Kurobane Ryuji never knew that death could be this exhilarating.
As his figure swayed down the gloomy air and through the layers upon layers of burnt talismans like a broken leaf, his stance limp as if he had the entirety of his tendons cut and his bones shattered, he saw the passages of his entire lifetime flashing before his eyes like flipping pages of a dull book.
At that particular moment, time seemed to have considerably slowed down as they matched the pacing of his weak heartbeats and for once, the young exorcist thought of reflecting on himself.
He hadn't lived for long – a little over 17 years to be exact – but throughout this short lifetime of his, he had been known for many things and accredited with many titles.
The Brightest Star of The Young Generation.
The Most Talented Exorcist ever born of the Kurobane Clan.
The Savior – The very hope of mankind and yet, not even the strongest genius in history like him was able to defeat a newborn Tier-5 Tenma and casually make his safe retreat.
But that was fine.
He thought to himself with a smile, his eyes glazing over to emit a soft and yearning glow as if he was staring right at his future – once so far away and yet for once, and only at this moment of near death, so close as if within his reach.
It was fine for the sacrifice was worth it.
His eyebrows twitched. Suddenly, a flash of lightning seemed to have struck him right through the soul and in that instant, the rush of his blood, his breath, his heartbeat – everything about him sped up like crazy as if they were suppressing something monstrous and rampaging.
A burning sensation came from his chest or to be exact, from the heart, which was then followed by an eerie whisper against his ears.
"This is not the end, human. We will soon meet again."
"No, this is the end." Ryuji replied almost instantly, his gaze sharpening like a lethal blade that had just been unsheathed.
With a decisive thought, he concentrated whatever pulsating energy left within his strained body to his rotating core, forcing out a powerful ripple that scared the small fries away, clearing the entire surrounding area clean and leaving behind him only.
Then, under the exertion of his will, a yellow-colored talisman flew out of the charred clothes on his bosom, the bold strokes painted on both surfaces glowing a fearsome bright red.
As more and more energy was channeled into the talisman, the paintings shone brighter and eerier, speaking weights on the immense destruction it would soon unleash. And yet,
"This is pointless."
The demon arrogantly said, despite sounding so weak, dry, and dying.
"You don't have the means to purge me for eternity."
"You're right." Ryuji amicably agreed, coughing out more blood in the process. He was never a person of many words. However, today, he was strangely in a rather good mood.
"But that's fine." He calmly continued, "Sealing you here and keeping you in place is more than enough."
"Kurobane Ryuji!!!"
The demon raised its voice, screaming out both rage and unwillingness.
"You stupid human! Look around you! They all had left you to die with me! To sacrifice yourself for the likes of them, do you have no brains?"
The sudden spike in the surrounding area's negative energy field prompted his lips to twitch and frown. But, what shook him more was the two taboo words coming from the demon's mouth.
Ryuji's fist unknowingly tightened. How did the demon know of his name?
He could still feel the cold energy pulsating against his skin, masking his entire facial features as long as he remained in this realm.
The incantation hadn't failed. He had not been exposed, so how did the demon recognize him? If not–
Right then and there, his pupils constricted as he seemed to have caught a figure out of the corner of his eyes.
A true powerhouse, a Tier-5 Divine Exorcist that was more fitting to stand against the Tier-5 newborn Tenma, unlike the dying him whose prowess was far below.
But, despite the rising expectation in his heart, the Divine Exorcist didn't move from his distant position and had instead merely watched him with cold eyes, arms crossed against the chest in a relaxed manner as if watching a good show.
Ryuji's blood ran dangerously cold. To pave an escape route for the other young elites to leave the Astral Realm, he had selflessly pitted himself against a demon way above his league. The attempt was suicidal, but he had decisively bit the bullet and acted upon the impulse.
One lowly life for 39 young elites, the cream of the crop of the younger generation.
He had initially thought that the exchange was worth it but, now that he chanced upon this indifferent powerhouse, he started to doubt himself.
This heroic sacrifice of his… Was it a selfless act, or one that was planned out from the very start?
A buzz rang in his ears, numbing his five senses. Ryuji couldn't think any further as he lost all control of his body and "Boom!" He exploded with a powerful impact, leaving nothing but splattering rain of flesh and blood.
From then on, aside from the fishy and metallic smell lingering thick in the air, the world seemed to have been put into a still silence, entirely stripped of any flow of sound nor a movement even as slight as the caress of the wind.
Standing miles away from the scene, the Divine Exorcist watched the amusing spectacle with a sneer.
The brightest star of the generation was now gone, his blinding radiance burning his very self into scattering ashes.
A talent nipped in the bud before it got the chance to bloom to its full potential. It was a pity indeed, but what had that got to do with him?
He was only here to retrieve the sealed newborn Tenma and now that the deed had been completed, it was finally his turn to make his move.
With a tap of his shoes, the exorcist's figure disappeared and reappeared right at the spot where the fallen star once stood, trampling the now damp spot as he clicked his tongue in distaste.
His stance was casual and relaxing, strolling from one corner to the other corner of the battlefield until suddenly, his figure stiffened, his expression turning both ferocious and threatening.
"The Seal. Where is it?"