Clusters of magic circles ignited around us, their light stuttering like dying stars.
Alex tore free from the burning chains and slammed the Apostle against the air itself, fingers crushing into his throat. Haruto spat a curse and snapped barrier spells into existence.
My legs buckled.
I hit the ground, breath knocked from my lungs, staring helplessly at the sky.
The Apostle smiled.
A colossal beam of yellow energy cleaved down from the heavens—pure, merciless, unstoppable.
It stopped.
The beam froze mid-descent, suspended inches from annihilation.
Time had locked us in place.
I couldn't move. My body trembled as if it no longer belonged to me. I forced my eyes to shift.
Haruto was frozen too, face twisted in effort, caught mid-spell.
Alex coughed, blood scorching his throat, but his grip tightened. He refused to let go.
Then—
A hooded figure struck Alex from the side.
The impact sent him skidding across the ground. The Apostle tore free, gasping.
"Are you that desperate, Luqie?" The man's voice was cold—sharp enough to cut steel. "I warned you not to get overboard."
The words weren't loud. They didn't need to be.
The Apostle stiffened. His frown deepened as he rolled his neck, refusing to meet the man's gaze.
"Sorry…"
Who… is that?
Pressure crushed my chest. My ribs felt bound in iron. Every breath burned. I was reduced to nothing but sight and fear.
The man exhaled, a sound heavy with inevitability.
"Do you have the Toťęm?"
The Apostle lifted a finger, pointing at Haruto.
"He had it."
"Useless."
The word landed like a verdict.
In a blink, the man was beside Haruto. He seized him by the hair and wrenched him off the ground.
"It's been a long time, Dream."
His hand plunged into Haruto's pocket.
The Toťęm was torn free.
Alex lunged—his spear stopping inches from the man's head.
The man turned effortlessly and hurled Haruto into him. Instantly knocked both Alex and Haruto out.
I watched, frozen, every instinct screaming to move. Cold sweat drenched my skin.
The man's gaze flicked to me.
Disgust.
"Insects."
With a flick of his hand, a portal ripped open, reality screaming as it tore apart. Energy crackled as the man vanished into its depths.
Silence followed.
The Apostle exhaled sharply, eyes gleaming.
"Airhead."
He stepped into the portal. It twisted shut behind him—tight and violent, like the eye of a storm.
The beam of light resumed its descent.
It did not stop this time.
[Fictional Devour]
I hurled my hands upward. A vortex of purple energy swallowed the descending blow, grinding it down particle by particle until it collapsed into a single point. The pressure drove me to my knees, bones screaming as I absorbed the light.
Cracks crept through the ground beneath me, widening as the pressure mounted. Every second lingered long enough for my body to start breaking.
[You Have Acquired A High Level Skill]
I panted as the sky cleared, finally releasing a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
"Izayami!"
A high-pitched ringing shredded my ears. Darkness pooled at the edges of my vision. I fought to turn my head, and then everything collapsed into darkness.
———
HARUTO'S POV:
The blinding light woke me up in confusion. My head felt like it was caught in a vice. I elbowed blindly. "Ugh, Alex! Move it, dude!"
Then I saw it—purple energy spiraling from Izayami's hand, twisting and writhing like a living storm. The light slammed into him, and my chest vibrated with the force. Every instinct screamed—he was holding it… absorbing it.
"Izayami!"
I clenched my fist, forcing my way towards him as he collapsed.
I dragged myself upright and staggered into the small crater, fingers trembling as I pressed them to his neck. The tightness in my chest finally loosened.
"Glad you're still alive, bro."
Alex approached, the tip of his spear dragging behind him, carving a thin line through the dirt. "Where are they?" He frowned, head tilting slightly as he spoke.
"They're already left, you idiot!"
I hooked an arm under Izayami and hauled him against my shoulder, steadying him with one hand so he wouldn't slip.
Alex scratched the back of his head with an innocent smile. "So, how's your friend?" He planted his spear into the ground and crossed his arms, eyes never leaving the crater.
