Swish! Clang! 

The sharp ring of metal striking metal echoed sharply through, a street on the western side of Orario. 

Shadows danced along the worn buildings as three figures moved swiftly, locked in a tense and deadly contest. 

Vito faced off against Lyra and Kaguya—two determined opponents whose skill belied their youthful appearances.

The clash had barely begun when Vito smoothly drew a dagger from his belt. 

Without hesitation, he lunged forward, the blade piercing the air with precise intent toward Kaguya, who stood closest to him. 

Reacting in a heartbeat, Kaguya swung her katana in a wide arc, the polished steel flashing as it met Vito’s strike and pushed it aside.

Before Vito could regain full control, Lyra seized the moment. 

With fluid grace, she hurled her boomerang blades, their spinning edges gleaming faintly under the blaring sunlight. 

Yet, Vito’s experience showed: he twisted with the momentum generated by his deflected attack, effortlessly intercepting the returning weapons mid-air and sending them clattering to the ground.

Though outnumbered two to one, Vito remained unfazed. 

His polished skills, honed through countless battles, and razor-sharp mind denied the two girls any opening. 

Not once did their attacks land, as if an invisible barrier shielded him—his every movement calculated and fluid.

Producing a second dagger from a hidden pocket, he prepared to press the advantage, confident in his superiority. 

“Ha! Just two of you—less than last time—and this is the best you can do?” he taunted, voice laced with cocky amusement.

But he never finished the sentence.

“Fool,” Kaguya muttered under her breath.

Behind his back, Lyra took a step forward, skillfully exposing a tempting gap, a deliberate weak point crafted to bait him. 

It was a trap, and Vito took the bait without suspicion. 

As he shifted his stance, gearing up to exploit the opening, Kaguya’s mocking voice cut through his focus, sharp and cold.

By the time he realized his error, it was too late.

The two had played him flawlessly—feigning weakness, hiding their true power to draw out his guard. 

Typically, Vito would have fought with caution, capitalizing on his overwhelming strength and superior stats. 

But his opponents had seemed, way weaker than he was expecting, so it wasn't surprising that his defenses slipped even if only for a moment.

Lyra grinned, a spark of mischief lighting her eyes. 

“It’s called teamwork,” she said, voice almost teasing as she smoothly jumped out of Vito’s range. 

“Perfect to catch arrogant brutes like you off-guard.”

With Lyra’s sudden withdrawal, Vito’s gaze flicked to what she had concealed. 

In a blur of movement, Kaguya slid her katana back into its scabbard. 

Her posture shifted—knees bent low and body tense—a silent prelude to one of her signature moves.

“Iai Strike: Gleaming Blade,” she whispered, the words reverberating with deadly intent.

In the blink of an eye, her sword flashed free—so fast it blurred, a silver streak slicing through the air just beyond his capacity to evade. 

At such close quarters, dodging was impossible. 

Instinctively, Vito raised his dagger to block, preparing for impact.

Wham!

Kaguya’s katana crashed against his dagger with a thunderous impact, the force snapping the smaller blades from his grasp and sending them flying moments before Vito was left bare-handed.

“An Iai technique?” Vito gasped, scrambling to steady himself after the blow.

“A technique from the Far East,” he added, suddenly recognizing the style and its lineage.

“Sharp awareness,” Kaguya responded, stepping forward without pause. 

“It’s an art honed through generations—my cursed bloodline’s legacy. You did well to block the first strike, but this is where it ends.”

Her katana spun in her hands, cutting a lethal arc back toward Vito, poised to cleave him in two.

Yet, Vito was no Level 4 by accident. 

In that fleeting moment as the blade closed in, a counterattack formed in his mind, one that could turn the tide—if only he had time to act.

Instead, his eyes caught something utterly unexpected.

Kaguya noticed it too: Vito’s usually calm eyes snapped open wide for a heartbeat, filled with fierce focus and something else, something unreadable. 

But curiosity was a luxury she couldn’t afford; her sword was already descending.

“I may be cornered,” Vito said steadily, voice low despite the blade threatening his body, “but I will not fall here.”

Before Kaguya could process the words, everything changed.

The world seemed to hush—the distant sounds, the swishing steel, even their own breathing—all swallowed by an oppressive silence that pressed down like a heavy shroud. 

Time itself appeared to slow, every second stretching unnervingly long.

Then, from nowhere, the silhouette of two slender fingers suddenly flashed into her vision. 

In that instant, Kaguya’s downward strike halted abruptly, stopped mere inches from Vito’s skin.

“What…” she whispered, the word barely escaping her lips.

One of her most lethal techniques had been halted casually—caught between two fingers.

