The group's footsteps echoed softly against the darkened streets, the tension from Yuto's struggle with the Abyss still lingering in the air. Despite their brief moment of calm, the weight of danger was palpable. Yuto kept glancing over his shoulder, half-expecting the shadows to reach out for him again. Seiji and Shiro flanked him, their eyes scanning the deserted streets, while Takeshi trailed behind, his blade resting uneasily in his hand.
"We're almost there," Takeshi muttered, his voice a low rumble. "The nearest safe house should be just beyond this sector. Let's not waste any more time."
Yuto nodded, though his mind was still clouded with the sensation of the Abyss lingering inside him. Every step forward felt heavier than the last, like he was dragging something with him.
"You good?" Seiji asked, his voice breaking through Yuto's thoughts.
"Yeah," Yuto replied, forcing a smile. "Just… processing."
Shiro, ever the optimist, chuckled softly. "Better get used to it. Something tells me this won't be the last time you have to wrestle with the void inside your head."
Before Yuto could respond, a low, rumbling noise filled the air, causing them all to freeze in place. It wasn't the usual hum of the city or the distant sounds of Voidspawn in the distance—it was something different. Something more dangerous.
"What the hell is that?" Takeshi growled, gripping the hilt of his sword tighter.
The sound grew louder, more intense, like an ominous pulse reverberating through the ground beneath their feet. And then, in the distance, Yuto spotted it—a figure, shrouded in darkness, emerging from the shadows ahead.
"Voidspawn," Seiji whispered, his eyes narrowing as the figure approached.
But this one wasn't like the others they had fought. There was something different—something more… deliberate. Its movements were slow, purposeful, as if it didn't consider them a threat at all. As it stepped into the faint light, Yuto saw it in full: a towering creature, its grotesque, armored form bristling with spikes and pulsing veins of dark energy. But what stood out the most was the device in its hand—an intricate bomb, glowing with an unnatural energy.
"We need to move, now!" Takeshi barked, stepping forward to shield the group.
"Wait," Yuto said, his heart pounding as he watched the Voidspawn lift the device higher. "That's not just a weapon. It's—"
Before he could finish, the Voidspawn hurled the bomb into the air, its trajectory arcing straight toward them.
"Scatter!" Seiji yelled, his voice cracking with urgency.
In an instant, the group split apart, diving in opposite directions just as the bomb hit the ground. A deafening explosion tore through the air, sending waves of force and darkness crashing over them. The blast threw Yuto off his feet, slamming him into the nearby wall as dust and debris clouded his vision. For a moment, all he could hear was a high-pitched ringing, his body feeling like it had been ripped apart and scattered with the explosion.
He tried to get up, his hands scrabbling against the cracked pavement, but his head spun, and the world around him was a blur of black and red.
"Seiji! Shiro!" Yuto called out, his voice hoarse. "Takeshi!"
No response. Only the echo of the explosion and the sound of debris settling.
"Damn it," Yuto cursed under his breath, forcing himself to stand. His vision slowly cleared, revealing the damage caused by the bomb. The entire street had been ripped apart, and where his friends had been just moments ago, there was only silence. They had all been separated.
His heart raced with panic. Alone again. Just like before.
"Don't lose focus," Yuto muttered to himself, gripping the edge of the building to steady himself. He could still feel the Abyss pulsing inside him, a dark, cold presence that whispered to him in moments like these. But he had no time for hesitation.
A sharp, metallic clank echoed from the distance, drawing his attention back to the Voidspawn. It was standing just beyond the wreckage, its dark, grotesque form seemingly unaffected by the chaos it had caused.
And it was staring directly at Yuto.
"You…" Yuto growled, his voice low and filled with defiance.
The Voidspawn tilted its head, as if amused by Yuto's defiance. Then, without warning, it moved—fast. Much faster than Yuto expected. In the blink of an eye, the creature closed the distance between them, its massive arm crashing down toward Yuto with the force of a hammer.
Yuto barely had time to react, his body moving on instinct as he summoned the dark flames of the Abyss to shield himself. The flames roared to life, but the Voidspawn's strike still hit hard, sending him skidding back across the cracked pavement.
"You're stronger than the others," Yuto muttered, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "But I'm not the same kid I was before either."
The Voidspawn didn't respond, instead charging forward again, its massive claws slashing through the air. Yuto ducked and weaved, the flames of the Abyss swirling around him as he parried the strikes. Each hit sent shockwaves through his body, but he refused to back down.
"I'm not going to let you—" Yuto growled, raising his arm to counter, but the Voidspawn was relentless, giving him no time to finish. Its claw caught Yuto's side, tearing through his jacket and drawing blood. The pain shot through him, but it only fueled the fire within.
"I can't—"
Another strike, faster than the last, nearly took Yuto's head off. He barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side as the creature's claw slammed into the ground, sending shards of concrete flying.
"—let you win!" Yuto shouted, dark flames igniting in his hands as he retaliated with a powerful strike of his own.
The Voidspawn staggered back, but it didn't fall. Instead, it let out a guttural snarl, its glowing eyes narrowing with malicious intent. It raised its arm again, the dark energy in its veins pulsing even stronger.
"No more games," Yuto whispered to himself. He could feel the Abyss calling to him, its power flooding his senses. For a brief moment, he hesitated—wondering if he could control it.
But there was no time for doubt.
The Voidspawn roared, charging forward with renewed fury. Yuto braced himself, his eyes narrowing as he summoned the flames of the Abyss once more, feeling the power surge through him like a wildfire. The ground trembled beneath their feet as they collided in a flurry of dark energy and strikes.
"I won't—" Yuto grunted, parrying the Voidspawn's attacks with all his strength. His vision blurred as the creature's claws tore through the air, each strike growing more vicious, more precise.
"I won't lose to you!" Yuto roared, unleashing a torrent of dark flames that engulfed the Voidspawn in a massive explosion of energy. The force of the blast rocked the street, sending debris flying in every direction.
But as the flames subsided, Yuto's heart sank.
The Voidspawn was still standing, its form twisted and charred but very much alive. It let out a low, guttural laugh, its eyes glowing even brighter than before.
"You think this is over?" it rasped, its voice dripping with malice. "You haven't seen anything yet."
Before Yuto could react, the Voidspawn launched itself at him with terrifying speed. Its claws struck like lightning, and though Yuto raised his flames to defend himself, the sheer force of the attack overwhelmed him.
He staggered back, blood dripping from fresh wounds as the Voidspawn closed in for the final blow. His mind raced, the darkness of the Abyss pulling him deeper, whispering promises of power if he just gave in.
"No," Yuto whispered, gritting his teeth against the pain. "I won't let it control me."
The Voidspawn's claw came down again, faster and more brutal than before.
And in that moment, everything went dark.