Shun turned his head slightly, a cold gust brushing against his face. He glanced back and smirked.
"Well, if it isn't Vektor," he said casually.
The man stood in a black robe, his posture unshaken despite the freezing wind. His breath was barely visible in the frigid air.
"So, I assume this is all your doing. That video—was it fake?" Shun asked in Russian, his voice steady.
"You're right," the man replied. "But it's too late to matter." His stance shifted slightly, his presence radiating quiet confidence. "And one more thing—it's Viktor, not Vektor."
Shun waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, Viktor." His tone remained relaxed, but his gaze sharpened.
"Are you sure this is the best time to fight?" he continued. "The guy behind me—he's not on your side. He's not on mine either."
He tilted his head toward the bulky figure standing silently in the icy mist. The air between them felt heavier.
"No matter who wins this battle, we won't be in any shape to fight him afterward."
The wind howled louder, carrying an eerie silence between the three.
"You know, Vazar ordered me to kill you," Viktor said, his voice calm—but there was a chill to it. "After what happened… you really think I care?"
Shun sighed, his breath visible in the frozen air. "Let's say we fight, and maybe you win. Then what? You know Jin will kill Vazar before you even celebrate."
Viktor's eyes narrowed. "You're trying to avoid a fight. You're not the same person I knew."
Shun chuckled. "Because if I come home late, I have to face my wife's anger. And that's something I always avoid."
Viktor raised a brow. "So you got married, huh?" He exhaled and turned. "Well, if you're not going all out, there's no point in fighting. Come on—I'll show you your buddy's corpse. Vazar must be done with him already."
Shun followed, unfazed. "And you seriously think Vazar is enough to kill Jin? Keep dreaming."
Viktor smirked. "We brought an SSS-ranker with us. You still think Jin can handle both?"
Shun shrugged, hands in his pockets. "I'd be worried… but I can still feel his presence. He's fine."
The wind howled through the endless white as they walked, their words fading into the frozen silence.
--
Vazar lay on the icy ground, unable to move after the beating he took from Jin. His breath came out in short, ragged clouds.
"…Did you really have to kill him?" he whispered.
Jin looked down at him, his expression calm. "I gave him a chance, but he was stubborn. He tried to kill my client—I did what I had to do." His voice was as gentle as ever.
Vazar fell silent, then exhaled slowly. "Kill me, then. What are you waiting for?"
Jin stretched his back and sat down on the frozen ground beside him. "Nah, not gonna. You've got a wife and kid waiting for you at home. Go back to them. But if you come for revenge… I won't spare you next time."
Vazar stared at him in surprise. "…What's with this change?"
Jin smiled faintly. "Change? I just imagined your wife and son as my own wife and daughter. That's all."
Vazar let out a short, dry laugh. "So you have a family now, huh?" He sighed, then looked up at the gray sky. "But you know, Jin… there's a bounty on your head. Everyone knows about you and Shun. Sooner or later, they'll come. You two made a lot of enemies back then."
Jin didn't seem concerned. "You think it's that easy? They can't just break the law."
Vazar shook his head. "You really think it's the same era? Jin, it's been over ten years. Since the 'Strongest' is nowhere to be seen. This world is slipping back to how it used to be before he changed it. where peace is just an illusion. People are starting to realize he's gone, and crime rates are rising fast.
It won't be long now. War is coming."
The wind howled around them, sweeping across the frozen wasteland.
"Strongest," Jin whispered, watching as Ryuto got back walk towards him, injuries visible on his arms and stomach.
"Was he really that strong?" Jin asked gently.
"He's an SSS-ranker Evolver. What do you expect?" Ryuto said as he walked toward him.
"Is that so. Did you kill him?" Jin asked.
"Nah, just knockout him. It's hard to kill someone equal in strength," Ryuto replied.
"Yeah, you're right. Come here," Jin said.
Ryuto stepped closer, and Jin placed a hand on his head. A slow but steady warmth spread through his wounds as his broken hand began to heal. It took a few minutes, but the pain faded, and his injuries vanished.
"Hey, Ryuto, you're here too," Shun said as he approached.
Not far away, Viktor helped Vazar up. Their expressions were unreadable, but without a word, they turned and left with the remaining five Evolvers.
The icy wasteland was eerily silent, the battlefield still marked by cracks and shattered ice. Snowflakes drifted lazily from the sky, covering the aftermath like a thin veil. The fight was over.
"This is messed up here," Jin said gently, his eyes scanning the aftermath of the battle.
The once-majestic ice mountains lay in ruins, jagged remains piercing the sky like broken spears. The ground was fractured, deep fissures snaking through the frozen earth, some still crackling with residual energy.
Craters marred the battlefield, steam rising from the spots where raw power had clashed. The once-pristine snow was now churned into a chaotic mess of ice shards and dust. The cold wind carried a heavy silence, broken only by the distant groan of collapsing ice formations.
Jin closed his eyes and took a slow, steady breath. As he exhaled, he softly spoke a single word.
"Heal."
A wave of blue energy radiated from his body, spreading like a gentle breeze yet carrying an overwhelming force. The light shimmered, flowing over the shattered landscape, seeping into the fractured ice and broken ground.
Within moments, the ruins of battle began to mend. Mountains reformed, their towering peaks rising once more as if time itself had reversed. Cracks in the earth sealed shut, leaving no trace of the devastation.
The air, once heavy with the scent of destruction, turned crisp and pure again. Within minutes, the entire battlefield—once reduced to chaos—stood untouched, as if the battle had never taken place.
"I'm going. See you later," Shun said softly.
He snapped his index finger against his thumb, and in an instant, darkness swallowed him. Within a blink, he was gone.
"Let's go, Ryuto," Jin said gently.
Ryuto placed a hand on Jin's shoulder. Jin raised his hand, snapping his middle finger against his thumb. A faint ripple of energy spread through the air, and in the next moment, they vanished without a trace.
[Chapter 10 end]