Silence… fell.
A suffocating, unnatural silence.
The man stood amidst the ruins, his lips curling into a mocking smirk as he stared at Butterfly.
“Just you people… dare to stand in my way?”
Butterfly didn’t answer.
She stood still.
Her head slightly lowered.
One second.
Two seconds.
No one knew what she was thinking.
The man sneered.
“What? Cat got your tongue? I thought you had some courage—”
“…What did you just say?”
Her voice was soft.
Too soft.
Yet— cold enough to freeze the air.
The man paused.
For a brief moment— a strange unease crept into his heart.
“I said—”
WHOOSH!!!
The space distorted.
No one saw her move.
In the blink of an eye—
Butterfly vanished.
And reappeared…
right behind him.
A gentle wind passed.
Her hair fluttered slightly.
Her eyes…
were empty.
Devoid of all emotion.
“You…”
“…shouldn’t have provoked me.”
BOOM!!!
A terrifying aura erupted.
This was not ordinary spiritual power.
Not cultivation energy.
This was— a bloodline awakening.
The ground beneath her cracked.
The air trembled violently.
Even space itself seemed unstable.
The man’s pupils shrank.
“This… this is impossible…!”
His body trembled uncontrollably.
His instincts screamed— absolute danger.
Butterfly slowly raised her hand.
Calm.
Unhurried.
As if— the man before her was already dead.
“Heavenly Profound…”
The space around her twisted.
Light bent.
Sound vanished.
SLASH—
No light.
No flashy effect.
Just— a single cut that tore through reality itself.
Before the man could react— a deep wound appeared across his chest.
Bone shattered.
Flesh split apart.
Blood burst out.
“Im… impossible…”
He staggered backward.
His legs gave out.
THUD!
He collapsed onto the ground.
His eyes filled with pure terror.
“W-what… are you…?”
Butterfly walked toward him.
Step by step.
Slow.
Steady.
The air grew heavier with each step.
“I gave you a chance.”
She stopped in front of him.
Looking down.
“But you…”
“…wasted it.”
Her hand rose again.
Space trembled once more.
One more strike— and he would die.
Without a doubt.
But then—
CRACK—!!!
The space behind him shattered.
A pitch-black rift tore open.
A gate of darkness.
A figure stepped out.
Dressed in black.
An unfathomable aura.
One eye… covered.
The moment he appeared— everything changed.
Butterfly’s movement stopped.
For the first time— her eyes flickered.
The man with one eye looked at her.
Just one glance.
Yet— the surrounding space seemed to freeze.
“…Interesting.”
His voice was low and cold.
He bent down.
Grabbing the injured man by the collar.
“S-save me…!”
The man begged desperately.
The one-eyed figure smiled faintly.
“You…”
“…have outlived your usefulness.”
CRACK!
In an instant—
Dead.
Just like that.
Butterfly attacked immediately.
SLASH!!!
A spatial tear shot forward.
But—
WHOOSH!
He disappeared.
The dark gate closed.
Only distorted space remained.
“…We will meet again.”
His voice echoed faintly.
Butterfly stood still.
Her hand still raised mid-strike.
After a moment— she lowered it.
Her gaze turned ice-cold.
“…Next time.”
“I will cut you down.”
The pressure faded.
The world returned to normal.
“Little Seven.”
Second Sister rushed forward.
She pulled Little Seven into her arms.
“Are you alright?”
Her voice trembled slightly—but she held herself together.
Little Seven didn’t cry.
He stood calmly.
His eyes steady.
“I’m fine.”
Second Sister tightened her embrace.
Just a little.
“…Good.”
She took a deep breath.
As if releasing all her fear.
“I made a promise.”
Her voice was firm.
Unshakable.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“My promise…”
“…will never be broken.”
Little Seven nodded.
Silent.
Elsewhere.
A dark space.
The man’s corpse lay motionless.
Cold.
The one-eyed figure stood nearby.
Quiet.
After a while— he turned around.
“The pawn…”
“…has served its purpose.”
A faint smile appeared.
“The stage…”
“…is set.”
Darkness swallowed everything.
~End~