Arete and Han were left on the battlefield. She gets down from being lifted by Han. The three of them are floating in the air, using the force to make the result contradictory.

 

"Leruji... My hunch was right not to trust you." She glares at him.

 

"But you invited me to your group. What a nice attitude you have!" He points his index and middle finger towards her and the beads start attacking.

 

"Can you handle it yourself?" Han asks her.

 

"I think so."

 

"I'll give you a boost." He snaps his fingers and Arete feels a tremendous amount of magic flows inside her body. It's warm and comforting.

 

"Han..."

 

"Look out, silly." He laughs softly.

 

She disappeared like a bubble, in front of Leruji.

 

"I can see you, Arete!" Leruji exclaimed and removed the blades of his metal fan from it and threw it towards her direction.

 

Leruji wasn't wrong. Arete was there on top of him, bloodied but she's still smiling as if it didn't bother her. Leruji looked at Han and the man didn't move at all. He's just observing the fight and yawning every single time.

 

Veins popped out from his temple, he gritted his teeth in anger, "IS THIS A JOKE TO YOU, RIGHT HAND?!"

 

"Maybe? You're not that strong. Arete can even lift mountains if she likes to."

 

"EVERYTHING YOU DID! EVERYTHING YOU DID FOR THE ACADEMY, FOR YOUR INCOMPETENT KING... THEY WERE ALL LOST BECAUSE OF YOU AND JAYEN!"

 

"If you're going to fight Arete, then shut your mouth. You're taking so much time and we need to find him in this world."

 

"So that's why you're here?! You're going to destroy this world too like you did to Iryankka?!"

 

"Is it checkmate?" Arete appeared behind Leruji and kicked his side but Arete immediately moved. She grabs Leruji's clothes to throw him below the shrine.

 

Leruji smirked and stabbed her in the stomach before heading straight down.

 

"Are you okay? Do you need assistance?" Han approached her.

 

"Maybe after the fight, Han. I almost trusted him because of the story he told me." She scoffs, trying to put pressure on her wound so the blood will stop from flowing out.

 

"Let me just heal you. You know, stop acting too strong like me. It will save your energy and critical thinking." Han sighs and creates a small hole on Arete's knee-length sleeveless white dress, "I can make more copies of this dress don't worry."

 

".... I'm not worried at all."

 

"Oh? Why so?"

 

"Because you're here."

 

"....." He looked at Arete, jaw dropped, then his eyes softened at realization, "I didn't catch that. What is it?"

 

"... Nothing. Never mind." Her ears reddened and he's not ignorant not to notice it.

 

"Getting shy about something? Is it about something I shouldn't know?"

 

"Yes. That's right. It's none of your business."

 

"Haa... I should've known that you like me that much." He laughs, in a mischievous way.

 

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I should say that to you."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"I mean, the Palace of Wisdom's time didn't follow standard's time of each dimension, so basically, we have known each other for over a decade now."

 

"Then?" He tilts his head slightly.

 

"I know your friend is a man."

 

"Then?"

 

"From your actions and mannerisms, I bet you've not been with a girl." She said with a smug.

 

"Oh? Challenging me?"

 

"Not really. I think I should stop talking to you now, I'm still fighting with —" At that exact moment, a wave of harsh wind separated the two of them.

 

Arete sighs, "See? He's back."

 

"I'm just here for moral support." He waves at her, "I'll wait for you, darling!"

 

"HAH?! DO YOU WANT ME TO BEAT YOUR ASS BEFORE LERUJI?!"

 

"RIGHT HAND! ARETE! YOU TWO ARE ALIKE IN TERMS OF WASHING YOUR OWN HANDS, ACTING SO SYMPATHETIC THAT YOU WILL GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION!" Leruji's hair was a mess, his head was bleeding from falling at a high height.

 

"I didn't get to act kinder towards people because the two of us focused on finding his friend." Arete crossed her arms, raising her eyebrow.

 

"I WON'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM YOU! YOU ACTED SO UNDERSTANDING AND KIND EARLIER!"

 

"Sometimes you need to detach yourself from illusions, my dear." Arete walks towards him, smiling evilly.

 

"DON'T COME NEAR ME! I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL EVERYONE ESPECIALLY YOU, RIGHT HAND!"

 

"Oh my, he's losing it. Poor boy." Han laughs. The table has turned. The two of them were supposed to be insane from Leruji's revelation, but no. It was subtle but the two of them are playing with Leruji now.

 

Arete took the metal fan from Leruji's hand and injured her forearm. She let the blood drip onto Lobin's liquefied metal poles surrounding Leruji's temple.

 

"Eat the spirits alive, Lobin." She commanded.

