Embracement

"Yang! Are you okay?"

Yang looked towards me. He seemed to be struggling steadily with the giant monster. He smiled, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"Yeah, so far so good. I thought you wouldn't come back."

While staying vigilant and trying not to be targeted by the spider, I took the opportunity to exchange what I had seen and my deductions with Yang.

"I'm having this thought: This big spider is just bait. It's here to keep us, or rather you, at bay. The 'baby' spiders are the real danger. At first glance, it looks like a hunt. But what bothers me is that in nature, they don't behave like this. Usually, mother spiders feed their offspring with their bodies when they are born. But that's if it's a normal spider..."

Yang tried to dodge another attack from the spider while responding to me.

"The mother spider is too noble, isn't she? Sacrificing herself so her offspring can eat well, but I didn't think that it would be in such a way."

"What should we do about this spider? If we don't act fast, the whole city will be massacred." I said, dodging a strike from the spider.

"These demon spiders are most afraid of sharp objects and fire. Or to be precise, I am their bane. Just a spark and it will turn to ashes."

Yang chuckled bitterly.

"But did you see the white web over there? If I accidentally set it on fire, this whole place will be engulfed in flames. Moreover, there's a large gas station nearby. A mistake and I'll turn this district into a living hell. But just chopping it into pieces won't do enough."

Yang started to show signs of fatigue. His movements started to slow down. It had to be admitted that he had amazing physical abilities, but fighting at such an intense level continuously was surely not easy.

I pondered deeply. Is there a way to turn the tide?

What can I do?

I have been feeling utterly useless. I have no right to consider myself a trump card for a dire situation like this. Because so far, everything I touched turned out poorly.

Everyone around me had disappeared. Because I couldn't protect anyone.

I am powerless.

I wouldn't be of any use.

But if I don't try, both Yang and Ray will disappear. The whole Shinjuku will disappear too. Everything I care about and cherish. Everything will be destroyed.

Yang delivered a strike, cutting off the spider's head once more. Then he bent over, breathing heavily.

"Damn it. I hate to admit it, but trying to outrun this monster is really exhausting."

"Yang, I think I have a way. It's just that I don't know if it will work."

Yang wiped the sweat from his forehead, his dark eyes keenly observing the writhing body of the spider.

"If you have a plan, now's the time to act."

"But it's like a gamble. I'm not sure if I can do it..."

"Just do it. I'm sure you don't want both of us and the whole city to perish here, right? Something, even a little, is better than nothing." Yang looked at me, his eyes radiating trust.

I clenched my fists. Cold sweat trickled down my spine, but my head and chest were scorching. The spider's hissing reminded me that it was time to make a decision.

"I've only done this once in my life. After that I was never able to do something similar again, no matter how hard I tried. Anyways, to put it simply, I can invade the minds of other targets. And move them to my mind, where I can manipulate them at will. It's like binding someone and throwing them into my domain."

"Got it. But how does this help us?"

"The action I take may not cause physical harm, but if a being's soul is destroyed, they will perish. At least, that's how I presume it works, specifically within my capabilities. If a target dies within my 'domain,' they will also die in reality."

"Alright, go ahead."

"I'll bring you and the spider into my 'domain.' But I need absolute focus."

I sat on the ground, closed my eyes, and cleared my mind. The spider lunged towards us, its eerie hiss growing louder.

"Just leave it to me," Yang said. Somewhere in his tone, there was a hint of regained confidence from earlier. The sword's edge sliced through the spider, much like on a practicing dummy.

My breath quickened, and my heart pounded erratically as horrifying memories flooded my mind, memories best left forgotten.

I dug my fingernails into my palm, halting a descent into madness. Focus. I have to nail this.

Darkness engulfed me. I could visualize the surroundings. The buildings, were hazy as if etched in a dark blueprint. Every line twisted, distorted like heat waves. Rows of trees and chairs. The chaos, the spider's cries, and the sounds of Yang's movements resonated like echoes from a dark cave.

Then, I saw two flames. One grand, fiery red, brimming with life. The other, smaller, tinged with purple, eerie and sinister. I reached out with invisible hands, grasping the dark flame. Instantly, a frigid air akin to ice surged through me, accompanied by growling sounds. The flame seemed to resist my control. It raged as if intent on consuming me to break free.

Suddenly, my mind flooded with bizarre thoughts and images. It was as if I was watching a film about the spider's life. I witnessed it devouring numerous people. So many. And faintly, there was the image of a woman with silver hair and porcelain skin. She was exquisitely beautiful. Her lips as red as blood.

I had entrapped the spider within my 'domain.'

Interestingly, alongside it, I saw hundreds of other tiny purple flames. It seemed that the souls of the spider's offspring were also drawn into the illusion I had created.

Fortuitously, the mind of this lead spider was linked to its progeny. I struck gold.

"Yang! I need you to clear your mind for a few seconds. I will bring you into the 'domain.'"

Yang complied. I effortlessly guided Yang into my mind, giving his consent.

All sounds around me abruptly ceased.

I opened my eyes.

I was within my own mind. Everything appeared just like the real world.

The sole difference was that there was no one here except for us, the real entities.

Yang stood confidently before the spider hurtling madly towards us. He smirked victoriously:

"You're finished, you vile creature."

He raised his left arm towards the spider. The rings on his middle and index fingers glowed as if they were being set on fire.

A gust of wind surrounded Yang, passing through his hair and clothes. It grew more intense.

A small light flickered from the spider's right shoulder. Then almost instantly, its body was torn apart by that light, flames erupting fiercely, engulfing its massive body. The spider howled in agony, going madly berserk. Its legs thrashed wildly in an attempt to grab the two tiny foes.

The fire spread to the giant web, engulfing the tall buildings. The heat from the flames made my mind dizzy. White wisps of gas rose from the ground, twisting and distorting the view.

My entire field of vision was in a bright red flame.

Like an exorcism of demonic spirits.

As soon as I saw the spider collapse to the ground, ceasing its movements, I also felt my face slacken. I felt like the world was spinning around me, and suddenly my head hit the ground. My body felt like it was being pierced by needles. I couldn't move. Something wet oozed from my nose. A metallic taste.

"Did I nail it?..."

Then darkness fell. God knew what happened next.