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We had been walking in silence for a while, exhaustion weighing on my limbs. The forest around us was eerily still, as if the very air had settled in anticipation. Warzheil, usually gruff and short-spoken, had been uncharacteristically quiet, his thoughts likely preoccupied with what lay ahead.
Then, at last, he spoke.
“Higher dragons,” he murmured, his voice lower than usual, “are incredibly rare. Few exist in any given age, and even fewer descend from their divine perches. When they do, they take on human form—trading their immense power for mobility, control… and connection to the world.”
I glanced at him, catching the distant look in his eyes. “A compact body, but still strong enough to strike with the force of a catapult,” I said, repeating what I thought in my mind out loud.
Warzheil gave a slow nod. “Even in that form, they remain gods among men. But power…” He exhaled, the weight of old memories pressing against his words. “Power always demands a price.”
He hesitated for a moment before continuing, his voice tinged with something deeper—a quiet revelation.
“Drax knew this better than anyone. Even at his strongest, even as a god, he understood that strength alone wouldn’t be enough for what was coming.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
Warzheil’s grip on his hammer tightened. “Before he fell, Drax prayed to his god—to the one he had followed in unwavering devotion. He begged for an avatar to be sent to this world, a warrior who could fight against what he feared was coming.” His gaze flickered toward me. “And then… you arrived.”
A strange chill ran down my spine. “You’re saying Drax… summoned me?”
Warzheil didn’t answer immediately. His expression was unreadable. “Summoning magic exists, but this wasn’t the work of mages or rituals. It was divine intervention. And divine intervention doesn’t happen without reason.”
I scoffed, though the unease in my chest lingered. “That’s ridiculous. I didn’t come here because of some dragon god’s dying wish. One moment, I was on Earth, and the next, I was—”
I stopped myself. The memory of my arrival here was blurred, I do know I was in Star Lab’s cosmic roon but nothing after that.
Warzheil eyed me carefully. “You don’t remember how you got here, do you?”
I inhaled sharply. “I do a little but--Not exactly. But I sure as hell didn’t appear because of some prayer. And do I look like some god’s avatar from any angle? And a God praying to another God?”
“Believe what you want,” Warzheil said, his tone indifferent. “But Drax wasn’t the type to place blind faith in myths. He had seen something—something that made him certain he needed help. And about him worshipping another god, even I have my doubts but, Drax never saw himself as a ruler of all things. He saw himself as a servant. His strength, his dominion over the skies—he believed they were never truly his.”
I folded my arms. “And did he ever say who’s they were?”
Warzheil’s expression darkened slightly. “No. And that’s what troubles me.”
“I was on my way to this forest as instructed by him prior to the summoning. Through my scope I could see Black thunder rising out of the blue as clouds formed around them and fall as they carve through his body, while he called to his god.” His expression became tensed. “He must have stood there all night. His skin burned, his wings torn. Yet he never moved. He never stopped calling.”
I swallowed. “Why?”
I clenched my jaw. “So, what? He thought this god of his was the one truly in charge? That everything he had—his power, his existence—was just borrowed?”
Warzheil nodded. “To him, gods like himself were just extensions of a greater will. Shadows cast by something beyond comprehension.”
I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. “And did he ever get an answer?”
Warzheil’s steps slowed.
The silence stretched between us, heavier than before.
A heavy pause lingered between us. The sun had begun its descent, casting long shadows through the trees. Warzheil’s grip tightened around his hammer again, his gaze locked ahead, unblinking.
“The only thing I saw next was there being Giant hole in the sky as if night pierced the day’s sky as a figure fell, and then a big battle between Drax and his arc nemesis Zamba. Drax was the acting Dragon king of dragon-kind, but using his weakened State, Zamba struck him down as he tried to save the one summoned. All I could do was run myself as well, as I was being chased by those goblins and minions of the lich under the Demon Lord.” He said
The wind stirred through the trees, carrying a strange, hollow silence between us.
I glanced down at my hands.
Pieces of a puzzle began falling into place.
