CHAPTER 13: THE RESULT OF THE FINAL RITUAL
Kaito spoke as he walked toward the seal at the same time. His black hair swayed on his shoulders, his brown eyes blazing like fire in the darkness. With each step, his heart beat faster, the fire of revenge inside him growing.
"I'm impatient… I'm impatient to gain my powers. And to take my revenge!"
At that moment, the seal's lights began to glow. Kaito stood in the very center of the seal. The black-robed ones shouted a single word without stopping.
"Exspanos Pripelnos… Exspanos Pripelnos… EXSPANOS PRIPELNOS!"
At that moment, the seal's lights began to shine at a blinding level, unlike ever before. The voices of the black-robed ones rose even higher. It was as if the walls of the room were trembling.
"EXSPANOS PRIPELNOS!"
At that moment, Kaito found himself in a different dimension.
This place, like the others, was a pure white dimension where nothing existed. An endless void, an endless silence. Kaito's footsteps didn't even echo.
"So this is where I'll fight. Well… where is the Djinn?"
Just as Kaito was thinking this, he sensed a presence behind him. And he suddenly turned around!
Right in front of him stood a pure white being. Its eyes, its body, every part of it glowed pure white. As if made of pure light. But this light wasn't warm – it was cold. Deadly cold.
Kaito's voice cracked.
"A-are you… the Djinn?"
The unknown being's voice echoed through the dimension. A deep, cold voice that enveloped everything.
"I am Soul. And you?"
"Kaito."
Soul tilted its head slightly. Its white eyes scanned Kaito.
"Kaito… a good name. But this name will be wasted!"
Kaito's eyes narrowed. There was a challenge in his voice.
"You're very arrogant. Be careful, that might backfire on you."
There was mockery in Soul's voice.
"Worry about yourself instead of me, human!"
And at that moment, Soul attacked.
Kaito's eyes struggled to track him.
"Incredible! So fast… but my eyes can follow him. It won't be a problem!"
He clenched his fists.
"ZAN!"
Kaito activated his Zan. A shield of pink light formed around him.
At that moment, Soul threw his right fist at Kaito. It was just a physical attack – but it sent Kaito flying!
Kaito's Zan couldn't stop the attack. Kaito spun in the air and finally crashed to the ground. He disappeared into a cloud of dust. But immediately afterward, he got back up. Blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth.
"Ahh… my Zan… it couldn't stop you? You are… very, very strong. I admit that."
Soul's voice was calm.
"Then you've already realized you're going to lose?"
Kaito took a deep breath. Blood was dripping to the ground, but his eyes were shining.
"Do you know what half of success is? Belief. When a person believes, they can succeed. And I feel it in my very bones… that I will defeat you with my belief."
There was impatience in Soul's voice.
"This isn't the time for philosophy, human."
After this exchange, Kaito attacked.
"This time, I'm coming. Get ready!"
As Kaito attacked, Soul stepped back with his left foot and raised his left hand into the air. And suddenly, a pure white wall formed in front of him!
Kaito concentrated Po in his right fist and swung at Soul with all his might.
BAMM!
A huge flash of light erupted and then faded.
The resulting scene was very surprising!
Soul hadn't even moved. He was still standing in the same spot. But Kaito, despite throwing the punch, was on the ground!
Kaito's eyes widened in shock. He was struggling to breathe.
"H-how is this possible? You… how can you create Zan with one hand? How is this possible?"
Outside the seal, everyone was worried.
Aiko's green eyes shone with anxiety. Her pink hair had fallen over her shoulders.
"Master, K-Kaito… he's going to win, right?"
Master Woli looked very calm. He had his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the seal. He answered calmly.
"No one can know that!"
Aiko and Ren looked at Woli.
Woli continued.
"He is undoubtedly fighting a very tough battle. But his opponent is most likely a powerful Djinn. Stronger than the Djinn that came to you. If he wins… he will undoubtedly gain a very great and rare power."
Ren's sharp voice was heard. His blue eyes were worried.
"What if he loses?"
Woli answered with the same sharpness. His voice was like a blade.
"Then… he dies with honor!"
When he said this, even the candles in the room nearly went out. The flames flickered, darkness spreading everywhere.
Inside the seal, Kaito was still looking at Soul in shock.
"How can you open Zan with one hand? H-how is this possible?"
