"Listen to me carefully!"
The man spoke firmly despite his exhaustion. His eyes were fixed on Arya, making sure every word was heard.
"The one who took the form of that girl's Mother is not a human spirit, and you can't treat it like an ordinary being. It may look convincing, but that's exactly what the tree spirit wants."
He put extra weight on those last words, as if to make sure Arya understood how serious this was.
"That spirit is using the girl's memories to carry out its trick. It takes the memories and hopes stored in her mind, the most precious part of her life, and uses them to deceive people and steal their souls."
Arya was still panting. His breathing hadn't settled after what he had just been through. One hand kept clutching his side, right where the pain was getting worse. Now and then he shifted his weight, trying to find a position that hurt less. But the pain wouldn't ease.
Even in his weakened state, Arya looked up at the man standing in front of him. Doubt showed clearly on his face. The man's explanation sounded convincing, but Arya didn't have enough reason to accept everything he said.
"Why should I trust you?" he asked.
He tried to stay on guard. He didn't want to trust someone who might not be so different from the creature they were facing. But before that doubt could turn into outright refusal, Arya's eyes went back to the figure that looked like Rika's Mother.
He began to notice something he had missed before. A dark aura glowed faintly around the Mother figure's body. It was subtle, but clear enough for Arya to realize something was wrong with her. The sight slowly shook his certainty.
"That spirit was born from people's belief in shortcuts," the man said.
His voice sounded bitter. There was resentment in every word, as if he wasn't just explaining the creature, but also revealing something that had long been a source of his anger.
"The blood and sacrifices spilled at the roots of this tree are what woke it up. If we don't destroy it, it will claim more victims," the man said, looking at Arya again, his tone even more serious.
Arya bit his lower lip. He fell silent for a moment, trying to take in everything he had just heard. His mind was torn. Part of him still hesitated to trust a stranger who had suddenly appeared and claimed to know so much about this strange world. But another part of him told him the man had nothing to gain from lying in a situation like this.
"Then..." Arya paused. He took a deep breath before continuing. "What should I do?"
As he said it, Arya tried to push himself up and stand straighter. He tried to ignore the pain still spreading through his side. His legs felt heavy. Even after he managed to change his position, he still had to struggle to keep his balance and avoid falling again.
"Leave it to me. You need to go back to the human world. Take the jasmine at the heart of that tree, and if you're not quick, you'll be finished here."
His voice was firm. He wasn't asking Arya to get any more involved in his fight with the spirit. Instead, he wanted Arya to leave this place as soon as possible.
"Fine," Arya answered with a small nod. "I hope you're not just playing around with this," he added.
Limping, Arya started moving toward the heart of the tree. Every step felt heavy. He believed the jasmine at the tree's heart was the only way to weaken the spirit. That was why he had to reach it before things got even worse.
Meanwhile, the man took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he turned his gaze toward the spirit and Rika. The girl was still in the same place. Her body barely moved. She just sat there, staring blankly ahead, as if she had no idea what was happening around her. Her face showed no reaction at all.
"Hey, little girl! Get away from there!"
His shout was loud, breaking the silence around the giant tree. He was trying to get Rika's attention so she would move away. But even though his voice was loud enough to echo through the whole area, Rika didn't respond at all.
There was no sign that she had heard him. Her eyes stayed fixed straight ahead, empty and lifeless, like a doll that had run out of power and could no longer react to anything.
The man frowned.
"Damn it! She's already too deep under its control," he muttered.
He realized that calling out to Rika wouldn't be enough to free her from the spirit's grip. Her condition was far worse than he had expected. She wasn't just ignoring him. She was in a state where she couldn't respond consciously at all.
At once, the man began to chant. His hands moved through a set of gestures while his lips shaped the words, his voice growing clearer. At first, the chant was only a low murmur. But as time passed, it grew stronger until it echoed across the whole area.
Soon, a golden light began to appear around his body. It glowed faintly at first, wrapping around part of him like a thin veil of light. But with every line of the chant he finished, it grew brighter. The light slowly expanded and shone harder, until it formed a golden shield that covered his entire body.
The air itself seemed to change as the aura spread. The golden glow kept widening. The man kept chanting without ever stopping his hands. He fought to stay focused, making sure the barrier was complete before the spirit could attack again.
But the spirit, which had taken the form of Rika's Mother, wasn't just going to stand there. The figure began to move. The dark aura around her flared stronger, as if responding to the man's golden light. Slowly, something began to stretch out from her body.
Black tendrils emerged one after another. They looked like dried-out roots and branches, but they moved with a supple, nimble quickness. The tendrils kept growing longer, crawling wildly, as if they had a will of their own.
Some of them headed toward the protective line the man had drawn.
