Chapter 12 Arc 2 The Ring of Andrea

Chapter 12

Arc 2

The Ring of Andrea

Kayzuya strides through thick mist, the air heavy with dread. Kahlani follows close behind, eyes scanning the hollow, lifeless trees. “They call this place Shadow Frost. A pure wellspring of cursed vitality. Thousands of dead souls and negative spirits linger here… Ahh, I’m sure you can sense them too, Kayzuya. With that ring of yours.”

Kayzuya nods. Spirits drift everywhere—black-and-red fish with angelic wings, glowing yellow eyes, and gaping fangs glide through the fog. White-and-black sparks flicker in the haze. Blood trickles from his eyes, sliding down to his lips. He licks it away. “What… what a fascinating sight. This presence is absurd. My brain feels like it’s overflowing. I might lose my mind from the sheer negativity alone.”

He chuckles darkly. Kahlani steps in front of him, meeting his gaze. “Bleeding is normal for a human who’s only recently achieved spiritual enlightenment. Shadow Frost’s cursed vitality is overwhelming. That’s why we should stay here—to temper your spiritual clairvoyance.”

Kayzuya glances at the ring. Kahlani pulls him close, licking the blood from his face, then smiles and guides him forward, arm in arm. She taps her staff against the ground. Dark magic pulses, parting the mist to reveal an abandoned mansion. She leads him inside.

“From now on, Kayzuya, you stay here until your spirit energy stabilizes enough to withstand any metaphysical realm.”

Kayzuya sits in a corner, releasing spirit energy through the ring. The mansion begins to swarm with both positive and negative spirits.

Sophie wakes and glances over—Koro sleeps soundly beside her. She slips out of bed, steps to the window, then heads to the bathroom. After her shower, she stares into the mirror. Her amber eyes look dull and tired. She inserts the blue contacts, and her reflection brightens slightly.

In bed, Koro thrashes, sweat beading on his forehead—CLING! CLACK! CLASH! He dodges a sword slash, but Kazuya’s fist slams into his eye. Koro grunts, blocks a kick, then takes a slash across the chest. Blood sprays. He parries another strike with his gio sword, absorbing a trace of Kazuya’s magic. Koro ignites his fist with red flames and drives it into Kazuya’s gut. Kazuya coughs blood but grips Koro’s arm, grinning. “Aww, what’s wrong? Did I fuck you up so bad last time it gave your thick skull some trauma? Hee… hee… HAAAA HAAAA AHHHH!!”

Koro yanks—his arm dislocates. Kazuya slams his forehead into Koro’s skull. Koro staggers. Kazuya charges—Koro slices off his ear, then stabs at his throat. Kazuya leans into the blade, shattering Koro’s nose with a punch, then bashes his skull relentlessly. Koro reaches out—Kazuya rips three of his fingers clean off.

Koro jolts awake. “AHH!!”

He gasps, chest heaving, forehead slick with sweat. Sophie rushes out of the bathroom. “What?! What’s wrong?”

Koro exhales shakily. “Just… a bad dream.”

Sophie nods. “Well, get washed up and dressed. I’ll be waiting outside.”

She slips out. Koro stares at his missing fingers, sighs, and heads to the bathroom.

Twenty-five minutes later, Sophie taps her foot on the cobblestone outside the hotel. Koro emerges, towel-drying his hair.

“Umm… is that the hotel bathroom towel you’re using?”

Koro glances down. “Yeah. The staff didn’t say anything, so I took it.”

Sophie shakes her head. “You’re so weir—”

Koro slaps her lightly with the towel. “Shut up. Don’t judge my actions.”

Sophie glares. “Ugrrr! FUCK!! You.”

Koro smirks. “Come on—let’s find somewhere to eat. We can plan while we fuel up.”

He takes her hand gently and leads her toward the western district.

The streets feel tense. Townsfolk deliberately avoid them. A little girl skips happily through the crowd, her mother chasing after. The child bumps into Sophie and falls. Sophie kneels, offering a hand. “Hey—are you okay, little miss?”

