Lyte of Utopia
Arc III: “Return of Darkness”
Chapter II: “Lady Soap”
Episode I: “The Queen”
“Hey… d-do you feel that?” Kyoto whispered, breath hitching as the air grew heavy.
“Y-yeah…” Reito stammered, jaw tight, eyes tracking the dark.
Still hovering in the sky, they froze—an ominous pressure rolled off the temple like a storm front, pressing their ribs inward.
A woman in a long black battle dress stood atop the temple, cradling a violet orb that bled light between her fingers. The orb’s glow felt tainted—its aether scummed the stone, wilted the ivy, and seemed to leach color from the very planet.
“W-who are you!?” Kyoto shouted, knuckles blanching as his aura flickered around clenched fists.
She smiled and shifted one silk-black heel, unhurried and theatrical, letting them drink in every deliberate motion.
But it didn’t matter how carefully they watched—
She Aether-Skipped, vanishing faster than they could blink—reappearing flush against Kyoto, right arm looped over his shoulders, orb purring violet in her left.
“Aw,” she purred, “you boys are handsome…” Her smile suddenly thinned, cutting through Kyoto’s soul. “Shame you’ll both suffer for your fathers’ sins.”
The outburst of her yield drowned them. Kyoto’s legs locked in place, and Reito ground his teeth against each other as his fingers curled into a fist.
“HAA!” He dashed toward them with a driving hook.
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She slid past him, flipped light as ribbon, then spun—her heel scythed across both boys and sent them crashing through temple stone in a bloom of dust.
“You shouldn’t lay hands on the Queen…” she breathed, then, softer, “let alone your grandmother, boy.” She turned to the ocean. She glanced at the orb in her hands, watching it hum with vitality. She lifted higher into the air and streaked toward the horizon, a black ribbon against gray sky.
[A Small Town – Southern Region]
A strange humanoid slipped through the swinging door, a neon sunset smeared its gray skin
“Huh? And who’re you supposed to be?” a man slurred at the bar, elbow deep in empty glasses.
While the rest of the men drank their worries thin, the humanoid drifted to the counter and backhanded the man’s shot glass—
Skitter, shatter, silence…
“Hey! That was mine—what the hell!” He lurched up and seized its shoulder.
The humanoid tilted its faceless head, then snatched the man by the collar. It lifted him one-handed, leaving him to cycle his feet helplessly.
Screams echoed as everyone emptied the bar in a stampede. Inside the bar, a shattered bottle-glass glinted, reflecting the red splatter of a cleanly severed head… and a body slumped over the counter. As everyone in the town screamed themselves hoarse, the crimson stand humanoid stepped out onto the street.
By dawn, only gulls and quiet remained…
[Elsewhere]
“It’s now known that after eighteen years of peaceful times, the UFA has fallen prey to a fresh incursion and has been temporarily rendered inactive. This appears to coincide with the numerous attacks by black, demon-like individuals. Fortunately, those attacks seem to have stopped, but everyone should remain on guard…”
The global feed flickered in the Lyte residence while Kazuma lay sprawled on the couch.
“BREAKING: Sightings of a strange man appearing in a small town before everyone was erased on South Pine Island. Witnesses report a tall, gray-skinned, faceless figure… This may be related to the demon attacks earlier this week, but nothing is certain until more information is unveiled. Everyone, please remain in your homes whenever possible to stay safe. And please, stay tuned for future updates.”
He thumbed the remote, and the screen snapped dark.
“Uhh!” Kazuma yawned as he stretched out on the couch. He scratched lazily at his stomach. “Maybe I should tell Akaza about this…”
[Near the Sky Island]
I’m sure they’re around here somewhere… Leo thought as he flew through the sky at high speeds. “…There!”
[The Temple]
“Ugh…” Kyoto pushed up on scraped palms, dust gritting his teeth. “Reito… you still alive over there?!”
“Shut up… stop being so loud!” Reito groaned, clutching his ribs.
They both staggered upright as Leo’s shadow swept the shattered ceiling.
“There you guys are!” He dropped through the hole. “I’ve been looking all over for you guys. Why didn’t you guys wait for me?”
Kyoto laughed and scratched the back of his head while Reito found something fascinating on the floor.
“Jeez,” Leo sighed. “You two are just like your fathers.”
[Next Time on Lyte of Utopia]: “The Humanoid!”
[Yield Levels]:
Kyoto: 350 trillion = 350 – 4z
Reito: 300 trillion = 300 – 4z
Mysterious Woman: 1 decillion = 11z
Humanoid: 1000 = 1z
Drunk Man: 6 = 6 – 0z
Kazuma: 20 trillion = 20 – 4z
Leo: 10 quadrillion = 10 – 5z