The earth trembled as countless shimmering particles rose from the soil, gathering together to form the figures of Mara, Vasuki, and Pasito.
A shadow of disappointment lingered on Mara's face.
Atura trusted me with all his hope and asked me to bring him justice... Mara thought. What is it about me that makes everyone place their faith in me?
Just then, Vasuki spoke calmly from behind him.
"Don't forget... his soul lives within you—the same soul that not even death could frighten."
A faint smile appeared on Mara's face. Without another word, he took a step forward.
Vasuki and Pasito quietly followed behind him, their slow footsteps echoing as they moved ahead together.
Mara sat alone in his room.
What should I do... he wondered. What will make Ajina kneel before me?
He slowly sat down on the edge of his bed, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, on the blood-red soil beneath the Red Moon, another stream of blood had stained the earth that day.
Yarika approached Atura's lifeless body and looked down at him.
"Remember this," he said coldly. "Even your friends were never truly yours. The people for whom you sacrificed your life a second time... didn't even have the courage to take your body with them."
He paused, his voice growing heavier.
"And the reason was simple... they were terrified of Ajina."
Yarika then sat beside Atura's head and let out a long, deep breath. Without another word, he began digging the surrounding soil with his own hands.
Yarika slowly closed his eyes.
A vision unfolded before him.
Ajina had one hand wrapped around Atura's throat while kneeling on the ground. Atura stood before him, his expression impossible to read. One of his eyes burned with fierce determination, while a faint stream of tears flowed from the other. Mercy and ruthlessness existed on the same face, creating a sight that was both beautiful and terrifying.
Without warning, Ajina drove one of his fingers into Atura's neck .
Cracks instantly spread across Atura's sheath.
In one swift motion, Atura drew his blade and severed Ajina's hand.
But the victory lasted only for a moment.
Ajina's hand instantly transformed into a diamond hand.
The next instant, Ajina lunged forward and grabbed Atura's throat
Yarika opened his eyes and looked at Atura.
Just then, a gentle gust of wind swept through, causing Atura's hair to flutter.
As Yarika watched, he noticed a holejust above Atura's throat. The moment the wind died down, Atura's hair fell back into place, hiding the hole from sight once again.
Then he looked up.
A man was standing in the sky without any support.