The space between them felt unnaturally dense, as if the air itself had been weighed down by an unseen force.
Nothing moved, yet everything felt tense—too tense.
Every breath carried a faint, dry sharpness, subtle but unsettling, like something foreign lingering in the atmosphere.
Celestine and Selvara stood perfectly still, not out of hesitation, but out of instinct.
This was not an enemy to rush.
This was a presence to measure.
Number 2's calm was the most disturbing part.
No aggression. No urgency.
Only a quiet certainty, as if the outcome had already been calculated long before this moment began.
Selvara took a slow step forward, her movement deliberate, confident—almost recklessly so.
There was no hesitation in her posture, no doubt in her eyes.
It was the kind of confidence that came not from certainty… but from refusal to acknowledge danger.
Just as her foot touched the ground, a hand shot out.
Celestine's fingers closed firmly around Selvara's wrist.
"Wait."
Celestine lifted her gaze toward Number 2, her expression firm, serious—free of hesitation.
"So," she said evenly,
"You said you're Number Two. Is that correct?"
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he exhaled slowly, a quiet breath that carried clear boredom.
When he finally spoke, his ash-gray eyes were dull with indifference, cold as stone.
"I am," he replied.
"Number Two… among the strongest Numbers.
Second only to Number One."
Celestine's eyes narrowed slightly, surprise slipping through her composure.
"Hm… I see," she said, a faint edge of curiosity in her voice.
"So what you're saying is—
you're stronger than that huge man who causes explosions."
Number Two looked directly at her.
Their eyes locked.
The moment stretched—heavy, dangerous, suffocating.
There was no hostility in his face… only certainty.
"Exactly," he said quietly.
The word fell like a verdict.
Celestine sank deeper into her thoughts.
The power she had sensed from that massive man the one who wielded explosions…
Deton, Number Three had been overwhelming.
Raw, violent, difficult to contain.
Slowly, she lifted her eyes and looked back at Number Two.
If what he was saying was true…
if he truly stood above someone like Deton
Then this situation was far worse than she had anticipated.
We're in serious trouble.
Number Two noticed the shift in Celestine's eyes—the way her focus drifted inward.
He read it instantly.
And decided to make things easier for her.
"There's no need to waste more time thinking," he said calmly.
"Simply put… it would take roughly four people at your level—
the two of you included—
to defeat me."
The words were delivered without arrogance.
Without emphasis.
Just a statement of fact.
Selvara let out a sharp, mocking sound, a short laugh filled with disdain.
"You're really full of yourself, kid," she said coldly.
"Celestine we should move now and break that confidence of his."
Her stance shifted slightly.
The first hint of aggression.
And Number Two…
didn't move.
Selvara remained still, waiting for a signal.
But Celestine didn't move.
She was still thinking—deeply, intensely, analyzing every detail.
That was Celestine.
At last, she lifted her head and spoke.
"What if… we avoid this fight," she said calmly,
"and try to reach an understanding instead?"
Selvara turned sharply toward her, genuine shock flashing across her face.
"What are you saying, Celestine?"
"Do you really want to negotiate with him?"
Number Two smiled.
It was cold.
Quiet.
Perfectly controlled.
"An understanding?" he repeated softly.
"Between us?"
His ash-gray eyes narrowed just a fraction.
"I'd wager you said that only after realizing the difference in power between us."
His voice hardened—sharp, merciless.
"I have no interest in understanding creatures like you," he said.
"Novara's dogs."
The insult hung in the air like poison.
And the silence that followed…
was no longer negotiable.
Celestine smiled faintly.
"That's a bit harsh," she said softly.
"I'm genuinely trying to avoid a fight between us.
I believe understanding is better than spilling blood."
Number Two slowly lifted his head toward the sky.
He looked at its blueness.
Its calm beauty.
For a brief moment… something flickered behind his ash-gray eyes.
Fragments of memory.
Things long buried.
"Understanding?" he murmured.
"That lie won't work on us anymore—especially when it comes from you."
