SAI SHINU
The moment we stepped through the gate, the world around us shifted. The air was cold, heavy—thicker than the cursed forest I had once stumbled into. My boots pressed into a floor of black stone, cracked and pulsing faintly as if something alive moved underneath. A vast dome of darkness stretched above us, not sky, not ceiling—just endless shadow.
I clenched my fists, steadying myself. Beside me, Namae looked cautious, her silver hair catching the faint glow of the torches that lit themselves along the wall as we moved. Jiro, however, had already drawn his blade, his eyes narrowing as though he could cut through the darkness itself.
"This place…" Jiro muttered. "It reeks of death."
He was right. It felt suffocating, like despair itself was stitched into the walls.
I swallowed hard and took the lead. "Stay sharp. We don't know what we're walking into."
As we advanced, the silence shattered. From the cracks in the black stone floor, shadows began to ooze upward, forming shapes—soldiers of pure darkness, their eyes glowing crimson, each armed with weapons carved from shadow. A dozen of them stood before us, blocking the path deeper into the stage.
"Figures," I muttered, raising my hand. A green aura shimmered faintly—I could heal, but fighting wasn't my strongest suit. "Namae, Jiro, I'll support. You two cut us through."
"Gladly," Jiro growled. He lunged forward, his blade cleaving through the first shadow soldier, dispersing it into smoke. Namae followed, her hands weaving symbols before she unleashed a torrent of fire, incinerating three more at once.
The fight was relentless. For each shadow we cut down, another seemed to claw its way from the ground. I moved constantly, keeping my distance, throwing bursts of light to blind the soldiers, and patching up Jiro when one of the blades grazed his side.
"They don't end," Namae shouted, frustration sharp in her voice.
"They're stalling us," I realized. "Something's waiting ahead."
As if to answer my thought, the ground trembled. The shadows suddenly receded, crawling back into the cracks like obedient pets. The torches along the wall flickered, then extinguished. Darkness swallowed us whole.
Then… footsteps.
A man emerged from the abyss. His figure was tall, wrapped in a cloak that seemed woven from the shadows themselves. Pale skin contrasted sharply with his jet-black eyes, and his lips curved into a chilling smile.
"You've come far," he said, his voice echoing unnaturally, as though a hundred whispers carried it. "But you stand before me now."
Jiro raised his blade. "Who the hell are you?"
The man spread his arms, and behind him shadows erupted—swords, spears, axes, and soldiers forming in perfect synchronization. "I am the keeper of this gate. I am shadow itself. You may call me… your end."
My breath caught. This wasn't like the mind games of the mirror. This was raw, unrelenting power. A godglyph holder.
Namae grit her teeth and stepped forward, fire dancing on her palms. "If you're standing between us and the godglyph, then you're already dead."
The Shadow Man laughed, low and cold. "Brave words. Let us see if your flames burn brighter than the abyss."
He snapped his fingers.
Shadows surged forward like a tidal wave. Soldiers clashed against Jiro's blade, sparks flying as steel met darkness. Namae unleashed a blazing inferno, lighting up the void for a heartbeat before it was swallowed again.
I moved with them, throwing bursts of light to clear openings. "Jiro, left flank!" I shouted.
"On it!" He spun, cleaving down a shadow warrior before it impaled me. Sweat drenched his brow, but his resolve burned bright.
Namae grunted, forcing back three soldiers at once. "He's playing with us," she yelled. "He's not even moving from that spot!"
She was right. The Shadow Man stood with arms crossed, watching as his creations fought for him. His black eyes glowed, reflecting our struggle.
"Pathetic," he sneered. "Is this truly the best this world has to offer?"
Rage boiled in my chest. I forced a healing burst onto Jiro's bleeding arm, then stepped forward myself. "Stop hiding behind your toys and fight us yourself!"
The Shadow Man's smile widened. "As you wish."
He raised his hand, and a massive shadow blade formed, longer than any sword I'd seen. With a single stride, he closed the distance between us—fast, too fast. Jiro barely managed to block the strike, the impact sending a shockwave that cracked the ground beneath them.
My stomach sank. This wasn't just a battle for survival. This was life or death.
The Shadow Man pressed forward, his blade grinding against Jiro's. "Show me your despair," he whispered.
I caught Namae's eye, her flames flickering with desperation. We weren't ready for this fight… but there was no turning back.
I tightened my fists. We survive this. No matter what.
The Shadow Man raised his blade again, shadows swirling like a storm.
And the true battle began.