Lewa and Crissalid were running at full speed after Yin, who had a considerable lead thanks to his impressive speed.
The wind blew fiercely through the trees of the forest as the leaves crunched under the feet of the pursuers.
"I still don't know his Jibun, but I've come to this conclusion: Yin has a power contract for his Keiyaku, so if he uses it, he couldn't have another technique active. And what technique do we already know he could have active?" asked Criss, his voice resonating through the murmur of the wind.
"He most likely has the boy they came to find under his mental control, but I still don't know how he controls them mentally," replied Lewa, struggling to keep up while dodging branches and roots.
"It's most likely that he's an S-class mentalist," concluded Crissalid, with determination in his tone, as the chase continued through the dark and dense forest.
"What do you mean S-class?" Lewa could barely contain his surprise as they continued pursuing Yin through the dense forest.
"The mentalist nature is divided into categories: C-class mentalists can only slightly influence some people or animals if they make physical contact; B-class can control small animals with basic actions; A-class can do the same as B-class, but also with humans. Lastly, S-class can give complex orders to one or more targets by merely casting their aura on the victim, but only if the victim has less mental capacity than the attacker," explained Criss, with a deep knowledge of the nature. "That's why he's not going to use a Keiyaku, and if he could use a Jibun, he would have used it earlier instead of escaping."
"So, are you saying we can attack him without worrying about a zen attack?" inquired Lewa, looking for a strategy to neutralize their elusive target.
"Yes and no. He can still take more people under his mental control, like the old man from the bar. However, we now know how he puts them in that state. So, as long as we avoid being targeted by the palm of his hand, we can hit him without other worries," explained Criss, his voice filled with determination as he mentally mapped out his strategy. But thanks to this revelation, Lewa realized something terrible:
"He's heading to Village Ten!" Lewa exclaimed, his voice vibrating with urgency.
"What's Village Ten?" asked Criss, his mind already working to anticipate potential dangers.
"Within the reserve, there are several villages of primitive houses where people from the tribes live. They're people who decided to distance themselves from the cities for a while and connect with nature," explained the novice, his voice tinged with concern.
"He's going to try to possess them to form a small army against us," assumed Crissalid, his mind quickly calculating the possible consequences as he picked up the pace to prevent any innocents from being harmed at the hands of the cunning Yin.
Meanwhile, high on the cliff, Touko found herself in a desperate situation. The wounds caused by using her Jibun were not only making her lose blood from her side, but now blood also flowed from the deep lacerations that the roots of her Keiyaku had inflicted on her arm.
"I'm so stupid; at this rate, I'm going to bleed out. I have to think of something fast," Touko murmured to herself, her voice barely a whisper in the vastness of the mountainous landscape as she made her way towards the cloud of dust that had risen where Jasha lay. However, it wasn't until the dust settled that she could see the true extent of the horror: Jasha was still standing, precariously holding on to an ice rock he had materialized. His right leg and arm were shattered, reduced to grotesque sacks of torn skin, with pieces of mangled flesh and crushed bones protruding from the remains.
"This girl has taken me completely out of action with a single move. I still don't know if that was a Jibun or a Keiyaku, but at this point, it doesn't matter; she can't do anything else," Jasha thought as he watched Touko's legs give way to exhaustion, amazed by his adversary's determination. Despite her state, she continued dragging herself towards him, with an inner strength that defied any adversity. "If we had met in a different place and time, I would have given my life for you, I could have won you over, we could have had a family... now I hate myself for being the one to take your life," lamented the white-haired boy, lost in thoughts of what could have been in a different world, while Touko drew closer, determined to keep fighting.
"I'm not doing this out of compassion; what I'm about to do is an act of love!" Jasha exclaimed, his voice laden with mixed emotions, just before launching a large sphere of frost at the blonde girl lying on the ground, exhausted and too weak to dodge the attack. Touko's face reflected a mix of resignation and determination as the projectile inexorably approached.
