The second eye stared from the center of Tekka's blade.
For a heartbeat, neither man moved, then the earth disappeared beneath Tekka's feet...
BOOOOM!!
The forest erupted. Trees bent beneath the pressure as Tekka crossed the distance in an instant, his jagged blade screaming toward Zai's neck.
CLANG!!
Steel collided, the impact blasted leaves into the Bloody sky.
Kairo staggered backward, his ears ringing. The force alone carved a crater beneath Zai's feet.
Zai slid several meters through the dirt before stopping, his sandals gouging two long trenches across the earth.
Tekka never slowed; another swing, another explosion.
The blade ripped through three ancient trees before crashing into the fourth. The trunks collapsed one after another with deafening cracks.
Zai vanished between them moments before the timber struck, "...Still running." Tekka's voice carried no mockery. Only hatred, only certainty, his sword swept sideways, the invisible shockwave tore through the forest.
Zai ducked beneath it, one hand brushing the ground as he twisted around the attack. The shockwave continued past him, splitting another line of trees in half before disappearing into the crimson distance.
He never answered, he couldn't waste breath, every movement mattered.
Tekka lunged again.
Faster.
Closer.
Their blades met only long enough to redirect the strike before Zai abandoned the clash entirely.
He retreated.
Shifted.
Countered.
Never once attempting to overpower him.
Watching from behind the ruined monument, Kairo clenched his fists, "Why...? Why doesn't he fight back?"
Another collision shook the shrine grounds, Tekka's sword descended.
Zai caught the strike with both knives crossed before him.
CRACK!!
The force drove him to one knee, For the first time...
Tekka's blade slipped through.
SHHK!
The edge carved across Zai's left forearm.
Azure-blue strands of Seikon spilled from the wound like frayed threads of light.
Zai immediately jumped backward, His fingers twitched...
Nothing, his left arm hung uselessly at his side.
Tekka lowered his blade, "You hesitated."
"I didn't."
"Then you've grown weaker."
Zai exhaled slowly, "No.... My priorities changed."
Tekka's grip tightened, "You're still running from your judgment." his next step shattered the earth. Again, the forest exploded around them, tree after tree collapsed beneath the relentless assault, Kairo watched in disbelief.
Zai wasn't losing because he lacked skill, he was refusing every exchange that demanded strength against strength, he was choosing survival over victory.
Another shockwave raced toward him.
Zai vaulted over a fallen trunk.
The blast reduced it to splinters beneath his feet.
Tekka emerged through the cloud of debris without slowing.
Tekka: "You're conserving your Seikon energy."
Silence.
Tekka: "Afraid Dreamhell will drain the rest?"
Zai said nothing.
Tekka: "Then you're already fighting a losing battle."
Zai continued moving as he spoke.
"Dreamhell devours spiritual energy."
"I need what's left..."
"...to return."
His gaze shifted briefly toward Kairo.
Tekka's grip tightened around the hilt, "Again... You burden yourself with another life."
"How many more will you drag into your mistakes?"
Silence.
Zai offered no reply, he simply met Tekka's gaze, only an unwavering stare that refused to yield. Tekka understood the answer without another word, his fingers tightened around the sword.
"...I see."
The earth shattered beneath his feet. Tekka disappeared.
The next impact split the hillside apart.
Their blades collided again.
Again.
Again.
Every clash sent another shower of timber crashing through the forest.
Minutes passed.
Neither man slowed, yet only one was growing weaker, Zai's breathing had become heavier, his damaged arm remained lifeless, his remaining Seikon flickered around him in faint zure-blue strands, he was running out of time.
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Then.....
Tekka overextended.
Only slightly.
Barely enough.
Zai's eyes narrowed.
Now.
His right hand flashed.
SHHK!!
One of his short knives pierced straight through Tekka's palm and buried itself deep into the trunk of a towering tree behind him.
For the first time, Tekka stopped, the blade had pinned his hand in place, ".... Tch.... Damn you, Zai... Damm you!!" His fingers strained against the knife buried through his palm.
Zai didn't wait "Kairo!" the boy looked up.
"Come!"
He sprinted across the shattered battlefield, without hesitation he knelt, pressing two fingers into the crimson ground.
Unlike before... His fingers moved in reverse.
