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Chapter 33 — Shadows Beneath the Surface
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Scene 1 — Inside the Living Room
The scent of warm wood filled the house, and a faint ray of sunlight slipped through a tilted curtain, drawing a golden line across the floor.
Kazo stood in front of the kitchen door for a moment, then pushed it open slowly, as if entering an unannounced battlefield.
Miro was standing by the table, her long hair flowing down her back, a wooden spoon in her hand, stirring nothing as if she were practicing a new recipe.
Kazo, in a complaining tone:
( Time is passing quickly. Why do you always carry that spoon? Act like a female. )
Miro raised her head toward him, her eyes calm but hiding something.
Miro gently:
( But what do females do? )
Kazo raised his eyebrows, trying to think:
( For example… ummm… )
He lifted his head toward the ceiling, and an imaginary bubble appeared above him— a woman approaching him saying in a sweet voice:
"Darling, don't leave me…"
Then she disappeared and another appeared saying:
"I love you, my dear. Let's enjoy today, just you and me…"
He suddenly snapped back to reality and found Miro staring at him in confusion.
Miro:
( What's wrong with you? Why are you spacing out? )
Kazo quickly, lying like crazy:
( Nothing, just thinking about how I will train them. )
But…
Nero appeared from behind him holding her doll, her innocent face sparing no one.
Nero:
( Mom, he's lying. He was looking at that girl who came for training. )
Miro froze for a second…
Then thoughts began crowding her mind.
Miro thinking:
( He looked at her… maybe this is the beginning of betrayal… but what is special about that girl? )
Suddenly—dramatically—she imagined herself in a white wedding dress, her red hair neatly arranged, holding a bouquet of flowers, her smile shining under the sun.
Miro thinking silently in jealousy:
( True… she is beautiful… and she also seems young… )
Kazo quickly, stepping back:
( She's lying. I'll go now to bring the fish. )
He started walking toward the door, but suddenly he felt a dense killing aura strike his back like a cold arrow.
He turned swiftly—
Kazo:
( An enemy…! )
But… there was no enemy.
It was just… his wife.
Her hair began to float despite the absence of wind, her eyes turned black, her face devoid of mercy… and her right hand trembled as a faint dark aura emerged from it.
Miro in a low voice that pierced the soul:
( You dare to betray me? )
Kazo froze, then transformed into an Olympic runner in half a second.
He dashed toward the door at full speed.
From behind—
Nero shouted:
( Dad, bring sweets with you! )
Kazo while running frantically:
( This is not the right time!! )
Miro stretched her fingers toward him to strike, but fortunately he opened the door at the last moment, jumped outside, shut it behind him, and escaped.
Her hand pierced through the door and appeared on the other side.
Kazo looked at her hand from outside, trembling:
( I almost died twice today… )
Inside…
Miro pulled her hand back calmly.
Her hair fell back down, the aura vanished, and her eyes returned to their calm blue color.
Miro with deadly gentleness:
( Kazo is smart… he may not die easily… but he will die today… I will put poison in his food. )
Nero smiling proudly:
( Mom becomes amazing when she's angry. )
Outside…
Kazo was running toward the market, muttering to himself:
Kazo:
( I know this… she will try to kill me in any way possible… so I will take every precaution I can. )
Thus, the first scene ended with a false calm hiding a storm.
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Scene 2 — Inside the Basement
The basement was like an ancient beast breathing from every corner.
The cracking sounds intensified…
A strange rumbling came from the walls…
The ground itself trembled as if something massive was awakening beneath it.
Zokimoshi stepped forward, his eyes shining with excitement, his swords sparking as he drew them.
Zokimoshi:
( It's time to fight. )
Rinyon angrily:
( We must try to get out of here, you idiot! )
Kiora lowered the rock to the ground, sweat pouring from him.
Kiora:
( How can the trainer put us in a place like this… before it was just a normal place full of training tools… this is becoming stranger and more dangerous. )
Every door in the basement emitted a different aura…
Each stronger than the other…
As if sleeping monsters were sealed beneath the locks.
Zokimoshi approached one of the darkest doors…
The energy around it nearly tore the air apart.
Without thinking…
He raised his sword and split the door in half.
Darkness rushed forward, and in the center… a mysterious blue crystal glowing alone as if it were the heart of the place.
Zokimoshi:
( What is this? )
A swarm of monstrous birds emerged from the darkness and attacked him wildly.
But with swift, decisive strikes… he cut them down without any effort.
Zokimoshi:
( They are weak… but strange… a strong energy is coming from this place. )
Everything fell silent for a moment…
Darkness…
Stillness…
No movement.
Zokimoshi:
( Is it really over? )
Suddenly—without warning—Kazo appeared at the entrance holding a large fish.
Kazo in a confused voice:
( Kiora, can you… aaaaaaaa—! )
The sounds stopped immediately.
The energy disappeared.
The basement returned to its still state.
Kazo looked and saw the birds cut apart on the ground… he froze… then ran toward one of them and grabbed its head.
Kazo crying:
( My dear bird!! Who did this to you…?! )
Rinyon in shock:
( Impossible… the teacher is crying… )
Kazo suddenly threw the bird…
And his face instantly turned calm.
Kazo coldly:
( Fine, it's okay. I'll get other birds instead. )
Kiora whispered:
( Eh… his expression changed so fast. )
Kazo turned to him:
( Please, can you give this to my wife Miro? )
Kiora:
( Why don't you give it to her yourself? )
Suddenly Kazo exploded in anger:
( I am your teacher and I want you to take it to Miro!! Do you refuse my request? I will make you regret it! )
Kiora quickly:
( Sorry… I'll go. )
He carried the fish and climbed the stairs, but he couldn't open the basement door.
Kazo stepped forward and opened it for him, and Kiora went out.
The scene shifts with him…
The camera follows him into the kitchen.
He handed her the fish.
Miro grabbed it…
Then suddenly—BOOM—she slammed the fish onto the table with a force that made the echo resound through both the basement and the kitchen.
Kazo shuddered.
Kazo lightly and fearfully:
( Kiora… come quickly. )
He stepped out of the kitchen, but Miro leaped toward Kazo like a predatory tiger.
She extended her left leg toward his face with terrifying force, her dress lifting slightly to reveal part of her leg while her dark aura began to emerge once again.
In a fraction of a second…
Kazo thought:
( Damn… she's fast… she looks gentle… but when she gets angry, she becomes a monster. )
— To be continued —