The moon hung low as the trio advanced cautiously through a tangled thicket. The Ravine's oppressive aura weighed heavily, but tonight, there was a strange calm—a deceptive silence.
Kaito flexed his fingers, feeling the Void's restrained pulse beneath his skin. His newly forged Yakusoku anchored the power, making it manageable but still volatile.
"We can't let our guard down," Hina warned, eyes scanning every shadow.
Riku's silver threads moved with subtle tension, sensing what they couldn't see. "There's something here. Something watching."
Suddenly, a shrill cry pierced the night, followed by a swirl of black mist. From the shadows, a pack of Seiki Wraiths—ethereal, agile beasts—emerged, their bodies flickering like smoke, eyes burning with cold malice.
"They hunt in packs," Riku said grimly. "Fast and deadly. We'll have to rely on teamwork."
Hina stepped forward, aura igniting. "I'll hold the frontline."
Riku's threads shot out, weaving a lattice to entrap the beasts.
Kaito inhaled deeply, feeling the Void stir. "I'm ready."
The Wraiths attacked in a blur, their forms shifting between solid and shadow, making them hard to hit.
Hina's fists crashed into the nearest creature, searing with Tensui energy. Riku's threads snared another, crushing it with precise force.
But the Wraiths adapted quickly, slipping through the lattice and surrounding them.
Kaito closed his eyes, focusing on his vow—to protect what he cherished, to hold onto his humanity.
Dark tendrils erupted from his hands, slicing through the Wraiths' forms, erasing their Seiki cores.
The beasts screamed, retreating only to regroup.
Suddenly, a massive shadow lunged from above—a gigantic Seiki Raven, its wings blotting out the stars.
Hina shouted, "Watch out!"
Kaito leapt forward, merging his Void tendrils with Riku's threads in a daring gambit.
"Let's finish this—together!" Kaito roared.
The combined attack ensnared the Raven mid-air, ripping through its defenses.
With a final crushing blow from Hina's blazing fists, the beast fell.
Panting, the trio regrouped, breaths heavy but spirits unbroken.
Riku smirked. "You're getting stronger. Your vow is working."
Kaito smiled faintly, feeling a flicker of hope.
In the Ravine's darkness, their bonds were the light that kept them alive.