Suddenly, the chair Kyro had been sitting on glowed—that same pulsing crimson light from his glove now spilling across the stone seat like spilled wine.
The air crackled.
Before anyone could react, the chair twisted—warped—its shape collapsing and reforming in the blink of an eye. What remained was no longer a throne of elderhood.
It was a weapon.
A long, gleaming spear, its shaft blackened like obsidian and trimmed in crimson veins. sigils flickered along the edge of the spearhead, flaring once before settling into silence.
It flew straight into Kyro's hand, and he caught it like he'd wielded it every day of his life.
He spun it once and then stood firm, taking a low stance—one foot forward, spear angled diagonally with deadly precision.
Zay could feel the difference already—just standing across from Kyro was like staring at a tidal wave. A tidal wave that knew it was stronger.
'I probably won't win this fight,' Zay thought, his eyes flicking down to the midnight-blue katana now resting quietly at his side.
'The difference in power is insane. If I do win… it's because of this sword.'
He slowly lowered himself into a stance—nothing too elaborate. Just efficient, balanced, and as ready as he can be.
His grip tightened.
'I'm not sure what the hell he was talking about… the weapon Evershade is one that I've heard of in stories, legends—hell, even warnings from priests. But I've never seen it. Not once. Maybe… because I never came to—'
He looked around at the glowing chamber, at the nine elders, at the silent awe and fear in Jade's eyes.
'—wherever the hell this place even is.'
He sighed through his nose.
Zay's eyes narrowed. "Let's get this over with, old man."
Kyro didn't smile this time.
He vanished.
The moment Kyro vanished, Zay activated [Predator's Hunting Grounds].
In the split second that followed, his vision expanded, his mind able to perceive lines, patterns, angles, and trajectories. Zay's eyes narrowed as he traced the lines of the attack, seeing exactly where Kyro would strike next.
Without hesitation, Zay moved, his katana swept through the air in a calculated arc, cutting across the line he'd traced. The spear descended with blinding speed—Kyro reappearing in front of him.
Clang!
The clash of metal rang out like thunder. A shockwave rippled outward from the impact, a gust of force that shook the room. Jade, still on her knees beside Zay, blinked in stunned confusion. Her eyes widened and darted around, her instincts forcing her to scramble behind a pillar, where she crouched low, peeking around it to watch the duel unfold.
Kyro leapt back and charged forward again, his spear whistling through the air. Zay's eyes traced across the invisible lines, instinctively reading the attack before it could reach him. He shifted, narrowly avoiding the deadly point of the spear, redirecting its path just in time. The spear's edge skimmed the side of Zay's cheek, the force so close he could feel the air slicing past him.
Zay's body surged forward, the katana already in motion, his strike aimed directly at Kyro's exposed side.
Before Zay could even complete the swing, the elder's fist shot forward with brutal force.
Zay reacted instinctively, guiding the side of his blade to meet the punch. The clash reverberated through his entire arm, sending a jarring vibration through his bones. Though the strike was blocked, the sheer power behind it was overwhelming. Zay was sent flying backward, his feet sliding across the floor as he tried to brace himself. His back barely missed impact against the stone, but a sharp gasp left his lips as a burst of pain radiated from the impact. He coughed, saliva dripping from his mouth, his body already aching from the raw power behind that single punch.
'D-damn... What did this man eat?' Zay thought to himself, barely able to catch his breath as the world around him spun.
Zay's eyes shot upward, locking onto Kyro just as the elder was already in front of him, his fist winding back once more. The speed was unreal.
Zay's breath caught in his throat.
He barely had time to react. Following the patterns with the same instinctive precision, Zay brought his katana up to block the punch—just as the lines had guided him. His blade met Kyro's fist with a resounding crack, but the sheer force of the strike knocked him off balance. He was slammed into the wall, the force of the blow creating a crater in the stone. The impact felt like a sledgehammer against his chest, and once again, Zay coughed up more saliva, blood tinging the edges of his lips.
Before he could even regain his footing, Kyro moved again. The elder sidestepped to the left with the fluid grace of someone who had trained for centuries, and his leg shot out like a battering ram. The kick landed with a brutal crack against Zay's left side.
