Arashi held his stomach as it growled painfully.
"I'm hungry… what do I do now?" he muttered under his breath. "This body is so weak."
A faint noise echoed from the alley nearby.
"…Who is there?" Arashi said slowly, his eyes narrowing.
From the shadows, a disturbing scene revealed itself.
Some men were hurting a little girl who had tried to steal food.
"Leave me alone!" the girl cried desperately. "Don't hurt me! I'm just hungry!"
One of the men laughed cruelly.
"There is no free food here, you little rat," he said. "If you want food, you have to pay for it."
He stepped closer, his grin turning disgusting.
"Oh… I have an idea. Why not pay with your body?"
The little girl trembled in fear.
"No! Don't do that to me!" she cried. "Leave me alone! I don't need the food! Someone please help me!"
Before the man could move further—
THUD.
A sudden blow struck the back of his head.
Arashi had appeared behind him.
Without hesitation… without mercy… Arashi stabbed the man in the back.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
And again.
Eleven brutal strikes.
Blood splattered across the ground as the man collapsed, barely breathing.
"You… you are a monster…" the man whispered with his final breath.
Arashi ignored him.
He slowly turned toward the little girl.
She froze in terror.
"P-Please don't kill me!" she cried. "I'm not with him! Please forgive my life!"
Arashi stared at her blankly.
"Give me the food," he said calmly. "I'm hungry."
The girl blinked in shock.
"What…?"
"I said give me the food in your hand," Arashi replied. "Don't you understand?"
Still shaking, the girl handed him the food.
Inside her mind she thought,
Isn't he going to kill me…?
Arashi took the food and looked at her.
"What? You think I'm going to kill you?"
He shrugged.
"Nah. I don't have any reason to kill you."
He took a bite.
"Although… if you refused to give me the food, then I would have a reason."
After finishing most of it, he tossed a small portion back to her.
"Here. Your 20% share for distracting the man."
The girl caught it awkwardly.
"Thanks… I think?"
"Alright. Goodbye," Arashi said as he turned away. "Nice working with you."
"Wait!" the girl suddenly called out.
Arashi stopped.
"What?"
"Thanks for saving my life."
Arashi looked unimpressed.
"That's all?"
The girl frowned.
"Why are you so rude? I'm just thanking you."
Arashi tilted his head slightly.
"Oh? Is that so?"
His eyes sharpened.
"Then why not show your real identity…"
He smirked faintly.
"My Bloody Goddess."
The girl froze.
"What are you talking about? I… I don't understand."
"Oh stop acting already," Arashi replied. "I know who you are."
He stepped closer.
"You are the goddess abandoned by your own clan."
"And the reason… is your red hair."
The girl's expression slowly changed.
Her fear vanished.
A cold aura surrounded her.
"So… you really know me," she said quietly.
"But unfortunately, you made a mistake."
Her voice became deadly.
"I don't like it when people talk about my hair."
A bloody sword suddenly appeared in her hand.
"Now you need to die."
She sighed softly.
"Although… I was thinking about forgiving you."
In an instant—
She attacked.
Her sword flashed through the air with terrifying speed.
Arashi barely managed to dodge.
"Man… you're so fast," he muttered while stepping back. "I'm barely dodging."
The girl looked surprised.
"Ah… is that so?"
She raised her sword again.
"Even I'm shocked that you can dodge my attacks."
Her aura intensified.
"Now let's end the game."
She raised her blade.
"Attack Name — Blood Sacrifice 0.1."
Arashi's eyes glowed faintly.
"Skill Name — Time Manipulation: Stop."
Suddenly—
Everything stopped.
The wind froze.
The dust in the air stood still.
Even falling stones stopped mid-air.
Time itself had been frozen.
But then—
Crack.
A strange sound echoed.
The Bloody Goddess forced herself to move.
She broke the law of time itself.
Pushing her power to the very limit.
In a single movement she reached Arashi—
And stabbed him in the chest.
The blade pierced through him.
Blood spilled down his body.
Arashi smiled weakly.
"I like your red hair… Iso."
"Always have."
The Bloody Goddess froze.
Her sword trembled.
Her eyes widened in horror.
Tears slowly filled her eyes.
Because at that moment—
She realized who she had just stabbed.
The person standing in front of her…
Was someone she once knew.
To be continue..