Ryuichi was still at the center of the battle, advancing lightly toward the strange beast. Every strike, every move, was executed with perfect precision, as if someone was directing him from within. Orra was speaking to him through his consciousness:
"Move to the left, the next angle of attack will be from the front, but at a seventeen degree angle. Prepare to jump... Now!"
Ryuichi took off like a programmed war machine, spinning through the air, then landing to block the monster's claw with the mana knife he had acquired earlier. But the monster wouldn't back down. Suddenly, its body began to glow a dark color, increased in size slightly, and then disappeared from sight for a moment.
Orra screamed: "Ryuichi! He's using a lightning acceleration technique, the attack coming from the right rear is too fast for you to react!"
Ryuichi tried to turn around, but his body was a split second too late. He knew the blow was coming, but he couldn't dodge it.
In an instant, a flash of silver pierced the space between him and the monster, and Erica appeared as if out of thin air, blocking the blow with one of her advanced weapons that resembled a shield of light.
Smiling confidently, without taking her eyes off the monster, she said:
"We're even now, aren't we?"
Ryuichi stepped back a little, seemingly stunned, but didn't have time to respond, as the monster began to roar angrily. It was clear that he didn't expect his strike to be blocked. At this moment, Hydro, one of Sigma's henchmen, spotted Ryuichi moving in what looked like certain waves.
He looked at his cell phone, suddenly the device made a low chime again, and then the oscillations began to appear on the screen. Hydro's eyes widened in surprise and he whispered:
"That pattern again... Impossible!"
The monster was still in a frenzy after blocking his blow. It snarled loudly, then lunged again at Erica, but this time she wasn't the one to back down.
She raised her right hand up, closed her eyes for a second, and as soon as she opened them, the air around her began to change, as if twisting with visible compression. Glowing tattoos appeared on her arms and neck, ancient symbols in a cool blue color, pulsing with a majestic rhythm.
She said in a decisive voice:
"Synchronized Transmutation Technique, version three: Chaos Mirror Transfiguration."
In an instant, seven spectral mirrors appeared in front of her in a circular pattern, each mirror reflecting a distorted version of reality, but soon these images began to twist and weave, and then one of them shot straight at the monster.
The mirror slammed into it, but it wasn't just a glass surface, it was transmitting the energy blow that the monster itself had unleashed into its body! The monster staggered back, stunned, as the mirrors continued to spin.
Aura continued analyzing from within Ryuichi's consciousness:
"Her techniques rely on reflecting energy, but they don't just reflect... She reshapes and enhances it according to the opponent's biological structure. This is a rare technique from the legacy of spectral field manipulation."
Meanwhile, Erica had fired two more mirrors, one of which exploded near the monster's foot, knocking it off balance, and the other fused into its tail, forming a spectral shackle that temporarily immobilized it.
After a moment of stabilization, Erica stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with concentration:
"Now... Final Refraction Technique."
She gathered all seven mirrors in a frontal line, then aligned them in a path that directed the energy to a single point. In a flash, I unleashed an intense beam of spectral light that pierced the monster's body and knocked it to the ground, collapsing, before vaporizing as if it had never existed.
There was a moment of stunned silence, then Erica said in a soft tone as she turned to Ryuichi:
"It's been a long time since I've used this technique. Don't worry... I'm still in control."
Ryuichi was shocked, as was Sigma, who thought to himself:
"This girl... was hiding all this?"
As for Hydro, he was still staring at his device, which was clearly monitoring:
"Those vibrations... "They didn't come from the monster... It's from Ryuichi."
Deep in the dark forest, the wind was blowing with an ominous aura. The necromancer, in his tattered robes and copper mask, was standing inside a purple summoning circle, whispering ancient spells from an unknown language. His fingertips were trembling with haste, and his eyes glittered madly.
"Come to me..." he said, his voice soft but full of power:
"Come to me... Spirits of desolation... I need more of you! They must all end now!"
But before the final loop of the spell could be completed, a sudden explosion sounded behind him, followed by a powerful air current that swept through the place like a tornado.
In an instant, Sigma appeared... His arrival wasn't just ordinary, it was shocking.
He descended from the sky like a meteor, his body bending slightly under the weight of the speed, his feet sinking into the ground from the impact. He raised his eyes, glittering with a deadly calm, then stepped forward with cold steps.
"Playtime is over," he said in a deadly serious tone, full of awe:
"Playtime is over."
The necromancer tried to retreat with his hands up, but Sigma didn't give him a chance. In a flash, he was in front of him, then delivered a quick, direct blow to the chest. The necromancer bounced off the ground, the circle broke, and the spells scattered into the air.
