I dodge Zeyna's flurry of attacks—not all of them. Every strike crackles with thunder, each graze sizzling against my skin like a warning. One clean hit... and it's over.
"Die, die, die, you scumbag!" Zeyan shouted, tears streaming down his face, his cheeks burning with a furious blush.
I dashed backward, putting some distance between us. Zeyna's stance had changed—lower, sharper, like a coiled viper. And behind her, Lilith was chanting, her voice low and dangerous, weaving power into the air.
Lilith's voice rose in a chilling rhythm:
"Xal'nareth vi'dural... sen'kai mor'thelis... enrak tul'vaan..."
Each word pulsed with invisible force, the very air vibrating around her as the spell built in intensity.
As her chanting ended, a dark aura coiled around Zeyna like living smoke, pulsing with raw power. My eyes narrowed.
"System," I asked sharply, "what skill is that?"
System Notification:
Skill effects detected — Buff: [Heaven's Embrace]
→ Target receives a massive increase to attack and speed.
→ A temporary barrier is applied, capable of absorbing high levels of incoming damage.
→ Classification: Dark Cleric — High-tier Support Buff.
Warning: Proceed with caution. Target is significantly empowered.
System Notification:
Warning: Player [Zeyna] is radiating intense killing intent.
→ Analysis: Target is preparing a decisive strike with the intent to eliminate you in a single blow.
→ Recommend immediate evasion or counteraction.
This is not a bluff—she intends to end this.
Looking at her face, I understood why. Her eyes burned with fury, lips curled in a mix of pain and rage. This wasn't just a fight to her—it was personal. Every ounce of her killing intent screamed one thing: I'm ending you.
Then her muscles tensed so hard it looked like her arm might explode. Veins bulged beneath her skin, trembling with barely-contained power. Every fiber in her body screamed violence—one strike, all in, no hesitation.
"System," I muttered, eyes locked on her trembling form, "can you analyze the skill?"
System Analyzing...
Skill Detected: [Final Judgment]
→ A high-tier execution skill.
→ Charges immense power into a single, devastating strike intended to eliminate the target instantly.
→ Success rate increases dramatically when the user is emotionally unstable.
Warning: Fatal intent confirmed. Evade or interrupt immediately.
Evade? Interrupt?" I muttered, fire roaring in my chest. "I'm not that kind of guy, System."
System Acknowledged.
Activating: [Transcendent Copy]
→ Target Skill: [Final Judgment]
→ Status: Transcending...
→ Result: [Final Judgment] has evolved into [Eclipse Breaker] — Rank: ???
→ Effect: Overwhelming destructive force infused with personalized intent. Pierces barriers, ignores defense scaling. Critical hit guaranteed under killing intent.
Power surged through me—unlike anything I'd ever felt. My body lit up with arcs of radiant energy as the copied skill twisted, reshaped, became mine. Not just a copy.
A statement.
"Critical hit under killing intent, huh?" I smirked, feeling the raw power thrumming through me. "I'm not that bad of a guy. I'll just clash with her straight on."
I mimicked her stance—only I made it my own. My whole body tensed, muscles coiling like a predator ready to strike. Every fiber clenched, preparing to absorb, to counter, to meet that head-blow with everything I had.
Come on, Zeyna. Let's see who breaks first.
Without warning, we both vanished in an instant—two forces of nature, locked in a deadly dance. The air crackled with tension, our bodies moving faster than thought, closer and closer... until, with a deafening roar, we collided in the center.
The ground trembled beneath us as an explosion of raw power erupted from the point of impact. The shockwave blasted outward, tearing through the air with a thunderous crack, sending dust and debris flying in every direction. Time seemed to freeze in that moment—two powers, equal in their intent, meeting head-on.
The world around us rippled like shattered glass, as if reality itself couldn't contain the force of our clash.
The shockwave from our clash tore through the air, sending a violent ripple across the battlefield. Lilith was caught in the blast, her body hurled backward like a ragdoll, crashing into the ground with a harsh thud. She slid several feet, the air around her crackling with residual energy from the collision.
