The Abyssal Beast loomed over Yuto and Shiro, its hulking form dwarfing the surrounding warehouse. Its grotesque features—jagged spikes, pulsating muscles, and burning red eyes—seemed to shift with each passing second, as if the very essence of the Abyssal Realm was warping its body.
Yuto could feel the oppressive weight of its presence. Every breath he took felt like inhaling thick, suffocating smoke. Abyss stirred within him, whispering dark thoughts, urging him to unleash more power. But Yuto resisted, keeping the tendrils of shadow that pulsed around his arms at bay.
"That thing..." Yuto muttered, his eyes locked on the creature. "It's different from the others."
Shiro, standing beside him with Ravenous hovering protectively at his side, nodded grimly. "Yeah, no kidding. Abyssal Beasts are on a whole other level compared to regular Voidspawn. I've only heard about them. Never fought one."
"Great," Yuto said, exhaling sharply. "So we're both going in blind."
The Beast let out a low growl, its gaze fixed on Yuto, its attention drawn to the swirling dark energy coiled around him. It took a step forward, the ground beneath its massive feet trembling. Its blood-red eyes glowed brighter, and Yuto swore he could feel its hunger—an insatiable desire to consume the power within him.
"It's coming for me," Yuto realized, his voice barely above a whisper.
Shiro shot him a sidelong glance. "Because of Abyss, right?" He didn't wait for Yuto to answer before adding, "This thing was probably drawn to you the moment you awakened Abyss. It's after your Anima's power."
Yuto clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest. "If that's true, then I can't run from it. It'll just keep coming."
"Exactly." Shiro's voice was calm, steady. "So we take it down here and now. Before it can cause even more damage."
Yuto stared at the Beast, doubt creeping into his mind. "How do we even take something like that down? It's huge."
"Size isn't everything," Abyss's voice purred in Yuto's mind, smooth and dark. "Power is. And you, boy, are overflowing with it. If you would just—"
"Shut up," Yuto snapped aloud, cutting Abyss off. He wasn't about to let the spirit take control, not now, not ever. He had to do this on his terms.
Shiro glanced at him, a flicker of concern crossing his face. "You good?"
Yuto forced a grin, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah. Just arguing with my inner demon, no big deal."
Shiro gave a half-smirk. "Welcome to the club." His gaze shifted back to the Abyssal Beast, and his expression grew serious again. "Listen, Yuto. I'll handle the front. Ravenous and I will keep it distracted. You look for an opening and hit it with everything you've got."
Yuto's eyes widened. "You're going to charge straight at that thing?"
Shiro didn't respond right away. Instead, he summoned Ravenous closer, its shadowy form wrapping around his body like a cloak. When he spoke again, his voice was filled with quiet resolve. "Someone has to keep it busy. And trust me, Ravenous is built for this kind of thing."
Yuto swallowed hard, his mind racing. He had only just started to figure out how to control Abyss, and now Shiro was asking him to take down something like this? But there was no time to hesitate. Shiro was right—if they didn't stop the Abyssal Beast here, it would keep coming. And it would destroy anything in its path.
"Alright," Yuto said, forcing the fear down. "I'll follow your lead."
Shiro flashed him a quick, confident grin. "That's the spirit. Let's do this."
Without another word, Shiro charged forward, Ravenous surging alongside him like a shadowy blur. The Abyssal Beast roared in response, its glowing red eyes locking onto Shiro as it lunged toward him with terrifying speed.
Yuto watched in awe as Shiro and Ravenous moved in perfect sync. Shiro ducked and weaved between the Beast's massive swipes, while Ravenous struck out with its bladed wings, cutting deep into the creature's flesh. But despite their efforts, the Abyssal Beast barely seemed to flinch. Its wounds closed almost as quickly as they were made, its body regenerating with an unnatural vitality.
"It's healing too fast!" Shiro shouted, his voice strained as he narrowly avoided another swipe from the Beast. "We need to hit it harder!"
Yuto's heart pounded as he tried to summon more of Abyss's power without losing control. He could feel the dark energy pulsing through him, eager to be unleashed. But every time he tried to direct it, Abyss's voice whispered in his mind, urging him to give in completely.
"Let me handle it," Abyss cooed, its voice like a snake wrapping around his thoughts. "I can crush that creature in an instant. All you have to do is let go."
"Not happening," Yuto growled, gritting his teeth. He wasn't about to give Abyss free reign. Not after everything he'd been through.
But he couldn't afford to waste any more time. Shiro was risking his life, buying Yuto the time he needed to make a move. He had to act now.
"I can't let him down," Yuto muttered to himself, clenching his fists. He focused on the energy within him, trying to shape it, trying to control it. The shadows around his arms thickened, dark tendrils forming and coiling around his hands like living chains.
"Alright, let's see if this works."
Yuto sprinted forward, closing the distance between him and the Abyssal Beast. As he ran, the dark tendrils extended from his arms, growing longer and sharper with each step. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins as he approached the Beast from behind.
"Hey, ugly!" Yuto shouted, drawing the creature's attention for a split second.
The Abyssal Beast turned its head, just in time to see Yuto leaping into the air, his shadowy tendrils slashing downward with all the force he could muster.
The tendrils struck the Beast's back, digging deep into its flesh. For a brief moment, Yuto felt the dark energy pulse through him, a surge of power unlike anything he had ever felt before. The Beast roared in pain, its massive body trembling under the force of the attack.
"Gotcha!" Yuto grinned, his body surging with adrenaline.
But his victory was short-lived. The Abyssal Beast's wounds began to heal again, its flesh knitting itself back together almost instantly. And then, with terrifying speed, the Beast swung its massive arm toward Yuto.
Yuto barely had time to react. The Beast's clawed hand slammed into him, sending him flying across the warehouse yard. He hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind out of him.
"Damn it," Yuto gasped, clutching his side as he struggled to get back on his feet. Pain shot through his body, but he forced himself to stand.
"Yuto!" Shiro's voice rang out, and Yuto saw him darting toward him, Ravenous fending off the Abyssal Beast's relentless attacks. "Are you alright?"
Yuto nodded, wincing as he straightened up. "Yeah, just… taking a breather."
Shiro glanced at the Beast, which was already healing from the damage Yuto had dealt. "We're not doing enough damage. We need something stronger."
Yuto clenched his fists, frustration boiling inside him. "I'm trying! But this thing keeps healing faster than I can hurt it!"
"You're holding back," Abyss's voice whispered in his mind, more insistent this time. "If you truly want to defeat that creature, you'll need my full power. You can't do this alone."
Yuto grit his teeth, trying to drown out Abyss's voice. "No. I'm not giving in."
"Then you'll die here," Abyss hissed, its voice growing darker, more menacing. "And so will your friend."
Yuto's heart pounded in his chest. Shiro was counting on him. If he didn't act soon, they were both as good as dead. But if he let Abyss take control… would he even be the same person afterward?
"You can't hesitate," Shiro said suddenly, his voice cutting through Yuto's thoughts. He placed a hand on Yuto's shoulder, his eyes intense. "I know you're scared of losing control. I get it. But sometimes… you have to trust your Anima."
Yuto stared at him, his mind racing. Trust Abyss? Could he even do that? Could he risk it?
The Abyssal Beast let out