Three years ago, back at the Hotel Vitaliya, Lilia, Marla, and Ruy were all inside, still reeling from the funeral and now feeling the sickening shockwaves from T'Jadaka and Shikiba's battle. The windows of the abandoned hotel rattled violently with each muffled impact from the forest. Ruy was sitting on the floor, cradling Farrah's body gently, his face pale with worry.

  "Holy shit, the guy Jadaka is fighting is no joke," Ruy muttered, adjusting his grip on Farrah. "They've been going at it for at least thirty minutes strong with no breaks."

  "But can he even fight that guy off for this long?" Vitaliya pressed, her voice edged with rising panic. "Jadaka never fought anybody for this long before, especially not that monster who tried to kill us at the hot springs."

  Lilia started to cry, the sound sharp and ragged. "Why does he always have to do this...?" she sobbed, clutching her arms to her chest. "Why does he always have to try to protect us every single time? I'm just so..." Her voice broke completely. "Even with Remigio saying he hated him to his face, he still jumped into the way of danger to protect him... All of us... My heart just can't take it anymore, he's too sweet to be risking his life like this..."

  Marla knelt beside her, pulling both Lilia and Vitaliya into a tight, comforting embrace. "We need to have faith in him, children," she said, her voice surprisingly steady despite the fear in her eyes. "He doesn't do this because he wants to fight. He's doing this because he has to. He has something worth protecting, and we need to have faith in him that he'll come back to us alive."

  Lilia, her face streaked with tears, dropped to her knees, her hands clasped tightly before her. She began to pray, the words a silent, fervent stream. Please, Forever God, if you are willing to hear my plea... Bring him back home... Banged up, hurt, even furious, but please bring him home... A few tears slipped past her defenses, tracing paths through the grime on her cheeks. Please... Don't let the one person I love die... She squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating all her hope and fear into the desperate, unspoken petition.

  Marla, Vitaliya, and Ruy joined in on the prayer, holding each other tightly, their voices a low, unified hum of fear and hope.

  Outside the hotel, Remigio was perched atop a crumbling wall, witnessing the scene through a dusty, broken window. He watched their shaking forms, their desperate prayer for the boy he had wronged, and a wave of fresh, sick guilt washed over him.

  I am an absolute piece of shit, he thought, his internal voice a raw self-laceration. I stayed away from the funeral, too scared to face them, and now this is happening—because of me. What is wrong with me, damn it?

  Another concussive shockwave, fiercer than the last, slammed into the hotel, rattling the glass and making the structure groan. Remigio’s head snapped toward the forest, his face hardening from self-pity into a grim resolve.

  What am I doing feeling sorry for myself? he demanded of his reflection in the glass. The person who cared for me, who is like a brother even after all the bullshit I put him through, is out there fighting for everybody’s lives. His jaw tightened. I refuse to stand here.

  He jumped down from the wall and began running toward the forest. There’s no way I can beat that monster, or even hold up a fight, but I can at least buy time.

  On his way, he passed a scorched, abandoned cargo van listing heavily on the side of the road. Scattered around it were the lifeless bodies of several gang members, their weapons lying nearby. These guys must have been the crew that had a shootout here the other day, he realized.

  He approached the carnage, his eyes scanning the discarded arsenal. He quickly looted their weaponry, grabbing two heavy-duty assault rifles, a few thermal detonators, and several clips of specialized, armor-piercing ammunition. He tucked everything into a tactical vest pulled from one of the corpses.

  I don't know if this is going to work, he thought, the cold metal feeling heavy and useless in his hands. But it’s better than nothing.

  Back in the forest, Shikiba roared, the crimson aura around him flaring with incandescent fury. He delivered a ferocious uppercut that launched T'Jadaka high into the air, following the trajectory so quickly he was a blur of purple. He materialized directly above T'Jadaka's spinning form.

  "I'll show you what happens when you spit in my face, you stupid fucking—" Shikiba didn't finish the sentence; instead, he brought both fists together in a massive, downward-driving Sludge Hammer attack. "BITCH!"

