Surya stood in the center of the training ground, sweat dripping down his face, the air thick with tension. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, his blood boiling with every passing moment. Adrenaline coursed through his veins like wildfire, urging him to move faster, strike harder, to feel the rush of power that he had come to rely on. But it wasn't just any rush; it was something darker, something born from his anger, from the devastation of his home, the destruction of everything he had once known.
Aditya stood across from him, silent, calm, like the eye of a storm. His expression was unreadable, his stance relaxed, almost casual. But Surya knew better. He had felt it before—the unspoken intensity that Aditya carried within him. The strength that was always just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to explode.
"Ready?" Aditya's voice cut through the silence, low and measured.
Surya didn't respond with words. He just lunged forward, blindfolded, his movements sharp, his body burning with the need to prove something—to prove that he wasn't weak, that he wasn't the helpless boy who had once been left for dead in the woods. The memories of the city in ruins flashed in his mind, fueling his rage, his desperation.
Aditya easily dodged the first strike. Surya felt the rush of air as his fist missed by mere inches, but he didn't stop. He didn't slow down. He swung again, his body moving faster, more erratically. The world around him blurred, his senses heightened, focused entirely on the task at hand. Each punch, each kick, was fueled by an overwhelming need to overcome his past.
"Faster!" Aditya shouted as Surya's strike came dangerously close to his ribs. "You're still too slow!"
Surya growled, pushing harder, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His fists struck air, then ground, then Aditya's evasive body. He could feel his strength waning, his muscles aching, but he refused to give in. He would not let himself be weak anymore.
And then it happened.
Surya's vision seemed to blur, not from the blindfold, but from the intense rush of energy that surged through his body. His mind became sharper, his movements more precise. His heart raced, but it was different now—more focused, more controlled. The anger, the pain, the desire for revenge, all of it seemed to converge into a single point of overwhelming power. His body moved with an unnatural speed, his strikes becoming more accurate.
Aditya's eyes widened in surprise as Surya's fist landed squarely on his chest. The force of the blow sent Aditya stumbling backward, but he managed to keep his feet under him. Surya's breath was ragged, his chest heaving, but there was a fierce light in his eyes.
"Not bad," Aditya said, his voice tinged with approval. "But it's still not perfect."
Surya stood there, panting, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. He wanted more—he wanted to be stronger, faster, to finally take control of his destiny.
Aditya's face grew serious as he stepped closer. "You think that's enough? You think that's all there is too power? No, Surya. This is just the beginning. The real test starts now."
---
Aditya's Past
As they sat around the campfire that night, Surya's mind raced, the adrenaline still surging through him. He didn't speak much, but the fire in his chest hadn't dimmed. Aditya, however, seemed lost in thought, his gaze distant, as if he was seeing something far beyond the present moment.
Surya noticed the change in him and, for the first time, saw a crack in Aditya's stoic exterior. He could sense the weight of something—something dark and painful—hidden behind the calm mask.
"Aditya," Surya said softly, breaking the silence. "What's your story? I know you didn't always have this power. You weren't born like this."
Aditya's eyes darkened as he stared into the flames. His voice, when he spoke, was low, tinged with a bitterness that Surya had never heard before.
"I wasn't always strong," Aditya said, his voice barely a whisper. "I was weak. Just like you. I was a child when I saw my parents die—killed by powerful men. Pirates. They came to our village, tore everything apart, and killed anyone who resisted. My father... my mother... they fought back, but they were no match for them. They told me to run. To survive. So I ran. I ran into the forest, away from it all, and I cried. I cried because I was powerless, because I couldn't save them. I cried because I was weak."
Surya was silent, his heart heavy with the pain in Aditya's voice.
"But that weakness, it fueled me," Aditya continued, his gaze hardening. "I trained. Day and night, I became stronger, faster, more ruthless. I swore that I would never be weak again. I would never watch someone I loved die helplessly. And I would make the strong feel the pain of the weak. That's why I fight. That's why I do all of this."
Surya sat there, absorbing the weight of Aditya's words. He understood, in that moment, the true meaning of Aditya's strength. It wasn't just physical power—it was the will to survive, to protect, to never be weak again.
---
The Military's Last Stand
Meanwhile, in a military headquarters, soldiers rushed about, preparing for the worst. Zets, the special forces, were engaged in fierce combat, their movements swift and precise as they fought against the advancing horde of monsters. The virus had spread to several cities, and the once-thriving world was now crumbling under the weight of chaos.
Reports came in from every direction—cities falling, people fleeing. The military was working tirelessly to evacuate civilians, to move them to safer places, but it was becoming clear that the threat was far beyond their control.
"We need to get to the underground base," one of the officers barked, his face grim. "It's the only place left that's secure."
In the underground base, the air was thick with tension. Soldiers and civilians alike huddled together, their faces pale with fear. The base was their last hope, but even here, there was no guarantee of safety. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the corridors, the ominous sound of something enormous approaching.
And then, the ground shook.
A deafening roar split the air as the base walls cracked, and the monsters began to pour in. The soldiers scrambled, firing their weapons, but it was clear—there was no escape. The monsters were relentless, unstoppable.
---
The Final Stand
Back in the forest, Aditya and Surya had dug their own underground base, using weapons scavenged from the military. Aditya's dark red sword was always by his side, a symbol of the anger that burned within him. Surya, still reeling from the weight of Aditya's past, knew that this was their last chance to prepare.
"We'll be ready," Aditya said, his voice steely. "We'll take the fight to them. But we need to grow stronger. We need to become weapons."
Surya nodded, the fire of vengeance still burning in his chest.
As they stood side by side, preparing for the war that would decide the fate of their world, the earth trembled once more. The monsters were getting closer. And this time, they would not stop until everything was consumed.
The question loomed over them: Would they be ready to face the darkness that awaited them?
And as the ground cracked beneath their feet, the final blow was delivered. The base collapsed, monsters pouring in, their twisted forms emerging from the shadows. The slow-motion chaos enveloped them as the monstrous horde surged forward, determined to tear everything apart.
To Be Continued...
Black City was just the beginning.