"Holy damn!" Rei said in surprise after seeing what Orchid had done.
He really hadn't expected to see her killing every Erste soldier like that.
From her nature in the game, Rei had thought she would bind them and prevent them from moving.
But here, she was literally destroying their hearts with a single gesture.
And her ability with Thread... he hadn't expected it to be this overpowering. Sure, he knew almost all Primal Beasts were ridiculously strong, but Orchid's body was the first Primal Beast he had created, so he thought her power wouldn't be this immense.
*Bzzt*
While admiring his creation, Rei suddenly felt his wings flickering and starting to lose their power.
Turning his head, he could see his twelve wings, covered in menacing purple aura, beginning to disappear.
"Looks like three hours is the limit. If I keep using them, my Astral side will take over again," he muttered to himself.
"Orchid, I need your help here."
Hearing that, Orchid immediately turned around and saw Rei's condition, her expression immediately filled with panic.
Running on air towards him, she asked, "What happened? Your wings... they're starting to disappear like that."
"I'm fine. I just can't use these wings for too long. Can you lend me a hand for now?"
And so, with Orchid's support, Rei managed to stay floating in the air as his wings continued to fade away until only four remained.
Now, on Rei's back, only four dark wings remained, and his power had decreased drastically. But at least he could still fly.
"Thank you for lending me your shoulder, Orchid. We should find Lecia and Monika and ask what's going on with this island."
"Hmm..." Orchid muttered softly, but she still didn't let go of him for some reason.
"Orchid, you can let me go now."
"No, it's fine. I can keep holding you like this. Your power is still unstable because of me, so just let me hold you!" she suddenly said in a firm tone, clearly with no intention of letting go.
"...Alright," Rei sighed. From his experience with others, he knew she wouldn't give up even if he argued further.
And so, the two of them flew around, trying to find Lecia or Monika.
It didn't take long before they found Lecia in a destroyed part of the city. But the problem was, Lecia wasn't alone.
In front of her stood a tall Draph man, wearing an outfit that made him look like a commander of the Erste Empire soldiers attacking the island.
He was holding a massive sword, but for some reason, the blade remained sheathed. It seemed he hadn't drawn it at all.
However, he looked confused. Likely because his soldiers had all suddenly died. He probably managed to survive using pure instinct, slashing Orchid's threads before they could finish him.
"Looks like you missed one, Orchid," Rei said jokingly.
"I should have used more power on the thread. It's my first time using it, so I didn't know the correct strength I should apply," Orchid said in a disappointed tone.
"Don't be sad about it. We have all the time in the world to train you," Rei said with a soft smile while patting her long white hair.
After that, both of them landed beside Lecia. As they got closer, they could see Lecia was wounded, but not from any slashing attack—these were physical wounds, bruises from blunt impacts.
It seemed Lecia had been fighting the Draph man in front of her, but he hadn't been taking her seriously at all.
"Lecia, are you okay?" Rei asked immediately after landing.
Lecia looked surprised upon hearing that familiar voice, but her surprise deepened when she saw Rei and Orchid land beside her.
"Rei?? Orchid??? How are you two here??" Lecia asked, but her words were cut off as her eyes locked onto Rei's back.
"Wings!??"
"Hello, Lecia. You seem to be in deep trouble; I didn't expect to see you so wounded like this," Rei said calmly as he approached her.
Then, turning his sharp gaze toward the tall draph man, he added, "And you… Imperial Lieutenant General Gandharva. Did you come here seeking revenge against Lecia's father or something?"
"You… you're not normal. And that aura... it's definitely not that of a Primal Beast. Who are you?" Gandharva asked cautiously, his grip tightening on his massive sword.
As a former captain in the Enforcers' crew, Gandharva had fought countless powerful opponents. His sharp instincts and honed experience allowed him to sense danger far beyond ordinary soldiers. But Rei… Rei was different. His overwhelming presence and aura were something Gandharva had never encountered in his life.
"Well, since I already know your name, it's only fair if I introduce myself," Rei said with a faint smile, taking a few steps forward.
"I'm one of the Astrals. The head researcher of a facility long forgotten. My name is Rei."
Raising his right hand, silver lightning crackled around him, spiraling downward until it materialized into a gleaming golden katana. The air around them hummed with raw energy as Rei firmly gripped the blade.
[IMAGE]
"An Astral? That's impossible. They disappeared over five hundred years ago!" Gandharva exclaimed, disbelief written all over his face.
"I don't care whether you believe me or not," Rei replied, his voice steady and cold. "You came here seeking a fight with Walfrid's daughter. You crave a battle with someone strong, don't you? Well, I'm right here."
Rei shifted his stance, holding his katana's sheath horizontally across his left hip with his left hand and gripping the handle with his right. His posture mirrored that of a master Iaido or Iaijutsu practitioner, sharp and disciplined.
As Rei settled into his stance, Gandharva's sharp eyes caught faint purple butterflies fluttering into the air from behind Rei. His expression briefly shifted into one of contemplation before he suddenly erupted into laughter.
"Hah! You're different… finally! A real fight!" Gandharva roared, his voice booming as he drew his massive sword from its sheath.
The act of unsheathing his blade was rare—Gandharva usually fought with it still holstered, only drawing it when he deemed an opponent truly worthy. Lecia had failed to meet his expectations, even after ambushing him with multiple allies. But Rei… Rei was different.