  The blow was cataclysmic, smashing T'Jadaka downward with the force of a meteor. Shikiba didn't follow his descent. Instead, using the air as a launchpad, he delivered a crushing Drop Kick aimed directly at T'Jadaka's descending back.

  The dual impact of the hammer and the kick slammed T'Jadaka into the earth. They landed in a massive, concussive explosion of pulverized dirt and rock, creating a colossal, steaming crater that swallowed the immediate area.

  When the colossal cloud of pulverized rock and dust finally began to settle, T'Jadaka was revealed lying motionless at the center of the fresh crater. The obsidian-black Mazoku marks that had covered his body were rapidly fading, retreating into his skin, leaving him pale and utterly spent.

  Shikiba, breathing heavily but with a look of triumphant exhaustion, stood over the unconscious boy. His vibrant purple skin and crackling hair faded back to his normal appearance as he powered down, the crimson aura dissipating into the ruined air.

  "Hot damn," Shikiba gasped, rubbing his sternum. "Even while tired and running on fumes, beating the crap out of you still felt like a workout. Didn't think it would take that many hits to finally put your ass down." A brief, manic satisfaction crossed his features. Then again, it was kind of fun while it lasted. I don't know if I'll find somebody half decent for a while.

  He knelt beside T'Jadaka's still body, the smirk returning to his lips. "Well, whatever. Doesn't matter. You honestly can't expect me to let you live after you went and spit in my face. You gotta die for that nasty shit." He reached down to grab T'Jadaka's face, intent on finishing the job.

  SNAP!

  A specialized, armor-piercing round, traveling at an incredible velocity, struck the back of Shikiba's hand. The force wasn't enough to shatter the bone, but it was enough to sting painfully, drawing a quick burst of blood.

  "Ah! Who the fuck?!" Shikiba roared, recoiling and clutching his injured hand. He spun around, his silver eyes blazing with fury, trying to locate the shooter. This fucker must have used a sound dampener. Even with most of the forest cleared out, I can still barely sense who shot me.

  He quickly glanced at the bleeding mark on his hand. The bullet had lodged deep enough to be more than a mere nuisance. It's a mana-resistant slug, too. Smart.

  Meanwhile, behind a thick, splintered oak, Remigio was trembling, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Holy shit... That actually hurt him? The reality was a physical jolt. What the hell kind of guns did I just grab!? He took a deep, shaky breath, trying to force his heart rate down. No, calm down... Can't get the jitters right now. I need to find a way to get him away from T'Jadaka without exposing myself. The knowledge of the looted arsenal was thin; Farrah had shown him how to use only a few basic firearms. If I just sit here, he might get impatient and level the whole place.

  Shikiba's gaze swept the ruined forest, his face a mask of annoyance. To hell with this bullshit. He lifted his hand in the general direction of the gunshot.

  Crack! Crack! Crack!

  Three more rounds—armor-piercing and mana-resistant—fired in quick succession from behind him. Shikiba reacted instantly, using his speed to step out of the path of each bullet. "I got you now~" he purred, his finger tracing a complex, glowing symbol in the air. He fired a crimson energy spell that materialized as a wide, razor-sharp slash, tearing through the air and cutting down a swath of already weakened trees.

  "Ha, I knew they'd get—"

  His triumphant expression snapped to confusion as something heavy came whistling through the air toward him. He got a good look at the object just before it impacted the ground near his feet, kicking up a shower of dirt. Really? They threw a goddamn rock at me? He let out a soft, mocking laugh, shaking his head. That’s kind of pathetic.

  Shikiba slapped the rock away, but the instant his hand connected with the projectile, his silver eyes widened in alarm. "Wait..." His gaze snapped to the object that had been falling in the rock's shadow. "Shit, a flash bang!" He tried to use his speed to slap it away, but the moment his hand brushed the small device, it detonated with a deafening CRACK and a blinding burst of white light.

  "Ah, son of a bitch!" he yelled, clapping his hands over his now-searing eyes.