The black tendrils kept pushing, trying to break through the barrier of light that separated them from Rika. Before the girl could dodge, the tendrils stretched even farther and finally touched one of her feet.
Within seconds, the spirit slipped into Rika's body. Her eyes, which had been empty, slowly turned a burning red. The red glow stood in sharp contrast to her face, which still showed no expression. At the same time, a dark aura wrapped around her entire body, growing thicker and thicker.
"Khekhekhe... it's my turn now, you wretched human."
The spirit's voice was hoarse and deep. A terrifying laugh followed it, echoing around the giant tree.
"Damn it! I have to separate it from that girl's body!"
He realized the situation had changed. The spirit was now using Rika's body, making a direct attack far more complicated. He couldn't just destroy the creature without thinking of the little girl whose body it controlled. But before the man could even finish his thought, something unexpected happened.
Rika suddenly vanished from his sight.
His eyes caught no movement at all. The little girl who had been sitting under the giant tree a moment ago simply disappeared. He didn't even have time to work out where she had gone before he felt her presence appear right in front of him.
In an instant, Rika was standing before him.
WHAM!
The man's body flew backward from the impact. The force of the blow sent him sailing before he finally slammed hard into the ground.
Dust billowed up from the point of impact. The dry leaves scattered around him swirled into the air, lifted by the force of his body hitting the earth.
Rika, now completely under the spirit's control, slowly raised the corners of her lips. A smile spread across the little girl's face. All trace of innocence and helplessness was gone. Instead, the smile gave off something terrifying, as if the creature controlling her body was enjoying every moment.
Rika's eyes still burned red. Her gaze was fixed on the man who had just been thrown by her attack. She showed no pity at all, as if she didn't care about his condition. Her small body stood calmly while the dark aura around her kept flickering.
"I will make you mine."
The voice came out of Rika's mouth, cold and deadly. Every word was clear.
With great effort, the man tried to lift himself off the ground. The hit he had just taken was far from minor. He bent over slightly, trying to gather what strength he had left. His breathing was heavy and uneven. When he finally managed to raise his head, blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth, running down past his chin.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His eyes turned back to Rika, who was still standing not far away. But before she could launch her next attack, something moved quickly from another direction.
A red shadow suddenly shot out from the other side of the tree. It was so fast that it left only the impression of a flash passing between the trees. It appeared so suddenly that no one had time to anticipate where the attack would come from.
WHAM!
A loud impact rang out as the strike hit its target. Rika's small body was thrown away from where she stood and kept flying until she slammed hard into the trunk of the giant tree behind her.
THUD!
"Are you getting weak?"
Nagini's cold voice suddenly echoed through the air. Her tone was calm, but it carried a sharp edge of mockery. She seemed to be questioning the man who had just been thrown and was now struggling to get back on his feet.
Her red dress moved with her every step. The fabric fluttered softly as Nagini stood among the trees, her eyes fixed on Rika, whom she had just struck. There wasn't a trace of hesitation in her. She stood perfectly calm.
"Nagini?"
The name came out in surprise. But the shock quickly mixed with relief as he recognized the figure standing not far from him.
"Do you always have to show up at the last second?"
It sounded like a complaint, though he couldn't hide the relief in his voice. He seemed used to Nagini turning up just when things were on the verge of chaos. Still, he couldn't help taking a jab at how late she always seemed to arrive.
"It's too early for you to run away from my watch, spirit," Nagini said calmly.
Arya, who was still limping toward the heart of the tree, slowed down at once. He quickly turned toward the voice and saw Nagini standing not far away. His eyes went wide. The shock on his face was plain, as if he still couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"That woman..." Arya murmured.
Nagini only glanced at him.
"Foolish boy," she said sharply. "That spirit is toying with your little girl. If you want to save her, move faster."
Her words were cold and sharp. Nagini didn't seem to want to waste time explaining something Arya should have understood already. To her, they didn't have time for idle talk. Rika was still in the spirit's grip, and as long as that creature controlled her body, the danger would keep growing.
Arya was silent for a moment. He understood what Nagini meant. Limping, he began to approach Rika, who was standing not far from him. Each step felt heavier, as if the last of his strength could run out at any moment.
"Rika... it's me, Arya," he said softly.
Arya tried to keep his voice calm. He didn't know whether Rika could still hear or understand him. But he wanted to try calling her anyway, hoping some part of her could still recognize him.
Rika only stared at him. The corners of the little girl's lips slowly curled upward into a cruel smile Arya didn't recognize at all. That smile made the air between them feel even more terrifying.
Before Arya could do anything, Rika suddenly shot toward him. In a blink, the distance between them was gone. Both of Rika's hands clamped around Arya's neck. His body went rigid as the pressure on his throat made it hard to breathe.
