Lost Pieces

Suguru broke out of restraints, his fury fueling his every movement. His eyes were wild, filled with something dark and primal as he charged straight at Satoshi, his blade aiming for his face with deadly intent. Satoshi barely managed to dodge the vicious blow, his heart pounding as he took in Suguru’s frenzied expression.

"This is getting more and more intense," Satoshi thought, beads of sweat forming on his brow as Suguru’s unrelenting force bore down on him. "I have to do something soon, or else..." He clenched his teeth, his eyes hardening. "Maybe I should use a full-scale attack to catch him off guard."

Satoshi's chakra flared wildly, almost tangible as he summoned it. It spiraled around him before concentrating into the form of a blade, a dark manifestation of his anger. Satoshi countered, summoning his own chakra, which formed a sword glowing with energy to match Suguru’s. The two swords met with a fierce clang, and the sound echoed throughout the dungeon, metal-on-energy ringing as if a thousand bells had been struck at once.

Each clash of their swords felt like a battle between forces beyond mortal comprehension. Sparks flew, illuminating the grim dungeon in flashes of light, casting long, shifting shadows that seemed like specters of death itself. Suguru's strikes came at Satoshi like a torrent ... vicious and unrelenting. The force of each blow traveled through Satoshi's arm, numbing his bones, threatening to shatter his resolve. Suguru's eyes were crazed, his movements erratic, each strike wilder than the last as he lost himself more and more in the darkness surging through him.

The dungeon floor trembled beneath the weight of their power. Stone shattered beneath their feet, dust swirling in the air like a choking mist. Suguru’s roar filled the dungeon, and Satoshi knew his friend was on the brink—on the edge of becoming something monstrous.

"I can't let him destroy himself " Satoshi thought, eyes narrowing with determination. He made his decision.

"Hellfire Blaze"

Satoshi's voice was a roar that matched the fury of his heart, and flames erupted from his blade. The air around them crackled and distorted, the intense heat rippling as flames surged towards Suguru, burning with the strength of Satoshi's desperation. Each burst of fire struck with unyielding precision, engulfing Suguru in an inferno.

The flames licked at Suguru's skin, charring his clothes and scorching his flesh. Suguru screamed, his voice filled with pain and primal rage. His eyes, filled with madness, were wide as he struggled against the heat. His body twisted, trying to escape the torrent of fire, but Satoshi pushed forward, the blaze unrelenting.

"This is it... my chance," Satoshi thought, his eyes focused with cold determination. He could see Suguru weakening, his breath labored, his movements slowing. He was vulnerable, exposed.

With a powerful shout, Satoshi charged. He funneled his remaining chakra into his fist, the energy transforming into a vivid arc of lightning that danced across his knuckles. His feet pounded against the stone floor as he closed the distance, and with a ferocity that shook his entire being, he drove his lightning-charged fist into Suguru's chest. The impact was thunderous, like the cracking of the very earth, and it sent Suguru hurtling backward, crashing into the stone walls of the dungeon.

Suguru lay sprawled on the ground, his breaths ragged, his chest heaving. Satoshi, panting heavily, stepped towards him. He glanced at the katana lying beside Suguru and kicked it away, the dark blade clattering across the floor before coming to a rest. He moved quickly, his eyes darting around the room until they landed on the sheath, sitting almost mockingly in the far corner.

"So there you are," he muttered, making his way toward it, relief starting to form amidst the chaos.

But the relief was short-lived.

Without warning, an icy pain erupted in his stomach. Satoshi's eyes widened in shock as he looked down to see a blade protruding from his abdomen, the cold steel stained with his blood.

*cough*cough*

Blood trickled from his mouth, his vision blurring as he turned his head. Suguru stood behind him, his expression blank, his eyes devoid of all emotion as he pulled the blade, the sound sickening, metal against flesh.

Suguru raised the blade, ready to strike again. But Satoshi wasn’t ready to die—not yet.

"Enough, Suguru!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the chamber, a desperate plea and command all at once. His eyes glowed, "I hope you don't die from this .... On second thought I know you won't so just try to stay down after this." He said as he pointed a trembling finger towards the ceiling.

"Heaven's Bolt"

The dungeon rumbled. Above, the sky seemed to darken, a mass of swirling clouds forming an ominous vortex. Thunder rumbled as if the heavens themselves were crying out in response to Satoshi's command. A blinding bolt of lightning shot down, piercing through the ceiling, obliterating stone and mortar as it descended upon Suguru.

The lightning strike was like a judgment from the heavens—a blinding, crackling surge of raw power that tore through Suguru, illuminating the dungeon in an unearthly, electric blue light. Suguru screamed as the lightning enveloped him, his body convulsing violently as the searing electricity burned his flesh, scorching him to the core.

Satoshi fell to his knees, his entire body trembling from exhaustion. His breaths were shallow, each one harder than the last, his vision narrowing to a tunnel. He looked at Suguru, who was lying on the ground, his body still twitching from the aftershocks of the attack. The burns on Suguru's skin were severe, his flesh blackened in places, his clothes reduced to tatters. Satoshi thought—hoped—it was over.

