The First Men Chronicles

Chapter 30: The Puppet Paper Technique & Draven's Test

The battlefield was still. The scent of burnt debris and blood mixed with the lingering pressure of immense Shen energy. Quag's sharp eyes flickered toward the rooftop, where Huey and Draven stood, watching like gods overseeing a battlefield. His instincts screamed at him—Huey wasn't like the others. There was a different kind of danger that lurked beneath his laughter, a quiet chaos waiting to unravel.

Yet, his gaze fell upon Draven, and curiosity gnawed at him. Why was that kid with The Ten? What was so special about him that Huey had brought him along on such a high-stakes mission? He pushed the thought aside. He needed to deal with Castle and Roshi first before concerning himself with Huey and the boy.

Castle's voice cut through the tension. "Ready?"

Roshi nodded, and both fighters burst into motion. Their movements were fluid, synchronized, like two parts of the same entity. Castle led the charge, moving forward in a blur, only to slow his momentum and allow Roshi to slip past him. The exchange continued, Castle covering for Roshi, then Roshi taking point—each action supporting the other.

Then came the attack.

Roshi swung his arm forward, and six small wooden dolls, no bigger than his palms, shot out—each connected by an almost invisible thread. They danced unnaturally through the air, their movements unpredictable.

Quag didn't flinch.

With a calm expression, he activated the same technique as before.

"Divine Piercer."

Golden arrows materialized around him, their tips glowing ominously. They shot forward, aimed directly at Castle and Roshi. But Castle, expecting this, slowed his pace, allowing Roshi to take the lead.

Just as the arrows were about to strike—

Castle placed a hand on Roshi's shoulder.

The arrows phased through both of them as if they were ghosts. A split second later, Roshi retaliated—the dolls shot forward, closing the gap between them and Quag. He reacted instinctively, firing more arrows at the incoming puppets, but to his shock—

The arrows phased through them as well.

"What?" Quag's eyes narrowed.

Before he could analyze the situation, Roshi pulled out a small white paper and an ink pen. With quick, fluid strokes, he wrote something on it.

A single word.

QUAG.

He raised his head and, with eerie calmness, spoke.

"Quag."

Without thinking, Quag responded.

"What?"

The ink on the paper glowed ominously. The moment he had answered, the word RECORDED etched itself onto the parchment.

A loop had begun.

His mind fractured, trapped in an endless cycle of the same moment repeating over and over. No matter how hard he tried to move, he couldn't break free. His body was frozen. His senses numbed. He was locked in a death loop.

Meanwhile, the dolls reached him, surrounding him from all directions.

Roshi whispered, "Mountain Explosion Dolls."

A deafening explosion erupted, consuming Quag in a violent blast. The entire area trembled as shockwaves tore through the battlefield, sending flames and debris skyward. A blinding light engulfed the space where Quag had stood, reducing everything to smoldering rubble.

Roshi exhaled heavily, stumbling slightly. His Shen was nearly drained. He turned to Castle and nodded.

"It's done."

Castle let out a deep breath. "I know."

Roshi slumped to the ground, exhausted. His technique, The Puppet Paper Technique, had taken nearly 80% of his Shen.

High above, Huey watched with amusement.

Turning to Draven, he chuckled. "That, my dear golden boy, is Roshi's special ability."

Draven's eyes remained locked onto the battlefield, absorbing every detail.

Huey continued, his tone casual yet laced with admiration. "The Puppet Paper Technique is a deadly tool. Once the user writes down their target's name, all they have to do is get that person to respond to a question. The moment they answer—"

He gestured to the smoldering crater where Quag had stood.

"Boom."

Draven's jaw clenched. That ability was terrifying. A true one-shot kill technique. But Huey wasn't finished.

"Oh, and by the way… I was one of the first people to get caught by that technique."

Draven's head snapped toward Huey in shock.

Huey grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I survived."

Before Draven could ask how, Huey pointed downward.

"Look."

Draven followed his gaze, and his eyes widened,Through the dissipating smoke, Quag was still standing.

Burned. Bloodied.

But alive.

"He survived that?" Draven muttered.

Quag exhaled, shaking off the pain. He cracked his neck and flexed his fingers, his body coated with shen.

"That was… quite the trick."

Before Roshi could react, an arrow suddenly shot out from beneath the ground.

It pierced through Roshi's chest.

Blood splattered onto the dirt as Roshi's body jerked violently, his eyes widening in shock.

Quag grinned.

"I knew the intangibility on you would wear off eventually."

Roshi's breathing became ragged as he dropped to his knees, blood pooling beneath him.

Draven's fists clenched.

Huey let out a slow sigh. "Well, that's a damn shame."

Then, turning to Draven, he suddenly smiled.

"Alright, kid. Your turn."

Draven froze.

Huey clapped him on the back. "No more running. This is your fight now."

Draven's hands curled into fists,He stepped forward.

Huey's voice was calm but held authority.

"Listen up. Forget everything you knew before today. You don't fight like you used to. You're going in there, and you're only going to use one thing…"

He tapped Draven's forehead.

"…Those eyes of yours."

Draven took a deep breath, staring at Quag.

This was his moment.

Huey smirked.

"Time to see what you're really made of."

He turned away and landed gracefully on the ground alongside with Draven, Huey , expressed that Quag is as exhausted as Roshi was too.

"Castle, take Roshi and get him treated."

Castle nodded, stepping forward and placing a hand on Roshi's shoulder.

In an instant—they vanished,Quag wiped the blood from his mouth and locked eyes with Draven.

Draven stepped forward, His first real fight was about to begin.