The Clash in the Laybirth Kingdom
In the Laybirth Kingdom, the sun had yet to rise. Darkness clung to the streets, though the stars shined defiantly across the corrupted land. The silver moon cast a faint, fragile light of hope over the kingdom.
And in the middle of that pale glow, two figures stood facing one another, eyes locked, each filled with murderous intent.
"Those red eyes… that ability. You're from the Kojima clan, aren't you?" Jinko asked, his tone sharp as he studied Ryju.
"Yeah, you're right. My name is Ryju Kojima," Ryju replied, raising his hand. His expression hardened. "And I'm going to kill you. It's the only choice I have."
"Kill me? Huh?" Jinko chuckled, tilting his head.
Ryju's brows furrowed, confused by his reaction.
"You look like you've never killed a single person in your life," Jinko laughed harder, his voice echoing across the quiet kingdom.
"How do you know that?" Ryju snapped, anger flashing in his eyes.
But Jinko's amusement faded. His expression turned serious.
"Your hand… it's shaking."
Ryju glanced down and saw his fist trembling.
Damn it… why am I shaking? Am I really this scared to kill someone? he thought, his frustration mounting.
Jinko smirked. "Now… let me kill you."
Ryju clenched his jaw, coating his fist with red spiritual force.
But in less than a second, Jinko vanished. His fist reappeared, only an inch away from Ryju's face.
I see it, Ryju thought, activating his eye.
In an instant, he switched places with Jinko and struck him across the face with his blazing fist. Jinko flew back, smashing into a house before sliding several feet across the stone-paved ground.
"Damn that stupid eye," Jinko cursed. His body scattered into particles of light, and before Ryju could react, he was already back in front of him. A glowing fist aimed directly for Ryju's eye.
Ryju dropped to the ground, ducking just in time.
"Close one," Ryju muttered, knowing luck had saved him.
Then—
"Got you," Jinko's voice came from behind.
Before Ryju could even process, a punch slammed into his stomach. He flew backwards, crashing through the same house Jinko had been thrown into moments earlier. His body tumbled across the floor, dust filling the air.
"Damn it… he's fast," Ryju groaned, forcing himself up. But before he could catch his breath, he sensed danger and leapt into a wall.
A flash of divine light sliced through the house, splitting it cleanly in half.
Jinko stepped out of the smoke, scanning the ruins. "It didn't get him," he muttered, annoyed.
Suddenly, a barrage of stones shot out from the debris, hurtling toward him.
"What is this?" Jinko frowned.
The closest stone reached him—and Ryju swapped places with it.
"What?!" Jinko's eyes widened.
Ryju's fist, blazing red, came down hard. But Jinko reacted swiftly, batting him aside.
Shoot! Ryju screamed in his head as he was hurled across the kingdom, slamming into another building. The impact left him coughing violently.
"Damn it… do I even stand a chance?" Ryju wheezed, clutching his side.
When he lifted his head, Jinko's feet were already in front of him, glowing with divine light.
"Huh?!" Ryju gasped, barely leaping back as Jinko stomped down.
BOOM!
The ground erupted, smoke scattering through the streets.
Ryju slid across the ground, his body aching. As the smoke cleared, five Jinkos appeared, each wielding a Divine Light Sword. They surrounded him, their blades shimmering with deadly intent.
"What the hell?!" Ryju shouted.
"Bye," all five Jinkos said in unison. Their swords came crashing down at incredible speed.
BOOM!
The impact shattered the ground, leaving only dust and rubble.
"So, I missed him," Jinko muttered, scanning.
But from above—
"Take this!" Ryju roared, diving down with his red-coated fist.
BOOM!
He struck the earth, but it was nothing but stone.
"What—?!" Ryju looked around.
Jinko hovered nearby, smirking. "Tch." He extended his palm and blasted a beam of light directly at Ryju.
But Ryju absorbed it into his body.
"Oh? So you do have an ability aside from those eyes," Jinko muttered, intrigued.
"You're damn right!" Ryju shouted, swinging his fist. But Jinko slipped past and countered with a kick. Ryju blocked, grinning.
"Hmph."
The two exchanged blows—fists, kicks, light beams, absorption, teleportation. Their fight was a blur of speed and destruction, shaking the very streets of Laybirth. Yet Jinko still overpowered him.
Ryju collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
Damn it… I can't beat this guy, he thought bitterly.
From a distance, Jinko smirked. He raised his finger, a glowing beam forming at its tip.
Ryju looked up, rage burning in his eyes.