The sphere of frost struck forcefully, enveloping Touko in a burst of cold and crystals, and Jasha couldn't help but feel a pang of regret as he watched her fall. "I hope to meet you in another life," he murmured, his voice choked with emotion, unable to hide the remorse in his words, as the silence of the cliff absorbed the echo of his final words.
Almost immediately, the cloudy sky that had been gathering all day burst open, and it began to rain heavily. The rain fell in an intense curtain of drops, soaking the earth and creating puddles on the ground. That once serene sky now roared with thunder and lightning, as if expressing its grief over what had just happened.
There is an ancient myth that said the rain was the sky's tears after witnessing the death of a pure soul, and now, in the midst of that furious storm, that myth took on a deeper, darker meaning. Each raindrop seemed to carry a bit of the pain and sadness that enveloped the place, as if nature itself was mourning the loss of a precious life.
Several minutes before the rain began, Crissalid and Lewa managed to reach the entrance of the village, where they were met by a resonant war cry in the distance. A figure stood against the horizon, a woman in her forties, wielding a rustic broom like a weapon against the newcomers.
"That woman is being controlled by Yin, try not to hurt her," Crissalid warned, his voice filled with palpable anger, his jaw tense with frustration. "That bastard had time to put her under his control."
"We need to knock her out before she captures more people," suggested Lewa, deftly dodging the blows raining down on them from the broom-turned-weapon.
"Don't worry, I won't take up much of your time!" Yin thought to himself, revealing that he was watching and listening to everything through the eyes of the possessed woman. Without wasting a second, he snapped his fingers, activating his Jibun: "Bomber-man."
Crissalid and Lewa were stunned as they witnessed the woman, in the blink of an eye, stop attacking them and transform into an inflated figure, with gigantic blisters erupting all over her body.
"Is what I think is going to happen really going to happen?" Lewa asked, his voice trembling with terror at the situation.
"Just in case, activate your Armor," Criss ordered, his tone firm and decisive, before grabbing his arm and pulling him away as quickly as possible in the fraction of a second before the innocent woman's body exploded. The explosion was devastating, equivalent to the detonation of a small charge of dynamite; body parts were flung into the air, accompanied by a torrent of blood. The upper part of Criss's uniform was in tatters, his left arm and part of his torso exposed, while Lewa's pants had some small holes and tears.
"That bastard just violated the most important wartime law agreed upon by the White Hall Association: no intentionally killing civilians," Criss remarked, a mix of anger and consternation in his voice as he took in the horrific scene. "Yin created his Jibun based on breaking that rule."
Lewa stood up, still dazed and dizzy from the explosion, as he beheld the horrifying and grotesque scene unfolding before his eyes. Crissalid's words echoed in his mind, penetrating his consciousness like a grim warning.
"Lewa, I hate to ask you this, but you're going to have to defend yourself," Crissalid said, sorrow evident in his voice, a single tear sliding down his cheek as he watched helplessly as three innocent civilians, possessed by Yin, approached dangerously.
"What are we going to do? Are we going to let him force us to kill civilians?!" Lewa exclaimed, his voice filled with fury and desperation, as he saw Criss shove the puppet leading the group, triggering the explosion process that enveloped the other two civilians following behind in a chain of destruction.
"It would be ideal to find him before he sends more... but it looks like he won't let us breathe. He's going to exploit every soul in this place," Criss responded, his gaze fixed on the imminent threat as a dozen puppets approached them, carrying the weight of tragedy and the moral conflict they faced.
By the lake, the fierce battle between Lyra and Ik continued, with the young woman deftly managing the situation thanks to the power of the Tiger Beast. However, Ik was not falling behind; the seal on his forehead granted him formidable resilience, allowing him to easily withstand each of Lyra's strikes.
In a crucial moment of the fight, Lyra managed to land a powerful kick infused with the dark mantle right under Ik's jaw, sending him flying through the air in an acrobatic flip. However, before she could savor her apparent victory, Ik took advantage of his position in the air to execute two quick kicks aimed at Lyra, who, confident in her success, was caught off guard, expecting the moment he would fall to deliver the final blow.
