After seven long days on Mount Pleasant, Ramba and Chippo finally stepped back into their tiny apartment.
Dust floated in the air, untouched since they'd left.
Ramba's body—still chained by the strange curse—lay on the center mat, heavy locks of dark energy wrapped around him like coiling serpents.
Chippo exhaled slowly.
"Okay… here goes," she whispered.
She raised her hand, summoning her Spirit Axe.
The weapon formed in a swirl of silver-blue Qi, its edge humming with raw spiritual power.
Chippo planted her feet, drew in a deep breath, and let her Qi flood into the axe until it glowed brightly.
Then—she charged.
The axe collided with the curse-chains.
BOOM!
A shockwave of Qi burst outward, rattling every window in the apartment.
Chippo gritted her teeth, still pushing, her axe locked against the resisting chains.
"I think… I can… cut through…" she forced out, her voice trembling under the pressure.
Energy built—
And then exploded.
Chippo was flung backward, slamming into the floor.
At the same time, Ramba's body was blasted into the wall like a ragdoll. Dust rained from the ceiling.
They groaned, stood up slowly, then turned to the mat.
The chains were gone.
Ramba's eyes widened. "YES!" He jumped in excitement. "Chippo, you— you're a gift from the heavens!" He ruffled her hair aggressively in celebration.
Chippo turned her face away, trying—and failing—to hide the faint red tint in her cheeks.
"It… it was nothing," she muttered.
But the victory lasted only a heartbeat.
CLANG—CLANG—CLANG!
New chains burst into existence around Ramba, thicker and darker than before. Jagged spikes pulsed along their surface.
Both of them froze, eyes wide.
"…Ehh??"
"…HUH?!"
The curse had regenerated—this time even stronger.
---
Scene Shift — Unknown Location
Far away, in a quiet room filled with drifting incense, a woman sat by a window, elegantly sipping tea.
She was breathtaking—skin dark and smooth like polished chocolate, eyes a piercing emerald red that glowed faintly even in the soft light.
Her hair fell in perfect waves down her back, and she wore a flowing black dress decorated with intricate red raven patterns that shimmered when she moved.
On her feet were delicate blue glass shoes that caught the room's lantern-light, scattering it like fragments of a calm sky.
She lowered her teacup, lips curling into a faint smile.
"Hmm… looks like someone has finally tried to break my curse."
One of the Seven Witches of Calamity
---
Back at the Apartment
Ramba rubbed his temples, panic slipping into his voice.
"What do we do now?! If it keeps regenerating—stronger every time—how are we supposed to destroy it?!"
Chippo's expression shifted into calm, cold focus.
"There's only one solution," she said. "We have to find the one who swore the curse onto you."
Ramba nodded firmly.
"Then we track them down."
Chippo tightened her grip on her Spirit Axe.
"And we make them break it."