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Chapter 14 - Raiji vs Neo

BACK TO RAIJI - THE ALLEY BRAWL

Raiji stood with his shoulders heaving, sweat mixing with the grime of the alley. "Huff... huff..." His breathing was heavy, labored. He unleashed another "Wind Slash!" but Neo, though slower, was still agile enough to dodge the blade of air.

Across from him, Neo was also showing signs of fatigue. His breathing was a ragged "huff... huff..." and the movements of his shadow clones were less precise.

Seeing an opening, Raiji ignored the clones and launched himself at Dr. Silas. He brought his sword down in a powerful overhead strike. Silas brought his hard-light scythe up just in time to block, but the force of the blow sent him skidding backward, his boots scraping against the pavement.

DR. SILAS: (Regaining his balance, a mocking tone in his voice) "You're slowing down. I could barely block that."

Neo, breathing heavily, formed shadowy knives and extra arms around his body. He shot a sharp, sideways glance at Dr. Silas. It was a look of pure frustration.

NEO: "You should sit this out, Doctor."

Dr. Silas simply noted Neo's heavy breathing with a calm, analytical eye, saying nothing.

Raiji saw the tension between them. He shifted his stance, adopting the same low, centered posture he'd used to defeat the drunken brawler one arm down, one arm up, blade ready.

RAIJI: "We're changing the scenery! All this running around in a cramped alley is boring!"

With a burst of speed, he began herding the fight, using feints and short Wind Slashes to force Neo and Silas backward, out of the alley and into a wider, open space: an abandoned park overgrown with weeds.

RAIJI: "This is better. More room for my new improvement! Tornado Blade Slash!"

He spun, his sword becoming a blur. Instead of a single blade of wind, he created a localized whirlwind. It wasn't powerful enough to lift them, but it was strong enough to pull at their clothes and unbalance them, drawing Neo a step forward. Dr. Silas, caught off guard, pinned himself down by grabbing a rusted pipe protruding from the ground.

In that moment of distraction, Raiji broke from the spin and lunged at Neo, his blade aiming for a clean cut. Neo was still fast enough to block with a shadow-arm, but the parry caused the shadow to dissipate.

Neo jumped back, his body suddenly sheathing itself in a layer of clinging darkness that looked like solid armor. The shadows coalesced around his arms, boosting their strength as he hurled a knife. Raiji dodged, but not fast enough the shadow-enhanced blade grazed his arm, drawing a deeper line of blood than before.

Immediately, Neo threw a small, dark orb a shadow-cloaked bomb directly at Raiji's feet. But he didn't retreat. Instead, he reinforced the dark armor around his own body, bracing to tank the blast at close range a one-time survival tactic that would leave him vulnerable once the shadow-shield broke.

At the same time, as if from nowhere, Dr. Silas came flying in with his scythe for a wild, sweeping cut.

Raiji's mind raced. He acted on pure instinct. He used the flat of his blade to smack the dark bomb to the side and simultaneously brought his sword up to block Silas's attack.

CLANG! ...BOOM!

The two sounds were almost simultaneous. The force of blocking Silas jarred Raiji's arms just as the bomb detonated nearby. The shadow armor around Neo flickered and shattered from the force, but it did its job, leaving him scorched but standing. Thick, black smoke filled the area.

When the smoke began to clear, the damage was assessed. Raiji's arm was burned from the proximity of the blast, but it was minor. Dr. Silas, however, had been pushed back. For the first time, a look of genuine surprise was on his face. A fresh, smoldering gunshot wound marked his left arm.

The smoke cleared fully to reveal Veyra, standing at the park's edge, holding a heavy pistol. A wisp of smoke curled up from the barrel.

VEYRA: "Looks like you boys could use a referee."

RAIJI: (Eyes locked on Neo, but calling to Veyra) "You sure you want to fight? Fine, but take the one you shot. He's weaker, I think. But be careful!"

VEYRA: "Sure. Same to you."

Veyra didn't hesitate. She lunged at Silas, firing a few precise shots. He swung his scythe in a wide arc, deflecting the bullets with a series of sharp pings, an evil grin spreading across his face.

She noted his movements, her mind racing. (He's fast. Too fast for a doctor. And his height... something is very suspicious about him.)

As he moved to attack, she dropped a small mine on the ground and rolled forward. Silas, focused on her, stepped right on it. It erupted not in fire, but in a burst of blinding gas, causing him to stagger back, clawing at his eyes.

Meanwhile, Raiji and Neo were a blur of motion. Raiji slashed, Neo dodged. It was less of a fight and more of a deadly dance to see who was the faster, more agile. Despite the danger, both were smiling, actually enjoying the challenge. A knife found its mark, leaving a cut on Raiji's arm and another on his chest.

RAIJI: "You're good, Neo! But take this! X-Wind!"

He slashed his sword in a sharp, crossing pattern, creating a compressed X-shaped blast of air. Neo reinforced his body with shadow armor just in time, but the force still pushed him back several feet. Raiji used the moment to jump back, landing heavily, his breathing ragged.

He landed perfectly in sync with Veyra, who had also disengaged and jumped backward, their backs touching for a brief, solid moment.

VEYRA: (Without looking at him) "As I said, brother, be careful. You still have a fight on Sunday. So make this quick."

RAIJI: (A tired grin on his face) "Sure will do. And I'm not your brother, so stop babying me! If we survive, Kiro owes us big time."

VEYRA: She laughed, a sharp, determined sound. "Okay, time to get serious. And I've got info. This guy," she nodded toward the gas-clearing form of Dr. Silas, "is strange. I think he might be that man. Not sure yet."