The girl sees Sophie’s adventurer gear and freezes, eyes wide with fear. Her mother scoops her up, shoots Koro and Sophie a terrified glance, mutters an apology, and hurries away.

Koro and Sophie exchange a look. “What the hell was that about?”

Sophie shrugs. “I’m… unsure, Koro.”

Everyone else keeps their distance, avoiding eye contact. Koro sits on the cobblestone, hand covering his lower face—three missing fingers stark against his skin. He stares at them, frustrated.

Sophie rests a hand on his shoulder. “Having a rough time, color eyes?”

Koro stands. “Sophie… I think this side of the capital is run by Soul Shock. The high crime rate? Probably their corrupted adventurers. Think about Kazuya and Kahlani. There are people like them—maybe worse—in their guild.”

Sophie nods slowly. “You’re right. Now I feel stupid for not realizing it sooner. It explains why everyone avoids us. They see our gear and assume we’re Soul Shock.”

Koro starts walking; Sophie follows. “Come on, sharp ears. If people look at me wrong, I don’t care—as long as I get food.”

Nine minutes later, they enter a café. A loud table in the back draws attention—nine men led by a towering blonde in black armor, massive black sword strapped to his back.

A nervous waitress approaches. Koro speaks first. “We’re not from Soul Shock, by the way. Table for two.”

Her shoulders relax slightly. “O-okay… your table’s right over there. I’ll be with you shortly.”

Twenty-three minutes later, Koro bites into a purple dragon meat sandwich while Sophie picks at a plain salad.

“Hey, sharp ears.”

Sophie sips her water. “Yeah, what’s up?”

Koro nods toward the noisy table. “Don’t look now, but those guys a few tables back—gotta be Soul Shock, right?”

Sophie nibbles a bite. “Yeah, most likely. How do we get intel on Kazuya and Kahlani?”

Koro thinks. “We separate one of them from the group and interrogate him.”

Sophie crosses her arms. “Sounds good in theory. But how do we pull it off in practice?”

Koro grins dumbly. “Damn… I have no idea.”

Suddenly, laughter erupts from the back table. A waiter approaches with drinks; one adventurer grabs his collar. “Hey—get your sorry ass outta here. We want that hot bitch over there to serve us.”

The group laughs. The blonde smirks, eyes closed. The nervous waitress steps forward. The blonde looks her up and down. “Aww… aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? I’ll pay extra if you play with me and my boys after your shift. How’s that sound?”

She smiles nervously. “Umm… I’d rather not, please.”

He grabs her arm—she pulls away. He yanks her waist instead. “Look, we paid for the meal. I expect a reward, little lady. I just got promoted to S-rank. I need this on my big day—whether you like it or not.”

The café falls silent. A middle-aged man stands. “That’s enough. Let her go, or I’ll call the royal guards.”

The blonde throws the waitress aside. She crawls away. Then he grabs the man, rips his arm clean off, and tosses him aside like trash. The man’s wife rushes over, sobbing.

Koro and Sophie stare, wide-eyed. Koro moves—hypersonic speed. He kicks the blonde in the chest. The man blocks but skids back several feet.

He straightens, scoffing. “Hey! What’s your name?”

Koro meets his gaze. “It’s Koro. A-rank adventurer.”

The blonde smirks. “A-rank, huh? Well, I’m the new S-rank in town. They call me Davon—an adventurer of Soul Shock.”

Davon towers at eight feet, making Koro look small—a rare sight. But Koro’s expression remains somber. Davon notices and smiles faintly.

“You know what? I see you. That look—it says you want to kill me right here. But even your rage isn’t enough. I’ve learned that on my path to success and glory. Picking your battles carefully is how you survive. I lost my dignity, my past, my family to reach this position—because I fought every battle that came my way, win, lose, or draw. So answer me this: do you think picking a fight with me today was wise? You’d better not make the same mistake I did.”

Davon draws his massive black sword. Koro’s eyes stay dull and somber as he draws his gio sword in return.