CHAPTER 27: Ballroom Battle

By the time Kaziel was with Sakura, he could feel something was wrong. The surroundings felt eerie as the nobles in the ballroom fell silent, their gazes locked onto the two of them with an unnatural intensity. Their whispers carried a sinister undertone, a creeping sense of unease crawling through the air.

Kaziel’s gaze sharpened. “I feel something is wrong in here.” His eyes flicked across the ballroom, scanning the guests. Their movements were too synchronized, their expressions unnatural. Something wasn’t right.

Sakura stood still, her hands clenching against her chest, her emerald-green eyes flickering with uncertainty. “Kaziel… I feel like these people are… the Greeds.”

His breath hitched as he turned back toward the crowd. The murmurs grew louder, but before he could react, one of the nobles lunged toward them. Instinctively, Kaziel unsheathed his sword, meeting the creature’s attack mid-air with a clash of steel. Sparks erupted as his blade locked against the Greed’s monstrous claws.

Sakura stepped back, watching Kaziel as he shielded her. The ballroom was no longer a gathering of nobles—it had become a battlefield.

Kaziel’s grip tightened on his sword, electricity crackling along the blade. “This is strange… Helion wouldn’t misjudge something like this. Unless someone is blocking his ability to see through the future..” His eyes flickered with realization. “Is he in danger..?”

With a single arc of his blade, Kaziel unleashed a wave of lightning, sending the Greeds crashing into the surrounding walls. The nobles' disguises shattered as they transformed—twisted beings with sunken eyes and unnaturally stretched limbs, their bodies warping in unsettling waves.

Sakura’s gaze darkened. “I feel like we’re trapped in a domain, Kaziel. These people—none of them are real.”

Kaziel’s expression hardened, his gaze flickering toward the upper level. “I see. That makes sense… Helion must still be up there.”

He looked up at the second floor, his sharp eyes scanning the balcony before he shifted his stance, muscles tensing in preparation.

His sword crackled to life, electric energy coursing along the blade, illuminating the dimly lit hall with streaks of blue lightning. “Let’s clean up these Greeds.”

Sakura exhaled sharply, stepping forward. She raised her hand, summoning the Divine Rapture Blade, its radiant glow illuminating the corrupted ballroom.

“You go, Kaziel.”

He turned to her, eyes narrowing. “What?”

She didn’t hesitate. “Find Helion. Help him destroy whatever is suppressing his ability.”

Kaziel hesitated. “But—”

“Go.” Her tone was unwavering. As a Greed lunged forward, she effortlessly deflected its attack, sending it skidding backward. Her stance remained firm, “…I want to handle this myself.”

Kaziel looked slightly surprised. He had always known she was strong, her adaptability to his fighting style seamless, yet he couldn’t shake the worry etched across his face as his gaze remained locked on her.

“Then promise me—don’t use the dark power unless I tell you to. No consuming the Greeds. You know the consequences.”

Sakura’s expression softened, a small yet confident smile gracing her lips. “I won’t, Kaziel.”

Relieved, Kaziel nodded. With one last glance at her, he turned, slashing through the Greeds in his path before leaping onto the balcony above, using the walls as footholds to reach the upper level where Helion might be.

Meanwhile, Sakura shifted her stance, her blade gleaming under the flickering chandeliers. She exhaled, adjusting her grip. “Kaziel’s movements…” Sakura murmured, memories surfacing—the way he moved, the precision in his strikes, the lessons he had drilled into her back at the Farmland.

A smirk tugged at her lips.

“I can use this… in my own way.”

The Greeds circled her, their distorted forms writhing as they prepared to strike.

Then—she moved.

With breathtaking agility, Sakura dashed forward, her body twisting mid-air as she spun gracefully, her blade carving through the air like a ribbon of light. She severed the first Greed’s head cleanly before landing in a low stance, pivoting seamlessly into her next strike.

A second Greed lunged—she flipped over it, slicing through its core mid-motion before landing softly. With fluid precision, she twirled, using the momentum to cut through multiple enemies at once, each motion as smooth as a dancer’s performance.

She adapted Kaziel’s electrified movements into her own, incorporating his speed and precision but refining it with her finesse. Where Kaziel’s strikes were like lightning—sharp and direct—hers were like flowing water, weaving effortlessly through the battlefield, her blade an extension of herself.

A Greed attempted to slash at her from behind—she ducked, spinning on her heel before launching herself forward, her sword tracing an elegant arc through its chest. Her hair whipped through the air, the luminescent glow of her Divine Rapture Blade illuminating the ballroom as she moved like a specter of vengeance.

With one final sweep, she leaped, flipping through the air as she brought her sword down in a devastating final strike. A burst of divine energy erupted from her blade, the impact sending the remaining Greeds sprawling before their forms disintegrated into nothingness.

The ballroom fell silent once more, the echoes of battle lingering in the air.

Sakura straightened, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she clutched her chest tightly. Her body shook—not from exhaustion, but from something deeper.

A lingering thrill, a dangerous rush that coiled within her veins.

