Reo stumbled forward, legs weakening—not from battle wounds, but disbelief. Everything felt unreal.

  His knees buckled. He collapsed, hands blindly sweeping through the pool of blood and organs.

  Fingers closed on wet parchment. He found the scroll.

  Reo clutched the scroll, voice dead and hollow. "Here, Akime. Read it.”

  Akime's eyes welled behind her mask. She stepped forward, unrolled the parchment—and froze.

  Her emotions flipped in a flash. Face hardening, she scooped up Reo and his glaive, bolting through the forest like her life depended on it.

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  Narcissus's massive katana glowed in the blood-soaked sand, then stood upright—WHOOSH. It shot across the sea at uniform speed, seeking Kochab's next chosen owner.

  Two clawed hands snatched it midair—skinny, blood-slick, black wings flapping. horns jutted from the skull, fresh blood streaming from where they'd recently burst through. Hollow black eyes gleamed..

  Maniacal laughter erupted. "You're mine—Kochab's spirit, right?”

  He yanked the blade free, sliced his palm deep. Red blood coated the steel—glow intensified—BHOOM. A shockwave rippled out.

  The demon clutched the sword, laughing into the sky

  The middle Island

  Akime sprinted through the forest holding Reo—spotted the unseen gate ahead, never-before-seen, already closing with light pouring through. Ground shook. She leapt inside—SLAM, doors shut

  Wave erupted from the SLAM—rippled across the island, hit demon corpses. Bodies glowed, wounds knitting fast—they lurched back to feet. Three demons rose, furious.

  Wind howled. Katana demon loomed before them. Kusarigama demon sneered, "Huh, another? I know that blade—bastard's katana—" Lunged.

  Katana demon snatched his neck mid-air, yanked close—mouth unhinged, bit clean through. Headless body crumpled. He tossed it aside, voice ice-cold calm: "Which one of y'all want to be next?”