The silence between Yuto and Shiro was palpable as they watched Mizuki's silhouette disappear into the distance. Even after she was gone, her words hung in the air like a storm cloud. Yuto shifted uneasily, his mind racing, trying to make sense of the revelation. Abyss, a fragment of the Voidspawn realm? It made his skin crawl.
"This is insane," Yuto muttered, more to himself than to Shiro.
Shiro nodded, his brow furrowed. He seemed deep in thought, but when he finally spoke, his voice was calm and level. "We always knew Abyss was different. But this… it's a whole other level."
Yuto clenched his fists, feeling the residual dark energy from Abyss still flickering within him. It was like a cold, unwelcome presence, lurking in the corners of his mind. "I can't believe it. I've been fighting Voidspawn with a part of their world inside me? No wonder they keep coming after me."
Shiro crossed his arms, his expression hardening. "It doesn't change anything. Voidspawn are still the enemy, and we'll keep fighting them. But now we know why they're so fixated on you. We just need to find a way to use that information."
"Use it?" Yuto turned to him, incredulous. "You're talking like this is some advantage. How the hell am I supposed to use this? Every time I tap into Abyss, I feel like I'm losing myself. If what Mizuki said is true, then I'm just a ticking time bomb waiting to go off!"
Shiro met his gaze evenly, his eyes steady. "We've been through worse, Yuto. This isn't the first time we've been backed into a corner. We'll find a way out of this, just like we always do."
Yuto's frustration flared. He wanted to believe Shiro, but this felt different. "It's not that simple! What if Abyss takes over? What if I can't stop it next time?"
Shiro took a deep breath, his tone softening. "Look, I don't have all the answers. But I do know that freaking out isn't going to help. You're not alone in this. We'll figure it out—together."
Yuto bit his lip, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He wanted to trust Shiro, to believe that they could get through this, but doubt gnawed at the edges of his mind. Every time he used Abyss, it felt like he was walking a tightrope over a bottomless pit. One wrong step, and he'd fall—dragged into the darkness, never to return.
"Together, huh?" Yuto finally said, his voice quieter. "But what if I end up being the thing you need to fight?"
Shiro shook his head, his expression resolute. "Then I'll fight for you, not against you. That's what friends do."
Yuto let out a shaky breath, a small, bitter laugh escaping his lips. "I don't know what I did to deserve someone like you."
Shiro smirked, the tension easing slightly. "You saved my ass back in middle school, remember? I guess we're even."
Before Yuto could respond, the faint sound of footsteps echoed from behind them, coming from the direction of the warehouse's entrance. Yuto and Shiro immediately tensed, their hands instinctively moving toward their weapons.
Out of the shadows emerged a familiar figure—Takeshi, Yuto's mentor and leader of their faction, the Stormguard. His tall frame was imposing as ever, his long black coat trailing behind him like a cloak of night. His sharp blue eyes scanned the scene, quickly taking in the scorched ground, the lingering traces of dark energy, and the two boys standing amidst the wreckage.
"I see you two have been busy," Takeshi said, his voice deep and commanding, though not without a hint of amusement.
Yuto tried to straighten up, though his body still felt the aftereffects of the battle. "Takeshi... what are you doing here?"
Takeshi approached them, his expression hardening as he glanced at the pile of ash that had once been the Abyssal Beast. "I felt a disturbance. Something big. And judging by the state of things, I'd say I wasn't wrong." His gaze shifted to Yuto, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Care to explain what happened?"
Yuto swallowed hard, not sure where to begin. He glanced at Shiro, who gave him a nod, as if to say "I've got your back."
"We ran into an Abyssal Beast," Yuto started, his voice a little hoarse. "Stronger than anything we've faced before. I... I had to use Abyss to take it down."
Takeshi's expression didn't change, but Yuto could feel the weight of his gaze. "And?"
Yuto hesitated, then continued. "Mizuki was here. She said something about Abyss being a fragment of the Voidspawn realm. That's why they keep coming after me."
There was a flicker of something in Takeshi's eyes—something Yuto couldn't quite place. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
"Mizuki, huh?" Takeshi mused, his tone neutral. "She always did have a knack for showing up at the most... convenient times." He turned back to Yuto, his expression unreadable. "And what do you think of what she said?"
Yuto blinked, not expecting the question. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice low. "It makes sense, I guess. But if it's true... then what does that mean for me? Am I just... one of them?"
Takeshi was silent for a moment, then he spoke, his tone firm but not unkind. "You are Yuto Kisaragi, a Soulbound warrior of the Stormguard. That hasn't changed. The power you wield may be different, but it doesn't define who you are. Only you can do that."
Yuto stared at him, surprised by the straightforward answer. He'd expected something more cryptic, or perhaps a warning. But Takeshi's words were simple, yet carried a weight of truth that Yuto hadn't anticipated.
"But Abyss... it's part of their world," Yuto said, his voice softening. "What if it's only a matter of time before it consumes me?"
Takeshi's gaze didn't waver. "Then you fight. Every day, every moment, you fight to keep control. We all carry burdens, Yuto. Some heavier than others. But as long as you keep fighting, you haven't lost."
Shiro nodded in agreement beside him. "See? That's what I've been trying to tell you."
Yuto let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. There was something reassuring about Takeshi's words, even though the fear still gnawed at the back of his mind.
"Alright," Yuto said, straightening up a little more. "I'll keep fighting."
Takeshi gave a small nod of approval. "Good. Because this was just the beginning."
Before Yuto could ask what he meant, Takeshi's gaze shifted to the warehouse entrance, his expression sharpening.
"We have company," Takeshi said, his voice low.
Yuto and Shiro immediately turned their attention to the entrance. Emerging from the shadows were three figures, all wearing the distinctive garb of Soulbound warriors, though their insignias were unfamiliar. The one in the lead, a tall man with a scar running down his left cheek, stepped forward, his eyes locked on Yuto.
"Yuto Kisaragi," the man said, his voice cold. "We've come for you."
Yuto tensed, his hand instinctively moving toward the hilt of his weapon. "Who the hell are you?"
The man smirked, though there was no warmth in it. "We're with the Black Thorn Syndicate. And you, boy, have something that belongs to us."
Yuto exchanged a quick glance with Shiro, who was already gripping Ravenous, his posture tense and ready for a fight. Takeshi, however, remained calm, though his eyes were sharp, watching the newcomers carefully.
"What are you talking about?" Yuto demanded. "I don't have anything that belongs to you."
The man's smirk widened, though it was more predatory than amused. "Oh, but you do. That power inside you—the Abyss—it's not yours to wield. It belongs to the Void, and by extension, to us."
Yuto's heart raced, but he didn't back down. "I don't care who you think you are. Abyss is mine, and I'm not giving it up."
The man's eyes darkened, his hand moving toward the large blade strapped to his back. "Then I'm afraid we'll have to take it by force."
In an instant, the tension snapped. The man drew his blade, and his companions moved in sync, their weapons flashing in the dim light. Yuto's instincts kicked in, and he unsheathed his sword, Abyss stirring within him as the darkness surged forward, eager for battle.
"Stay close," Shiro said, his voice low but steady. "We've got this."
Takeshi, however, remained still, his gaze never leaving the leader of the Black Thorn Syndicate. His expression was unreadable, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Let's see what you're really made of," Takeshi muttered, just loud enough for Yuto