  The instant the light and sound erupted, Remigio burst from behind the splintered oak. He moved with a desperate, clumsy speed, scooping T'Jadaka's unconscious body over his shoulder and turning to sprint into the deepest recesses of the forest. The flash bang hadn't been thrown to fight; Remigio had intentionally thrown the rock first to time the distraction, giving him precisely the cover he needed to retrieve his friend and run. I wasn't trying to fight you, you monster. I was just trying to save him.

  Shikiba roared in frustration as his vision swam with painful, residual afterimages. What a pain in the ass!

  Remigio, his breath ragged in his chest, was sprinting through the forest, T'Jadaka's unconscious body draped over his shoulder.

  Seems like this guy gets cocky too easily, Remigio thought. That quick distraction gave me the perfect opportunity to grab him. He looked down at the boy. He banged you up pretty good, didn't he? Don't worry, when we get home, you'll heal up and—

  A crimson-purple blur materialized instantly in front of them, stopping Remigio mid-stride. Shikiba, his silver eyes blazing with fury, stood radiating lethal impatience.

  "Surprise, bitch!" Shikiba snarled, his voice a low, dangerous growl. He backhanded Remigio with a casual, dismissive flick of his wrist.

  The blow wasn't intended to kill, but the force of his weken state was still devastating. Remigio was sent rocketing backward, slamming into a thick tree trunk before tumbling onto the forest floor in a heap of dirt and pain. T'Jadaka's body was tossed free, landing harmlessly on a pile of soft pine needles.

  Remigio groaned, clutching his ribs as he scrambled back, bewildered. "Uh... Holy shit, he didn't even hit me hard, and I got sent flying..."

  Shikiba proceeded to walk up casually, his posture radiating cool contempt. "Man, who the fuck are you? I didn't know the local hooker would be the one trying to save her man. You should have sent one of his buddies or something."

  Remigio, fueled by a mixture of adrenaline and righteous fury, struggled to his knees, spitting a mouthful of dirt. "I'm not a woman, you goddamn ignoramus."

  Shikiba stopped dead, looking genuinely surprised. He squinted at Remigio's delicate features, an expression of crude amusement spreading across his face. "Bro, you're a man?! You look feminine as fuck, by your face you look like a whole bitch."

  Remigio, his face contorted with pain and fury, fumbled for the pistol tucked into his tactical vest. He managed to pull it out, but before he could even raise the weapon, Shikiba moved.

  A blur of motion, and Shikiba's fist slammed into Remigio's abdomen with concussive force. Remigio's breath hitched, the blow stealing his air and making him retch violently, a stream of bile hitting the forest floor. Shikiba effortlessly grabbed him by a handful of his long hair, yanking his head back.

  "Geez, some rescue party you turned out to be," Shikiba drawled, his voice laced with mocking contempt. "If I honestly had a human heart, I might have felt a little bit of pity for you."

  Remigio gasped, fighting to regain his breath, the metallic taste of blood filling his mouth. "How... did you even find us?" he choked out, the pain making his voice raw. "And why do you want Farrah's head anyway? She's obviously dead already, so what's the point of getting a bounty!?"

  Shikiba threw his head back and laughed—a high, manic, unnerving sound that echoed through the decimated forest. "Oh... You really haven't known, huh? Well, allow me to reiterate."

  He reached into his what’s left of his pants and pulled out a dull, tarnished dog tag identical to the one Javier had given T'Jadaka. Shikiba twirled it mockingly between his fingers.

  "You see, that dog tag good old Javier was carrying? It had a built-in tracker. The boss knew that Javier and the dead bitch had a history, and he suspected Javier might rat him out. So, he made sure to put one on him, just in case he got sentimental and did something stupid like a heroic death."

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Remigio's eyes widened in horror, the realization of T'Jadaka brought him right to them. "That still doesn't explain why you want Farrah's head! The bounty is off!"

