Chapter 42 : Uncle Ini
The battle between Ini and Willow had reached its climax. Initially, Willow had attempted to use her powers to overwhelm Ini, hoping to force him into submission. However, she quickly realized that her brother was not above her league, as she had thought, but rather, he was on an equal footing with her. This realization threw her off balance, and she struggled to adapt.
Moreover, Willow couldn't shake off the feeling that she couldn't kill Ini, which made this fight particularly difficult for her. As the battle raged on, she began to understand that Ini wasn't trying to kill her either; instead, he was trying to overpower her. The truth hit her like a ton of bricks – she was losing, and she needed to act fast.
With a swift backflip, Willow created some distance between herself and Ini. She landed gracefully on her right leg, and ice began to rush from her body, spreading across the ground towards Ini. Her plan was to freeze him in place, but to her frustration, the ice halted its progression just short of reaching him. No matter how hard she tried, the ice refused to budge forward, as if an invisible barrier was protecting Ini.
Willow's eyes widened in surprise as she realized she couldn't get the ice to touch him. Before she could react, Ini vanished from her sight, causing her to gasp in alarm. She barely had time to react as she bent backwards, narrowly dodging a deadly slice aimed at her.
The battle resumed, with Willow's metal fan clashing against Ini's swords in a flurry of swift strikes and parries. The sound of metal ringing out echoed through the air as the two combatants exchanged blows. Willow's movements were swift and precise, but Ini matched her step for step, his swords weaving a complex pattern that seemed almost impossible to defend against.
As the fight intensified, Willow found herself on the defensive, desperately trying to keep up with Ini's relentless assault. She knew she couldn't keep this up for much longer; she needed a new strategy, and fast. But what could she do against an opponent who seemed to be always one step ahead?
The scene unfolds with Moray's frustration growing by the minute as he watches Ini spar with Willow. "How long is this going to take?" he mutters, his irritation palpable. "And who does this guy think he is, coming in here and challenging her of all people?"
Stratus, one of the S-ranks with the wind element, responds calmly, "Relax, this is more like a spar than a battle – albeit a deadly one. The question we should be asking is why isn't he famous. Willow is world-class; if he's able to keep up with her, he should be a world-rank too, and that means he should be famous. But I don't recall him among the known world-class fighters."
Arike chimes in, "That's because it hasn't been a month since he was confirmed as an S-rank." The S-ranks turn their attention back to Ini and Willow, watching in awe as they exchange blows.
Arike adds, "He was a C-rank before, but from what I've heard, he disappeared for ten years and came back like this." The S-ranks exchange shocked glances, with Moray growling in a low tone, "That's not possible."
Arike shrugs, "He's the living proof. You can choose to believe it or not." The S-ranks turn their gaze back to Ini, their minds racing with questions. What happened during those ten years? Did he stumble upon a secret to becoming an S-rank? Was it a special training method or perhaps a powerful artifact?
The value of such information is immeasurable, and the power it could bring is undeniable. However, extracting it from Ini might be impossible, given his strength and reputation. The S-ranks know that trying to pry the secret out of him would be a daunting task, if not futile.
As the fight came to a halt, Willow's exhaustion was evident. She gazed at Ini, her eyes filled with a mix of sadness and concern. "Ini, what's the use of this fight? It's getting us nowhere. Let's just stop and use words."
Ini's cold demeanor didn't waver, but his voice cracked slightly as he spoke, "You killed my parents. I'm killing you. That's simple."
Willow's face contorted in anguish as she dodged another attack, her voice rising in protest, "It's not my fault, and you know it! You're just shifting the blame on me."
Ini's words dripped with venom, "You know, killing you is the only thing I could think of growing up. If the world was still normal, I would have amassed wealth to hire assassins to kill you. But with these powers, I can do it myself."
He paused, his voice cracking further, "You're right, I blame you... although it wasn't intentional." Ini's eyes began to well up with tears as he continued, "I was powerless to stop them from dying."
As Ini's swords vanished, Willow let out a sigh of relief. She took a step closer to him, and then another, until she was standing right in front of him. She reached out and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug.
"I'm sorry for what happened and what you went through," she whispered. "I can't change the past, but we can't write our future."
Ini remained still, his emotions locked away, as he stood frozen in Willow's embrace.
The S-ranks, witnessing the end of the fight, began to move towards them, their faces etched with curiosity and concern. What had just transpired between the siblings? And what lay ahead for these two powerful fighters?
The door behind the S-ranks swung open, and a little boy with white hair walked in. Willow's face lit up with a warm smile as she called out to him, "Come here, darling! Come say hi to your uncle Ini."
The little boy nodded and walked towards them, his big eyes fixed on Ini. As he approached, Willow gently guided him closer, saying, "This is your uncle Ini. Say hello, sweetie."
The little boy looked up at Ini, who stood frozen in place, his expression unreadable. The boy's small voice piped up, "Hi, Uncle Ini."