The chains of grief lashed out like whips, tearing across the void. Kento pulled Furi aside just in time, the ground exploding where they had stood.
The Shadow, eyes glowing crimson, whispered in a broken voice.
"Every promise dies. Every vow shatters. Why should ours be any different?"
Kento gritted his teeth, summoning the light within him. Sparks erupted from his hands, forming a barrier that clashed against the Shadow's chains.
"Because this promise—" he shouted, pushing back with all his strength, "—isn't broken yet!"
The Shadow screeched, the sound echoing with sorrow. Its chains twisted into blades, hundreds of them, each dripping with the weight of grief. They rained down like a storm.
Furi staggered to his feet, still trembling.
He whispered, "That voice… it's mine. The part of me that believed you would never return."
Kento looked at him sharply.
"Then take it back, Furi! Don't let it control you!"
But Furi's eyes wavered. "I… I don't know if I can…"
The Shadow struck again. A blade pierced Kento's barrier, grazing his arm. Blood floated into the void like droplets of red stardust.
"Every wound," the Shadow hissed, "is proof that promises are lies!"
Kento staggered, clutching his arm. But instead of falling, he glared at the Shadow with defiance.
"Then I'll bleed as many times as it takes… until you understand—this promise is real!"
For a moment, the chains faltered. The Shadow trembled, as if Kento's words shook something deep inside.
Furi clenched his fists. His body glowed faintly, light resonating with Kento's.
"…I don't want to run anymore."
The Shadow roared, raising all its blades for a single devastating strike.
Kento extended his hand toward Furi.
"Together!"
Furi hesitated—then took it. Their lights merged, bursting outward. The void lit up like dawn breaking across a starless night.
The Shadow screamed, its blades shattering against the radiant force. But even as it was pushed back, its hollow voice echoed one last time:
"You think light can erase betrayal? No… it only hides it…"
The battle was far from over.
(To be continued…)
The chains of grief lashed out like whips, tearing across the void. Kento pulled Furi aside just in time, the ground exploding where they had stood.
The Shadow, eyes glowing crimson, whispered in a broken voice.
"Every promise dies. Every vow shatters. Why should ours be any different?"
Kento gritted his teeth, summoning the light within him. Sparks erupted from his hands, forming a barrier that clashed against the Shadow's chains.
"Because this promise—" he shouted, pushing back with all his strength, "—isn't broken yet!"
The Shadow screeched, the sound echoing with sorrow. Its chains twisted into blades, hundreds of them, each dripping with the weight of grief. They rained down like a storm.
Furi staggered to his feet, still trembling.
He whispered, "That voice… it's mine. The part of me that believed you would never return."
Kento looked at him sharply.
"Then take it back, Furi! Don't let it control you!"
But Furi's eyes wavered. "I… I don't know if I can…"
The Shadow struck again. A blade pierced Kento's barrier, grazing his arm. Blood floated into the void like droplets of red stardust.
"Every wound," the Shadow hissed, "is proof that promises are lies!"
Kento staggered, clutching his arm. But instead of falling, he glared at the Shadow with defiance.
"Then I'll bleed as many times as it takes… until you understand—this promise is real!"
For a moment, the chains faltered. The Shadow trembled, as if Kento's words shook something deep inside.
Furi clenched his fists. His body glowed faintly, light resonating with Kento's.
"…I don't want to run anymore."
The Shadow roared, raising all its blades for a single devastating strike.
Kento extended his hand toward Furi.
"Together!"
Furi hesitated—then took it. Their lights merged, bursting outward. The void lit up like dawn breaking across a starless night.
The Shadow screamed, its blades shattering against the radiant force. But even as it was pushed back, its hollow voice echoed one last time:
"You think light can erase betrayal? No… it only hides it…"
The battle was far from over.
(To be continued…)