"It.. feels so good~ I-I…" she whispered, her fingers twitching, still pulsing with dark energy. She tightened her grip into a fist.

"No… I must control my dark power."

Her breath steadied, forcing herself back into control. She lifted her gaze—toward the upper level, where Kaziel had gone. For a moment, her expression softened.

“I must.. keep my promise…”

But when she turned, her eyes hardened once more. The last remaining Greeds stood before her, their bodies twisting, their unnatural forms lingering on the edge of hesitation.

A slow exhale left her lips as she steadied herself. Then—she took a step forward.

"Let's finish this."

Anna’s heels pressed into the cold marble, but her body refused to move. She was frozen, trapped beneath the weight of Miki’s gaze—that was her power, after all.

The ability to seize control of one’s mind and body.

Beside her, Rin watched the scene unfold, silent and still.

Right now, Anna was completely at Miki’s mercy.

Miki took a slow, deliberate step forward, bending slightly to peer up at Anna. Her golden eyes glittering with mischief. “Miki has been searching for you for a while now~ Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”

Anna felt instinctively tensed at her closing presence, “I don’t feel missed. Just disappointed. And betrayed.” The words came sharp and bitter, but Miki only giggled in response.

“Anna, that hurts~” Miki pouted, her voice laced with playful mockery. “Don’t get feisty now! It’s all in the past, isn’t it?”

Her smile widened, but her golden eyes held something far sharper—something unreadable.

Then, she leaned in, closing the space between them. Their faces were mere inches apart when she whispered,

“After all… Miki finally found you.”

Suddenly, a deep, guttural growl echoed through the room.

Anna’s wolf burst from the shadows, its fangs bared as it lunged between them. Claws slashed through the air, aiming straight for Miki’s smug face.

But Miki tilted her head away effortlessly, her laughter trailing behind her. “Oh my~ oh my~! Your cute puppy must’ve missed me a lot! How was your little adventure~?”

The wolf roared, its snarl ripping through the air as it lunged forward in an instant, claws slicing through the space between them in a wild, relentless assault.

But Miki was too fast.

With a graceful twist, she slipped through the onslaught, moving as if she were skipping through a field, her steps light yet deliberate.

“Do you miss mommy~?” Miki’s voice rang out in a sickly sweet coo, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement.

“So sorry for taking so long! A whole year, wasn’t it? You must’ve been so lonely with Anna~!”

She danced through the battlefield, dodging effortlessly from side to side, her movements fluid, almost teasing. With a flick of her wrists, she batted away each incoming strike with careless ease.

The wolf snarled, staggering back, but it refused to relent. In a relentless burst of motion, it lunged forward again, claws slicing through the air, each swipe fueled by raw, primal fury.

Miki sidestepped effortlessly, her laughter bubbling up as she covered her lips in mock delight.

“Awww~ Anna, what have you been teaching our little baby~?”

Anna’s temper snapped.

“STOP TALKING NONSENSE!”

The wolf shot forward, moving in rapid bursts, striking Miki in a flurry of lethal blows.

Shock flickered across Miki’s face as she stumbled, her footing faltering. Though her movements were unsteady, she twisted away just in time, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp swipe with a clumsy, last-second dodge.

Then—her lips curled into a sly grin.

“Ah~! Close call! But too bad~”

With a snap of her fingers, her eyes gleamed.

And everything shifted.

A pulse of invisible force rippled through the air, crackling like unseen chains.

The wolf’s body seized mid-motion.

Then—it collapsed, crashing onto the ground as if its very strength had been ripped away in an instant.

Anna’s breath hitched. A sharp, suffocating weight pressed against her chest.

Her legs buckled, her body crashing to her knees beside the wolf before it vanished.

"Miki took over my command..." The bitter sting of defeat settled deep in her chest.

Above her, Miki smirked, tilting her head.

“Naughty~” she cooed, her voice light and sing-song, yet dripping with something dark and twisted.

“Please learn your lessons.”

Her words were mocking, but beneath them lay something far more dangerous.Because Miki’s power wasn’t brute strength. It wasn’t speed.

It was control.

The ability to shatter a will with nothing more than a gaze.

“RAVEN!!”

Anna’s voice rang out sharp and clear, cutting through the battlefield like a blade.

Above, the Raven’s form blurred into a streak of shadow, gathering a surge of ominous energy that crackled like a brewing storm.

Then—it struck.

A violent shockwave of darkness erupted, ripping through the space where Miki had just been standing. The ground beneath splintered apart, jagged tendrils of black energy lashing outward like living shadows, devouring everything in their wake.

But just as the impact should have landed—

Miki twisted mid-air, her body arching impossibly backward in a flawless backflip.

At the same moment, Rin appeared as she jumped right in front of Miki, and in the blink of an eye—they both vanished into shadow.

The shockwave tore through empty space, its force reverberating through the domain, but their figures were already gone—mere silhouettes lost to the darkness.

Then—just as the energy dissipated—

They reappeared.

In synchronized motion, they unleashed their attacks on the Raven, their strikes swift, calculated, and relentless. The Raven let out a piercing cry before its form shattered into shadows.

