CHAPTER 18: THE BEGINNING OF EVENTS
"I'm not an ordinary human either, Soul."
Kaito raised both his arms.
"DOUBLE SPIRIT FISTS!"
Yusr's Lion-shaped Po was just about to hit Kaito when Kaito countered. The two attacks met in midair.
BAM!
But Kaito's fists prevailed — and by a large margin. A massive white energy explosion erupted. When the explosion faded, Yusr was on the ground. Kaito's eyes had returned to normal.
"That power back there… I felt incredibly strong."
Just then, Yusr coughed blood and slowly rose to his feet. He wiped the blood from his mouth.
"W-what are you?"
"Just someone who wants revenge."
"Revenge? Pathetic. But on its own, it's not enough."
Yusr suddenly attacked again.
Outside, Mephis was carefully studying Aiko.
"So you're a mind user too, girl?"
"That's none of your business, Village Head."
Raven stepped forward, rage burning in his eyes.
"You despicable bastard! I'll finish you this time!"
"It seems you haven't learned your lesson. I'll put you in your place now."
Aiko was confused. "W-what is he talking about?"
Rin took a deep breath. "Something terrible happened when we first arrived here."
"Rin, don't!" Raven protested.
"She has the right to know."
FOUR DAYS AGO
Four hunters were approaching the village: Rin, Raven, Zimps, and Boney.
Raven's voice was tense. "I have a bad feeling about this place. Any of you feel it too?"
Rin kept her guard up. "Stay alert. Just in case."
Boney waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry so much. It's just a village. What could happen?"
Zimps agreed. "Boney's right. You're both too tense. Relax."
Raven shot back. "If it were as simple as you say, they wouldn't have sent a distress call. Take this seriously."
Rin interrupted. "Enough. Focus. We're here."
The four entered the village cautiously. Everything seemed normal. Villagers were outside, doing their work, children running around.
Boney was relieved. "See? I told you there was nothing to worry about."
"Still, stay alert."
Just then, Zimps approached a villager.
"Excuse me. Who is in charge of this village?"
The villager eyed him for a moment. "Village Head Mephis. He lives in the house at the far end of the village."
"Thank you."
Zimps returned to his friends. "His name is Village Head Mephis. Let's go find him. He lives in the house at the far end."
"Alright, let's go."
As the four hunters walked toward the village head's house, Rin and Raven were still uneasy. Everything looked normal, but they couldn't shake the feeling.
Up ahead, two men were standing: Moro and Marteon.
Raven stepped forward.
"Good day. We're hunters from the capital. We're looking for Village Head Mephis."
Moro bowed slightly. "Welcome, honored hunters. The village head lives right over there. May I ask why you've come?"
Rin asked curiously. "What do you mean? Didn't you call us here?"
Just then, the door of the house ahead opened. A large, bald, dark-skinned man with a black beard stepped out slowly.
And then something strange happened.
The villagers had formed a circle around the four hunters.
Boney pushed his red hair back, worried. "What's going on? What are they doing?"
Zimps was nervous. "I have no idea."
Rin gritted her teeth. "Stay alert."
Village Head Mephis began walking. He passed through the circle and stopped right in front of the group. The villagers made way for him.
Raven stepped forward. "Are you Village Head Mephis?"
"Yes."
"Why did you call us here? Everything seems normal."
Mephis pretended to apologize. "Ah, I'm sorry. It was a misunderstanding."
"W-what do you mean?"
Mephis whispered in a very low voice.
"I'm sorry."
"MIND CAGE!"
Raven's brown eyes suddenly turned green.
Zimps touched his shoulder nervously. "Raven, are you okay?"
At that moment, Raven drew the two swords from his back with incredible speed and made a single motion.
SWISH.
Zimps's head was floating in the air.
Rin's eyes widened in horror. "R-Raven?"
Boney screamed in fear. "RAVEN, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? ARE YOU BETRAYING US?"
Raven swung his sword at Boney.