A god prayed for an avatar. A warrior, sent to protect his world from something unseen. A man who called to the heavens—who believed his power wasn’t his own—waiting for a response.
And then, I arrived. I stopped walking.
Warzheil noticed my silence and turned toward me, his expression unreadable.
My breath was steady, but my mind was racing.
“…Are you saying,” I began, my voice low, “that I’m not just some random guy who got pulled into this world?”
Warzheil met my gaze.
“I’m saying,” he said slowly, “that Drax believed his god sent him an avatar.”
My throat tightened.
“…And you think that’s me?”
Warzheil didn’t answer.
He didn’t have to.
The wind howled between the trees.
I clenched my fists.
Something deep inside me—the thing I had been pushing away, the truth I didn’t want to see—was staring back at me now.
We stepped into a clearing not long after our discussion, and there, against a massive boulder, lay a skeleton—humanoid in shape but far larger than any mortal could ever be. Regal. Untouched by time, as though it had been waiting.
I slowed my steps as Warzheil came to a stop. He inhaled deeply, his shoulders rising and falling with deliberate control.
“When a god dies,” he said softly, “their flesh does not remain. Only their bones return to the world, waiting to be reclaimed by nature. Some say it is their final act of balance—offering what remains of themselves to the land they once ruled.”
I remained silent, allowing his words to settle. He stepped forward, eyes fixed on the remains of his fallen friend.
“Forgive me, Drax,” he murmured. “I am too late.”
The wind carried his words into the stillness. I had seen many kinds of grief in my time, but this was different. It wasn’t loud, nor was it desperate. It was accepting, yet the weight of loss still clung to it.
I wanted to say something, but before I could, movement in the trees drew my attention.
A figure emerged from the opposite end of the clearing.
She moved with deliberate grace, her armor barely making a sound as she stepped forward. Her blue hair swayed lightly in the breeze, her sharp eyes scanning the remains—not with greed, not with possession, but with reverence.
She came to a stop before the skeleton, her sword still sheathed. With measured precision, she bowed slightly, her gaze lowered in silent acknowledgment. It was brief but genuine—one warrior paying respect to another greater than herself.
Only after that did she turn to face us.
“I am Commander Ava of the Holy Kingdom,” she stated, her voice calm, unwavering. “One of the Seven Heroes chosen to lead the fight against the Demon Lord.”
She let the words settle, her eyes shifting between me and Warzheil. “And you must be the Thundersmith.”
Warzheil scoffed, but I noticed the way his fingers flexed against his hammer, irritation bubbling beneath the surface.
Ava tilted her head slightly, assessing me.
I instinctively moved my left arm behind me, just as Warzheil had warned me to do before. If anyone saw it, they might mistake me for something I’m not.
Thankfully, Ava’s gaze flickered back to Warzheil.
I exhaled, shifting my stance slightly. “Alright,” I said, my voice casual but firm. “Before we start throwing threats around, what is this about?”
Warzheil grunted. “She’s one of their strongest. The so-called ‘heroes’ of the Holy Kingdom. Seven warriors, chosen to defeat the Demon Lord and ‘purge evil from the lands.’” He spat the last words like they left a foul taste in his mouth.
Ava didn’t react to the bitterness in his tone. She simply met my gaze and continued, “We need the remains of this god. His bones will forge a weapon strong enough to aid us in the battle ahead. If we fail, the Demon Lord will consume this world.”
Warzheil took a step forward, his jaw tight. “And you think Drax would approve of that? Using his remains as a weapon?”
Her expression remained composed, but there was something else in her eyes—a flicker of something unspoken.
“I do not ask this lightly,” she said. “I understand the weight of my actions. But we have no choice.”
The forest held its breath.
Then, from the right, another voice broke the moment.
“We are truly grateful to god Drax,” a man’s voice rang out as a bald figure stepped forward from the treeline, flanked by a group of armoured paladins, they stand near Ava. “And we will honour his sacrifice by using his remains to protect the innocent.”