Once the young novice found herself face down on the lake floor, Ik positioned himself over her, locking her in a hold that kept her submerged, preventing her from taking in air, while the lake water threatened to drown her. Feeling panic and urgency, Lyra focused all her strength on the arm Ik had gripped and, with superhuman effort, managed to break free, skillfully flipping over to end up on top of him.
At that moment, she had the perfect opportunity to render Ik unconscious, choking him with her own hands. However, her anger and frustration manifested through her fists, fiercely pounding Ik's face, which already had broken lips and a bleeding nose, though he seemed unaffected by the pain.
It was then that the Manautra seal on Ik's forehead activated for the second time, revealing a second Ruptis. The tear tattoo on his face from the first Ruptis transformed, extending into a line that tapered to a point and slid from his eyes to halfway down his cheeks, marking an even deeper transformation in his power.
Taking advantage of the opportunity while Lyra was occupied with her hands, Ik freed his own hands trapped by the young woman's legs. He then grabbed Lyra by the collar of her blouse and pulled her towards him with immense force, delivering a devastating blow to her face that sent her several meters backward, leaving her stunned and vulnerable in the turbulent water of the lake.
At that moment, both Lyra and Ik had transformed into beings unrecognizable to themselves and to others. Lyra acted more like an animal, driven by her most primal instincts and uncontrolled emotions, while Ik seemed to have turned into an emotionless machine, obeying orders without question.
However, Lyra's transformation did not last long. Her body, unprepared to withstand the power of the Tiger Beast, suddenly rejected it, and she lost all that power in an instant. The dark patches that had appeared on her skin turned into open wounds, from which blood flowed, slowly staining the water around her feet crimson. Lyra, now wounded and weakened, found herself at a disadvantage against Ik's cold and calculating presence, whose expression remained undisturbed even amidst the chaos surrounding them.
Ik's subconscious plunged into the depths of a dark and desolate abyss, where time seemed to stand still and space distorted into an endless labyrinth. Amidst shadows and whispers, his mind wandered aimlessly, clinging to faint hope represented by a small glimmer of light standing in the distance, as distant as a star in the sky yet radiating a comforting warmth, as warm as the sun.
"It doesn't make sense; I've been walking for hours but the light doesn't seem to get any closer," Ik thought, feeling the weight of exhaustion bearing down on his shoulders as his footsteps faded into the endless darkness surrounding him. However, like a beacon in the night, the glimmer persisted, drawing his attention time and again, like an irresistible call from the depths of his being.
However, it was the light itself that began to draw near, as if responding to Ik's longing. A glimmer of hope surged within him, and with renewed vigor, he surged forward, piercing through the darkness with determination and courage. "The closer I get to the light, the more peaceful I feel. I no longer feel pain in my feet or cold," Ik reflected as his heart raced, fueled by the promise of the unknown that awaited beyond the light.
The emerging figure gradually took shape, like a work of art sculpted in the very light, and though the clarity was still hazy, Ik felt a strange familiarity in her presence. The silhouette drew nearer, and with each step, Ik's soul trembled with the sensation of recognition enveloping him. And then, in the ecstasy of their reunion, he understood: that radiant light bore the exact form of the first person with whom he had forged a bond of friendship, that light was Lyra.
"This warmth, this light, it was always here... it was you," Ik said, his voice choked with emotion, as he took Lyra's hands in his, feeling a deep connection with the girl before him.
As Ik blinked, the first thing he saw was that person, that being of light who had saved him, now unconscious, bloodied, and kneeling before him, having received a blow from him. The contrast between the image he had seen in his subconscious and the raw, painful reality unfolding before his eyes overwhelmed him, leaving him with a profound sense of guilt and despair.
Several minutes earlier, in Villa Ten, Crissalid found himself in a desperate situation. Forced by Yin's mental manipulations, he had been compelled to detonate half a dozen innocent civilians, while Lewa, unable to harm innocent people, struggled to escape the nightmare unfolding before them.
"I love seeing those faces filled with frustration," Yin declared with a sinister tone, watching them from atop the bell tower of the small chapel, which served as the community center in Villa Ten. Beside him, a grim pile of bodies lay heaped, each one a victim of Yin's twisted machinations, on the brink of becoming living bombs against their will, with no possibility of resistance.