Boney gritted his teeth. "I will never forgive you!"
Rin shouted. "Boney, stop! He's being controlled!"
"What control? That man did something to him!"
The villagers had also started attacking.
Boney raised his hands. Flames began shooting from his palms.
"Stay back! Anyone who comes close gets burned!"
A villager advanced toward him. Boney immediately raised his hands and set the villager on fire.
Mephis looked surprised. Moro and Marteon stepped back.
Rin shouted. "Boney, stop! They're innocent!"
"Stay out of this, Rin. I'll show them the rage of a betrayed woman."
At that moment, Raven attacked.
"WIND SLASH!"
His swords were covered in a wind effect. With every swing, a powerful gust erupted. This attack wasn't just physical — it cut through the air itself.
Boney countered. "FIRE STORM!"
A firestorm erupted from his palms and rushed toward Raven. The two attacks met in midair.
But Raven's wind only fueled Boney's fire storm.
The flames grew, rose higher, and were about to engulf Raven.
Rin screamed. "Boney, stop! You'll kill him!"
"I don't care! He killed Zimps. He deserves to die!"
Rin moved to stop Boney.
Meanwhile, Raven used another power.
"CYCLONE!"
A medium-sized cyclone formed around him. The fire storm couldn't reach him anymore. After a while, it died down.
Rin stepped in. "I'm sorry, Boney!"
Boney gritted his teeth. "FIRE SWORD!"
A sword made of fire appeared in his hand. He swung it at Rin.
But Rin simply raised her hand. Just as the sword was about to hit her, it was pushed back.
Raven was also attacking.
Moro whispered. "Village Head Mephis, you're truly brilliant. We're doing nothing, and they're destroying each other."
Mephis smirked. "That was the plan, you fool."
Raven threw both his swords at Boney. The swords spun diagonally at high speed.
Rin shouted. "Boney, watch out!"
Just as the swords were about to hit Boney, Rin lunged forward and raised her arm.
One sword was pushed back.
But the other sword struck Rin's left arm.
Blood was pouring onto the ground. Because on the ground lay a motionless arm.
Boney's scream was horrifying. "R-Rin… your arm!"
Rin gritted her teeth. Despite the pain, her voice was calm. "Boney, run!"
"No! I'll avenge you and Zimps!"
"Run and inform Chief Erwin!"
Boney started running.
But after a short distance, someone blocked his path.
Yusr.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Get out of my way! I don't have time for you!"
"LION'S PO!"
Yusr shaped his fist with Po, giving it the form of a lion.
At that moment, Village Head Mephis did something else.
"MIND POWER! MIND CAGE!"
Boney's hazel eyes immediately turned green.
"Stay still!"
Just as Boney was about to counter, his hands went limp. He froze in place.
Yusr pierced through Boney's chest.
Everything was suddenly covered in blood.
Rin's scream echoed. "B-BONEY! BONEY!!!"
Boney whispered his last words before dying. "Avenge us."
Rin closed her tear-filled purple eyes. Then she started running toward Raven.
She suddenly jumped and landed right in front of him.
"REPEL!"
She touched his forehead.
A large green energy burst out from the back of Raven's head.
Mephis was stunned. "How is this possible?"
Moro was also shocked. "She cancelled your technique!"
Marteon gritted his teeth. "I'll kill that wench!"
Raven's green eyes suddenly returned to brown.
He was dazed. "Huh? Rin? What's happening here — RIN, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ARM? WHO DID THIS?"
"Get us out of here, now. I'll explain later."
"My Ren is almost depleted. I can't use any more techniques."
Rin begged. "Get us somewhere nearby. PLEASE! At least do that much!"
Raven used one last technique with his remaining Ren.
"WIND CLOUD!"
The entire village suddenly filled with small but dense clouds. No one could see anything.
In the chaos, Raven and Rin ran into a house and subdued the villager inside.
Mephis shouted in anger. "Disperse and find them immediately!"
Hiding inside the house, Raven asked. "What happened, Rin? Why is your arm gone? Which bastard did this?"
