Ito Xius was furious.
Losing to Dominica—he could grudgingly accept.
But losing to an unknown, insignificant opponent? That was unforgivable.
Among the four combatants, Ito Xius's strength was second only to Crawford. But in terms of ego and self-importance, Ito Xius was unrivaled.
While Crawford and the others valued the Kingdom of Taris above themselves, Ito Xius placed himself at the very center of his world.
The sight of the disheveled, middle-aged man battling against Eugene and Tracy only added to Ito Xius's humiliation. Dominica, who had no further interest in the match, closed her eyes. Meanwhile, Wendy clenched her fists in nervous anticipation.
"Kaizen, do you think that man has a chance to win?" Wendy asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"I don't know," Kaizen replied, his expression grim.
But deep down, Kaizen doubted it. From his observation, the middle-aged man didn't stand much of a chance, even with Eugene and Tracy fighting at his side.
Kaizen had noticed something crucial: each attack from Eugene and Tracy came at a steep cost. The middle-aged man's vitality visibly waned with every move they made. His already frail body grew even more emaciated, as if his life force was being drained away.
The middle-aged man wouldn't last much longer.
Aura was a fair force. A sudden surge of power couldn't overcome a vast difference in strength, no matter how desperate the circumstances.
Eugene and Tracy launched another flurry of attacks, their strikes growing more frenzied as the battle raged on.
Ito Xius, however, calmed himself, suppressing his anger and reassessing the situation. He quickly realized the middle-aged man's predicament and adjusted his strategy.
Instead of pressing a relentless assault, Ito Xius began to fight cautiously, adopting a hit-and-run approach. By conserving his own energy and wearing down the middle-aged man, he aimed to outlast his opponent.
A bitter smile crept across the middle-aged man's face.
Time passed, and Eugene and Tracy's attacks began to falter. Despite this, Ito Xius stuck to his strategy, refusing to give the middle-aged man any openings.
The middle-aged man's consciousness began to waver. Memories of his past surfaced in his mind:
The laughter of his children, Eugene and Tracy, playing in the yard.
The warmth of family dinners he had prepared with care.
The joy of simple outings.
And then, the fire.
Years ago, his ex-wife had left the house for an errand, leaving him to care for their children. He'd fallen asleep, only to be awakened by flames engulfing their home. A spark from the fireplace had ignited the carpet, it was too late.
The house was reduced to ashes, and Eugene and Tracy were gone.
His ex-wife, consumed by grief and anger, had ended their marriage shortly after. Though she eventually remarried and moved on, the middle-aged man never forgave himself.
Now, on this airship, he was on his way to his hometown to visit Eugene and Tracy's graves one last time before taking his own life. But the sight of Kaizen and Wendy—children who reminded him so much of his own—had changed everything.
If he was going to die, he decided, he would at least save someone else's children.
Eugene was flung backward, hitting the ground with a sickening thud. The middle-aged man staggered, his body now a shadow of its former self.
Ito Xius saw his chance and pressed the attack.
With a sneer, he mocked his opponent.
"Is that all you've got? And here I thought you might have some hidden trump card. Who are those two brats to you? Your children? Hah—they're just ghosts. And now, I'll make them disappear for good."
Ito Xius unleashed his aura, manifesting his ability. Eugene and Tracy, already weakened, were slammed into the ring's floor repeatedly. The ground shook under the force of the attacks.
The middle-aged man collapsed, coughing up blood. As his life ebbed away, Eugene and Tracy's forms flickered and vanished.
Ito Xius's Invisible Hand hovered menacingly above the middle-aged man. With one final, devastating blow, it pierced through his chest, ripping out his heart.
Ito Xius smirked, holding the still-beating organ aloft. "This is what happens when you defy me!"
As the middle-aged man lay dying, Eugene and Tracy's forms reappeared. They knelt beside him, their hands clasping his.
"Father," Eugene said softly.
"I'm so sorry," the man whispered, his voice trembling. "If I hadn't left that night... If I had been more careful..."
"It wasn't your fault," Eugene interrupted. "It was an accident. You'll always be our father, and we've never stopped loving you."
"That's right," Tracy added. "Father, do you remember the games we used to play? Let's play one more time—just like we used to."
A faint smile crossed the middle-aged man's face. "Yes... one last time."
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