In Zack's room, Orpheus sat in the chair by the hearth, surveying the space with disdain. Dust gathered in every corner; nothing had been cleaned or cared for. The only light came from the flickering flame, which cast its glow on Black Moon leaning against the wall.
Zack remained on the edge of his bed, bent over a large map spread across a small wooden table. With a metal marker, he traced routes and jotted down every detail of their plan.
"Is the boy settled?" Orpheus asked, his voice firm as iron.
"Yes…" Zack replied softly, his focus unwavering on the map.
"You're an idiot. He needs a father, not a general. Don't be a jerk!" Orpheus snapped, eyes flashing in the dim light.
Zack exhaled but did not look up. "Trust me. He doesn't need a father—nor does he need me."
Orpheus offered a bitter smile. "Of course. You're always right, boss. That's why we get along so well."
Zack began to resume his plotting: "Alright… now, changing—"
In a flash, Orpheus's fist struck Zack's cheek, sending him hurtling through the wall. Splinters and debris scattered as the setting sun bathed the wreckage in fiery orange.
Zack tumbled into the dust outside, blood streaming from his nose. He spat crimson onto the earth and stared up at the sky, the sun's last rays igniting the horizon.
Orpheus hovered above him, spinning like a dark butterfly. His robes billowed, and he drove his knee into Zack's back.
CRAAACK!!!
The crack reverberated through the neighborhood. Windows flew open in alarm. From the bar next door, hunters leaped to their feet—K, Alf, the Boy, and Pacho among them.
Orpheus pressed Zack face-down, raining blow after blow on his already injured face. Each strike flicked droplets of blood into the air, metal-on-bone echoes shattering the quiet.
The hunters surged forward, blades drawn and a fierce energy radiating from them.
"Stay out of this!" Zack roared, voice ragged with desperation.
Orpheus leaned in close, his whisper laced with contempt:
"Two years away, and you're still the same jerk. You swore you'd change… I'll beat that into you."
With a single push, Orpheus vaulted back and drew his katana, its blade glowing a hellish red.
"Get up! I'll give you an advantage." His voice carried unmistakably through the frantic room.
Zack hauled himself to his feet, spitting blood, eyes swollen but resolute.
K and the Boy exchanged worried glances.
"Orpheus, what are you doing?" K cried, equal parts disappointment and anger.
Orpheus fell silent, raising his katana skyward. From the blade, a crimson aura surged toward the heavens. The sunset's orange mingled with his power, setting the chamber aflame with forbidding light.
"TECHNIQUE LEVEL 1 – Scarlet Hound"
Orpheus raised his voice in a sharp whistle, as if summoning an ancient guardian. In an instant, the air thickened with a crimson heat: his energy spread in fiery spirals, painting the street with currents of feverish peace. Every breath that followed became soft and measured, as if the weight of tension had dissolved into embers.
All around, onlookers felt their hearts steady: fear gave way to an uncanny calm. The scarlet aura danced in the void, swirling into eddies of serenity and transforming the street into an unlikely haven—an oasis of warmth and stillness amid the chaos.
Zack's eyes widened as he understood the signal.
"My God…"
He thrust Black Moon skyward and bellowed:
"Come to me, Black Moon!"
His dark command echoed, and a veil of eldritch lightning blossomed around him like a nocturnal lotus. Ebony veins traced across his skin from the corners of his eyes down his arms. The Void's power fused with Orpheus's scarlet flame, birthing a living maelstrom.
A putrid, furious aura burst forth, wild and melancholic, spreading chaos through the air. Gradually, the people comprehended the horror: Zack unleashed the power of his Black Eyes, the Void itself pouring out in living fury. Eyes widened, hearts froze—for when the essence of darkness takes shape, nothing remains but fear.
"The walls of the surrounding houses trembled and the ground cracked; the hunters recoiled, stunned. The environment became a whirlwind of shadows and flames, the promise of an ancient storm."
He grinned—a feral, magnetic smile—ready to face whatever unknown lay ahead.
Zack and Orpheus stood face to face, their eyes blazing with hatred and anguish. The air thrummed with tension as the walls of the surrounding houses trembled and the ground fractured beneath the weight of their titanic clash.
Around them, sweating townsfolk watched in panic. K and the Boy kept their distance—they knew they could not intervene. This duel transcended any human power. Children's wails rose in unison, a piercing lament that gripped every heart, and a baby's cry echoed on, triggering fresh sobs among the frail.
In the blink of an eye, Zack and Orpheus raised their blades: Black Moon against the Scarlet Katana. In a swift blur, they became shadows in the whirlwind, delivering ferocious blows. Each strike scattered dark sparks and crimson flares too fast for the hunters to follow. Their only recourse was to raise human shields, protect homes, and stay alive.
For a heartbeat, steel pressed against steel—blade to blade. Zack smiled, and Orpheus returned the grin with bitter satisfaction.
"You fight clean… always fair. That's why you will die young," Orpheus taunted.
"You never learn…" Zack began, but Orpheus didn't wait. He stamped the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust that blinded Zack for an instant.
Seizing the moment, Orpheus delivered a brutal kick to Zack's stomach. Bones cracked as he flew backward, spewing blood and sending fissures racing through the earth beneath him.
Before Zack could recover, Orpheus vanished and reappeared at his side. Leaping high, he shouted:
"Technique Level 2 – Ascending Coyote!"
A roar of amber energy burst from the Scarlet Katana, flooding the street with chaos and disorientation. Zack's senses betrayed him—sight blurred, sounds melded into a deafening roar.
Then Orpheus struck downward, driving his blade into Zack's chest and pinning him to the ground. With a second, devastating blow, he drove his knee into Zack's skull, grinding it deeper into the earth.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
Orpheus hovered over him, merciless. He was determined, at any cost, to teach his old friend a lesson. But why?
Zack's scream of agony mingled with the distant hiss of the mist. The street, now a battleground of shadow and fevered light, awaited the next move in this stunning duel of allies turned adversaries.