A searing pain shot through Yuto's entire body as the Abyss surged within him. His mind blurred, and his vision flickered, as if the world around him was dissolving. He could feel it—this overwhelming force—tightening its grip around his soul.
"Stop fighting me, Yuto," the voice of the Abyss growled, now deeper and more menacing than ever. "You've always known this was coming. You cannot resist me forever."
Yuto struggled to hold onto his consciousness, but he was slipping. His surroundings started to fade away—the battlefield, his friends, the Voidspawn—all of it melted into darkness. Before he could even cry out, the world around him disappeared completely.
When Yuto's eyes snapped open, he found himself standing in an unfamiliar place. The ground beneath his feet felt cold and lifeless, and the air was thick with an oppressive silence. He looked around, but there was nothing—no sky, no horizon, only an endless black void that stretched on for what seemed like eternity.
"Where... am I?" Yuto muttered, his voice shaky as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. His heartbeat echoed in his ears, and a gnawing dread settled in the pit of his stomach. He instinctively reached for his sword, but his hand met nothing. His weapon, his friends—everything was gone.
"You're inside your own mind, Yuto," the Abyss's voice slithered through the darkness, causing a shiver to run down Yuto's spine. "This is where you belong. Alone. Powerless."
Yuto's fists clenched. "No... I don't belong here. This isn't real!"
The Abyss laughed, a deep, hollow sound that reverberated through the void. "You're still in denial? How pathetic. This is as real as anything you've ever known. In here, I am in control. I will strip away everything you are until there is nothing left but me."
Suddenly, the void shifted. Shadows swirled and coalesced into a figure that loomed in front of Yuto—tall, imposing, and monstrous. The creature's form was constantly shifting, its body made of writhing tendrils of darkness that pulsed with malevolent energy. Its eyes—two glowing red orbs—bored into Yuto's, filled with malice and hunger.
It was the Abyss, manifesting in its true form.
"You've always been weak, Yuto," the Abyss snarled, stepping closer. Each step seemed to make the very air tremble. "Hiding in the shadow of your brother. Clinging to some false sense of justice. But you don't have to pretend anymore. Let go. Accept that you are nothing without me."
Yuto took a step back, fear gnawing at his heart. "You're wrong! I'm not weak! I—"
"Then why are you here?" the Abyss cut him off, its voice dripping with contempt. "Why are you trapped inside your own mind, while I control your body? Why are you hiding while your friends are out there, fighting for their lives? Face it, Yuto—you're helpless. You always have been."
Yuto froze. The weight of the Abyss's words hit him like a blow to the chest. His mind raced, searching for a retort, for some way to fight back, but doubt crept in, clouding his thoughts.
Was it right? Was he really this powerless? Every step of his journey had been marred by his failures. He had been unable to protect his brother, unable to control his Anima, unable to fight the Voidspawn without risking his friends' lives.
"No..." Yuto whispered, his voice trembling. "That's not true."
"Isn't it?" the Abyss taunted, circling him like a predator. "You've always known you were nothing without me. I am your power. I am the only reason you've survived this long. Without me, you are weak... insignificant... irrelevant."
Yuto's knees buckled under the weight of the Abyss's words. His vision blurred, and he collapsed to the ground, his hands clutching at the cold, empty void beneath him. The truth of the Abyss's words gnawed at him, threatening to crush him entirely.
"No..." Yuto muttered, but the conviction in his voice was fading. The darkness was closing in around him, suffocating, relentless. He felt the tendrils of despair tightening around his heart, pulling him deeper into the void.
"You've already lost, Yuto," the Abyss whispered, its voice soft but deadly. "Accept it. Embrace the power that only I can give you. Together, we can destroy everything. Nothing will stand in our way."
Yuto's breath hitched. For a moment, he was tempted. The pain, the fear, the constant feeling of inadequacy—it could all end if he just gave in. If he let the Abyss take over, he wouldn't have to struggle anymore. He wouldn't have to feel weak.
But then, something stirred within him. A faint flicker of light. It was small—so small that he almost didn't notice it—but it was there.
No. The thought rang out clearly in his mind, cutting through the darkness. I can't give up. I can't let this thing win.
Yuto slowly rose to his feet, his legs trembling, but his determination growing stronger. "I'm not powerless," he said, his voice firmer this time. "I've fought too hard to give up now."
The Abyss let out a low growl, its form shifting again, growing larger, more menacing. "Fool. You think you can fight me? You think you can resist what you are?"
"I'm not you," Yuto shot back, his fists clenched. "I'll never be like you."
The Abyss laughed, the sound echoing in the endless void. "Oh, but you are, Yuto. You've already let me in. You've already lost control. I am a part of you now."
The darkness surged toward him, but this time, Yuto didn't flinch. He raised his hand, and the small flicker of light within him began to grow, expanding outward. It was weak, but it was enough.
"I won't let you win," Yuto said, his voice steady as the light in his chest flared brighter. "Not now. Not ever."
The Abyss hissed, recoiling slightly as the light pushed back against the darkness. "You think that pathetic spark will save you? You think it will stop me?"
"I don't know," Yuto admitted, his eyes narrowing. "But I'm going to try."
With a roar of defiance, Yuto focused all his energy on the light within him, forcing it outward. The darkness swirled around him, trying to smother the light, but Yuto fought back with everything he had. The light pushed back against the shadows, driving them away, inch by inch.
"Enough!" the Abyss screeched, its form growing larger as it surged toward Yuto, intent on crushing him.
But Yuto stood his ground. His mind was clear now, his heart filled with resolve. He wasn't going to let the Abyss win. Not this time.
With a final burst of energy, Yuto unleashed the light within him, and the void around him shattered.
Yuto gasped as he snapped back into reality. His body was drenched in sweat, and his chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. The battlefield was still raging around him, but for a moment, everything seemed distant. The Abyss was still there, lurking in the back of his mind, but Yuto had pushed it back—at least for now.
"Yuto!" Takeshi's voice cut through the chaos, and Yuto turned to see his friend rushing toward him, bloodied but alive. "You okay? What the hell just happened?"
Yuto wiped the sweat from his brow, his hands still shaking from the mental battle he had just fought. "It's... under control," he muttered, though he wasn't entirely sure if that was true.
"Are you sure?" Seiji called out, his eyes wide with concern. "You looked like you were gone for a second there."
Yuto nodded, though the weight of the Abyss still lingered in his chest. "Yeah... I'm good. Let's finish this."
But even as the words left his mouth, Yuto knew the battle with the Abyss was far from over.