Page 1
The doll with wings shot at him, fists moving faster than my Eyes could follow. FWOOOSH! One punch swiped past the King's face. BAM! BAM! WHISH! Another. And another. The air crackled with energy from each strike. The King twisted and turned, narrowly avoiding every blow, but even I could see the strain on his face.
"By authority of the King, kneel!" His voice roared through the chamber, booming and sharp.
The two general-level dolls didn't even flinch. They were too powerful, their auras glowing like storm clouds ready to burst. The six-armed doll lunged forward, fists glowing with violent energy. BOOM! CRACK! WHAM! Each strike shook the floor. The King dodged with agility, but the punches kept coming faster and faster. His movements became a blur, but finally one strike landed against him, sending him staggering.
I felt my chest tighten. He was taking a beating and there was nothing I could do. My heart pounded in my ears. How is he still standing? I thought. He's going to need more than skill to survive this.
Desperation flashed in the King's eyes. He vanished. FWOOOSH! He reappeared several meters away, but the winged doll was already behind him. Its fangs sank into his shoulder. SHRRRK! He screamed in pain, the sound reverberating off the ruined walls. The doll's blade stabbed him and threw him to the ground. THUD!
My hands shot up, but I was frozen. "My King!" I yelled, panic gripping me. The smoke, fire, and the force from their attacks made it hard to even move.
Both dolls raised their hands and gathered their energy. Fire, water, and earth swirled together into massive spheres of destructive power. WOOOOOM! They hurled them at the King.
BOOOOOOOOM! The explosion obliterated the training room. Pillars cracked and tumbled. Walls disintegrated into rubble. Flames licked across the floors, and molten fragments rained down. The air burned and my eyes watered. The castle trembled. I stumbled back and shielded my face from flying debris.
Through the smoke I saw him. The King walked out, coughing blood. His clothes were torn. His body was battered, yet his aura burned brighter than ever. He spat blood to the floor and lifted his hand.
"Divine Blade Karma, hear my will and obey me. Come forth!"
ZIIIIIING! A streak of golden light shot through the sky and landed in his hands. The King's power surged violently. The two orbs behind him shattered and new ones appeared, hotter and brighter, radiating heat that made me step back. Fire enveloped him in a blazing cloak.
He spoke quietly, almost to himself. "I can only use this for three minutes, so I must end this fast."
I watched him stand tall, unwavering, a true King amidst the chaos. My heart raced as I took in the scene. He was terrifying and magnificent all at once.
The dolls began absorbing mana from the fallen dolls around them. Their bodies pulsed as the weaker ones disintegrated. Then they summoned their armies.
V slammed its hand into the ground. Fire and earth twisted into humanoid soldiers with wings, molten rock and flames shaping their forms. Hundreds rose, at least four hundred, roaring in unison. Sig followed, pressing its hands into the earth. Water and soil twisted into grotesque four-armed soldiers with a single glowing eye. Their steps cracked the stone floor.
My stomach churned. How is he going to fight all of them at once? I whispered. Even the King's steady breathing seemed tense as he sized up his opponents.
"Today, you will fall, Fairy King," the two generals said together, voices deep and distorted.
I froze. "They can talk?" My voice barely left my throat. Even the King's brow furrowed slightly in surprise.
V spread its flaming wings. "My name is V. I am here to defeat you."
Sig's six arms rose. "I am Sig. Your reign ends here."
V shouted, "Soldiers, cause havoc in the palace!"
Sig roared, "Crush the enemy before you!"
The armies surged forward. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The ground shook. The walls cracked further, dust filled the air, and I coughed. Sig's soldiers took a step toward the King and began to evaporate. SSSSHHHH! Steam hissed as the heat consumed them. The earth and water that made their forms turned to black ash.
The King's voice cut through the chaos, calm but powerful. "Two minutes and twenty seconds left."
He stepped forward. Fire swirled around him violently. The ground melted beneath his feet. Sig's remaining soldiers screamed and evaporated into vapor and flame.
I stood frozen, my heart racing. The King looked unstoppable, divine, and terrifying.
So this is the true power of the Fairy King, I thought. Flames devoured the ruins. Heat warped the air. The walls collapsed and yet he stood there. Tall, calm, unshaken, a King surrounded by his own inferno.
Page 2
The air crackled with tension as V and Sig advanced together, their combined presence pushing the very walls of the palace to groan under pressure. I could feel it through my chest, every step they took sending tremors through the floors. The heat from the King's aura was like standing in front of a furnace, but even that didn't slow them down.
"Two minutes left," the King muttered, eyes narrowing, fire swirling around him. "I have to end this fast."
