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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXF9P7d0HA3
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrf327GSxDj
“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?”
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYad50tVj17
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvqbkel2Vj
Nikita sighed theatrically.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKCRvPMpcs
“You really are stubborn. This is getting… boring.’’
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCQcq6abWs
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44pscycmLn
The blade flew toward Nikita… but it missed.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QMcnpJdj1
The demoness caught it in mid-air with two fingers and looked at it with amusement.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgOjX0ZF8H
“That was cute,” she said, then tossed the weapon aside.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCbA9Al6km
Kimoko gritted her teeth. She had to think. Fast. Nikita was faster, stronger, almost untouchable. Fighting in the open made no sense.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1O52lJdt3
But maybe… maybe she didn’t have to fight.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdmYY8cUYq
“Where’s Estella?” she hissed, trying to hide the anxiety in her voice.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdt5rT5QUO
Nikita smiled slowly, with obvious satisfaction.
‘' Maybe you should ask Koshei about that’’ she said, a hint of mockery in her voice.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uWt5SjZTx
Kimoko felt her heart stop.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNeLnTCoyk
‘‘Kigami, what have you done to her…’’
The girl felt her heart stop, felt a warm tear running down her cheek.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJT8uIY8PL
“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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAP8dNjToc
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIgVIZNDVc
“Enough,” his voice was low, cold as steel, devoid of emotion.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyl5zKrCeU
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6nyfZLirF
The demoness smiled slowly, tilting her head.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8RhHCl6r6
“Well, well. But you decided to show your true face, brother.”
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLKqGmcuYX
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHx3gijH9i
Their swords clashed again. Koshei attacked with brutal precision, and Nikita responded with an almost dance-like ease, spinning, parrying, and launching swift counterattacks.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMNfV2vd0U
Kimoko gasped as she watched their fight. Every move was deadly precise, any mistake could cost her life.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡek665TPRsV
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbPNrxBlqp
Their pace increased. Blow after blow. Flames and shadow intertwined in a deadly dance.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH08frMyxCs
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.’’
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrlAyd9A2C
Kigami saw a silver flash, but it was too late.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQuI6wQln3
The flame flew towards Kimoko.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51CrP8EACI
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…
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTeazm8JV5
But not all of it.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRz1qp8po3E
An explosion of fire threw him against the wall.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGDlKGngAH
Kimoko felt pain shoot through her arm. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8smwHccmwA
Nikita smiled triumphantly.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGK89vVptK
‘‘Well, Koshei, it looks like you’re not as clever as I thought.’’
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqwZcJmnR6
Kigami raised his head, a dark substance began to roll from his mouth and eyes.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5GGpaZbYG
‘' And you shouldn’t have done that.’’
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFBU1RYuQu
Dark, almost sticky shadows began to emanate from his body. The air around him thickened, as if space itself was collapsing.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQKOckgEbm
Nikita raised an eyebrow, but her smile faded slightly.
‘' So… are we getting serious?’’
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0TnAeKeSf
Darkness exploded.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFB9NWztdpJ
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDP4Jtv45f
Nikita narrowed her eyes. For a second… just for a second, a shadow of uncertainty appeared on her face.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTW0GuzeVw3
“Well, please…” she muttered, although her tone was no longer as light as before. “So this is Koshei’s true power?”
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZTlR0xH0r
She got no answer.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtduRb81X0
Kigami moved.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZb0YxfrL0
He was fast. Too fast.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdExIMsP5Hw
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Zk9yuPnDE
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzayyuEOgLm
But Kigami was no longer there.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflqlZkWgtu
He disappeared.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HcNOx1QzZ
The shadow moved right behind her.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYQS2HG9nj
“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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKffiE5lUf
“Gh…!”
crimson blood sprayed onto the floor.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZWyyI4Qgn
Kimoko watched with wide eyes. Nikita… was bleeding.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjMp9lSSNa
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnzOyEl6MH
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ABuyN8Lw3
“You…” she hissed, looking up.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrclZqeCFu
Kigami slowly walked towards her, his shadow lengthening as if it would swallow the entire space around him.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiSJ8cdxq1
“It’s over,” he said in an icy voice.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGxsRdPpSS
Nikita looked at him… and then smiled.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNZNpZMwYc
“Maybe some other time.”
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFBkkMOXv0
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKQuuDAfwy
When he opened them again…
Nikita was gone.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjAdHX14K7
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.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbnkWC1l77
“She ran away…” whispered Kimoko.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkP6eRe1uy
Kigami slowly sheathed his sword.
93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEJYNE6R7q
“For now.”
ns216.73.216.238da2
