Chapter 15: Blind Fury
The air crackled with tension as the dust settled from the battle. Morgan's crew lay scattered across the ground, unconscious or groaning in pain, the sheer force of Ryan's power having overwhelmed them. Ryan stood at the center of it all, his body trembling with raw energy. His skin glistened with sweat, muscles flexing uncontrollably, and his eyes were wild, hidden behind a strange black blindfold that seemed to have formed during his transformation.
Ryan was shirtless, his breath coming in heavy gasps. His once-lean frame had bulked up considerably, muscles bulging with unnatural strength. His fists clenched as he towered over the fallen crew members. Every inch of his body screamed raw power, but his mind seemed distant, disconnected from the chaos he had just unleashed.
Pod watched from a distance, his own senses heightened as he absorbed the scene before him. Ryan was different now—completely consumed by his new Choujin power. The teleportation was one thing, but the strength... It was terrifying.
Morgan strode over, eyeing Ryan with a mix of caution and mild curiosity. The Midnight Sun leader seemed unfazed by the destruction Ryan had caused, but there was an unmistakable tension in his posture.
"Pod," Morgan said without looking at him, "I'll take care of the rest of the fugitives. You need to handle Ryan. Now."
Pod hesitated, his gaze shifting from Morgan to Ryan. "What do you mean 'handle' him? He's not—"
Morgan cut him off, his voice sharp. "He's not in control, Pod. He's a threat. You need to stop him before he hurts anyone else."
Pod clenched his fists. Ryan wasn't thinking straight—that much was clear—but could he really bring himself to fight his best friend? He knew Ryan had wanted Choujin powers, but this… This was far beyond what either of them had imagined.
Before Pod could respond, Morgan vanished, his teleportation ability whisking him away to pursue the other fugitives. The clearing fell silent, save for the heavy breathing of the unconscious crew members and the occasional rustle of wind through the trees.
Ryan turned slowly, his blindfolded gaze locking onto Pod. There was no recognition in his posture, no sense of their shared history. Just raw power, pulsing through every muscle.
"Ryan," Pod said, taking a cautious step forward, "you need to calm down. You're not in control right now."
Ryan didn't respond. Instead, he took a step closer, his body rippling with energy. He flexed his arms, and with a sudden burst of speed, he teleported directly in front of Pod, his fist swinging toward him with frightening strength.
Pod barely managed to dodge, the sheer force of Ryan's punch sending a shockwave through the air. His senses flared, and he instinctively tapped into his own power, feeling the familiar surge of heightened awareness flood his system. Every sound, every movement around him became crystal clear, but even with his enhanced senses, Ryan's newfound speed was overwhelming.
"Ryan, stop!" Pod shouted, but his words seemed to fall on deaf ears.
Ryan attacked again, this time teleporting behind Pod with blinding speed, aiming a kick at his back. Pod spun around, barely deflecting the blow, but the impact sent him skidding across the ground. His heart raced as he realized just how powerful Ryan had become.
The blindfold covering Ryan's eyes pulsed with dark energy, almost as if it was feeding off his newfound power. Whatever this transformation had done to him, it was clear that Ryan was no longer in control. The strength, the teleportation—it was all too much, too fast.
Pod stood up, his muscles tensing as he prepared for the next assault. He didn't want to fight Ryan, but he couldn't just stand there and let his friend tear everything apart. Not when there was still a chance to bring him back.
Ryan vanished again, teleporting in quick, jagged bursts as he tried to catch Pod off-guard. Pod dodged and weaved, using his enhanced senses to track Ryan's movements, but the sheer unpredictability of his attacks made it nearly impossible to land a clean hit.
Sweat dripped down Pod's forehead as he struggled to keep up. Ryan wasn't just teleporting—he was moving faster than the eye could track, his strength growing more and more unstable with each passing moment.
Finally, Ryan teleported directly in front of Pod, his fist raised for a devastating punch. Pod had no time to think—he ducked, barely avoiding the blow as Ryan's fist smashed into the ground, leaving a crater in its wake.
The force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the clearing, and Pod was thrown backward, landing hard against a nearby tree. Pain shot through his body, but he gritted his teeth and pushed himself to his feet.
"Ryan," Pod called out, his voice strained, "you've got to fight it. This isn't you."
Ryan paused, his chest heaving with every breath. For a brief moment, Pod thought he saw a flicker of recognition in his friend's posture. But then, just as quickly, the blindfold pulsed again, and Ryan's body tensed, ready for another attack.
Pod knew he didn't have much time. If Ryan kept going like this, he'd destroy everything in his path—including himself. Pod needed to find a way to stop him, but how?
As Ryan prepared for another strike, Pod's mind raced. There had to be a way to reach him, to break through the blindfold's control. But the longer the fight dragged on, the more Pod realized that brute force wasn't the answer.
Ryan lunged forward, teleporting directly in front of Pod once again. This time, Pod didn't dodge. Instead, he reached out, grabbing Ryan's wrist mid-punch.
"Ryan," Pod said, his voice firm, "this isn't you. You have to fight it."
For a moment, Ryan froze. His body trembled, his muscles twitching with barely restrained power. Pod could feel the raw energy coursing through his friend's veins, but there was something else beneath it—a flicker of the old Ryan, the one who had been desperate for power but never wanted to lose himself in the process.
Pod tightened his grip on Ryan's wrist, his voice softening. "I know you're still in there. Don't let the power take over."
Ryan's body shook with the effort of holding back, and for a brief second, the blindfold seemed to weaken, the dark energy surrounding it flickering. But before Pod could say anything more, Ryan wrenched his hand free, teleporting away with a burst of speed.
Pod's heart sank. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. Ryan was stronger, faster, and more dangerous than ever before. If he didn't find a way to stop him soon, someone was going to get seriously hurt.
And as Ryan reappeared a few feet away, his muscles coiled like a spring ready to unleash, Pod realized that the real fight was only just beginning.