V's wings spread wide, molten flames trailing behind them. Sig's four arms slammed into the ground, raising geysers of water and earth, forming massive fists that smashed down toward the King. BOOM! CRASH! Dust and debris shot into the air, the palace floor cracking under the impact. Pillars toppled and the ceiling began to sag, chunks of stone falling like rain.
I pressed myself against a broken wall, heart hammering. They're actually tearing the castle apart… and he's still holding his ground. How is he doing it? I swallowed hard, watching every movement.
The King's eyes blazed. With a sweep of his blade, SWOOSH! he deflected Sig's stone fists before they could crush the ground entirely. The force created a shockwave that sent shards of marble and stone flying across the hall. V tried to flank him, flames streaking through the air. WHOOSH! The King pivoted, spinning the blade in a wide arc. CRACK! BOOM! Flames erupted where his blade met V's attack, scorching the floor and sending waves of heat toward me.
I could hear the King's voice rise over the chaos. "One minute and forty seconds!"
V screeched and lunged from above, fists blazing. Sig slammed down multiple times, splitting the floor and sending stone pillars crashing into the walls. THUD! CRASH! BOOM! Each strike sent vibrations through my bones. Dust choked my lungs and sparks rained from the ceiling.
The King's body glowed brighter, his aura flaring into a storm of fire and light. He spun the blade in his hands, sending arcs of fire racing toward the attacking dolls. SWOOSH! KRAK! BOOM! The blasts struck Sig's stone fists and V's flaming wings, melting some and throwing others back. But they recovered instantly, working in perfect sync, their attacks coordinated like a single living weapon.
I covered my eyes as another wave of fire and debris slammed into the hall. The walls were cracking, windows shattered, and the marble floor was broken into jagged islands. My heart pounded. They could actually kill him if he slips for even a second. He's amazing… but is he strong enough?
"One minute left!" the King shouted, his voice carrying over the destruction. He slammed the blade into the ground. BOOM! A massive ring of fire erupted outward, melting Sig's water and earth soldiers and pushing V back. Flames licked the walls, and the roof groaned under the heat. I could see chunks of the palace roof falling in, windows shattering, and the statues in the hall crumbling into dust.
V screeched again and dove toward the King, claws glowing with fire. Sig's four arms shot forward, forming a wall of earth and water, crashing down with a deafening CRASH! BOOM! The impact cracked the floor into massive fissures, throwing dust and debris into the air.
I held my hands to my mouth, watching in awe and fear. He's still holding it… he's still fighting… but can he survive until the time runs out?
The King's aura flared brighter than ever. His blade hummed with power, and sparks of fire shot in every direction. "Forty-five seconds!" he shouted. He spun and struck, sending out a torrent of fire and light. SWOOSH! CRACK! BOOM! The blasts struck Sig's fist formations and knocked V from the air. The shockwaves shattered nearby pillars and sent chunks of stone flying toward the outer walls.
My chest tightened. The palace was being destroyed around us. Flames and dust filled every corner, ceilings sagged and threatened to collapse, and the walls cracked from the repeated blows. Yet the King stood, surrounded by his own inferno, blade glowing in his hands, eyes blazing with determination.
I whispered under my breath, heart racing. He's incredible… even with all this destruction, he won't back down. He's a true King… I just hope he can finish it before time runs out.
Page 3
The palace groaned under the relentless assault. Flames twisted along the walls, shards of marble and stone rained from the shattered ceiling, and thick smoke choked the air. I pressed myself against a broken pillar, heart hammering. It's completely falling apart… and they're still fighting?
"Thirty seconds left!" the King shouted, his voice sharp, cutting through the roar of chaos. His eyes blazed gold, fire curling around him like living serpents. Heat pressed against my skin, almost unbearable.
V screeched and dived from above, claws trailing molten fire. Sig slammed his fists into the cracked floor. CRASH! BOOM! The impact split the marble beneath them. Pillars toppled, walls buckled, and debris rained down like a storm.
The King didn't flinch. His blade flashed in a wide arc. SWOOSH! CRACK! One of Sig's massive fists was sliced mid-strike. SNAP! One of Sig's arms flew off, crashing into the wall with a shower of stone and dust. Sig howled, staggering but refusing to fall.
I pressed my hands to my mouth. He actually cut off an arm… and he's still standing… this is insane.
V hissed and lunged again, flames trailing from its claws. The King leapt to meet it midair, spinning his blade. SWOOSH! KRAK! One of V's wings was sliced clean, sparks shooting into the air as it collapsed. V screamed, tumbling backward, leaving scorched trails across the floor.
The King's aura flared violently, flames coiling around him. "Twenty seconds!" he shouted, his voice shaking the crumbling walls.
Sig swung his remaining arms desperately. CRACK! BOOM! The King pivoted with lightning speed. SWOOSH! Another of Sig's arms was severed, earth and water exploding into mud and rock. The palace groaned under the impact, walls cracking further, floors splitting into jagged islands.
