CHAPTER 52: LET THE DEVIL IN

Snowflakes began to drift through the shattered windows. A piercing cold settled into the hallway.

The girls ran for their lives, breath ragged, directionless. The corridor had no end.

Their enemy scratched the back of his head.

"Here we go again. No matter what I do, people just run. Are you saying I’m scary or something? GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE GNATS!"

The girls kept running.

"This hallway... It just stretches into nowhere!"

"This way!"

Ash grabbed Aimer’s hand and pulled her into a side room. It turned out to be an empty classroom—desks, chalkboard, the scent of dust and old wood.

They collapsed near the door, catching their breath.

"What do we do...? That guy... there’s no magic coming off him, but just standing near him makes my legs shake."

"Yeah... Aimer, I think we’re screwed. We can’t keep hiding forever. That psycho will get us eventually. This could go on forever. Maybe... we try talking to him?"

"Are you insane?!"

"I mean, look at our odds. If we try to fight, we die. Might as well take a gamble and see if we can reason with him."

Aimer was livid.

"What are you even talking about? He’s clearly trying to kill us! Since when do you negotiate with a maniac?!"

Ash shrugged.

"Seriously, Ash, is there even a brain in that skull of yours?" Aimer groaned and facepalmed.

"You’re so mean. Okay then, what’s your plan?"

"To be honest? I have no clue. Especially not with you around."

"E-excuse me?!" Ash glared. "I’m not as dumb as you think, you know!"

Then silence fell.

SCRAPE.

The sound of metal dragging on tile. He was coming—blade-first.

The screech of the sword gnawed at their ears, slicing through the air like a rusted saw. It clouded their minds with dread. They had seconds to think—maybe less.

Then, silence again.

CRASH!

He shattered the wall with a single swing of his wrapped blade. Its fang-like shape said it all — get caught, and you’re dead.

Dust filled the air.

"Pointless. You can’t hide forever."

Through the haze, he scanned the room with those dead, casual eyes, dragging his blade like a predator sniffing out prey.

SWISH!

He spotted a lock of Ash’s hair under a desk. She dove to the side just in time as a volley of glowing crystal orbs burst against his back.

Aimer stood at the door, hand glowing with magic.

The man shielded himself with his arms — barely fazed.

"Such clumsy little spells!" he mocked, walking toward her. "But I’ll admit... bold move!"

He lifted his sword to strike—but suddenly—

FWOOOM!

An entire room-sized fireball roared down the hall. The flames swallowed the space.

The girls leapt into the corridor and ran.

"Hellooo, ladies. Did you miss me?"

Behind them, Ash looked back — and saw him walking through the blaze, smiling wide with madness.

"What is this maniac?! He just tanked all of that!"

"We need something stronger... Any ideas?"

Ash frowned in thought.

"What about... Supreme techniques?"

"Yeah. That might actually work."

Aimer remembered the destructive combo she used during the tournament. If that couldn’t stop him—nothing would.

"Ash. Honestly, I don’t like you. You’re the last person I’d want as a battle partner."

"Didn’t expect to hear that right now," Ash was baffled.

"I don’t trust you. Never have. But right now... we’re stuck in this together. Please—don’t screw this up."

Ash jogged behind her, strangely quiet.

Then—BOOM! The enemy came barreling down the hall like a rhino. His charge was so fierce, the floor gave way behind him, crumbling into an endless void.

He stopped. Looked around.

"What’s with all these lockers? Who needs this many?"

Ash was hiding inside one of them. If he opened it, the whole plan was finished.

She held her breath, sweat dripping off her chin. Her heart pounded like a war drum.

His footsteps crept closer. Slow. Intentional.

Ash peeked through the holes in the metal.

He paused. Looked up at the ceiling. Then walked away.

...

Then his face appeared right at her eye level—grinning like a shark.

"Gotcha."

Ash collapsed to her knees with fear as the man slashed every locker open in a single motion. Her door swung wide, revealing a very panicked, squirming Ash.

"I—I can explain...!" she squeaked randomly, waving her hands.

"Huh?"

The door to the adjacent room burst open.

Aimer. Her ultimate combo.

Shards of crystal erupted upward, forming a shimmering cage around him. Then—a freezing wave sealed it shut. The crystals began to glow.

"Supreme Magicka..."

Aimer’s eyes were sharp, her expression murderous. She moved her hands.

"Absolute Collapse!"

BOOM!

The room exploded with light and force. The blast echoed like a cannon.

"Anyone caught in that is as good as dead. You’d have better luck outpacing a cat as a snail."

But as the glow faded, Aimer’s blood ran cold.

He was still standing.

His robe was torn. His body bled from a dozen wounds. And his grin... twisted, angry, excited.

"Looks like I got lucky then," he said, resting his blade on his shoulder.

"H-how? How are you... still...?"

"Alive? Simple. Bad for you, your technique isn’t strong enough to tap into the true essence of death. But I’ll admit—you came close. For a second, I actually tasted it."

Aimer froze. Her body wouldn’t move. If even that hadn’t killed him... then what could?

Then—

FIRE. A roaring wave of flame surged down the corridor. Ash pulled Aimer into another room.

"No way he survived that!"

SMASH! A hand punched through the door, followed by a grinning face full of spite.

"Here comes Oldrich!"

Then—BAM! The door shattered under his kick as he entered.

The girls backed into a corner.

"I keep telling you—this is all pointless. You can flail and scream, but all you’re doing is digging your own grave!"

He was scorched, bleeding, body broken. And still walking.

"My name is Oldrich. I am the sixth Onmyoji — one of the Seven Revered Guardians of the Void Realm!"

He swung his sword—and the bandages unraveled.

The blade beneath was curved like a fang, glowing with white flame.

"I knew where you were hiding the entire time. Let me give you a hint — I can feel your aura. So... what now, little prey? What do you plan to do, now that death is staring you in the face?"

The girls stared in horror.

He was death.

Ash lowered her eyes. Doubt crept in like frostbite, curling around her thoughts.

Was this it? Was now the moment... to use that spell? Was it time to show her hand—reveal everything she’d been hiding, even from herself?

Her fingers trembled.

They had to think fast.

They couldn’t die here.

They wouldn’t.

What will the girls do?!