"Damn you! I'll wipe that stupid smile off your face!" he shouted, dashing through the city. Light beams fired after him, each one tearing through buildings, collapsing rooftops, and shattering stone. Ryju weaved through the chaos, using the ruins for cover.
Another beam fired—
"This is my chance!" Ryju roared.
He swapped places with the beam itself, appearing in front of Jinko.
"Dragon Fist!" Ryju bellowed.
His spiritual energy twisted into the shape of a dragon's head, his punch slamming into Jinko's face and sending him flying into a building.
Without hesitation, Ryju rushed in after him, leaping into the smoke-filled house.
But it was a trap.
"Got you," Jinko whispered behind him.
Before Ryju could turn, Jinko grabbed his shirt and hurled him through the roof.
The boy shot into the air—
And before he could recover, Jinko appeared above him, clasping his hands together and slamming Ryju down.
CRASH!
Ryju's body plummeted, smashing into the ground.
Jinko hovered in the sky, arms spreading wide.
"Divine Beams of Destruction!"
From the heavens, countless beams of light rained down, tearing apart the kingdom, shattering walls, and splitting the earth.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Jinko laughed maniacally, enjoying the chaos.
Ryju staggered to his feet, his body battered and bleeding.
"Damn it… my body… it's from the torture earlier," he groaned, clutching his ribs.
Their eyes met again. Jinko smirked; Ryju gritted his teeth. Slowly, Ryju wrapped his black cloth around his waist, tightening it with deliberate resolve.
He smiled.
The sight made Jinko scowl.
Ryju's fist blazed with red spiritual force, dripping like liquid flame.
They lunged at the same time—Ryju's fist colliding with Jinko's half-light form.
"I thought you were going to leave me hanging," Ryju smirked.
"Nah," Jinko said calmly.
The clash shook the ground. Light battled against red force. But then Jinko's power began to fade.
No way… I'm not losing to some C-rank kid! Jinko thought, panicked.
But he realized too late—
He's absorbing my power!
Ryju's fist overpowered him, launching Jinko through another building. He rolled across the ground, glaring up at the sky.
The moon was fading. Dawn was coming.
"The sun… it's almost up," Jinko muttered.
It was 6:30 a.m.
Ryju walked slowly, fists clenched, his breathing heavy.
In an instant, Jinko vanished and reappeared beside him, his Divine Light Sword poised to strike.
But Ryju turned his head—and swapped places with him.
His fist drove deep into Jinko's gut.
Jinko coughed blood, falling to one knee.
"You're one annoying brat," he chuckled weakly.
"Anything to protect the innocent," Ryju said firmly.
Jinko smirked despite himself. "So now you think you can defeat me?"
"After all," Ryju answered coldly, "you're the one kneeling before me."
"You bastard!" Jinko roared, vanishing behind him with another beam. Ryju spun, absorbing it instantly.
The fight raged on—kicks, strikes, feints. At one point, Jinko sharpened a stone into a blade and slashed Ryju, piercing his arm. Blood dripped, but Ryju countered, switching places and slamming him into the earth.
The sun rose higher.
It was 6:55 a.m.
Jinko rushed forward, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.
"Light Clones!" he roared, his voice echoing through the battlefield.
Jinko's clones struck all at once, overwhelming Ryju and slamming him into the ground. Dust billowed around him as he coughed blood, his body screaming in agony.
"Damn it… this is bad… my body hurts like hell…" Ryju groaned, his hand trembling as he tried to rise.
But above him, Jinko loomed, his Divine Light Sword glowing brighter than ever.
"You relied too much on your tricks, boy," Jinko sneered. "Now it's over."
The blade descended.
Ryju's instincts flared—he tried to switch places, but nothing happened. His eyes widened in horror.
"Huh—?!"
He reached desperately for his absorption, clawing at the blade's energy—
—but his spiritual force was gone.
SHHK!
The sound was sharp, merciless. The sword pierced straight through his stomach.
"GAAH—!" Ryju's scream tore through the dawn as blood spilled down the glowing blade. His vision blurred, his knees buckling.
Jinko leaned close, smirking cruelly. "Looks like you're empty. That eye of yours drained you dry."
Ryju's mind spun. I… I can't move… I'm… going to die…
The world dimmed around him.
And then—
"RYJU!" A voice thundered from afar.
Kaji stood atop a wall, his eyes locked on the battlefield. His shout carried like a command.
"You better get up right now! Don't you dare give up!" His voice cut through the silence. "Don't expect me to save you!"
Ryju's blood dripped into the cracked stone beneath him. His body trembled on the edge of collapse.
But his eyes—blurred, fading—still burned red.
The battle wasn't over yet.
To Be Continued…