I could barely breathe, awe gripping me. Every strike is perfect… every move calculated. He's not just fighting, he's annihilating them while the palace collapses around him.
V shrieked and launched a final attack. The King spun, blade humming, and SWOOSH! CRASH! One of V's remaining arms was gone, flames leaping into the air, igniting chunks of the ceiling. Debris rained down around me.
The King roared, the sound shaking the entire hall. "Ten seconds!" He surged forward, spinning his blade in arcs of searing light. Sig staggered, arms destroyed, and V's wings were torn and charred.
The palace shook violently. Fire spread across the floor, walls splintered, and the ceiling collapsed in massive chunks. Yet amidst all the chaos, the King stood tall, blade in hand, aura blazing, unshaken.
I pressed my face to the rubble, chest pounding. He's going to finish them… he's unstoppable… I just hope I survive to see it.
Page 4
The King created two enormous balls of fire, each roughly the size of a boulder. He condensed them until they were the size of a small marble. With a curt gesture, he hurled them at the enemy. The assailants dodged and scattered, but the blazing spheres closed in relentlessly, drawing nearer with a heat-warping hiss until they finally touched their targets. Upon impact, the explosion was unexpectedly subdued a quiet bloom of fire that seemed to smolder rather than roar. I stared in shock as the two bodies began to disintegrate, their flesh turning to ash in slow, deliberate fragments. From the ruin, they sliced off a mere finger and flung it away, as if attempting to escape their fate. The king's original bodies were utterly destroyed.
When the battle concluded, the king plummeted from the heavens, crashing down like a meteor's tail. Before he could hit the ground, a fairy in gleaming golden armor swept beneath him, catching him with one arm as if weighing nothing. The fairy's wings glittered with starlight, and every feather seemed edged with aurora, throwing off a cascade of light that painted the air in gold and pale blue. The armored fairy landed with a whisper-soft thud, folding the king into a secure cradle of wings and armor while silver runes hummed along the edges of the cuirass.
Two thousand guards appeared in an instant, a living wave of steel and light. On the ground, a thousand armored soldiers arrayed themselves in perfect military formation, their helms glinting like a forest of glass. In the skies, another two hundred flew in on crystalline wings, forming protective enclaves around the king's orbit. The air filled with a chorus of metallic whispers and distant thuds as their boots struck the earth in unison.
The fairy who caught the king stepped forward, her voice carrying a conduction of thunder and lilting melody. She spoke with authority, "Stand fast, protectors of the realm. Seek the intruders, secure the perimeter, and summon a healer immediately." Her armor bore intricate filigree sacred sigils etched in gold that glowed faintly with a pulse like a heartbeat. A circlet of radiant gems crowned her brow, and her wings unfurled with a brilliant shimmer that lit the battlefield in amber and ivory.
The guard captain, a towering figure with a scar across his left cheek and eyes like polished obsidian, strode to the king's side. He placed a gloved hand to the king's brow, whispering a soft, urgent prayer. The king spurted blood in a wet, rattling exhale, and his armor clanged as he strained to rise, then collapsed again, struggle thinning into a pale, determined gaze. A medic robes stained with desert dust and healing herbs hurdled forward, pressing a palm to the king's chest and chanting in a low, urgent cadence. The king's breathing faltered, a ragged wheeze that flickered like a dying flame, and his vision blurred at the edges as life clung to the threads.
Page 5
Suddenly, from the ground, the severed fingers began to stretch and twist, knitting themselves back with sickening wet pops and cracks that echoed like bones breaking. The Captain of the guards bellowed, "Men, hold your ground! Keep your distance and unleash hell upon the enemy!" With a thunderous roar, a barrage of shimmering fairy spells erupted a shower of searing crackles, like bolts of lightning tearing through the air. The explosion tore into the earth, carving a jagged crater and sending a choking cloud of smoldering smoke curling skyward.
I let out a shaky sigh of relief. But as the swirling smoke thinned, a horrifying sight emerged the enemy had fully regenerated, limbs writhing and sinews mending as if nothing had happened. Faces of dread and furious resolve twisted on the guards as the Captain's voice cut through the chaos: "Close combat experts, charge! Overwhelm them with sheer numbers! Archers and mages, lay down suppressive fire!"
Five hundred guards surged forward, swords gleaming cruelly under the fading light. Steel clashed with bone and flesh the sickening clang of blades meeting resistance echoed like war drums. The front ranks were torn apart mercilessly; guttural screams filled the air as half of the attackers were sliced down instantly, blood spraying like crimson rain. The wounded screamed in agony, only to be met with unholy retaliation the enemy tore at limbs with savage hunger, ripping arms and legs from bleeding bodies, jaws clamping down with wet, sickening crunches. Bloodcurdling cries of pain and rage filled the battlefield, mixing with the sound of bones snapping and flesh tearing. The air reeked of iron and death.