The necromancer stood up with difficulty, his breath quickening, and said in a voice filled with rage:
"Who... Who are you?"
Sigma replied, tugging on his leather gloves:
"I am the one who stands between you and your chaos."
Suddenly, the necromancer gathered his strength, and his limbs began to glow with dark energy:
"You don't know... To whom you defy, you have signed your own death warrant!"
Here Sigma assumed a pure fighting stance, calmly saying:
"Try me."
In an instant, the confrontation was underway. Fierce blows are exchanged, spells collide with pure energy attacks, and the space around them shatters under the pressure of their energy. Trees fall, the ground cracks, and the air itself screams.
But Sigma... He was still calm, as if he was just testing his opponent.
Necromancer (shouting an incantation):
"Jia Rin Tarash! Reflection of Pain - Armor of Abhorrence!"
He covered his body with dark spectral armor that pulsed with deflected mana waves, reflecting with each blow.
But Sigma didn't back down.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then whispered:
"Spectral Vision Technology: Flash Phase."
He appeared in front of the necromancer and disappeared in less than a blink of an eye. From behind, he gave him an elbow strike that unleashed a very powerful air pressure wave that sent the necromancer several meters away.
The necromancer coughed up blood, then screamed angrily:
"You're not human!"
Sigma approached him, his voice icy:
"Who sent you? What is the purpose of these attacks? Who benefits?"
But the necromancer didn't answer. He raised his hand, and a ritual doll appeared out of nowhere, then stabbed it with a glowing needle, saying:
"Reflection Dust - Double Shadow Trick!"
Suddenly, he split into two spectral clones, each of which began to cast offensive spells: Balls of black flame, and ethereal knives with a curved trajectory.
Sigma, quietly:
"Pattern: Field Isolation - Counter-Flash Restriction."
Eight star-shaped symbols appeared around him, suddenly forming under his feet, then exploding with a transparent aura that blocked the spells and redirected them toward one of the two clones.
One of the copies exploded, and the original staggered back from the impact of the reversed blast.
Sigma - standing still, his eyes shining with deadly focus:
"I'm giving you one last chance... Who are you? Who sent you?"
But the necromancer laughed, blood dripping from his mouth:
"You won't understand... It started a long time ago... The time is near."
Sigma (coldly):
"Then it's okay..."
"The pattern: Spiritual Synthesis Collapse - White Lightning."
He raised his hand, and a spear of light manifested in it, his energy crackling like lightning between his fingers. The spear is not fired, but plunged directly into the heart of the enemy's sphere, scattering its magical composition from within.
Sigma released it, and the spear pierced the magical circle beneath the necromancer. A violent spectral explosion shook the place, nearby trees fell, and the light suddenly receded.
The necromancer fell to his knees, ash falling from his cloak.
Sigma approached, this time slowly, heading toward him:
"It's over."
The necromancer, in his last breath, whispered:
"No one will stop the resurgence of darkness... Out of nothingness will be born the unstoppable... Who does not confuse... Who does not explain..."
Sigma stood over the ash-drenched body, his gaze frozen, his chest rising and falling violently. Drops of sweat slid down his forehead... Not from fatigue, but from something else: Anger.
He stared at the necromancer's body in deadly silence, then whispered, gritting his teeth:
"He's dead... Damn, that's not what I wanted."
He turned his face for a moment, closed his eyes and took a deep breath, but no sooner had he caught his breath than something strange began to happen...
The burned skin of the lotion began to glow again, as if something was being revealed underneath.
Slowly, a glowing tattoo mark appeared on his chest, extending with invisible arms towards his neck and abdomen, a circle with a slit eye inside, and around it interlocking symbols akin to an ancient magical code.
Sigma's eyes widen, and the anger in his features increases.
Sigma (angrily):
"This... This isn't just a follower."
He approached him, knelt beside him to examine the tattoo, then slammed his fist into the ground:
"I used too much of my power on him... without extracting any information! They manipulated me."
He looked around, as if someone was watching him, and then suddenly stood up.
Sigma (muttering to himself):
"Who are you? Where did this kind of ritual come from? This symbol... I haven't seen it in years..."
In a flash, he raised his hand over the necromancer's body, and used a spell:
"Visual Preservation Technique - Seal of the Third Eye."
He picked up the tattoo with an energetic copy, and the necromancer's body vaporized in a mysterious blue flame.
Sigma stood still for a moment, his hands trembling slightly, then muttered:
"Ryuichi... We'll have to continue this conversation later. Things are much more complicated than I expected."
Then he turned and hurried back to the battlefield, his aura of anger still swirling around him like a muffled storm.
