"Help… somebody…" A little girl ran through the empty village, her voice trembling as she cried out for help. "Somebody…!" She turned corners at random, her small body shaking with fear as she tried to escape the man chasing her.
He was massive—nearly seven feet tall—with a heavy build. Thick clothes covered his entire body, and a black hat cast a shadow over his face. Strangely, he wasn't running. He simply walked. Whistling. As if this were nothing more than a game to him.
The village was silent. No footsteps. No voices. No signs of life.
Soon, the girl reached a dead end. "No… no…!"
She slammed her fists against the wall, tears streaming endlessly down her face. "Help me… please… help me…!" The whistling grew louder. Closer.
"Mama… Papa… I'm sorry for being a bad kid… Please… wake me up… please let this be a dream…"
She screamed with everything she had left, hoping—praying—that this nightmare would end. But it didn't.
Click.
The whistling stopped. Slowly, she turned around. He was already there. Blocking the only way out. Silent. Motionless. His face hidden beneath the shadow of his hat.
"…Mama… Papa…" Her voice faded into a whisper as her legs gave out beneath her. She collapsed to her knees, her body trembling uncontrollably.
"I don't want to die… I don't want to die… I want to play with Mama and Papa… I want to play with Daniel again…" Her voice broke. Again and again, she begged. Mama and Papa died trying to protect me… Daniel died trying to protect me…
The man said nothing. He slowly walked toward her, pulling a long blade from his back. Step by step… until he stood right in front of her.
Why…?
"…Please… mister…" She lifted her gaze, trying to meet his eyes—though she couldn't see them.
God… please… just one more chance… I'll be a good girl… I promise…
For a brief moment—
He stopped. "…It's hard for me to kill a kid…" His deep voice broke the silence.
And then—
Sing.
A single clean swing. The girl's head fell. Her expression unchanged.
The man quietly wiped his blade with a towel before placing it back over his shoulder.
"Took you long enough." A feminine voice spoke from behind him.
He didn't turn immediately. "She's just a kid… it's not easy."
"Save that excuse for the boss." The girl who approached him wasn't human.
Animal-like ears rose from her head. Her long lime-colored hair flowed down her back, and her sharp eyes glared at him with irritation. Her outfit was light and revealing, as if she didn't care about the cold—or danger.
"Apologize…" The man removed his hat. His face was covered in scars. One eye was pale—lifeless. His left arm, made of silver, gleamed faintly under the sunlight.
"I apologize." He lowered his head slightly.
"Anyway… I assume the town is cleared?"
"That's right. Me, Boss, and Miky finished the rest while you were playing around with that brat."
"…"
"Whatever. Set the explosives. We're wiping this place out." Without another word, she leapt into the air and vanished.
The man let out a heavy sigh. For a brief moment, his gaze returned to the girl's lifeless body.
"…I'm sorry." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a strange stone, engraved with unfamiliar symbols. Whispering softly, he tossed it aside.
Then he walked away.
The stone began to glow. Red. Yellow. And then—
BOOM.
Explosions erupted across the village. One after another. Houses collapsed. Flames swallowed the streets. Smoke rose into the sky as the entire town was reduced to burning ruins.
From the top of a distant mountain, four figures watched the destruction. Among them stood the demi-human girl… and the massive man. Beside them, a young man with yellow hair smiled faintly as he observed the flames.
At the center stood another figure. Black hair. Hands behind his back. Calm. Unmoving. Not smiling. Watching. Waiting.
"The League of Python…" He murmured quietly, his eyes fixed on the burning town. "…will soon rise in this world."