Banished by Unknown Forces, I Rise to Crush Their Dominion

Great, I thought. Stranded in a red desert with no food or water, and a kill mission on top of that. The dryness in my throat intensified, as if merely thinking about water made my body crave it more.

My hand drifted to the tattoo on my right wrist—Astral Fang's resting place. The spear might be my only real defense if someone decided to come after me, or if I stumbled upon the "ticket." I swallowed hard, feeling the oppressive sun beating down relentlessly on my skin.

Calm down, Light. Think, I reminded myself. First step: figure out if Anys or Thadric are anywhere nearby. Second step: survive. And third—maybe figure out if I'd have to kill someone again, or if there was a way around it.

I never imagined I'd end up missing the food back at the skyscraper so much. Yet here, every fiber of my being ached for even a drop of water. I even caught myself daydreaming about having an infinite water source—like some overpowered protagonist from one of those web novels I used to read in my "free time" (though free time for me used to mean 24 hours a day, but that's a secret no one needs to know).

For three long hours, I had trudged across this desolate expanse, and there wasn't a single sign of life—only the endless, scorching sand and the heat that seemed to smother any hope of respite. A part of me even toyed with the idea of giving up, waiting for the other groups to massacre each other until only the strongest survived. But then I remembered that if any of the siblings—especially Anys—died, I'd likely end up caught in their crossfire. Thadric, I was sure, would manage with relative ease, but Anys? That reckless girl was known for throwing herself into battle with the enthusiasm of someone who craved the adrenaline rush..

Lost in my swirling thoughts, I barely registered the sight of a massive spiked ball hurtling straight for my face. In a split second, my instincts kicked in—thanks to a sixth sense which I have when facing danger—and I dodged the deadly projectile, leaping aside with all the clumsiness of a man who felt more like dead meat than a warrior.

"Are you out of your mind?!" I roared, my voice echoing over the relentless wind. The sound startled me for a moment, but Anys barely paused; she continued scanning the horizon, seemingly unfazed by my outburst.

"Don't know what's worse—this miserable wasteland or your constant whining like a crybaby," she retorted .

I grumbled, knowing deep down that I had little choice but to follow her lead. My legs were shaking, threatening to give out under the relentless heat, while Anys, despite everything, seemed to have endless energy. Is she even human? I wondered, feeling both admiration and a twinge of jealousy at her apparent resilience.

Then, out of nowhere, she abruptly stopped, causing me to crash right into her. It was like colliding with an immovable wall. I stumbled, nearly falling, but before I could regain my balance, I saw it—a gruesome scene that made my stomach churn. Scattered across the sand were the bodies of eleven people, limbs severed and entrails spilling out, as if the desert itself had become a butcher's floor. Just a meter away lay a severed head, its features disturbingly familiar. I froze as recognition hit me like a punch—Ramis, my teacher. A single sweat slid down my cheek, and I fought the rising urge to vomit.

There was no time to grieve, though. My sensitive ears picked up a faint rustle behind me, a subtle shift that told me someone was sneaking up. Without thinking, I shoved Anys aside and ducked. I heard a sword slicing the air just centimeters above my head—a close call that left me shivering. Had I reacted even a fraction of a second slower, I knew I'd have ended up just like Ramis.

In one fluid, desperate motion, I rolled away and summoned my Adaptive Armor. I'd always dismissed it as practically useless—a reward that seemed more like a cruel joke. This armor barely offers any protection until it takes damage, I thought bitterly, but I have no other choice right now. A faint shimmer enveloped my body, a fragile barrier that was far from impenetrable, yet better than nothing under the burning sun.

Almost simultaneously, I called Astral Fang. Anys assumed her fighting stance, though her spiked ball took longer to materialize than a normal weapon. We both fixed our eyes on the spot from which the attack had come, but there was nothing visible—no enemy, no movement.

"Your brain's fried by the sun, short stuff," Astral Fang's familiar, sarcastic voice buzzed in my mind. "I don't recall having ghost-hunting on my skill list."

"Shut up," I snarled inwardly, irritation mixing with uncertainty. "I'm sure something attacked us—I just can't see it."

If our unseen assailant were truly invisible—or a ghost—I had no idea how to handle that. Please don't be an actual ghost, I pleaded silently. I have zero tricks for something I can't even target.

Before I could dwell on the thought any longer, Anys sprang into action. She gripped the chain of her spiked ball and swung it in wide, fierce arcs, sending a swirling cloud of dust and sand into the air. In the midst of that choking haze, a silhouette slowly emerged—a man, his form gradually revealed by the shifting dust.

Seizing the opportunity, I launched my spear. I watched, heart pounding, he managed to catch it mid-flight, displaying a surprising agility. I cursed under my breath; he was no amateur. Now armed with my own spear, he turned toward Anys, evidently planning to hurl it back.

But something was wrong.

As the invisible man aimed to launch the spear at her, he realized that Light was no longer where he had been letting him hesitate a moment. That's when a sharp, agonizing pain shot through his right leg. He looked down, and there it was—another spear, identical to the one he had just intercepted, pierced through his leg from behind.

What?! He couldn't believe it. His attack faltered before it even began. The pain surged through him as he buckled. The spear he had meant to use against them slipped from his grasp as he fell to one knee, his katana dissolving into nothingness. His ability, gone in an instant. But he was still alive.