Surviving the Death Hunt

A lone figure occupied the field’s center, surrounded by knee-high flowers. The great scarlet moon hung low at its back, the positioning creating a powerful silhouette, as though the figure shouldered the moon itself.

Massive butterfly wings spread behind him, deep purple and scattered with points of light like stars, almost cosmic in appearance.

A long dark coat draped over him, lending a sleek, warrior-like appearance. Two bright swords hung loosely in his hands, one on each side, glowing pale white with magical energy.

The figure appeared almost human. From a distance, anyone would mistake it for one.

It had long, dark hair and a black circlet on its brow. But the face was what set it apart. Instead of visible facial features, a glowing pink cherry blossom replaced where the face should be.

The cherry blossom emitted gentle radiance, glowing particles drifting away in a constant stream. The dark hair provided contrast to the luminous bloom, while faint purple energy encircled the shoulders, visually connecting to the galaxy-patterned wings.

The presence of Theo, Ally of Mankind, filled everyone with profound peace, stripping away all violent intent. Yet a few stubborn individuals fought against this enforced calm. That was exactly why it had drawn its swords.

Upon awakening, the first sight was the Gate God, positioning itself defensively to shield its master. V was locked in combat within some kind of aerial prison.

But Theo didn’t address those matters first. The vulnerable needed protection, those incapable of defending themselves had to be moved to safety. Its purpose wasn’t just vanquishing evil but preserving humanity itself.

To its left was Haven’s body, blanketed in its flowers. The gentle blooms had already fulfilled their purpose. They had laid her to rest.

Its movement was impossible to perceive. One moment, Theo stood in place, the next, it had materialized beside Haven’s body. Whether it moved or teleported, no one could say.

It gathered Haven into its arms and surveyed the area, seeking someone trustworthy to protect her. In the distance, battling the possessed, it spotted Amber alongside her counterpart, Valentine.

Neither Amber nor Valentine realized it, but the next thing they knew, Haven’s body was right beside them, lost in a tranquil sleep that put a smile on her face.

The arena, if it could still be called that, with all three structures barely standing, witnessed the forgotten god’s growing impatience at Theo’s composure.

But something else troubled the Gate God more: an instinct deep within that marked them as mortal enemies.

Theo watched the forgotten god grow agitated, letting out roars that trembled the ground, but Theo felt nothing but pity. It couldn’t comprehend how a creature could live with such anger and hatred in its heart.

Still, Theo understood the real threat was V. Kill V, and this nightmare would end, and humanity could survive. But with the Gate God protecting him, that was impossible.

But it didn’t matter. Theo was the Ally of Mankind, and it would ensure humanity survived.

Suddenly...

As if by telepathic agreement, Theo and the Gate God rushed toward each other at impossible speed. The forgotten god’s malice was so potent that it withered every flower it passed. When they collided, the impact sent tremors through the ground.

Despite its adaptive powers and the ability to heal from all attacks after experiencing it once, the Gate God frantically dodged Theo’s swords. Every instinct it possessed warned that those blades were different.

For the first time across all its earthly summonings, the forgotten god had no choice but to employ its sigil-like golden halo.

The sigil lifted from its head and coiled around its wrists and ankles. Its strength and speed increased so dramatically that it could move through empty air. All to avoid those terrible blades.

The Gate God’s terror made sense to Theo. Its blades purified whatever they touched. If one struck the forgotten god, it would lose all violent impulses permanently, unable to harm or kill ever again.

The effect would differ for humans, however. No human psyche could withstand such absolute serenity and survive.

That wasn’t Theo’s objective at the moment, though. After the forgotten god employed its sigil, their speeds equalized. With reflexes doubled, it now dodged as if predicting Theo’s strikes before they were even thrown.

Prolonging this fight meant no humans would survive to see Theo confront V. Therefore, Theo’s priority was keeping the Gate God distracted.

The Gate God couldn’t be considered a Catastrophe-level threat because even though it was theoretically immortal, there were a few God Killers that could pose a threat to it.

And as a Nightwalker, sunrise would end its manifestation if the task went unfinished. Though capable of human extinction, it simply needed more time than night allowed.

That was precisely what Theo wanted. It just needed to stall until sunrise.

This attitude was what made people wonder if Theo truly deserved to be classified as a Catastrophe-level threat. It had the power to wipe out mankind, yet whenever it fought, it held itself back.

Its goal was protecting humans, not ending them. That made the threat theoretical, a potential Catastrophe, though no one disputed its power.

No one could track their battle. They were so fast that only blurred afterimages and the harsh sounds of clashing blows marked their locations.

Before long, the landscape was flattened. The proud academy with its massive arenas that once held thousands, all of it reduced to rubble. Yet even that didn’t stop the god-like beings from fighting.

Theo wasn’t enjoying this like the Gate God seemed to be. They’d yet to land blows on each other, but the forgotten god didn’t threaten Theo at all. Honestly, it felt like facing a gifted pupil rather than a true opponent.

The destruction continued so long that eventually only those imprisoned in the aerial confinement and three humans hiding in the shadows remained. Everyone else, enemy or ally, had fled. The battle’s collateral damage would have killed them instantly.

Suddenly, everything abruptly came to a halt.

Theo simply stood there, swords lowered, with no intention of fighting further. The Gate God wanted to continue, that was obvious, but the approaching sunrise meant its time had run out.

A hollow, dark gate manifested behind the Gate God. Just like that, its childish nature returned, making it hard to believe this was the same being that had battled so ferociously moments before.

With clear reluctance, it passed through the gate, craning its neck around curiously until the gate and god alike disappeared.

The moment the gate closed, Theo looked up at V. Watching the desperate, angry souls that surrounded him, Theo couldn’t help its immediate disgust.

Those tortured souls craved rest, and Theo intended to deliver it.

But the souls weren’t Theo’s main concern. The dark energy emanating from V was. Theo could sense it immediately. V wielded the Will of the Underworld. That complicated matters significantly. This fight would be harder than expected.

As it stood watching, Theo glimpsed movement at the edge of its vision: a lone human in black uniform, limping forward on an injured leg, and smiling gently despite relying on a stick to stay upright.

Theo was amazed. It couldn’t help but admire this human’s courage. Not only was this terrain currently the most dangerous place in the human domain, but she walked through it with a smile.

What amazed Theo more was her approach, calm and unafraid. She whispered a few words in its ear, then, without waiting for acknowledgment, limped away the same way she’d arrived.

The woman’s identity remained unknown to Theo. Just moments ago, it had hesitated over what to do about V. Now, it felt relieved knowing there was a safe solution after all.

She’d given Theo information it hadn’t known despite its power, asking only payment in return, offering nothing about herself.