Chapter 29: Fading Flames & Buried Sins
Rajiv vs. Anil – The Breaking Point
CLASH!
Rajiv and Anil's blades met once more, sending a shockwave through the already shattered stadium. The ground beneath them cracked, unable to withstand the sheer force of their battle.
Rajiv's golden energy flared, but something felt… off. His body felt slower, his movements less precise. His breathing was heavy.
Anil noticed.
"You're slowing down." His voice was no longer fully his—it was something darker, deeper.
Rajiv gritted his teeth. He lunged forward, swinging his blade down.
Anil dodged at the last second and countered with a black energy strike, slamming his palm into Rajiv's ribs. The force sent Rajiv skidding backward, his feet dragging trenches into the stone floor.
Rajiv tried to catch his breath. Why am I losing strength?
He glanced at his hands. His golden energy was flickering, unstable.
Anil, meanwhile, seemed untouched, his possessed body surging with endless power.
Rajiv was running out of time.
But he refused to fall.
Taking a deep breath, he tightened his grip on his sword.
He wasn't done.
---
The White Army – A Storm Approaches
While Rajiv and Anil's battle raged, a different war had begun.
The White Army had reached the city streets.
They moved like ghosts—silent, efficient. Their white katanas gleamed as they cut through the Strays with ease.
A soldier sliced through a Stray in one stroke, his blade so clean the creature didn't even react before its body split apart.
Another soldier twisted mid-air, landing on a rooftop before throwing a white spear, impaling a Stray that was about to kill a civilian.
They weren't just warriors.
They were executioners.
At the front of the army, their leader stood tall.
A man dressed in pure white robes, his face hidden beneath a gold-trimmed mask. His presence alone was suffocating.
Someone in the distance whispered in horror:
"Is that… the World Government's Ford Leader?"
The Black Knight's eyes narrowed.
"No." His voice was cold. "That is someone far worse."
His name was simple.
White.
And he had come to "purify" this city.
Black Knight vs. Dark Blue 67 – The Truth of the Strays
Meanwhile, Black Knight and Dark Blue 67's duel raged on.
Swords clashed. Dagger met steel.
But Dark Blue 67 was smiling.
"You really don't get it, do you?" He dodged a strike, spinning in mid-air before landing effortlessly.
The Black Knight remained silent, his eyes burning.
"You think the Strays are just random creatures? You think they were always like this?"
The Black Knight lunged, slashing diagonally. Dark Blue 67 blocked it with one hand.
"They were people once."
The Black Knight froze.
"Do you know where they came from?"
Dark Blue 67 twisted his dagger, pushing the Black Knight's blade away.
"The Akaru Clan."
Silence.
The Black Knight's grip tightened.
"The Noble Family experimented on them. They kidnapped them. Tortured them. Turned them into monsters."
His grin widened.
"And guess what?"
He leaned forward.
"I helped."
The Black Knight's sword trembled.
"But one day, the Noble Family got scared. They said 'this is enough.' They refused to continue."
The air around them grew heavier.
"They sealed the Strays underground, deep inside the tunnel."
He stepped back, spreading his arms.
"But the Akaru Clan knew. They begged for help. And what did the nobles do?"
His smile faded.
"They refused."
Anger. Betrayal. Hatred.
"The Akaru Clan swore vengeance. And now look where we are."
The Black Knight finally spoke.
"So you're saying this isn't your fault?"
Dark Blue 67 chuckled.
"Oh no, it is. But I don't regret it."
He pointed at Rajiv and Anil's battle in the distance.
"That is what happens when you play with fate."
The Black Knight lifted his sword again.
"Then I'll carve fate myself."
---
Rajiv vs. Anil – The End is Near?
Back in the stadium, the battle was reaching its peak.
Rajiv's body was weakening.
Anil's possessed form showed no signs of exhaustion.
Rajiv dodged a black energy wave, barely avoiding it as the attack shattered an entire section of the arena.
But then—
His vision blurred.
Anil noticed.
In an instant, he was in front of Rajiv.
His fist struck Rajiv's gut.
Rajiv gasped. His feet lifted off the ground as the impact sent him flying.
He crashed through a stone pillar, coughing up blood.
Anil's dark eyes glowed.
"You're reaching your limit."
Rajiv forced himself up.
He saw his own golden energy flickering, struggling to stay alive.
And yet, even now—
Even as he stood on the edge of defeat—
Rajiv smiled.
"Then I guess I should finish this before I fall, huh?"
Anil raised an eyebrow.
Rajiv slowly stepped forward.
And as he did—
Golden particles began to rise from his body.
One by one.
Slowly.
Glowing.
Changing.
Rajiv stared at his hands.
"So strange."
He looked up at Anil.
"Looks like something is waking up."
Anil's possessed face twisted.
His energy flared as he charged forward.
And Rajiv stood his ground.
The end is near… or is it?