謎の影
Ryu and Lyra, exhausted, could only watch from afar as the large man, despite his severe injuries with a mangled face and missing arm, stood back up with a sinister smile on his face.
"You think this is over?" he said hoarsely, blood still flowing from his wounds. "I will return, stronger than ever. And when I do, you will have nowhere to hide."
However, before the man could move any further, a strange, large shadow appeared behind him. Its shape was so abstract, like dark mist mixed with streaks of light that moved wildly. The air around them suddenly became heavy, and a strange energy felt like it was piercing the soul.
"What is that...?" Lyra whispered, her voice shaking with fear.
The shadow seemed alive, emitting a sound like a roar from another dimension. The man turned, his face changing from one of vengeance to one of utter terror. "No... wait! Don't do this!"
Before he could fight back or flee, the shadow reached out its "hand"—a tentacle of dark mist that seemed to be made of nothingness. The tentacles wrapped around the man's body, and in an instant, his body began to dry up, as if all his essence was absorbed by the shadow.
"Please... don't..." were the man's last words before his body completely disappeared, becoming dust that scattered in the air.
The large shadow stared at Ryu and Lyra for a moment. Even though it had no face, both of them could feel its gaze—a cold, heartless gaze that pierced right through to the soul.
Ryu immediately raised his hand, preparing to use magic to protect Lyra. However, before he could do anything, the shadow suddenly vanished without a trace, leaving behind a terrifying silence.
"What was that...?" Lyra asked in a trembling voice. "What just happened?"
Ryu just shook his head, his face showing both confusion and anxiety. "I don't know... But whatever it is, we have to be more vigilant. Something far more powerful than what we've faced before is playing behind the scenes."
The two of them could only stand still amidst the shattered ruins, thinking about the new threat that might be more dangerous than what they've faced before. Ryu clutched the mysterious letter tightly in his hands, feeling that the answer might be there, but the secret was still out of reach.