His voice grew heavier.
"Understanding.
Peaceful coexistence."
He lowered his gaze back to Celestine.
And for the first time, his calm shattered.
Hatred burned openly in his eyes.
"That's what you tried to convince us of," he said bitterly.
"Before you betrayed your promises…
before you destroyed our village…
before you slaughtered our children."
The air twisted.
The sun above felt harsher.
And the salt at his feet… began to stir.
Celestine took a slow breath, her tone measured as she tried to calm the tension.
"Isn't it foolish," she said calmly,
"to accuse me of something I know nothing about?"
Number Two answered immediately.
"And isn't it just as foolish," he shot back,
"to stand in our way and try to stop us from taking revenge on them?"
His gaze hardened.
"Maybe you're not responsible for what happened," he continued,
"but you're standing on their side."
A faint smile appeared on Celestine's lips.
She was starting to enjoy this discussion.
"On their side?" she said lightly.
"Young man… if you think stopping what the Church is doing—
or trying to destroy it—is easy…"
She raised her hand, pointing toward the distant location where the Church stood.
"Then go," she said simply.
"Try it yourself—if you can."
Her eyes sharpened.
"We can't just rush in and act recklessly, committing stupidity that'll get us killed."
She brushed her hair back calmly.
"I didn't say we could come to an understanding for no reason," she continued.
"I mean it. We share the same viewpoint—
we just differ in how we try to achieve it."
She slid her hands into her pockets.
"I don't like what the Church is doing either," Celestine said quietly.
"I want to know what they're hiding.
But I won't make a move without thinking first."
Number Two let out a slow, quiet breath.
"That's exactly why I told you from the beginning," he said coldly,
"that understanding is impossible."
His ash‑gray eyes hardened.
"I can't trust a single word from trash like you anymore," he continued.
"You're nothing but filth
and sooner or later, I'll dissolve you with my salt."
White grains began to gather in his palm, swirling unnaturally as he raised his hand toward them.
"I am Crystel… Number Two," he declared.
"And I will kill you both here."
Celestine stepped forward, her stance shifting instantly into readiness.
She glanced sideways at Selvara.
"Selvara—I'll engage him first. Support me."
Selvara let out a sharp sigh.
"Finally," she muttered.
"I was getting sick of this whole conversation."
A fierce grin crossed her face.
"As you wish!"
Celestine burst forward, her footsteps rapid and precise, her aura flaring as she charged straight at Number Two.
Crystel didn't move.
He simply stood there
watching her approach.
Waiting.
Celestine's right leg shot forward, aiming directly for Number Two's head.
Crystel barely raised his hand—just the back of it—and blocked the kick with surgical precision.
A crackling of salt spread across his palm as some of the grains brushed Celestine, the faint hiss of burning energy filling the air.
He extended his left hand, attempting to grasp her mid-movement, but Celestine twisted gracefully, evading the hold. She slipped past him with fluid agility, her momentum carrying her forward.
Crystel's ash-gray eyes followed her, unhurried, measured, as if he were savoring the encounter.
Every subtle movement of hers was noted, analyzed, yet his body remained poised, composed.
Celestine drove her left fist toward his face.
Crystel caught her wrist effortlessly—and didn't let go.
He turned fully to face her, his grip firm, unyielding. His voice was calm, almost curious.
"Aiming for my jaw… trying to knock me unconscious?" A faint, cold hint of approval passed through his eyes. "Not bad."
Celestine reacted instantly. Her right hand shot forward, gripping his shirt tightly, yanking him toward her as she lifted her leg, attempting a close-range strike despite the distance between them.
But Crystel moved first.
The moment she shifted her balance, he swept his right leg with precise timing, striking the leg she was standing on.
Her center collapsed.
Celestine fell hard to the ground, surprise flashing briefly across her face.
Yet—even then—she didn't release him.
Because of her grip, Crystel was forced to bend with her momentum. He lowered himself, one knee touching the ground, his posture controlled, deliberate.
Their faces were now dangerously close.
