Yuto's fist collided with the stranger's open palm, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the ground beneath them. The stranger's grip tightened around Yuto's fist, his mocking grin widening.
"That all you've got, little brother?" the stranger sneered, effortlessly pulling Yuto closer. His eyes gleamed with the same eerie darkness that Yuto felt inside himself—the Abyss.
Yuto gritted his teeth, ignoring the searing pain in his knuckles as he tried to free himself from the iron grip. "Stop calling me that!" he growled, swinging his free hand toward the stranger's face.
But before Yuto's punch could land, the stranger twisted Yuto's arm behind his back with lightning speed. Pain shot up Yuto's arm as he was forced to his knees, his breath escaping in a sharp hiss.
"You still don't get it, do you?" the stranger said, his voice low and menacing. "You and I are two sides of the same coin. The Abyss chose us, not the other way around. You fight it, but the longer you resist, the weaker you become."
Yuto's vision blurred for a moment, but he refused to give in. With a snarl, he planted his foot into the ground and rolled, slipping out of the stranger's hold. He sprang to his feet, breathing heavily but refusing to back down.
"I don't care!" Yuto spat, glaring at the stranger. "You're wrong! I'm in control of my own fate. The Abyss is just a tool—it doesn't define who I am!"
The stranger's laughter echoed through the night. "You're a fool, Yuto," he said. "And fools don't survive in this world for long."
Without warning, the stranger darted forward with blistering speed, his fist glowing with dark energy. Yuto barely had time to react, raising his arms in a defensive stance. The blow landed with the force of a freight train, sending Yuto skidding backward across the dirt.
Yuto's back slammed into a tree, the impact knocking the wind out of him. Gasping for air, he forced himself to his feet, even as his entire body screamed in protest. His vision swam, but he could still see the stranger approaching him, calm and composed.
"You're getting predictable," the stranger mocked, cracking his knuckles. "You rely too much on brute strength. That won't be enough to defeat me."
Yuto's heart pounded in his chest as he wiped the blood from his mouth. He couldn't let the Abyss take over, but he knew he was outmatched. The stranger was faster, stronger—and worse, he seemed to understand the Abyss far better than Yuto did.
"You think you've figured me out?" Yuto growled, summoning the last of his strength. "Think again."
With a defiant roar, Yuto launched himself at the stranger, his fists crackling with dark energy. He moved faster than before, closing the distance between them in a blur. This time, the stranger was forced to dodge as Yuto's fist came dangerously close to his face.
The two fighters clashed in a storm of fists and kicks, their movements so fast they were nearly invisible to the naked eye. Each strike echoed like thunder, sending tremors through the ground as they exchanged blow after blow.
The stranger ducked under one of Yuto's punches and countered with a brutal elbow to his ribs. Yuto winced but didn't retreat—he followed up with a spinning kick aimed at the stranger's head.
The stranger caught Yuto's leg mid-kick, grinning wickedly. "Too slow."
With a swift motion, he twisted Yuto's leg and threw him to the ground. Yuto hit the earth hard, pain shooting up his spine. Before he could recover, the stranger was on him, pinning him down with a hand around his throat.
"Give up," the stranger whispered, his grip tightening. "The Abyss already has you. It's only a matter of time before you lose control."
Yuto's vision dimmed as the pressure on his throat increased. His heart raced in panic, and for a moment, he felt the Abyss stir within him, its dark tendrils reaching out.
"No… I won't… lose," Yuto gasped, his voice barely audible.
The stranger's eyes narrowed. "You don't have a choice."
Summoning every ounce of strength left in his body, Yuto kicked upward, catching the stranger off guard. The impact loosened the stranger's grip just enough for Yuto to break free. He scrambled to his feet, gasping for air, but the stranger was already closing in again.
Yuto had no time to think—he acted purely on instinct. As the stranger lunged toward him, Yuto sidestepped, grabbing the stranger by the arm and flipping him over his shoulder. The stranger hit the ground with a dull thud, but he rolled to his feet in one fluid motion.
"You're persistent," the stranger said, dusting himself off. "I'll give you that."
Yuto didn't respond. His body was shaking, his muscles on the verge of collapse, but he refused to fall. He had come too far to give up now.
"You still don't understand," the stranger said, his voice growing colder. "