Sigma returned to the facility, his pace quickening, his face shadowed, his aura still charged with something strange. Those present in the hall - Ryuichi, Erica, Hydro, and a few members of the surveillance unit - immediately turn their attention to him.
Hydro (with curiosity and concern):
"You suddenly disappeared... Tell us, did you find him?"
Erica (standing up):
"He was the one who summoned those beings, wasn't he?"
Sigma did not answer directly. He approached the table, took off his gloves, and silently set them aside. Then he raised his gaze and, in a serious and sharp tone, said:
"Yes... It was him. He wasn't an amateur."
He paused for a moment, then added:
"He used complex rituals, and a type of magical symbols not recorded in our known databases. He summoned beings from a dimension that is difficult to determine."
Ryuichi (nervously):
"And what about him? Did you catch him?"
A faint look of sadness crossed Sigma's face, then he sighed and said:
"He's dead."
Silence reigned. Everyone exchanged glances. Hydro lowered his head slightly, while Erica looked at the ground thoughtfully, then asked:
**"Did you kill him?"
Sigma (in a whisper of muffled remorse):**
"That wasn't the point... But the ritual he used was dangerous. I almost lost control myself. I had to end it quickly."**
Ryuichi stared at him silently, trying to read what was behind his tone.
Erica (quietly):
"Did he leave anything, any trace?"
Sigma kept his eyes in the void for a moment and then said:
"A mark... a strange tattoo appeared after his death. It's not normal magic. This is something else."
Hydro (in awe):
"A tattoo? What kind of symbol?"
Sigma (avoiding details):
"We don't have time to analyze it right now... but what you saw there is just the beginning of something bigger."
Then he added in a low, barely audible voice:
"There is another hand moving all this behind the scenes."
There was a moment of silence in the room, interrupted only by the hum of machinery in the background. Then Aura's voice sounded inside Ryuichi's head:
Aura (in a whisper):
"This is not random... We'll soon find out who's charting this course."
There is still silence after Sigma's words. But Ryuichi, looking oddly distracted, takes a step forward and looks directly at Sigma.
Ryuichi (with an apparent calmness that hides an anxious curiosity):
"Sigma... did you write down the shape of the tattoo? Or... do you still remember it well?"
Sigma (with slightly raised eyebrows):
"Huh?"
His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Ryuichi with an analytical gaze.
"Why do you ask?"
At that moment, Aura's voice rang out in Ryuichi's mind, firm and clear:
Aura (quickly and firmly):
"Tell him that you continue to study ancient symbols, and that you are working on comparing recurring patterns in the tattoos of black magicians. Don't mention anything about vibration."
Ryuichi (quickly following her instructions):
"I... I've been reviewing the Academy's archives regarding banned symbols. We're trying to trace the pattern of repetition in the tattoos of those classified as level three necromancers. Just scientific curiosity, nothing more."
Sigma stares at Ryuichi for a few moments, as if reading between the lines... then sighs and closes his eyes.
Sigma (in a low voice as he raises his right palm in front of him):
"I only intended to memorize it visually, but..."
Suddenly, his left eye began to glow with a faint violet-blue light, and a composite circle appeared around his pupil.
"Visua Echo" - her whisper was barely audible.
The light began to gather over his palm, and in an instant, a tattoo of the same shape he had seen on the necromancer's body formed. An intricate tattoo, with zigzag arcs intertwined with dots scattered like stars, and in the center a symbol that looks like an upside-down key surrounded by triangular circles.
Sigma (tiredly):
"There it is... He summoned it via this symbol, most likely. I don't have a clear analysis yet."
Ryuichi held his breath as he stared at the tattoo. Aura spoke into it immediately:
Aura (in a hushed voice, quickly analyzing):
"This pattern... is very much like one of the oscillation sequences, but with ancient encryption. I'll have to analyze it thoroughly... don't mention anything now."
Ryuichi (inwardly):
"I see... I'll pretend it's new to me."
Hydro approaches curiously, but Sigma gestures for him to back off.
Sigma (seriously):
"This information is sensitive. We will record the copy in the internal archives only. Do not pass it on to anyone outside this room."
Everyone nodded, while Ryuichi remained staring at the symbol, many thoughts running through his mind, everything seemed to be getting more and more mysterious... and the more he knew, the more dangerous what he didn't know.
Silence fell again, only the faint sound of the ventilators and the vibration of the data in the terminal screens could be heard. Sigma then turned to the group, and in a calm but decisive voice:
Sigma:
"We're done here... We're all going back to the intelligence headquarters. We will analyze the data there."
