WebNovels

Chapter 9 - The Taste of Betrayal…

"Let me teach you how to catch fish."

⸻

Ryuk frowned, slightly irritated.

"…I'll manage it myself."

Sky smirked.

"I don't think so. You don't have the patience for it."

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Ryuk narrowed his eyes.

"Wait… didn't you say you're an abandoned warrior?"

Sky nodded casually.

"Correct."

"…then why didn't you attack me?"

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Sky chuckled.

"Because I didn't feel like it."

"…if I did, you'd be dead by now."

⸻

Ryuk's expression turned serious.

"My name is Ryuk."

"I challenge you to a battle. Right now."

⸻

Sky laughed lightly, waving his hand.

"Relax."

"Fighting right now won't give us anything."

"…we can kill each other later."

"First—let's eat."

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Ryuk paused… then sighed.

"…fair enough. I'm hungry anyway."

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Sky grinned.

"Good."

"And don't worry… you're my opponent, not my enemy."

⸻

He turned and walked toward the river.

"Come. I'll teach you properly."

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RIVER — EVENING

Sky stepped into the shallow water.

"This isn't hard," he said calmly.

"You just lack patience… and control."

⸻

He slowly crouched.

"Watch carefully."

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Sky placed his hand into the flowing water…

Closed his eyes…

And went completely still.

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"…feel the flow," he whispered.

"…don't chase the fish… let it come to you."

⸻

A slight disturbance.

A ripple.

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SNAP—

He grabbed a fish instantly.

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Sky smiled.

"See?"

"Your turn."

⸻

Ryuk stepped forward.

"…fine."

⸻

He copied the same steps.

Hand in water.

Eyes closed.

Focus…

⸻

Movement—

He grabbed—

Missed.

⸻

"Damn it."

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Sky smirked.

"Too impatient."

"Try again."

⸻

Ryuk clenched his jaw.

Focused again.

⸻

This time—

He waited.

Longer.

⸻

Movement—

SNAP—

⸻

"…got it."

⸻

He lifted a bigger fish.

Sky smiled, impressed.

"Not bad."

⸻

Time passed.

More fish.

More attempts.

⸻

Slowly—

Ryuk improved.

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NIGHT — CAMP

A small fire burned.

Fish roasting.

Waterfall echoing in the background.

⸻

For the first time—

Ryuk was relaxed.

Laughing.

Talking.

⸻

"Wait, I'll be back," Ryuk said.

"Don't eat everything."

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Sky chuckled.

"Just hurry up."

⸻

A few minutes later…

⸻

Ryuk returned.

"…damn, that was good."

"Didn't expect this to taste this good."

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Sky nodded.

"Simple food tastes the best when you earn it."

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Ryuk looked at him.

"…so tell me."

"Do you live here?"

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Sky stared at the sky.

"…yeah."

"For a long time now."

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Ryuk hesitated.

"…you said you were abandoned."

"…what happened?"

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Sky went silent.

Half-moon glowing above.

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"They called it a sin…"

"…I called it saving a life."

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Ryuk frowned.

"…what?"

⸻

Sky closed his eyes.

"…nothing."

⸻

Sky's Past

Sky once belonged to a legendary warrior clan.

A clan with one absolute rule—

"Never interfere with fate."

They were trained to watch.

To observe.

But never to act.

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One day—

Sky was given a mission.

Just observe.

Nothing more.

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But what he saw…

broke him.

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A village—

Burning.

Screams everywhere.

A child—

about to die.

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For the first time—

Sky disobeyed.

⸻

He stepped in.

He fought.

He saved them.

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And in doing so—

He broke the clan's sacred law.

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When he returned…

There was no gratitude.

No understanding.

⸻

Only judgment.

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"You chose emotions over order."

"You interfered with fate."

"You are no longer one of us."

⸻

They didn't kill him.

They didn't forgive him.

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They erased him.

