The air in the Assassin Empire remained tense, as though the very atmosphere trembled in anticipation of what was to come. Retsyu stood atop the highest tower, the jagged spires of the fortress piercing the darkened sky. His crimson cloak billowed with each gust of wind, its edges fraying slightly, as though even the fabric struggled to keep pace with him.
He gazed into the distance, his expression calm yet calculating. The ruins of his once-mighty empire stretched before him, a stark reminder of its fall from grace. Yet, in the depths of his eyes, there burned a quiet fire—a promise of restoration, revenge, and supremacy.
Retsyu: (softly) Sukojo. The storm you bring is loud, unruly. But a storm is fleeting. And fleeting things always fall behind.
He raised a hand, and the air around him shimmered. The intricate web of techniques honed over centuries by the Assassin Empire coursed through his veins like a living force. Each movement of his fingers seemed to reshape the world around him, the edges of reality bending under his will.
Retsyu: (to himself) Flash Step. Vanish Step. Concealment Steps. They are nothing more than the foundation. Speed is not in the technique alone—it is in the soul.
A shadow flickered at the edge of the tower, followed by the faintest whisper of movement. Retsyu's lips curled into a smirk.
Retsyu: (coldly) Step forward. You cannot hope to hide from me.
A figure emerged, cloaked in darkness, kneeling before the emperor. His voice was steady, but the undercurrent of fear betrayed him.
Shadow Assassin: My lord... the clans. They gather in the Eastern Sector. Those who remained loyal... and those who turned rogue. They await your command.
Retsyu's smirk widened as he turned to face the assassin fully. His presence alone made the air grow heavier, suffocating, as though reality itself recoiled from his dominance.
Retsyu: (calmly) Gather them. Loyal or traitor, it matters not. The Assassin Empire is mine. Let them come, and I will remind them of what it means to serve me.
The assassin bowed deeply before vanishing into the shadows, leaving only the faint echo of his departure. Retsyu stepped closer to the edge of the tower, his crimson eyes narrowing as a faint ripple disturbed the horizon.
It was subtle, almost imperceptible. But to Retsyu, it was as loud as thunder.
Retsyu: (softly) He moves.
Far across the endless wastelands, Sukojo stood still, his smirk unwavering. The faint ripple of Retsyu's presence echoed through the fabric of existence, and for the first time in years, something other than boredom flickered in his crimson gaze.
Sukojo: (mockingly) Oh, Retsyu. You never fail to amuse me. The Emperor of Shadows, the King of Speed. Let's see if your blade has dulled in these years of slumber.
The space around him distorted, the air warping as if unable to keep pace with his presence. His hands rested casually in his pockets, yet the weight of his power radiated outward, bending the horizon itself.
Sukojo: (softly) The hunt begins.
He took a single step forward, and the world seemed to shatter. The ground splintered beneath him, the sky above twisting violently. The distance between him and the Assassin Empire dissolved in an instant, the very concept of space bending under his will.
Back at the empire, the gathered clans trembled in the shadow of their emperor. Hundreds of assassins knelt before Retsyu, their ranks split between the loyalists and the rogues. The tension was palpable, every pair of eyes fixed on the figure at the head of the assembly.
Retsyu: (coldly) You call yourselves assassins. Warriors of the shadows. Yet you allowed my empire to crumble. You let our name fall to whispers, our legacy to rot.
His voice was sharp, cutting through the silence like a blade. The loyalists bowed their heads further, their shame evident. The rogues, however, shifted uneasily, their defiance flickering like dying embers.
One among the rogues, a tall figure with sharp features and a crimson scarf, dared to speak.
Rogue Assassin: (boldly) Emperor or not, you abandoned us! You left us to rot while you vanished without a trace. We survived on our own. We owe you nothing.
Gasps echoed through the crowd, but Retsyu's expression remained unchanged. He stepped forward, his movements fluid and silent, as though the ground itself dared not acknowledge his steps.
Retsyu: (calmly) You survived on your own? How admirable.
