Friends or Enemies

Ivo stood before Ryo.

Ryo was still calmly drinking from his bottle of wine, as though nothing happening around him concerned him in the slightest.

In fact, he seemed to have forgotten that there were other people in the room.

His expression was calm, even carrying a hint of happiness, unlike Ivo, whose anger was unmistakable in his eyes.

His energy was leaking throughout the house with such intensity that Jenso could feel as though the walls themselves had become tense.

Jenso said nothing.

But he felt something strange.

This house...

It was as though it wanted to scream.

As though the place itself wanted to cry out from the sheer pressure inside it, but couldn't in the presence of these two.

Ivo spoke in a low voice, but there was a clear threat in it.

"I asked you... what are you doing here?"

Ryo raised the bottle to his lips and took a drink before looking at Ivo.

He smiled.

"You're still the same."

Then he chuckled softly.

"Girls aren't going to like you if you keep acting like this, Ivo."

He tilted his head.

"You should relax."

Ivo's expression changed.

He stepped toward him.

One step.

Then another.

Until he was standing close to him.

He said,

"I won't repeat my question."

His eyes locked onto Ryo's.

"This is the last time."

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"What are you doing here?"

Ryo continued smiling.

Then he said,

"That's why Feriya left you."

Ivo's expression changed.

"Because you were always so—"

Ryo didn't finish his sentence.

In an instant, Ivo drew his sword.

The blade appeared beside Ryo's mouth.

Everything stopped.

Even Ryo stopped drinking.

Ivo moved closer and said in a low voice,

"If you mention her again..."

His eyes paused for a moment.

Then he said,

"I swear I'll cut that filthy tongue out of your mouth."

Silence filled the room.

Ryo looked at the sword.

Then at Ivo.

Then he smiled.

As though Ivo's threat hadn't frightened him in the slightest.

But before he could say anything...

A strange aura emerged from within the house.

Jenso didn't notice it at first.

Then he felt it.

He quickly turned around.

There was something else.

People.

A lot of people.

Jenso hadn't seen where they came from.

Moments ago, there had been no one there.

And now...

They had appeared out of nowhere.

They carried swords, their blades pointed directly at Ivo.

Jenso's eyes widened.

He moved quickly.

He was about to attack.

But Ivo's voice stopped him.

"Stop!"

Ivo shouted without even looking at him.

Jenso froze in place.

"Stay where you are, Jenso."

Then he said,

"And don't interfere."

"But..."

Ivo turned toward him for a moment.

"What?"

Then he looked at the men surrounding him.

He smiled mockingly.

"You think these rats can defeat me?"

Ryo laughed.

"No."

Then he took another drink from his bottle.

"I don't think so."

He stared at Ivo for several seconds.

Then said,

"That's why I like you, Ivo."

His smile changed.

"You're a hunter by nature."

He raised the bottle slightly.

"You were born this way."

Then he laughed.

"Born a monster that exists only to kill."

He fell silent for a moment.

"A monster in a forest that sees nothing but its prey."

He looked at Ivo.

"But..."

His smile disappeared.

"Even a monster can be defeated by emotions."

Ivo didn't respond.

He simply laughed with contempt.

Then raised his hand.

A small gesture.

Immediately, the men surrounding them lowered their swords.

The silence returned.

Ryo stepped forward and placed a hand on Ivo's shoulder.

He smiled.

"Good to see you, my friend."

Ivo didn't respond.

He only looked at him for a moment.

Then he lowered his hand.

Without a care, he placed it around the waist of one of the girls who had been with Ryo and pulled her toward him.

He said,

"Let's go."

Ryo laughed.

Then he turned and left the room, followed by his men.

The sound of their footsteps gradually faded away.

Leaving Jenso and Ivo alone.

Jenso sat down on the bed.

Then released a long sigh.

What the hell was that?

He looked toward the door Ryo had walked through.

Does this happen every morning I wake up?

Ivo returned his sword to its sheath.

Then looked at Jenso.

"Jenso."

Jenso raised his head.

"Did he say anything to you?"

Jenso thought for a moment.

"No... not exactly."

Then he said,

"He was talking about the sky and the earth."

He paused briefly.

"I didn't really understand what he was getting at."

Ivo fell silent.

Then Jenso asked,

"Who exactly is this Ryo?"

Ivo didn't answer.

He turned toward the door Ryo had left through.

He stared at it for several seconds.

Then lowered his gaze to the floor.

Ivo said nothing.

But Jenso saw something in his eyes.

Sadness.

A sadness he had never seen in Ivo before.

Ivo was...

Sad.

Jenso lowered his voice.

"Ivo..."

But Ivo interrupted him.

"He's not someone worth your attention."

He said it calmly.

Then raised his head and looked at Jenso.

"The important thing is..."

His expression changed slightly.

"Jenso, get ready."

Jenso stood up.

"For what?"

Ivo smiled.

And for the first time since Ryo had entered, the anger disappeared from his face.

"We're going out for a while."

Jenso was surprised.

"Where?"

Ivo's smile widened.

Then he said,

"To show you the village."

He paused for a moment.

"Or what is known as..."

He looked at Jenso.

"The Slayers' Village."

Silence filled the room for a moment.

Then Ivo continued,

"And the place where I grew up."

Jenso stared at him.

The Slayers' Village.

The place Ivo had come from.

The place he had never told Jenso about before.

And now...

Jenso was about to enter it.

As for Ryo, who had left only moments ago, he had left behind another question that Jenso had no answer to:

Was Ryo truly Ivo's friend...

Or was the word "friend" hiding something else?