Everyone got up or stood quietly, some still staring at the symbol on the holographic screen, others in deep thought about what had happened. Ryuichi was about to head for the exit when he felt a heavy hand settle on his shoulder.
He turns around to find Sigma standing behind him, his gaze steady and direct.
Sigma (calmly but firmly):
"You... You're coming with me."
Ryuichi (raising an eyebrow, in a cautious voice):
"Huh? Where to?"
Sigma:
"To our medical wing. We need to give you a thorough examination. You fought that monster, and we don't know yet if there's any trace of the energy it released during the fight."
Then he continued, in a less stern tone:
"This is a precautionary measure. Just to make sure you're safe."
Ryuichi felt a strange constriction in his chest. He wanted to object, to say that Aura had examined him thoroughly... But he didn't want to arouse any suspicion.
Inside, Aura's voice was heard whispering:
Aura:
"Calm down... We'll be watching them from the inside as well. We may even discover something even more important through this examination."
Ryuichi (inside):
"You're sure?"
Aura:
"No. But if you run away now, you'll sow a doubt we don't need."
Ryuichi sighs lightly, then nods with a slight smile.
Ryuichi (in a low voice):
"Well... As long as it's just a test."
Sigma (with a quick blink):
"It will only take a few minutes... If you're okay."
Sigma turned to lead Ryuichi toward the side elevator, where the mobile examination unit was on the lower level of the facility.
While the others headed for the transportation vans outside the facility, Erica's gaze remained on Ryuichi silently. As if something inside her began to suspect... Or maybe it's starting to notice
Intelligence Hospital - Bio-examination Unit
Ryuichi entered the examination room, where a medical team with advanced equipment was waiting for him. He sat down in the examination chair, and the staff began connecting electrodes and devices to various points on his body.
The doctor:
"Please relax, the examination won't take long, we will monitor your condition carefully."
Inside, Aura had begun analyzing Ryuichi's mana energy.
Aura (internal voice):
"I'll start analyzing the mana center now... The data shows abnormal changes."
The energy maps and Ryuichi's internal state appeared in front of her, and she noticed that the mana center was in critical condition.
Aura (anxiously):
"Ryuichi... Your mana center is in great turmoil. Its energy is worryingly low, and its stability seems to be threatened."
Ryuichi (nervously):
"Is it dangerous?"
Ura:
"It's a delicate situation. If this disturbance continues, it may affect your ability to control energy and perform combat missions."
The scan screen showed unstable indicators, but Aura digitally camouflaged the situation to make it appear more stable than it is.
Ryuichi:
"Is there an obvious cause for this disturbance?"
Aura:
"The cause isn't entirely clear yet, but I think it's related to the recent fighting... a direct effect of the energy that was used. We need more time to observe it."
The crew finished plugging in the devices and began monitoring the vital signs and energy.
Aura silently continues to analyze the mana center inside Ryuichi, while the doctor monitors the data on his screen.
The doctor (in a calm, serious voice):
"Ryuichi, the scan results show that your mana center is in a state of marked deterioration."
Ryuichi stood tensely looking at the doctor.
Ryuichi:
"Deterioration? Does that mean I'm going to lose my abilities?"
Doctor:
"The situation is not stable, and the energy you are managing now is not what it should be. If this deterioration continues, it may affect your mana control and combat power significantly."
The doctor stares at the screen for a moment, then sighs as he turns his gaze to Ryuichi.
The Doctor (in a firm tone):
"I want you to take me seriously, Ryuichi. The mana center in your body is fragile right now, and any further clash... could lead to a complete breakdown in the flow of energy. No battles, no stress, no fighting until further notice."
The doctor was silent for a moment, then added in a more serious tone:
"Doctor:
"You need to be kept under observation, we will monitor your condition periodically."
Ryuichi remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ground as the doctor's words echoed within him. Inside him, Aura whispered:
Aura (in a quiet inner voice):
"Don't worry... there are always solutions, just don't act rashly."
At that moment, the door to the room opens and Sigma enters in his usual majesty, followed by Hydro.
Sigma (with a reassuring smile):
"How do you feel now?"
Ryuichi (faintly):
"A little better... but I don't seem to be in a good place."
Sigma:
"That's why I came to check on you. Today's fight wasn't easy, you blocked an attack that would have ended Erica. You proved that you can be trusted."
Hydro stood next to Sigma, he didn't speak, but he stared at Ryuichi for a long time. His gaze was intense, it was not normal. There was a moment of silence, then he frowned slightly.
Hydro (inwardly staring):
This boy... his movements, his reactions... are suspiciously consistent with the pattern of mysterious vibrations we discovered earlier...
He lowered his eyes for a moment, as if thinking about something, then raised his head again, still staring at Ryuichi without speaking.
