The Voidspawn lunged at Yuto with terrifying speed, its sickly green eyes locked onto him like a predator eyeing its prey. Time seemed to slow down as Yuto's mind raced, his pulse thundering in his ears. Abyss's voice echoed in his head, low and menacing, but also oddly reassuring.
"Release me, Yuto. You cannot survive this without my power."
Yuto hesitated, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He'd seen what Abyss could do, felt its dark energy pulse through him like a wild, uncontrollable storm. But he had no other choice—not with the Voidspawn closing in.
"You said it yourself," Yuto muttered under his breath, taking a shaky step backward as the creature slithered closer. "I need to control you, not the other way around."
Abyss chuckled, its deep voice reverberating through Yuto's mind. "Control me? You're barely holding yourself together. Let me in, Yuto. Fully. Only then will you have a chance."
The Voidspawn lunged again, its claws swiping through the air with deadly intent. Yuto barely dodged in time, stumbling back, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He could feel Abyss pressing against the edges of his consciousness, urging him to let go, to surrender.
"What are you waiting for?" Shiro's voice rang out from behind him, sharp and commanding. Yuto glanced back, seeing Shiro locked in combat with a larger Voidspawn, his Anima, Ravenous, slashing through the air like a shadowy blade. "If you don't fight back, you're dead!"
Yuto grit his teeth, his anger bubbling up to the surface. He couldn't die here, not before he figured out what had really happened to his brother. Not before he found his place in all of this chaos.
"Fine," Yuto growled. "But I'm not letting you take over, Abyss. You and I are doing this my way."
Abyss's laughter echoed in his mind again, more amused than anything. "Your way? Bold. Let's see if you're strong enough."
The dark energy inside Yuto surged forward, a wave of power rushing through him. His body tensed, and for a brief moment, it felt as though he was being torn apart from the inside. Then, with a sudden rush, the energy stabilized, coiling around his arms and legs like tendrils of shadow.
The Voidspawn reared back, its glowing eyes narrowing in what looked like surprise—or perhaps fear.
"Now you're talking," Abyss murmured approvingly.
Yuto's body felt different—stronger, faster. The tendrils of darkness wrapped around his limbs thrummed with power, pulsing in sync with his heartbeat. His vision sharpened, and for the first time, he could see the Voidspawn clearly, every twisted detail of its form outlined against the dim light.
"Let's see what you've got," Yuto muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he faced the creature.
The Voidspawn lunged again, but this time Yuto was ready. He moved faster than he thought possible, dodging the attack with ease. With a quick burst of energy, he thrust his hand forward, a dark tendril lashing out from his arm and striking the creature square in the chest.
The Voidspawn screeched, its body twisting in pain as the shadowy tendril pierced through its form. Yuto watched in a mix of awe and horror as the creature's energy was siphoned into the tendril, the Voidspawn's body collapsing into a heap of inky black liquid.
"Whoa," Yuto breathed, staring at his hand, which was still crackling with Abyss's dark power. "That was…"
"Efficient," Abyss finished for him, its tone pleased. "But don't get cocky, boy. This is just the beginning."
Before Yuto could respond, another Voidspawn appeared, slithering out from the shadows behind him. He spun around just in time to see it lunge, its jagged claws aimed straight for his head.
"Yuto!" Shiro's voice cut through the chaos, and out of the corner of his eye, Yuto saw Ravenous dart toward the Voidspawn, its shadowy wings slicing through the air. The creature screeched in pain as Ravenous's wing tore through its side, sending it crashing to the ground in a heap.
Yuto blinked, his heart still racing. "Thanks, Shiro."
"Don't thank me yet," Shiro replied, his tone grim. "There's more coming."
Yuto's gaze darted around the warehouse yard. Sure enough, more Voidspawn were emerging from the shadows, their twisted forms crawling out from every dark corner.
"They're attracted to your Anima," Shiro said, his voice tense as he summoned Ravenous back to his side. "The stronger your connection with Abyss, the more they'll come after you. They can sense the darkness in you."
Yuto clenched his fists, frustration gnawing at him. "Great. So, the stronger I get, the worse it gets?"
"Pretty much," Shiro said, his eyes narrowing as he prepared for the next wave of Voidspawn. "But that's why you need to learn control. Fast."
The Voidspawn began to circle them, their glowing eyes flickering with hunger. Yuto could feel Abyss's power thrumming through his veins, urging him to unleash more of it. But he knew if he let go completely, if he allowed Abyss to take over, he might lose himself in the process.
"You're hesitating again, Yuto," Abyss whispered, its voice smooth and coaxing. "Why? You've already seen what I can do. Let me free, and we'll tear these things apart."
Yuto shook his head, trying to drown out Abyss's voice. "No. I'll do this without you taking control."
"You're being stubborn," Abyss growled. "Your weakness will get you killed."
Yuto grit his teeth, his frustration boiling over. He wasn't weak. He couldn't be weak. Not anymore. Not when so much was at stake.
The Voidspawn lunged again, and this time Yuto didn't hesitate. He let the dark energy flow through him, but he kept it contained, directing it with precision instead of recklessness. With a swift motion, he lashed out with another tendril of shadow, striking the creature before it could reach him.
It let out a final screech before dissolving into a puddle of black liquid.
"Not bad," Shiro said, nodding approvingly as he dispatched another Voidspawn with Ravenous's wing. "You're getting the hang of it."
Yuto exhaled sharply, his body still tense from the battle. "Yeah, but I don't know how long I can keep this up. Controlling Abyss… it's not easy."
Shiro's eyes softened slightly, and for a brief moment, Yuto thought he saw a flicker of empathy. "It never is," Shiro said quietly. "But that's why we have to stick together."
Yuto glanced at him, a question forming on his lips. Before he could ask it, however, the ground beneath them rumbled, and a low, guttural roar echoed through the warehouse yard.
Both Yuto and Shiro tensed, their eyes scanning the darkness.
"What the hell was that?" Yuto muttered, his heart pounding in his chest.
Shiro's expression darkened. "Something big."
From the shadows, a massive figure began to emerge—a Voidspawn unlike any Yuto had seen before. It was taller, more monstrous, with jagged spikes protruding from its back and glowing red eyes that burned with malevolent fury. Its body seemed to pulse with raw energy, and as it stepped into the dim light, Yuto felt the air grow colder.
"That's not just any Voidspawn," Abyss whispered, its voice tinged with interest. "That's an Abyssal Beast—a true creature of the Abyssal Realm."
Yuto's stomach twisted. This thing was bigger, stronger, and more dangerous than anything he had faced so far.
"You ready for this?" Shiro asked, his eyes never leaving the massive creature.
Yuto clenched his fists, the dark energy crackling around him. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"
As the Abyssal Beast let out another deafening roar, Yuto and Shiro braced themselves for the fight of their lives.