Despite the horror, the remaining guards gritted their teeth and pushed forward, hacking and slashing through the regenerating abominations with brutal desperation. Limbs were severed, bodies torn asunder, yet the enemies' grotesque resilience made each victory a grisly struggle for survival amidst a landscape drenched in gore.
The ground beneath was a macabre canvas, painted with crimson and dotted with shattered bones a brutal symphony of violence and bloodletting that left no doubt: this battle was far from over.
Page 6
The gaurds all kept shouting the same thing " Protect The King !" In just a few minutes One Thousand gaurds were brutally slaughter. Their limbs torn of and their bodies looking terrible. Suddenly V decides to sit on the floor and it says " Hey Sig you'll handle the rest of these weaklings". V responds with a yawm and says " these ants aren't worth the effort". V raised his hand and created an army made of earth and fire. He created around 3000 soldiers. V says " Sig let's see who can create Ten Thousand soldiers first". Sig responds with " your on ". On the first try Sig creates six thousand soldiers made of earth and fire. V then brings back the 2 thousand of the dolls which were destroyed as his soldiers. Sig says " Lemme create a few more ". And creates 4 thousand more soldiers created by wood and ice. Sig said " I won ". They both proceed to sit down on the floor and command Their soldiers to kill everyone. The gaurd were out numbered a great deal. They were all being brutally slaughter one by one. The gaurds managed to take down 500 enemies and injury 20. Six gaurds were left. It's as if the enemy was ignoring me coz it seemed they had forgotten me. I try to go help the king but I can't move because I'm paralyzed with fear. All I could do is watch. I'm filled with the feeling of hopesssness. Sig gets up and says " Leave the remaining 6 to us. You all go coz havoc in the palace. The enemy's army charged towards the end of the room and eventually exited the room. I find the courage to get up and shout " Get away from the king you bastards !" V says " You soldiers do the same, go coz havoc ". V stands up and in the blink of an eye he was standing right in front of me. He then said " Weaklings like you don't have the right to speak so shut up ". And he proceeds to flick his finger on my forehead sending me flying. I crash into 4 pillars. I stand up and say " I'm not gonna say it again, get away from the king ". They both start laughing at me. For a while they both target Me and leave the king. Sig punches me in the chest so hard I start spuing blood from my mouth. He sends me flying into the hair and jumps into the air and slams me down into the ground causing a small crater. V then surrounds and traps Me in ice . He covered Me from head to toe. I can still see everything that's going on but I can't move. The go back the king and say " It's your turn your majesty". The king responds with saying " Dam you " while coughing blood. Sig picks him up by the throat and the king responds with punching him in the face. That punch didn't do any damage. And Sig ripps of the King's arms and Slams his face in the ground. He was knocked out. The ice I was trapped in started cracking bit by bit. Eventually I broke free from it. And I say " you bastards are gonna pay" . My eyes had turned red and I see hesitation in their eyes. V asks me " why are you so determined to protect him ". I reply with " Because I need his help , since he Summoned me here I assume he knows a bit about me
The guards kept shouting the same desperate command, "Protect the King!" But within minutes, over a thousand guards lay brutally slaughtered, their limbs torn off, bodies mangled and grotesque. The air was thick with the sickening scent of blood and the wet, squelching sounds of flesh being ripped apart.
Suddenly, V sank down to the floor and called out lazily, "Hey, Sig, you'll handle the rest of these weaklings." He yawned and added with contempt, "These ants aren't worth the effort." Raising his hand with a dull flick, a roaring army of fire and earth rose before us thousands of soldiers forged from molten rock and blazing flames, their eyes smoldering like embers. Three thousand in total.
Sig smirked, "Let's see who can create ten thousand soldiers first." On his first try, his hands moved swiftly weaving earth and fire into six thousand fierce warriors. Then, he summoned back two thousand dolls, shattered and broken, reforged into soldiers once more. "Let me create a few more," he said with a wicked grin, conjuring four thousand more soldiers from twisted wood and frozen ice. "I win."
They collapsed onto the floor, commanding their grotesque armies to slaughter without mercy. The remaining guards were hopelessly outnumbered, falling one by one in the relentless tide of violence. The air echoed with guttural screams and the crack of shattered bones. The guards managed to bring down 500 enemies and injure 20, but only six guards remained.
It felt as though the enemy had forgotten me, ignoring my presence entirely. I tried to move to help the king, but terror rooted me in placeI was paralyzed by fear. Helpless, I could only watch, drowning in a tide of hopelessness.
Then Sig stood, voice cold and commanding, "Leave the last six to us. You all, go wreak havoc in the palace." The enemy surged forward, out of the hall, and into the inner chambers.
