Yuko was running.
Branches scraped his skin as he dashed through the forest, his breath uneven, his heart pounding violently in his chest. Every step crushed dry twigs beneath his feet, the rustling leaves betraying his position.
— Stop, brat! You know you can't escape!
The orcs were closing in. One of them lunged forward, its massive hand stretching toward the back of Yuko's neck.
Just as it was about to grab him—
A faint slicing sound cut through the air.
The orc froze.
For a brief moment, it didn't understand what had happened.
Then it looked down.
Where its hand should have been… there was nothing.
A second passed.
Then pain reached its brain.
— GRAAAAH!
The orc roared, clutching the stump where its arm had been, staggering backward in agony.
— Ugh… Rasona-senpai, do you really have to be that flashy every time?
— Still stunned, huh?
Rasona spoke calmly.
— I thought you'd have gotten used to it by now.
Yuko stood there, motionless.
Not awe.
Not admiration.
Disbelief.
That was too fast.
Too clean.
He stared at her as if she had just done something that shouldn't have been possible.
— Senpai… could you maybe speak with the maturity your age is supposed to come with?
Rasona's eyebrow twitched.
She stepped forward and struck Yuko on the head without hesitation.
— Don't push your luck, Yuko.
Yuko stumbled, quickly regaining his balance.
— S-sorry, Rasona-senpai… but could you at least consider the safety of my remaining brain cells?
Rasona sighed.
— That would require you to have some in the first place.
Yuko gave her a you cannot be serious look.
Rasona turned her gaze toward the remaining orcs.
— Enough.
She pointed at them.
— Your turn, Yuko. Show me what you can do.
— Wait—what am I even supposed to do?
This time, Rasona's voice lost its teasing edge.
— Focus.
She paused.
— Think about what they've done to humans.
Yuko closed his eyes.
Children slaughtered without mercy.
Women screaming as they were dragged away.
Lifeless bodies left behind, never to return.
Something twisted inside his chest.
Anger.
But deeper than that—
A desire to correct something fundamentally wrong.
The air shifted.
Yuko's hair fluttered in the wind, its pale green roots fading into glassy blue, then into pure white at the tips.
He opened his eyes.
A crimson ring burned at the center of his deep navy pupils.
Yuko raised his hand toward the orc.
His voice was calm.
Cold.
— Die.
The orc tried to scream.
No sound came out.
Its eyes turned white.
And in the next instant—
Its body exploded violently, blood, bone, and flesh scattering across the forest.
Without hesitation, Rasona leaped toward the final orc and severed its head in a single, fluid motion—the same technique as before.
Silence fell.
— Good work, Yuko.
— That technique of yours is impressive.
She glanced at him.
— So… what are you going to name it?
Yuko took a deep breath, coughing as if he had just returned from the edge of death.
— Name it? …Why would I need to?
Rasona gave him a look that clearly said Are you serious?
— The Ritualist technique you just used. It's yours.
Yuko rubbed his face. A dull headache throbbed behind his eyes.
— I don't know… isn't that kind of unnecessary?
Rasona's expression sharpened.
— If you give it a name, you can activate it faster.
— With enough training, you won't even need to say it aloud.
— Just thinking the name will be enough.
Yuko's eyes lit up.
— …Alright.
He thought for a moment.
Then his face twisted into a mischievous grin—like a child who'd just unwrapped too many gifts at once.
— I've got it.
He looked up.
— I'll call it Judgment.
Rasona's emerald-green eyes widened slightly.
— Huh…
— Didn't know you had that kind of taste, Yuko.
Suddenly—
An invisible force slammed into Rasona's body.
Her feet left the ground.
And before she could react—
She was hurled straight off the cliff.
— RASONA-SENPAI!
Yuko shouted.
He spun toward the source of the attack, fear and rage mixing in his chest.
There—
From within a purple cloak—
Two pairs of golden eyes gleamed in the darkness.
Yuko immediately took his stance.
Chapter 4 – End