The sun was just starting to rise, casting a soft golden light over the mansion. I was exhausted—Fight with sheja could do that to a guy—but I still had to keep moving. Asia's mansion loomed ahead, a strange calm surrounding the place. I had been through enough these past few weeks to know that calm never lasts.
As I made my way closer, something caught my eye. Wait—what was that? No way. Through the window, from the distance... Asia?
My pulse quickened. There she was, bathing in the open-air tub in her private room upstairs. Steam rose lazily around her, the water glistening under the morning light. Her long dark hair clung to her skin, and her face, usually sharp and unreadable, looked soft, calm. Peaceful, even.
"This... this is unreal," I muttered to myself. "Is this a gift from the gods or some kind of twisted joke?"
I ducked behind a bush, heart pounding, and peered through the branches. My brain screamed at me to stop. Don't be an idiot, Eric! This is a bad idea! But my instincts? Well, they had other plans.
Before I knew it, I was crouching behind a patch of magma bushes, barely able to believe my luck. I must've looked like a fool, but who cares? Moments like this... they're too perfect to pass up. Right?
"Just a quick peek..." I whispered. "No harm, no foul, right?"
But something slipped out of my back as I shifted in the bushes—something small and pulsing. I didn't notice. I was way too distracted. In fact, I didn't notice anything until—
SPLASH!
She jumped.
Asia—she leapt out of the tub like she'd been struck by lightning, her eyes wide with shock. My heart stopped.
"What the hell?! Did she see me?!" My mind raced, panic taking over.
She stood there, frozen, her muscles tense, eyes darting around like something was about to happen. And it did. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew one thing—this wasn't normal. Something was very, very wrong.
Without wasting a second, I bolted toward the mansion, my legs carrying me up the stairs two at a time. "Asia, what happened?!"
I slammed my shoulder into the door of her room. Nothing. No answer.
"Dammit!" I cursed under my breath and kicked the door in with a crash.
And then… I froze.
Standing in front of me was a nightmare. A hulking, twisted mass of needles and muscle, its skin a disgusting shade of green, dripping with some kind of sickening fluid. Its body was like a bush from hell—needles sprouting everywhere, oozing blood.
Asia stood in front of it, fists clenched, ready for battle.
And then I heard it. That voice.
"Eric... Asia... I will kill you both!"
I felt my stomach drop. That voice—it was impossible. I killed him. I killed him!
"Sheja?! No... no way." My voice came out in a whisper, disbelief choking me.
Asia's eyes narrowed, disbelief flashing across her face too. "What are you?!" she demanded. "We ended this. How are you still alive?!"
The creature sneered, a jagged grin stretching across its twisted face. "You really thought I could be killed so easily? Pathetic! You mortals never understood the true power of the Soul Transformer!"
The Soul Transformer...
My blood ran cold. How was this possible? I had sliced Sheja down—he was supposed to be dead. He was dead! And now… now this grotesque creature stood before us, looking stronger, more vicious than ever before.
"Sheja, you bastard," I spat, gripping my blade. "I killed you once, and I'll do it again!"
"HA!" His laugh echoed around the room, a horrible mixture of a human voice and something far more monstrous. "Kill me? Again? You barely scratched the surface of my power, Eric. The Soul Transformer—its energy courses through me now! You can't comprehend what I've become!"
I tightened my grip, heart pounding in my chest. "You're insane, Sheja. What makes you think I'll let you walk out of here alive? Again?!"
He roared, the sound making the very walls shake. "The Soul Transformer holds the key to immortality! I will take it, create my new body, and with it, I'll reshape this world. No one can stop me! Not you, not anyone!"
Asia's voice cut through the madness, cold and sharp. "You fool. The Soul Transformer isn't a tool for power. It's a weapon. A death sentence for those who misuse it."
Sheja's needle-covered body shuddered, and his grotesque form surged forward. "Shut up! You think you can lecture me, Asia? You, who have stood in my way for so long?! No more!"
His arm shot out, needles extending toward me like spears. I barely had time to dodge, feeling the wind from his attack whip past my face. The sheer speed and power of it was terrifying.
"Damn!" I muttered, sweat pouring down my face. "He's way stronger than before!"
Steam rose around Asia as she stood before Sheja, her towel barely hanging on. The air was thick with tension, her muscular body glistening from the bath. Suddenly, snap!—the towel ripped apart, falling in pieces, leaving her exposed.
Time seemed to freeze. Everyone's mind went blank, even Sheja's twisted laughter stopped. Asia stood there, unfazed, her body radiating pure strength. The sight was awe-inspiring, her muscles like carved stone, every inch of her radiating power.
But Asia was calm—too calm. She stepped forward, her eyes locked on Sheja, her stance unwavering.
"Eric," she said, her voice low but steady. "Don't hold back."
I smirked, wiping the sweat from my brow. "I wasn't planning on it."
Before I could blink, Sheja lunged at me again, his monstrous arm arcing toward me like a wrecking ball of needles and rage. I rolled to the side, barely dodging in time, but I could feel the intensity of his attacks increasing.
This... this is insane! My mind raced. He's even stronger than before. But I can't back down now. No matter how strong he is, I've got to end this!
Asia's voice echoed in my head: "Don't hold back."
I glanced at Sheja, who was snarling, his grotesque form rippling with muscles. He took a deep breath, the kind that promised pain. "You think you can win this time? You're even more pathetic than I remember! I'll turn you both into nothing!"
"Let's see you try!" I yelled, adrenaline surging through me. I could feel it—the power welling inside, fueled by my rage and determination.