 

Although Lobin himself was not surrounding the temple, the fire immediately spread, burning in front of Leruji along with his other persona who was defeated by Han behind the scene.

 

What Arete did was one of the most dangerous techniques when Iryankka still existed. Controlling of blood flow. One of the forbidden knowledge and techniques. Blood Magic.

 

Except that the blood supply is needed directly when you perform a ritual or kind of ceremony, the supply and your life force will be used up. Han didn't teach her this. She only read it in the books hidden in the man's bedroom.

 

"ARETE! STOP THAT!" Han shouted, panicking at her actions.

 

Some blood forms a circle to have a magic circle below her. It glowed, almost blinding if you stared at it.

 

"Big brother Leruji!"

 

"Leruji, you're back that early?! Can we request your help with something?"

 

"Leruji, you keep making altars. What if the Gods will take it as an insult?"

 

Leruji's eyes widened, hearing those voices. He laughs maniacally while his tears escape from his eyes.

 

"I did it for them... I did it for love... I did it to protect their names... You magicians don't know our struggles!"

 

"He's just talking... I'll finish him, Han." Arete said, coldly.

 

"Do whatever you want. If you want to talk to him before killing him, go."

 

"Leruji...." She called in a demanding tone of voice.

 

"Do... Do you want to know the other half of the story?"

 

"You're going mad now. The temple and its houses are based on your home, right? The walls acted as a barrier so people from the outside world wouldn’t know the tragic story."

 

"....."

 

"Those are the replicas because you are that boy from the legend."

 

".... What if it is?"

 

"Then.... You saw Iryankka's destruction...?"

 

"....."

 

"ARETE, STOP TALKING AND STOP USING THAT TECHNIQUE!"

 

"I need to destroy anything that is dear to him." The fire spread more.

 

"I don't have anything and anyone. I don't really mind getting it destroyed."

 

"I have more —" She stopped speaking when she felt a warm liquid drip down her body from her face. She smeared it and it was blood. She is crying blood.

 

Leruji, "... Arete?"

 

"ARETE!" Han shouted and immediately caught the dizzy Arete in his arms.

 

"I still have to kill him...." As she said that, the flow of blood coming out of her forearm grew stronger, the fire below the temple grew stronger, "He resented the Gods. He will hurt people as a sacrifice..."

 

"I'll take care of it, okay? Leave it to me... Just rest and save your energy."

 

"....Han... I'm not going to die yet, am I?"

 

"No. I will make sure not. With my name engraved to your mind, with my blood that runs through my veins, with my tears that are forming whenever I'm grieving and celebrating, I promise you that I'll do better when it comes to myself and to you. I may not be the most honest person, but now, having you by my side, I'll walk beside you and try to leave my past behind." His hand tried to reach for her cheek to caress it, but in the end, he only got to brush off some hair from her face.

 

"It's.... It's like you're proposing.." She smiles at him weakly.

 

"Maybe I am." He laughs softly then looks at Leruji seriously, "You have a grudge against me, right? I'll deal with you."

 

"The right hand knows how to care for people?!" Leruji put his hand on his face, laughing, "I SAW HOW YOU KILLED PEOPLE MERCILESSLY!"

 

"What kind of legend did he tell you, Arete?" He asks.

 

"A boy who used to love Gods so much. The boy made altars and did appreciation ceremonies for them. He was abused by the villagers because the more he did those things, the more blessings came. Until the Gods decided to burn the village for the boy and he got insane."

 

"A legend in Iryankka...? Not really a legend." He scoffs, "More like a backstory."

 

".... That's what I also thought."

 

"You're really intelligent, Arete. Sleep and I'll take care of this."

 

"....Alright." She slowly closed her eyes and rested. Han did not call Lobin to take Arete away from the battle. He was still holding the girl in his arms.

 

"Now that Arete is asleep, what else do you know about me, pest?"

 

"Little by little, you're showing your attitude, right hand." Leruji laughed again, he composed himself and stood properly, "What is that girl in your life?"

 

"Arete is my student. It's my responsibility as her instructor to protect her with all my life." He cut the connection between her blood and fire made by Lobin.

 

Leruji didn't listen to what he said and took the metal fan in Arete's hand using telekinesis. Han just let it get to him.

 

"Are you all around like the magicians too?" he asked.

 

"Yes. I will do everything to reach the level of the Gods who killed my family."

 

"Do what you want, no one is stopping you." Han smirked, "Just don't drag my comrades into your insanity and you'll face me."

 

"I heard from him, they died from the explosion of Iryankka. You're all alone, right hand."

 

"I don't know who you're talking about, but I escaped with my comrades that day. We swore to each other that we'll settle down in a world like Iryankka but with different beliefs."

