Kimoko’s heavy breathing was drowned out by the clatter of the demoness’s heels, echoing in the empty corridor. Her sword gleamed in the dim candlelight, and silver flames danced on her fingers, casting ominous reflections on the stone walls.
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Kimoko stood up unsteadily, her muscles burning with effort, but she couldn’t allow herself a moment of weakness. With every second, Nikita was getting closer.
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“You look tired,” the demoness noted lazily, tilting her head. Her crimson eyes gleamed in the semidarkness, cold and impenetrable. “You want me to spare you?”
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Kimoko didn’t answer. She tightened her fingers around the hilt of her knife, feeling sweat trickle down her neck. Thoughts raced through her mind. She couldn’t let fear paralyze her.
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Nikita sighed theatrically.
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“You really are stubborn. This is getting… boring.’’
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Her fourth hand rose, and silver fire exploded in the air. Kimoko threw herself to the side at the last moment, heat stinging her skin, but she didn’t let herself be hit. She curled into a ball, rolled across the cold stone, and fell to her feet, almost immediately throwing a knife at the demoness.
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The blade flew toward Nikita… but it missed.
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The demoness caught it in mid-air with two fingers and looked at it with amusement.
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“That was cute,” she said, then tossed the weapon aside.
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Kimoko gritted her teeth. She had to think. Fast. Nikita was faster, stronger, almost untouchable. Fighting in the open made no sense.
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But maybe… maybe she didn’t have to fight.
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“Where’s Estella?” she hissed, trying to hide the anxiety in her voice.
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Nikita smiled slowly, with obvious satisfaction.
‘' Maybe you should ask Koshei about that’’ she said, a hint of mockery in her voice.
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Kimoko felt her heart stop.
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‘‘Kigami, what have you done to her…’’
The girl felt her heart stop, felt a warm tear running down her cheek.
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“Maybe he is a monster after all, maybe I was the one who was blinded all this time?”
Kimoko had no idea who to believe. Her mind was in chaos. Was it possible that Koshei… that Kigami… had really betrayed her? That he was the one who was a threat to Estella?
Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her body was refusing to obey. The feeling of betrayal, the sudden doubt all of it overwhelmed her like a wave. She didn’t notice that Nikita had raised her sword, ready for the final blow.
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But before the blade could fall,
The sound of metal striking metal echoed through the hallway. Sparks flashed as Kigami’s long, pitch-black sword blocked Nikita’s blow.
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“Enough,” his voice was low, cold as steel, devoid of emotion.
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Kimoko looked up. Kigami stood before her… or maybe not? Koshei. His figure seemed even darker, and in his eyes a cold, black void. The blackness of his blade seemed to absorb the light, contrasting with the flashes of Nikita’s silver flames.
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The demoness smiled slowly, tilting her head.
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“Well, well. But you decided to show your true face, brother.”
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Kigami didn’t answer. He pushed her sword away in one, brutal movement and attacked, aiming straight for her neck.
Nikita parried the blow with both hands, while the other two rose up - a whirlwind of silver flames appeared in one, and a second sword, shorter but equally dangerous, in the other.
“I’ve been waiting for this,” she whispered, her eyes flashing with excitement.
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Their swords clashed again. Koshei attacked with brutal precision, and Nikita responded with an almost dance-like ease, spinning, parrying, and launching swift counterattacks.
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Kimoko gasped as she watched their fight. Every move was deadly precise, any mistake could cost her life.
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Kigami dodged a flame that almost brushed his arm, and in a split second, he counterattacked. Nikita had to jump back, but he didn’t give her much space, he moved after her like a shadow, his blade slicing through the air.
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Their pace increased. Blow after blow. Flames and shadow intertwined in a deadly dance.
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And then…
Nikita made a move no one expected.
Instead of attacking, she stepped back abruptly and extended her hand toward Kimoko.
‘' If you can’t defeat the wolf… distract him.’’
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Kigami saw a silver flash, but it was too late.
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The flame flew towards Kimoko.
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Kigami cursed under his breath and without thinking, he rushed towards the girl. At the last moment, his sword cut through the air, dispelling part of the attack…
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But not all of it.
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An explosion of fire threw him against the wall.
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Kimoko felt pain shoot through her arm. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath.
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Nikita smiled triumphantly.
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‘‘Well, Koshei, it looks like you’re not as clever as I thought.’’
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Kigami raised his head, a dark substance began to roll from his mouth and eyes.
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‘' And you shouldn’t have done that.’’
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Dark, almost sticky shadows began to emanate from his body. The air around him thickened, as if space itself was collapsing.
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Nikita raised an eyebrow, but her smile faded slightly.
‘' So… are we getting serious?’’
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Darkness exploded.
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Kigami stood up from the ground, his silhouette surrounded by darkness that seemed to penetrate the walls and absorb the light of the candles. His eyes shone with an ominous glow, and the pitch-black sword in his hand seemed to pulsate like a living creature, thirsting for blood.
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Nikita narrowed her eyes. For a second… just for a second, a shadow of uncertainty appeared on her face.
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“Well, please…” she muttered, although her tone was no longer as light as before. “So this is Koshei’s true power?”
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She got no answer.
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Kigami moved.
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He was fast. Too fast.
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Nikita barely managed to block his blow, and the force of the impact made her take a few steps back, her shoes sliding on the stone floor. The second blow came immediately - heavy, precise, deadly.
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The demoness tried to use her numerical advantage, all four hands worked simultaneously. Two swords parried his attacks while the third hand created another silver flame, ready to send it straight at the opponent.
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But Kigami was no longer there.
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He disappeared.
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The shadow moved right behind her.
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“What?” Kigami appeared out of nowhere, his hand tightening around her wrist, immobilizing the hand that was about to throw the fire. Nikita tried to pull away, but then Kigami’s blade cut through the air and sank into her arm.
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“Gh…!”
crimson blood sprayed onto the floor.
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Kimoko watched with wide eyes. Nikita… was bleeding.
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Kigami didn’t give her a moment to regain her balance. He yanked her down and kicked her to the other end of the corridor.
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Nikita landed hard on her knees, hissing as she gritted her teeth. Her lower right hand was trembling, and her own energy was seeping from the wound.
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“You…” she hissed, looking up.
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Kigami slowly walked towards her, his shadow lengthening as if it would swallow the entire space around him.
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“It’s over,” he said in an icy voice.
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Nikita looked at him… and then smiled.
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“Maybe some other time.”
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Kimoko only had time to blink, and the demoness was already moving.
A flame flared in her hand, but this time she didn’t attack Kigami.
She threw it to the ground between them.
The silver fire exploded, blinding everyone.
Kigami reflexively covered his eyes.
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When he opened them again…
Nikita was gone.
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All that remained was a faint trail of smoke and the echo of her quiet laughter.
Kimoko rose from the ground, holding her burned arm. She looked at Kigami, or rather his true demonic face Koshei.
He didn’t turn to her. He looked where Nikita had been standing just a moment ago, his face as if carved from stone.
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“She ran away…” whispered Kimoko.
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Kigami slowly sheathed his sword.
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“For now.”
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