The air in the forest remained heavy with the aftermath of Yuto's encounter with Abyss. He still felt the lingering coldness on his skin, as though the shadows had left their mark on him. The faint glow of the ancient stone dimmed in the background, its secrets temporarily dormant, but Yuto knew they had only scratched the surface of the truth. His brother, Kaito, had once been tied to Abyss, and now Yuto bore the same curse—or power, depending on how he chose to see it.
Seiji glanced around at the group, his sharp eyes lingering on each of them before resting on Yuto. "We can't stay here any longer. The energy in this place has stirred too much attention." He turned to Takeshi, his voice urgent. "How far away are we from the city's boundary?"
Takeshi looked out into the distance, his senses heightened. He clenched his jaw and replied, "About an hour's walk, but if we push it, we can get there faster."
Yuto stood, his legs feeling weak but his resolve strong. "I don't care how long it takes. I need answers—more than just cryptic messages from my brother. I need to understand why Abyss is after me, what it wants."
Seiji crossed his arms, studying Yuto for a moment before speaking. "You saw something back there, didn't you? Something more than just a vision of your brother. What was it?"
Yuto hesitated. He didn't know how to explain it, the weight of what he had seen. The devastation. The looming presence of Abyss that consumed everything in its path. But he knew holding back would help no one. "There was destruction, Seiji. Entire cities crumbling, warriors falling—Soulbound like us, their Anima being swallowed whole by the darkness. And in the middle of it, my brother."
Seiji's expression darkened. "Kaito… in the heart of Abyss." He exhaled, almost like he'd been holding his breath, hearing Yuto's confirmation of his worst fears. "This changes things."
Shiro, standing by Yuto's side, looked between them with wide eyes. "Wait, wait—you're saying this whole Abyss thing is responsible for wiping out whole cities? And Kaito was right in the center of it?"
"It's more than just that," Yuto replied, his voice shaking slightly. "He tried to stop it. He warned me… that I could either control it or be consumed by it."
Takeshi stepped closer, his brow furrowed. "Your brother had to know what he was getting into. Maybe he tried to protect you by not telling you about Abyss."
Yuto shook his head, his fists clenching unconsciously. "Then why didn't he stop it? Why didn't he—"
Seiji cut in, his voice firm. "We don't have all the answers yet, Yuto. But you can't let that uncertainty consume you. The key here is control. If Kaito was part of this, he might have left something behind that can help us. We need to find out what he knew."
Yuto bit the inside of his cheek, trying to calm the storm raging inside him. "If we keep walking, will we really find those answers, Seiji? Or am I just going to keep spiraling deeper into this abyss, waiting for it to swallow me whole?"
Shiro, ever the optimist, clapped Yuto on the back. "Hey, man, don't talk like that. You've got us! We'll figure this out, right? We always do!"
Takeshi nodded, his face serious but supportive. "We're not letting Abyss take you, Yuto. Not now, not ever."
Yuto appreciated the words, but the fear still gnawed at him. He wasn't sure how long he could hold off Abyss's influence, especially now that it was growing stronger. Still, having his friends with him made the burden feel a little lighter.
"Let's move," Seiji ordered, his tone making it clear that time was no longer on their side.
They began walking again, the thick silence of the forest wrapping around them like a second skin. Every sound—every rustle of leaves, every whisper of the wind—seemed louder, more ominous. Yuto's heart pounded in time with his footsteps as his mind raced. His brother had been trying to fight Abyss, but had he failed? What had consumed him in the end? Was Yuto doomed to repeat that fate?
Suddenly, Takeshi stopped, holding up a hand. His entire body tensed as his eyes narrowed, scanning the darkened forest around them.
"We're not alone," he whispered.
Shiro unsheathed his sword, holding it at the ready. "Voidspawn?"
Seiji closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if listening to something beyond the natural world. When he opened them again, they gleamed with the glow of his Anima. "No. Worse."
The air shifted, growing colder, more oppressive. Yuto felt it in his bones, a chill that went beyond the physical. Dark figures emerged from the shadows, their forms distorted and unnatural, their eyes glowing with a malevolent light.
"Soulbound Hunters," Seiji growled, stepping in front of the group, his hand ready to summon his weapon. "They're after Abyss."
One of the figures stepped forward, his voice like gravel. "You've been marked by the Abyss, boy." His gaze locked onto Yuto, a twisted smile curling on his lips. "Hand it over, and we'll let you live."
Yuto's breath caught in his throat, but he forced himself to stand tall. "I don't even know what 'it' is! And I'm not giving anything to you!"
The Hunter's smile widened, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. "Defiant. I like that. But we're not here to negotiate."
Before Yuto could blink, the Hunter launched forward, faster than any Voidspawn he'd ever faced. But Seiji was quicker, intercepting him with a blast of energy from his Anima, sending the Hunter skidding back.
"Stay behind me," Seiji barked at Yuto. "These guys don't play by the same rules."
Shiro grinned, stepping up beside Seiji with his blade at the ready. "Guess we're gonna have to teach them some manners, huh?"
"Focus!" Takeshi snapped, already summoning his own Anima, his katana gleaming in the dim light. "They're after Yuto, not us. Don't give them an opening."
Yuto stood frozen for a moment, watching the tension build between the two groups. His heart was racing, his palms sweaty. The Hunters had come for him—no, for Abyss. They were willing to kill to get it.
"Yuto!" Seiji's sharp voice cut through his thoughts. "Get ready! If they break through, you need to fight. No holding back."
Yuto nodded, swallowing the lump of fear in his throat. He had fought Voidspawn before, but this was different. The Hunters were faster, more organized, and they knew exactly what they were after.
Another Hunter lunged forward, and this time, it was Takeshi who met the attack head-on, their blades clashing with a sound like thunder. Sparks flew as their weapons locked, and the sheer force of the impact sent shockwaves through the ground.
"These guys are strong!" Takeshi grunted as he pushed back, his eyes blazing with determination. "Yuto, you better start thinking of a plan!"
Shiro ducked under a swipe from one of the other Hunters, spinning on his heel and delivering a swift kick to the attacker's chest, sending him stumbling back. "We can't hold them off forever, Yuto! Any ideas?"
Yuto's mind raced as he watched his friends struggle to fend off the Hunters. Abyss pulsed inside him, calling to him, urging him to let go. It promised power, enough to wipe out the enemies in front of him. But Yuto knew the cost. If he let Abyss take control now, it wouldn't stop at the Hunters. It would consume everything.
"I—I need to control it," Yuto muttered under his breath, feeling the cold energy building inside him. His heart hammered against his chest as he stepped back, trying to calm the storm raging within. "Abyss, I know you're in there. I need your power, but I can't let you take over."
The response was immediate. Darkness surged through his veins, cold and relentless. Yuto staggered, gasping for breath as Abyss coiled around his soul, testing the boundaries he'd set. It wanted to break free, to consume the Hunters, to devour everything.
"Not yet," Yuto whispered, clenching his fists. "Not yet!"
With a roar, he summoned Abyss, but kept it at the edge, just under his control. Black flames erupted around his hands, flickering with an eerie light as the darkness pulsed and writhed, barely restrained.
The lead Hunter's eyes widened in surprise. "You're stronger than I thought," he growled, his voice laced with both admiration and malice. "But how long can you keep that up, boy?"
Yuto glared back, gritting his teeth. "Long enough to end this!"
As the Hunters closed in again, Yuto stepped forward, the darkness swirling around him like a storm. This time, he was ready to fight—on his terms.