But then he saw Suguru move. Slowly, impossibly, Suguru began to rise, his charred skin regenerating before Satoshi’s eyes. His eyes opened, cold and lifeless, and his voice came out in a low growl that sent chills down Satoshi's spine.

"Die, vermin."

"Damn you moron , I told you to stay put for a while "  Satoshi said with exhaustion.

Satoshi’s heart pounded in his ears. He was out of options, out of mana, his body barely able to stand. Suguru approached, each step heavy, filled with purpose. There was no humanity left in his eyes—only darkness.

"Is this it?" Satoshi thought, despair wrapping around him like a suffocating blanket. He clenched his teeth, sorrow and helplessness boiling in his veins. He couldn’t do anything ."I suppose this is my end , perhaps the thought that I am dying by your hands isn't that bad , you must live on brother ." said Satoshi ready to die by his friend .

Suguru’s steps stopped as a delicate voice echoed in his mind—soft, gentle, filled with warmth.

“It’s okay, you did well, Sugo.”

The words reverberated within him, resonating with something deep in his soul. The rage, the chaos that had consumed him, began to dissipate, replaced by a strange sense of calm. The dungeon around him blurred, and suddenly, it was as if the entire world shifted. The cold stone walls melted away, the weight of his anger lifted, and in its place, there was something serene and comforting.

He found himself standing in a field, surrounded by an endless sea of white camellias. The flowers swayed gently in the breeze, their delicate petals catching the fading light, creating a shimmering effect that seemed almost ethereal. The air was fragrant, each breath filling him with a peace he hadn’t felt in what seemed like an eternity.

Above, the sky was painted in hues of a setting sun—a breathtaking tapestry of oranges, pinks, and purples bleeding together in perfect harmony. The golden rays of the sun, sinking towards the horizon, bathed the entire field in a soft, warm glow, casting long, gentle shadows that swayed with the movement of the flowers. The light seemed to wrap around him like a comforting embrace, its warmth sinking into his bones, soothing all the turmoil within.

A dark, shadow-like being hovered nearby, its presence familiar but powerless in this place. Suguru barely spared it a glance, his attention caught by something far more precious. In the middle of the field, amidst the camellias, stood a figure in white—a woman with a smile that seemed to shine even brighter against the backdrop of the sunset.

She was beautiful, her presence radiating warmth that matched the setting sun’s glow. Her eyes held the kindness of a thousand gentle moments, and her smile was the kind that could mend even the most broken parts of him. She looked at him as if he was the only person in the world, as if every flaw, every mistake he had made, meant nothing compared to the person she saw before her.

Suguru’s heart tightened, his breath catching in his throat. His eyes stung, tears he couldn’t quite explain threatening to fall. She was everything he had lost and everything he had longed for—the embodiment of his happiest memories and the hope he thought he had forgotten.

“Lovely...” he whispered, his voice soft and vulnerable, like a child seeing something precious for the first time. He took a step forward, the flowers brushing against his legs, his heart yearning to be closer to that smile, to that warmth.

The woman’s smile widened, and for a brief moment, everything else disappeared—his pain, his anger, the weight of the darkness. All that remained was the field of camellias, her smile, and the love he could feel pouring from her. It was as if, in this moment, all the broken pieces of his soul were held together by her gaze, and for the first time in so long, he felt whole, he felt like home.

Back in the dungeon, Suguru stood still, his expression softened, his eyes distant and unfocused. He looked almost peaceful, as if whatever turmoil had been raging inside of him had found its solace , Satoshi looked at his face

"Aren't you going to kill me ?" he asked "What is with this calm expression , did he overcome the possession or something? more importantly he is not moving , this is it " he thought to himself and took the opportunity, staggering to where the sheath lay. His fingers closed around it, and with every ounce of strength he had left, he slid the dark blade back into its sheath.

The moment the blade was sealed, Suguru blinked, his eyes clearing as he looked around in confusion.

“What... just happened?” Suguru asked, his gaze falling on Satoshi, who was barely standing, blood soaking his clothes. “Sato, why are you bleeding? Were we attacked? And... why is this dungeon falling apart?!”

Satoshi managed a tired smile, shaking his head. “We’ll talk about it later. For now, let’s just get out of here before this place crumbles on top of us.”

---

An hour later, the two of them sat by a small stream outside the ruins, the air cool and refreshing after the chaos of the dungeon. Suguru’s eyes were filled with regret and confusion.

“So, I was really possessed?” he asked, his voice quiet. “I thought it was just a nightmare... I’m so sorry, Sato.”

Satoshi shook his head, giving his friend a gentle pat on the shoulder. “It wasn’t your fault, Suguru. That blade... it was KURAYAMI. It’s not something you could fight on your own.”

Suguru’s eyes widened. “KURAYAMI? The Blade of Darkness... from the ancient legends?”

“Yeah,” Satoshi nodded, his gaze shifting to the sheathed sword lying beside them. “The Blade of Darkness. Let me tell you what this sword truly is.”

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