Rubble shifted.
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Coughing, Eleo pushed himself up from the broken tiles and looked around. He was in a massive room with stone countertops, giant pans hanging from enchanted racks, and a floating recipe scroll that repeated the words “Butter. Lots of butter.”
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Eleo blinked.
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“Whoa… Is this the kitchen?”
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He stood up, brushing dust off his hoodie.
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“Why is it so… empty?”
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A voice answered behind him.
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“Because this house is brand new, you fool.”
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Eleo turned slowly—then jumped.
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Leaning against the wall like he was posing for a demonic magazine cover was Danger, arms crossed, tail lazily flicking behind him, glowing yellow eyes gleaming with smug energy.
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Eleo pointed at him. “Ah! You jerk! You’re the one who knocked me through that wall!”
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Danger smirked. “That’s right. I’m not just any Spirit—I’m a speed Spirit. You couldn’t even see me move, could you?”
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He pushed off the wall and started walking toward Eleo, claws tapping on the stone floor.
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“But hey… look on the bright side. At least you’ll be the first person to almost land a hit on me before I break your bones.”
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Eleo cracked his knuckles. “Well, I guess you’ll be the first guy I fight for real with my ink powers.”
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Danger chuckled. “Ink powers? Wait, wait—”
He squinted. “Are you a Soul Orb user?”
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Eleo grinned. “Yep! Thanks to my master—I got my S-Orb a while ago!”
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Danger raised an eyebrow. “But… it’s ink. What’re you gonna do? Squirt on me?”
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Eleo shrugged. “Ehhh... pretty much.”
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Then—
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“INK BARRAGE!!!”
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Eleo charged in, fists flying.
Each punch trailed with black ink streaks, sharp and fast like jets of smoke. His fists whistled through the air with chaotic speed.
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Danger’s smile vanished.
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He raised his arms, blocking fast.
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BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
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He gritted his teeth.
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(In his mind)
“What the hell—he’s infusing that barrage with actual force! That ink—it’s not just showy! It’s heavy!”
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Eleo suddenly broke off, bolting to Danger’s left.
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Danger vanished—
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Zip!
—and reappeared behind him, fist ready to land a devastating strike.
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“Too slow,” he muttered.
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But then—
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Eleo reached back mid-spin and grabbed his leg.
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“Oh no you don’t!”
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Danger’s eyes widened.
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Eleo spun him around like a morning-star mace, swinging him in wide arcs.
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“Who’s the fast one now?!” Eleo shouted.
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Danger tried to kick free—but as his other foot swung up—
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Eleo wrapped his long bunny ears around it, locking him in.
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“NO KICKING!”
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And then—
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Eleo hurled him into the stone wall near the front door, leaving a deep crater.
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Smoke and dust rose.
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Danger groaned and slowly climbed out of the rubble, eyes darting in disbelief.
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(Under his breath)
“Okay… that kid… might actually be a problem.”
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From the rubble-hole behind him, Eleo stepped through—smiling like a kid about to try a new toy.
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“Hey, mister! I’m gonna try using my other abilities on you now!”
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Danger’s eyes snapped wide.
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“Wh-what the hell are you talking about?! Why would I let you hit me with another attack?! This isn’t a damn game!!”
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Eleo tilted his head innocently.
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“Eh. I didn’t ask. I’m just telling you what’s about to happen.”
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Danger froze.
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His chest tightened.
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(In his mind)
“Wait… this presence… What is this…? Why do I sense this aura...?”
“This... killing intent... it’s not just reckless—it’s instinctual…”
“That look in his eyes… he’s not even serious yet, and it feels like I’m already... dead.”
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Sweat rolled down the side of Danger’s cheek.
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He took a step back.
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Eleo took a deep breath.
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Then—he clapped his hands together.
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SPLAT.
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Ink began to drip through his fingers like black sap. Thick, oozing, alive.
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Danger’s body shook.
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He couldn’t move. Couldn’t even blink.
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His voice came out small.
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“W-What… what are you doing…?”
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The ink crawled up Eleo’s arms, swirling around his hands, hardening, twisting—
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CLANK.
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His right hand morphed into a massive ink cannon, glowing faintly from within, pulsing like a heart ready to fire.
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Danger gritted his teeth and tried to move—but his legs were wrapped in glowing black vein-like tendrils of ink, coiled tight around his muscles.
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“What the—?! I-I can’t move!!”
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Eleo’s voice echoed through the kitchen, deeper… sharper.
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“INK CANNON!!”
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A black orb of compressed ink blasted from the cannon, roaring through the air.
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It smashed into Danger’s chest and launched him through the outer wall, streaking across the yard like a comet—before exploding midair in a massive, inky eruption.
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Dark mist and magic rippled across the sky.
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Meanwhile, in the now-ruined library...
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Glorbulax was still busy puffing his chest out at Lilith.
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“Look, Lilith. You know you don’t have a choice. Your father agreed to our marriage. I’m the one who’ll continue the Infernal bloodline!”
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Lilith clenched her fists. “I don’t like you, Glorbulax. I don’t want to marry you. And I never will. Got that?”
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Suddenly—
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WHOOSH!
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Danger teleported back in, landing face-first on the balcony beside Glorbulax, covered from head to toe in ink. He twitched.
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Glorbulax blinked in disbelief.
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“...Danger. You lost?”
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“...N-Not... my best day…”
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A voice called out from the dust-filled hallway.
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“Yep! He totally did!”
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Eleo casually stepped through the hole in the wall, brushing rubble and soot off his hoodie like nothing happened.
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Lilith's eyes lit up for just a second—before she quickly crossed her arms and turned away.
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“E-Eleo! Oh, thank goodness you’re okay! I mean—not that I really cared or anything!”
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Eleo grinned, clueless. “Thanks!”
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Glorbulax snarled. “How dare you embarrass me in front of my Spirit?!”
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Eleo pointed at him, thinking hard. “Hey! I was only helping Lilith so she’d tell me about… uhhh… what was it again?”
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Lilith facepalmed. “The country, you absolute idiot.”
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Eleo nodded. “Ah, right! That!”
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Glorbulax huffed, his cheeks puffed with rage.
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“Wow, Lilith. So this is how you treat your future husband, huh? Fine! I’ll tell my father—AND yours! You’ll both be in big trouble!”
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He raised his hand.
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SNAP.
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The entire mansion shimmered—
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FLASH.
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—then vanished into thin air, leaving behind only dust, dirt, and a confused bunny boy.
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Eleo’s jaw dropped.
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“WHOA!! HOW DID HE DO THAT?!”
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Lilith, now standing next to him with her arms crossed, muttered, “Magic, Eleo. Magic.”
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Eleo nodded, eyes sparkling. “Magic sure is cool…”
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He raised his fist proudly.
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“…But it’s still not cooler than S-Orbs! Now I think it’s time you told me about this con-try”
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Lilith groaned and smacked him on the head.
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“IT’S COUNTRY, YOU MORON! NOT CON-TRY! COUN-TRY!!”
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Eleo
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blinked and rubbed his head. “Oww… Okay, okay, yeesh.”
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She turned away, cheeks red.
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“D-Don’t make me worry about you like that again, got it?! Idiot…”
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Eleo blinked. “Aww! You were worried!”
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Lilith whirled around. “SHUT UP!!”
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