The air was thick with the aftermath of their battle. The forest around them, once eerily silent, now seemed to hum with a distant tension, as if the shadows themselves were watching, waiting. Kael's heart was still racing, his grip tight on his sword, but he could feel the weight of the fight they had just survived pressing on him. Azrael's presence, and the cryptic words he had left behind, lingered like a dark cloud.
Kael glanced over at Hana, who was standing close by, her gaze fixed on the spot where Azrael had vanished. Her expression was conflicted, a mix of awe and concern.
"Kael…" Hana whispered, her voice small. "Who... was that?"
Kael turned toward her, his brow furrowing. "One of Kurojin Tsukiro's soldiers," he said, his voice firm but his mind elsewhere. "Azrael was his name. One of the Four."
Tetsu, who had been standing a few paces away, wiped the sweat from his brow. "The Four… they're supposed to be legends. If they're real, then we're in even deeper trouble than we thought."
Ryuu stepped forward, his usually cocky attitude tempered by the recent encounter. "I knew something was off. The way Azrael moved—it's like he wasn't even human anymore. He was something else entirely."
Kaede remained silent, his expression unreadable. He stared out into the dense woods, his eyes narrowing as if searching for something. His silence was unsettling, as if he was processing something far more important than the battle they'd just endured.
"What's wrong, Kaede?" Kael asked, stepping closer to his mentor.
Kaede's gaze flicked to him, and for a moment, his eyes softened. "I've seen soldiers like Azrael before, Kael. Back when I was fighting in the wars, I crossed paths with men who wielded powers like that. But this is different. The energy… the Will inside him, it's not something I've encountered in over thirty years."
Kael felt a knot form in his stomach. "What do you mean?"
Kaede took a deep breath. "There were whispers of a power—an ancient, corrupted Will that could control shadows themselves. A power capable of bending not just the world around it, but the very fabric of time and space. If Kurojin Tsukiro has it, if the Four have it… then we are facing something far beyond what we're prepared for."
Kael's eyes hardened. "So what do we do now?"
Kaede glanced over at the others, then back at Kael. "We push forward. We can't let Kurojin's return go unchecked. But we need to be careful. Azrael was just a taste of what's to come."
Ryuu scoffed, but there was no mockery in his tone. "I've never backed down from a fight. And I'm not going to start now."
Tetsu nodded. "Same here."
Kaede's eyes softened, and he placed a hand on Kael's shoulder. "You've grown stronger, Kael. But this road ahead won't be easy. You'll need to rely on your Will more than ever before."
Kael looked down at his hands, feeling the pulse of his Last Will thrumming beneath his skin. The power he had awakened, the power he didn't fully understand, had saved them this time. But it was also the same power that had torn his world apart when he lost his brother.
"I'll be ready," Kael said, his voice unwavering. "I won't let Kurojin Tsukiro have his way."
Hana stepped forward, her voice soft but steady. "And you won't have to do it alone."
Kael looked at her, and for a brief moment, the world around him seemed to pause. Her eyes, filled with determination and warmth, gave him the strength he needed. He reached out, resting a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Thanks, Hana," he murmured, his voice quieter than he intended.
She looked up at him, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. "Don't mention it. We're in this together, right?"
Kael smiled, the weight on his shoulders momentarily lifting. "Right."
Kaede cleared his throat, the sound pulling them back to the task at hand. "Enough standing around. We need to move before more of them show up. Azrael was just a scout—he won't be the last we face."
With a shared nod, the group moved forward, Kael staying close to Hana as they began to trek deeper into the forest. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to grow even heavier, but they pressed on, the sounds of their footsteps the only things breaking the silence.
As they continued their journey, the shadows seemed to close in once more. Every rustle of leaves, every crack of a twig underfoot, made Kael's senses heighten. His sword remained in his hand, ready for whatever threat lay ahead.
After what felt like hours of tense silence, the forest began to thin. The dense trees gave way to an open clearing, and in the center, there stood an ancient structure—one that had once been a place of worship and power. It was now a broken shell of its former self, the stone pillars cracked and eroded by time.
But there was something different about it.
A strange, pulsating energy emanated from the ruins, an aura that was both familiar and foreign to Kael. He could feel his Will reacting, humming in the back of his mind, urging him forward.
"This is it," Kaede said, his voice a low murmur. "We're close."
Tetsu's voice broke through the tension. "Close to what?"
Kaede looked grim. "The heart of the corruption. The place where Kurojin Tsukiro's power first began to manifest."
Kael stepped forward, his eyes scanning the ruins. The air felt thick with the weight of history, and the feeling of being watched was unbearable.
Then, from the shadows, a voice echoed through the clearing.
"You've made it this far. But now, you face the true power of the Sovereign."
The ground shook as a figure emerged from the darkness, cloaked in shadow, his form barely visible.
Kael's heart pounded. This was only the beginning.