"I've only got eight left... once the show's over, I'm out of here," Yin added indifferently, as if discussing a simple child's game, while coldly contemplating the chaos he had unleashed.
In an instant, six marionettes surrounded Lewa, trapping him in a circle of imminent danger. Criss, struggling with three marionettes simultaneously, was unable to come to his aid, engaged in a desperate battle to stay afloat amidst the relentless onslaught of their enemies.
Lewa, feeling the weight of despair bearing down on him, was cornered, unable to see a safe way out. Wherever he looked, he only saw the threat of an imminent explosion that could tear his existence apart. Amidst the anguish and fear, a certainty solidified in his mind: "There's only one way out," he thought, resigned, as his body trembled and sadness reflected on his face, a mirror of the internal torment consuming him.
"Infernal Whirlwind!" Lewa roared with a mix of anger and desperation, unleashing all the fury and hatred he harbored towards the one responsible for his misfortune. With a bold leap, he aimed a powerful gust of wind towards the ground, propelling himself away from the danger zone while damaging the marionettes enough to trigger the chain explosion he feared so much.
The thunderous roar echoed through the air, alarming all nearby wildlife that fled in terror from the imminent danger. Criss, rushing towards where Lewa had fallen, hurried to assist him. However, upon reaching him, he froze in his tracks, surprised and alarmed by the sight before him. The novice, his face drenched in blood and emanating an intense aura of blood lust, was unrecognizable, transformed by the brutality of the conflict they were immersed in.
Blood lust, also known as "Bloodlust," is an aura reaction triggered by intense feelings of hatred, anger, or the desire to inflict harm on others. This phenomenon is extremely rare and only manifests in situations of extreme emotional tension, especially when someone is using Armor, an ability that enhances both physical and mental capabilities.
In extreme cases, Blood lust can induce a transformation in the affected person, plunging them into a state of violent and uncontrollable frenzy. However, some individuals have the ability to train their minds to unleash Blood lust at will, turning it into a powerful weapon in combat.
When someone is exposed to another individual's Blood lust, they can experience a range of disturbing symptoms. This includes intense fear, distress, a sense of paralysis, hallucinations, and in extreme cases, physical pain described as a sensation akin to having a large chunk of ice adhered to the skin for an extended period. This psychological and physical influence can leave the victim vulnerable and disoriented, impairing their ability to resist or escape from the danger posed by the person affected by Blood lust.
Lewa extended both arms to the sides, raising his hands with wrists tilted towards the sky in a pose that optimized Zen energy gathering. With determination in his eyes, the young novice turned to his companion and communicated his plan:
"Cover me, I have an idea."
"What are you thinking?" Crissalid asked, his attention divided between restraining the marionettes and Lewa's words.
"I'll explain later," Lewa replied, not ceasing his focus on gathering energy. With fluid movements, he began to rotate slowly while releasing small bursts of air. The wind blew gently around him, barely noticeable, like a whisper in the breeze.
"Found him! He's in the bell tower of the chapel," Lewa exclaimed excitedly. Before he could blink, Crissalid vanished, leaving only imprints on the grass scorched by the speed of his departure. With the cloudy sky and Yin's attention distracted, the flashes of Criss's flaming footsteps disoriented the giant man, causing him to tumble from the bell tower with a deafening crash. In the sky, a great flame began to streak across the firmament, descending upon Yin, who was barely managing to get to his feet. It was Crissalid's Jibun: "The Phoenix," manifesting in an explosion of fire and light.
"Agent Star's body is covered in flames forming a pair of wings on his back, moving so fast that I can only see the trail of fire he leaves in the air as he glides," Yin thought, his heart pounding with fear as he watched Crissalid's imposing figure unfold in the sky ablaze.
Before he could react, Crissalid had already descended upon him, landing a blow so powerful that Yin momentarily lost consciousness. As darkness threatened to engulf him completely, a few raindrops shook him out of his daze, reminding him that he still had a chance to escape from this nightmare.