His arrival shattered the tension like a hammer to glass. The paladins moved with precision, their presence suffocating, their hands drifting toward their weapons.
I narrowed my eyes, exhaling through my nose.
So that’s how this was going to go.
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Warzheil’s words hung in the air, thick with resentment, his eyes locked onto Ava.
“And they call gravediggers like you ‘heroes’?” His voice was like distant thunder, rumbling with restrained fury. “The only true heroes this land has known are Heroleas and the ancients. One of them—the one behind you—was my friend. A god who saved your sorry excuse for an empire when the Hell fiends attacked. And he never asked for anything in return.” His jaw tightened, the weight of his grief pressing down on his final words. “And this… is how you repay him?”
Ava’s posture stiffened. For a brief moment, her resolve wavered.
“I…” she began, but before she could answer—
The bald man spoke.
“We really are very grateful,” he said smoothly, stepping forward, his voice practiced, measured. “And we hope that his sacrifice will add to our power.”
Warzheil turned to him sharply, his voice now filled with malice.
“And who are you to decide that?”
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The bald man smiled, though there was nothing warm about it.
“I am Cruth, one of the Twelve Cardinals of the Holy Empire,” he said with unsettling, almost hypocritical grace. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mister Thundersmith.”
I rolled my shoulders, my muscles coiling like a spring.
“You’re mistaken if you think this is happening.” without realizing it, I moved my left hand as I said that.
A reflex. A careless shift in posture.
And that was all it took.
“Commander! Look at his hand!”
A paladin’s voice cut through the air, sharp with alarm.
Ava’s gaze snapped toward me. I saw her brows furrow, her body tensing as she took in the sight.
Her pupils shrank slightly.
“…A demon?” she whispered.
The atmosphere shifted in an instant.
Cruth’s eyes darkened. His mocking smile returned.
“Oh?” he said smoothly. “So the Thundersmith has allied himself with them now?”
Warzheil exhaled sharply beside me, his posture steeling.
The paladins tightened their formation, shields raised, their weapons no longer at rest.
The confrontation had changed.
And I knew there was no walking away from it now.
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The hostility this left gauntlet of a hand attract might turn out to be a greater issue in the future. I think to myself
“Cruth, you know who the commander is, right?” the woman sneers at Cruth.
The bald cardinal didn’t so much as flinch.
“Oh, I do.” His lips curled into something between a sneer and a grin. “Pardon my insolence, but that right there is the natural enemy of humankind.”
He pointed at me.
My muscles coiled.
“I couldn’t stand them!” Cruth continued, his words dripping with venom. “They killed Cardinal Sir Makroth before my very eyes. You know how much I despise their kind.”
Ava's gaze flickered toward me, unreadable.
But she didn’t contradict him.
Instead, she turned slightly to her soldiers.
“You all hold the Thundersmith,” she commanded. “Don’t underestimate him; a single thunder will kill you if you let your guard down.”
That was all the confirmation they needed.
Weapons unsheathed. Magic crackled in the air.
Warzheil shifted beside me. “You stay out of this, Ronin.” His voice was as heavy as the storm brewing around him. “Now that you’re half-demon, you’re vulnerable to holy magic.”
I scoffed, rolling my shoulders. My heartbeat slowed, sharpening.
“Shut it, old man,” I muttered, a surge of confidence rippling through me. Everything was so… clear. “My mind has never been sharper.”
I tilted my head toward Ava. “You keep those paladins and that priest busy.” My grip tightened on my spear. “I’ll deal with this girl.”
Warzheil hesitated. His eyes met mine, searching.
“…Are you sure?” he asked finally. “She’s one of the Seven Heroes. She won’t go easy.”
I exhaled through my nose, feeling the rush of the moment settle over me like a second skin.
“You’ll see soon enough,” I said, stepping forward.
The battle had begun.
“I will count on you then,” he says, his voice steady.
Ava didn’t move at first.
She raised a single hand.
Light bloomed at her fingertips—shards forming midair, spiraling like a constellation.
