Chapter 26: The Price of Emotion

The sun quietly set, leaving only two figures facing each other in the forest. One was expressionless, appearing incredibly weathered.

Meanwhile, the other, a young girl, had a face etched with profound solemnity.

Just from parrying his claw attack, an undeniable pain surged through her chest.

Akuma clearly understood the terrifying power of the man before her.

His oppressive aura remained as intense as ever, both in the past and in the present.

Indeed, Akuma believed his strength far surpassed that of Number One and Number Two.

“Indeed, for a Puppet, emotions can make one indecisive and hesitant. But isn’t this… isn’t this the most precious thing a person possesses?”

Akuma gripped the massive blue sword, forged from condensed magical energy, and swung it with all her might.

She knew the disparity in strength between herself and Number Three; in all their previous simulated training, she had never once managed to defeat him.

Despite this, she persisted, her blade repeatedly clashing against Number Three’s blocking arm. With each impact, blood spurted, yet Number Three remained unnervingly calm.

‘Am I still not strong enough? Am I still unable to protect what I wish to protect?’

“You are still too young. Perhaps you believe emotions can bring you satisfaction, tell you the reason for your existence. But…”

Number Three caught the materialized greatsword with his bare hands. His immense arm strength startled Akuma, causing her to freeze in place, forgetting to leap away.

Blood continuously flowed from Number Three’s palm as he gazed silently at Akuma.

“In the end, emotions will only hurt everyone you wish to protect. Ultimately, even your own heart will be shattered beyond repair, leaving nothing whole. One day… you will walk the same path as me, forsaking your emotions yourself.”

Number Three’s words were remarkably calm, as if he were recounting the story of a third person.

Akuma knew that Number Three was different from the others; he had willingly discarded his emotions to become a Puppet. No one knew the reason behind it, the only clue being how he often stared blankly at the circular pendant on his chest.

“But I can’t wait for that day, because I am already a betrayer.”

Akuma concentrated power into her legs, pulling back to create distance between them.

Number Three lowered his injured hand, the muscles in his palm twisting bizarrely as his body’s injuries regenerated.

“True.”

Number Three moved, and Akuma instantly lost sight of him.

The next moment she became aware, her throat was already seized in his grip, her feet lifted from the ground.

Akuma was held aloft, unable to move.

“Your moves are still the same, easily seen through.”

Constant training, constant failure—each time, Number Three, standing impassively, was the last image she saw before losing consciousness.

She had never won. ‘Ah… indeed, am I truly too weak?’

‘As he said, do emotions make one weak? But…’

‘What was my reason for wanting to become stronger in the first place?’

The answer was now clear. ‘Yes…’

A smile bloomed on Akuma’s face as she was held high—a smile devoid of confusion, a smile of unwavering resolve.

‘It is precisely because I have emotions that I want to become stronger, to protect, to break free from my own destiny!’

Blue light danced around her. Like dandelions carried by the wind, the blue light condensed, summoning a fierce gale.

“This is…”

There was no longer any room for doubt. Even if it made her weaker, it didn’t matter, as long as she worked harder to grow stronger.

Even if it hurt others, or herself, it didn’t matter, as long as she worked harder to mend what was broken.

‘Sorry, but I won’t walk the same path as you.’

‘Because…’

“I haven’t seen the ocean yet!”

Around Akuma, who was still held aloft, blue particles suddenly exploded.

The powerful storm unleashed a shockwave, causing Number Three to involuntarily release his grip and retreat several steps.

In his gray eyes, he saw Akuma at the heart of the blue tempest.

Her long, beautiful hair whipped wildly in the gale, creating a chaotic beauty. She stood like a general on a true battlefield, her eyes burning with soaring fighting spirit.

‘My apologies, Instructor Xiluo Ya… I’ll have to borrow your technique for a moment.’

High-speed rotating blue particles rapidly condensed, and behind Akuma, the nascent form of a dragon materialized.

“This is… what?”

In Number Three’s eyes, a rare expression of disbelief appeared.

The blue giant dragon soared into the sky, bringing with it an earth-shattering momentum. Its massive leathery wings utterly destroyed the surrounding trees as it ascended.

“Go…”

Having fully unleashed the technique, Akuma collapsed weakly to the ground, her magical energy completely depleted.

The dragon roared in the sky, then folded its wings and dove towards Number Three on the ground.

Finally, the dragon struck the earth. Like a deep-sea bomb dropped into the ocean, its formless magical essence swirled wildly, each surge leaving blade-like wounds on Number Three’s body.

“This is the end.”

Akuma forced a smile, for this was the first time she had ever defeated him, defeated the nightmare of her childhood.

When the giant dragon completely dissipated, a massive crater appeared in the ground. Number Three lay still within it, surrounded by a pool of blood.

He could no longer stand. Both his meridians and physical body were damaged beyond his capacity to heal, his magical reserves only enough to prevent him from dying easily.

Akuma regulated her breathing, then shakily stood up.

She walked to the edge of the crater. Number Three watched her silently, then his throat moved slightly, squeezing faint words from his injured vocal cords.

“You couldn’t kill me. Do you know what that means?”

“Mm… I know. From now on… the Puppets will constantly be searching for my location, won’t they?”

Akuma smiled, tidying her clothes, trying to smooth them out.

‘The path ahead, I still can’t drop my disguise. This is good, it won’t drag them into my struggles.’

The small girl made this resolve in her heart.

‘I’m still not strong enough, far from it.’

“I won’t report it.”

Number Three, still in the crater, shifted his gaze upwards. With no trees to obstruct it, the twilight sky filled his vision.

Akuma was somewhat surprised.

“I will wait for the day you return to the Puppets yourself. This time, consider it my mission failed.”

Akuma frowned slightly, looking at Number Three in the crater, then walked away from its edge.

The sound of her footsteps gradually faded, leaving him alone in the forest.

“Damn it… now I don’t even have enough magic to restore my disguise.”

The last thing Number Three heard was her slightly panicked voice.

He tremblingly moved his arm, shifting it away from the pendant on his chest.

The sky, colored by the twilight, held an indescribable sentiment, he thought.

Night soon fell.

Akuma stood up from the tree she had been leaning against, finally having recovered a little magical energy.

With a flash of faint green light, her disguise was donned once more.

He walked out of the forest. It was a night of shimmering stars, incredibly beautiful.

But Akuma had no time to appreciate it.

He walked forward numbly and exhaustedly, spotting the town’s entrance. The large characters spelling out ‘Yacaro Town’ came into view.

He finally collapsed, his consciousness slowly fading… yet he didn’t fall to the ground. Something warm, something warm approached him.

Under the bright moonlight, a man in black caught him. Mo Ya calmly looked at the unconscious Akuma, then turned his gaze to the sky.

“You certainly caused quite a commotion.”

And…

“Get some good rest.”