Since you were preparing to fight me, I can't just let you walk away with your lives," Sasaki said coldly, his sharp gaze fixed on the fleeing Shinras.
He raised his hand, and the blood-forged sword in his grip split into two crimson blades.
Under the faint moonlight, their edges gleamed as he extended his fingers toward the fleeing enemies.
The two blades shot forward.
Whoosh!
They sliced through the air, rapidly closing the distance between themselves and the two hammer-wielding Shinras. Before either man could react, the blades pierced their backs.
Both collapsed to the ground, motionless.
The last surviving rogue Shinra continued running. He hadn't even attempted to draw his weapon against Sasaki. That was the only reason he had been spared.
What kind of monster was that? I had no idea something like him was hiding in these woods. Please, don't come after me. I don't want to die!
His heart pounded as he sprinted between the trees. Every rustling leaf and snapping branch sent another wave of terror through him. He didn't dare look back, too afraid of what he might see.
Sasaki watched until the man's figure disappeared into the distance, then released a quiet breath.
I'll let that one go. He didn't even have the courage to draw his blade.
With a slight movement of his hand, he recalled the two blood-forged swords. They flew back toward him, merging into a single blade before dissolving into liquid blood.
He turned and made his way through the forest, leaving the fallen Shinras behind.
The woods gradually returned to silence, though the tension left behind by the battle still lingered in the air.
A few minutes later, Sasaki arrived at the massive tree where Lyon was resting.
"You seem to be warming up nicely, Exca," Lyon called down from above.
Sasaki glanced up before leaping onto the branch beside him.
"Those guys were weaklings. I can't even call that a warm-up."
"Alright, alright. Whatever you say..." Lyon chuckled, stretching his arms behind his head. "I'm going to rest here for the night. There's only a few hours left until sunrise, and I'm guessing they'll wait until morning before continuing their journey."
He turned his attention toward Sasaki.
"You should get some rest too."
Sasaki shook his head.
"There's no need for that, partner. We can't both fall asleep out here. This place isn't safe, and we can't afford to lose track of the kid."
Lyon blinked in surprise before a small smile crept across his face.
I can't believe it. This monster just butchered those men without a second thought, yet he still cares enough to make sure I'm safe.
"Fine, fine. I'll leave the watching to you," Lyon said with a sigh. "I'm counting on you to watch my back."
"Leave it to me, partner."
Sasaki straightened up on the branch, his sharp eyes sweeping across the surrounding forest.
Satisfied, Lyon leaned against the trunk and closed his eyes.
---
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Guhan...
Exca remained seated within the glowing Renshical circle, his eyes firmly shut.
He barely moved as he continued recovering his Renshi. Sweat trickled down his face, and his breathing remained slow and steady. Maintaining his connection with Sasaki was placing considerable strain on his body.
The Twenty-Four Hours spell kept him awake, allowing him to remain conscious despite his growing exhaustion.
He couldn't afford to waste a single moment.
Exca had completely shifted his vision to Sasaki's eyes. Through their connection, he could observe everything happening in the forest without having to open his own.
Damn you, Lyon. Do you really think you can make Sasaki fall asleep and leave me blind?
A faint smile appeared on Exca's face.
He would never betray me. His mind belongs to me. I've filled his memories with my own visions and made him believe in my purpose. I've even embedded abilities within him, keeping them sealed until the right moment.
His thoughts returned to the battle Sasaki had just fought against the rogue Shinras.
What he showed those insects was barely a glimpse of his true power. There's so much more he's capable of.
Exca's smile widened.
Just wait until the real battle begins. You'll understand soon enough.
Even without you, Lyon, I won't lose.
---
Dawn... Kingdom of Eminence
The first rays of sunlight gradually spread across the sky, painting the horizon in shades of violet and gold.
Inside their lodging, Lucy, Alfie, and Rebekah began preparing for another day of travel.
Rebekah yawned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. When she noticed Alfie was already awake, she gave him a curious look.