We met in the center—fist to fist, strength against strength. The impact froze us mid-air, muscles trembling, teeth gritted, neither of us giving an inch. Lightning-like cracks of energy danced around our locked fists, the force pressing against the very fabric of space.
Our feet dug into the earth beneath, pressure exploding outward in waves. The sheer force of our clash carved a crater beneath us, dust spiraling upward like a storm caught in time.
Veins bulged. Breath hitched.
We were stuck—equal. Unmoving.
And yet, the next second would decide everything.
Locked in that brutal clash, I leaned in just enough for her to hear me over the roar of our powers.
"You always get this red when you're close to me?" I whispered with a smirk.
Her eyes widened for a split second—just enough. The blush on her cheeks deepened, her concentration slipping, her punch wavering ever so slightly.
Gotcha.
The moment her focus cracked, I shifted my weight—just slightly.
With a sharp breath and a twist of my hips, I drove my fist forward, pushing past her trembling guard. The energy flared, not wild, but refined—a controlled surge of force that slammed into her with surgical precision.
Her body jerked back as the impact struck—not enough to break, but enough to hurt.
A ripple of energy exploded behind her like a shockwave, dark feathers of shadow and light scattering into the air. The ground behind her cracked in a perfect arc.
She staggered.
I didn't need to destroy her. Just remind her—I could have.
Zeyna looked up at me, confused, still catching her breath. Lilith's healing light faded around her.
I let the silence hang for a moment… then smirked.
"Wait," I said, eyes shifting between them, "you both passed."
Zeyna blinked. "Both?"
I shrugged, turning away casually. "One of you had the guts to charge head-on. The other knew exactly when to back her up."
I paused, glancing over my shoulder.
"Not bad for a pair of psychos."
I stretched my arms over my head, the adrenaline finally wearing off.
"Man," I sighed, "I'm hungry."
Both of them blinked… then, almost at the same time, their expressions lit up.
Zeyna tried to hide her smile, crossing her arms with a huff. "Tch. You just fought like a maniac and now you want food?"
Lilith giggled, brushing dust off her dress. "I'll cook something! You've definitely earned it."
I grinned. "Make it spicy. Like that punch."
For the first time since the fight started, all three of us laughed.
Later, the battlefield quieted, replaced by the warm clatter of a small outdoor kitchen setup. The sun dipped low, painting the sky in soft golds and pinks. Lilith and I stood side by side, preparing ingredients on a makeshift counter. Zeyna sat nearby, pretending not to watch us as she munched on fruit.
Lilith leaned in, her long hair brushing my arm as she reached for the spices. "A bit more heat, right?" she asked softly.
"Yeah, just enough to make it burn," I replied, grabbing the same jar at the exact moment she did.
Our fingers met. Lightly. Barely.
But it froze us both.
I glanced at her. She looked up at the same time—eyes wide, lips parting slightly.
The moment lingered, warm and quiet. Her cheeks flushed just the faintest pink.
"I—sorry," she whispered.
I didn't pull my hand away. "No need to be."
Her gaze softened, eyes holding mine a little longer than necessary—until Zeyna coughed loudly from behind us.
"You two done playing house?" she muttered, clearly flustered.
We both laughed, but the touch... lingered in memory, even as we went back to cooking.
The sky faded into twilight, stars blinking into life one by one. We sat in a loose circle around the fire, the warm glow flickering across our faces. The scent of grilled meat and spices filled the air, smoke curling lazily upward.
Zeyna bit into her skewer with gusto. "Not bad," she said between bites, trying to sound casual. "You're not completely useless in the kitchen."
I raised an eyebrow. "Coming from someone who almost punched me into the next life, I'll take that as a compliment."
Lilith giggled softly beside me, carefully picking at her food. "You two are... surprisingly compatible in your chaos."
Zeyna rolled her eyes but didn't argue.
For a moment, everything felt normal—like the war and powers and tension could wait.
We shared stories. Stupid things from the past. Awkward missions. Favorite foods. The kind of laughter that slips out naturally when no one's wearing armor anymore.
And through it all, every now and then, I'd catch Lilith glancing at me with a small smile.