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From that day—

He became…

Sky, the Abandoned Warrior.

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BACK TO PRESENT

"…Sky?"

"…where did you go?"

⸻

Sky opened his eyes.

"…nowhere."

"Just old memories."

⸻

Ryuk looked at him silently.

"…maybe he doesn't want to talk about it…"

⸻

LATER — NIGHT

The wind turned colder.

The atmosphere shifted.

⸻

GRRRRRRRRRRR—

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The ground trembled.

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Ryuk instantly stood up.

"…you heard that?"

⸻

Sky closed his eyes.

"…yeah."

"…that's not normal."

⸻

Bushes shook violently.

Heavy footsteps.

Closer.

Closer.

⸻

Then—

It appeared.

⸻

A massive bear.

But…

Something was wrong.

⸻

Its eyes glowed unnaturally.

Its body was covered in scars.

Its presence—

Overwhelming.

⸻

Ryuk pulled out Wrathreaver.

The blade pulsed red.

"…finally."

⸻

Sky stepped forward calmly.

Twin blades in hand.

"…don't rush."

"…observe first."

⸻

BATTLE

ROARRRR—!!

The bear charged.

⸻

"COME—!!"

⸻

BOOM—!!

Clash.

Shockwave exploded outward.

Ryuk slid back.

"…heavy…"

⸻

WHOOSH—

Sky vanished.

Afterimage.

⸻

SLASH—!!

Blood sprayed.

⸻

"NOW—!!"

⸻

Ryuk attacked.

CRASH—!!

Heavy strike.

⸻

"…it's not going down…"

⸻

Sky spoke calmly—

"…aim the weak points."

"Neck. Joints. Eyes."

⸻

The fight turned brutal.

⸻

Sky moved like wind.

Ryuk endured like a wall.

⸻

Perfect contrast.

⸻

Dust filled the air.

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"…I'll distract it."

"…you finish it."

⸻

Sky disappeared again.

Multiple slashes.

Fast.

Precise.

⸻

The bear lost focus.

⸻

"…now."

⸻

Ryuk's eyes sharpened.

Wrathreaver roared with energy.

⸻

He dashed forward—

Leaped—

⸻

"RRRAAAAAHHHH—!!"

⸻

SLASH—!!

Deep cut.

⸻

The bear staggered.

But didn't fall.

⸻

Final attack—

Too fast—

⸻

"RYUK—!!"

⸻

WHOOSH—

Sky intercepted.

⸻

"…finish it."

⸻

Ryuk stepped forward.

Slow.

Cold.

⸻

"…don't tell me what to do."

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Then—

Burst of speed.

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FINAL SLASH—!!

⸻

Silence.

⸻

The bear collapsed.

…dead.

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AFTERMATH

Heavy breathing.

Waterfall echo returned.

⸻

"…that was insane…"

⸻

Sky cleaned his blades.

"…you rely too much on rage."

"…but your timing wasn't bad."

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Ryuk smirked.

"…I'll take that as a compliment."

⸻

Wind blew softly.

⸻

But something felt…

off.

⸻

[DON'T TRUST ANYONE HERE]

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"…wow."

"Thanks for the late warning."

⸻

Suddenly—

His vision blurred.

⸻

"…what the…"

⸻

His body staggered.

Balance lost.

⸻

Sky looked at him.

"…something wrong?"

⸻

"I'm… not feeling…"

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Ryuk collapsed to one knee.

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Sky smiled.

Slow.

Cold.

Different.

⸻

"…finally."

"…looks like the poison is kicking in."

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Ryuk's eyes widened.

"…you… bastard…"

"…why…?"

⸻

Sky crouched beside him.

"…you'll find out soon enough."

"…for now… just sleep."

⸻

Darkness.

⸻

Ryuk collapsed.

⸻

Blurred vision—

Dragging sensation—

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Last thing he saw—

Sky…

pulling him by the leg…

into the darkness.

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To Be Continued…

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