Every curve.
Every line.
Every symbol.
He traced the ritual exactly opposite to the one he had drawn in the living world.
The completed circle glowed faintly beneath the dirt.
"Kairo... Inside."
Kairo obeyed immediately, "What now?"
"Give me your hand." Confused, Kairo reached out, Zai drew a short knife, tiny cut opened across Kairo's fingertip "Ow!" one drop of blood struck the center of the diagram, Zai cut his own finger without hesitation, blood joined blood.
"Don't move."
"No matter what happens....do not step outside this circle." Kairo nodded.
Zai knelt opposite him.
Just as before... he brought his hands together, his index fingers pressed against one another in solemn prayer.
Behind them...
CRACK!!
Wood exploded,Tekka tore his hand free, the knife ripped through flesh as his palm split open. Blood dripped from his fingers, his breathing remained calm, his eyes burned, "There you are." he stepped forward.
The ground burst apart beneath him.
Zai never looked back, his lips continued the ritual.
One breath.
One heartbeat.
One final prayer.
The blood racing through the symbols ignited, azure-blue strands of Seikon surged across every carved line, the sand around the circle trembled, just that minute; Tekka's hand moved, his sword spun through the air, like a bolt of black lightning, it screamed toward Zai.
Kairo's eyes widened, "ZAI!" the blade reached him.
SHHK!!
Steel tore through Zai's right arm..
At that exact instant
The ritual awakened.
The earth exploded.
A whirlwind of the sand swallowed both Zai and Kairo from the feet upward, Tekka's sword vanished into the storm with them, the sand roared.
Then...
Silence.
The whirlwind collapsed.
The forest became still once more.
The atmosphere settled.
Nothing remained inside the circle.
Several moments passed.
Then....
The jagged sword slowly pushed upward from beneath the soil, its blade emerged first, fresh blood still clung to its edge. Tekka approached without a word, he wrapped his fingers around the hilt.
Pulled it free.
For a long time...
He simply stood there.
His head slowly lifted toward the Bloody sky.
The hatred remained.
But beneath it...
For the briefest moment...
There was grief.
Back in the real world....
Rina knelt between the two motionless bodies, her hands clasped tightly as silent prayers escaped her trembling lips.
A minute passed.
Kairo's chest suddenly hitched, "Gasp...!" His fingers twitched. His eyes flew open, staring blankly at the sky as though he had returned from somewhere impossibly distant, Rina flinched.
"Kairo!"
Her eyes widened as she rushed to him, tears spilling down her cheeks. Relief washed over her as she wrapped him in a tight embrace. Kairo remained still, his vacant eyes slowly tracing the sky while his mind struggled to catch up with reality.
Then...
"Urgh... Tss...!"
Rina immediately turned; Zai slowly pushed himself upright, clutching his right arm as delayed agony surged through his body.
"Zai!" She hurried over, helping him sit up before repeatedly thanking him through sobs.
.........
Several minutes later, the three rested beneath the shade of a large tree.
Rina carefully wrapped the bandage around Kairo's injured finger while Zai leaned against the trunk, his right arm already treated. His entire body felt unbearably heavy, the price of entering Dreamhell had drained nearly everything he had, "What will you do now?" Rina asked.
"I'll hold off here for now," Zai said. "I need time to recover my energy before I can move."
His gaze shifted toward Kairo, "How're you holding up kid?"
"I'm alright. You look like you took the worst of it."
Zai chuckled.
As Rina continued speaking with Kairo, Zai quietly studied him.
"That thing... Whatever I saw in the Interspiritual Plane... it wasn't ordinary".
"Rina," he called softly.
She walked over.
"Is he... family?"
She nodded with a warm smile.
"He's part of my family."
"Anything else I should know?"
Rina pushed for a second before speaking...
"Kairo.. he... he doesn't remember anything before we found him. We don't want to force his memories back. Right now, giving him a place where he feels safe matters more than making him remember."
Zai looked at Kairo for a long moment before lowering his eyes with a small smile, "Take good care of him."
"I will."
Not long after, Rina and Kairo prepared to leave for the train station, before departing, Kairo walked over and extended his hand, "You saved my life today. I won't forget that". Zai looked at the boy, smiled, and shook his hand.
