Beneath the crimson-black sun, Vento, his big sister Valentina, and their father were joyfully running around the garden. They laughed freely, completely oblivious to the fact that their feet were trampling the beautiful flowers blooming throughout the space.
"Ahahaha!" With laughter echoing in the air, the plants in the garden crumbled one by one under their steps.
"Grrr~" A ghoul who had just finished beautifying the garden looked dejected as he watched Vento and his family crush the carefully tended plants.
Unaware of the ghoul's dismay, the trio continued to run cheerfully until they reached a hill. There, they began to play with the fantasies swirling in their minds.
"Look! There's a giant rat over there!" shouted Valentina, Vento's big sister, as she pointed to a patch of empty ground in front of them.
Though nothing lay there, Vento and their father began to play along with Valentina, acting surprised as if a mighty monster truly awaited them.
"You're right, my daughter! What should we do now?!" their father asked, feigning panic with exaggerated expressions.
"What should we do, Big Sis?!" Vento echoed his sister's excitement, glancing curiously left and right as if scanning their surroundings for danger.
"Don't worry, Vento, Father. I have a brilliant idea!" Valentina exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with confidence.
"Then, what is it, Valentina?!" their father inquired, hopping up and down in excitement.
Without hesitation, Valentina closed her eyes and covered her face with her right palm, leaving a small opening between her fingers so only one eye peeked out.
"The answer is!" With an eccentric pose underscored by imaginary dramatic music, she continued, "We attack together!"
It sounded innocent, but such was the nature of children. Hearing this, their father played along, pretending to take the idea seriously. "Great idea, Valentina!" he exclaimed, gently patting her shoulder and giving her a thumbs-up.
"That's right, isn't it, Vento—Vento?!"
As their father turned to look at Vento, he found his son groaning in pain, clutching his chest with both hands. His face had turned pale, and an eerie mist began to envelop his body. Gradually, the mist formed a sphere that completely engulfed Vento.
"Vento!"
Valentina, seeing her little brother in distress, couldn't remain still. She dashed toward him, determined to check on his condition.
"D-don't come closer!"
Before she could take more than a few steps, Vento stammered, urging her to back away.
"Shut up!"
Ignoring her younger brother's warning, Valentina pressed forward despite the invisible force emanating from Vento, pushing her back.
Woosh!
"Valentina, watch out!"
Just as Valentina attempted to step closer, a pitch-black spear shot toward her. Luckily, their father, noticing the imminent danger, activated a protective spell that shielded Valentina's body from harm.
"Valentina, find a safe place! Let me handle this!"
"But—!"
"There's no time for buts! Just go!"
Not wanting a repeat of the earlier incident, their father urged Valentina to seek safety. Obeying his command, Valentina hurriedly ran away from the spot. At that moment, massive black wings burst from their father's shoulders, wrapping him in a crimson-black aura reminiscent of the sun's color in this world.
Woosh!
With a speed that the eye couldn't track, their father charged toward Vento, skillfully dodging the black spears that flew toward him as he approached.
"Father, help me!"
Vento cried out as he strained to reach for his father through the swirling mist.
"Vento!"
His father extended his hand, but as they neared each other, the black sphere that had slowly closed around Vento now enveloped him completely.
Moments later, silence fell. Even the black spears that had threatened their father had vanished, leaving only a gigantic black sphere that concealed Vento within it.
"Vento!"
Punch! Punch! Punch! Slash! Slash! Slash!
Panicked, their father struck the massive sphere with ferocity, desperate for Vento to break free from its suffocating grip. A massive sword materialized from his palm, radiating power as he began to slice at the sphere in a frenzy. Yet, despite his efforts, it proved futile; the sphere remained unyielding, resolute against his relentless assault.
"Release my son!"
Frustrated, the father found himself pleading with the orb before him. Gritting his teeth, he struck the sphere again with his bare hands, ignoring the pain that surged from his injuries.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
In the midst of despair, the colossal black sphere began to fracture. Noticing the cracks, the father's heart surged with hope. However, contrary to his wishes, a tremendous force erupted from within the sphere, threatening to overpower him.
"Kggh!"
He was pushed back by the force emanating from the sphere, struggling to maintain his balance.
Crack!
Gradually, the small cracks expanded until the sphere finally shattered completely.
Boom!