Then, with a flick of her wrist, the spikes of holy energy launched.
I moved before I even thought.
Not out of instinct. Not out of fear.
But because I already knew.
The goblin mage. The fire fox. Their spells never burned me.
The flames had licked my skin, the magic had surged around me—but nothing happened.
I had tested it before, subtly, cautiously. Magic—at least some kinds—couldn’t touch me.
But this…This was holy magic.
Would it be different?
The first arrow struck—then vanished.
No pain. No impact.
Just like before.
I lowered my arm, unbothered.
Ava was staring.
Her previously composed expression shifted, her eyes narrowing.
“…Impossible,” she muttered.
I almost smirked.
A fraction of a second.
That was all I needed.
I rushed forward.
Let her try something new.
I dart forward before she can launch her attack, the air rushing past me. My legs feel lighter, faster, as though something within me is propelling me forward. Each step feels deliberate, calculated.
What is this power? Is it the demon heart? Or something more?
Her expression shifts, steeling with resolve. “Let’s see how long you last.”
Hundreds of spikes materialize in the air, ready to launch at me. This could be bad; maybe my earlier luck was just that—luck. She appears to be a mage, and I need to close the distance quickly.
The hero drops her hand, signaling the start of her assault. I take off running toward her, and to my surprise, I feel faster than ever before. I’ve never sprinted like this; it’s as if the very air propels me forward. Yes, I can win, even without magic.
I lower my body, dodging as many spikes as I can. Most of them bury themselves into the ground, and I manage to close the gap between us. I use my spear as a staff to strike at her, but she effortlessly blocks my attack with the hilt of her sword.
“Heh,” she giggles, a sound that ignites a flicker of irritation within me.
I feel insulted. “I was trying not to accidentally kill you since you’re a hero, but it seems you’re a fine fighter. Allow me to go all out,” I declare, but the hero leaps back with incredible speed, as if I had been the one teleported.
She summons more spikes of light, but this time I will rely on the martial arts I learned from my grandfather. Well, technically, I learned most of it from him, but I’ll be using a technique I saw in movies.
The hero shoots the spikes at me again. I take a deep breath, spinning the staff in a circular motion, mixing in leaps and dodges to maintain the spear’s momentum. It works; I manage to deflect most of the spikes. But suddenly, the attacks cease.
Dust fills the air, obscuring my vision. At first, I can’t see anything, but then my sight sharpens. I fall to my knees, feeling a wave of weakness wash over me. Yet, I notice something peculiar: colorful winds swirl around me. Is it even wind? I can see the outlines of the hero standing outside the smoke, as well as the trees and objects behind her. But I can only perceive this with my left eye. It’s dizzying.
But I can make use of this power. I rush from the right side of the smoke, eager to exploit the surprise. There it is—the look of bafflement on the hero’s face, she must not have expected me to deflect all of her spikes.
As she start running to avoid me, confusion fills Ava’s mind. “He deflected all of my spikes with a staff? Only primordial class weapons can do that. Does that mean his staff is a primordial class? Not only that, but he is not your run-of-the-mill fighter. I have never seen someone with this level of skill in this world, I need to end this before it spirals out of control.”
Ava begin to chant while simultaneously launching a few spikes, hoping to catch me off guard. But, This time,I think She held back, So I ran straight in.
“Normally, I wouldn’t take such a reckless approach, but I need to take chances or I’ll end up exhausted.” I think
But for my surprise She runs toward me as well, and for a brief moment, just to confuse her, I show a face full of fear, which works like a charm as when I shift from fear to a grin, she falters, which gives me enough time to take the attack which was aimed at my heart and move enough to protect my heart by a wide margine, but for some reason she is happy?.
“Got you,” Ava say as her strike lands on me, but something feels off about her reaction.
Ava clearly saw her blade pierce Ronin’s chest where his heart should be according to her. But something felt off about him, it’s almost as if it struck the opposite side.
“Light of Goddess: Exorcism Blade!” She exclaims, watching as the sword glows briefly before the light fades. It tickled a little more than it hurt.