RAIJI: [Grinning through his fatigue] "Okay... I'll finish him in a single blow!"

VEYRA: [Dodging a swing from Silas] She laughed. "Fat chance! I'll try the same with my opponent! First to win gets a dinner paid by the other. I like pizza."

MEANWHILE - NEO'S FLASHBACK (One Year Ago)

The scene is a quiet, neutral space. Neo and the Dr. Silas are talking.

NEO: [Voice weary] "Hey, Silas... We've been friends a while. You ever think the boss's vendetta is taking things too far? I know they're just bad guys, and we're saving people from the Green Clan... but he seems like he's getting more rageful."

SILAS: [The real one, voice calm and thoughtful] "I don't know, man. I'm just a doctor. I don't know him in a fight; I'd rather take down grunts non-lethally. Unlike your assassin style, I'm a pacifist." He pauses, concern in his eyes. "But I did see him change. His eyes... they got that killer look. And his smile... it's slow, like he's faking it. It's only about the job to him now. Kinda like your eyes used to be, but you learned to control it after years."

PRESENT DAY

Neo coughed, blood speckling his lips. He looked across the park at "Silas," the memory fresh in his mind. (Why did you change all of a sudden, old friend?)

Shadowy arms, legs, and a chest plate formed around Neo, reinforcing his body. He thrust forward at Raiji with renewed, desperate fury.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIGHT

Veyra looked at her last grenade: a cryo-mine. She sheathed her gun and drew a blade, using her agility to dodge "Silas's" increasingly wild scythe swings. She saw an opening, slid under a wide arc, and slapped the cryo-mine onto his back.

VEYRA: "What are you doing there, Doctor?"

"Silas" didn't panic. He swung the scythe behind his own back with a skill that spoke of years of combat experience a move impossible for a pacifist doctor. He moved with a fluid, unnatural grace, a faint smile on his lips. The cryo-mine activated, and a sheet of ice instantly encased his torso, freezing him in place.

VEYRA: "Got you!" She raised her pistol and fired.

BACK TO RAIJI

"Time to finish this!" Raiji roared. "Same thing again! Tornado Blade Swing!"

He spun, creating a vortex of wind that pulled Neo in from one direction while pushing "Silas" from the other. He then jumped, focusing all his energy into a single, decisive cut aimed at Neo. The blade sliced through the shadow armor.

Neo, realizing the danger, threw a small blade at the ground near Raiji's landing spot. Raiji dodged the blade itself, but it exploded right as he landed, the concussive blast throwing him off balance.

Neo scrambled up, picking up a discarded blade. He coated it in shadows, ready for a final stand.

But Raiji was faster. From his kneeling position, he unleashed a point-blank Wind Slash. It was the first clean hit of the night, cutting across Neo's chest and sending him sprawling to the ground.

Raiji fell to one knee, breathing heavily. "Huff... he's done..."

But Neo wasn't. With a final surge of will, he jumped up, coughing blood. He didn't look at Raiji. Instead, he turned his rage on the man who had betrayed his real friend.

"Silas" had just shattered the cryo-prison, the bullet wound in his chest smoking. Neo lunged at him, a shadow-clad blade in his hand.

NEO: "I've had enough of you! I don't trust you!"

He stabbed the blade deep into the imposter's back.

Raiji's comms device buzzed. He dodged a shadow blade and fumbled to answer it, putting it on speaker. "Bit busy here, man! Big fight! Make it fast!"

KIRO: (Voice crackling over the line) "It's over! Destripador and I made a peace for now. So stand down! And Destripador tried to reach out to Neo"

RAIJI: "Oh, okay? But new problem! These guys are crazy! Neo just stabbed his own guy! Speak later!" He ended the call as Neo delivered the shocking blow.

Raiji and Veyra stared, their fighting stances relaxing into pure confusion.

RAIJI: "Why... why did you just attack your own friend?"

VEYRA: She jumped back into a defensive pose, her eyes wide, trying to process the betrayal.

Neo coughed, blood dripping from his mouth as he stood over the imposter. "I did it because I don't trust him. He is my friend... so I know him best. He's been acting strange for a week. That's not the man I know." The effort of the speech and his injuries finally overwhelmed him, and he dropped to one knee.

Veyra assessed the situation, her tactical mind taking over. She lowered her weapon. "Looks like I've got to patch up two, maybe three people now."

RAIJI: (Nodding, sheathing his sword) "Yeah... let's patch up Neo first. Safest choice. I don't think he'll be fighting very well with that injury." He looked at Neo. "There's a message from Kiro. No fighting for now. Stand down."

NEO: (A bitter, pained laugh) "Fine. I did get missed calls from Destripador." He gestured to his wounded body. "As if I can move anyway."

MEANWHILE - TOP OF THE SKY CITY

Kiro and Destripador stood on a soaring platform, the entire cityscape sprawling beneath them as the sun began to set, casting long shadows.

DESTRIPADOR: Without a word, he kicked open a sleek, reinforced case. Inside was a single, advanced combat glove with a wicked-looking chain mechanism attached.

KIRO: (Eyes wide) "The view from up here is good... Wait, you had an extra weapon?!"

DESTRIPADOR: He secured the glove onto his hand, the chain humming with latent energy. "Yes. I held back on you before. This is finally 100 percent. Let's go."

KIRO: (His expression turning serious) "Once we're in one of these sky mansions, remember: we're here to talk only. No killing. We take her alive. Got it?"

DESTRIPADOR: A flicker of anger crossed his face, but he nodded curtly. "Fine. I will... try."

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