Chereads / Africa Leveling / Chapter 4 - ASHES OF DESPAIR

Chapter 4 - ASHES OF DESPAIR

"If my mother and father do not exist in this world, then why should this world exist?"

Thirty minutes earlier, six pairs of eyes stared down from the sky, fixed on the silhouette of Africa below.

Above the clouds, an advanced civilization thrived—one that had mastered gravity itself. Cities and castles floated effortlessly in the air, a dazzling kingdom in the sky. The grandest of these castles, home to the king, his queen, and their children, stood proudly at the highest point. Beneath it, an upside-down city clung to the underside of the castle, defying logic as nobles lived their lives with their heads facing the ground far below.

But these sky-dwellers were not human. They were hares, a species far more evolved, their intelligence and power unmatched.

"Mother, why don't we ever go down there?" asked Prince Buno, his eyes wide with curiosity as he stared at the distant shape of Africa.

His mother, regal and poised, turned to him with a stern gaze. "Never speak such words. We are not to associate with those creatures below. You were born in the sky, and here you shall remain. If your father hears you speak like that, he will not be pleased."

Buno, around the same age as Kit Mi Kai, glanced at his twin brother, Bano, who had been watching quietly. A mischievous glint flashed in Bano's eyes.

"I wonder how they taste," Bano murmured, licking his furry lips.

Buno blinked. "What?"

"I said... I wonder how they taste. Do you think they're delicious? When I'm old enough, I'll go down there and eat them all." His voice was soft but unsettling, and his lips curled into a twisted smile.

Buno recoiled. "You must be demented."

Their mother shot him a sharp look. "Don't speak to your brother like that. He's just... special." She lovingly stroked Bano's head as he continued to stare hungrily at the ground below.

Suddenly, a general approached them, his uniform adorned with badges of honor. He bowed deeply. "My Queen, the King requests your presence."

"Come along, children. Let's not keep your father waiting." She took their hands, leading them back inside. As they walked, Bano turned his head, fixing the general with a stare. Slowly, he licked his lips again, his eyes gleaming with unsettling intent. The general, though visibly unnerved, bowed once more, averting his gaze.

The clouds darkened, and a soft drizzle began to fall. It was a quiet omen of the storm to come.

On the ground below, tension crackled in the air.

"You... you kicked my son to death," the bandit leader growled, his voice shaking with rage. His eyes burned with hatred, and his body trembled like a predator ready to pounce. "But you also have a son, don't you? Isn't it only fair that I kick your son to death? Yes... a son for a son."

The bandit leader lunged toward the boy, hands outstretched, aiming to strangle the boy.

Kut Mi Kai's father, seeing the attack, quickly reacted. He activated his Earth Manipulation skill. Blood droplets began to seep from each of his fingertips, forming tiny crimson spheres. The blood, rich with power, coalesced into a larger form, granting him control over the earth itself.

With a fluid motion, he shaped the ground into a massive fist that launched upward.

The bandit leader's eyes widened in shock as the earth-crafted punch rose from the ground, striking his lower jaw with immense force. The blow sent him flying backward, straight toward Kut Mi Kai.

Kut Mi Kai wasted no time. His eyes glowed with fierce focus as he molded his father's blood into the form of a giant hammer, infused with the ground itself. As the bandit hurtled toward him, Kut Mi Kai swung the earthen hammer with precision, smashing it into the left side of the bandit leader's face. The impact sent the man crashing through a nearby hut made of cow dung and mud, splintering the walls as debris flew everywhere.

Suddenly, a woman, who had been hiding in terror within the hut, bolted out, her face stricken with fear. But before she could escape, the bandit, now furious and wounded, grabbed her by the back of the neck.

"Watch how I burn your son to ashes," he snarled, his hand igniting with deadly flames.

The woman's screams filled the air as she was engulfed in fire, her body turning to ash in moments.

Kut Mi Kai's heart dropped. His son, trembling in fear, stood frozen nearby. The bandit, now consumed by rage, locked his gaze on the boy and advanced with murderous intent.

Kut Mi Kai, refusing to let his son fall, moved swiftly to block the attack. The two clashed in a flurry of strikes, their movements blurring as the storm overhead intensified. Lightning flashed, illuminating the battlefield as Kit Mi Kai deflected blow after blow, while the bandit pressed his assault with savage fury.

The boy, overwhelmed, started crying as the fight swirled around him—each punch and kick sending shockwaves that seemed to trap the child in the eye of a brutal storm.

Kut Mi Kai managed to land a powerful strike, and in that split second, he seized the opportunity. With a shout, he manipulated the ground again, this time creating a stone prison that wrapped around the bandit like a boulder. The bandit thrashed inside, punching at the walls with ferocious strength, his fiery fists lighting up the cracks that began to form in the stone.

Kut Mi Kai turned toward his wife, Miarra, her eyes wide with shock, paralyzed by the chaos and her mother's death. "Miarra! Miarra! Take the boy and run!"

But Miarra didn't respond. Her gaze remained distant, lost in fear.

Kut Mi Kai cursed under his breath. "Snap out of it, Miarra! Get our son out of here!" Still, no response. She stood frozen, her body trembling.

Panic crept into Kit Mi Kai's mind. *What do I do? Think. Think!* His pulse quickened. *If I let my rage out, I could end this...* He hesitated. *But... no. I'd destroy the entire village. My son would be caught in the destruction.* He clenched his fists, blood and earth swirling around him, fighting to keep his emotions in check.

Suddenly, a deep crack sounded from the stone trap. The rain had weakened its structure, and the bandit's punches grew more violent.

Just as Kut Mi Kai began to lose hope, a familiar sound broke through the storm.

*Woof! Woof!*

It was Bosko, the slightly glowing dog that had been their faithful companion. The dog bounded through the rain, barking urgently.

"Bosko!" Kut Mi Kai shouted, relief flooding his voice. "Take the boy to his grandmother! You know the way—go, now!"

The dog barked in acknowledgment. Without hesitation, Bosko clamped his teeth around the fabric of the boy's shorts and dragged him away, racing toward the safety of the nearby village.

The bandit, still trapped, roared in fury. "If you let that boy escape, I'll have your heads!"

Kut Mi Kai's eyes flashed with determination as he watched his son disappear into the distance. This battle wasn't over yet.