Falling for You

Chapter 59 - Not much longer

Ei's POV

 "Have you calmed down yet?" I asked panting from exhaustion.

 "Yeah." Barbatos dropped down, sitting on the floor.

 This guy... How is he weak?!

 Here I am, panting from exhaustion in my own territory, and he... Not even his breathing has changed since the start of the fight!

 "And they call you innocent..."

 "What was that?"

 "No, nothing."

 How long did we fight? A year or so? It was probably a lot less outside.

 "Ei."

 "Yes?"

 "I'm sorry."

 "Excuse me?" What was he sorry about?

 "I think I threw quite a few insults at you during our fight, though I don't quite remember..." He muttered, scratching his head.

 Ah, so that's why they call him innocent.

 "There's really no need for you to apologize. I started the fight in the first place."

 "Oh, I know that. What I said at the Kamisato estate, that you deserve. What I said about your sister on the other hand... I shouldn't have said that."

 And with just one sentence, your innocent image is gone again.

 "How about we go out?" I offered.

 "Fine by me."

 We left my inner realm, exiting through the upper gate connected to the Sacred Sakura.

 "Well didn't your two finish rather quickly" Miko's laughter sounded from somewhere.

 "It is quite surprising indeed." Dvalins voice came from the same direction.

 The two of them had apparently brought out a table and sat down in front of the tree to wait for us.

 "Did you wait for long?"

 I have no idea how much time has passed out here

 "What long? The sun is barely setting. You guys haven't even been gone for a day."

 Not even a day?!

 "So that means I can go see Xiao Xiao sooner than I thought!" Barbatos looked like a happy kid.

 "You should take a rest first, Barbatos." Dvalin said.

 I'm not sure he needs it, though. If someone needs a rest, it's me.

 "I'm fine. I'll just fly over... Huh?"

 "Barbatos?"

 What's with him?

 "It broke?" He had a confused expression on his face.

 "What broke?" 

 "I gave Thome a crystal before leaving. If he breaks it, he can ask for assistance from the wind."

 "Isn't that a double-edged sword? Help from the wind is the most unpredictable thing. Even you can't be sure whether it will be good or bad." Dvalin pointed out worriedly.

 "That's why I specifically told him that he shouldn't break it unless he has no other choice."

 "If that's the case then-"

 "Cough!"

 "Barbatos!" He had coughed up a mouthful of blood.

 "Are you okay? What happened?"

 He didn't answer. He just looked to the west with a horrified expression as his face paled.

 "No, no, no, this can't be happening..." He muttered.

 "What's happening, Barbatos?"

 "Xiao... His soul is breaking down..."

 What?! This can't be happening right now!

 Knowing how much he loved that yaksha if he died here, all of Inazuma would go down with him.

 "Cough! I need to go- Cough!"

 "Not in this state, you don't!"

 Dvalin tried to hold him back but was set flying instead.

 "Whether I go or not... It's none of your business.

 The next moment, he disappeared with the wind.

 This won't do! I need to go after him!

 "I'll go first, you catch up later."

 I left those words before teleporting after him.

 Xiao's POV

 "How naive! You actually fell for that? This is why yakshas shouldn't get attached to mere mortals."

 What?

 I didn't need to wait too long for the answer to this unsaid question. Instead of shooting toward the group, the dark sphere exploded, dark fog filling the room.

 "A yaksha, barely hanging onto his life, suffering from that amount of karmic debt, yet you still dare to show yourself here? Hahaha! I already knew what you were the moment you walked in! Did you really think I would let a little bug like you disperse my soul?!"

 I miscalculated. I heavily miscalculated.

 I couldn't even move as the black fog surrounded me.

 "You'll either die to lose your mind and kill the ones you tried so hard to protect. What a wonderful sight that would be."

 No, I can't lose here! If I do... If I do...

 "Cough!"

 I dropped down to a knee.

 "Wonderful, wonderful!"

 Bastard!

 I really can't go on much longer. If it really comes to that, I would rather...

 I clenched my hand around the dagger hidden in my belt.

 I would rather die than go insane!

 "Oh? What do we have here? No, no, no. We can't have you die so easily now, can we?"

 Some of the black smoke came closer, wrapping tightly around the dagger, and finally my hand as well.

 That moment, however...

 I felt a sting on my neck and the dark smoke was scattered in an instant.

 The mark? But why did it react now? Is it because...

 The smoke touched my hand directly!

 Before this, it never came quite that close, but just now, it directly touched my hand.

 "What did you do?! Why do you have a god's power on you?! Would Morax go so far for a yaksha?!"

 "Hahaha."

 I couldn't help but laugh at the situation. Just this much and he sounded so afraid? This goy wanted to take Enkanomiya from Istaroth?

 "How dare you laugh, you little maggot! Let's see just how long Morax can protect you all the way from Liyue!"

 I felt the smoke tighten around my throat, cutting off my air. There was another surge of power from my neck, but this time, it was cut off before it could do anything.

 "So that's where it came from. Let's see just what holds that much power."

 I heard my shirt rip followed by a shocked gasp.

 "This- this- this is a mark! This doesn't belong to Morax! This emblem... It can only belong to-"

 "Me."