  Shikiba shrugged, a chilling nonchalance in the gesture. "He wanted it to be put on his desk. Farrah killed his son, after all. He wants a trophy. Something to look at while he drinks his morning coffee. A little piece of her to remind him of the price of crossing him."

  "You're a fucking psychopath! Why would you even agree to take a job like this!? Why couldn't you just let them grieve!?" Remigio yelled out, tears streaming down his face.

  Shikiba dropped the handful of hair and clamped his hand around Remigio's throat, the grip instantly cutting off his air. "You think I care about the stupid money? About you or anything else!? HUH!?" He squeezed his neck tighter, slowly pulling Remigio closer until their faces were inches apart.

  Shikiba's silver eyes glittered with a chilling, boundless malice. "It's all just an excuse, a reason for me to be so savage without having my family being on my nuts. My goal, my singular goal in life is one and only thing... TO KILL AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE!"

  Remigio's face went pale with absolute, paralyzing fear. This guy... He's a pure demon!

  "And I'll start with one~"

  Before the killing blow could land, T’Jadaka rose. He didn't just stand; he surged upward with a chilling, unnatural grace. The air grew heavy, thick with a pressure that made it hard to breathe.

  "T’Jadaka...?" Remigio wheezed, his voice trembling.

  Shikiba let him drop, watching the newcomer with a cruel smirk. "Well, look who decided to wake up from their little nap. Don’t get too comfortable—I’m sending you back to sleep permanently." Shikiba flicked his wrist, sending a jagged arc of magic toward him. T’Jadaka didn't flinch; he simply tilted his head, the spell whistling past his ear.

  "Well, well... Look who—" Shikiba started, but his words were cut short by a fist to the jaw. The impact sounded like a thunderclap, sending Shikiba spiraling back into the treeline.

  "Whoa... Jadaka? Since when did you get this strong?" Remigio scrambled to his feet, but there was no answer. T’Jadaka’s eyes were fixed forward, glowing in a void of black and white. Remigio waved a hand in front of his face. There’s no way. Is he still unconscious?

  In the distance, trees splintered as Shikiba exploded out of the wreckage. Where did that strength come from? he spat, wiping blood from his lip. He wasn't hitting like that earlier. What the hell happened?! Suddenly, the air went cold. T'Jadaka was right there, inches from his face. He exhaled, and a plume of hot steam hissed from between his teeth.

  Shikiba stood inches from T’Jadaka, his breath hot with rage. "I don’t know what happened to you, but if you think this random power-up is going to save you, you’re in for a rude awakening."

  T’Jadaka said nothing. He didn't even blink. The silence was an insult.

  "Don’t ignore me!" Shikiba roared. Darkness erupted around him as he surged into his Turbo Demon state. "Enough playing around. I’m killing you right—"

  The sentence died in his throat. T’Jadaka’s fist was already inches from his nose. Too fast! No time to brace! Shikiba took the hit head-on, but managed to throw a desperate counter. Two massive shockwaves detonated simultaneously as both their heads snapped back.

  Shikiba wiped a smear of black blood from his lip, a wild grin spreading. He thinks he can trade punches? Let's see him keep up! They became a blur of violence

  Every exchange sent tremors through the earth, the terrain literally disintegrating under the pressure of their fists. Shikiba tried to break the rhythm with a sharp flying knee to the face, but T’Jadaka didn't resist—he went limp, flowing with the momentum of the strike to deliver a brutal counter-knee to the back of Shikiba's skull.

  He’s using my own force against me? Shikiba snarled, grabbing T’Jadaka’s face and slamming him into the dirt. He tried to fire a point-blank magic slash into his skull, but T’Jadaka’s hands were like iron. He caught Shikiba's arm, flipped his entire body weight, and used the leverage to pin Shikiba down.

  Then came the impossible: T’Jadaka launched into a one-handed handstand directly on Shikiba’s head. From that inverted position, he drove a devastating downward kick into Shikiba’s spine. The ground gave way, and Shikiba plummeted through the crust, crashing into a dark cavern below.

