Rasona moved through the sewer filled with decaying corpses and animal remains.
Her crimson robe was almost completely soaked in blood.
Emerald-green eyes glimmered in the darkness.
Orcs, elves, and twisted creatures lunged at her from the shadows, but none of them ever reached her.
Rasona activated her technique.
Barber.
Invisible slashes tore through the air.
Enemies standing far away were severed by unseen blades.
Under normal circumstances, this technique allowed Rasona to perform lethal attacks along a single line.
One direction.
One cut.
One death.
But Rasona had long surpassed that limitation.
She imagined her scissors as two separate blades in her mind, splitting each slash into multiple paths.
Faster.
Sharper.
More precise.
Orcs.
Elves.
Creatures.
All of them were torn apart in a single motion, swallowed by the darkness of the sewer.
Barber was not a technique based on strength.
It was a technique born from intent.
Rasona cut the concept of cutting itself.
In this world, Rasona was a genius.
And geniuses…
…always win.
Right?
The last remaining elf trembled as Rasona's emerald eyes locked onto it.
Her voice was calm, almost bored.
— Tell me…
— That four-eyed one you call your master. Is he here?
The elf shook violently, tears streaming down its face.
— I-I don't know! Please—spare me—
The sentence never finished.
A sharp slicing sound echoed.
The elf's head split cleanly in two.
Rasona exhaled slowly.
Yuko opened his eyes.
Violet flowers surrounded him.
The air was silent. Too silent.
Someone stood before him.
The figure spoke his name as if it were long overdue.
— Yuko…
— So we finally meet.
Yuko tried to move, to defend himself, but his body wouldn't respond.
Chains bound him tightly.
Fear crept into his voice.
— Who are you?
— How do you know my name?
The man stared at him with blood-red eyes.
Without a word, he tore off his own fingers.
They fell in front of Yuko.
The moment they touched the ground, they transformed into green violets.
From within those flowers, a crimson eye opened.
The man spoke as if stating an obvious fact.
— My name is Malach.
— And soon… we will meet again, Yuko.
The flowers slowly faded as the world dissolved.
Yuko's eyes snapped open again.
This time, it was real.
Frenzy stood before him.
A wide grin stretched across his face.
In one hand, he held a collection of severed fingers.
With the other, he pressed a red-hot iron against the wound where Yuko's arm had been.
Laughter echoed through the room.
— Good morning, little soldier.
Yuko clenched his teeth, forcing himself not to scream.
Frenzy sounded almost cheerful.
— I slaughtered exactly two hundred and seven elves today.
— You should've heard their screams.
He laughed.
All four golden eyes smiled at once.
Suddenly, a scream echoed from deeper within the corridor.
Frenzy's expression changed instantly.
The grin vanished.
— …Rasona-senpai?
He sighed and tilted his head upward.
— Looks like playtime's over.
Rasona stepped into the room, her robe completely drenched in blood.
She burst into laughter.
— Well, look at that.
— Sleeping like a baby.
She took a few steps toward Yuko.
Then stopped.
Something thick hung in the air.
Bloodlust.
Rasona clenched her teeth.
— Hah…
— A Ritualist hallucination technique.
Frenzy turned toward Yuko and shattered the chains with a single motion.
His tone softened slightly.
— Sorry.
— Chicot isn't here right now.
After a brief pause, he added calmly.
— When we get back…
— We'll fix your arm.
Yuko stared at Frenzy, stunned.
He finally released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
— You…
— How do you know Rasona-senpai?
Without looking back, Frenzy answered.
— This was Rasona's idea.
Yuko's heart began to race.
— We were going to fully awaken your power.
— But it seems there's another Ritualist here.
His voice hardened.
— And their intentions… are not good.
Frenzy turned away.
— Come, little soldier.
Yuko hesitated.
But he had no other choice.
Reluctantly, he followed Frenzy.
Chapter 6 – End