I found a spark of courage, rising to my feet and shouting, "Get away from the king, you bastards!" V echoed, "You soldiers, do the same. Go wreak havoc." In a blink, V was right before me, eyes flashing with disdain. "Weaklings like you don't have the right to speak. Shut up."
He flicked his finger across my forehead, sending me hurtling into four marble pillars. I staggered up, grit clenched between my teeth, "I'm not saying it again get away from the king." They laughed cruelly and focused their wrath on me.
Sig's clenched fist crashed into my chest with brutal force. Blood surged from my mouth as I spat it out violently. The world spun as he sent me flying into the hair, then leapt into the air to slam me down into the ground, creating a small crater beneath me.
V encased me in ice, trapping me from head to toe in gleaming shards. I could see the chaos unfold but couldn't move. They returned to the king, announcing, "It's your turn, your majesty."
The king coughed blood and growled, "Damn you." Sig seized him by the throat, but the king struck a desperate, futile punch to his face it barely registered. With a savage roar, Sig ripped the king's arms from his body and slammed his face into the ground. The king went limp, unconscious.
Cracks spread through the ice jail, light piercing the fractures until I shattered free. My eyes burned red with fury. "You bastards are going to pay."
I saw fear flicker in their eyes. V's voice was sharp and curious, "Why are you so determined to protect him?" I snarled, "Because I need his help. Since he summoned me here, I assume he knows something about me and where I come from."
The king's eyes fluttered open, weak but urgent, "R.. ru.. run, Kyo," he whispered, blood dripping from his lips. My rage deepened.
Page 7
I glanced down at my body every injury had completely healed. In the distance, an overwhelming presence pulsed through the air like a storm about to break. Two shadowy figures with vast, radiant wings appeared, their movements deliberate and full of purpose. As they drew closer, I recognized them—General Max and Katsu. Katsu limped slightly, still nursing old wounds. Suddenly, they teleported directly in front of me with a crackling snap.
Katsu's eyes bore into me. "Are you alright? What happened?" he demanded sharply. I replied, "I'm fine, but the king is gravely injured. Over ten thousand soldiers are wreaking havoc in the palace." Katsu's gaze hardened as he spotted the king's bloodied body lying near Sig on the floor. "Those two monsters are the enemy," I said.
Rage twisted Katsu's features like a living flame, and a fierce aura flared behind him, lighting the room with burning intensity. His voice thundered, "General Max, you handle the soldiers. There must be no more casualties." Max's eyes flickered with reluctance. "But I want to take the big fish down myself. Those soldiers are nothing but small fry." Katsu's glare hardened. "That is an order." Fear flashed in Max's eyes before he nodded. "Alright. Just make sure you crush the enemy who dared to do this."
Without hesitation, Katsu teleported beside Sig, his fist connecting with a sickening crack that sent Sig soaring into the air. He then delivered a brutal kick that sent V sprawling to the side. Kneeling, Katsu carefully placed the king's broken body on the floor, his face a mask of fury and hatred.
Sig and V erupted into malicious laughter. Sig sneered, "Looks like this one is strong." Sig lunged but never saw his punch land. Katsu tore off his arms before Sig could react, hurling him toward V like a ragdoll. Katsu spoke coldly, "You should be grateful. I will allow you to pay for your sins today."
Sig's face curled into a wicked smirk. "Pay? How?" Katsu's dark eyes gleamed. "With your miserable lives." V, enraged, lunged at Katsu, shouting, "How confident of you." Katsu caught him mid-attack and slammed his face ruthlessly into the ground. "You will die today. Your deaths will be filled with unbearable pain."
A swirling portal opened beside Katsu, and from it he withdrew a black blade. "This is Itami The Blade that will cut you down." V's eyes flashed red. "I'll go first. I wanna crush him for his arrogance."
Page 8
Sig lay on the ground, coughing, yet a twisted grin spread across his blood-covered face. "Hah… ha… hahaha…" His laugh echoed through the shattered battlefield.
High above us, Katsu hovered in the air, robes fluttering. -FWOOOSH-
He looked down coldly. "Let's make this quick," he said, voice calm and sharp. Light shimmered beneath his boots as he floated higher.
With a hard flap of his wings, -WHOOSH!– V launched himself into the sky and lunged at Katsu with a punch. But Katsu simply tilted his head aside.
-THWACK!!!– He countered, knuckles smashing into V's face. V's jaw cracked, blood flying from his mouth as he was sent crashing back toward the ground, -BOOOOM!– tearing a trench through dirt and stone.
Sig roared, slamming his hand to the ground.
-GRRRMMMMMBLLLEEEE!!!–
The earth split open and a massive stone hand erupted from beneath Katsu, grabbing hold of him. Sig smirked confidently.
