The arena smelled of blood and burning stone. Every corner of the stage was cracked, shredded, or smoking from the battles that had already taken place. But none of that mattered—because the moment Kuro turned his gaze toward us, the world narrowed to just the three of us.
He was half demon now—massive black wings torn and twitching, his claws stained with blood that didn't look like his own. His chest heaved, and when he growled, it wasn't just a sound—it was the rumble of an earthquake.
"You bastard," Kuro snarled, saliva dripping from his fangs as his gaze locked onto me. His voice shook with raw rage. "You're still alive? I'll make sure I finish you here!"
And then he came for us.
Astrid drew her blade with a sharp hiss, stepping forward without hesitation. She met his claws head-on, her steel against his monstrous talons, sparks bursting like fireworks as metal clashed with flesh hardened by corruption. The ground buckled under their clash, dust and stone exploding outward.
I darted in, my dagger flashing. My dagger met his ribs, but it was like stabbing iron. His roar split the sky, and with one swipe, he nearly tore me in half. I rolled back, gravel cutting into my palms, but I was already moving, already pushing forward again.
"Kuro!" I shouted through my teeth. "Snap out of it!"
But the beast didn't listen. He wasn't Kuro anymore—he was something else. Something chained, bound, and screaming to be free.
Astrid and I fought side by side, but we were being pushed back inch by inch. His strikes came faster, heavier—every claw that grazed me sent fire racing across my skin, every wingbeat knocked me off balance like a storm.
Astrid grunted, barely deflecting a blow that would've split her in two. "Tarek—he's… he's stronger than before!"
"I know!" I spat, my dagger trembling in my grip.
But I couldn't stop. We couldn't stop. Because if we faltered for even a moment, it wasn't just this match we'd lose.
It would be Kuro's soul.
The battle became a blur of motion. His claws swept toward me—I ducked under, slashing upward into his chest. Blood spattered, but he didn't even flinch. His knee smashed into my ribs, lifting me off the ground, and before I could breathe, Astrid was there, blade biting deep into his shoulder, dragging him back.
Kuro roared, wings flaring wide, the sound rattling my bones. The air shook with his fury, his strength overwhelming. He sent Astrid flying with a backhand, slamming her into the cracked stone walls. I charged forward, my daggers glowing faintly with the electricity sparking from my veins.
But he caught me mid-step, his claws wrapping around my throat.
"Pathetic!" he snarled, squeezing until my vision blurred. "You can't stop me! No one can!"
My feet dangled above the ground, my body burning for air. I clawed at his grip, my dagger slipping from my hand. Astrid tried to stand, blood running down her temple, but Kuro kicked her back down with one brutal swing of his leg.
I was losing. We were losing.
And in that moment, dangling at the edge of life, I felt it again—that heat. That familiar tearing inside my chest, like a beast begging to be freed.
The world shattered.
My hair turned white in a burst of light. My gums split as fangs tore through, my claws sharpening with a screech that rang in my ears. The mask across my face groaned, as if even it struggled to contain what I was becoming.
With a roar, power erupted from me. Electricity crackled down my arms, splitting the air with thunder. My body blurred—gone from his grip in an instant.
I reappeared behind him, with now both of my daggers back in my hands, slashing downward. One strike, two, three—faster than lightning itself. His right wing tore apart under my blade, blood spraying in the air like a crimson storm.
Kuro roared in pain, staggering. But I wasn't done.
I disappeared again. Then reappeared above, daggers carving into his back. Again, again, again. Every strike faster, sharper—until the air itself screamed with the speed of my blades.
Finally, I dropped down, charging my fist with electricity so violent the air shimmered.
"RRRRAAAHHHH!"
My punch slammed into his ribs with the force of a thunderclap. Bones cracked beneath my fist as his body launched across the arena, smashing into the walls. Stone split, boulders cascaded, and rubble buried him alive.
The ground shook as the dust settled.
I stood there, chest heaving, electricity still dancing across my body. Slowly, I walked toward the pile of stone pinning him. Every step echoed, heavy with both fury and pain.
"Kuro…" My voice cracked, low and trembling. "You and I… we might not know each other well. We might not even be friends."
The rubble shifted. His glowing eyes peered out from beneath the rocks, wide and broken.
"But I know one thing for certain," I said, my daggers falling from my hands. My claws trembled as I clenched my fists. "I can't abandon you."
Silence.
The arena, once filled with roars and chaos, was so quiet now I could hear my own heartbeat.
"You think you're alone in this," I continued, stepping closer. "But you're not. You don't have to fight this curse by yourself. No matter how dark it gets… I'll be there. I'll fight with you, even if it kills me."
My voice rose, tearing from my chest.
"So don't push me away! I refuse to watch another person I care about disappear!"
My hand reached through the rubble, open and waiting.
"Let's go home...and be friends, Kuro."
The silence dragged on, heavy as iron. And then—I saw it.
A tear. A single tear rolling down his dirt-streaked face.
His claw twitched. Slowly, painfully, he began to lift his hand toward mine. His eyes weren't full of rage anymore. They were tired. Lonely. Human.
And then—
CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.
The sound froze me.
A slow, mocking applause echoed through the arena. From the shadows, a figure emerged, his grin wide and dripping with venom.
"Well, well, well…" the man chuckled. "How heartwarming."
I turned, fury boiling in my veins. Astrid's eyes widened, shock written all over her face.
The man chuckled again, his voice dark. "But I'm afraid… I can't let the vessel go that easily."
He stepped forward, and I knew that smirk. I knew that voice.
"The announcer…" I hissed, fists trembling.
His smile widened, shadows clinging to his frame. "Hello there, Tarek. Astrid."
I froze. My heart hammered so hard I thought it would tear out of my chest.
Behind the mask, my face twisted with rage. "I knew it. I knew it all along. You were the demonic human I was meant to eliminate…"
The announcer only smirked wider.