Salt shimmered faintly along his skin.
And the distance between them… had vanished completely.
Celestine tightened her grip on him.
"Then why haven't you used your salt yet?"
Number Two answered calmly, with blunt honesty, his voice steady even at this distance.
"My salt?"
"If I use it now, while your defensive energy is still strong, it would shield you from most of its effects."
"…It's different when you're exhausted."
Celestine smiled—
not mocking, not afraid—
but genuinely impressed.
"Oh," she said softly, eyes sharp.
"So you're planning to wear me down first?"
In response, Number Two struck.
His right fist shot forward with terrifying speed, aimed straight for her face.
Celestine snapped her head to the left just in time.
His punch missed her by a breath
and slammed into the ground instead.
The impact cracked the surface beneath his knuckles.
Celestine's eyes widened slightly.
That speed…
Even up close, she hadn't fully registered the motion.
This wasn't brute force.
This was precision
and patience.
Crystel, Number Two, raised his right hand toward the ground, his movements sharp and deadly. He unleashed a rapid series of strikes aimed at Celestine's face, each blow designed to force her to release him. The whoosh of air sliced through the tension-filled space, every hit a direct threat.
Celestine, using her left hand as a guard, shielded her face from the flurry. But she wasn't just defending her Sanda training guided her. Her eyes tracked every twitch of Crystel's muscles, predicting the next strike.
Number Two spoke calmly, his voice low and steady, as if the chaos around them did not exist.
"You won't let go… will you?"
Before Celestine could respond, salt began to manifest from his hand—coarse, unnatural grains forming instantly. Thick smoke rose from it, curling into the air as if the salt itself was boiling, alive with heat and pressure.
Celestine's instincts screamed.
She released him immediately, pushing herself back and creating distance.
Number Two did not hesitate.
With a sharp flick of his arm, he hurled the salt toward her.
The mass shattered mid-air, exploding into countless small fragments.
Celestine twisted her body, stepping sideways as the pieces scattered past her—some grazing the ground, others slicing through the air where she had been a moment ago.
Fighting him at close range will be difficult, she thought.
Lowering my guard against him would come at a devastating cost…
Her eyes narrowed.
She stopped retreating and focused entirely on his hand—the structure of the salt, its texture, the way it formed.
This salt…
His ability is far too familiar…
Number Two looked at her—then slowly shifted his gaze toward Silvara.
That strange-haired girl…
She hadn't made a single move.
Silvara smiled, meeting his eyes with lazy amusement.
"What's wrong?" she said lightly.
"Am I really that fascinating?"
Celestine stepped forward again, closing the distance.
At that moment, Number Two felt something off.
A subtle disturbance rippled through the flow of his energy—unnatural, unfamiliar.
He couldn't understand its source.
Celestine moved.
Four rapid strikes snapped toward his face—
right, left, right, left.
With each punch, her free hand rose instinctively beside her face, guarding as she attacked.
Tight. Disciplined. Precise.
Number Two evaded the first three.
His head shifted smoothly—right, then left—
the fourth punch missing as he leaned his head back just enough to let it pass inches from his nose.
But Celestine didn't stop.
Her right leg shot up and snapped low, driving straight into his thigh.
The impact landed clean.
Yet…
Number Two showed no reaction.
Number Two swung his hand from left to right in a sharp motion—
not a punch, but a brutal backhand swipe, fast and compact.
Celestine lowered her head instantly,
both hands rising to guard her forehead,
yet her eyes remained open—
locked onto him, watching carefully.
In that moment,
Number Two felt something was wrong.
His energy flow…
was decreasing.
Not suddenly.
Not violently.
But faster than normal—by a small, irritating, inexplicable margin.
Celestine pulled her arm back,
her stance lowered slightly,
a transparent energy gathering tightly around her fist.
She was ready.
But instead of focusing on her,
Number Two suddenly shifted his gaze toward Selvara.
He froze—just for a fraction of a second.
Her eyes…
were red.
Aren't her eyes supposed to be black?
he thought.