  What the hell is this? Shikiba thought, his vision swimming. He’s fighting like a machine...

  As Shikiba tried to find his footing, T’Jadaka dropped from the ceiling like a falling star, his heels landing clean on Shikiba’s neck. Roaring in frustration, Shikiba grabbed T’Jadaka’s ankle, slammed him into the cavern floor, and followed up with a heavy sledgehammer blow that sent them both crashing even deeper into the abyss.

  Shikiba roared in frustration. As they plummeted through the darkness, he seized T'Jadaka's head and brutally slammed it face-first into the second cave floor, dragging him several feet through the rock before finally flinging him against the cavern wall.

  I can't keep my Turbo State on for long... Fighting him the first time was already hard enough and it drained most of my stamina... I need to end it right now, Shikiba thought, panting heavily. The purple sheen of his skin flickered ominously. He saw T'Jadaka dash forward, pulling back his punch.

  They closed the distance, both drawing back for one final, devastating strike to end the fight. But T'Jadaka's attack wasn't a punch.

  He caught Shikiba's fist with his hand, stopping the crimson-charged blow's momentum dead. The instant Shikiba fully committed to the attack, T'Jadaka utilized the entire force and direction of the opponent's punch, spinning his body to deliver a devastating, spin kick directly to Shikiba's face.

  Shikiba was launched with enough power to shatter the cavern's foundations. He ripped through stone until he hit the forest floor, the entire cave system imploding the moment he cleared the exit.

  His body landed with a sickening thud in the center of the forest, utterly motionless. Surveying the rubble of the cave-in, T'Jadaka began a slow, menacing march toward his fallen opponent.

  Shikiba groaned, dragging himself back to consciousness. He actually knocked me out of Turbo Demon mode... He attempted to rise, but his body buckled. His mana was tapped out; the numbing technique had flickered off, leaving him raw and exposed to the pain.

  He watched the "anomaly" approach with a slow, predatory gait. My own damn fault, Shikiba thought, a bitter taste in his mouth. If I’d stopped playing with my food and finished him, I wouldn't be bleeding in the dirt. A jagged, breathless chuckle escaped his lips. "I always figured it’d be a Dragonoid that would kill me... not a manaless freak like you. Still," he grinned through the blood, "this is a hell of a lot of fun."

  Shikiba staggered to his feet, fueled by pure adrenaline, and threw a wild, desperate punch. T'Jadaka, moving with a chilling, effortless speed, easily sidestepped the attack, allowing the momentum to carry Shikiba past him. T'Jadaka countered instantly, a devastating uppercut slamming into Shikiba's stomach, followed by a brutal knee to the jaw that sent him spiraling backward, crashing heavily onto the dirt.

  T'Jadaka didn't pause. He launched himself high into the air, drawing his leg back for a devastating, downward-driving kick. The blow connected with a sound like a physical wound opening in the earth—a deafening, earth-sundering CRACK.

  When the dust and debris cleared, Shikiba was revealed, still on the ground, his body trembling with the aftershock of the blow. He had managed to throw his left arm up at the last second, blocking the brunt of the strike. The limb was now snapped and twisted at an unnatural angle, the bone audibly fracturing under the immense force. Despite the agony and the broken arm, the desperate block allowed him to roll out of the way of T'Jadaka's immediate follow-up attack.

  Shikiba coughed, the metallic taste of blood thick in his throat. He always makes a follow-up attack every time he lands or misses... It's the first thing he does every single time. The pattern was rigid, predictable. But I think I had an idea.

  Shikiba quickly stumbled toward the massive, splintered oak he had previously impacted. He braced himself against the trunk and grinned maniacally at T'Jadaka. "Is that all you got, pussy? Come get me, you dumb piece of shit!"

  T'Jadaka, moving with ruthless precision, launched himself into a brutal flying knee aimed at Shikiba's face. Shikiba, however, sidestepped with just enough agility, letting the attack clip the air. He instantly drove the back of T'Jadaka's skull into the thick wood of the tree trunk.