Soul's answer was cold.
"There's a lot you need to learn, human! But unfortunately… you'll die before learning it!"
Kaito's eyes shone.
"I think I'll die. But you'll die with me!"
There was a challenge in Soul's voice.
"Then show me your power, human!"
Kaito attacked once more.
Soul shook his head.
"Pff… pointless! I can read your Ren! This shows there's a clear power difference between us!"
His eyes narrowed.
"There! Your Ren is concentrating toward your right kick. That means you're going to attack me with your right kick!"
At that moment, Kaito appeared right in front of Soul and threw a spinning right kick.
But Soul had already seen it. He easily stepped back and dodged the attack.
"Now his Ren is concentrating toward his left fist!"
At that moment, Kaito threw a left punch.
Soul countered Kaito's punch with his right fist. Then he concentrated Po in his left fist and exploded it right in the middle of Kaito's face.
BAM!
The moment Kaito took the punch, his eyes went blank. He flew ten meters back. He tumbled and crawled on the ground, finally managing to stop. Blood was streaming from his face.
Soul stood where he was.
"I told you. There's a clear power difference between us."
But Kaito, despite everything, spat blood and struggled to his feet. He was having trouble breathing.
"Ahh… ugh, ugh… You're really strong. You're probably not a low-level Djinn, are you?"
Soul's eyes shone.
"You guessed right. I'm not like the Djinn that came in the other rituals! I am Soul! I control spirits!"
Kaito's eyes shone with determination.
"So… spirit… I need to gain that power. I need it. I'm sorry, Soul… but I will defeat you!"
Soul attacked.
"This time, I'm coming, human!"
Soul lunged at Kaito at full speed. And suddenly appeared in front of him. First, he threw a straight punch, then right and left hooks. But Kaito, with difficulty, countered them. Punches clashed in the air, Po explosions spreading around.
But finally, Soul threw one last straight punch.
"Spirit Po!"
In Soul's Po-concentrated fist, a very, very faint spirit effect appeared. As if a ghost was moving inside it. The fist moved toward Kaito.
Kaito realized instantly that he couldn't dodge it and countered with all his strength.
Kaito's head suddenly glowed with an orange light!
Soul's eyes widened in shock.
"Wh-what? He used Po with his head?"
At that moment, Soul's fist and Kaito's head collided in midair.
BAMMMMM!
A flash of light so large it covered the entire dimension erupted.
When the flash of light faded, the result was disastrous.
Kaito lay on the ground, covered in blood. His face was almost unrecognizable beneath the blood. His black hair was matted and sticky with blood. It was unclear whether he was breathing or not.
Outside the seal, the atmosphere was still silent.
But at that moment, the seal began to fade.
Aiko shouted anxiously. Her green eyes were filled with fear.
"Masterrr! Kaito… Kaito… he's, he's dying! The seal has never faded this much before. What's happening?"
Ren was also panicking. His blue eyes shone with worry.
"Master? Please tell us what's happening!"
Woli's answer was heavy. His voice sounded like it was coming from a deep well.
"He… is losing."
When Woli said this, a cold wind seemed to blow through the room. The flames of the candles leaned to one side.
And at that moment, the black-robed ones began to step away from the seal.
Aiko's voice turned into a scream.
"Master, why are they stepping away from the seal? The ritual isn't over yet? WHY ARE THEY LEAVING, MASTER?"
Ren's voice trembled.
"Aiko… I think Kaito… d-died."
Woli's voice turned into a whisper.
"I'm sorry, Aiko…"
Inside the seal, Soul slowly walked toward Kaito.
"So this was it, huh? I thought you'd last a little longer… but I was wrong. What a shame. You had potential… but you wasted it."
He shook his head.
"Maybe it wasn't in your destiny to use that potential, huh? Just like me…"
At that moment, a voice was heard.
A faint but clear voice.
"Before I take my revenge… never."
Soul's eyes widened in shock.
"Huh? You're alive? How? I was sure you were dead?"
Kaito's eyes opened. They were shining through the blood.
"Before I take my revenge on the Ifrit named Zaryx… I will NEVER die!"
The moment Kaito said this, Soul's white eyes opened wide like saucers.
"Z-Zaryx?"
At that moment, Kaito got up. He swung his fist, concentrated with Po, at Soul with all his strength.
