A few months ago, Common Realms
Lila slouched into the damp grass, listening to the distant honks of vehicles travelling across the Great Reza Bridge. Beside her lay Ashira who, unlike her best friend, glued her eyes to the glimmering lake below. "Lila," she began, "it's been a while since your promotion." She rose from the field's reach, small droplets of water bleeding into her pink shirt. "It feels like it was just yesterday, huh?" Ashira clenched her brush, smearing a puddle of blueish-green paint across her arms. "You may have heard these words before, but they're important to your future growth. Entity hunters don't only hunt entities."
"Pufia has repeated this to me hundreds of times!" Lila groaned.
Ignoring her growing complaints, Ashira's painted fingers halted. "Remember the Vow of Prosperity."
"The Vow of Prosperity…" Lila mumbled, twiddling her fingers. As a Professional Entity Hunter, I, Lila, vow to serve the Nahatan Country to the best of my ability. I will not misuse my rank, and I will become…
"Lila?" Ashira called, tapping her on the shoulder. "Are you thinking about Kevin again?"
Her eyes snapped open, releasing a quiet gasp. "Kevin!? Where is he!?"
"You zoned out," Ashira notified, patting her best friend on the shoulder. "One day you'll have the opportunity to show your growth - when that moment comes, build and cherish it to the best of your ability."
Present, Fire Moon's Catacombs
"Damn it, why the hell is that coming to me now!?"
"Dual Spiritual Sword…"
Lila's eyes darted overhead, tracking the blinding illuminations through the quiet darkness. Clenching her muscles, she entrapped the flaming couple in her domain. "Red Code - Flashing Serpents!" Amir's gaze descended towards the floor, detecting the hissing snakes below. His muscles clenched, aiming beyond the flashing wall of serpents towards his glaring opponent. "Get ready to fight, Julia!" "Right, let's do it!" Lila's arms jolted upward, deflecting the blades with her armored wrists. The glowing blades move through the air, extending their flaming swords for an immediate counter. Weaving the continuous slashes in a rhythmic motion, another script of code poured from her fingers with a quick twirl. "Red Code - Depleting Chains!"
The sound of clinking chains fill the room, grabbing the couple's flaming arms. Julia's cries of agony continued, echoing through the daunting darkness. "Who do you think you are, trying to steal Amir!?"
"There is only one type of love," Lila wheezed. "What you hold for Amir isn't love, it's blatant obsession!"
Illuminating the room with his waning spirit, Amir stumbled across the patterned stone. "Julia…" he whispered, the armor of Pyron's flames extinguishing from his skin. "Please, stop hurting yourself…"
"What don't you get, Amir!?" One of the two chains restraining Julia snapped. "Everything I do is for your own good! Are you saying you don't care about all the sacrifices I've made for you!?"
A few seconds passed, conveying Amir's response through his abrupt silence.
"I see." Her blade rose, pointing towards her partner's trembling body. "I understand everything, Amir."
For a moment, a feeling of relief washed over Amir and Lila. That very moment of brightness served as a peace before further obstacles - more specifically, a calm before the storm. The negative feelings accumulating through Julia's mind peak, forcing a rupture within her glowing blade. "Everyone is the same… everyone… everyone… EVERYONE IS THE SAME! INCLUDING YOU, AMIR!" Like a roaring beast, she broke from Lila's persistent restraints. "I'll force you to love me - you won't have a choice! Everything will be normal again - we'll take over the world, the girl will be dead, and YOUR FEELINGS FOR ME WILL NEVER FADE!" With a nervous laugh but merciless movements, she charged towards Amir with uncontrollable tears. "Julia, what are you doing?"
"AMIR, SHE'S COMING! IF YOU DON'T MOVE, SHE'S GOING TO-"
The repeated splatter of blood dominated the darkness, causing Lila to freeze. Horrified, she narrowed her gaze. "What the hell… WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO AMIR!?" At Lila's bloodstained shoes laid Amir, face-first in a growing puddle of warm blood. His flickering spirit emitted a weak illumination through the room, revealing the gruesome truth.
Julia's shining blade had inflicted a fatal wound on her lover's throat.
Processing the outcome of her blind rage, aggressive trembles begin to dominate Julia's body. "What the hell did I do… I hurt the man who loved me the most, my love-"
Her pupils shrank in a manner of realization. Turning her face away from Lila, she slid the blade from Amir's flesh. "Spiritual Sword Secret Arts - Spirit Absorption." Before Lila's eyes faded the scar-covered body of Amir, splitting into small bits pouring into her blade. "With Reid and Pyron's power," she began, freezing Lila with her hateful gaze, "I'll grow stronger! Once this world is destroyed, AMIR WILL BE MINE, ONLY MINE!"
"Her power is growing," observed Lila, detecting Julia's body through the growing flames. Her flaming skin peeled, confronted by the screaming firepower within. Grunts of absolute pain, overshadowed by the roaring flames, echo through the burning room. "Great flames of Pyron and sweet soul of Amir, BIND INTO MY SPIRIT!" Shooting her head upward, her arms spread, lifting her glowing blade towards the ceiling. "Give me all the power you wield; make me the most powerful being, EVEN STRONGER THAN OWARI!"
Mixed feelings of shock, sadness, worry, and confusion dominate Lila - from stabbing herself repeatedly to killing her own lover, the idea of Julia's obsession had reached its peak. Through the waving flames rises the woman, aiming her sword's tip at Lila's throat. "That feeling… it won't go away!? Why do I feel him in you - WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY LOVE!?"
