The heat of the afternoon sun hit with an almost unbearable intensity.
The air seemed heavy, thick, as if each breath required a small extra effort.
The earth was dry, and dust rose with every step taken on the path.
If a person stayed too long standing under that sun without drinking water, they would probably end up fainting from the heat.
On the outskirts of a small town lost among withered trees and dry fields, one of the groups of heroes was moving.
Three female figures advanced along the dusty path, visibly exhausted.
Their cloaks were covered in dirt, their boots worn from the journey, and the fatigue showed in the way they walked.
They had traveled a long way.
Too long.
—Finally we arrived... how long did it take to get to this place...?
Said the young woman who was in front, raising a hand to fan some air toward her face.
Her silver hair fell over her back, shining even under the scorching sun. Her eyes were calm, but the tiredness made them seem heavier.
—I... I don't know. I think about three days without stopping, Towa.
Replied the girl with dark hair who walked a few steps behind, looking around cautiously. Her tone was not complaining, but clearly exhausted.
—So three days... —Towa murmured— Rika, you have the map. You must know where we are, right?
The third of the group, Rika, frowned while holding a somewhat wrinkled map between her hands.
—Mmm... I don't know. I haven't been able to know exactly where we are. Why the hell do I have the map? Yoru should have had it instead of me. She knows more about these things than I do... Damn, I'm hungry, Towa.
—Ahhh... be quiet -Yoru interrupted with evident annoyance-. We're already going to arrive at that town. We'll buy food and continue in search of the Demon King.
The three continued advancing, arguing among themselves.
The forest around was strange.
The trees were tall, but many leaves had fallen, covering the ground with a crunchy blanket.
Not too many animals could be heard. The atmosphere had something... uncomfortable.
It was then when they noticed it.
In the distance, between the trunks and the slanted light of the sun, a male figure began to approach.
His steps echoed softly on the dry leaves.
He wasn't running.
He didn't seem to be in a hurry.
He simply walked toward them.
Towa, who was in front, raised her right arm and closed her fist in the air.
A clear signal.
Stop.
The other two stood still immediately.
The man also stopped when he noticed they weren't advancing anymore. For a moment, the air seemed to tense.
Without saying a single word, the stranger threw a white bag toward them.
The bag fell near their feet.
Rika gave a small jump backward, startled.
From inside the bag rolled a small red apple, shiny, fresh.
The man didn't seem nervous.
He was completely calm.
—Who are you?
Towa asked with a firm voice. Her silver eyes showed no fear, only alertness.
The man slowly raised both hands.
—Calm down. I'm not coming to do anything to you. I come in peace. The people from that town you see over there sent me. They don't want to fight or receive harm... if you don't want to do it either.
His voice was soft.
Too soft.
—Calm -Yoru responded-. We're just passing through. Don't worry. We won't do anything strange or harm the people in the town. We are heroes.
The man remained silent for a few seconds upon hearing that word.
Heroes.
—I see... so you are heroes. I didn't know.
The sunlight didn't allow seeing his face well. The shadows covered it partially. But then he began to walk toward them.
Step.
Another step.
And one more.
—I see... I see... I see... then... today is my lucky day.
Something in his tone changed.
It was barely perceptible.
But enough.
Without warning, a small grenade fell right at the feet of the three.
Towa barely managed to look down.
And it exploded.
A dry blast.
The world turned gray in an instant.
The three reacted almost at the same time, coming closer to group and cover each other.
—Keep the formation! —Towa shouted.
But when the smoke from the grenade began to disperse...
The man was no longer where he had been.
He had disappeared.
Rika spun around on herself.
Yoru unsheathed her weapon.
Towa tried to identify any presence, any sound, anything.
Nothing.
Silence.
Until...
—This will be very easy.
The voice sounded to Towa's left.
Too close.
Rika and Yoru reacted by instinct, immediately moving toward the trunk of a nearby tree to take cover.
Towa, however, still couldn't see clearly.
The smoke still irritated her eyes.
—Calm, calm... this will be quick.
The voice was now behind her.
Towa turned quickly and launched a precise cut with her sword.
The edge cut through the air.
But it cut nothing.
There was no one behind.
Then she felt it.
A hand gently resting on her back.
—Your body belongs to me.
In that instant, Towa understood it.
It could only be one thing.
The person behind her was using a type three skill.
An extremely dangerous skill.
—Skill... Soul Seizure.
A golden glow exploded around her.
The forest disappeared.
The sound of the wind extinguished.
The world changed.
They were teleported to another dimension.
A new world.
The ground beneath Towa's feet was completely white. There was no earth, no grass. Only a smooth, infinite surface.
Around her, a white mist covered everything, floating slowly as if breathing.
Among the mist, small golden sparkles shone and disappeared, like stars trapped in a dream.
There was no sky.
There was no horizon.
Only emptiness.
—Where am I...?
Towa asked herself.
The man's voice echoed in that space, as if coming from everywhere at the same time.
—It worked... it worked. Thank goodness. In the end I could only use it one more time forever. So welcome... you are trapped in my skill. Soul Seizure. Now that you're here... your body belongs to me.
Towa gripped her sword tightly.
She tried to move.
But her body felt... heavy.
As if the air itself was holding her.
That was the man's skill.
It wasn't like any other.
It could only be used one more time in his life.
And if it worked...
It could only take one person to that dimension.
But if it worked...
There was no need to fight.
Because the result was already decided.
Towa tried to take a step.
She couldn't.
She tried to raise her sword.
It barely moved.
She felt something cold pierce her chest.
She looked down.
A spear.
She had been pierced.
Her heart.
—What...? When...? Where...? How did you do it...?
The man appeared in front of her for the first time clearly. His face was serene. There was no rage. There was no emotion.
Only satisfaction.
—I think you must be surprised by what just happened. But calm... rest now. I will use your body perfectly and in a good way. Thanks to you, I will be able to carry out my plan to destroy this world.
The mist began to spin.
The golden glow increased.
Towa felt her body fade.
There was no pain.
Only a sensation of lightness.
As if she were turning into dust.
As if she were dissolving into ashes.
Her figure began to disappear slowly in that white place.
And so, the man won the battle.
The white world began to crack.
Like a mirror breaking from the center.
Golden cracks spread everywhere.
The space fragmented into pieces.
And then...
Everything returned to normal.
The forest.
The heat.
The smell of dry leaves.
In the middle of the clearing, the body of the man who had attacked them lay on the ground.
Lifeless.
In front of him...
Towa smiled happily.