Before the rogue could react, Retsyu vanished. In less than a blink, he reappeared behind the man, his hand resting lightly on the assassin's shoulder.
Retsyu: (softly) Let me show you the difference between survival... and existence.
A flash of crimson light erupted from Retsyu's hand, and the rogue fell to his knees, gasping. The air around him shimmered, as though reality itself rejected his presence. When he collapsed, his body dissolved into nothingness, leaving only silence.
Retsyu turned back to the crowd, his gaze unyielding.
Retsyu: (coldly) You owe me nothing? You owe me everything. Your lives, your loyalty, your very existence. I am the Assassin Empire. And I will not tolerate defiance.
The rogues said nothing. Their defiance crumbled under the weight of his words, their gazes fixed firmly on the ground. The loyalists, emboldened by their emperor's strength, rose to their feet, their auras flaring in unison.
Loyalist Assassin: (sharply) For the Emperor!
The chant echoed through the hall, growing louder with each repetition. Retsyu raised a hand, and the room fell silent once more.
Retsyu: (calmly) We rebuild. Not as fractured clans, but as one empire. The Assassin Empire will rise again. And when it does, no force in this world—or any other—will stand against us.
A faint ripple disturbed the air once more, sharper this time. Retsyu's crimson eyes narrowed as his smirk returned.
Retsyu: (softly) He's close.
Far above, Sukojo appeared on the edge of the empire's borders. He gazed down at the stronghold with a smirk, his crimson eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Sukojo: (softly) Ready or not, Retsyu. Here I FUCKING COME!!!
The air in the Assassin Empire grew dense, the atmosphere charged with a suffocating energy as though reality itself was bracing for impact. Retsyu stood motionless atop the highest spire, his crimson eyes locked onto the distant horizon. The ripple in the fabric of existence sharpened, growing stronger, until it became impossible to ignore.
And then it shattered.
The sky above the stronghold tore open as a streak of black and crimson descended from the heavens. Sukojo's laughter echoed, sharp and unhinged, as he dove toward the heart of the Assassin Empire. The wind screamed around him, the sheer force of his presence causing the air to split and distort. The assassins below froze, their auras flickering with a mixture of fear and awe.
Sukojo landed with an earth-shattering impact in the middle of the gathered clans. The ground beneath him cracked and splintered outward in a perfect circle, sending shockwaves that knocked the weaker assassins off their feet. Dust and debris filled the air, but Sukojo stood unaffected, his form illuminated by a faint, crimson glow. His smirk was wide, his crimson eyes gleaming with unbridled amusement.
Sukojo: (mockingly) Well, well. Look at this. A reunion of shadows. Did I crash your little party?
The assassins scrambled to their feet, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons. Loyalists and rogues alike stared at the figure in their midst, their fear palpable. The elder assassin stepped forward, his voice trembling as he addressed the intruder.
Elder Assassin: (hesitant) Sukojo... the devourer of all. What brings you here?
Sukojo tilted his head slightly, his smirk growing wider.
Sukojo: (mockingly) What brings me here? You should know better than to ask such boring questions. I'm here for him.
He pointed a single finger upward, straight at the spire where Retsyu stood. The assassins followed his gaze, their eyes widening as their emperor leapt effortlessly from the tower, landing with silent grace mere feet from Sukojo. The ground beneath Retsyu seemed to steady itself, as though reality had chosen sides.
Retsyu: (coldly) Sukojo. You couldn't wait, could you?
Sukojo let out a low chuckle, his hands sliding casually into his pockets as he took a step closer.
Sukojo: (playfully) Oh, don't be like that, Retsyu. You knew this was inevitable. The moment I felt your little ripple, I just had to see if the Emperor of Speed still had it in him. Or has all that time made you soft?
The tension between the two was suffocating, a clash of presences so overwhelming that the gathered assassins were forced to retreat, their instincts screaming at them to flee. Retsyu's crimson eyes locked onto Sukojo's, his voice calm but laced with a razor-sharp edge.