Soul was caught off guard. The fist landed right in the middle of his face.
BAM!
Soul stepped back a few paces – but didn't fall. He immediately recovered.
Kaito was out of breath.
"So you didn't even drop to your knees, huh?"
Soul had already recovered. His white eyes had cooled again.
"Nothing has changed, human! Your Ren is still very low. You… are a walking dead!"
A faint smile appeared on Kaito's face.
"Nothing has changed for me. But… something has changed for you, Soul!"*
At these words, Soul attacked Kaito as if he had gone mad. Coming at him with all his speed, all his power.
Kaito had lowered his head, waiting to die. Because he had nothing left to do.
His body had failed. His Ren was at zero. He couldn't breathe.
But at that moment, something happened.
One thing.
KYU!
Kaito's head suddenly rose.
Blood was coming from his pupils, from his hairline, from his nose. But his eyes… his eyes were looking at something else now. As if someone else had awakened inside him.
Just as Soul's fist was about to hit Kaito – Kaito stopped Soul's fist with one hand.
Soul's eyes widened in horror.
"Wh-what?"
At that moment, Kaito concentrated Po in his right fist and threw a very hard punch at Soul.
BAM!
The moment Soul took the punch, he tumbled through the air multiple times and stuck to the ground.
Kaito began to walk toward Soul slowly but steadily.
As if it wasn't Kaito, but someone else. His walk had changed, his gaze had changed.
Outside the seal…
Woli's voice rose in surprise.
"How is this possible? Look at that… the seal is glowing with a dazzling light!"
Aiko's green eyes shone.
"That means…"
Ren nodded. There was hope in his blue eyes.
"Kaito is alive! And he's about to win!"
Inside the seal, as Kaito approached Soul, Soul tried to crawl backward, retreating. His white body was trembling.
"I see it! I see it! His potential… is infinite! Look at that Kyu… it's flowing through his body like crazy!"
He paused for a moment.
"What? Now I can't read his Ren either? That means… once his Kyu is activated, he gets stronger every second…"
Soul's voice filled with acceptance.
"I think… I lost. I was wrong from the very beginning. If I hadn't underestimated him and finished him off immediately… I could have escaped my fate."
His eyes shone.
"But wait! I can still do this!"
He shouted toward Kaito.
"HEY, HUMAN! STOP! I GIVE UP! YOU WIN!"
The moment Soul said this, Kaito came to his senses. As if a fog had lifted. His eyes returned to normal.
"Huh? You're giving up? Why?"
There was no longer any resentment in Soul's voice. Only acceptance.
"I admit it. You… you are stronger than me."
And at that moment, Soul suddenly transformed into a pure white sphere. The light floated in the air, then entered directly through Kaito's heart.
Kaito's eyes flashed pure white for a moment. Something inside his body had changed. As if a new power had been infused into his soul.
"Wh-what was that?"
And at that moment, the seal faded. Kaito found himself outside the seal.
Woli immediately went to Kaito's side.
"BRAT! HOW ARE YOU?"
Kaito answered breathlessly. His face was covered in blood, but his eyes were shining.
"I'm fine, Master."
At that moment, Aiko ran and hugged Kaito. Her pink hair fell onto Kaito's shoulder. Her eyes had filled with tears.
"We thought you died, Kaito. Don't scare us like that again, okay?"
Ren also came to them. There was seriousness in his blue eyes, but also a sense of relief.
"I agree with Aiko. We were really worried about you!"
Woli asked curiously.
"What happened in there, brat? The seal almost went out?"
Kaito took a deep breath.
"I think… I used Kyu!"
Woli's eyes immediately opened wide like saucers.
"K-Kyu? How?"
"I don't know, Master."
"Well… we'll talk about that later."
Woli's voice filled with curiosity.
"What about the Djinn? Which one came?"
"The Spirit Djinn, Master!"
The moment Kaito said this, all the candles in the room except one immediately went out.
A single candle illuminated the dark room. Shadows danced on the walls.
Woli's voice turned into a whisper.
"S-spirit power?"
"Yes, Master."
Woli took a deep breath. He placed his hand on Kaito's shoulder.
"Kaito… maybe now you can truly take your revenge!"
Kaito's eyes shone. The fire inside him had reignited.
But this time… it was a much greater fire.
To be continued...