Rina waved cheerfully as the two disappeared down the road.
Zai remained beneath the tree, watching until they vanished from sight.
"....."
After several quiet minutes, he let out a slow breath.
Opening his travel bag, he removed a small wooden carving shaped like a miniature house. A tiny bell hung from its side.
Ring.
The front door creaked open, he reached inside and carefully withdrew a single strand of hair.
Zai drew a circular diagram into the sand with his finger before placing his hand at its center.
The markings ignited, wind spiraled upward, forming a miniature vortex, a short figure emerged.
A bald dwarf with a massive black beard covering his mouth, his broad belly wrapped in animal clothing.
Ekuki.
A demi-god.
He folded his arms the moment he saw Zai.
"...No."
"You haven't even heard me yet."
"I don't need to." Ekuki frowned. "Every time you summon me, you want something."
Zai smiled helplessly.
Ekuki grimaced, "Quiet... smiling like that, it's creeping me out. Makes it feel like you're attracted to me or something."
Zai burst into laughter, "I assure you, I'm not."
"Good."
"I just need a favor... one last time."
Ekuki didn't even look impressed. "I've heard those words from you more times than I can count."
Zai let out a quiet breath. "This time… it's more important."
Ekuki finally turned his gaze to him sharp, "They're all important, I know… until you come back asking again."
Zai's expression tightened slightly. "Just hear me out first."
Ekuki stepped forward and held out his hand directly, as if demanding payment on the spot, his other arm folded firmly across. "Double."
Zai blinked once, "You're not negotiating… you're punishing me."
Ekuki's voice dropped. "No. I'm tripling your debt."
Silence cracked between them, then Zai smirked faintly, exhaling through his nose almost amused, "…Fine. Double it."
Ekuki held out his hand, "Alright," Ekuki said, arms still folded. "What favor is it this time?"
Zai slowly raised his right hand, opening his palm, a strand of hair rested between his fingers.
Ekuki's eyes narrowed "…A hair?" he tilted his head slightly "Whose does it belong to?"
Zai's expression didn't change, "Someone you might find interesting."
Ekuki exhaled through his nose, unimpressed.
Zai continued, his tone lowering, "What I saw… in this kid's Interspiritual Plane wasn't something meant to be seen by anyone."
Ekuki's brows tightened, "…Hold on." His voice sharpened. "What were you doing inside someone's Interspiritual Plane? You know that technique is forbidden."
Zai clicked his tongue softly, "I didn't have a choice."
A pause.
"…It was Tekka's Dreamhell."
The air shifted slightly at the name.
Ekuki's expression darkened, "…Tekka?" he repeated quietly, he took a slow breath, "So he's really hunting you… and he's willing to go that far." Zai said nothing for a moment.
Then he spoke, flatly, "You know what Tekka is capable of." his grip on the hair tightened slightly. "…He's a remnant of my past I wish I could forget."
Ekuki's expression gradually turned serious, "...You're asking for a dangerous investigation."
"I know."
Silence lingered.
Finally, Ekuki folded his arms and exhaled, "...Fine. But this won't be quick."
Zai smirked, "I never expected it to be."
Ekuki stared at the strand of hair for a long moment, his expression unreadable "…This is deeper than you're admitting," he finally said, Zai didn't respond, the wind between them slowed, as if even nature hesitated to listen, Ekuki exhaled through his beard, "Fine. I'll look into it.
But if something is wrong with him… something that touches the layers beyond fate…" he lifted his eyes slightly, "…you may have dragged something into this world that even you can't bury again."
Zai's smirk faded for the briefest moment, then it returned, "I'm aware."
Ekuki clicked his tongue, unimpressed,"You always say that."
With a flick of his fingers, the strand of hair vanished into the miniature vortex, swallowed by unseen depths. The summoning circle began to collapse, its wind unraveling like a dying breath.
Before he disappeared, Ekuki gave Zai one last look "Don't die before I finish."
"Hahaha you know that's not possible."
"…HMMM."
The vortex snapped shut, silence returned to the clearing, Zai remained seated beneath the tree, the fading markings in the sand still glowing faintly around him, he leaned back against the trunk, staring at the sky "…What are you?" the question wasn't spoken to anyone in particular.
Only the wind answered and even that sounded uncertain.