And Zeyna? She kept glancing, too. Just more grumpily.
As the laughter died down and the last embers of the fire crackled gently, I reached beside me, pulling out a smaller portion I'd set aside.
"Almost forgot," I said, whistling softly.
From the shadows beyond the firelight, a sleek white shape trotted forward—Yuna, my fox familiar. Her fur shimmered faintly under the moonlight, tails swaying with a graceful rhythm.
She padded up to me with a soft chuff, eyes gleaming with affection.
I held out the food. "Here you go, princess."
Yuna sniffed, then took it carefully from my hand, nuzzling against my arm after. Her soft fur brushed my skin, and I couldn't help but smile.
Lilith's eyes lit up. "She's adorable... and very spoiled."
"She deserves it," I said, gently scratching behind Yuna's ears. "She's saved my life more times than I can count."
Zeyna looked like she wanted to stay unimpressed—but even she reached out and gave Yuna a quick, awkward pat. "Fluffy little menace," she muttered.
Yuna yipped, clearly pleased.
As I fed Yuna, she suddenly looked up at me, her ears twitching, before letting out a playful bark. It was cute, but there was something about the way she was staring at me, like she wanted to say something—more than just a bark.
I raised an eyebrow. "What is it, girl?"
She barked again, a little more insistent this time, wagging her tails excitedly.
"System," I said aloud, my voice steady but curious. "What's going on with Yuna?"
System Notification: Analyzing...
Before I could even process Yuna's behavior, the system chimed in again, its tone carrying an urgent edge.
System Notification:
Warning: The egg in your inventory is about to hatch. Immediate attention required.
I froze, instinctively looking down at the pouch where the egg had been nestled safely for so long. I hadn't thought much of it, but now… now I could feel it—something was shifting inside.
Yuna's tail wagged faster, her eyes fixed on the egg. Her playful demeanor was gone, replaced by something more serious, more alert. She seemed to understand this was important.
"What egg?" Zeyna asked, looking between me and the pouch. "You didn't mention—"
Before she could finish, a soft crack echoed in the quiet night air.
I held the egg carefully, watching as a thin, glowing line appeared on its surface. The crack spread rapidly, the air around us humming with energy.
Lilith's eyes widened. "It's hatching..."
I barely had time to react before the egg cracked open further, the shell splitting like a fragile porcelain mask, revealing a strange, glowing warmth emanating from inside.
I barely had time to react before the egg cracked open further, the shell splitting like a fragile porcelain mask, revealing a strange, glowing warmth emanating from inside.
From within the golden light, a silhouette stirred—graceful, fluid, and pulsing with life. The glow intensified, casting dancing shadows across the walls of my room. My heart pounded. This wasn't some bird or reptile... it was something else.
Then she emerged.
First came the tips of her wings—sharp, curved like crescent moons, yet glowing as if carved from molten sunstone. Then her arms, stretching outward as though waking from a long, celestial slumber. Her form followed: skin a brilliant, polished gold, legs gleaming like living metal. A sky-blue blouse clung loosely to her, like it had been spun from clouds, torn at the edges as if she had burst through the atmosphere itself.
Her eyes opened.
And I swear, in that moment, I forgot how to breathe. Twin orbs of light—intense, joyful, otherworldly—locked onto me with the curiosity of a child and the wisdom of something ancient.
She blinked once, tilted her head, and then smiled—wide, radiant, almost too bright to look at directly. Her voice came next: light, playful, and unmistakably real.
"Earth, huh?" she said, hopping out of the remains of her shell with a bounce that made her wings flutter. "Smells like chaos. I like it."
I stared, completely dumbfounded. She threw up two peace signs with gleeful pride, as if she hadn't just exploded into my world from a glowing egg.
"What... what are you?" I managed to say.
She laughed, the sound sparkling like wind chimes. "Me? I'm Sunny! Born from light, dreams, and a lot of cosmic mischief." She twirled on her heel, wings leaving golden trails in the air.
"And you," she pointed, still smiling, "are my first Earth friend. Lucky you!"
And just like that, the ordinary ended—and everything else began.