---
Chapter 22 — A Clash That Shakes the Sky
Scene 1 — The Burning Forest
The earth trembled with an explosion…
as if the heart of the forest had beaten for the last time.
Smoke twisted above the charred trunks, and the heat devoured the air itself.
Amid this devastation, Kiura stood with one hand clutching his chest, the wound in his abdomen slowly dripping blood… yet he didn't even glance at it, as if the pain had nothing to do with him.
Renyon's eyes widened with relief when she saw him standing firm…
but Kiura's expression was sorrowful, as if the end of the battle had wounded him deeper than his physical injury.
The camera slid into the depths of the forest…
trees shattered… the ground cracked… darkness covering everything from the explosion.
Then a body appeared inside a deep crater…
Enzo.
His hand trembled… then moved.
The camera lens drew closer to his mouth… he smiled.
And Kiura's voice echoed in his memory:
Kiura:
"I told you before: full power, and you boast about your strength… but you're very weak."
Enzo opened his eyes, took a deep breath, then rose from the crater, his body covered in ash and blood. He walked slowly, like an animal that had just emerged from a battle with nature itself.
Moments later… he appeared between the shattered trees.
Blood flowed from his mouth, yet the smile never faded.
Enzo:
"It's true that I said 'full power'… but I removed it immediately after cutting down the spheres."
Kiura turned around quickly… startled by his presence.
Renyon gasped, shock and sorrow clear on her face.
Renyon:
"How is it possible… that he survived that explosion?!"
Enzo grabbed a tree trunk to keep himself standing.
Enzo:
"I wanted to play with you longer… so I lowered my power level."
Kiura:
"Then… your true power is higher than this?"
Enzo:
"Yes… and now… let's continue the fight."
Kiura:
"I'm ready anytime… attack."
Enzo shifted his stance with steady composure.
Enzo:
"I'll show you half of my power now."
His red mana erupted toward the sky like a pillar of fire.
In response, a dark violet mana—leaning toward black—burst from Kiura… dense, heavy… as if it extinguished light itself.
Black clouds gathered above the forest at an unnatural speed…
lightning screamed across the sky.
the wind howled.
thunder roared like the body of a dragon finally awakened.
As if the world itself had announced the beginning of a war between two gods.
---
Scene 2 — Deep Within the Forest
As Zokimoshi advanced toward the source of the storm, lightning struck beside him…
He jumped back instantly.
Another bolt came straight down toward him.
He drew his sword with sudden seriousness.
Zokimoshi:
"I'll cut—"
But the moment his sword touched the lightning…
he was completely electrocuted and fell to the ground, his body slightly charred, faint smoke rising from his shoulder.
Zokimoshi, in a broken voice:
"I forgot… I can't… cut lightning…"
---
Scene 3 — The Plains Near the Forest
The strange man ran with the force of the wind, lightning mercilessly striking the ground around him.
He didn't stop… until a bolt struck in front of his feet, opening a small crater.
He stepped forward without noticing it—
and fell face-first in a painful crash.
Seconds later…
another bolt headed toward him, but he raised a mana shield in front of his body.
The lightning slammed into the shield violently… then dissipated.
The strange man:
"What is happening here…?!"
---
Scene 4 — The City
Massive lightning bolts slammed into the fortified valley gate…
the ground shook beneath the guards' feet.
Guard 1:
"What is this sudden storm?!"
Guard 2:
"We must find shelter immediately!"
Guard 3:
"And the travelers? Everything will come to a halt!"
Commander:
"Finish their procedures quickly and get inside a safe building! We don't have time!"
The camera rose above the city…
lightning struck houses… streets… leaving behind craters of smoke and stone.
Narrator:
"What is happening now?
The battle has transformed from a clash between two reckless individuals… into a threat that reaches innocent people.
Will this confrontation end before one of them becomes a catastrophe upon the world?"
---
Scene 5 — The Battlefield
Black clouds swirled above them…
the earth trembled…
the fire around the tree trunks moved as if applauding this madness.
Enzo:
"Let's enjoy every moment."
Kiura:
"I know."
Enzo:
"I'm starting to like your personality… much better than before."
Kiura:
"Of course… before, that idiot was in control. Now I'm the one holding the reins."
Enzo:
"Two idiots controlling one body? That's… entertaining."
Kiura:
"If I were an idiot… I wouldn't have caused you all these injuries."
Enzo, with a tense smile:
"You're the idiot… and the reason is obvious: the wound in your abdomen.
As for my injuries— they're nothing compared to yours."
Kiura:
"Really? One of your ribs is broken… your head is bleeding… your leg is injured… which of us has more?"
Enzo:
"We're even."
Kiura:
"This talk has gone on long enough… let's continue the fight."
Enzo:
"Su—"
Kiura suddenly shouted, his voice tearing through the sky:
Kiura:
"I told you… the talking is over! Don't say another word!"
And in the next moment…
the two lunged at each other.
Two lines of dark and red light collided—
and the scene stopped.
To be continued…
---