Kenji's lungs burned, his limbs heavy with fatigue. Sweat dripped down his forehead, mixing with the dirt and grime that coated his face. Beside him, Hitoshi panted heavily, his once-crisp uniform torn and bloodstained. The Apparition that stood before them sneered, its ethereal form swirling with malevolence.
"Damn it, Hitoshi," Kenji growled through gritted teeth. "We can't keep this up much longer."
Hitoshi nodded, his knuckles white as he tightly gripped his bloodied dagger."I know, we'll have to end this quickly one way or the other but for now just follow my lead."
Hitoshi moved quickly as he assulted the apparition from the sides.
With a nod, Kenji charged forward, his blade slicing through the air towards the Apparition. But it effortlessly phased through the attack, its malicious laughter echoing through the misty night.
Their previous wounds throbbing, the duo fought with desperation. Kenji's strikes were swift and precise, while Hitoshi's slashes were filled with brute force. But no matter how deep their wounds, how strategic their strikes, the Apparition simply regenerated, its form rippling and reforming before their eyes.
Frustration gnawed at Kenji's gut. He could feel his stamina draining, his body becoming sluggish. The Apparition taunted them, whispering chilling words into their ears as it continued to torment them. Something had to change.
An idea sparked in Kenji's mind. "Hitoshi, follow my lead!" he shouted, newfound determination infusing his voice.
Without hesitation, Hitoshi adjusted his grip on his katana and joined Kenji in a synchronized assault. Their blades danced through the air, slashing and stabbing, aiming for any vulnerable spot in the Apparition's incorporeal form. Black blood gushed from the wounds they inflicted, but still, the Apparition persisted.
Kenji's vision blurred as he reached the brink of exhaustion, his strikes becoming wild and uncontrolled. Sweat mixed with the black blood splattered across his face, his arms growing weak from the relentless assault. But he refused to back down.
Not giving the Apparition a moment break, Kenji and Hitoshi continued their merciless barrage. Blades pierced through flesh, severed limbs, and reduced the Apparition to a mere chunk of grotesque flesh. Guttural screams filled the air as the Apparition desperately fought to hold itself together.
With one final, brutal stab, Kenji and Hitoshi struck simultaneously, skewering the Apparition from all sides. The ethereal being let out a keening wail, its form deteriorating into a grotesque pile of blackened gore. The once-menacing creature slowly dissolved, its remnants drifting into thin air, leaving nothing more than a haunting silence behind.
Breathing heavily, Kenji and Hitoshi stood amidst the darkness, their bodies covered in the vile, sticky remnants of the defeated Apparition. Though they won, visible exhaustion was etched across their faces. They body's we're at its limit and their visions slowly became foggy.
As dawn broke, casting its gentle light upon the scene, Kenji and Hitoshi exchanged a silent grin before their bodies simultaneously collapsed with a thud as the passed out on the spot.
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Author's note: I've decided to start releasing regular updates, let's say 10 chapters per day, I know it might affect the quality of the chapters but we've got to move fast if we want to get to the good stuff. Ozen_Ice has left the lab 👨🏽🔬.