"You're not that strong! Look who's dead now, you cocky bastard!"
But Katsu wasn't there.
SHHHK! He appeared behind Sig like a phantom.
"Too slow."
Sig felt it CRACK! Katsu's boot slammed into his spine. The sickening crunch echoed. Sig spat blood mid air before crashing into the ground.
Katsu landed gently, pressing his sword into the dirt. The air trembled.
-VRRRMMMMMMMM…- A dark portal split open beside him. Chains, black and glowing faintly red, slithered out like living serpents.
In one blink ZIP! Katsu vanished and reappeared beside V just as he stood up.
CRACK!!! A punch to the gut sent V rocketing upward again. While V was mid-air, Katsu flicked his wrist
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The chain wrapped around V's body, binding his arms and wings tightly.
Sig lunged from behind, using the dust as cover.
WHOOSH!!!
Katsu stepped aside.
-THUD!– His kick buried into Sig's stomach, folding him in half. Sig flew three meters upward before Katsu sent another chain snapping into the air.
-SHCK-KLINK!–
The chain caught Sig mid-air and SLAMMED him into the ground.
-BOOOOM!!!
Both Sig and V, chained, forced themselves to their knees. Blood leaked from their mouths.
V growled, eyes burning with fury. "Is that all you got!?"
Katsu's expression didn't change. He simply whispered:
"No."
The chains twitched.
ThenCHIK… CHIK… CHIK…
Metal spikes shot out from the chains, impaling deep into flesh.
SHLKKK!!! Blood exploded from their bodies, splattering the cracked ground.
Their screams filled the air.
Katsu raised his hand. A glowing orb formed above his palm raging, humming with raw magic.
-VRRRRRRRRRRMMMM…!!!–
-KZZZZAAAAAAAP!!!–
A massive beam of light shot forward, engulfing Sig and V.
-SHHRRAAAAK KOOOOOOM!!!-
Their bodies were violently split in half. The beam tore through the ground behind them, carving a massive crater.
Without pause, Katsu opened another portal. From it, he pulled a small diamond shaped bomb itts runes flickering softly.
He tossed it casually.
-TINK… TINK… (silence)…
…FWOOM K AAAAAAAAAAAAAABOOOOOOOOOM!!!
White light.
Heat.
Wind sharp as blades.
The explosion swallowed everything. The earth ruptured, trees vaporized, debris shot into the sky like bullets. The shockwave screamed:
-BWOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!-
Debris and flames rushed toward me. My heart froze.
But Katsu appeared in front of us in a flash, cloak tearing as he raised a barrier.
-THRUMMMMMM!!!– The shockwave split around him like water around stone.
When the smoke finally cleared…
The battlefield was gone.
All that remained was a giant smoldering crater. Ash and embers floated in the air like black snow. The sky was gray. The smell of burnt flesh, metal, and blood was everywhere.
In the center… Sig and V.
Or what was left of them.
Their lower bodies were completely gone only torsos left. Intestines spilled onto the scorched ground, bones sticking out, eyes melted from their sockets. Their charred skin peeled off like burnt paper.
Then it started.
Regenerating
Muscles squirmed and grew like snakes.
-SCHLK… SCHLK…- Bones cracked and extended, ribs forming, spines rebuilding. Veins slithered across new limbs. Their eyes reformed with a wet -POP.- Skin crawled over raw tissue, pale and twitching.
Within seconds, they stood fully healed. Breathing heavily. Silent. Furious.
I swallowed. "Katsu… do you think you can beat them alone?"
Katsu didn't look away.
"I know I can. But without a barrier, the damage would be catastrophic. They're almost at General level."
He tightened the chains in his hands.
"I'll hold them until General Max returns. But don't worry…"
A faint smile.
"…I'll win. Even if they regenerate a thousand times."
Sig and V glared at him as their bodies finished reforming.
Page 9
Katsu teleports to his sword, which he had thrust into the ground before the battle began. Gripping the hilt tightly, he smirks, "Been a while since I've used this blade." The sword, a dark steel with deep crimson engravings, glimmers ominously, thirsting for blood.
Sig unleashes a fire blast, flames roaring toward Katsu with a ferocious *WHOOSH*. He dodges just in time, but the explosion sends shockwaves through the area, leaving a deep crater that echoes with a bone-rattling *BOOM*. Debris rains down like shrapnel, and the palace trembles as if it might collapse.
In an instant, Katsu teleports in front of Sig, his blade slicing through the air with a deadly *SWOOSH*. With a swift and brutal motion, he cleaves off all six of Sig's arms. The sound of flesh and bone tearing apart is sickening, and Sig's scream pierces the air, a horrifying *AHHHHH* that reverberates through the ruins.
