Kimoko swallowed, feeling the tension building.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnadTITai4
“Which of these options is more likely?” Kigami grimaced, clenching his fingers into fists.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuLSwxOaiy
“Both, and I don’t like either of them.”
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC05OKuDw5w
The hooded figure stopped a few steps away from them. When she lifted her head, two crimson eyes flashed from under the hood, cold and piercing.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22cirN2nTn
“Koshei.” Her voice was quiet, but it cut through the air like a blade. “You’re causing trouble.”
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTAfXGUUOb
The demon raised an eyebrow and grimaced in amusement.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3nbMe1lfc
“Oh, really? I didn’t notice.”
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NObCjVbpX
Kimoko noticed his body tense slightly, ready to react.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZ973ho8dw
“Who are you?” she asked sharply.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPKIBLxyyl
The stranger tilted her head, as if she had just noticed her.
“Someone who should end this chaos.”
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFWeJ1lQ7R
Suddenly, she held out a hand, and silver energy swirled around her fingers. In an instant, Kigami’s shadows began to retreat even further, as if some invisible force was pushing them away.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4j6028bc8u
The demon growled.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqPukeNUc5
“So the crystal, or my head?” The stranger didn’t answer immediately. A smile appeared on her lips.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5B9ljN1e9D
“Both.”
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9zxxvRPxO
And then she charged at him.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9PTtNNJT9
Kigami threw himself to the side, avoiding a streak of silver light that pierced the air where he had been standing a moment ago. The impact was so strong that the ground cracked along the trajectory of the attack.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTWY4PFfbl
“Kimoko! Take Estella and run!” he shouted, jumping back and simultaneously sending a wave of shadows towards his opponent.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtRbzwsD99
Kimoko wasn’t going to argue. She grabbed Estella tighter and began to pull her towards the nearest alley.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkaVfFCebRr
“Kimoko…” The goddess tried to say something, but she was too weak to protest.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVdXBtJK1t
Kimoko looked over her shoulder.
Kigami and the unknown demoness clashed in the middle of the square, their powers clashing like two elements. Silver light consumed the darkness, and Kigami’s shadows danced around, trying to reach her opponent.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzHxSN1Btn
But Kimoko saw something that worried her.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20mc1Yr72z
The stranger was fast. Too fast.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4TEyWZ7aN
Kigami was starting to lose.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gQLgFvUPu
Kimoko gritted her teeth. She couldn’t just walk away, not when Kigami was fighting alone against someone who could kill him.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DWVlZMnnT
“Kimoko, don’t…” Estella croaked, but the girl was already letting go of her arm.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIT7dPwAaQT
then she turned and ran towards the fighters.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6HVnUGcCC
Meanwhile, Kigami groaned as another wave of silver energy hit him in the chest, throwing him back a few meters. He barely managed to stop, pressing his shoes into the cracked ground. He was breathing heavily, and a grimace of pain appeared on his face.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsKM2JZXpb
“What exactly do you want?! What have I ever done to you?!” he growled, wiping blood from his mouth.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iYMqWdDZG
The hooded demoness raised her hand, and silver energy began to pulse around it again.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NoxoEQmsw
“I want your death, Koshei.”
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmugcivE2g
And then she threw herself at him with a speed that Kimoko couldn’t track.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7zB2ydwlx
“NO!” she screamed, reaching for the first thing she could use.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9otbThh2H
She grabbed a metal rod lying on the ground, probably broken off from one of the buildings. Without thinking, she threw it towards the stranger.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29pLycUQF0
The rod cut through the air and… the demoness stopped just before impact. She raised her hand and threw it to the side in one movement, without even turning her head.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVhOv2ITf8
But that was enough.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEzrmLAwzP
Kigami used a split second to gather all his remaining power in his hands.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydgHKF6O8O
“Ha! I’ve got you!”
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelCdtAv61y
The shadow shot out from under his feet like a tentacle and seduced the stranger, squeezing her tightly. For the first time in this fight, her body tensed.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqsaQ9pdPZ
“Do you think this will stop me?”
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5Mbmovern
“No, but it will definitely slow you down,” the demon hissed, clenching his fingers into a fist.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdrioHF8PQ
A shadow exploded around her like black fire, and Kigami roared, pouring all of his anger and desperation into the attack.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AJgoHbtdl
Kimoko narrowed her eyes, shielding her face from the blast of air. For a moment, it seemed as if the attack had succeeded.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLK4h3dCyUk
But when the smoke cleared, the stranger was still standing.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKD13H8AoK
Her cloak was torn, and the hood had fallen from her head, revealing dark hair tied in a loose braid. The first sign of surprise appeared on her pale face.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41LjOGycVi
“Stronger than I thought,” she muttered, blowing ash from her shoulder. “But still too weak, my dear brother.”
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrD9Qq0pLc9
And then she raised her hand.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJz7GXbTjP
Kigami had no time to react as a silver blade of energy sliced through the air.
It hit him in the stomach, and he hissed in pain, falling to one knee.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbI40ZfdJI
“No…” Kimoko took a step forward, but before she could move,
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WpRBIl2gz
she held her breath.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDTwiD7DV4
She saw how the ground next to Kigami was wet with his own blood. She saw how a dark red stream flowed from between his fingers, pressed tightly to the deep wound. His face paled.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xkFf4G7xS
The demoness crouched down next to him, a terrifying smile on her lips. Kigami looked at her, but his vision was blurry, and her words were becoming increasingly difficult to understand.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLdHz7rLZO
“I finally finished what mother wanted.” He tried to say something, but all he heard was his own ragged breath. It felt like his lungs were filling with blood.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYFHCvlsKr
The last thing he heard was her eerie laughter receding into the darkness… and Kimoko’s desperate cry:
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHLVoKkdvo
“KIGAMI, NO! DON’T LEAVE ME!”
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡco8WSeGEqh
Then there was silence.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAkpWVcoQL
And darkness.
ns216.73.216.65da2
