Chapter 45
Blaze panted, barely staying on his feet as his eyes locked onto the blonde-haired boy standing before him. The eerie blue flames flickering around the stranger's twin swords made the air shimmer with heat. That unsettling smile never left his face.
Blaze groaned internally.
Why on earth am I encountering so many weird people today? First Volt, now this guy and his quiet companion. Was it just his luck to keep running into these so called mysterious figures?
The massive scorpion beast, despite suffering a large injury from earlier , roared in fury and charged at the blonde-haired boy, its venomous tail poised to strike.
The boy… didn't move.
He just stood there, watching the beast come at him with inhuman speed.
Then
In an instant, he leaped high into the air, flipping effortlessly over the beast's deadly attack. As he descended, his flaming swords flared even brighter.
"Flame Slash!"
A burning arc of blue fire cut cleanly through the beast's two giant pincer. The severed appendage hit the ground with a THUD, followed by an agonized screech from the beast.
And then
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
But this time the screams isn't from the beast.
Kaito was clutching his chest, his face pale as he screamed at the top of his lungs.
Akira turned to him, incredulous. "Kaito… WHY are you screaming!?"
Kaito, realizing everyone—including his own friends, the blonde-haired boy, and even the scorpion beast—was staring at him like he'd lost his mind, cleared his throat and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.
"S-Sorry, I was just… shocked."
The entire battlefield went silent for a moment.
Then Blaze facepalmed.
The scorpion beast, now missing both pincers, let out a furious roar. Black blood dripped from its wounds, staining the rocky ground. Despite its injuries, it refused to back down.
It charged again, using its giant venomous tail and its massive body
The blonde-haired boy sighed. "Persistent, aren't you?"
With incredible speed, he sidestepped the charge, his movements almost lazy. His blue flames flared up as he delivered a series of swift, precise slashes. Each one tore through the beast's armored body, carving deep, burning wounds.
Kaito and the others could only watch in awe.
Minutes passed, and by the end of it, the once-mighty scorpion beast was barely standing. It wobbled, its body covered in deep cuts and charred flesh. Its black blood oozed onto the ground, forming a dark pool around it.
Meanwhile, the blonde-haired boy has no visible mark on him.
Kaito blinked in shock, then muttered, "That was insane…"
Then, before anyone could react—
"Swift Slash."
The boy moved faster than the eye could follow. His flaming swords cut through the beast's neck in one fluid motion.
For a moment, the monster stood still. Then, its head slowly slid off its body and crashed to the ground with a THUD.
Silence.
Then kaito broke it.
"WOW! That was incredible!" he cheered.
The blonde-haired boy waved at him, clearly enjoying the praise.
But then—
" You would hide first then, after an eternity ruin the whole "almost dying" experience " Kaito added with a mocking smile
The air grew tense.
The blonde-haired boy's smile twitched.
Then it froze entirely.
And then—his flaming swords burned even brighter. His smile becoming creepier.
"Uh…" Kaito took a step back. "Why do I feel like that smile… isn't a smile anymore?"
The boy turned his glowing blue eyes toward Kaito, his smile still eerily stretched across his face.
Kaito gulped.
"Uh, guys? I think I messed up."
Lucas and the rest just shook their head.
Just as it seemed like Kaito was about to meet a blazing end
RUMBLE.
The ground beneath them shook violently.
A section of the cavern wall split apart, revealing a hidden passage. A dim, eerie glow illuminated the space beyond.
Inside—
A massive vault filled with treasure.
Immediately, the blonde-haired boy's burning swords flickered out, his attention snapping to the vault.
Without another word, he completely ignored Kaito and stepped inside.
Kaito exhaled loudly in relief. "Phew… I survived again."
Akira sighed. "I swear, Kaito, you have the worst luck with your mouth."
Blaze, now recovered slightly, looked toward the vault. "Let's go."
Stepping inside, the group's eyes widened.
Everywhere they looked, artifacts lined the walls.
Most of them were black armor, boots, masks, and gloves, each radiating a mysterious aura. Among them were strange weapons unlike anything they had seen before.
One resembled a small, black metal tube with an odd handle and a trigger.
Another looked like a black sphere with strange symbols carved into its surface.
Blaze's Chaos Eyes activated automatically, revealing the artifacts' information.
Shadow Boots: Silences the wearer's footsteps.
Shadow Gloves: Enhances grip and dexterity.
Shadow Mask: Allows the user to alter their appearance.
Shadow Ring: Grants access to a storage dimension within the shadows.
And so on...
"These are all… shadow– artifacts," Blaze murmured.
Kaito, meanwhile, excitedly grabbed what looked like an amulet.
"Yes! Treasure!" he declared.
A second later—
Clink.
He tossed it aside carelessly. "Eh, doesn't seem important."
Blaze picked it up and his eyes widened.
[Shadow Gourd – An ancient artifact of the Shadow Agents. Contains their legacy. (Sealed)]
[Requirement: Awaken Darkness Element to Unseal.]
"…The Shadow Agents?" Blaze muttered.
Who were they? And what was their legacy?
His mind raced with questions, but he knew he'd have to find the answers later—once he awakened his darkness element.
Meanwhile, the blonde-haired boy seemed unimpressed. He only picked up a long black staff with an intricate design and then he left with his partner.
Lucas and Kaito, however, were frustrated.
"What kind of treasure is this?!" Lucas complained.
Kaito sighed. "Man, I was expecting piles of gold, not… black boots."
Blaze, unfazed, stepped forward and activated the Shadow Rings.
In an instant—every artifact in the vault vanished into the rings.
Kaito's jaw dropped. "HOW did you do that?!"
The others stared in shock, but Blaze just shrugged. "Just instinct."
Without another word, he handed each of them a Shadow Ring of their own.
As they prepared to leave, Blaze glanced at the Shadow Gourd in his hand.
Something about it unsettled him. A powerful legacy must surely has a gurdian and he has a feeling that it is not the scorpion-man beast.
Deep underground, where Kaito had pick up the shadow gourd —
A massive, ancient beast stirred.
Its enormous body was encased in a glowing barrier.
Its eyes, which has closed for centuries—
Snapped open.
Revealing a pair of razor-sharp, glowing dragon's eyes.
Stay tuned for the next chapter.
If you guys want to know more about the shadow agent .
Read my upcoming novel
Title: The Shadow Bender