The birthday party was already chaos.
Clown music blared from cheap speakers. Balloons popped every few minutes. Children ran around like tiny hurricanes powered entirely by sugar and violence.
And in the middle of it all…
Vario was on the floor.
Again.
He curled up slightly, breathing like a man who had just experienced the destruction of his entire bloodline. "I… I can't feel my future…"
Garruk leaned against a chair, legs shaking. "That kid… fights dirty."
Seraphine was sitting on the floor fanning herself with a balloon. "He struck with terrifying precision."
Bella stood nearby with her arms crossed, still the only one who hadn't fallen.
Nyx pointed across the room. "Wait… who's that?"
A tall clown slowly stepped into the party room.
He was wearing a rainbow wig, oversized clown suit, and giant red shoes like the rest of them.
But there was one problem.
He had two horns sticking out of the wig.
And his skin was slightly gray.
Bella narrowed her eyes. "…That's an Oni."
The Oni waved awkwardly to the kids. "H-Hello small humans… I am… clown."
One of the children clapped happily. "FUNNY HORN CLOWN!"
The Oni forced a smile, clearly uncomfortable.
Then the small warrior child appeared again.
The Ball-Kicker.
His eyes locked onto the Oni.
Nyx whispered, "Oh no."
The kid charged like a missile.
The Oni tried to react.
Too late.
WHAM.
The room went silent.
The Oni's entire body froze.
His eyes widened.
His soul attempted to exit his body through his mouth.
Then his legs started shaking violently.
He slowly crouched down, holding himself with both hands.
"…I have fought many battles…" the Oni whispered weakly.
His legs trembled harder.
"…but this…"
He collapsed beside Vario.
The two of them lay on the floor side by side, staring at the ceiling in mutual suffering.
Vario wheezed. "…You too?"
The Oni nodded slowly. "…Your pain… is real."
Garruk looked at them both. "We lost two warriors today."
Seraphine placed a hand over her heart. "May their pride recover."
Meanwhile the kid stood proudly in the center of the room.
"I beat the horn clown!"
Bella looked at the destroyed men on the floor.
Then at the kid.
Then at Nyx.
"…Next time we're renting bouncy castles instead."
Nyx nodded.
"Yeah. Less casualties."
On the floor, the Oni whispered weakly to Vario,
"…Do humans always fight like this?"
Vario stared into the distance.
"…Only the small ones."