Retsyu: (softly) You talk too much.
Without warning, Retsyu vanished. The air where he stood imploded, a shockwave rippling outward as he moved faster than perception. In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Sukojo, his hand raised in a striking motion. The air itself seemed to scream as Retsyu's strike descended.
But Sukojo was already gone.
He reappeared a few feet away, his smirk unwavering as he dusted off his shoulder.
Sukojo: (mockingly) Oh, that was fast. Almost caught me off guard.
Retsyu didn't respond. He moved again, his form a blur as he unleashed a barrage of strikes, each one precise enough to cut through the very fabric of reality. The ground beneath them fractured further, the force of their clash sending shockwaves that shook the entire stronghold.
Sukojo dodged each strike effortlessly, his movements impossibly fluid. He seemed to dance through the chaos, his smirk growing wider with each narrowly avoided blow.
Sukojo: (laughing) Is that all you've got? Come on, Retsyu! Show me something new!
Retsyu stopped abruptly, his crimson aura flaring as he took a step back. His voice was calm, but his words carried an undeniable weight.
Retsyu: (coldly) You think this is a game. That speed is about who moves faster. But speed is precision. Timing. Control. And that is why you'll never surpass me.
Sukojo's smirk faltered ever so slightly, his crimson eyes narrowing.
Sukojo: (softly) Oh? Is that so?
Before Retsyu could respond, Sukojo moved. He didn't just vanish—he shattered the air around him, his form becoming a streak of pure chaos as he closed the distance in an instant. His fist arced toward Retsyu, the force of it bending the space between them.
But Retsyu was ready.
He raised his hand, catching Sukojo's strike with such precision that the resulting shockwave was contained, leaving the stronghold untouched. The two stood locked in place, their auras flaring violently as they pushed against each other.
Retsyu: (calmly) You're fast. Hmph. Good. But now.
Retsyu: Go Back!
With a flick of his wrist, Retsyu redirected Sukojo's momentum, sending him hurtling backward. Sukojo twisted mid-air, landing gracefully on his feet, his smirk returning.
Sukojo: (mockingly) Not bad. You've still got it. Emperor.
The air around them grew heavier, the sheer weight of their combined auras suffocating. The assassins watched in stunned silence as the two figures prepared to clash again, their speed and power far beyond anything they could comprehend.
Sukojo: (softly) Ready, Emperor?
Retsyu: (coldly) Always.
And with that, they moved. The stronghold trembled as the two forces collided, their battle a blur of motion and energy. For those watching, it was as if time itself had broken, the world caught in the wake of their impossible speed.
The battlefield dissolved into chaos, the clash of Retsyu and Sukojo becoming a war of blinding light and suffocating darkness. Their movements were invisible to all but themselves; the only evidence of their strikes were the shockwaves that tore through the stronghold, splitting the ground and shattering nearby towers into fragments.
Retsyu struck first, his crimson aura blazing as he moved with a precision that seemed to cut through the fabric of existence itself. His hand formed a blade of pure energy, slicing through the air toward Sukojo's core. But Sukojo was already gone, his smirk evident as he materialized behind Retsyu.
Sukojo: (mockingly) You think you can outpace me, Emperor? That's adorable.
His hand shot forward like a serpent, aimed at Retsyu's back, but Retsyu's body shimmered, fading just as the strike would have landed. He reappeared on a jagged spire several meters away, his cloak billowing as he pointed a single finger at Sukojo.
Retsyu: (coldly) Speed is wasted on fools.
The space between them collapsed in an instant as dozens of ethereal blades materialized around Sukojo, slicing through the air faster than thought. Each blade was a perfect manifestation of Retsyu's mastery, moving with deadly precision.
Sukojo's smirk didn't falter. His body blurred, twisting impossibly as he dodged each blade, his movements so fluid they seemed almost casual. When the last blade struck nothing but air, he reappeared, standing atop a crumbled column, his hands still in his pockets.
