Applause.
A smooth, irony-tinged voice echoed through the half-collapsed street.
"Impressive. Very impressive. I must say, kid, you're quite lucky. That blade should have finished you off."
All eyes, even Panda's despite his fierce battle, turned toward the source of the voice. Two calamities emerged from the shadows: one shaped like a giant serpent and the other, a humanoid figure bristling with razor-sharp spikes.
Between them, Geto appeared, draped in his long black robe and wearing a smile. He advanced slowly.
A cold shiver ran down Panda's spine. His instincts screamed that they were facing something far beyond their usual limits. The man's smile only deepened the oppressive aura.
As Geto opened his mouth to speak again, the curse by Yuta's side charged straight at him. But the massive serpent-like curse intervened, its titanic jaws snapping open to engulf it.
Yuta's curse, Rika, didn't flinch. With a frightening agility for her size, she pivoted and drove her claws into the serpent's scaly flank. The beast hissed in pain, its colossal coils thrashing violently against the crumbling walls, which collapsed like toy blocks. Rika ripped out a chunk of flesh, tossing it to the ground in a cloud of black mist, before roaring again.
Meanwhile, Panda fought desperately to survive. The hordes of lesser creatures grew more numerous. His left paw slammed one into a wall, while his right smashed another to the ground. His breaths came shorter and shorter, but he kept an eye on Yuta, still kneeling.
Geto remained motionless, his expression calm as ever. As Rika tore into the serpent, he began clapping slowly, drawing the duo's attention.
"Magnificent, truly. An impressive display, Queen of Calamities. You've certainly earned the title."
Rika didn't seem to hear him. With a tremendous leap, she lunged to obliterate Geto. But the humanoid spiked curse intercepted her. With a brutal motion, it unleashed a storm of wind blades.
CLANG.
Rika performed an acrobatic spin mid-air, deflecting the projectiles with a swipe of her claws. She landed with an impact that cracked the ground beneath her, then launched herself at her opponent. Seizing the creature by the neck, she hurled it violently against the wounded serpent. The two monsters crashed together in a deafening explosion of sound.
Geto, still calm, raised his hands slightly. "Let's be civil, shall we? I only wanted to talk. Yuta, isn't it?"
Yuta, gasping for breath and pale, forced himself to look up. "Who… are you?"
Geto smiled, almost amused. "Suguru Geto. A pleasure. I must admit, your connection to this curse is fascinating. I'm not here for you—not yet, anyway. But… this curse? A true masterpiece. If it were mine…"
He didn't get to finish. Rika, glowing with fury, unleashed her full power, obliterating the rubble around her in a devastating shockwave. Her claws dug into the ground as she leapt with unimaginable speed toward Geto.
The remaining curse, battered but still functional, stepped in once again. Rika collided with it in a clash of overwhelming force, each blow unleashing shockwaves of raw energy. The fractured walls of nearby buildings crumbled entirely, and the street seemed to shrink under the pressure.
Geto, still unperturbed, raised a finger toward Rika. The humanoid curse counterattacked, sending waves of wind hurtling at the Queen of Calamities. Rika absorbed part of the assault, the winds dissipating against her monstrous form. Once more, she seized the enemy by the throat and tore its head off in an eruption of dark smoke.
As the creature faded, Geto clapped again, this time more softly. "Superb. Un
relenting rage. Unmatched power."
He locked eyes with Rika, taking a step forward with an air of complete composure. "You and I are capable of so much more."
Fueled by a blind rage, Rika lunged at Geto once again. But just a meter away, her body froze mid-air, as though trapped in time. Her furious screams echoed faintly, her form straining against an invisible force.
Geto, still calm, raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement in his gaze. "Such spirit. You truly are remarkable, Queen of Curses. I would've enjoyed testing your limits a little longer…" He sighed, shrugging slightly. "But lingering here has become tiresome, and I wouldn't want to ruin all the fun that's yet to come."
His gaze shifted to Yuta, who remained on his knees, his face twisted in agony, blood staining his uniform. A cold, narrow smile spread across Geto's lips.
"Good news, young man," he said, his voice dripping with icy irony. "You'll no longer bear the weight of a curse. A normal life awaits you. Isn't that wonderful?"
Yuta gritted his teeth, pain and exhaustion colliding with a surge of anger. "What... do you mean?!" he shouted, his voice shaking.
Before he could move, a dark light erupted from Geto's hand. Rika's massive form seemed to collapse in on itself, disintegrating into wisps of dark mist. In an instant, she was drawn into a small black orb that glimmered ominously in Geto's hand.
"No!" Yuta screamed, reaching out with his uninjured arm, but it was already too late.
The remains of the other curses nearby were also swiftly absorbed into the orb, which pulsed faintly, almost like a living heart. At the same time, the rest of the curses dissolved into dark particles, vanishing into the air.
Seizing the moment, Panda leapt toward Yuta, dodging the falling debris. He scooped up the wounded boy and slung him over his shoulder.
Without hesitation, Panda bolted, his heavy steps pounding against the ground as he navigated the crumbling alleys.
Behind him, Geto's gaze followed their retreat, though he made no move to pursue. Instead, he turned his attention to the black orb in his hand, spinning it between his fingers with a pensive look. "Patience," he murmured, his smile widening slightly. "Or maybe not."
Panda's breathing was ragged. Yuta, limp over his shoulder, bled profusely, his shredded shirt soaked in sticky crimson. Panda didn't slow down, every instinct screaming that they had to get out of there.
Suddenly, two familiar figures appeared at the end of an alley. Maki and Toge stood there, their eyes darting between Panda and Yuta.
"Panda?!" Maki exclaimed.
"RUN!" Panda roared without stopping, panic roughening his voice.
Before they could react, an oppressive presence engulfed the space. The air itself seemed to freeze, every fiber of their being crushed under an invisible weight.
Geto was there.
TO BE CONTINUED!
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Next Chapter on 31 January 2025: Could you please Die? (5)