Chapter 10: The Face Behind the Darkness
The night air was heavy with the scent of rain, and the battlefield was littered with shattered pavement and flickering embers from Goro's solar energy. His chest heaved as he carried Ryusei in his arms, feeling the warmth of his friend's blood seeping into his clothes. His hands trembled—was he too late?
"Please... cure him," Goro pleaded as Jophiel descended from the sky, his radiant wings illuminating the darkened street. "We fought a ghost… or something worse."
Jophiel's golden eyes flickered with concern as he knelt beside Ryusei, placing a glowing hand on his chest. Before he could respond, a sudden force struck Goro from behind, sending him crashing into the rubble.
"What?! I just killed you!" Goro gasped, turning to see the dark figure standing before him once more, his twisted smile illuminated by the dim streetlights.
The shadowy being chuckled. "That was just my clone."
Before Goro could react, the figure lunged forward, his speed nearly impossible to track. Goro barely raised his arms in time before a barrage of blows rained down on him. Each strike felt like being hit by a meteor. His ears rang, his hands cracked under the pressure, and pain surged through his body.
"Who... are you?" Goro gritted his teeth, staggering back as blood dripped from his mouth.
The dark figure said nothing. Instead, he lifted a hand, and suddenly, ten identical clones of himself materialized, surrounding Goro like hungry predators. Before he could react, they all struck at once, their attacks coming from every direction. His vision blurred. His strength faltered.
Jophiel, still holding Ryusei, turned his head at the sound of Goro's body slamming against the pavement. His celestial aura flared with fury, but Goro raised a weak hand, signaling him to stay back.
"This is my fight," Goro muttered, pushing himself to his feet. His body screamed in pain, but his spirit refused to surrender.
Summoning his lunar aura, Goro launched himself forward, his fists igniting with a silver glow. He struck one of the clones, but the moment his fist connected, the figure burst into mist. An illusion!
A chilling laugh echoed in the air. "You cannot beat what you cannot see," the dark figure taunted.
Goro clenched his fists. Think... think! He closed his eyes, focusing not on what his eyes saw but what his instincts told him. He tuned into his heartbeat, his breathing, and the energy around him. Then, he sensed it—a small flicker of real energy among the illusions.
"There you are."
With a roar, Goro summoned his solar aura, flames erupting from his fists. He swung forward, his solar punch engulfing one of the figures in fire—but once again, it was only a clone.
But Goro was faster this time. He immediately leaped to the left, dodging another illusionary attack, and spun midair, launching a lunar kick toward the real enemy. His foot connected with solid flesh.
The dark figure grunted in surprise as he was sent hurtling backward. Goro wasted no time. He rushed forward, delivering a powerful solar punch that sent shockwaves rippling through the ground. The dark figure skidded across the pavement, coughing violently.
"How...?" he muttered.
Goro didn't answer. He grabbed a nearby knife from the debris, his hands steady despite the pain coursing through his body. Without hesitation, he plunged the blade into the dark figure's chest. A strangled gasp escaped the enemy's lips.
The street fell silent.
Goro stepped back, breathing heavily, his eyes locked on the unmoving body before him. But as the shadows slowly peeled away from the dark figure's face, his heart stopped.
His breath caught in his throat.
His eyes widened in horror.
The darkness dissipated entirely, revealing a familiar face beneath it.
It was Kai.
The same boy they had saved from bullies. The same boy who had once trembled in fear. Now, he lay before Goro, covered in wounds, his eyes half-lidded, filled with something unreadable.
Goro stumbled back. "Kai...?"
The night grew colder. And in that chilling silence, a new nightmare had just begun.