As Sig's arms begin to regenerate, he lashes out with a punch, but Katsu sidesteps, feeling the strong gust of wind as the fist whizzes by.
Suddenly, V appears behind him, lunging to grab Katsu's arm. But Katsu is quicker; he spins around and slices off both of V's arms and wings in one fluid motion. Blood sprays, splattering the ground in a gruesome arc. V's scream is a cacophony of agony, a visceral *AHHHHH* that echoes through the chaos.
Sig, fully regenerated, charges at Katsu from the air. Katsu dodges effortlessly, and Sig's punch collides with the ground, creating a massive crater nearly 40 meters wide. The force of the impact sends shockwaves through the earth, and the dust swirls around them like a storm.
In a heartbeat, Katsu reappears behind Sig and severs all six of his arms and both legs before Sig can even process what just happened. The speed is blinding, and the sound of metal slicing through flesh is visceral. Sig howls in pain, a guttural *AHHHHH* that hangs in the air. Katsu plunges his sword into Sig's chest with a sickening *THUD*, the blade sinking deep. Sig's screams turn to desperate gasps as blood oozes from the wound.
Katsu leaves his sword embedded in Sig, its hilt glinting menacingly. Another sword appears in his hand, identical but marked with the number *2* on its tip. Blood drips from the blade as Katsu readies himself.
Before V can recover, Katsu strikes, punching him into the ground. Blood erupts from V's mouth in a crimson spray, a brutal *SPLAT* as he crashes. Katsu then pierces V's chest with his sword, leaving it there like a trophy. A new blade, marked with the number **3**, materializes in Katsu's hand, its edge gleaming with the promise of more pain.
Minutes pass, and Sig is still screaming, his regeneration thwarted. *Is the blade that Katsu's using preventing them from regenerating?* I ponder, dread pooling in my stomach. Katsu approaches Sig, mock pity in his voice, "You poor thing."
Enraged, Sig finally regenerates his limbs, but the sword in his chest anchors him down. He summons six more swords around him, each resembling Katsu's but marked with numbers one through ten. The air thickens with tension, a palpable dread hanging above them.
"Time to begin," Katsu taunts, piercing the sword in his hand into Sig's right leg. Sig's scream is raw and primal, "AHHHHH, I'm gonna kill you for this!" Katsu smirks, pointing at Sig's six arms, commanding the floating swords to stab through them one by one. Each *THUNK* resonates like a death knell, Sig writhing in agony, his voice a chorus of despair, "AHHHHH!"
*I understand how his sword works now. It can multiply.* The realization hits me like a jolt. Another sword, marked with *11*, appears in Katsu's hand, and he drives it into Sig's other leg.
"AHHHHH, stop the pain!" Sig cries, desperation tinging his voice.
Katsu then turns his icy gaze to V, saying, "That'll stop you from regenerating; now it's your turn, winged enemy."
"I have a name, you monster!" V retorts, defiance flickering in his eyes.
"I couldn't care less about your name, beast," Katsu replies coldly, stabbing V's right arm with a *SHING* that cuts through the air.
Katsu casually slips his hands into his pockets, summoning five more swords 12 , 13 , *14, 15*, and *16*. "Let me clip those wings of yours, lil Birdy," he taunts, piercing two swords into V's wings. Blood sprays as V screams, "AHHHH, y... yo... you bastard!"
"My my, aren't you a feisty one," Katsu mocks, driving two more swords into V's legs, pinning him to the ground.
"AHHHH, yo... you... you will pay for this!" V gasps, panic rising in his voice.
"Did you forget what I said? Your deaths are going to be painful. One more sword left; come on, I'm sure you can handle it." Katsu leans in closer, eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure as he pierces V's other arm. The sheer brutality of the scene is overwhelming, the ground soaked in blood, the air thick with the stench of iron and despair.
Page 10
Katsu glared at the defeated enemies with a cold, expressionless face.
"Now… you will wait until General Max returns," he said flatly. His voice was calm, but his eyes narrowed rrowed and burning with rage told a completely different story.
Before I could blink, fwssh! he teleported in front of me.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to let them live like that? Why not just kill them?" I asked, my voice low and uncertain.
Katsu didn't look at me at first. "Don't worry 'bout it," he muttered. Then he knelt beside the King. His body trembled not from fear, but from barely contained fury. I noticed tears sliding down his cheeks like tiny raindrops. His jaw was clenched so hard that thin cracks formed across his teeth. Thick veins pulsed along his temples.
Without another word, shhhh a glowing clone of Katsu formed beside him.
"Look after the King and his guest. I'm going to fetch a healer."
And whoosh! he vanished.
I swallowed hard and turned to the clone. My voice cracked as I spoke, my whole body shaking.
"A-Aren't you… supposed to finish the enemy off?"
