CHAPTER 3: SHADOW TORNADO
Ten Djinn lunged at Kaito from the darkness at the same time.
On the very first night of his journey, Kaito came face to face with death once again.
Woli's voice was cold and clear.
"Survive, kid. If you succeed, you'll prove yourself. And don't fall into the void – or they'll possess your body."
Kaito clenched his teeth.
"Yes, Master!"
At that moment, all ten Djinn attacked at once.
Woli moved like a shadow. His sword whistled through the air – one Djinn split in half. Another let out a short, muffled scream before dissolving into the darkness. Every strike Woli made was lethal. Every swing took a life.
But the situation was different for Kaito.
Even lifting the sword was hard for him. When he tried to swing it, the blade passed right through the Djinn like he was striking smoke.
"Master, I can't hit them!" Kaito shouted, breathless.
Woli flipped his sword and cleaved a Djinn coming from behind while answering:
"These are low-level Djinn, Kaito. They can't take human form, so they exist in an energy state. You need special techniques to cut them. For now, just stay on the defensive."
"Yes, Master!"
Woli had already brought down a third Djinn. A cold battle gleam shone in his eyes.
"Come on, you pathetic creatures!"
With every swing of his sword, another Djinn vanished. But Kaito was struggling even with defense. His hands trembled, his breath was ragged, and every move drained him further.
"Ahh… I can't even defend anymore… they're too strong…"
Suddenly, one of the Djinn stopped.
Its eyes glowed with dark energy.
"Dark Sphere."
A small, blackish sphere shot from the Djinn's hand. A malicious light flickered inside it. It floated through the air, slow but steady, moving toward Kaito.
Kaito's eyes widened.
"Huh? How am I supposed to stop that? I can see it but… I can't do anything… What do I do?"
Woli changed direction instantly.
"Kaito! Don't fall into the void! Hold on, I'm coming!"
Just as the Dark Sphere was about to hit Kaito, Woli jumped in front of him like a shadow. He held his sword vertically and took a defensive stance.
CRACK!
The Dark Sphere split in half the moment it hit the blade. A small black flash of light erupted, and for a moment, everything fell silent.
Woli caught his breath and asked:
"Are you okay, kid?"
Kaito was breathing heavily.
"I-I'm fine, Master…"
"Where was your focus? What if I'd been too late?"
"But you weren't, Master. Thank you…"
Before Kaito could finish, Woli's fist landed on his head.
THUD!
Kaito crashed to the ground.
"AHH! What was that for, Master?"
"Idiot! You don't say thank you in a fight. Focus on the battle!"
"Yes, Master…"
Woli raised his head and looked at the remaining Djinn.
"Hey, you mongrels! Did you get stronger? Last time I checked, you couldn't use special abilities?"
One of the Djinn growled. Its voice was cold and threatening.
"Human… you will die."
Woli raised his sword with a cold smile.
"Is that so… Then I'll destroy you all in one strike!"
Dark smoke began to pour from his sword. The wind suddenly stopped. The forest fell silent.
"SHADOW TORNADO!"
The moment he swung, a massive tornado made of shadow rose up. It wasn't wind – it was pure darkness. The tornado rushed toward the Djinn with full fury, tearing trees from their roots and hurling them into the air. The ground shattered.
One of the Djinn screamed in fear:
"Run!"
The remaining four tried to flee, but they weren't fast enough. The Shadow Tornado caught them, sucking them all inside. They spun like a dark vortex for a few seconds, then…
FWOOSH…
The tornado dissipated.
The area had become a battlefield. Trees were uprooted, the ground was shattered, and everything was covered in dust and smoke. Not a single trace of the Djinn remained.
Kaito's mouth hung open.
"Wow… That was amazing, Master!"
Woli sheathed his sword.
"Don't get excited so quickly, Kaito. This was a battle. In battle, everyone loses. There are no winners or losers. Now pull yourself together. We're going to the capital."
"Y-yes, Master…"
Two hours later, they were still walking.
"Master, how much further?"
"About three more hours."
"Whoa… I want to get to the capital right now."
