Knock.
"How will you reach the location if everyone can see you?" Akito asked, turning to Arden.
The fox only smirked and vanished into thin air.
"Shifted to another dimension… cool," Akito whispered.
He dashed down the stairs. The marker on the map pointed to the city center. Less than three hours left before the mission activated.
"I have to make it in time."
Meanwhile, in the very heart of the city, Natsuo Haruki was already waiting.
"I just need to eliminate you…" he whispered, staring toward the marker, "and then I'll make everyone who ever humiliated me pay."
Two hours later, Akito was almost there.
"Akito, be careful!" Arden's voice rang out in his mind. "There's an energy field ahead."
He touched it gently — no resistance. It felt like someone was inviting him in. As he stepped forward, the world froze around him. People, cars, birds in the sky — all still, like a paused movie.
"We're inside a time-stopped zone," Arden explained, appearing beside him. "Let's go."
They walked past frozen figures until they reached the main square. Suddenly — impact. A punch smashed into the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
Out of the haze stepped Kaito.
"You… survived?" Akito whispered, frozen in place.
A few meters away, Haruki appeared.
[Enemy Detected]
[Name: Natsuo Haruki]
"Why are you doing this?!" Akito shouted.
"Silence!" Haruki screamed. "Kill them, my loyal servant!"
Kaito lunged forward. Arden stepped in and blocked the blow.
"It's time," Arden said, deflecting another strike. "[Skill: Essence Theft — activated]…
[Error]"
"What?" Arden frowned. "He's… not alive. I can't steal his power. Fine, then…" He turned toward Haruki.
20% of Haruki's strength was stolen — but it made no difference. Arden struck Kaito's head directly — it shattered — but the next moment Kaito retaliated with a devastating blow, launching Arden into a building and cracking its wall.
Akito barely raised his blade before Kaito was on him. Metal screeched, and his feet skidded along the ground.
"Kaito, wake up! It's me!"
But Kaito didn't respond. While Akito held him off, Arden rushed toward Haruki — but Kaito intercepted him again and knocked him back.
"You think you can stop me?" Haruki hissed. "No one can. I have power now. I'll destroy everyone who—"
Arden fell back to Akito.
"We can't beat him head-on. We have to trick him. When he takes the bait — I'll strike his weak point."
Kaito stood and approached again. In that moment, Akito threw his sword — it landed to Haruki's left. Arden darted the other way.
"Stupid beast! You left your master wide open!" Haruki yelled.
Kaito struck Akito in the face. Akito fell, and as Kaito followed—
[Skill "Fox's Cunning" Activated]
Arden swapped places with him in an instant.
[Enemy Deceived]
[Skill "Fang of Deceit" Activated]
A powerful strike — Kaito's skull shattered. At the same time, Akito was already behind Haruki. His blade slashed the air and cut into Haruki's side. Haruki dropped to the ground.
"Am I worthless again? Always humiliated? No…" Haruki shouted, "I won't back down!"
He pushed Akito back with a shockwave but collapsed to one knee. Blood poured from his mouth.
"I'm… still… too weak…" he whispered.
Kaito — now headless — crawled to him and helped him stand. Memories flashed in Haruki's mind — the beatings, the mockery, even his parents turning away. He trembled with pain and fury.
"I can't lose… I'm so close…" he whispered through clenched teeth.
Akito stepped forward.
"Stop! You can still turn back!" he shouted.
Haruki glared at him, eyes burning.
"Turn back?! You don't know what I've been through! Why did they all laugh at me? What did I do wrong?! Why am I not like them?!"
He panted, chest heaving.
"They always need someone weaker — someone to crush. I'll never forgive them!"
"Wait!" Akito answered. "You and I… we're not so different. I didn't have many friends either. I lost my whole family in an accident… I was the only one who survived. But I didn't hate the world. I chose something else — to get stronger so I could protect others."
"You're a naive fool!" Haruki growled. "I don't want to be like you! My pain is worse than yours!"
"Then show it to me," Akito whispered. "But know this — evil won't stop evil."
Haruki didn't answer. He just motioned for Kaito to attack again. Kaito rushed forward — but slower now.
"He's weakening," Arden noted. "Which means the necromancer's power is fading. We can end this."
They attacked together. Blow by blow, Kaito fell back, taking more and more damage. Finally, his lips moved:
"…Akito… stop… resisting… join me… we'll be friends again…"
Akito's hand trembled — but he held on. With one final slash, he activated his skill — his blade erupted in flame — and he cut Kaito in two. At the same moment, Arden seized Haruki and pinned him down.
"P-please… don't kill me… I can still be useful!" Haruki begged, eyes full of tears.
"Too late," Akito said coldly.
He slashed Haruki's chest. Blue flames burst from the wound — the blade's effect. Arden looked back.
"You're not going to finish him?"
"No. He's already dying."
Akito walked to Kaito's body. A ghostly shape appeared — Kaito's soul.
"Thank you…" Kaito whispered. "You saved me… I should go now — they're waiting."
"I'm glad we got to talk," Akito said, barely holding back tears.
Kaito smiled — just like he did in childhood — and vanished.
"Let's go, Arden," Akito said quietly, wiping his eyes.