Chapter 103: Something Wrong
Ryuki smirked, eyes cold and calculating.
"Of course not."
The hall still trembled with the remnants of their clash—the air hot, metallic, and buzzing with leftover energy. Sparks flickered along the cracked floor, and the faint scent of burning metal lingered like a warning.
THUD!
A violent tremor ripped through the facility. Dust rained from the ceiling as part of the wall buckled inward. The man facing Ryuki widened his eyes, sweat streaming down his face.
Ryuki narrowed her gaze.
"What's your name?"
The man took a shaky breath.
"Kurokane Shima."
Then, as if a jolt tore through his skull, he clutched his head—eyes going wide, confused, lost.
"What… was I doing?"
"Why am I even here…?"
Ryuki's voice cut sharply through the trembling air.
"You're not gonna fight me anymore?"
Shima lowered his arms, blinking with a genuine confusion.
"What reason is there for me to fight you? Of course I won't."
Ryuki exhaled softly, sheathing her swords.
"I don't know what happened, but good."
She turned, ready to leave, thinking:
"He won't get in our way anymore."
But then—
THUD!!!
The entire right wall exploded inward, chunks of stone flying across the hall in a smoke-filled wave. Ryuki spun around instantly, blade already half-drawn.
Through the dust stood Equa Rome, flames flickering faintly around him—
carrying Orimo's limp body over his shoulder.
Ryuki's eyes sharpened, her stance tightening.
"What are you doing with Orimo?"
For a second, Orimo didn't move.
Then his eyes slowly opened—heavy, exhausted, but alive.
"Oh… Ryuki."
His voice was weak.
Something was very, very wrong.