Accompanied by a thunderous explosion, a small boy began to emerge from the swirling smoke within the remnants of the sphere. It was none other than Vento.
This time, the timid, innocent boy bore little resemblance to the child they once knew.
Long black claws slowly extended from his fingertips, and enormous black wings unfurled from his shoulders. His once innocent teeth grotesquely elongated, particularly the fangs. The bright gaze in Vento's eyes dimmed, now replaced by a haunting crimson glow devoid of any sign of life, as if he had lost his very essence.
What made the transformation even more chilling was that it only affected half of his body. The other half, covered in white scales, bore a halo that hovered eerily above his head. His red eye glowed ominously, contrasting sharply with the blue eye of his other half, now staring blankly at his father.
"Vento?"
The father gazed at his son with profound concern at the abominable sight before him.
"Vento? Can you hear me?" Despite the monstrous form his son had taken, he remained a father at heart, inching closer to the paralyzed Vento who continued to look through him with hollow eyes.
Wiing!
Just as he was about to reach his son, a white trident adorned with sharp serrations emerged from the ground and flew into the father's right hand.
"!!!"
In an instant, however, the father's reflexes were swifter than the trident's trajectory. He instinctively redirected his gaze toward the oncoming weapon.
"Vento, wake up!"
After stepping back slightly, the father steadied his breath, preparing to call out to his son with renewed determination.
Wiing! Woosh!
Yet Vento offered no response. Instead, he launched a furious assault against his father, gaining speed with each moment. This time, he hurled the white trident and the black spear toward him.
Clank! Clink!
Once again, the father skillfully parried both weapons using his sword. However, one crucial detail escaped his notice: Vento had taken to the skies, charging at him with astonishing velocity.
Slash!
Vento swung his deadly claws, and the father—caught off guard by the onslaught—suffered a direct hit to his chest. Though the wound was shallow, blood began to trickle down from the injury inflicted by his own son.
At first, the father merely felt a slight sting. Gradually, however, a burning sensation spread from the wound Vento had caused.
"Kghh!"
Grimacing against the heat coursing through him, the father immediately tried to grasp his son's hand tightly.
Pssh!
To his dismay, the hand he clutched—blackened and foreboding—was searing hot, causing him to involuntarily release his grip. Vento instantly withdrew, retreating several meters before bracing himself to attack once more.
"Vento, please listen to me! I beg you, come back to yourself!"
As before, Vento showed no sign of acknowledgment. Instead, he began to snarl viciously, gearing up for another strike.
"Grrrr!"
Realizing that all his efforts had been in vain, the father inhaled deeply, summoning his resolve. An aura more powerful than before erupted from his being, enveloping his entire body, including the blade he wielded.
"I'm sorry, my son, but you need to feel a bit of pain."
As his apologies escaped his lips, his eyes radiated a bright golden hue, while his physique swelled threefold, and black horns sprouted from his head.
Sensing the impending threat from his father's overwhelming aura, Vento reacted instinctively. In an instant, he dashed toward his father with superhuman speed, as if time had momentarily slowed to witness this deadly encounter. With the white trident in his left hand and the black spear in his right, he charged forward, determined to eliminate the source of his turmoil before something worse befell him.
"Authority, [I'm The Absolute]"
Yet it was too late for Vento. As he lunged toward his father, an immense dome encased them both. Within its confines, Vento's body felt weighted down, as if all his energy was being siphoned away.
"GRRR!"
Despite the oppressive force, Vento relentlessly pursued his attack. Fueled by rage and confusion, he failed to notice the danger approaching him. Just as he exerted himself to strike, a massive fist barreled toward him from above. In mere moments, that fatal blow struck him with overwhelming strength, sending him hurtling backward, leaving a deep imprint in the ground where he fell.
Once he finally came to a halt, Vento felt all his strength fade away. His body felt heavy and weak, making it increasingly hard to stand. Slowly, he closed his eyes, surrendering to the fading light of consciousness.
"I'm sorry, my son."
Witnessing his child in such a pitiable condition, the father bit his lip without realizing it, feeling an unbearable ache in his heart. Swiftly, he lifted Vento's now fragile form into his arms, cradling the boy who had reverted to his original state, and began to carry him away from the battlefield. In his heart, he silently prayed that such a traumatic event would never occur again in the future.