“Don’t worry about it. Keep your eyes on him instead.”
As Leia looks at her shoulder with a shocked expression, Rourke reassures her that it’s fine and directs her gaze toward Haunted.
“Oh my, you… I see. That person must’ve been too much of a hassle and let you go.”
Haunted slowly walks closer, his eyes shifting toward Leia.
“I actually wanted to face him one-on-one… but oh well.”
“…!”
Leia shivers slightly as Haunted glances at her, and he smiles at her reaction.
“Stay calm. I’m here now. It’s okay.”
“Y-yes.”
Rourke taps Leia’s shoulder to calm her down as she seems on the verge of being overwhelmed by Haunted’s presence. He then adjusts his grip on his sword.
“Leia, just like the sensei said, I’ll need your support.”
“But, Senpai…”
“I already told you, the wound is fine. I’m getting used to it.”
Leia still looks worried, but she eventually nods and positions her Salamander behind her.
“Well, shall we call this the second round?”
“What are you talking about? This is the final round.”
As their strategy meeting ends, Haunted asks, and Rourke responds before charging at him.
“Your confidence is impressive.”
Haunted mocks them as he swings his sword.
Rourke dodges the first thrust by tilting his head and blocks the second diagonal slash using his sword as a shield. Haunted follows up with a strike aimed at Rourke’s neck as his stance falters slightly.
“Tch!”
Rourke quickly ducks to avoid the blow and counters with a leg sweep, trying to destabilize Haunted.
“Whoa!”
But Haunted nimbly jumps back, dodging the sweep. As Rourke tries to close the distance again, a massive fireball suddenly fills his vision.
“Salamander!”
“Blinding, isn’t it?!”
Haunted slices the fireball in half with a single slash, only to find five golems the size of humans charging at him from behind, followed closely by Rourke with his sword ready.
“Pathetic lumps of dirt like these won’t even work as distractions!”
Haunted destroys the first two golems in an instant and ignores the next three, slipping past them to thrust his sword into Rourke’s shoulder.
“Huh?”
Feeling something off, Haunted frowns. At the same time, the three golems behind him crumble, and Rourke emerges from the debris.
“Whoa?!”
“Too slow!”
Ignoring the mud-like Rourke in front of him, Haunted turns around to face the real Rourke, but his movement is slightly delayed, and he takes a punch to the face.
“Guh?!”
“Leia!”
“Yes!”
Rourke, having knocked Haunted back, grabs his sword and immediately gives Leia the signal to follow up.
Responding to Leia’s call, the Salamander gathers spiritual energy from above and unleashes a torrent of flames toward Haunted, who’s now lying on the ground.
Haunted’s figure is engulfed in the inferno raining from the sky. If this were any ordinary spirit master, one might worry about their life, but given who they’re facing, there’s no room for carelessness.
“Hahaha!!”
As expected, within moments, laughter echoes from the sea of flames, and the fire dissipates, revealing Haunted, still brimming with energy and wearing a crazed smile.
“That person… what’s even going on with him…?”
“No idea. But one thing’s for sure—he’s not normal.”
Leia looks utterly dumbfounded, and Rourke sighs in exasperation as he mutters in response.
Haunted’s high spirits might be deceiving, but it’s unlikely that their attacks have had no effect. Whether it’s his immense stamina or incredible recovery, though…
“Ever ssince I was in the academy, I’ve thought you had impressive firepower.”
“…………”
Leia shows no sign of joy at Haunted’s praise. If anything, she feels irritated. Of course—it feels like he’s mocking them, acting as if their attacks have had no effect.
“As for you, Rourke-kun. I’m disappointed.”
“Huh? About what?”
Rourke asks, annoyed at being both expected of and disappointed by Haunted.
“I thought I’d get to see you go all out, but all you’ve been using are these annoying little tricks. I wouldn’t say they’re boring, but I’m starting to get tired of them.”
“…………”
Those “little tricks” are all I’ve got, Rourke thinks but holds back from saying it aloud. He doesn’t know what information has leaked, but Haunted seems to have overestimated him.
“At this rate, you’re not strong enough to join us.”
“I never planned to in the first place…”
Rourke can’t help but retort as Haunted mutters in disappointment.
Why is the conversation proceeding as if joining them is a given? He has absolutely no intention of joining a criminal organization.
“Come on, you can’t say you’re not interested at all, right?”
“………”
Rourke remains silent, neither confirming nor denying Haunted’s words. Encouraged, Haunted continues with a gesture.
“Haha, I get it. You’re wondering how we’ve managed to form contracts with evil spirits, aren’t you?”
“Evil spirits?”