That brief instant
was all Celestine needed.
Her fist drove forward with overwhelming force,
transparent energy bursting from her hand
as it slammed directly into his abdomen.
A heavy, compressed impact echoed through the air.
Number Two's body jolted,
his footing shaken as he slid half a step back.
Celestine lifted her head,
a faint, confident smile on her lips.
"Wait… wait," she said calmly.
"Did you even feel that?"
Yet despite the sheer power of the blow,
despite how it had shaken his stance
Number Two showed no sign of pain.
Worse still
His attention had never truly been on her.
In a flash
too fast for Celestine to even perceive
she only felt the impact.
A slap.
Sharp.
Precise.
Terrifyingly fast.
Her body was sent flying sideways,
she hit the ground hard,
instinctively clutching her cheek.
Her eyes stayed wide open,
frozen in shock.
That speed…
Did he really just hit me?
She looked up at him,
fear and disbelief flickering clearly in her gaze.
Meanwhile,
Number Two calmly removed his shirt.
His body was slender
lighter than his presence suggested.
But what made his breath hitch
was the mark.
A red symbol.
An eye…
clearly etched across his abdomen,
as if staring back at him.
He froze.
Then his gaze snapped directly to Selvara.
"So… this is your ability?"
Selvara was smiling.
Provocative. Confident.
Her eyes glowing with a vivid red light.
"You finally figured it out?"
At that moment,
Celestine stood back up.
Her hand still rested on her cheek,
but she was smiling too.
Not mockery.
Not arrogance.
Admiration
mixed with caution.
"You're really fast..."
In a flash—
Number Two passed right beside Celestine.
She realized it too late.
She spun around,
only to find the distance between them had already widened.
He was heading straight for Selvara.
Selvara's eyes widened slightly,
a flicker of hesitation crossing her face—
but she didn't step back.
Her hands charged with a strange red energy,
dense and dark,
the color of blood itself.
She fired a red projectile straight at him.
Number Two dodged it effortlessly,
a short, precise movement.
In the next instant—
he struck.
A punch.
It slammed directly into Selvara's nose.
Yet she didn't close her eyes.
She didn't cry out.
She didn't retreat.
As if pain…
was something she was already used to.
At that moment
the red sphere he had dodged
curved through the air
and came back from his side.
He sensed it instantly.
Lowered his head at the perfect moment,
the energy slicing past him like a lethal flash.
Selvara didn't stop.
Red energy surged into her elbow
as she stepped in, aiming a crushing elbow strike at his head.
But
Number Two caught her elbow.
And the moment his grip tightened
salt spread across it.
A sharp pain tore through Selvara's arm,
as if her hand was melting.
Or rather
it was her energy that prevented it from fully dissolving.
She clenched her teeth.
The pain was real…
and terrifying.
The red energy began to slowly drain from Selvara's elbow,
thin streams flowing back toward Number Two's body.
He felt it instantly.
A portion of his energy…
was returning.
That's when he understood.
He still held her elbow tightly,
while she clenched her teeth,
the pain obvious—but not breaking her.
He twisted her arm slightly,
not out of cruelty,
but indifference—
as if testing something.
His mind was working.
"I get it now…"
"You're stealing my energy."
He paused briefly.
"But how?"
Despite the pain,
Selvara smiled.
A defiant… feral smile.
"And why would I tell you, you bastard?"
She charged her red energy into her right hand
and unleashed repeated punches to his cheek.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
But—
he showed no reaction.
No pain.
No movement.
She stared at him in disbelief and frustration. "Why aren't you hurting?"
At that moment—
Celestine appeared behind him.
A powerful kick slammed into his side.
His body didn't move.
Not even an inch.
Celestine stepped alongside him,
aiming a strike at his jaw—
but at the last moment,
he struck her hand aside with blinding speed.
Then, almost automatically,
he swung at her face.
Or at least—
that's what he thought.
Celestine blocked it this time.
And while he still held Selvara's elbow with his right hand—
she struck him.