"She feels Amir inside me?" The jagged ruptures of code reignited across Lila's fingertips. "Serving the Nahatan Country to the best of my ability! I'll protect the country from oncoming threats; and that starts with you."
Volume 13, Chapter 71 - Spiritual Regret
Elsewhere in the catacombs
"Finally, another one of these unoccupied rooms!" Kaelan celebrated, taking a moment to catch his breath. His chest burned with continuous painful wheezes that shortened his breath. For a moment he relaxed, melting into the room's quiet traits…
Or so he thought.
"Seems like you're the enemy I'll be fighting," a monotone voice echoed through the darkness. Kaelan's head spins in countless directions, unable to pinpoint the voice's initial location. "Show yourself! Where and who are you!?"
"The man who played you during the Royal Complex Incident," the voice, now echoing from a single location, echoes. Kaelan's head shoots back, noticing a tall male with frisky, white hair and a tan tattoo. "One of Fire Moon's transformation mages? Not only that, but the same exact one who impersonated me?" A surge of energy erupted in his arms, illuminating with an idle glow. "Who are you, really?"
"I am Reid, one of Fire Moon's three transformation mages."
Kaelan's shoes slid across the patterned, stone tiles. "A transformation mage, huh? I'm guessing your power is similar to the mage Gerald fought…"
The mage let out a humorous scoff. "The skill difference between me and Songnote is extremely large." His hand rose, creating an echoing snap with his fingers. For a moment the sound repeats, gradually distorting with each loop. "Let's set our differences aside for now - allow me to showcase my power."
The stone bricks across the room began to warp, their shifting colors creating a blur in Kaelan's eyes. With a growing rumble, the surrounding walls moved further away from each other, rapidly increasing the room's size. As the parting walls came to an abrupt halt, the stone tiles under Reid began to rise, lifting him towards the flashing ceiling. Kaelan observed the perplexing scene with a curious gaze - what was the difference between this mage and Songnote? The rumbling ended, accompanied by a moment of growing silence. "Welcome to my Imaginative Studio," Reid called from above. "Enjoy your stay, for it will be your last."
"This explains why the hallway was so long," Kaelan whispered, his gaze lifting upward. From his high vantage point, Reid chuckled, shooting his arms towards the shifting ceiling. Clapping his hands, two fire-type entities covered in rock rose from the vibrant floor. A large grin bloomed across his face, influenced by his satisfied chuckles. "Let the trials of death begin! Attack, my beautiful creations!"
---
The room shook with repeated trembles, influenced by Julia's ferocious roars. Her view of the gruesome transformation blocked by the growing flames, Lila's code-covered fists pushed onto her waist. Above the growing wall of flame leaped a burning Julia, a tainted red invading her spirit. "With power like this, I'LL FORCE AMIR TO SURRENDER HIS HEART!" Julia's devilish voice shouted, heaving her blade downward. Thrusting her fists forward, Lila clashed against the flame-coated sword, her forehead sweating from the growing flames. Julia cackled, digging her sharp fingernails into Lila's waist. "ACCEPT DEATH, FOR IT IS INEVITABLE!" She pushed downward, driving her opponent into the dusty floor.
Lila erupted with screams of pain and agony brought along by Julia's onslaught. Her gaze shook, detecting the puddle of warm blood building below. "She's… too strong… If this suffering continues, I'll die for sure."
"GIVE ME MORE! GIVE ME MORE OF YOUR STRUGGLES, MORE OF YOUR PAIN!" Julia's grasp tightened, enlarging the gushing wounds. For a moment Lila hesitated, her mind reclaimed by intrusive thoughts. The Grand Province will be destroyed. Your status as a professional was only attained through extreme luck - despite your rank, you're still a worthless weakling. One who deserves to…
A vivid flashback at the Fountain of Prosperity flashed through her mind - the visualization of Kevin's bright grin forced a flutter within her heart. No. I'm not useless. Alongside her thoughts resurfaced Ashira's important speech - when that moment comes, build and cherish it to the best of your ability.
"THIS IS MY MOMENT!" Lila shouted, grabbing Julia's hands. Her voice filled with struggling grunts, striking her chin with a fierce kick. Julia jolted upward, stumbling through the path of aggressive flames. "You never learn… WHY THE HELL WON'T YOU GIVE UP!?"
"There's someone special to me in my life," Lila stuttered, lifting a clenched fist to her heart. "No matter what happens to me, I won't fall until he surpasses the Realm God!"
"Your words hold empty promises, Lila!" Julia screamed, lifting towards the crumbling ceiling. "Soon enough, your special someone will be begging for our mercy, UNABLE TO FIGHT BACK!"
"He… won't give up," Lila stammered, uniting her bloodstained hands. "You're not going to do anything - as long as everyone watches over him, he'll CONTINUE TO RISE UNTIL HE REACHES THE VERY TOP!" An immense flame shot from Julia's mouth, colliding with the dusty ceiling above. The falling boulders extinguish the scattered flames, pinning her body onto the ground. "Our death will be together, Lila!" A purple ember built in her mouth, its shine emitting a blinding glow through the room. She aimed the attack towards Lila and, without a moment of hesitation, released the mighty flame. "This is my Flame of Death!"
At the last moment, Lila's pupils shot open. "What the hell!?" A cloud of dust sweeped through the collapsing room, filling with a pile of crumbling boulders.
The Flame of Death had engulfed Lila whole, wiping her presence from the cave's face.