Chapter 1 – Shadow on the Skin of the World
Claro, joshi, aquí tienes la traducción al inglés con algunos retoques para darle más fluidez y fuerza sin perder la esencia original. Al final te cuento qué cambié.
"When an ego breaks, the world doesn't notice. But we do. We always notice."
The sun dipped behind the concrete buildings like a golden blade. The city roared with its daily life: cars, people, glowing screens, voices crossing nonstop. Everything seemed normal.
But it wasn't. Not when the air smelled of loose nexo.
Not when something in the shadows breathed heavier than any human.
Azhel stood still in front of an abandoned six-story building, its broken windows like mouths that no longer scream.
His black jacket fluttered in the wind. Two curved swords hung at his waist, silent and waiting. Next to him, the resonant assigned to him — Nira, with short hair and cold eyes — read the report on her device.
"Three egos. One original. Two corrupted by it," she said without looking up. "Multiple victims. Bodies twisted, some empty… no ego, no soul. Truly hollow."
Azhel just nodded.
"Want to clean this up quick, or let one loose to track its plane?" she asked half-joking.
"Quick. I don't like being watched from windows." And she was right. From the top floor, something peeked out… just for a moment.
Without another word, they crossed the threshold. The air was thick, smelling like hot metal and dry fear. The lights flickered, even though no one had lived here for years.
On the second floor, the first one awaited them.
A human-shaped figure, too thin, too elongated. Its skin black as liquid ink, smoke rising from its back like it was burning inside. The eyes… white. Huge. Empty.
It roared without opening its mouth and lunged.
Nira moved first, leaping at the enemy. Her mask formed instantly: silver, clawed edges floating over her face. The smoke of her nexo burned blue.
Chains shimmered from her hand, twisting like serpents. She threw them, and one wrapped around the ego's arm.
Azhel hadn't moved. Just watched.
The ego snapped free with force and charged at her. Nira stepped back, spun, and stabbed one chain into the floor. The ego crashed, stopped by the tension.
"Move, old man," she said, panting.
Azhel sighed.
"I'm coming."
His mask appeared like liquid shadow over his face, deep violet with a glowing diagonal line. No theatrics. No need.
He drew his two swords in a flash. The whistle of metal sliced the air.
The ego barely had time to react.
Azhel was already on it.
A clean slash to the chest, a kick that sent it crashing into the wall.
Another diagonal cut, slicing through its neck.
Then silence.
The ego's body trembled… dissolved into smoke, leaving only the echo of its scream on the wall.
"One," said Azhel.
Nira smirked.
"The second one's coming down."
The ceiling creaked. Something jumped from above, straight at them. Another ego, similar but with longer arms and claws like blades.
This time, Azhel moved first. His swords clashed with the ego midair. The impact was brutal, shaking the floor.
The resonant spun, sliced through one leg of the ego, then landed in a crouch, his swords humming.
The ego fell, shrieking, shadowy whips sprouting from its back.
Azhel dodged with sharp, precise moves. Almost bored.
"You should try something new," he said as he launched himself again.
The right sword pierced its torso.
The left, the skull.
Silence again.
"Two," he said.
But then the building shook.
From the top floor, a scream thundered, held back but powerful. The nexo in the air vibrated. The resonant plane was beginning to form.
Nira swallowed hard.
"That… is the original."
Azhel cracked his neck and stretched his shoulders.
"Then let's go. I want dinner before it gets cold."
They climbed up, while the smoke of the defeated ego faded away like a warning in the air.