The figure body spun through the air like a broken blade, launched by the serpent's violent motion. For a moment, he was weightless—hovering between life and death—before gravity reclaimed him.
But he didn't fall helplessly.
Twisting midair, the figure forced his body into balance, boots cutting through the wind as he stabilized himself. His scarf fluttered wildly behind him, almost like a banner of defiance. With a sharp breath, he redirected his descent—landing hard, sliding across the ruined ground until he rejoined Draves, Stok, and Riya, who had already retreated.
The figure was—
"Kira!!", a soft voice echoed through the emerging tension.
Kira shifted his eyes once towards the voice and then nod. The one who called him was Riya.
A brief silence.
"I am ok". He spoke and then shifted his gaze towards the serpent.
The real fight now begins—
————————
Draves all over the sweat looked towards Kira as a confirmation that he is ok and then wipe out the blood on his cheeks.
The serpent shrieked, its massive body coiling with unnatural speed. Its illusions flickered, distorting the battlefield, but now—now they had seen through it. Steel met scale as Draves surged forward, his blade glowing with power. Kira followed without hesitation, his movements sharper, more aggressive, like a man who had already brushed against death and returned with fury.
"Let's end this.", Stok spoke as he surged forward.
The beast screamed and then leapt his tail backwards.
"AghhHHHhh"
hush-hush~
Air blew as fast as it opened its mouth and then in a next moment the thousand stings were launched against them.
Each with their own momentum. Each with their own speed. Each with their own trajectory.
Kira eyes widened.
It was same as last time but there was something different this time.
He was not afraid.
The stings rapidly flew towards him, but he rolled in time to cover himself towards the big rocks around the battleground.
CRACK!!
The stings stuck inside the rock as when the bee stung is stuck inside the human skin.
"The stings are lesser from first time.", He mutter. "Is it because of its injuries.", He added.
His eyes hovered the surroundings.
Riya was using her frost blessings to cover herself and both Stok and Draves.
The stings spread crack into the Ice she produced.
Kira was overwhelmed with many question and doubts.
How? How? How? How? How? How? How? How? How? How can we...
His eyes shifted towards Draves and Stok who were holding their blades out.
How? How? How? How can we beat? How? How can we beat... Ah... Yes, that it.—
A miraculous plan sparkled onto his brain when he thought about how we can and in the next moment he ran towards Riya, abandoning the rock which was protecting him.
He ran fearlessly. Merciless.
"Hk—"
Thousands of stings flew towards him, but he managed to survive as he made himself rolled towards Riya ice wall.
"Hey..."
Riya was shocked as Kira marched himself towards her and let her cold words left out of her mouth "Idiot", To which Kira locked his eyes towards her and then spoke.
"Riya!", He shout. " I have a plan", He spoke smiling.
Riya eyes fixed at Kira and then she spoke holding her hands upwards to make the ice.
"What do you mean and wait first how did you survive??"
"You want me to dead.", Kira spoke which made Riya answer, "That not I mean", and then he replies~
"I grabbed its tail and then climbed towards its head.", He spoke wiping the blood form his forehead and cheeks.
"Wait, you were able to see that monster.", Riya spoke as she herself was few minutes before was unable to see the monster.
"Hmm..., Yay", Kira replies.
"So, anybody who can touch him can see him.", Riya spoke looking towards the creature whose one eye was missing, and blood was erupting through it.
"I think so", Kira replies and then he spoke
"So, here my plan".
——————
"How is my plan?", Kira spoke as he looked towards Riya.
"Your plan seems to be risky but it worth it to try.", Riya spoke shifting his gaze towards the serpent.
"Can you tell this to Sir Draves", She says.
"I can try.", The moment Kira replies, he leapt sideways and then pulled his blood coated sword and marched towards Draves and Stok who was hiding behind the Ice wall.
His eyes were observing and the next moment he saw Kira marching towards him he let out his yell which shock Stok.
"KIRA!"
Kira who was marching towards the Draves slice as many as Sting which was coming towards him and then he jumps towards Draves to which Draves replies. "Idiot"~
"Master, can you slice"
The question stunned Draves but he nods.
Kira eyes shifted towards Stok.
"Can you see the future", The same expression with different questions.
"Yay", Stok spoke.
Kira took a high breath and then shout—
"Riya, now"
His shout surprise both Draves and Stok as they were unable to understand anything but then Kira looked towards them with a sparkling blue eye of hope.
Riya's hands trembled for a second… then froze over with resolve.
"Sigh, Let's see how it goes"
The ground cracked as frost spread outward, locking parts of the serpent's body in place. The creature thrashed violently.
Blood splashed like a fountain water and Snake scream.
But it stops as Frozen spike erupted through the ground piercing through the beast mouth locking it and stopping the stings.
Kira shouted " Lets go"
Draves and Stok were confused but they soon understand what was going on and then—
Blessed authority
Two flashes of steel—
Draves and Kira struck together.
Their blades tore across the serpent's neck in a perfect cross, the impact echoing like thunder. At the same instant, Riya drove a piercing spike of ice upward—impaling the creature's abdomen, locking its massive form in place. The serpent convulsed, its movements slowing, its strength collapsing under the combined assault.
And then—
Stok moved.
Silent. Precise.
His sword cut through the air in a single, decisive motion.
The serpent's head separated cleanly.
For a brief second, everything stood still.
Then the massive body collapsed.
But Stok didn't stop.
He stepped forward… and drove his sword straight into the creature's remaining eye.
Red liquid spread. His sword covered with blood.
"The red colour... seems like you were true Sir Draves.", He spoke looking towards the Draves.
----------------------
Riya eyes saw Kira who was sitting on his butt.
Kira's sword was drenched in blood. It stained his hands, his clothes… even his face. Dark streaks ran across his cheeks, drying slowly under the air. Combined with his intense gaze and ragged breathing, he didn't look like the same person anymore.
He looked… terrifying.
"It is weird, but the one Arc faced sixteen years ago, doesn't possess any kind of illusions power.", He spoke.
"It like he was able to change the surroundings to create them."
change the surroundings.
The words stuck into Kira mind as he looked towards the ground.
eyes widened.
"…An illusion."
Every dot started to connect in his mind.
change the surroundings.
It was the ability the lady in red possess.
And then in an instant he ran somewhere through the woods, wines as he realized something.
The true plan.