've got power," Kin said between strikes, "but power without control won't get you far."
Thia's eyes narrowed, and her aura darkened. "Then let me show you control."
She swung her scythe in a wide arc, the blade releasing a wave of energy that cut through the air toward him. Kin ducked and rolled to the side, summoning Angel's Bow in the same motion. He fired three arrows in quick succession, each one glowing faintly with the energy of Ashell's domain.
Thia blinked twice, avoiding the first two arrows, but the third grazed her arm. She hissed, her scythe spinning defensively as she regained her footing.
"You're better than I expected," she admitted, brushing her fingers against the faint scorch mark on her sleeve.
"And you're tougher than you look," Kin replied, notching another arrow.
Thia didn't give him a chance to fire. She closed the gap between them in a blink, her scythe coming down in a heavy slash. Kin returned Angel's Bow and summoned Ken just in time to block, the blade straining against the scythe's overwhelming weight.
The two weapons clashed again and again, sparks flying as Kin held his ground. Each swing of Thia's scythe was a test of strength, but Kin's refined techniques allowed him to stay ahead, parrying and countering with practiced efficiency.
"Let me guess," Kin said, deflecting another blow. "You've never fought someone who can keep up with you before."
Thia's lips curled into a smirk. "And you've never fought someone who can break you."
Their weapons locked, the force of their clash sending a shockwave through the room. Kin gritted his teeth, drawing more energy from Ashell's domain. His strength surged, and with a burst of effort, he pushed Thia back, forcing her to skid across the ground.
Thia straightened, her scythe resting on her shoulder. For the first time, a flicker of respect crossed her face. "You're strong— maybe even stronger than him."
Kin lowered Ken slightly, his breathing steady despite the intensity of the fight. "I don't know who you think you are, but you have no idea who you are messing with."
Thia chuckled softly, the oppressive aura around her easing slightly. "Maybe. But the same could be said about you."
Kin watched her carefully as she lowered her weapon. Though the fight had ended, he could see it in her eyes—this was only the beginning of whatever challenges lay ahead.
Thia tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "And you're stubborn," she said. "But I think I've seen enough."
Without warning, she raised her scythe high, and the oppressive aura of death intensified. For a moment, it felt as though the entire room had been plunged into a void. Kin braced himself, summoning every ounce of strength from Ashell's domain to withstand the energy.
Then, just as quickly as it had surged, the aura receded, and Thia lowered her scythe. "You'll do," she said, stepping back.
Kin stared at her, breathing heavily. "What… was that?"
Thia gave him a small smile. "Consider it an introduction. For now, I'll let you keep your pride."
Kin wanted to respond, but the exhaustion in his body spoke louder than words. Thia turned away, the scythe dissolving into mist once more as the oppressive atmosphere faded.
"My name is Thia, Thia said. You must be Kin, the prince of Wize."
"I don't know who that is" Kin replied.
"There's no need to be like that" Thia said.
As the two finally stopped fighting, everyone else looked at them, awe struck. They couldn't imagine how two children were able to carry such ominous power.