MORPHORCE-Chapter 45 - 44: The First Gate Raid (9)

The sight of the Association member’s head being severed and hitting the ground sent a shock through Rihan and Soraya.

The impact was so deep that it dragged their memories back to the past—to Arvona Children’s Heaven.

Back to the time when they were powerless.

One by one, their family members had disappeared, yet they could do nothing. In a society where power was everything, they were nothing more than helpless children. Hopeless. Weak.

That was why they trained.

They trained until their bodies nearly broke, until they stood on the edge of death more than once. They believed that if they became strong enough, nothing like that would ever happen again. That they would never lose anyone ever again.

But the scene before them now—

It was happening all over again.

Someone had died right in front of them.

And once again... they were powerless.

Rihan’s face twisted as fury surged through him. Veins slowly bulged across his face, his entire body trembling with rage.

“YOU BASTARD OF A CREATURE!”

Rihan’s roar echoed through the dead forest, filled with terrifying anger as he charged forward, sword raised.

“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!?”

Pouring all of his strength into the strike, he swung his sword at the creature with everything he had.

With a terrifying BOOM, the creature was blasted backward at a blurry speed.

But Rihan didn’t stop.

Before the creature could even hit the ground, Rihan appeared in front of it midair and swung his sword down.

“HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS!”

Again and again, his blade came crashing down.

The creature was battered backward by the force of each strike, but Rihan chased it relentlessly—closing the gap, swinging again, denying it even a fraction of a second to think. “I’LL KILL YOU! I’LL KILL YOUR WHOLE KIND!”

“STOP, RIHAN!” Soraya screamed.

But Rihan wasn’t in his right mind anymore.

He swung his sword like a madman, driven purely by rage.

Then—

Just as Rihan raised his sword for another strike, the creature vanished from in front of him—

—and instantly reappeared behind him.

Rihan and Soraya’s eyes widened.

The shadow creature swung its sword toward Rihan’s neck.

Rihan couldn’t even react.

The blade was about to reach the back of his throat.

“NOOOO!” Soraya screamed as she thrust her palm forward.

BOOM!

The flames struck the creature just before the sword could reach Rihan’s neck.

As the impact sent the creature flying far away—

BOOOOM!

Soraya didn’t waste a second. She sprinted toward Rihan. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Rihan sat frozen where he had landed, eyes wide, breath uneven—pure shock carved across his face. It was as if his mind hadn’t caught up with reality yet.

Soraya grabbed the front of his shirt and shook him violently.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, BROTHER!? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND OR SOMETHING!?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, splashing onto his chest.

“How can you be this reckless?” Her voice slowly began to break.

“You could have died just now.”

But Rihan didn’t answer.

He didn’t even blink.

It was like he couldn’t hear her at all.

Her rage boiled over.

“ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!”

SLAP!

The sharp sound echoed through the forest as her palm struck his face.

“COME TO YOUR SENSES ALREADY!”

And the instant Rihan’s awareness snapped back—

He saw it.

Right behind her.

The shadow creature.

Its blue blade was already descending.

SWOOOSH!

“No...” Rihan whispered.

Without thinking—without hesitation—he gathered every ounce of strength left in his body and shoved Soraya away.

Soraya’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“What—?!”

Her body flew sideways.

And in that single stretched moment—

She saw it.

Rihan’s warm smile.

His eyes gently closing.

Acceptance.

Peace.

And above him—

The glowing blue sword crashing down.

“NOOOOOOO!” she screamed, thrusting her palms forward.

But it was already too late.

There was no way for her to save him anymore.

Before the flames could form—

THUD!

Her body slammed into the ground.