“Huh? The skill didn’t work?” She questions, confusion evident in her voice.
“Hey, are you mocking me? You had such a good chance to stab me in the heart!” I retorts, with a hint of mockery in my tone.
She seems taken aback by my resilience, even I am, I feel less human by every passing minute although it still painful as hell. “You are no ordinary demon. I used holy magic on you, but it didn’t work. It would work on any being, regardless of race. And why are you not dead even though I stabbed you through the heart?” Ava asks me, bewilderment clouding her thoughts.
"My heart?" I giggle and tilt my head slightly. "Last I checked, hearts aren’t supposed to be on the right side. Maybe you should brush up on your anatomy." I kick her away, which hurts me even more as she slashes her sword away.
Ava’s eyes narrowed. Her grip on the hilt tightened, but something flickered behind her cold exterior—doubt, hesitation. I had expected rage, unrelenting fury, yet here she was, Looking like she has more questions on her mind than I have on mine, of course I would be in same situation if I was her.
“To the left? But that was the case on Earth! Wait, is he by any chance…” She thinks, realization dawning upon her.
“It seems like your men are giving the old man a hard time,” I say, glancing over her shoulder as she approach cautiously. Warzheil appears to be holding his own, unleashing thunderbolts that scatter the paladins. He looks like a possessed Viking, he looks like he could beat a volcano if it was about erupting the hardest.
“Hey, did your mana run out?” I try to get under the Hero’s skin as a sign of challenge to her.
“Wait, I haven’t introduced myself properly. I am Ava Roheiz, one of the top seven heroes,” She say which catches me off-guard and breaking my flow, I don’t like it when someone pulls this move, as it compels me to play mind games, I guess it’s her unlucky day, manipulation is one of my strong traits.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Blc0OINs4
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But above all I am baffled by her name, did I hear it wrong, she didn’t just say Ava Rohiez did she?156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GSKtaJiuF
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“Ava Rohiez you say?” I hesitate as I am overwhelmed by the coincidence. But she nods.
“Wait? That’s my sister’s name, and Roheiz is our last name? That can’t be coincidence. But my Ava is nothing like her, She looks completely different from her. It must be a coincidence?
“O-oh, my name is Ronin,” I stammer like an Amateur.
“You’ve got the look of someone who’s seen much,” I Say, as my mask obscuring the tremor of recognition threatening to break her composure. “You have looks of a warrior forged in fire, fighting not for glory, but to escape something—or someone."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4uHnVyLJo
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At this point my best bet would be to gather more information on her, even if it’s a coincidence, I cant let it slide, I should try to put her off her game, this have worked out for me many times in the past too.
Her eyes narrowed. “You speak as though you know me.”156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0mGIAd94o
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“I’ve known many like you,” I reply, keeping my[ voice steady. “People shaped by shadows, trained to be weapons. The kind of people who don’t belong in this world, much like myself.”156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08VqkoFgON
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I don’t know where this is going but it seems like she is into it.
She tilted her head slightly, intrigued but cautious. “And what makes you think I don’t belong here?”
I take a step forward, slowly, deliberately. “Because your movements, your methods—they tell a story. Pain, and... betrayal. Am I wrong?”156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9J8WcZNYs
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To be honest, I am just talking about what I feel happened with me. Am I losing my shit on a random chance that she may be my sister?
Her grip tightened on the hilt of her sword, but she didn’t interrupt.
“I’ve crossed paths with those who came from places they’d rather forget,” I continue as I soften my voice to stabilise myself. But it seems to work. Just as I thought this, she slashed the air with her sword sending weird curves of magic towards me but they were slow enough to dodge, so I did.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvxcZ7eFbh
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“Shady Cults that tore families apart and turned children into killers.” I say as I dodge.
The shift in her posture was subtle, but I am sure I caught it—a flicker of unease, of recognition. So I pressed on as impatient settle in me and I decide to ask a the main question in my mind.