With a practiced motion, Gandharva cast aside his sheath and leveled his sword at Rei, his stance firm and ready.
"Your katana seems dangerous," he said, narrowing his eyes at the golden blade in Rei's hand. He could already tell—the slightest mistake would cost him dearly. Deflecting Rei's attack was out of the question; dodging would be his only option.
At that moment, Rei's four wings slowly faded away, dissolving into particles of light. He wouldn't need them for this fight.
Now, the two stood face-to-face. Their eyes locked, weapons ready.
The air crackled with tension as the battlefield seemed to hold its breath.
The duel was about to begin.
------
"Are you okay, Lecia?" Orchid asked, her gaze focused on the wounds.
While Rei and Gandharva were locked in battle, Orchid didn't seem worried about Rei's condition at all. She knew he wouldn't lose to Gandharva, especially after witnessing how hard he trained with Narmaya. Even without his wings, she was certain he could win.
"I'm fine..." Lecia responded, her eyes glued to the ongoing fight.
Rei had already moved forward with incredible speed, entering his Dawnfly Dance stance. The first stance he used was a blend of speed and counter-attacks while dodging, intending to gauge the strength and style of Gandharva.
Narmaya always advised him to know his enemy before taking action, so that's exactly what he aimed to do.
With really fast speed, Rei appeared in front of Gandharva, swinging his katana swiftly in his direction.
"!?" Gandharva was forced to roll to the side, narrowly avoiding Rei's strike.
As Rei pressed the attack the air around them seemed to shimmer with the faint glow of purple butterflies, their wings fluttering and weaving around the fighters.
Gandharva, a tall and muscular draph, focused on brute strength. His movements were slow but powerful, built on force rather than agility. With each of Rei's precise counters, Gandharva dodged and attempted to retaliate, but Rei, with his Dawnfly Stance, easily evaded the strikes. He was measuring his opponent's moves.
The purple butterflies continued to appear, swirling in the air, adding an ethereal touch to the fight as Rei maintained his speed and evasion, his katana always in motion, a blur of precision. Gandharva, however, was not without his own skill, continuing to evade and strike with raw strength, but Rei's dance-like movements kept him at bay.
And with each dodge and strike, Rei could feel Gandharva's power and experience. He wasn't aiming to defeat him immediately, but to know his fighting style.
The dance continued for a few more moments before Rei finally understood Gandharva's fighting style. With a sharp command, he ordered the purple butterflies that had appeared around them to attack.
The butterflies responded instantly, fluttering their wings toward Gandharva and disrupting his movements. In that brief opening, Rei leaped backward, creating distance between them.
"Damn, what is this? I've never heard of a fighting style using butterflies!" Gandharva's frustrated voice rang out as he swung his sword wildly, trying to cut through the fluttering insects.
Rei landed gracefully and assumed a new stance, bending his knees while gripping his katana at his left hip. His eyes closed, his breathing steady.
"Butterfly Effect."
He murmured the words softly, sharpening his senses to their absolute limit. Around him, the wind began to stir, and more butterflies emerged from the shadows, filling the battlefield with an almost surreal beauty.
The delicate creatures floated and twirled around Rei, their wings glowing faintly in the dim light.
"Whoa… beautiful," Lecia whispered in awe, her injuries momentarily forgotten. She had never imagined a battle could look so elegant and mesmerizing.
"It looks like it's over," Orchid said calmly, her threads gently swaying in the breeze created by the butterflies.
After a brief moment of stillness, Rei's eyes snapped open. His body tensed as he prepared to deliver the final blow.
"Dragonsbane."
In an instant, Rei vanished from sight. The butterflies surrounding Gandharva scattered into a dazzling storm, their wings leaving faint glowing trails in the air.
Suddenly, countless slashes materialized around Gandharva, their edges gleaming in the pale light.
Rei reappeared behind him, crouched low with his katana extended, the blade shimmering faintly.
"Transient."
He spoke the word softly as he rose to his feet, turning slightly to glance over his shoulder.
A moment of silence followed… and then, like an intricate tapestry unraveling, deep, clean cuts began to appear all over Gandharva's body. His right arm, still clutching his sword, fell to the ground with a dull thud. More slashes bloomed across his chest, shoulders, and back in quick succession, as if the air itself had sliced him apart.
Gandharva coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth. His legs trembled as he struggled to remain standing, using every ounce of his strength to prevent himself from collapsing.
"H-Heh… Such an incredible style. I've never seen… anyone fight like you…" he rasped, each word escaping his lips with great effort.
"It's all thanks to my teacher teaching me her style," Rei said to him calmly.
"I see, it's from your teacher. Too bad I didn't get the chance to meet her, but this ending... it's not bad either," Gandharva replied.
For someone like him, ending his life in battle against someone with such overwhelming power was an honor. He had long sought an opponent worthy of his sword, and now, he had found one.
But Rei didn't share the sentiment. He felt no sympathy for Gandharva—not after what had happened on Amalthea Island. The town had been reduced to rubble, and countless innocent people had been injured because of him and his soldiers.
"Orchid, do it," Rei said coldly as he turned away, walking towards Orchid and Lecia.
Without hesitation, threads materialized around Gandharva, glimmering briefly before slicing through him in an instant. His body was reduced to countless pieces, scattered in the wind.