"It's surprising to see you up so early, Alfie."
"I'm not a little kid like you, Honey Badger," Alfie replied with a smug grin. "Adults wake up early when they have important things to do."
Rebekah shot him an irritated glare.
"Shut up, you fool. I know Master woke you up. There's no need to pretend you're so responsible."
She turned and headed toward the bathroom.
"Wait. Master's still inside!" Alfie called out.
Rebekah stopped so abruptly that she nearly lost her balance.
"You moron!" she snapped, turning back toward him. "Don't scare me like that."
"Sorry," Alfie replied with a shrug. "I just don't want you getting punished again."
He picked up his scabbard, secured it, and slung it over his shoulder.
"I'll be in the forest. Meet me there when you're ready."
"Don't go too far..." Rebekah called after him.
Before Alfie could respond, Lucy's voice came from inside the bathroom.
"Come on in, Rebekah. We don't have time to waste."
"Yes, Master."
Rebekah quickly opened the door and went inside to bathe with her master.
Meanwhile, Alfie headed out alone.
---
The town was already bustling with activity.
Merchants were opening their shops and arranging their goods, children ran excitedly through the streets, and the aroma of freshly roasted food drifted through the morning air.
Alfie glanced around, taking in the lively atmosphere.
"What a lively morning," he murmured with a smile.
After about fifteen minutes of walking, he finally reached the forest bordering the Kingdoms of Eminence and Sunflower.
Once he was far enough from the town, his expression grew more serious.
Force Energy, huh? Maybe I should experiment with it before we continue our journey.
He clenched his fist and examined it.
I need to get stronger.
With that thought in mind, Alfie broke into a sprint, heading deeper into the forest.
As he ran, he reached for the scabbard on his back and drew his sword in one smooth motion.
He leaped into the air and hurled the weapon toward a nearby tree.
Just before it reached its target, Alfie twisted his body and delivered a powerful kick, changing the sword's trajectory.
The weapon spun through the air before striking the tree trunk and embedding itself in the bark.
Alfie landed lightly on the ground, a grin spreading across his face.
Learning hand-to-hand combat should help me improve my fighting skills much faster.
He raised his fists and began shadowboxing.
Jab!
His first punch shot forward, followed by a quick retraction and another strike from his opposite hand.
He shifted his footing, ducked as though avoiding an incoming attack, then twisted his body and threw a counterpunch.
His movements were far from perfect. At times, he struggled to maintain his balance, while some of his punches were too wide, leaving openings in his defence.
Still, he continued.
He practiced advancing and retreating, blocking imaginary attacks and following up with quick combinations. Each movement was an attempt to make his body respond more naturally in combat.
After roughly two minutes, he finally stopped.
"Hah... Hah..."
Breathing heavily, he wiped the sweat from his forehead before walking toward the tree where his sword was embedded.
He pulled the weapon free and briefly examined the trunk before stepping back.
"Alright. Let's see how much power I can put into my punches."
He placed his sword aside, raised his fists, and approached the tree.
His first punch struck the trunk with a dull thud.
The tree barely reacted.
Alfie frowned.
That was weak.
He tried again, putting more strength into his next strike.
Thud!
A small piece of bark broke away.
His eyes brightened.
That's more like it.
He continued punching, gradually increasing his speed. Each strike landed almost exactly where the previous one had, as he focused on building power without sacrificing control.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
His knuckles began to ache, but he ignored the discomfort and kept going.
Cracks spread across the bark around the impact point, sending small fragments scattering across the ground.
Alfie gritted his teeth and threw another punch.
Then another.
His breathing grew heavier as sweat trickled down his face. His arms were beginning to ache, but rather than slowing down, he pushed himself even harder.
Come on! I can do better than this!
He drew his fist back and struck the trunk once more.
BAM!
The impact echoed through the otherwise quiet forest.
Alfie stared at the damaged bark, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath.
Not even close.
"Let's keep going," he muttered, raising his fists once again.