“I’m looking for someone,” I ask in a whisper only to be surprised at my own lack of composure, expecting something out of this made-up conversation maybe. “A girl who was taken by that cult. They told her lies, twisted her against the ones who loved her most. Do you know what that feels like?”
Ava’s eyes darkened, her expression unreadable. “You are a fool if you think you can just lie and try to manipulate me.”
I held up my hands in a placating gesture. “I have no reason to lie. I’ve seen what they do. I’ve seen how they break people, how they pit them against each other to serve their agenda. And I’ve seen how they twist the truth to keep their victims from ever finding peace.”156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5f62I0X3lX
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At this point I am just doing this under impression that this is my Ava, but if there is even slightest chance that it’s her, I want to keep this conversation from revealing myself to her. Maybe I have started to age and go senile already. I look like a man in late 20s but am still 41 mentally.
Her sword trembled slightly, a crack in her otherwise unyielding demeanor. “Say, you don’t talk like someone from here, Do the word “Earth” ring a bell, Mister Ronin?” She asks
“Wha…? How do you know?” I narrow my eyes, suspicion creeping in.
I can’t let this slide How does she know? Is it possible she is my Ava?
I hesitate, choosing my words carefully. “A girl... her name was Ava, just like yours. She was taken from her family long ago. Trained, manipulated. I’ve been searching for her ever since.”
Ava’s laugh was bitter, sharp. “Ava? So that’s your angle. Let me guess—you are from The Shadow Company?”
I hate the name of the Shadow Company, but at this moment, I felt a gratitude towards it as it became a bridge between us, it’s really my sister. She must be, how else can she know of the company. Wait. I need to calm down. This can’t be mere luck.
My chest tightened, but I kept my calm under my mask. “That’s right.”
“Oh I used to work for The Shadow Company too, this makes it easy, I can kill you without regrets then.” She admits, Her voice steady yet guarded, which doesn’t sit well with me.
“My code name is Dark. I assume you are human too, despite how you are now, are you maybe a Cyborg? let me see you face before I kill you, I will remember you, as I know the hellish training you must have gone through to get so good at fighting even without magic.” She ask, Curiosity and a strange respect in her voice.
I hesitate, unsure if I should reveal my face. What if she recognizes me? From what I know, my sister was fed hatred toward me, telling her lies about me selling her to the Shadow company to make extra money. I should take a different approach.
“No, I can’t show my face. If you are from there, then you know why right?”
“Wasn’t that rule only for the top 10 hitmen? Don’t tell me you are one of the top 10?”
“yes, I am no.1”
“What is the highest ranker doing here?, Did you die on Earth and got reincarnated as a demi-demon?” she asks, her voice cold and sharp and I can sense a bit of hesitation in her demeanour, should I have said I am a lower rank instead? Anyone would be on the edge if they knew they are facing the final boss of the field they fought on.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKB2SBpLq7
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“Even heroes has this many questions ,huh?.” I ask with a chuckle.
I steadied myself, pushing down the storm of emotions threatening to break through. “I’m on a mission given to me by a close friend,” I says carefully, keeping my tone measured. “He found clues about the whereabouts of his beloved sister—clues that led here. He became the number one operative of the Shadow Company but destroyed it when he uncovered their lies. We parted ways to search separately, but I ended up here. By chance, your name matches hers, even the last name.”
Her eyes narrowed, suspicion giving way to hostility. “Matches my name?. By any chance,” she says, her tone laced with venom, “is your friend’s name Shar Roheiz?”156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZ8XJftD5t
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“You remember him huh?” I ask156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD77OgB4HUP
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“How could I forget the name of the one who turned my life into living hell. He was lucky I didn’t remember his face as he was always away, gambling, then he sold me too.” She says,156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCHUXYfLMt
So that’s what those shitheads in Shadow Company fed to her mind huh?
The air seemed to freeze around me. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to nod. “So,” I say composing myself even though my thoughts were rampaging in my head, “you are his sister. I’ve finally found you.”
