Stronger and more ruthless enemies awaited them in the Central and Western Cities. Yamile, together with Tora and Zhao, had to be ready to face them—for the sake of a peaceful Earth, free from the terror of cursed demons. Their parents' trust had to be repaid with peace.
Now the three were preparing. Tora went to the forest near Sora's base to retrieve the car he had left behind. Meanwhile, Zhao gathered various weapons—grenades, a sniper rifle, and pistols. Naturally, he never left his black sword behind.
As for Yamile, she chose to pamper herself in a bathtub. Warm water submerged her body, making her feel so comfortable she wanted to stay there forever.
"This feels so good; I haven't bathed like this in a long time," she whispered, enjoying the warmth.
As her mind settled into tranquility, Yamile suddenly sensed Niroki's presence. Within her, Niroki too was relaxing, feeling comforted by the warm bath.
"So, you're enjoying the moment too?" Yamile asked.
"Of course! You should do this more often," Niroki replied.
In the midst of this comfort, Yamile began to play with her powers. She created a small water dragon that swirled above her head—majestic and elegant. Then, she created a shark of the same size. The two water creatures began to battle, serving as amusing entertainment for Yamile.
"I wonder what kind of creature I should summon for my next battle," she mused, deep in thought.
As Yamile enjoyed her watery playtime, a knock suddenly came from the bathroom door.
"Yamile, hurry! Tora's here—we can leave soon," Zhao shouted from outside.
Yamile let out an annoyed sigh. "Yeah, yeah!" she yelled back.
"Why do guys hate it when girls take a little time to pamper themselves?" she muttered irritably.
Eventually, Yamile stood up from the tub, water dripping from her body as she reached for a towel and began to dry herself. Her face looked refreshed, though her expression showed she was once again aware of the dangers ahead.
After getting dressed, Yamile exited the bathroom. In the main room, Zhao was already waiting, leaning against the wall in his battle gear—sniper rifle in hand and his black sword strapped to his back.
"Smell nice now?" Zhao teased with a crooked smile.
Yamile gave him a faint smirk. "At least I don't reek of gunpowder like you."
The two went upstairs, where Tora had parked his vehicle—a classic car riddled with scratches and battle scars.
Tora stood by the hood, checking the oil and cooling systems. When he saw Yamile approaching, he closed the hood and walked over.
"We're ready to go anytime. Are you both set?" He asked in a deep, serious tone.
"Yes!" Zhao replied firmly. Yamile nodded in agreement.
Without another word, the three of them entered the car. Tora took the wheel, Zhao sat in the passenger seat monitoring a digital map on a tablet, and Yamile took the back seat.
The journey to Central City wasn't simple. Sora's forces wreaked havoc on the main road. Everywhere, rubble and burnt-out vehicles littered the landscape. Eventually, Tora veered off onto a secondary route that wound through a quiet mountain road and weaved through the forest.
It was a long trip. They had set out in the morning but didn't reach the outskirts of Central City until sunset. From a distance, they could finally see the city's gate—confirmation that they were close.
Suddenly, Tora pulled over to the roadside, about 500 meters from the gate.
"What's wrong?" Zhao asked.
"Zhao, can you scope out the gate?" Tora asked.
Without another word, Zhao exited the car and retrieved his sniper rifle from the trunk. He got into position to observe the gate. Through the scope, he clearly saw two men standing guard.
"Tora! There are two men guarding the gate. Anyone who approaches is stopped and searched thoroughly," Zhao reported.
"Can you take them out?" asked Tora.
"Piece of cake," Zhao replied confidently.
Zhao immediately took aim—both men's heads now within his sights.
In an instant, PHIWW!—a nearly silent shot fired. One of the guards collapsed, a bullet having pierced his skull. The other, shocked, prepared to fight—but within five seconds, he too was dead.
"Mission complete," Zhao said cheerfully. He reentered the car, ready to move on.
Tora restarted the engine—the roar signaling a new chapter had begun. They proceeded cautiously toward the gate. As they passed the two fallen guards, Yamile glanced out the window. "Stop the car!" she said.
She extended her hand toward the corpses. In an instant, water rose from the earth, forming bubbles around the bodies. Then she clenched her fist and gestured downward. The corpses vanished—swallowed into the ground.
"Done. No one will suspect a thing now. Let's move," said Yamile.
Tora and Zhao could only watch in awe. They exchanged a glance—one filled with silent fear of Yamile's growing power.
They fell silent as Tora drove into Central City. The city looked nothing like the Eastern City—no slums, everything was neat and modern.
Yamile, Tora, and Zhao were certain this place was under demonic control, yet it looked peaceful. Despite the nightfall, people were still out and about. They displayed no signs of fear.
Their first impression of Central City was filled with doubt. Neon lights lit up the streets, stores remained open, and children played in the park. It was as if there had never been any war or demonic terror here.
"Could we be in the wrong place?" Tora muttered, eyes scanning their surroundings, hands still tight on the wheel.
"No," Yamile shook her head gently.
"This must be an illusion—or some kind of demonic power," she said, starting to sense a strange vibration in the air. Niroki stirred uneasily within her.
"I smell darkness," Niroki whispered. "Something in the city center is controlling all of this."
Tora drove deeper into the city, following the signal on Zhao's digital map. They stopped at a large square, where a giant statue stood, glowing red. The statue was a crucifix—with a human skull mounted at the top.
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