  Right here he should go for a counter attack to get me off him, Shikiba thought, his silver eyes flashing with calculation.

  Just as he predicted, T'Jadaka countered, whipping a savage elbow back toward Shikiba's face. "Weave!" Shikiba snarled, expertly dodging the blow while simultaneously driving T'Jadaka's head deeper into the wood. He then launched into a vicious, close-quarters flurry of strikes: a sharp punch with his good arm, immediately followed by a brutal headbutt, then a smashing elbow with his broken arm, and repeated the punishing sequence.

  Stay down, stay down, stay down, stay fucking down! Shikiba roared internally, pouring every ounce of residual stamina into the barrage. He kept wailing blows until the terrifying, manaless warrior finally went slack and stopped moving.

  Shikiba staggered away from the splintered oak, his legs trembling beneath him. He stood over the motionless form of T'Jadaka, panting heavily, the sweat and grime coating his skin. The sheer exhaustion was monumental.

  "Shit..." he wheezed, rubbing his throbbing jaw. "If that motherfucker got back up after all that… I'd be a dead son of a bitch."

  He ran a hand over the tatters of his pants, searching for the last vestiges of normalcy. He managed to locate a crumpled box of cigarettes in a hip pocket. "I hope some of these aren't completely destroyed from the—"

  He tore the ruined package open. The cigarettes inside were uniformly broken, bent, and useless.

  "Fuck!" He hurled the useless pack onto the ground in a fit of pique. He stared down at T'Jadaka's body, then toward the ruined forest and the massive, smoking crater where the cave had been. His manic energy was utterly depleted, replaced by a cold, deadly resolution. He needed to finish the job and escape before his clan found him and learned he had used his forbidden state to fight a mere 'commoner.'

  Shikiba raised his hand, a dull crimson glow of mana gathering in his palm. He was spent, running on fumes, but enough to deliver a killing blow. \"I'm not sure if I have enough juice to make absolutely sure you're dead, but we'll cross that bridge when it comes,\" he wheezed, his eyes narrowing with deadly focus on T'Jadaka's still form.

  "That's enough, Shikiba."

  The voice, calm and laced with a soft, natural authority, cut cleanly through the ruin. Shikiba snapped his head back, annoyed.

  Standing just beyond the wreckage was a striking young woman. She had a cute, heart-shaped face, dainty facial features, and a sleek bob of black hair styled with a large bang that floated artfully between her dark silver eyes.

  She looked perfectly composed, dressed in a fashionable, dark-colored trench coat that looked completely untouched by the carnage.

  "What the hell do you want, Fusui?" Shikiba spat, his voice thick with frustration.

  "Uncle just sent me here to stop you," she replied, her tone conversational, yet absolute. She surveyed the scene with a brief, clinical glance. "You can't kill him."

  "HUH!? Why the hell not? He tried to stop me from fulfilling my mission, that gives me the okay to kill him!"

  Fusui sighed, shaking her head slightly. "The mission is over, little brother. He canceled it. That's why I was sent here."

  This news hit Shikiba like a physical blow. The last remnants of his adrenaline vanished, replaced by an incandescent, all-consuming fury. "WHAT!? So I did all this shit for nothing!? Fuck that!" He spun back toward T'Jadaka, raising his hand to fire a desperate, final blast.

  Before the meager mana could coalesce, two figures exploded from the treeline, moving with surprising speed. They grabbed Shikiba's arms in an iron-vice grip, restraining him instantly. One was a significantly overweight man whose sheer bulk lent him enormous passive strength, and the other was a wiry young man, not much older than Shikiba himself.

  "Damn it! You guys too!?" Shikiba raged, struggling against the restraint.

  A third figure approached with a slow, deliberate stride. This was a bulky, imposing man with straight black hair cut into a blunt bob, strong, chiseled facial features, and a generally stern, unwavering expression. He fixed his gaze on Shikiba.

  "Normally, we'd have to seriously restrain you," the bulky man stated, his voice a deep monotone that brooked no argument. "But it seems like this fight wore you out more than we thought, little cousin."