A scream of pain tore through Zay as his body was lifted off the ground and sent flying. His vision blurred for a second as he collided with one of the stone pillars inside the chamber. The pillar crumbled under the force, splinters of rock and dust flying into the air as Zay crashed through it. His body hit the floor with a sickening thud, the wind knocked out of him.
He lay there for a moment, gasping for air, his body wracked with pain. His left side burned with a deep, searing ache, and he could feel something crack in his ribs. Every breath was sharp, jagged, as though his body was fighting against itself. But there was no time to rest. He could hear Kyro's footsteps, hear the elder's breathing, calm and controlled, ready to strike again.
Zay forced himself to rise.
His boots scraped harshly against the stone floor. Dust clung to his clothes, blood painted his lips, and his breath came in short, ragged gasps. He gripped his katana tightly, the blade trembling slightly in his hand from the ache that spread through his arms and deep into his core.
His stance was strained but steady. Whether to defend or attack, he wasn't sure.
Agony rippled through his ribs with every breath, each inhale sharp as a blade. His muscles screamed. His bones felt like cracked glass, barely holding shape. Still, he stood, even if it was just barely.
'How the hell... can I win this?' the thought clawed through his mind.
Across from him, Kyro slowed his approach. No longer blinking across the battlefield like a ghost—this time, he walked. Each step was heavy, and calm.
Zay's jaw tightened. His teeth clenched. He shifted his body to adjust his stance, but pain surged through his side, making him stagger slightly. His ribs—something was broken. Maybe more than one. One eye instinctively shut from the sharp flare of pain.
And in that moment—just as his vision narrowed—
Kyro vanished.
He reappeared an instant later on Zay's right side, like a demon surfacing from the air itself.
[Seal of Relentless Curse: Pain]
A flicker of crimson aura shimmered around Kyro's spear as it hummed through the air. The glow wasn't blinding—it was subtle, sickening, like blood clinging to steel. The weapon moved with perfect precision.
Zay didn't hesitate, he saw the line.
He pivoted and raised his blade, barely intercepting the strike. The clash rang out—not loud, but sharp, like bones snapping. His arm shuddered from the contact, the force behind the strike too immense to fully redirect.
Then—without a word—Kyro released the spear.
It dropped to the floor with a soft, almost mocking clink.
Zay barely registered the sound before Kyro's hand gripped the collar of his white tunic. The elder's face was expressionless. His other fist pulled back, glowing with the same eerie red, and drove forward like a battering ram.
Crack.
The punch slammed into Zay's chest with terrifying power. The crimson energy surged through him like wildfire, igniting every nerve ending. The force ripped through muscle and bone, hurling him through the air like a ragdoll.
He crashed into the wall with a deafening boom. The stone split behind him, a crater blooming out from the point of impact. Shards of rock scattered across the floor.
Zay crumpled to the ground in a heap, his katana slipping from his fingers.
He didn't move.
His vision blurred, his senses dulled, and darkness wrapped around the edge of his mind like a tide pulling him under.
And then—nothing.
He fell unconscious.
Kyro stood motionless for a moment, his spear still lying where it had fallen, the red aura slowly fading into the shadows of the chamber.
And from behind the pillar, Jade's hands trembled. She stared wide-eyed at Zay's motionless body, unable to breathe. 'I-I knew the elders were strong... but I've never seen them fight before...'
The silence that followed felt endless.
"This fight is over. I can't believe... such a precious blade chose someone... so weak."
Kyro's voice echoed across the chamber, low with disappointment. He turned, his grip loosening slightly as he reached down and retrieved his spear from the floor. Dust swirled quietly around his boots as he took one slow step after another, the sound of his footsteps almost too loud in the silence that followed.
The air snapped suddenly.
A midnight-blue explosion of aura detonated from the katana in a perfect sphere, rippling across the ancient walls like a shockwave of divine will. The sheer pressure of it sent cracks running through the stone tiles. Torches blew out. The atmosphere itself grew darker.