As the furious mage prepared to deliver a decisive blow to Tatsuki, his eyes met with a sight he hadn't expected. Tatsuki, despite being held back by the chains, bore a proud expression, as if he had already won. The mage swiftly threw a punch at Tatsuki's face, and the sound of bones cracking filled the air. Yet, it was the mage who displayed fear, not Tatsuki.
In the next moment, Tatsuki ominously declared, "I have seen your worth. It's time to die." A malicious aura, shrouded in darkness, began to form above him. The shadow had no face, only two shining, ominous eyes. It was an intimidating presence beyond explanation. Fear gripped the mage's heart as death seemed to loom over him. Paralyzed with terror, he lost his sense of balance and began crawling away from Tatsuki, tears streaming from his eyes.
"No, no, no, stay away from me. I don't want to die. No, no, stay back, stay back," the mage cried, reduced to a helpless state akin to an infant before a menacing predator.
As the terrified mage lost his will to fight, the shadow mysteriously transferred itself into Tatsuki. The mage's strength had deserted him, and he was barely conscious. In an act of provocation, Tatsuki, even in his weakened state, dared to taunt the mage with harsh words. "What happened, you old poop? Can't lift your weapon? Is that all the strength you had, to hide like a pathetic coward, huh?"
The mage, trembling and sobbing, struggled to find the strength to get up, driven by fear and guilt. With anger in his eyes, he asked, "You little punk, you shouldn't be able to use any kind of intimidation skill due to the effect of the sealing circle. So just what did you do? What the hell are you, you freak? Answer me, you punk."
With renewed determination, the mage rushed toward Tatsuki and grabbed his neck, attempting to choke him. But his strength hadn't fully returned. Tatsuki, despite the assault, laughed bluntly and showed no concern. Instead, he exchanged more heavy words, saying, "What happened, you coward? Did your arms fail you too? Are they as weak and pathetic as you are? You have lost... hahaha."
In a desperate move, the mage struck Tatsuki in the gut with his head, but even in pain, Tatsuki continued to laugh and repeat his words, "You have lost." The confrontation between them reached its boiling point.
A low voice cut through the tension, as the girl muttered, "Enough." However, her voice didn't seem to reach her grandpa, who was relentless in his assault on Tatsuki. Frustrated, she shouted, "That's enough!"
The mage, turning to see his granddaughter with tear-filled eyes, was unaware of the cause of her distress. He blindly lashed out at Tatsuki, accusing him of harming his "little love." Tatsuki responded, bewildered, "Huh? Don't blame me for everything, you old coot, no-balls licker honey bee."
However, the girl's pleas had a profound effect on her grandpa, who seemed to soften in response. In a gentle tone, he asked her, "What do you mean, love? I'm afraid you have to be more clear about it." The girl pointed toward the sealing circle and spoke, "Look at the sealing circle; he was telling the truth all along. We are the ones in the wrong here."
The mage turned around to inspect the circle more closely and realized, "No way, is that... I can't believe my eyes. It really is 'The Megaanun-year Sealing Spell.' It's one of the most potent sealing spells ever cast. But how did he, and why is he under that spell?"
With his head hanging in shame, the mage couldn't bear to look Tatsuki in the eyes. The girl approached Tatsuki, cradling his head in her arms and then gently placing it against her chest. Concerned, she cautioned her granddaughter, "Be careful, love. No ordinary person can survive for that long. Even if what he said is true, we don't know if he is an enemy or not. If he is not evil, then how will you explain the reason for him being trapped like this, love?"
Tatsuki, overcome with emotion, expressed his frustrations. "You people are the same, all of you. You fear the unknown and wish to get rid of it, not caring if it's innocent or not. Stop pretending that you care and just get the hell away from me."
In response, the girl spoke gently, "Your soul has been wounded so severely by your own kind that now you are trusting your instinct over kindness. But there's nothing to fear anymore. No one is going to hurt you now. You can rest easy right here, and I'll look after you. Forgive me; I hope I could have come sooner."
Hearing her soothing words, Tatsuki's last bit of strength left him, putting his soul at ease. As the girl's tears slid down his face, he spoke, "So sleepy. Must take a nap..."
Tatsuki fell asleep, and the mage and the girl continued their conversation. The mage seemed troubled, and the girl refused to leave Tatsuki's side. After a few minutes, the mage broke the chains, and they took Tatsuki with them, starting their journey back to their home.