The villagers stood frozen, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. Kartia, one of their own, was standing against them—siding with a stranger they had never met."Advance to the chief. Leave the villagers to me." Kartia's voice rang with determination.Bon glanced at her for a moment, then nodded and moved forward."Forget Kartia! Focus on Bon!" Azuya commanded, snapping the villagers out of their hesitation.Kartia exhaled deeply, then lifted her gaze to the dark, smoke-filled sky.A memory surfaced—a voice from the past, gentle yet firm."Kartia, you are special, but to be safe, you must hide that gift. Please… do it so you can lead a normal life. So you can survive."Kartia clenched her fists. "I'm sorry, Ma. I think I'm breaking that promise a little…" A small smirk formed on her lips. "But hey, I'll survive. That's for sure." Then she moved.Bon rushed forward, his pace quickening as more villagers stepped in to block his path. But before they could reach him—Kartia appeared. She landed right in front of Bon, cutting off his attackers. "Go." Without hesitation, Bon sprinted past her, pushing toward the chief. Meanwhile, Kartia faced the villagers directly.Their weapons clashed, the sound of steel ringing through the burning village."What's going on?!" one villager gasped, struggling to keep up. "It's like we're fighting four people at once! She's too fast!"Azuya stepped forward, his spear gripped tightly as he faced Kartia."So all along, you've been hiding that power?" His eyes burned with something unreadable.Kartia's expression remained unreadable. "I can't say I'm proud of it. Or fond of it. It's just the way things are."Azuya's grip on his spear tightened. "Then show me your resolve, Kartia!"He lunged.Kartia sidestepped effortlessly, her movements smooth and precise. "It's not your time yet, Azuya. You still have a role to fill."Before he could react, her daggers struck with rapid precision—a flurry of attacks that landed everywhere except fatal points. Azuya's body locked up, pain flooding his limbs, rendering him unable to continue the fight.Kartia straightened, rolling her shoulders."My resolve, huh?" she muttered to herself. Then, her gaze turned cold as she addressed the remaining villagers."Alright then, all you cultist wannabes—come at me. Or I'll come to you myself."
Bon vs. The Chief
While Kartia held her ground, Bon now stood face-to-face with the village chief.Both men stared each other down, their bodies coiled with tension.They knew—this was it."Alright, this is it, old man." Bon's grip on his sword tightened.The chief's feral eyes gleamed. His muscles flexed, his stance low and predatory.Then, they moved.Their weapons clashed with devastating force, shaking the ground beneath them.Blow after blow was exchanged, neither holding back."Don't you dare make it easy just because you think this is a justified ending!" Bon growled, his strikes relentless. "Give it your all, old man!"The chief's lips curled into a wicked grin. "As you wish, brat!"Then, his attacks became even more ferocious—faster, sharper, deadlier.Bon quickly leapt backward, creating distance between himself and Chief Couger.The chief remained still, observing him with calculating eyes. His attacks had been powerful, fueled by his mythical Spirit Dive, and yet… something felt off."Strange… He possesses incredible abilities, his strikes are strong, but… what are they lacking?" Chief Couger pondered, his grip tightening around his weapon.Meanwhile, Bon furrowed his brow, deep in thought. His mind flickered back to a memory—a lesson from Menma.Flashback: A Lesson from MenmaOn the edge of a high cliff, Menma stood, his back facing Bon, his cloak fluttering in the endless breeze. His eyes were fixed on the landscape before him, silent, as if listening to the wind itself."Hey, Menma!" Bon called, his voice filled with frustration.Menma slowly turned to face him, his expression unreadable."It's been a year already, and all I ever do is watch you!" Bon snapped. "When are you actually going to teach me something?!"Menma simply sighed, shaking his head. "Bon, I am a Ranger. I swore an oath. I cannot teach you."Bon's fists clenched, his frustration growing. "Then why the hell am I even here?!"Menma chuckled, then gestured toward the sky. "I cannot teach you… but I cannot stop you from watching me either. And I cannot stop myself from giving you pointers since we share the same attribute spirit."Bon raised a brow, confused. "What does that even mean?"Menma's gaze softened, his voice quieter. "Even though we share the same attribute, our spirits are not one entity. We are both blessed by different beings."Bon scoffed, crossing his arms. "So what?"Menma turned back toward the open sky, his tone thoughtful."Even the best teacher can only guide you so far. In the end, only you can truly understand the nature of your Spirit Dive. Only you can draw out its true essence. Most people learn through battle… because battle is the fastest way to awaken that understanding."Bon gritted his teeth, still not fully grasping the meaning behind his words.Menma glanced at him over his shoulder, a small smirk forming."One day, you'll understand."Back to the Present: A RealizationNow, standing before Chief Couger, Bon's eyes widened in realization."So all this time… I was just mimicking Menma because we share the same attribute. But I never truly understood the spirit being that blessed me."A grin spread across his face."With that said, I'm not going to lose."Chief Couger watched him carefully, his sharp instincts picking up on the shift in Bon's energy."I see now… The brat hasn't even fully grasped the nature of his Spirit Dive yet. He's just been recklessly wielding its attribute."A chuckle rumbled from the chief's chest. "So he plans to use me as a training tool? Damn… those mythical Spirit Dives are really something else."Their eyes locked, both warriors now understanding what was at stake.And then—the battle resumed.