# Chapter 9: The Memo
# Chapter 9: The Memo
The fight dragged on well into the night.
Chia was weaker than usual today, taking hits from attacks he'd normally shrug off without a scratch — but even so, he pushed himself to finish the job, relying on nothing but the raw strength that had earned him the title of world's #2.
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Chia had cornered a demonkin that had been silently eating away at the city, unnoticed by anyone.
His whole body was covered in wounds, but his eyes still burned with the same cold, sharp light.
**Demonkin**
"Guh... you... how do you have that kind of power...!!!"
**Chia**
"...Shut it. My job is to kill you. That's reason enough for you to disappear."
Right before he unleashed the spell, Chia was wracked by a violent coughing fit.
**">>>> Winds Eyre <<<<"**
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The battle over, Chia dragged his beaten, ragged body home.
The living room lights were off, but on the table sat a plastic-wrapped dinner and a note, both left behind by Akebi.
"...Hmph. Cold cabbage rolls. ...Not bad."
Chia sank into a chair like every last ounce of strength had left him — and in doing so, a small memo slipped out of his pocket and fluttered to the floor, unnoticed.
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**The Next Morning**
Akebi was up first, as usual.
While getting ready to vacuum, he spotted a folded piece of paper lying under Chia's chair and picked it up.
"Huh? Did Chia forget something again...? 'Focus all your mana into a single target... Dia... Moze...?'"
The instant Akebi spoke that name aloud, the temperature of the living room seemed to drop, if only by a few degrees.
Just then, Enaga wandered in, hair still a mess from sleep, Kuromame perched on her shoulder.
"Akebi, what are you staring at...
*(she glances at the memo)*
...!? Where did you get that!!"
"Huh, oh, Enaga! It was under Chia's chair. Is it, like, a recipe or something?"
"This... Master taught me this once...
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It's a forbidden killing spell. Built specifically to be used against me."
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Drawn by the noise, Chia stepped out of the back room. The instant he saw what Akebi was holding, every trace of color drained from his face, and his heart began pounding harder than it ever had before.
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"Ah... the demon had that on it. That's all."
"Whoa, that scared me for a sec, lol!"
Both Akebi and Enaga seemed relieved... and yet, somewhere underneath, a quiet unease lingered.
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**Author's Note:** Bit late again! lol
o/