 

"How hopeful. Pathetic."

 

"Maybe? But we're crazy enough to go against our ruler. Now, enough talking and let's start fighting."

 

"While holding her? Should I praise you?"

 

"You're dumb as hell if you start complimenting your opponent during the fight, kid."

 

Leruji manipulates the beads upwards until he moves it to where Han is standing, even the paths the man may take to avoid the attacks.

 

"Arete..." Han looks at her, "You're so careless. Your ruthless side can do nothing if you lack awareness." He looks back in some direction and whispers, "Lobin. Take her away."

 

"DIE, RIGHT HAND!" As the beads exploded, the clouds seemed to separate from its impact and the ground rumbled. Leruji was not satisfied yet and released some elemental beads to attack Han and Arete's direction. He could feel Han's spiritual energy there so he focused on it.

 

He was panting heavily after some time. There are no trees and animals left on the mountain. Even those who live at the foot of the mountain were also affected by the damage caused by the man.

 

"I think that's enough..." He wipes the sweat that will fall from his forehead.

 

"Explosion makes fire. Close to my ability. Good job."

 

"?!" He turned behind him and saw Han who was injured and his clothes were torn but he was still smiling, "How.... How did this happen?! You're there! Your spiritual energy is in that direction!"

 

"Yes. I know."

 

"Right hand....AAARGH!" He separated the blades of the metal fan and rushed at Han. He planned to stab the man in every vital point to make his condition crucial.

 

"Leruji, Leruji, Leruji~" Han's tone of voice seems like mocking him, "You're old like me and yet you can't touch a magician like me? Like I thought two days ago that this case will be a one sided fight. I'm not wrong after all." He dodges it effortlessly.

 

"YOU DESTROYED IRYANKKA! YOU DESTROY EVERYONE!"

 

"Hmm? So? That's why you're taking your revenge on other worlds? How pathetic." Han moved to fight. He raised his index and middle finger and hit Leruji's windpipe without getting hit seriously except getting a wound on his face.

 

Leruji coughed. He was beating his chest to get his breath back to normal flow when Han kicked him in the ribs and he fell to the bottom of the burning tree. A loud crack was heard from that kick.

 

"As long as your opponent is me, it will always be a one-sided fight." He smirked.

 

"You..." Leruji coughed, anger can be seen in his eyes, "THIS IS NOT THE END, RIGHT HAND!"

 

"Let me see you try —" A clone of Leruji appeared behind him and hugged him tightly, "Hmm?"

 

"Scatter his dust, Zen." Leruji said in a deep voice, smiling eerily.

 

Leruji's clone exploded and the young man saw for himself that blood splattered from above. This is a sign that Han was shocked by the attack.

 

"I bet it will take time before he will heal. He's an immortal after all."

 

Han was kneeling in the air, his hair burned and cut short. His eyes were white from shock and he lost his ears and jaw. His bone remained on almost half of his face. His neck was burned to the side. This view makes Leruji's heart happy.

 

"One sided fight? You still have weaknesses, Right hand." He spits blood on the side, half of his body is getting burned from the raging fire.

 

Han's body fell to the burning ground. Lobin didn't even show up to catch him. At that time, he was with the civilians who escaped before Arete could activate the liquefaction using blood magic.

 

Leruji slowly stood up from his seat to observe Han's situation.

 

"Everyone is afraid of you but I guess staying at your humble abode makes you rusty." He kicks some soil to Han's face before walking away, "I should create more temples for him so he will be resurrected anytime sooner than expected."

 

"Really? That’s all you can do?"

 

His eyes widened and stopped on his tracks, "You're getting annoying, Right hand."

 

"That's why they got me as the kings' right hand. You can't get rid of me easily." He was still lying there, waiting for his body to regenerate.

 

Leruji immediately ran to Han. He was ready to put holes in every part of the man's body since he was still weak when someone stood in front of him, blocking his attack with her arms.

 

"What—?!"

 

"Don't touch Han. I dare you and we'll fight to the death." She gritted her teeth.

 

Even though Han's vision was blurred, he smiled when he heard the girl's voice.

 

"...Arete..."

 

"With my name, only given name, I vow that I will also protect you with my soul, with my ears that I'm using to hear, I'll keep your secrets until death. I'll follow you until this world breaks like your homeland. From the moment I met you, I know you're a twisted and cunning man and yet I stayed. Don't ever doubt my faithfulness."

 

".... I won't. You have my word." He chuckles as he struggles to breathe.

 

"That's enough for me." She glares at Leruji, "let's continue our fight. Shall we?"

 

"I'll offer your soul to him."

 

"Then let's go and dance to hell together, Leruji!"