"Why are you so eager to get there, kid?"
"Because I've never been there before, Master."
"Interesting… Why not?"
"I don't know. I just haven't."
Woli turned forward without answering.
Dawn was about to break.
Woli pointed at an inn by the roadside.
"Let's rest at that inn for a bit. We'll drink something cold and continue."
Silence.
"Hey, Kaito? Can you hear me?"
Nothing.
Woli turned around – and was shocked.
Kaito's eyes were blood red. Claws had grown from his hands. Drool dripped from his mouth. His body no longer seemed like his own. His skin was pale, and black lines covered his veins.
Woli's voice was cold.
"Kaito… can you hear me?"
But a different voice came from Kaito's mouth. Deep, horrifying, growling. As if several voices were speaking at once.
"He can no longer hear you. He… is mine now."
Woli's eyes narrowed.
"Just as I suspected. In that moment you fell into the void, someone possessed you."
He muttered to himself.
"I should have realized. I destroyed four Djinn with Shadow Tornado. But there were ten in total. Five on me, five on you. Counting yours… I destroyed nine. That means during that brief moment you fell into the void, one of them entered your body."
Kaito's – or the thing inside him – lips curled. It was a dirty smile.
"You're clever, human… but knowing this… changes nothing."
Woli drew his sword. There was no hesitation in his eyes.
"We'll see about that."
His sword glowed. The air around him began to tense. As if the fabric of space was thinning, trembling like an illusion.
"DIMENSIONAL SEVERANCE!"
Woli swung with all his might toward Kaito's body.
The Djinn inside countered. It dragged its claws through the air.
"Wind Slash!"
A sharp wave of air shot from its claws, racing toward Woli's attack.
The two attacks collided in midair.
BOOM!
The people inside the inn hid in fear. Windows rattled. The ground shook.
A massive energy explosion lit up the area.
But the result was crushing.
Woli's attack tore through the Djinn's Wind Slash like a knife through paper. It struck Kaito's body at full force.
A scream rose from Kaito's body – so loud that even the birds deep in the forest took flight.
But because the attack severs dimensions, it didn't hit Kaito – it hit the Djinn inside him.
BAM!
When the explosion ended, Kaito was on the ground.
His body had returned to normal. The claws were gone. His eyes had their original color. The black lines on his veins had faded. But his consciousness was still far away.
Woli walked over and slapped him.
SMACK!
Kaito woke instantly. His eyes were confused, his breath unsteady.
"Huh? Master… what happened? Why was I unconscious? Why are you standing over me?"
"You don't remember. That's normal. A Djinn possessed you, kid."
Kaito's face paled. His hands began to tremble.
"What? How? I never fell into the void."
"You did. Once."
"When?"
"The moment you screamed 'What do I do.' That split second. That's when you fell into the void."
Kaito's hands trembled. He held his head in his hands.
"So… in that short moment… it entered my body…"
"I was surprised too. Normally, possession takes time. But with you… it happened instantly. That means they're getting stronger."
Kaito raised his head. There was fear in his eyes, but also curiosity.
"How did you defeat the Djinn without hurting me, Master?"
"A special technique. Dimensional Severance. Humans exist in the third dimension. Djinn exist in the fourth. This technique allows me to cut whichever dimension I choose. I cut the fourth dimension. Since you're in the third, you weren't harmed. But that Djinn is dead. It's the simplest and most effective way to kill Djinn."
Kaito's eyes lit up.
"Amazing… Can I learn that someday?"
Woli shook his head.
"You must create your own techniques, kid. Remember: imitations never replace the original."
Kaito was silent for a moment. He clenched his fists.
"You're right, Master. You're absolutely right."
He stood up.
"And I promise you… one day, I will create the strongest technique. A power so great that even the strongest will fear it. Just wait and see, Master."
A faint smile appeared on Woli's lips.
"I look forward to it, kid."
He sheathed his sword.
"Let's continue."
Kaito turned and looked toward the horizon. For the first time, there was so much belief in his voice.
"Wait for us… CAPITAL!"