Chapter 28 – Trial by Fire
Suzuya's POV
The street below roared with chaos. Shadows danced against the fire-lit walls as the creatures emerged one by one—distorted humans, their limbs unnaturally long, their eyes glowing crimson. They hissed, claws dragging against the cracked pavement, the stench of death radiating from their bodies.
I could feel Akari's eyes on me from where she was held captive. My chest tightened.
Suzuya: "Hang on… I'll save you."
Kojiro leapt down from a ledge, his heavy steps cracking the asphalt. His blade gleamed with reflected fire. He shot me a glare, his voice sharp.
Kojiro: "You absolute fool! Following him—" he glanced at Shadow "—do you even know what you've walked into?!"
Shadow, calm as ever, tilted his head with a smirk.
Shadow: "Calm down, big guy. This is just the opening act."
Suzuya: "Enough! We don't have time for this. Akari's right there!"
I pointed, my voice raw with desperation. Kojiro's gaze softened slightly when he saw her, but it hardened again immediately after.
Kojiro: "Then we cut through them."
The first creature lunged—a blur of blackened flesh and jagged claws. Without hesitation, Kojiro swung his blade, cleaving the beast in two. Black blood sprayed across the pavement, sizzling like acid when it touched the ground.
Kojiro: "Don't let their blood touch you. It burns."
I summoned Crimson Fang, crimson energy swirling in my hand. Another monster rushed me, its distorted mouth wide open with a scream that rattled my bones.
Suzuya: "Crimson Fang!"
The blast tore through its chest, but instead of collapsing, the creature writhed, its torso splitting open into wriggling tendrils. My eyes widened—
Suzuya: "What the hell—?!"
Shadow suddenly stepped in, his blade slicing through the tendrils with surgical precision. He moved like smoke, flowing in and out of the monsters' strikes.
Shadow: "These aren't just failed experiments. They're Yamiyo's toys. He stitched despair into their very souls. Killing them won't be easy."
Yamiyo's laughter rang out from above, sharp and mocking.
Yamiyo: "Come on, Suzuya! Show me! Show me if you really have what it takes to save them!"
I looked up, teeth clenched. He stood there on the rooftop, his grin infuriating, his blade casually resting on his shoulder. He was watching me struggle like a child watching an insect crawl.
Suzuya: "I'll wipe that smile off your face…"
Three more creatures charged at once. I barely dodged, one claw ripping across my arm. Pain seared through me, hot and sharp.
Kojiro cut another down, but the sheer number overwhelmed us. For every beast we cut down, two more seemed to crawl from the flames.
Kojiro: "There's too many!"
Shadow didn't seem fazed. He crouched low, his aura flaring—dark, suffocating, almost unnatural. His voice lowered to a whisper.
Shadow: "Guess I'll show you a fraction, Suzuya… so you know why Yamiyo chose me."
He vanished. In the blink of an eye, three monsters' heads rolled to the ground, their bodies collapsing with dull thuds. I barely saw him move. His blade was a ghost, his form a blur of smoke.
Kojiro scowled.
Kojiro: "Tch… show-off."
But even with Shadow's power, the horde pressed harder. My arms ached, my breaths came ragged. Every time I thought we had an opening, another wave surged forward.
Then I saw her—Akari. She struggled against her captors, screaming my name, tears streaming down her face.
Akari: "SUZUYA!"
My chest burned. I couldn't let her down. Not again.
Suzuya: "No matter what it takes… I'll reach you."
I roared, summoning everything I had left. Crimson Fang erupted from both hands, twin blasts ripping through the swarm. The explosion lit the street, throwing monsters into walls, tearing craters into the ground.
But my body screamed in protest. My vision blurred, blood dripping from my nose.
Kojiro: "Idiot! You'll burn yourself out!"
Suzuya: "I DON'T CARE!"
The beasts circled, undeterred. More crawled from alleyways, their shrieks echoing in my skull.
That's when Yamiyo finally moved.
From the rooftop, he leapt down, landing with a thud that cracked the ground beneath him. The monsters instantly fell back, bowing their twisted forms as if kneeling to their master.
Yamiyo: "Good, good. You've got spirit, Suzuya. But spirit alone won't save anyone."
He lifted his katana, pointing it directly at me. His grin widened, his eyes wild.
Yamiyo: "You want your family? Then defeat me."
The world froze. My blood turned to fire.
Suzuya: "Finally… finally, I can cut you down."
But Shadow stepped between us, his back facing me.
Shadow: "Not yet. You're not ready."
Suzuya: "Get out of my way!"
Shadow: "If you fight him now, you'll die. And your family dies with you."
His words cut deeper than any blade. My fists trembled, my rage boiling over. But even I knew… he was right. Yamiyo's presence was suffocating, his aura overwhelming. He wasn't just strong—he was something else entirely.
Kojiro growled, his knuckles white around his blade.
Kojiro: "Then what? We sit here and let him take everything?!"
Yamiyo chuckled, amused at our conflict.
Yamiyo: "Pathetic. You can't even decide who leads you. Suzuya, you'll never reach me like this. You'll never save them. You're just another failure."
He snapped his fingers.
The monsters surged again, more vicious than before.
Shadow: "Damn it—he's playing with us."
Kojiro: "Then we cut them all down until he has nothing left to hide behind!"
The battle erupted once more. My blade swung, Crimson Fang blazing through the horde. Kojiro fought like a storm, his every strike tearing through flesh. Shadow danced between us, his blade silent but deadly.
And Yamiyo… he watched. Always smiling.
Every strike, every scream, every drop of blood… it was all part of his game.
And I swore—I would end it.
No matter the cost.