The obsidian pillar surged upward beneath Yakushi, and he couldn't move—his leg is paralysed
Eran watched, standing just a few meters away. He glanced around, expecting Haruki to intervene.
But Haruki was nowhere in sight.
Eran's eyes narrowed. Is he gone? A twisted thought slipped into his mind—Let him die. A faint, sinister smile curved on his lips.
But then, with a sudden flash of motion, that same smile widened into something darker. He drew his sword—and threw it straight at Yakushi.
The blade sliced through Yakushi's paralyzed leg in one clean cut.
"AARGHH!" Yakushi screamed in agony.
Before the obsidian pillar could strike, Eran dashed forward, caught Yakushi's collapsing body, and leapt aside—landing heavily onto safer ground.
Yakushi clutched at the bleeding stump of his leg, pain and disbelief etched across his face. "Why the hell did you cut off my leg?!"
Eran grinned, resting one hand casually on Yakushi's head. "You were too heavy. I was wondering how I even managed to lift you."
Yakushi stared at him, horrified.
At that moment, Haruki arrived, sword still drawn. "He got away," he said, scanning the area. Then his eyes dropped behind Eran—to something lying on the ground.
Yakushi's severed leg.
Haruki's eyes widened. "What… what happened here?"
Before Yakushi could reply, he stammered, "Eran… Eran cut my leg—"
Eran turned slowly.
His cheerful expression melted into something chilling. His eyes darkened, glowing blood-red with a strange light. A wicked aura surrounded him, and his face twisted—not quite human anymore.
Yakushi's words caught in his throat. He froze, eyes wide with terror.
Haruki stepped forward, gaze locked on Eran. "How did it happen?" he repeated, voice steady but tense.
Eran slowly turned to face him. The crimson glow in his eyes flickered—then vanished. His features softened again, his lips curved into a calm, almost innocent smile.
"It was the pillars," he said smoothly. "His leg got caught in one of them."
Haruki turned to Yakushi. "Go back to the palace and rest."
Yakushi looked at him silently, then glanced at Eran. What is Eran really after? Why is he pretending like this? And why has Haruki kept someone like him so close?
"…Alright," Yakushi finally said.
Without another word, Haruki faced Eran. "That man must still be somewhere in this forest. We're going to search every corner. Let's go."
Eran asked casually, "But how will Yakushi get back alone?"
Haruki replied, "Don't worry. Some soldiers are on their way. He'll be fine."
With that, the two ran off in opposite directions, disappearing into the dense forest.
The sun hung high above, but its rays barely pierced the thick canopy. The forest floor remained dim, cloaked in a calm, eerie shadow.
Time passed as they searched, but the man was nowhere to be found.
Eran, growing restless, muttered to himself as he trudged through the underbrush. Those angels must be lounging in the palace while we sweat in this cursed jungle. I wonder… did Yakushi feel the same pain when I cut off his leg as I do every single day?
His expression darkened. Forget it… Once I become stronger than Haruki… I'll kill them all. Every last one.
After hours of searching, the forest began to dim into twilight. Shadows stretched longer, and the birds quieted.
Eventually, Eran and Haruki crossed paths again.
The sky above was now tinged with deep orange. The forest had grown darker, and a cool breeze whispered through the trees.
They stood in silence for a moment—two silhouettes surrounded by shadows.
Eran stepped forward toward Haruki.
"Wait!" Haruki shouted sharply.
But it was too late.
The ground beneath Eran's feet suddenly gave way. The grass vanished as the earth opened into a massive, dark pit. Inside, hundreds of black-colored needles stretched out like deadly fangs. Between the needles were tiny gaps—barely enough to slip through. The trap was meant to kill.
Eran's eyes widened as he plummeted into the hole.
In a flash, Haruki moved.
He dashed forward, then leapt directly above the hole. In midair, he twisted and delivered a powerful kick to Eran's stomach.
The force of the kick sent Eran flying upward instead of downward, saving him from the spike-filled pit.
Meanwhile, Haruki flipped midair and landed upside down—balancing perfectly on a single finger between the deadly needles. One of the sharp black points hovered just inches from his face, yet his expression remained calm.
I must've expected too much from Eran, Haruki thought, After all… he's still just a kid.
Above him, Eran adjusted his body midair and landed squarely on Haruki's foot, which was still suspended upside down in the hole.
Haruki frowned. "What the hell are you doing, you stupid boy?"
Eran gave a sheepish grin. "I was just… checking your physical strength."
Eran jumped down from Haruki's foot and landed on the ground, shaking his hand as if dusting off the moment. Haruki followed, flipping smoothly out of the hole and landing beside him.
Haruki stared at Eran silently, thoughts racing in his mind.
Foolish boy… if you didn't know there was a trap here, then why did you stop right in front of me like that?
Eran stretched his arms and replied casually, "Because I felt like… when people meet after a long time, they usually stand facing each other… and then walk closer."
Haruki closed his eyes and took a long, slow breath. "Huhhh…"
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the trees. Several soldiers came running from the shadows of the forest. They looked breathless, dirt and sweat on their faces. As soon as they saw Haruki, they shouted:
"We've been searching for you, sir!"
Haruki's expression sharpened.
One of the soldiers continued, "Demons have attacked from the direction of the Black Mountain! And—" he paused, catching his breath, "—they're not alone. With them are two humans… but their entire bodies are covered in black robes. You can't see their faces—only a green and an orange crystal glowing on their foreheads."
Eran stepped forward. "Crystals…?"
The soldier nodded. "Yes, sir. They're leading the demons… and their powers—" he hesitated, "—they don't feel like ordinary humans."
Haruki's hand slowly reached for the hilt of his weapon and muttered "no.. Not this time"