“Who—?”

Lyra gasped sharply not far from her, eyes wide with shock and recognition as she too glanced toward the new arrival.

“Why… why is she here?” Lyra breathed, her voice trembling.

Vito smiled, brushing the tension from his shoulders as if greeting an old friend rather than a deadly visitor.

“My orders were to ensure my lord’s safety for the time being,” he explained lightly, “which means my part in this fight is over.”

The newcomer was no enemy. 

She was an ally.

With a graceful step back, Lyra retreated cautiously, giving space as Vito slipped toward his masters side. 

The figure standing before them was unmistakable.

Flowing ashen hair framed a pale, almost ethereal face; her eyes, eternally closed, shrouded her expression in mystery. 

She wore a jet-black gothic dress that seemed to absorb the sparse light, her presence commanding silence as if the world itself respected her power.

Alfia—the witch whose existence demanded silence—had arrived.

“You all make far too much noise,” Alfia said, voice cool and laced with quiet irritation. 

“A ceaseless, grating cacophony.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kaguya’s mind reeled, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.

‘Two fingers. Just two fingers’

“No!” she cursed under her breath, trying desperately to withdraw her katana, but Alfia’s grip was unyielding—impossibly strong. 

The sword remained locked fast between those slender digits, unbreakable and immovable.

“You’re the witch from the Hera Familia,” Lyra called out sharply, fear flashing in her eyes. “Why have you come here?”

Alfia didn’t even open her eyes to respond. 

“Do not shout in my presence. Such noise is intolerable,” she said, voice dripping with disdain.

With a slow, casual sweep of her arm, Alfia unleashed a force that rippled through the surroundings as if the very earth trembled beneath her gesture. 

The invisible shockwave slammed into Kaguya, sending her tumbling backward, breath knocked from her lungs.

Lyra was not spared; the blast swept past her too, forcing her to stumble and catch herself against a crumbling wall. 

Silence returned, heavy and oppressive.

Emerging from the shadows, a new voice cut through the tension.

“There you are, my champion,” Erebus’s tone was dark but amused as he stepped forward.

“Have you rested enough to your liking?” Erebus teased, his eyes glinting with cruel humor.

“Unbecoming words,” Alfia retorted, her voice sharp despite the lingering irritation. 

“You rudely dragged me from my slumber with your noisy battle.”

“You knew I was nearby, using the church to rest, didn’t you?” Alfia asked, casting a quick glance around.

It was clear now why Erebus had been so eager and lively before the fight began. 

His statement to Vito, “for the time being,” suddenly made perfect sense.

“I was aware,” Erebus admitted, completely unapologetic. 

“Though I promise, my presence in this part of town, is purely coincidental. Still, since you’re here, a bit of exercise might be just what you need.”

Turning his gaze to the two girls who were slowly rising from the ground, Erebus’s smile twisted sadistically.

“Why don’t we show these little followers of justice the true meaning of despair?”

Lyra and Kaguya stiffened instantly, exchanging a glance filled with fear before scrambling to their feet as a cold dread settled over them.

Yet Alfia remained still, her calm expression shifting to one of mild concern.

“You expect me to waste my time and effort on something this trivial?” she asked, voice tinged with disbelief. 

“Have I underestimated the incompetence of you and your followers that much?”

“Those are rather hurtful words,” Vito quipped, unable to resist a sly grin. 

“But it’s also true.”

“You are impressive, my lady,” he added, eyes half-closed as if seeing layers beyond the visible. “Though I see you, my other senses fail to detect your presence. I hear that’s why they call you ‘the Silence’—your very being drowns out all other sound. I’m eager to witness that firsthand.”

A brief scoff escaped Alfia’s lips. 

“Enough with your low-level flattery. But given your mediocrity, ending this swiftly is indeed the fastest option.”

She stepped forward, the faint pressure she radiated intensifying immediately. 

An almost tangible silence blanketed the area.

Lyra and Kaguya could feel it deep within their bones. 

The world around them seemed to hold its breath.

Every instinct screamed at them: flee. 

This was death manifested—a force beyond anything they'd encountered.

“We have to get out of here,” Lyra stammered, voice trembling, legs unsteady beneath her. “There’s no way we can fight… not this monster.”

Kaguya swallowed hard, eyes locking onto Alfia’s unfathomable calm. 

“We can't” she said quietly but firmly. 

“Running means death, taking our eyes off her—even for a moment—is suicide. She’s that strong.”

No illusions remained. Prepared or not, the inevitable loomed.

They had only one choice—brace themselves for what was to come.

A/N: Feel free to read ahead on pat3on and donate.