Sukojo: (mockingly) Is that all? Come on, Retsyu. I expected more. Show me something worth my time.
Retsyu's eyes narrowed, his aura flaring brighter as he vanished once again. The air crackled as he appeared directly in front of Sukojo, his fist glowing with an intense crimson light. The impact came like a meteor strike, the force of it splitting the column in half and sending a massive shockwave that flattened everything in its path.
But Sukojo stood unharmed, his smirk widening as he caught Retsyu's fist effortlessly.
Sukojo: (softly) You're holding back. Don't insult me.
With a twist of his wrist, he deflected the punch and countered with a kick aimed at Retsyu's chest. The Emperor moved just in time, the blow missing by mere millimeters, but the resulting shockwave sent him skidding backward. Retsyu landed on his feet, his expression unchanging.
Retsyu: (calmly) You mistake control for restraint. That will be your undoing.
Sukojo: (laughing) Oh, really? Then stop controlling yourself and show me the real Retsyu.
Retsyu didn't respond. Instead, he extended his hand, and the air around him began to ripple violently. The assassins watching from a distance felt their knees buckle under the weight of his presence, their auras flickering as the sheer intensity of his power suffocated them.
Retsyu: (coldly) Very well.
With a flick of his fingers, the ground beneath Sukojo erupted into a storm of crimson light and shadow. The energy coiled and twisted, forming a vortex that swallowed everything in its path. Sukojo's smirk faded slightly, replaced by a gleam of interest in his eyes.
Sukojo: (softly) Now we're talking.
He vanished just as the vortex closed in, reappearing high above the battlefield. But Retsyu was already there, his form materializing out of the shadows as he unleashed a barrage of strikes faster than light itself. Each blow carried a precision that seemed to bend reality, forcing Sukojo to react with equal speed.
The two clashed in mid-air, their movements forming a chaotic symphony of destruction. Lightning crackled around them, the energy of their battle disrupting the natural order. Each impact sent ripples through the fabric of existence, bending time and space in their wake.
Retsyu: (sharply) You rely too much on raw power, Sukojo. Speed without control is nothing but chaos.
Sukojo: (grinning) Chaos is fun. And besides, it's worked so far.
Retsyu's eyes narrowed as he raised his hand, the air around them freezing momentarily. Time seemed to hesitate, the chaotic storm of their battle pausing as if caught in his grip.
Retsyu: (coldly) Let's see how you handle true speed.
In an instant, Retsyu's aura expanded, and the world around them shifted. It wasn't just faster—it was sharper, every movement carrying the weight of absolute precision. He vanished again, his form becoming a streak of crimson light as he closed the distance to Sukojo in the blink of an eye.
For the first time, Sukojo faltered. He twisted to dodge, but Retsyu was already there, his strike connecting with Sukojo's side and sending him hurtling toward the ground. The impact created a massive crater, dust and debris filling the air as Sukojo lay motionless for a brief moment.
The assassins watched in stunned silence, their awe growing as Retsyu descended slowly, his aura flickering faintly around him.
Retsyu: (softly) Speed is not a game, Sukojo. It is art. And I am its master.
From the crater, Sukojo's laughter echoed, sharp and mocking. He rose slowly, brushing the dust from his shoulders, his smirk returning with renewed vigor.
Sukojo: (laughing) That's the spirit, Emperor. You almost made me feel that one.
His aura flared brighter than ever, a chaotic storm of crimson and black that consumed the battlefield. The air itself seemed to shatter as Sukojo stepped forward, his movements faster, more fluid, his presence overwhelming.
Sukojo: (softly) My turn.
Before Retsyu could respond, Sukojo moved. He didn't just vanish—he broke the concept of speed entirely, his form becoming a blur of destruction as he struck from all directions at once. Retsyu countered each blow with impossible precision, their clash becoming a storm of light and shadow that engulfed the stronghold.
The battle raged on, the fate of speed itself hanging in the balance.
To Be Continued...
End Of Arc 4 Chapter 10.