"Berserker," Yin thought, invoking the power contained within his Keiyaku. With a titanic effort, he channeled all his available Zen energy into the ability, deactivating any other capabilities he was using at that moment. It was his only hope of facing the formidable adversary before him.
"You bastards are making me fail Khal!" Yin yelled, his voice resonating with fury as his aura grew, generating a powerful shockwave that pushed Crissalid backward, causing him to collide with Lewa, who was barely holding on to his path towards the bell tower with the last reserves of energy he had left. With relentless determination, Yin extended both arms and launched himself toward the Warriors, ready to charge at them with all his strength.
Inside, Yin didn't feel anger at losing the fight; his fury was a torrent fueled by the frustration of being cornered. Lewa and Criss had forced him to use his Keiyaku, which meant Ik was now free.
Yin knew that without his mental control, Lyra would retrieve her companion. Despite his rage, Yin was aware of his limitations; he couldn't afford to kill Criss or Lewa. At that moment, his wounded pride burned more intensely than any physical pain he might feel.
"And now what? Am I supposed to just let them go as if nothing happened?" Yin growled, his voice laden with restrained fury. In his mind, anger simmered alongside awareness of the consequences. "If they weren't Warriors, I'd murder them without a second thought... but no, I don't want the entire damn alliance of governments after me," he bitterly reflected, struggling to contain the violent emotional storm consuming him.
Meanwhile, in the icy lake, Ik was overwhelmed by a profound sense of confusion as he held in his arms the first person he had come to consider a friend. Lyra lay in his embrace, her body wrapped in a crimson stream flowing from wounds inflicted by the powerful Tiger Beast.
When Ik finally returned to his own body, it was as if awakening from a turbulent dream. All the images of what had transpired slid before him like a fleeting déjà vu, leaving a trail of confusion and anguish in its wake.
After a few minutes, Crissalid and Lewa regained consciousness and quickly got to their feet, though they were still completely disoriented. "Where did he go?" Crissalid wondered aloud, trying to discern Yin's presence amidst the chaos. However, his concern was interrupted by Lewa's alarmed voice, who, barely managing to stand, exclaimed:
"Touko and the other girl, we left them alone!"
"You're right, they never arrived; they could be in danger",confirmed Criss as he hurriedly ran towards the clearing on the cliff, with Lewa closely following. The urgency drove them to act swiftly, aware that time could be crucial for the safety of their companions.
Upon reaching the clearing, Crissalid and Lewa encountered a heart-wrenching scene: Touko lay sprawled on the grass, her frail figure stained by dark splotches of blood, while Jasha stood over her, still clutching the large shard of ice he had conjured. Supported by Crissalid to remain standing, Lewa wasted no time in breaking free and running towards Touko.
"Touko, no!", shouted Lewa, falling to his knees beside the young blonde. "Damn it! What did you do to her? Touko, wake up, please, tell me you're okay".
As Lewa desperately tried to rouse Touko, Crissalid approached Jasha cautiously, who had remained motionless since the arrival of the Warriors.
"Crissalid, look at this!", exclaimed Lewa, noticing how Touko's bleeding points had been sealed with frozen blood on top. The young blonde coughed a couple of times, her gaze still clouded with confusion, before asking about the girl with pink hair.
"That shard of ice, it can't be natural... you're an ice elemental, aren't you?", interrogated Crissalid to the young man with long hair, receiving no response. — Did you save her?
"Criss, she's waking up, but we need to get her to a hospital quickly!", Lewa exclaimed urgently. However, when he turned to look for his companion, he found Crissalid kneeling in front of Jasha's lifeless body.
"I don't know what happened here, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving this girl. It was my responsibility, and once again, I failed," murmured Crissalid, his voice laden with sorrow and self-criticism.
"Take Touko to the hospital immediately. I'll stay behind to find the other girl and the rookie we came to rescue. Yin probably gave up, that's why he let us go," explained Lewa urgently. Before he could finish his sentence, a familiar figure appeared climbing up the mountainside, carrying Lyra in his arms.
Neither of them had emerged victorious in their respective battles, yet the mission was a complete success.