The clone burst into laughter. "Hahaha! You worry too much."
"B-But won't they just regenerate again?" I asked, sweat gathering on my forehead and dripping down my chin. My hands were trembling uncontrollably.
The clone tilted his head, calm and almost amused.
"The blade I used is called Itami. It has two abilities. First it can multiply up to one hundred times. Second it amplifies the pain I inflict."
My eyes widened. My lips parted slightly, breath shaky. "B-But… w-what if they cut off their limbs and regenerate?"
He answered casually, like he was explaining the weather.
"Itami doubles the pain of any wound it causes. But if I stab someone if Itami stays inside their body the pain doubles every five minutes."
He paused, a slight smirk forming.
"And if Itami remains inside them for more than fifty minutes, it stops multiplying pain… instead, it makes them nearly unable to die for ten minutes. So even if they regenerate… it won't save them from the pain."
Suddenly
"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! IT HURTS! MAKE IT STOP! AAAAAAHHHH!"
The screams echoed from the battlefield, raw and agonizing.
Katsu's voice came from beside me. I hadn't even noticed him return.
"You hear that?" he said quietly. "That's the sound of Itami taking effect."
[ 5 Minutes Later]
Whooomph!
Katsu appeared out of thin air, landing heavily on the ground with General Kino slung over his shoulder like a sack.
"Put me down! I can walk on my own!" General Kino struggled, his voice muffled.
The clone snorted, then burst out laughing. "Hahaha!"
I couldn't help but join. "Pff hahaha!"
Katsu sighed. "General Kino, can you heal His Majesty? Since you copied General Sakura's healing abilities, you should be able to treat him."
General Kino froze. "Are you serious?"
"Katsu, sir," I asked, wiping a tear of laughter from my eye, "why did you bring General Kino?"
"So he can heal the King," Katsu answered confidently.
General Kino blinked. "The general who can copy abilities… is General Kiba. Not me."
There was a long silence.
Then
"WHAAATTTT!!!" Katsu shouted. "You're telling me I grabbed the wrong one?!"
I burst out laughing, clutching my forehead. "How do you not know which is which?!"
General Kino also started laughing. "Hahaha!"
General Kino wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still chuckling.
"Hahaha… ah man… you really grabbed the wrong one."
Katsu's eye twitched. A visible vein pulsed on his forehead.
Thump… thump… You could almost hear the frustration building in his skull like a drum.
"Tch his isn't funny," he muttered, though his cheeks were slightly red with embarrassment.
I was still laughing, my hand covering half my face. "K-Katsu, seriously… how do you mix up two generals in the middle of a battlefield?"
The clone leaned casually against a broken stone pillar nearby, grinning.
"Hey, to be fair… they do have similar hair," he teased.
Katsu shot him a sharp glare. Szzzt! A crackle of light magic sparked around his fingertips as if his anger was leaking out.
General Kino raised both hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, calm down! Look, I'm not a healer… but I can still stabilize His Majesty. I've seen General Sakura do it many times."
Katsu paused. His eyes softened slightly as he glanced over at the King's pale, unmoving body. The King's breathing was shallow. Blood still seeped from his wounds, staining the ground beneath him a dark crimson.
"…Fine," Katsu said quietly, voice low and tense. "Just… do what you can."
General Kino knelt beside the King. Fwoom. A soft green light pulsed from his hands as he hovered them over the wounds.
The air vibrated faintly hummmm… as healing energy spread across the King's chest and arms. His breathing grew more steady.
I crouched next to them, watching with wide eyes. My heart pounded anxiously thump… thump… thump… as I clenched my fists against my knees. I hadn't realized how tightly I was holding my breath until I finally exhaled.
Haaah…
Katsu stood behind us, his cape fluttering lightly in the cold wind. His face tried to remain stern, but I noticed the relief slowly loosening his shoulders. The tears from earlier had dried, leaving faint streaks on his cheeks.
Suddenly
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH! IT WON'T STOP! AHHHHHHH!"
The agonizing screams from the enemies in the distance grew even louder. The ground almost vibrated with the force of their cries.
I flinched. My whole body tensed. Goosebumps crawled up my arms.
General Kino hesitated mid-heal and glanced at Katsu. "Is… that Itami?"
Katsu didn't even look back. He simply said, cold and quiet, "Yeah. And it's only been ten minutes."
The clone chuckled darkly. "They've still got a long night ahead of them."
Everything became eerily silent for a moment, except for the distant tortured screams and the soft hum of healing magic. The smell of iron from the King's blood mixed with smoke and dust in the air. Broken weapons and shattered stone lay scattered around us.
I looked at Katsu. His expression was unreadable calm… but his eyes were still storming with quiet fury.
And for the first time since the battle began… I realized just how terrifying he truly was.