"He's fine. Just some mental exhaustion…You should've aimed his heart if you really wanna kill Luqie."
Alex laughed as he said, "I was merely playing with my prey."
Prey? Really?
I scoffed, "Clearly you were the prey back then."
My gaze caught on Yurina as she approached with a woman in a mage's outfit. She fixed her witch's hat with a serene smile. My eyes darted on her big breast.
"Not gonna lie, she's probably my type."
"Is he okay?"
Yurina ran to us, breath hitching when she saw Izayami limp against my shoulder. Her thumb traced his cheek, her frown deep and silent.
"He's fine. Just tired."
"Lay him down."
My gaze flicked between Yurina and him. I lowered him carefully to the ground. Her chant twisted through the air. Flame-colored petals spiraled outward, wrapping us in heat and light. Warmth brushed against our skin as bruises faded and cuts sealed themselves.
As the wounds disappeared, I asked,"where's the old man?"
"He's at another district with the other survivors."
The mage finally turned from Alex—after scolding him nonstop since she arrived—and spoke. She fixed her robe with a genuine smile.
"And who might you be?"
"My name's Alyra, also known as Scorched Lightning." She stepped closer and held out her hand for a handshake. Her hands was soft.
"Ah. I heard your name before." I shook her hand. "Alyra Lionheart. S-rank mage, right?"
"Yes. And you are?"
"Just call me Haruto."
"Haruto, what a man of simplicity."
"Let's go somewhere more comfortable to chat." Alex made a suggestion, then grabbed his spear and slung it behind him. No one hesitated. Heads nodded in unison.
———
IZAYAMI TSUKIHIRO'S POV:
A sharp thud hit my head, and I jolted awake. My eyes fluttered open, and I realized I'd been smacked with a piece of chalk. Laughter erupted, bouncing off the walls and hammering my ears. I was in class.
"Huh?! Where the Apostle?!"
Mrs. Namura sighed and said, "Apostle? Have you been sleeping in class again, Yami?!" She shook her head in frustration and called me up to answer the math question in front of the class.
Liya chuckled after I got back to my seat and whispered, "There's still some chalk on your hair." She leaned closer, her fingers brushing against my head as she cleaned it.
Such simple gestures made my heart beats like crazy.
I mumbled a quick "Thanks," then turned my attention back to the lesson.
After the final bell, I trudged to my locker and froze mid-step. Liya leaned casually against the row beside mine, arms crossed, eyes following me with a faint smile. My feet dragged forward, heart hammering in my chest. I twisted my fingers together, unable to stop glancing at her.
I opened my mouth, words stuttering in my throat—Why is she here? What's she waiting for?—but before I could speak, she smiled and asked me first.
"Wanna grab a coffee?"
Grab a coffee? like a date? My face went hot, like it might give me away.
"Y-yeah, sure."
Liya giggled, grabbed my hands, and started dragging me away. I followed without asking, my pulse beating louder with every step.
———
"Ouchh!" A sharp sting ripped across my forearm. My eyes snapped open. Teeth brushed my skin. I snapped my arm back and found Haruto nibbling at me.
"Ewww, GROSS!"
My thoughts slowly fell into place. The classroom, the chalk, her smile—it wasn't real.
A dream.
No—worse. A memory. The first time I met Liya.
My chest tightened without warning. I blinked hard, swallowing the sting in my eyes, surprised that something so small could still hurt this much.
Haruto frowned slightly by my reaction before asking me, "Bro, you alright?"
Yurina smiled — the kind that never meant anything good. Her palm flicked out. Haruto yelped as he sailed into the wall.
"You're just gross."
I sighed. "It's alright. I'm fine. Just a headache." I scanned the unfamiliar room.
"Where are we?"
———
📄 End of Chapter 10
———
"I'm sorry for being inconsistent for the past few months. I'm really, really sorry. 😔
Appreciate for more than 10k readers. Tqvm😘 I promise I'll post more new chapters and rewrite some part of previous chapters more details by 2027.
I promise 🙏😣😣"
— Izzy