  "Shut the hell up, Hollis... I can still—" Shikiba strained, his voice cracking with exertion.

  Hollis took a step closer, his stern gaze locking onto Shikiba's. "Still what, exactly? Your power is pretty much gone. Stand down."

  Tsk!" Shikiba pulled free from their iron grip, his movements jerky with frustration. "Whatever. It was still fun anyway." He turned on his heel and walked off, leaving the trio with the unconscious T'Jadaka.

  Fusui immediately knelt beside the still form of the manaless warrior. She placed a delicate, two-fingered hand against his neck, her dark silver eyes scanning for a pulse. "I think we might be too late, cuz. He looks pretty dead."

  Hollis, the bulky man with the blunt bob, strode over, his expression unwavering. He knelt beside T'Jadaka's severely beaten body, placing his ear directly over the boy's chest. He waited for a tense, silent minute before straightening slightly.

  "No," Hollis stated, his deep voice cutting through the silence. "He's still alive, surprisingly. The heart is beating, but barely—a single, slow pulse every few seconds."

  "What!? Seriously!?" Fusui exclaimed, genuine shock replacing her detached composure.

  Hollis nodded grimly. "This is why Viltrumlights are a hard counter to magic users. They don't die easily; putting them down is extremely difficult. Not to mention that they become significantly stronger the closer to death they are—it's a brutal survival mechanism."

  "Huh... If they didn't have such strict, incompatible reproductive qualities, a Viltrumlight might make a pretty good addition to the clan's gene pool," Fusui mused, a calculating look in her eyes.

  "It may be possible, but it's safer not to risk the incompatibility," Hollis countered. "We need to take him to the medical bay back at Shetu now."

  The overweight man, Horio, a mountain of quiet strength, carefully maneuvered T'Jadaka's body into his arms, hoisting him with a grunt of exertion. "Hot damn! Why the hell is he so heavy!? He's like picking up twenty boulders!"

  Hollis stepped closer, adjusting his jacket. "Viltrumlights can consciously control their mass. They can range from a natural weight of 200 to 150 lbs to over 1,000 if they wanted to. But I'm guessing when they're unconscious, they default to maximum density. Just be extra careful, Horio."

  "Hey! Let me go, you living tank!" Remigio yelled, struggling violently against the strong, wiry man named Reiichi who held him in a surprisingly tight grip.

  Hollis turned, his eyes dismissing Remigio with a cursory glance. "Reiichi, why are you holding that demi-human kid? Put him back where you got him from. We don't have time for strays."

  Are they actually talking about me like I'm some kind of lost pet!? They're lucky I'm not as strong as T'Jadaka or I'd kick their asses! Remigio seethed internally, his fury spiking with the insult.

  "But brother," Reiichi said, his voice laced with confusion. "Isn't this the demi-human royalty that ruled this area some years ago?"

  Remigio's eyes widened in stunned confusion. "Demi-human royalty?"

  Hollis strode over to him, his stern expression unwavering as he scrutinized Remigio, taking in his long hair and delicate features. "What's your name, boy?" he demanded.

  Remigio, still shaking from the encounter with Shikiba and furious at the dismissive tone, spat out his reply. "Eat a dick."

  A sharp, barking laugh escaped Fusui. "HA!" she exclaimed, quickly covering her mouth, while Reiichi and Horio fought valiantly to suppress their own amusement, their shoulders shaking slightly.

  Hollis's expression didn't change, but his eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Funny guy, huh? No matter." He raised his hand and delivered a quick, precise chop to Remigio's neck, instantly knocking him unconscious. Remigio's body went limp in Reiichi's grasp. "Take him back too. I need to make sure I can verify his identity and determine if he's what you think he is."

  Reiichi adjusted the unconscious Remigio in his arms. With Horio carrying the heavy form of T'Jadaka, and Fusui and Hollis leading the way, the quartet departed the ruined forest together, leaving behind only the dust and the silence of the carnage.