Oshime and Keiko moved cautiously through the dense forest, but Keiko's steps began to falter. He stumbled, a wave of dizziness washing over him as his energy drained rapidly.
"Hey, Oshime, we should really—" Keiko's sentence was cut off as he collapsed, unconscious, before he could finish.
"KEIKO!" Oshime screamed, rushing to his side. Her heart pounded as she knelt beside him, trying to shake him awake. His body felt heavy, and she could sense that his energy was completely depleted after unlocking his new power.
With no time to waste, Oshime struggled to lift Keiko onto her back, preparing to carry him further into the forest. But before she could take a step, the atmosphere around them shifted. From the depths of the shadows, dark creatures began to materialize—monsters made of swirling black smoke.
Oshime's eyes widened in alarm as a man emerged from the darkness. He had long, jet-black hair that flowed like a cloak around him, and his eyes gleamed with a sinister amusement. In his hand, he casually held a skill orb, the faint glow of its power reflecting off his smirk.
"Hey, you!" Oshime called out, her voice fierce as she positioned herself protectively in front of Keiko. "What do you think you're doing with that orb?"
The man laughed, his voice cold and mocking. "Hah, you already know, don't you? I'm not even absorbing it, and yet I can still wield its power," he sneered. "Mana resonance—ever heard of it? It allows me to use a skill without fully integrating it. Neat trick, huh?"
Oshime gritted her teeth. She had heard of this technique before—an advanced skill that required incredible mana control. She tightened her grip on her ice hammer, her mind racing. She couldn't let this man get any closer to Keiko.
"I don't care what trick you're using," Oshime said, stepping forward, her voice filled with unwavering determination. "I'm not going to let you hurt him."
The man's grin widened, and the monsters around him began to shift, their forms becoming more solid and menacing.
"Let's see how far your determination takes you," he said, his voice dripping with malice.
Oshime narrowed her eyes, her resolve hardening. She may have been outmatched, but she wasn't going to back down. Summoning all the mana she could muster, her ice hammer grew larger in her hand, glowing with an intense, frosty blue.
With Keiko unconscious and the shadowy monsters closing in, Oshime stood her ground. She was ready to fight, not just for her life, but for Keiko's as well.
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of the Gods...
Far above the clouds, away from the chaos of the demonic continent, the Kingdom of the Gods sat in all its divine splendor. It was a place of pure light, serenity, and unmatched power. But deep within this heavenly realm, sealed away in an ancient box covered in intricate runes, a far more dangerous presence was waiting.
Inside the runic box, the one known as the Godslayer sat, his eyes glowing with a quiet menace. His very existence was considered a threat, greater even than the Demon Lord himself. The gods had sealed him away, fearing what his unchecked power could do to the balance of all realms. The man wore a purple and black jacket, his hair constantly flickering between black and white, like a living reminder of his chaotic nature.
Leaning against the walls of his prison, a smirk crept across his face. "Oh my god, I'm getting tired of this..." he muttered, his voice carrying a dangerous, mocking tone. Slowly, the Godslayer began to focus his mana. The air around him crackled with tension as dark, purple light started to radiate from the box.
The ancient runes that had held him for centuries began to glow, the magic within them struggling to contain his growing power. The purple light intensified, filling the chamber with a dark, radiant glow, until suddenly—BOOM!—the box exploded, shattering into fragments as the overwhelming force of his mana broke free.
Stepping out of the wreckage, the man—Keiko's brother, the true wielder of unimaginable strength—cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, shaking off the stiffness of his long confinement. His black-and-white hair shifted in the ethereal wind, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of contempt and amusement.
"I wonder what my little brother is up to these days," he mused, his voice dripping with curiosity. "But before I pay him a visit... I think it's time these dumb gods learned their lesson."
With a dark grin, the Godslayer turned his gaze towards the grand palaces of the gods, towering far above the clouds. His mere presence sent ripples of fear through the divine realm, the gods sensing that their ancient foe had broken free. But it was too late now.
He was coming for them.
Deep within Keiko's mind...
Keiko drifted through a haze of memories, each one more painful than the last. He saw his father's tragic death, the gods' cruelty, and the moment his brother was sealed away. The weight of these memories felt suffocating, and the pain was still raw, as if the wounds had never healed. Tears streamed down Keiko's face as he relived the torture, feeling powerless, trapped in the cycle of suffering.
As the memories twisted and blurred into each other, they began to take form, coalescing into a figure—a boy who looked almost identical to Keiko, but different in subtle ways. The boy approached with a playful grin, stopping right in front of Keiko. "Hi, Keiko."
Keiko, confused and overwhelmed, wiped the tears from his eyes. "Who... who are you?"
The boy tilted his head, still grinning, and replied in a carefree tone, "Well, I'm you."
Outside of Keiko's mind, the battle raged on...
Oshime, now on her last legs, was fighting for her life. She had pushed herself far beyond her limits, yet the swarm of shadow-controlled monsters didn't let up. Her heart raced as she considered using that power—something she had been hiding all along. But no. She shook her head, refusing to rely on it.
"I have to do this without that," she whispered to herself.
The monsters charged her in relentless waves. A large, shadowy beast lunged toward her, but Oshime was quick, dodging just in time. Her hammer hit the ground with a mighty thud, and a mist of ice spread through the dense forest, obscuring her presence.
From the shadows, the sadistic boy with long black hair sneered. "Well, little lizard, you better run, or the snake will get you."
As if on cue, a massive serpent cloaked in shadowy smoke slithered toward Oshime, ready to strike. Just as she braced herself for the attack, a miracle happened.
Keiko appeared.
In an instant, he stood between the monstrous snake and Oshime. His hand shot out, stopping the creature's massive head with ease. The snake's momentum was halted as if it had hit an immovable wall. Oshime, stunned, looked up at Keiko, and what she saw was not the same boy she had known.
His skin, once glowing with an orange hue, was now a deep red. His hair, which had been vibrant, was now pitch-black, and his eyes shimmered with a wild, manic energy. Keiko snickered, as if enjoying himself, a twisted grin spreading across his face.
"Looks like I'm finally having fun," he said, his voice darker, more dangerous.
Oshime stared in shock. Keiko had changed. But whether this was for better or worse remained to be seen.