Sigma noticed his silence but made no comment.
There was a moment of silence after Sigma and Hydro entered.
Ryuichi didn't notice anything strange, but inside his mind... Aura whispered with a slight edge:
Aura (in an inner voice, deliberate but cautious):
"Ryuichi... Hydro... he's watching you with suspicious precision, he didn't like what he saw. There's doubt in his eyes."
Ryuichi (inwardly):
"Doubt? What kind of doubt?"
Aura:
"I don't know yet... but remember, if someone starts associating you with those vibrations, we'll have to act quickly."
Before Ryuichi could respond, the sound of quick footsteps was heard approaching, and Erica entered lightly, her features relaxed.
Erica looked at him and then said with a slight smile:
"Oh, you're still alive? Well done, battle hero."
Ryuichi smiled lightly as the doctor turned his gaze to everyone and then pointed to the medical panel:
Doctor:
"We have finished the examination. His condition is stable now, but he must follow the instructions to the letter. No overexertion, no fighting, no intense mana pressure... otherwise it will come back worse than before."
Ryuichi nodded softly, and Sigma said as he placed a hand on his shoulder:
Sigma (in his usual serious voice):
"I see, Dr. Ryuichi, you can go home now. Get some rest, and don't do anything rash."
Sigma turned his face toward the door and walked out, Hydro's gaze still silently watching Ryuichi... but the latter ignored it, not realizing that it was the beginning of a thread of growing suspicion.
Ryuichi slowly walked out of the hospital door, looking physically and mentally exhausted. He was followed by Erica, who stood beside him as she flipped through her phone to locate the direction of the smart car assigned to transport them.
Erica (opening the delivery map):
"Give me your address, I'll drop you off myself. You're in no condition to travel alone."
Ryuichi hands her a small piece of paper with the address written neatly on it. As she reads it, she raises her eyebrows in surprise:
Erica (in a surprised tone):
"This is the address of... Miku Sato?"
Ryuichi (quietly):
"Yes. I... I live there now."
Erica (stares at him):
"Since when? Why?"
He pauses for a moment, then says in a sad, heavy tone:
Ryuichi:
"My mother... is in a coma. For a long time. The house is just empty walls. Mikiko and Natsumi offered to let me stay with them... and I couldn't find a reason to refuse."
Erica's gaze softened slightly, as if something in Ryuichi's words had awakened a hidden feeling in her. But she didn't comment. She just nodded slightly and then said as she opened the car door:
Erica (with a slight accent):
"Okay... I won't ask any more questions. Let's go."
They got into the car, and it moved quietly through the city streets... This time the silence was not heavy, but loaded with things yet to be said.
The car pulled up in front of a quiet house surrounded by low trees and a hand-painted mailbox. Erica steps out of the car, followed by Ryuichi with his usual calmness, but with a tired look that suggests what he has been through during the day.
Erica (looking at the house):
"It's not bad... it looks more cozy than the intelligence headquarters anyway."
Ryuichi (with a light sigh):
"It's kind of cozy, I guess I'm getting used to it."
They approached the door. Ryuichi raised his hand and gave three light knocks.
Moments... and then the door opened quickly.
Natsumi suddenly appeared, wearing a kitchen apron with some flour smeared on her face, looking like she was making something.
But as soon as she sees Ryuichi standing there with another girl she's never seen before, she freezes.
Natsumi (with muffled surprise):
"A-you?!"
Her cheeks instantly reddened, as if all the blood in her body had rushed to her face, and then, with unpredictable speed, she slammed the door shut!
"Dooooom!"
Erica (in astonishment):
"Did you... She slammed the door in your face?"
Ryuichi (in a low voice):
"Looks like it."
Inside...
Miku (from the kitchen):
"Who was at the door?"
Natsumi (stammering):
"Ryo... I mean no, I mean, he... but not alone, I mean... a girl? No, I don't know! I forget who!"
Miku (advancing towards the door with an eyebrow raised):
"Uh, I see..."
She cautiously opens the door, only to find Ryuichi standing behind him, Erica beside him, looking on with a half-sarcastic smile.
Miku (looking at them):
"Oh? I wasn't expecting you to come with a guest."
Ryuichi (in a casual tone):
"The doctor said I needed an escort, and it looks like I got a bodyguard."
Erica (with a slight smile):
"I'm just making sure this asshole doesn't fall apart in the middle of the road."
Miku (opens the door further):
"Come on in."
Ryuichi enters quietly, his eyes passing quickly to Natsumi, who is still watching him from the doorway with a sheepish face, her hands behind her back as if she's hiding something.