But Anna wasn’t finished.

Because that Raven—was only a clone.

Above them, the real Raven spread its massive wings wide, its presence looming like a storm cloud.

Dark energy coiled through the air, twisting into dozens—hundreds—of shadow-forged daggers.

Then—they fell.

Like a storm of piercing lasers, the daggers rained down upon Miki in a merciless shower, each strike laced with deadly precision.

Rin, however, was already on the move. With a playful flicker, she vanished from the scene, leaving only a trace of her presence behind. Meanwhile, Miki moved effortlessly, leaping backward with unnatural grace. She deflected a few daggers with hers, before weaving through the storm, her movements fluid and precise, ending with a swift, flawless backflip.

But even with her speed—the energy was too overwhelming.

Then, as the next wave of dark energy descended behind Miki—

But Rin appeared with a single precise slash, she carved open a portal, a swirling void of pure darkness that devoured the incoming magic before it could reach Miki.

In the same time, they vanished again before the next impact struck the ground, the force splitting the marble apart, sending bursts of obsidian sparks scattering in all directions.

Anna stumbled back, her body collapsing onto the cold marble floor as the effects of her familiars’ mana surged through her.

Her vision blurred, dark spots dancing at the edges of her sight.

She couldn’t see them clearly—not at first.

But as her senses fought to refocus, her breath hitched. Then—she noticed.

The two figures landed lightly on their feet, their movements fluid, effortless. Miki’s golden eyes gleamed with exhilaration, a sly smirk tugging at her lips.

“Oh my~ that was close,” she cooed, brushing a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear.

Rin let out a small huff, arms crossed. “But thanks to me, you’re safe.”

Miki spun on her heel, flashing a teasing grin. “Thank you, Rin~! Should Miki buy you a cute outfit for saving my ass?”

Anna was more than speechless.

It seemed like they were playing with her.

Their movements had been brutal, fast, unrelenting… but now, looking at Rin, she realized the truth.

Miki wasn’t dodging on her own.

Rin was the reason.

She was always there, appearing at just the right time, knowing exactly what was coming.

As Rin turned to Miki, her voice held a rare edge of seriousness.

“There’s something more urgent to handle before we talk about that.”

Miki tilted her head, golden eyes glinting with curiosity. “Oh~? What is it~?”

Rin’s gaze flickered toward the distance, her sly smirk appeared.

“It seems like another guy—other than the Fateweaver—came approaching. I wanted to play along with them~”

Anna’s breath hitched. Her eyes widened.

“Kaziel..? Helion..? What happened..?”

Could Rin be the one defying the fate?

Her mind flashed back to Helion’s warning.

“I don’t like this thread.”

Anna’s breath hitched.

So that was it.

He wasn’t the reason.

She was.

Before she could process it fully, rage exploded in her chest.

“Die…!!”

Anna shouted, summoning Raven once more, the dark bird shooting forward in a lethal dive aimed straight for Rin.

But before it could strike—

Miki’s blade flashed.

The attack was so fast, so seamless, that Anna barely saw it until it was too late.

The dagger sliced through the air, intercepting the Raven mid-flight.

Piercing straight through it.

The familiar let out a strangled cry, its form shattering into ashes, the dark remains drifting down in front of Anna.

“Raven…!!”

Desperation surged in her veins.

Without hesitation, she summoned the wolf, the beast lunging forward once more, jaws wide, a blur of fury.

This time—

Miki didn’t dodge.

“You never learn huh?”

She caught the wolf’s jaws mid-bite, stopping its attack with unnatural ease.

Before the beast could even wrench free, her blade found its mark— A sharp plunge into its throat.

With a single, brutal motion, she drove the beast downward, its massive form slamming into the cold marble floor with a sickening crack.

Then—it vanished.

Anna gasped, disbelief tightening in her chest.

“NOO..!!”

Both of her familiars—gone. Her vision blurred at the edges, but before she could even react—

Miki was already in front of her.

Crouched low, smiling sweetly, her chin resting on her hands, elbows perched on her knees as if she were simply enjoying the moment.

“Miki pretty sure they’ll revive again~” Miki purred.

She tilted her head, golden eyes glowing with mock sympathy.

“Sorry for teaching them a lesson a bit brutally. They were unexpectedly strong though~ Stronger than Miki even~”

“YOU—”

Anna shouted, but her voice wavered, her breath coming in short, uneven bursts.

Her mana—

It was draining. Fast.

She could feel Miki’s gaze, like a presence crawling into her mind, lingering where it wasn’t welcome.

Then—

Fingers grasped her chin.

Anna’s breath caught. Her face was tilted upward, forced to meet Miki’s gaze. A soft, mocking sigh.

“Anna…” Miki purred, her fingers tightening just slightly.

“Give up, please.”

Anna’s body locked up as Miki’s grip pulled her chin closer.

“Give it all to Miki now… can you?” Her voice dropped, a whisper filled with something possessive.

“You’re mine now.

All mine.”

Miki’s eyes were wide—like a predator gazing down at prey that had finally stopped resisting.

Anna shook, her eyes widened in terror.

No…