Rin looked him straight in the eye. "You did, Raven. You also killed Zimps. And Boney died because of you."
Raven's face went pale.
"But you didn't mean to do any of it. That village head corrupted your mind."
Raven couldn't say anything. He simply tore his shirt, wrapped Rin's severed arm, and tried to stop the bleeding.
Then he whispered. "So that's what happened… I will avenge us against that man. This was my greatest fear. Betraying my comrades. And he succeeded. I will never forgive him."
Rin said tiredly. "We'll worry about that later. We just need to survive a few days. Chief Erwin will surely get suspicious and send someone."
Raven made a vow. "I will protect you no matter what it takes, Rin."
PRESENT DAY
Aiko's voice was cold. Her green eyes blazed with fury.
"S-so that's what happened… You despicable man. You will pay for this!"
Meanwhile, Ren and Marteon's battle was nearing its end.
"LIGHTNING FIST!"
Marteon countered with his Eagle-shaped Po. The two attacks met in midair.
BAMMM!
A massive explosion of both blue and orange energy erupted. Both were pushed back by the force.
But Ren didn't stop. He attacked again in the middle of the explosion.
Marteon was shocked. "W-what is this drive?"
Ren's voice roared. "I will prove myself to my brother!"
"LIGHTNING FIST!"
He used it once more. His fist was covered in blue lightning. Marteon hadn't even recovered.
Ren threw his fist at Marteon with all his strength.
The punch landed with full force. Marteon began tumbling through the air. Finally, he stopped, lying face down on the ground. His face was unrecognizable.
Ren's victory cry echoed. "I-I won!"
The green sphere closed. Ren and Marteon were back in the village.
Mephis was stunned once more. "H-how is this possible? Marteon, did you lose too, you fool?"
The Village Head decided to act personally.
"MIND CAGE!"
A cage instantly formed around Rin, Raven, Aiko, and Ren. All four of their eyes turned green.
Mephis lunged at Aiko with all his strength. He raised the sword he had taken from the basement.
Just as he was about to stab Aiko's chest…
Raven lunged forward.
STAB.
Mephis had plunged the sword into Raven's chest.
First surprise, then cruel satisfaction appeared on Mephis's face.
"You fool! You sacrificed yourself for someone you just met. Good. Die!"
Raven spat blood. But his voice was calm.
"Just met? All hunters are brothers. We are family. And I promised to avenge us."
He held onto Mephis tightly, preventing him from pulling the sword out.
"Now you die!"
With one hand, he held the sword in his chest, refusing to let it go. With the other, he drew his second sword from his back and plunged it straight into Village Head Mephis's stomach without hesitation!
Village Head Mephis screamed in agony.
"AAAAHHH! YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
The Mind Cage was cancelled.
Rin, Aiko, and Ren were free.
Rin's scream rose. "Raven! NO!"
As Raven fell to the ground, he whispered his last words. "It's okay, Rin. I promised to avenge us. I kept my word."
He collapsed.
Rin cried out desperately. "NO! RAVEN, STAY WITH US! NONE OF THIS WAS YOUR FAULT!"
Aiko's voice trembled. "R-Rin… he's gone."
"No, shut up! Raven, can you hear me? Answer me, please!"
Aiko stood up. Her eyes glowed green again.
"The village head's technique was cancelled. That means he's weakened. Now we can save Master Woli."
She took a deep breath.
"MIND POWER! Master Woli, come to your senses!"
Woli's eyes turned a deep, dark green for a moment. Then suddenly, they returned to normal. His brown eyes were visible again.
He walked to the broken wall.
He looked at Village Head Mephis.
Mephis muttered helplessly. "This can't be… Ahh! All my plans are ruined. What will I do now?"
Woli stood up. He was exhausted, dark circles under his eyes. His white hair was disheveled. But his gaze was dangerous.
His voice was low, heavy, and sharp.
"The real fun has just begun."
TO BE CONTINUED...