Arya tried to hold on. His hands moved on instinct, trying to deal with that powerful grip. But with his body already drained of strength, he couldn't put up any real resistance.
"Did you think I would just let you go?"
The spirit's voice came from Rika's mouth. Her tone was full of menace, as if the creature were savoring Arya's helplessness. Her grip didn't loosen at all. Instead, the pressure made it harder and harder for Arya to breathe.
Arya's face began to show his struggle. His vision wavered under the pressure. But even in this desperate moment, he smiled faintly.
"Rika... we're friends, right?" he said weakly.
Arya looked into the little girl's face with sincerity. His voice was so soft. There was no anger or hatred in his eyes. Even while under threat, he still spoke to Rika as if she were right there in front of him, just like always.
Rika froze. For a moment, that sadistic smile vanished from her face. Seeing this, Nagini shot toward Arya and Rika. Without hesitation, she charged with all her strength. Her movements were fast and decisive.
"Hold her tight, boy!" Nagini shouted.
Arya didn't have time to think about what the order meant. He just followed it. With what little strength he had left, he wrapped both arms around Rika as tightly as he could. He held on even though his own body was at its limit.
There was no guarantee it would work. But Arya did it anyway, without thinking twice.
"BOOOM!"
A powerful punch struck Rika right in the back. The impact came with a massive burst of energy. In an instant, the force of Nagini's attack separated all three of them. Arya, still holding Rika, couldn't keep his grip. Both of them were hurled backward, straight through the trunk of the giant tree behind them. They kept flying through the inside of the tree until they finally reached the core chamber deep within.
Inside the heart of the tree, Arya and Rika lay face to face, both unmoving, in a hidden space deep within the huge trunk, thrown there by the blast of Nagini's attack.
Slowly, Arya's eyelids began to flutter. He tried to open his eyes, though his vision was still blurry. His consciousness gradually returned. But as his sight cleared, he found someone's face right above his own.
They were so close. Arya and Rika lay facing each other, with almost no space between their faces. Their eyes slowly opened until their gazes finally met.
Rika seemed to be coming back to herself. The burning red eyes and the cruel smile were gone. Her expression looked different now. She stared at Arya in confusion, as if she didn't fully understand what was happening or how she had ended up in this position.
Rika's face slowly turned red as she realized how close they were. She looked flustered, while her eyes were still trying to adjust to her surroundings.
"A-Arya..." Rika murmured.
Her voice was soft and a little shaky. She was trying to say the name of the young man right in front of her. Arya, meanwhile, was seized by panic. Realizing how close they were, he tried to pull away at once. His body scrambled backward in a rush, but he was still too weak for the movement to go smoothly. He tried to find something nearby to push himself up with.
In his hurried flailing, Arya's hand accidentally grabbed one of the stems of the white jasmine growing in the core. Before he could even realize what he was holding, he had already pulled, and the flower came loose from where it grew.
Before he could understand what had just happened, a sudden change swept over their surroundings.
The moment the white jasmine was plucked, a bright light burst out and wrapped around their bodies, and in an instant, they vanished from that place.
************
Outside the giant tree, Nagini was still gripping the energy of the tree spirit, which had been separated from Rika's body. The energy kept thrashing, trying to break free. But Nagini showed no sign of loosening her hold.
Slowly, a golden flame-like aura began to rise from Nagini's body. At first it was faint, wrapping around her like a fire that had just been lit. But soon it grew stronger. The golden fire kept growing and spreading until it covered the spirit's energy in her grasp.
At once, the spirit's energy began to react.
A loud scream rang out from it, echoing around the giant tree and showing just how much pain Nagini's golden fire caused. The energy, which had looked so powerful before, slowly began to shrink. Its form grew smaller and smaller, fading away bit by bit.
In the middle of this, the man who had fought alongside Nagini started walking closer. His steps were no longer steady like before. He was still holding back the pain that ran through his whole body from Rika's attack. Now and then, his movements stalled.
Once he was close enough, his eyes quickly swept the area.
"Where's the girl?" the man asked casually.
Nagini suddenly froze. The control she had shown just a moment ago vanished. As if she had just realized something, she quickly turned in another direction.
Nagini's eyes landed on the huge hole in the tree trunk, where Arya and Rika had been blasted through by her attack. The hole was still plainly visible in front of them. But now something made Nagini realize that things might not be going the way she had expected.
Her eyes widened.
For a moment, Nagini just stared at the hole. No answer came out of her mouth. Her face showed a shock she couldn't hide, as if a terrible possibility had just crossed her mind.
"Don't tell me..."
Her voice was quiet, but it carried a note of panic very different from her earlier calm.
Nagini turned back to the man. Her expression was serious now, while the man simply stared back at her flatly, as if she had just handed him extra work he never wanted.