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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIg8MTipkWR
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MTKFH1daA
“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?”
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8W7dVoiTXE
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MUp0Za0bz
Nikita sighed theatrically.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvr26tSEVR
“You really are stubborn. This is getting… boring.’’
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJSPpB8NBZ
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2hrXZv85U
The blade flew toward Nikita… but it missed.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiabmzZZmd
The demoness caught it in mid-air with two fingers and looked at it with amusement.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tAAYF01bM
“That was cute,” she said, then tossed the weapon aside.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17DBzq0sTI
Kimoko gritted her teeth. She had to think. Fast. Nikita was faster, stronger, almost untouchable. Fighting in the open made no sense.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kg2y0lZ4G
But maybe… maybe she didn’t have to fight.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Mifai9XyP
“Where’s Estella?” she hissed, trying to hide the anxiety in her voice.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFJp7u8IxX
Nikita smiled slowly, with obvious satisfaction.
‘' Maybe you should ask Koshei about that’’ she said, a hint of mockery in her voice.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJnBaZ6qrw
Kimoko felt her heart stop.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF29KwuHAqV
‘‘Kigami, what have you done to her…’’
The girl felt her heart stop, felt a warm tear running down her cheek.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsy2ZmbWage
“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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdy9npcSHZc
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7E910yaUWi
“Enough,” his voice was low, cold as steel, devoid of emotion.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DrmlDiOKH
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡco0M8E88Zw
The demoness smiled slowly, tilting her head.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIIdIt6WNc
“Well, well. But you decided to show your true face, brother.”
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7v26Yh2tn
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtd4UainjCf
Their swords clashed again. Koshei attacked with brutal precision, and Nikita responded with an almost dance-like ease, spinning, parrying, and launching swift counterattacks.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRu1LT4ijZS
Kimoko gasped as she watched their fight. Every move was deadly precise, any mistake could cost her life.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBBmOgnM2s
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLkhpAYRR7
Their pace increased. Blow after blow. Flames and shadow intertwined in a deadly dance.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvasM21Cult
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.’’
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7LeybKLIh
Kigami saw a silver flash, but it was too late.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXSFnPnFm0
The flame flew towards Kimoko.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFx7Whv2Dx
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…
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslwbwnwuZd
But not all of it.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRz9GeYkKZD
An explosion of fire threw him against the wall.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPlCxAP2QS
Kimoko felt pain shoot through her arm. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLadDvkIpO
Nikita smiled triumphantly.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemrVvuSLN0
‘‘Well, Koshei, it looks like you’re not as clever as I thought.’’
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nHqGDR4rc
Kigami raised his head, a dark substance began to roll from his mouth and eyes.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXh3EpyA8KQ
‘' And you shouldn’t have done that.’’
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysCOZX2hWK
Dark, almost sticky shadows began to emanate from his body. The air around him thickened, as if space itself was collapsing.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNBQsco7Is
Nikita raised an eyebrow, but her smile faded slightly.
‘' So… are we getting serious?’’
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSENsx1YG10
Darkness exploded.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAAJiKQAJt
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbdvYXAhmt
Nikita narrowed her eyes. For a second… just for a second, a shadow of uncertainty appeared on her face.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFILIu5DHMB
“Well, please…” she muttered, although her tone was no longer as light as before. “So this is Koshei’s true power?”
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3i4zzhYdKr
She got no answer.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUF4wUBNz9A
Kigami moved.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDbRgFABLi
He was fast. Too fast.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyDH0tlF7q
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqMurMjk12
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjD4Cevxpp
But Kigami was no longer there.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbZiHinmFm
He disappeared.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhM8z5XiIyw
The shadow moved right behind her.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUkAV6P2Zj
“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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQJ2mz7rsK
“Gh…!”
crimson blood sprayed onto the floor.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeA0UekLJ2f
Kimoko watched with wide eyes. Nikita… was bleeding.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRwncsh1lh
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPGQJ20mrh
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimFviVKUOC
“You…” she hissed, looking up.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdey9G11xAA
Kigami slowly walked towards her, his shadow lengthening as if it would swallow the entire space around him.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSN5qoVq5h9
“It’s over,” he said in an icy voice.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfg2x4HtXd
Nikita looked at him… and then smiled.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNT78pCnRxT
“Maybe some other time.”
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLMxN8Scq1
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkP7pKZm1V
When he opened them again…
Nikita was gone.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApMgcCYoIp
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.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23dNwnswh6
“She ran away…” whispered Kimoko.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVSivVYv4U
Kigami slowly sheathed his sword.
58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDsIYumuwh
“For now.”
ns216.73.216.72da2