“That eerie sword spirit, right?”
“Huh?”
Leia murmurs in surprise at Rourke’s words.
Rourke had suspected it since the first attack but was only half-convinced. Haunted’s words finally confirm it.
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“Good eye. I thought I was being careful to suppress its presence.”
“You unleashed a massive technique when we first met at the academy. What are you talking about?”
During that attack, Rourke sensed a spiritual energy similar to the evil spirit he fought in the ruins. While he wasn’t certain, he had a strong suspicion.
“I didn’t plan to go that far back then. I just got carried away and used it.”
“That’s impossible! Forming a contract with an evil spirit is—”
“Am I some kind of illusion, then?”
Haunted cuts Leia off and swings his sword. The blade glows crimson, and a wave of ominous spiritual energy surges toward them.
“Ugh, this feels disgusting…”
“…!”
Rourke steps forward and disperses the wave with a slash, but the bloodthirsty, malevolent energy still grazes their skin, causing both Rourke and Leia to grimace.
“So, are you convinced now?”
“But even if that’s the case, there’s no way you could maintain your sanity after contracting with an evil spirit!”
“I’m tired of hearing that. You’re looking at someone who’s done it right now.”
Haunted sighs with a look of exasperation and shows them the spirit mark on the back of his right hand—a red sword pattern.
Faced with such undeniable evidence, Leia falls silent, unable to argue.
“Besides, you both know at least one exception, don’t you?”
“An exception?”
“…Ivan Kruger.”
Rourke quietly mutters the name in response to Haunted’s words.
The legendary spirit master who is said to have commanded seventy-two evil spirits and instigated the Evil Spirit War. In history, he’s the only spirit master with a clear record of contracting and controlling evil spirits.
“Exactly. The legendary spirit master who even commanded the Four Fiends and our great ancestor, Ivan Kruger. Surely you’ve heard of him? Or have schools stopped teaching even that these days?”
“……..Are you saying you’re his successor or something?”
“Me? A successor? That’s too lofty. Unfortunately, my abilities are nowhere near his.”
“That’s a relief. If you’d said you’d contracted with seventy-two evil spirits, I’d have wet myself.”
Though, being able to contract with even one evil spirit is already terrifying.
And now that it’s clear they can contract with evil spirits, their purpose for coming to this seal becomes obvious.
“…Is your goal to break the seal and contract with Aži Dahāka?”
“Well, eventually. But that’s not our goal this time.”
“…Not this time?”
“I actually wanted to test your strength a bit more before this… but oh well.”
As Rourke furrows his brow in confusion, Haunted smiles eerily and extends his hand.
“So, what do you say, Rourke Areas? Why not join us?”
“…Huh?”
Rourke’s eyes widen in shock at the unexpected offer. What is this guy saying?
“…What kind of joke is this?”
“It’s no joke. I’m being serious.”
“Even harder to understand now.”
Why would they invite someone like him, a mere dropout? Whether they’re influenced by rumors or not, they clearly lack judgment.
“So, what’s your answer?”
“Do you think I’d accept?”
Rourke responds immediately with a look that says the idea is ridiculous, while Leia silently watches the exchange.
“Why refuse? You’re just like us, aren’t you?”
“How could I be like you…? First of all, I’m not the kind of spirit master you think I am.”
What exactly does Haunted mean? Is he referring to something mental, or physical? Either way, there’s no way they’re the same.
I have no interest in reviving the Four Fiends, and I’ve never even contracted with a spirit, let alone an evil one. There’s no way I’m like you…
Rourke thinks to himself as he retorts, feeling a pang of sadness as he speaks.
“…Hmm, so you’re unaware.”
Hearing Rourke’s self-deprecation, Haunted rests his chin on his hand, narrowing his eyes with a puzzled expression.
“What are you talking about? What do you know about me?!”
Thump, thump. His pulse quickened. Rourke was visibly shaken by Haunted’s words and actions, which seemed to understand him all too well. He shouted in frustration.
“What do you mean by ‘the same’!?”
“…Well, fine. If you can’t agree, then there’s nothing I can do.”
But Haunted ignored Rourke’s words. With a flick of his wrist, he spun the sword in his right hand like a pencil and let out an annoyed sigh.
His body went unnaturally limp, and the oppressive aura surrounding him vanished.
The area was enveloped in an eerie silence and tension. Thump, thump. Rourke could feel his own heartbeat pounding so loudly it was almost unbearable.
“…Shall I just take you by force?”
“Huh!?”
Before Rourke realized it, the crimson blade was already at his throat.
Haunted had approached so naturally that Rourke, already flustered, noticed too late.
Damn it!
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