In a flash, I charged at him, my blade glinting under the sunlight streaming through the window. I swung hard, aiming for his exposed side, but he twisted away, needles whipping out in retaliation. I barely managed to dodge, feeling the sting of one scrape against my arm.
"Too slow!" he taunted, voice dripping with arrogance. "You're still a novice!"
"You're the one who's going to fall!" I shouted back, my voice rising with intensity. I pivoted, using the momentum to land a sweeping kick that caught him off guard, sending him stumbling back.
Asia took her chance, launching forward with astonishing speed. "I'll take the lead! Eric, follow my rhythm!" She spun gracefully, her towel flaring out like a battle flag, her movements fluid and precise. She unleashed a flurry of punches, each one aimed at Sheja's core, striking with the elegance of a dancer yet the ferocity of a warrior.
"Get ready!" she yelled, her fists a blur. "It's time to end this!"
I watched, awestruck, as she launched into a spinning kick that connected with Sheja's face. He staggered, fury etched into his features, and that was my cue.
I moved in, launching a series of attacks that mimicked Asia's style but with my own flair. "Fist of the Phoenix!" I yelled, channeling all my energy into a powerful uppercut. My fist connected with his jaw, and I could almost hear the crack echo through the room.
Sheja's head snapped back, but he recovered quickly, anger surging in his eyes. "Is that all you've got?! I'll end you!"
With a roar, he lunged again, and this time I was ready. I ducked and rolled, feeling the rush of air as his needles whizzed past. I could sense the rhythm of battle—the highs and lows, the ebbs and flows.
Just as I stood up, Asia launched herself forward again, this time using my distraction to her advantage. "Shattering Star!" she yelled, driving her fist deep into Sheja's abdomen.
He howled in pain, the sound like nails on a chalkboard, and I seized the opportunity to follow up. "Rising Sun Strike!" I roared, my fist driving upward, connecting with his chin with an explosive force.
He stumbled back, visibly weakened but still standing, a monstrous grin spreading across his face. "You fools... you think you've won? You have no idea what I'm capable of!"
With a flick of his wrist, needles shot out again, aiming for both of us. "Needle Storm!" he bellowed, the air filled with a cacophony of hissing projectiles.
"Watch out!" Asia cried, moving to shield me. I couldn't let her take the brunt of his attack.
In a split second, I activated my skill—Phoenix Guardian! A shimmering barrier enveloped us, and the needles hit it like raindrops on glass, ricocheting harmlessly away.
Sheja's face twisted in rage. "You think that will save you? I'm not done yet! I'll show you true power!"
With that, he staggered, his energy fading, but his eyes glinted with a desperate determination. "HICCUP!" he roared, a chilling echo reverberating through the air. "I summon you!"
The atmosphere shifted, darkening around us. I could feel it—something ancient and powerful was awakening.
In an instant, he began to disintegrate, his body crumbling into ashes, a horrible grin still plastered on his face. "I'll be back! You haven't seen the last of me!"
Asia's expression didn't change, but I saw the flicker in her eyes, that same realization. We were speechless, motionless, as the truth crashed over us.
"The Martial King... Hiccup..." I muttered. The words felt heavy on my tongue, too heavy. Impossible.
Asia's fists tightened. "No way... Why would he answer a call like that? Hiccup, the strongest—" Her voice cut off, her usual composure slipping. I had never seen Asia like this—rattled.
The air around us thickened. It was as if the entire mansion shifted, an unnatural stillness that only ever meant one thing—danger.
In the blink of an eye, something unthinkable happened.
A sound like the tearing of reality itself filled the room. And before we could process it, a pillar of light shot down from the ceiling, splitting the very atmosphere apart. The world warped. Time seemed to slow, my breath caught in my throat as the blinding radiance pulsated, and then—he stepped through it.
Tall, imposing, his very presence a gravitational force pulling everything toward him.
Hiccup.
His entrance was more than just a man arriving—it was the arrival of a god. His silhouette emerged from the light, long, flowing hair cascading behind him like liquid gold. Muscles that looked carved from marble flexed under his perfect skin, and his eyes—those eyes—were sharp, gleaming, with the predatory gaze of a being who knew he was invincible. His body radiated with an aura that screamed perfection, every move slow, deliberate, as if he had all the time in the world.
We were ants before him.
I could feel the weight of his power pressing down on me, suffocating, almost crushing my bones into dust. I had never felt anything like this before—not even Sheja could compare.
"He's... He's a monster," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the deafening silence.
He stepped fully into the room, his regal, god-like form glowing in the dim light of the mansion. His steps were slow, graceful, yet every movement seemed to echo with power. His expression was one of complete control—he knew there was no one in this world who could challenge him.
And then he spoke, his voice deep, smooth, like the rumbling of the earth itself. "You've defeated Sheja... but his mission was incomplete. I've come to finish it."
I tried to speak, tried to move, but my body was frozen. There was no escape from this. This wasn't a man—this was a force of nature.
Suddenly, a noise broke the suffocating tension—footsteps, hurried and panicked. The mansion's staff burst into the room, surrounding us. Hira, Asia's butler, stood at the front, his usually calm face now etched with concern. Behind him, Philow, the head maid, and every maid, butler, and worker in the mansion gathered. The entire mansion had been mobilized.
Hira, Asia's butler, stepped forward first. His eyes, sharp and resolute, locked onto Hiccup with the same intensity as a lion ready to strike. "Martial King or not, I won't let you lay a finger on Lady Asia!" His voice cut through the silence like a blade.
Philow, the head maid, followed suit, her cute, delicate features hardening into a deadly mask. "You've underestimated us." Her fists clenched, muscles tense. "Let's show him what happens when you mess with our family!"