The chamber was dimly lit, the air thick with an oppressive stillness. K-low stepped into the room, his boots clicking softly against the stone floor. His body ached from the battle with Akane, but he forced himself to stand tall. His head remained lowered in respect, though his pride gnawed at him. He had failed, and he knew it.
Before him sat the figure who commanded the shadows themselves, the one whose name struck fear into even the bravest of hearts. The leader of the Oblivion Order—the mastermind of their world-shattering ambitions. No one dared challenge him. No one even dared question him.
The figure was seated upon an intricately designed throne, the darkness around him swirling as if it were alive. His cloak billowed without a breeze, and his eyes glowed faintly from beneath the hood of his mask. Beside him, his right-hand man stood at attention—a tall, imposing figure clad in dark, ceremonial armor. His presence was as chilling as the leader's, the power emanating from him palpable in the air.
The cult members, cloaked in robes, knelt around the room in reverence, their eyes never leaving the ground. K-low could feel their gazes heavy on him, but he didn't dare lift his eyes from the ground. Not yet.
"Report," the leader's voice cut through the silence like a blade. It was smooth, calm, and terrifyingly powerful. Every word carried weight.
K-low took a deep breath, his voice steady but tinged with an edge of frustration. "Master, Akane is not as I expected. He's grown stronger, faster. His power—his ability to read my movements—it's unnatural. I could not defeat him. I was forced to retreat."
The leader's cold gaze never wavered. "You failed." His voice wasn't angry—just calculating, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He looked over at his right-hand man and then back at K-low, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Explain to me why I shouldn't have you destroyed right now for your incompetence."
K-low's heart pounded in his chest, but he kept his voice low and respectful, suppressing the fear clawing at him. "Master, I swear it was not a lack of effort. Akane is… different. He's evolving. It was not like any battle I've fought before. He has become a force that we must reckon with."
The leader's eyes flickered with a brief glimmer of interest. "Evolving? You mean to say he is growing more powerful on his own?"
"Yes," K-low replied, his hands clenching at his sides. "He is far more than we expected. I've never seen such potential. He may be the key to unlocking the Void Gate, but we must be careful with him."
The leader leaned forward slightly, his voice now laced with cold, calculated intent. "Yes, he is the key. His power could reshape the world. But if he resists us, he will become a liability."
K-low swallowed hard, nodding in agreement. "I understand, Master. I will ensure he is brought to our side. He won't resist for long."
The leader's eyes flickered again, then he straightened in his seat, his tone becoming more authoritative. "You have failed, K-low, and I cannot allow failure to go unpunished. You are fortunate that your mission still holds value. But I cannot afford further setbacks."
K-low's breath caught in his throat. His failure had consequences, and he could feel the weight of the leader's gaze on him. The air in the room seemed to grow heavier, the tension palpable.
"Kill him," the leader said, his voice sharp and unforgiving. "You failed. And there is no place for failure in my Order."
K-low's eyes widened, but before he could protest, the right-hand man stepped forward with a silent nod. The air around him seemed to twist, and the cult members murmured softly as if anticipating something.
The right-hand man's eyes glowed faintly beneath his helmet. His voice was low, but his words held an almost hypnotic authority. "Master," he said, bowing slightly in deference, "allow me to show you the power I have been entrusted with."
The leader gave a slow nod, his expression impassive. "Very well. Show him."
With a single swift motion, the right-hand man raised his arm. K-low's body tensed as a wave of oppressive energy flooded the room. The shadows themselves seemed to bend around the right-hand man, reacting to his presence as if they were alive. His form shifted, blending with the darkness itself, becoming more an extension of the room than a mere man.
With another motion, a blade of pure, dark energy materialized in his hand. It crackled with a dark aura, humming with a power that sent chills down K-low's spine. The right-hand man's stance shifted, his movements as fluid as water, yet as deadly as a strike of lightning.
K-low's heart raced as the right-hand man slowly advanced. He was no mere warrior—he was a force unto himself, and his fighting style was like nothing K-low had ever seen. Every step he took seemed to distort the space around him, as if the very fabric of reality bent to his will.
"His power," the leader said coldly, watching the display with clinical detachment, "is unparalleled. Now, K-low, do you see? This is the kind of strength that will secure our future."
K-low nodded quickly, his voice a strained whisper. "Yes, Master. I see now."
The right-hand man's glowing eyes locked onto K-low, and in the blink of an eye, he was upon him. K-low barely had time to react before the blade of dark energy was raised, poised for the kill.
But before it could strike, the leader's voice rang out, "Finish him."
With the flick of a wrist, the right-hand man's blade descended.
K-low's vision blurred as the dark energy surrounded him, his body unable to react in time. The world around him went black as his breath faltered.
But even in his final moments, a cold thought crossed his mind: The master's will is absolute. Failure is never forgiven.
To Be Continued…