Kicked him.
Unleashed everything she had.
But…
it did nothing.
Nothing at all.
Suddenly
the red sphere returned toward him.
He sensed it.
Released Selvara's arm at last.
She staggered backward,
gasping for breath.
Number Two caught the sphere with his right hand
and crushed it.
The energy transformed,
surging straight into his body.
Returning…
to him.
Celestine stepped forward—
and punched him in the face.
At the exact same moment,
Number Two threw a punch of his own.
The blows collided simultaneously.
Both of them staggered backward,
one step… then another…
the shock still lingering in the air.
Nearby,
Selvara clutched her elbow.
Blood slowly seeped out,
her skin clearly damaged,
even though her energy defense had prevented the worst.
She clenched her teeth,
charging red energy into both hands.
Then she rushed at him.
Number Two watched calmly…
and dodged her attacks with ease.
"Too slow…"
he said coldly.
"Without that ability of yours, you wouldn't have lasted a second against me."
In a flash,
he struck her neck.
Selvara froze,
a choked gasp escaping her lips
as she began coughing, her body bending forward.
That's when
Celestine leapt.
Her kick shot toward Number Two's face.
He raised his hand to block
but she changed trajectory at the last instant.
Both legs wrapped tightly around his neck,
she pulled with all her strength
and slammed him hard into the ground.
A heavy impact echoed through the area.
Number Two stood up.
The moment he did—
a brutal punch smashed into his face.
Selvara.
The impact was so strong that his upper body snapped backward,
and this time—
he truly felt the pain.
His expression stiffened for a brief instant,
and his mind immediately began calculating:
She's draining my energy…
and converting it into raw offensive power.
If this continues… the situation will worsen.
I need to understand how her ability works—now.
He didn't get the chance to think longer.
They attacked together.
Selvara from the right,
Celestine from the left.
He moved fast—
blocked, dodged, twisted—
his left hand shot out toward Selvara—
but at that exact moment
Celestine grabbed his arm.
"Now!"
Selvara didn't hesitate.
A fast, direct punch to his face.
A faint red flash burst out—like a brief lightning spark.
The hit was—
genuinely painful.
Number Two's head snapped violently aside,
and before he could regain balance—
Celestine yanked his arm with full force.
She lifted him off the ground
and
slammed him down once more.
His body crashed into the earth
as if it rejected him for a second time.
Number Two stood up once again.
At the same instant— Selvara's punch came flying straight toward his face.
He dodged at the very last moment.
The fist grazed his cheek, barely touching it.
But that was enough.
He could clearly feel it now—
nearly half of his energy had already been drained.
…This is getting bad. Fast.
Before he could think further—
Celestine rushed in.
Blinding movements.
A rapid chain of attacks, lightning-fast.
He blocked every single one.
Then— his palm struck her abdomen.
One blow.
The ground trembled.
Celestine was thrown back several steps,
the air forced violently out of her lungs.
Immediately after—
Selvara jumped in.
A left-handed punch.
And in that moment,
he noticed something strange.
Her eyes… were bleeding.
…I never hit her eyes.
At that instant of realization— the punch landed.
He endured it,
steadied himself,
then raised the index finger of his left hand—
and drove it straight toward her eyes.
Selvara instinctively shut them.
His fingers touched her face.
And instantly—
the red mark on his abdomen vanished.
Number Two's eyes widened.
…I understand now.
The moment Selvara opened her eyes—
a barrage of rapid strikes from his left hand crashed into her.
One hit,
then another,
then another—
she staggered back with each blow.
He suddenly grabbed her hair.
Lifted his knee
and slammed it into her face—fast and brutal.
Once.
Then again.
With every hit— her red energy slowly faded… and flowed back into him.
Holding her hair tightly, he spoke coldly:
"I understand your ability now."
"You need to look at me… to steal my energy and take it."
"But the moment I strike you my energy returns."
Selvara lifted her head with effort.
She looked at him… and smiled.
Still trying to provoke him despite the pain.
