Kaito's body was battered, but his will remained unbroken. As he wiped the remnants of blood from his mouth, he felt an odd sense of relief-a victorious calm after a storm. He had consumed enough zombie blood during the night to not only restore his energy but to heal his wounds and regain his full physical form.
And then it hit him.
As his cursed powers stabilized within him, the regeneration process completed its work. The blood he had consumed had not only repaired his body but restored every aspect of it, including the parts he had lost. He glanced down, a smirk forming on his lips as realization dawned.
"I'm whole again," he muttered to himself, his voice tinged with dark amusement.
Kaito clenched his fists and rolled his shoulders. testing his renewed strength. The cursed blood coursing through his veins left him feeling invigorated, powerful, and untouchable. The night of slaughter had not been in vain-it had brought him closer to his peak potential.
He surveyed the desolate town one last time. The once-cursed place, teeming with the undead, was now lifeless in a different sense. There were no more zombies to fight, no more cursed energy lingering in the air. He had cleansed the town in his own brutal way, leaving nothing but destruction behind.
With a final glance at the horizon, Kaito began to walk away. His stride was confident, his smirk unrelenting. The battle had been grueling, but he had emerged victorious, stronger than ever. He knew that more challenges awaited him, but for now, he allowed himself a moment of satisfaction.
The town of the Zombie Devil had fallen, and Kaito Asura was leaving it behind, a supreme god in both strength and form.
Kaito walked steadily along the narrow, eerie path, the dense forest swallowing him in its oppressive shadows. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and faint, ghostly whispers seemed to drift through the trees. Despite the unsettling stillness, Kaito's mind remained focused, oblivious to the presence of another figure.
I watched him from the shadows, my eyes burning with a deep, relentless rage. I am Drynthor, the brother of the Zombie Devil, and I had learned the bitter truth—my brother was slain. Killed by none other than the boy now treading through this forest as if the weight of my brother's blood meant nothing.
My form blended with the forest itself, my bark-like skin crackling softly as I moved closer, roots and vines dragging behind me. The earth beneath my feet seemed to pulse with my fury, but I held my ground, biding my time. Kaito's steps echoed faintly, his figure outlined by the dim glow of moonlight filtering through the twisted branches above. He was alone now, but I could sense his power, an undeniable aura that had brought my brother to his doom.
Vengeance coursed through me like sap in my veins. I would make Kaito pay for what he had done, but not now—not here. A battle against him demanded more than brute strength; it demanded cunning and preparation. He was strong, I knew that. But I, Drynthor, am not to be underestimated.
For now, I let him walk, my silent presence a promise of the storm to come. The forest shuddered as if it could sense the confrontation that lay ahead. Soon, I would strike. And when I did, Kaito would come to know the wrath of a brother's vengeance.
Kaito finally made it back to his home, his body heavy with exhaustion. The blood of the devil he had consumed earlier had worked its magic, regenerating his severed body parts, but it could not erase the fatigue of fighting relentlessly for over 24 hours. Each step felt like dragging a mountain as he pushed open the door and stumbled inside.
The house was eerily quiet, the dim lighting adding to the stillness. Kaito didn't care. All he wanted was rest. His legs carried him automatically to his room, his mind too fogged with weariness to take in his surroundings. As he reached for the wall to steady himself, his fingers accidentally grazed an old photo frame hanging nearby.
The frame tilted slightly, its once-still surface rippling as though touched by an unseen force. A faint glow began to emanate from it, but Kaito didn't notice. He was already falling onto his bed, his body giving in to the overwhelming need for sleep.
Unbeknownst to him, the photo on the wall shimmered, the image within shifting and distorting. Slowly, a figure began to emerge—a woman, her form ethereal yet commanding, stepping out of the frame as if crossing a threshold between worlds. Her gaze settled on Kaito, who lay motionless on the bed, deep in slumber.
The room fell silent again, save for Kaito's slow, steady breaths. The woman stood there, her presence enigmatic and her intentions unclear. The photo on the wall returned to normal, as though nothing had happened. Kaito remained unaware of the mysterious guest now standing in his room, watching him as he drifted deeper into the world of dreams.
Kaito lay in his bed, wrapped tightly in his blanket, the cold of the night seeping into the air. His exhaustion had drawn him into a deep sleep, his chest rising and falling steadily. The silence of the room was broken only by the faint creaks of the wooden floor as the mysterious woman moved closer.
Her ethereal beauty seemed almost unreal in the dim light, her eyes shimmering with an intense, unspoken desire. She stood by his bedside for hours, watching him sleep, her presence both comforting and unsettling. Finally, as the night deepened, she could no longer resist. She reached out and carefully tugged at the blanket wrapped around him.
The sudden chill on his skin stirred Kaito from his slumber. His eyes fluttered open, groggy at first. but then they widened as they focused on the woman standing before him. She exuded an aura of dangerous allure, her intentions clear in the smoldering look she gave him.