Yuto spat blood, his body trembling as he forced himself to stand. Every fiber of his being screamed in agony, but he couldn't stop. Not now. Not when he was so close to understanding the darkness within. The stranger—the Voidspawn claiming to be Abyss's brother—stood before him, calm and unscathed, as if the entire fight was a game to him.
"You're resilient, I'll give you that." The Voidspawn's voice dripped with amusement, his eyes gleaming with malevolent energy. "But that stubbornness will be your downfall. The Abyss won't wait forever. You'll lose yourself to it soon enough."
Yuto wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, glaring at the Voidspawn. "I told you already—I'm not giving in. Not to you, not to Abyss."
The Voidspawn chuckled, low and dark. "Oh, Yuto, I don't need you to give in. The Abyss is already in control, you're just too blind to see it." His fingers flexed, and with a sudden burst of speed, he lunged at Yuto again, his hand aimed like a blade at Yuto's throat.
But this time, Yuto was ready.
With a quick sidestep, Yuto narrowly avoided the strike, ducking low as he spun on his heel and lashed out with a roundhouse kick aimed at the Voidspawn's ribs. The air around his leg shimmered with dark energy as he poured the Abyss's power into his attack.
The Voidspawn raised his arm to block the kick, but the force of Yuto's strike sent him sliding back, the ground beneath him cracking from the impact.
Yuto didn't stop there. He pushed forward, throwing punch after punch, each one faster and more precise than the last. His fists were a blur, striking with deadly accuracy. He could feel the Abyss surging through him, amplifying his strength, his speed. It was dangerous, but he needed this power. Just for now.
The Voidspawn blocked and dodged most of the blows, but even he was starting to feel the pressure. His expression, once smug and mocking, had turned serious. "Not bad," he muttered, deflecting a punch aimed at his jaw. "But you're still not using the Abyss to its full potential."
Yuto ignored the taunt, focusing on his next move. He feinted a right hook, then twisted his body, bringing his knee up toward the Voidspawn's chest. But before he could make contact, the Voidspawn grabbed his leg mid-air and, with a vicious twist, threw Yuto into the ground.
The earth cracked beneath Yuto's body as he hit the ground hard, pain exploding through his back. Gritting his teeth, Yuto rolled to the side just in time to avoid a crushing stomp from the Voidspawn. He jumped to his feet, breathing heavily, his vision swimming.
"You're too reckless," the Voidspawn said, his voice filled with a dark amusement. "You think throwing yourself into the fight without strategy will help you win? The Abyss craves more than just brute force."
Yuto steadied his breathing, his mind racing. He needed a plan. This Voidspawn wasn't like the others—he was stronger, smarter, and every move seemed calculated. But Yuto had something the Voidspawn didn't: desperation. And desperation had always made him unpredictable.
As the Voidspawn rushed at him again, Yuto clenched his fists, feeling the Abyss's energy pulse through his veins. This time, instead of dodging or blocking, he charged forward, meeting the Voidspawn head-on. Their fists collided with a deafening crack, sending shockwaves through the air.
But Yuto didn't stop there. He threw himself into the fray, landing blow after blow in rapid succession. The Voidspawn tried to keep up, but Yuto's attacks were wild, chaotic—impossible to predict. Left, right, a spinning elbow to the ribs, followed by a crushing knee to the gut. Yuto moved like a man possessed.
With a roar, Yuto delivered a powerful uppercut that sent the Voidspawn staggering back, blood dripping from his mouth. "How's that for reckless?" Yuto snarled, wiping sweat from his brow. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, but the adrenaline kept him moving.
The Voidspawn wiped the blood from his lip, his grin returning. "Now we're talking." He cracked his neck, his body tensing as dark energy erupted around him. The ground beneath his feet trembled, and the air seemed to grow heavier with each passing second.
Yuto's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the Voidspawn gather more power. The shadows around the battlefield twisted and writhed, drawn to the Voidspawn like moths to a flame. In the blink of an eye, the Voidspawn vanished from sight.
What the—!?
Before Yuto could react, the Voidspawn appeared behind him, his hand plunging into Yuto's back with terrifying speed. Yuto gasped, his eyes widening as he felt the sharp pain shoot through his body. He spun around, but the Voidspawn was already gone, reappearing at Yuto's side to land a brutal punch to his ribs.
Yuto barely had time to register the impact before another punch hit him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. The Voidspawn's speed was unreal—he was moving so fast that Yuto could barely track his movements.
"You're too slow, Yuto!" the Voidspawn taunted, his voice coming from all directions at once. "The Abyss demands more. You're still holding back!"
Yuto staggered, clutching his side as he struggled to regain his balance. He was losing—badly. Every second the fight dragged on, the Voidspawn grew stronger, faster, while Yuto's body screamed in agony.
But Yuto refused to fall. Not yet.
Drawing on the last reserves of his strength, Yuto focused, letting the Abyss's energy swirl inside him. He closed his eyes, feeling the darkness fill every fiber of his being, sharpening his senses. He could hear the Voidspawn's footsteps, feel the shift in the air as he moved.
When the Voidspawn appeared again, Yuto was ready.
With a burst of speed, Yuto ducked under the Voidspawn's strike, twisting his body as he drove his elbow into the Voidspawn's side. The Voidspawn grunted in surprise, but Yuto didn't stop. He spun around, landing a vicious punch to the Voidspawn's jaw, followed by a knee to the chest.
The Voidspawn staggered, but before Yuto could land another blow, the Voidspawn grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground with one hand. "Enough games, Yuto," the Voidspawn growled, his eyes glowing with a terrifying light. "Let me show you the true power of the Abyss."
Yuto gasped for air as the Voidspawn's grip tightened, his vision beginning to blur. But even as the darkness closed in, Yuto refused to surrender. With a desperate cry, he summoned every ounce of the Abyss's power, his body erupting in black flames as he broke free of the Voidspawn's hold.
The Voidspawn stumbled back, his eyes wide with surprise as Yuto stood before him, wreathed in darkness, his gaze filled with defiance. "I'm not giving up," Yuto snarled, his voice low and dangerous. "Not to you. Not to the Abyss."
The Voidspawn grinned, his dark aura flaring in response. "Good. Then let's see who breaks first."