She slowly opened her eyes the red color had faded, leaving them cold and dull.
Her nose was bleeding.
Her breathing was heavy.
Exhaustion weighed down her body.
She stared at him, trying to reactivate the eye mark on his body
A sharp slap.
Her eyes shut instantly
Celestine stepped forward, her pace steady,
but Number Two didn't raise his eyes fully—just a half-glance.
Calmly, he yanked Selvara by her hair,
and flung her toward Celestine.
Celestine froze for a moment, surprised by the sudden move,
but she quickly grabbed Selvara, ensuring she was alright.
Celestine: "Are you okay?"
Selvara, panting but determined, lifted her head with confidence:
"Yes… I can fight. Don't worry about me."
Number Two watched them coldly,
his mind calculating every detail.
From what I know, the key agency members are roughly at the same level as the guild leaders…
Celestine and Selvara felt a twinge of unease,
realizing that Number Two was likely about to make a dangerous move.
Finally, Number Two spoke, his voice calm but brimming with confidence and cold precision:
"I cannot judge you until I see the other woman's ability.
But if what I know is true… facing the guild leaders will not be this difficult."
Tension thickened in the air,
the city around them seemingly holding its breath for the explosion of energy that was about to come.
Number Two smiled faintly, calm but serious:
"Congratulations… I've already lost half my energy, even though I recovered what was stolen from me."
He looked at Selvara:
"…though it hasn't fully returned yet."
Celestine readied herself, fists tight and poised for any move,
and Selvara, despite her fatigue, looked down for a moment before standing firm, her crimson eyes fixed on him.
Celestine spoke quietly, wiping the sweat from her brow:
"Your ability isn't unfamiliar to me. I once read a book that spoke of strange and dangerous powers… and yours is one of them."
Number Two raised an eyebrow, intrigued:
"A book?"
Celestine continued:
"Yes… your ability is mentioned there. I wished it weren't, but it's clear. Your salt is extremely dangerous, it seems to react with sunlight, causing burns on the body and even melting skin."
Number Two fell silent for a moment, absorbing her words:
"So… they even made a book about us…"
Celestine gently nodded:
"I suspect you're from that village that was destroyed…"
Number Two's expression flickered with a hint of anger, though he kept his composure,
and Celestine spoke with calm determination:
"From what I know, that village rebelled, began killing people, causing crimes… so Novara wiped it out on the Church's orders, and the children were adopted and relocated somewhere undisclosed… this happened about twenty years ago."
Number Two gradually returned to his calm demeanor, a subtle sadness appearing despite his usual coldness:
"So… this is the accusation we were handed… killing people and committing crimes?…"
The air between them was heavy with tension, every second stretching, as if bracing for the battle that was about to erupt…
Celestine smiled confidently, lifting her head as she took short, deliberate steps, leaving Selvara behind.
Selvara shouted, concern evident in her voice:
"Wait! Be careful! This is dangerous!"
The space around Celestine began to subtly distort, as if the air itself were aware of her movements. Small orbs started to float around her, spinning and shining with a mesmerizing glow.
Eight spheres orbited her, resembling a sun surrounded by tiny planets. Four glowed a translucent white, three a soft sky blue, and the last one radiated a bright yellow.
Number Two focused intently on her, his ash-gray eyes sharp and cold:
"So… this is your ability? I'm curious to see what you can do."
Celestine stood confidently, the spheres revolving around her like a natural force. Her smile radiated control and dominance, while a strong purple aura emanated from her, intertwining with the surrounding light. Her toned body exuded power, her hair floated slightly with the movement of the spheres, and her eyes shone with determination and courage.
She spoke in a clear, commanding voice:
"Let's begin the real fight, Crystel!"
Crystel clenched his fists, his slender frame covered in tiny salt grains that shimmered with his gray energy. Every muscle tensed, every motion calculated, his ash-gray eyes gleaming with cold fury and anticipation, ready for any potential attack.
The air around them was now thick with energy, the entire space seeming to brace for the impending clash…
End of Chapter.