Her blade trembled in her grip, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hesitation. But then her anger surged back, cutting through the momentary crack in her Armor.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think I can take us back, I too am stuck here now.” I add, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Well duh genius, and wait, did you say you would Take me back? Where? To that demon who sold me, his own sister? You should know how life was in Shadow Company! We had to crawl our way up the ranks just to be treated like human-beings” she spits, her words dripping with venom. “And I don’t even have a blood relation to that bastard now. He sold me to the company for his own gain. Why would I ever go back?”
I flinched at her words, but I forced myself to respond. “I don’t know What they told you, but I worked alongside Shar and I owe him. I know what kind of man he is. He hated the company—tore it apart even trying to find you. They lied to you, Ava. They manipulated you because they feared what might happen if you learned the truth.” Her laugh was bitter, sharp, cutting through the fragile hope I clung to. “Lies!” she snaps. “Do you think you can rewrite my Pain with your sweet words? I lived that nightmare. I know what he did!”
“You know what they told you,” I say, keeping my voice calm despite the ache in my chest. “If he sold you, why didn’t they tell you where he was? Why keep him from you, Ava? They feared you might uncover the truth—that he never stopped searching for you, never stopped loving you.”
Her blade rose again, a barrier between us. “Enough!” she shouts. “So what if it’s true? I have a family here now—a daughter and a husband who loves me. The world Shar left me in gave me nothing but pain. I died in the Star Labs’s Cosmic Room, Goddess Ethis gave me new life, a purpose by bringing me to this world. He couldn’t give me any of that.”
Her words hit me like a sledgehammer, each one driving deeper into the fragile hope I’d carried for years. My vision blurred, and it took me a moment to realize tears were streaming down my face. I raised a hand, brushing them away, but they couldn’t be wiped under this mask.
What do I do?
She doesn’t need me?
But I did all that for her!
Maybe I Should I just show her my face and expect mercy?
“You wanted to see my face, right?” I say with heavy throat as I decide to reveal myself.
I gather the courage to remove my mask. There is a glint of surprise on her face.
“Like I thought, you are human. You look around my age too, but what’s with that black eye? Is it robotic?”
She doesn’t recognize me! Well, I guess I can’t blame her since she was small when they kidnapped her.
“Hey! Are you crying?” she asks, her voice softening.
What’s she saying? I rub my cheeks to find out that a stream of tears has started flowing from my eyes. When did I last cry?156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScJ0lchzcG
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I tried. I tried my best, Grandpa. But I couldn’t keep her happy OR safe. I let my family fall apart. And now I am all alone. Why must I live this pain inducing life? Had I not been bound by duties you gave me I would have jumped off a building, or destroyed the world with nukes and died with it.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcK81eyFPc
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My mind was almost out of control now, thoughts started to spiral out of control. My dark side started to reveal as its shackles started to loosen. I always feared the monster I might become after doing heinous things for 21 years, but I kept control, and now I felt like I should just let go of all this control.
Ava moves closer but stops shortly after.
“Sorry, Maybe something I said hurt your feelings, I know how hard it must have been for you too since you climbed to rank 1 even though I broke at rank 87 despite thinking I was the most resilient. To be honest, even though I know that people from Shadow Company cannot be trusted but you look like a nice guy, you had many chances where you could have harmed me but you didn’t. Sadly I can’t let you leave now that I have told you, who was part of the Shadow company, about my family. And right now my goddess commands me to kill you, but if you go down peacefully, I promise I will ask the goddess to reincarnate you in this world too. You will be able to live peacefully, poor you, you were also manipulated by my evil brother. I can’t guarantee you to remember your past but surely it will be better than before. Mister Ronin, I hope you find peace.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaPl0xqrAn
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“Like hell I will” I spoke out loud on instinct, as emotions swirled inside me.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjNlBkEQx0
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I see, a shame, but Please do try your best to fight back, Although it’s useless since I will be using my special power, which grants me god power.”
A god that summons me and then a goddess that wants me dead huh? These gods are nothing like those I revered, then I should show this goddess how much resistance in can offer.
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