SALIM VS ANTONIE
Salim was thrown across the battlefield.
His body crashed into the ocean, sending a wave of water rising into the air.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then—
Salim slowly emerged from the water.
He stood up.
The ocean around him wasn't very deep here. His feet could still touch the seabed.
Across from him, one of the members of Organization X stood calmly on the surface.
The others watched.
One of them spoke.
"Salim…"
He paused.
"The vessel of the Eye of Mahakaal."
Salim narrowed his eyes.
"You sure know a lot."
The man smiled.
"I do know a lot."
Salim wiped the water from his face.
"Then do you know something else?"
He stepped forward.
"You can't defeat me."
The man's expression didn't change.
Instead—
he raised his hand.
The other members of Organization X began chanting.
Salim's expression changed.
"What are you doing?"
The chanting grew louder.
The wind began to change.
"Chanting."
Salim looked around.
The ocean beneath him began to ripple.
Darkness slowly spread across the sky.
"I have to show you my real self."
The man raised both hands.
"Zecra…"
The air trembled.
"Velrath…"
The clouds twisted above them.
"Udith."
The entire atmosphere changed.
The sky turned almost black.
The sunlight disappeared behind a massive layer of darkness.
Salim looked up.
Dark energy began flowing around the man.
It wasn't NIT.
It felt different.
Heavier.
Colder.
More unnatural.
Salim's eyes widened.
"You're a Dark Energy user…"
The man smiled.
"Yes."
He stepped forward.
"My name is Antonie."
Salim stared at him.
"Antonie…"
Antonie spread his arms.
"I am a Dark Energy user."
The darkness around him expanded.
"And I am a wizard."
Salim immediately reached for his bow.
He pulled the string back.
WHOOSH!
An arrow flew straight toward Antonie.
Antonie didn't move.
The arrow slowed.
Then—
it stopped.
It fell into the water before ever reaching him.
Salim's eyes widened.
"How?!"
Antonie sighed.
"Seriously?"
He looked down at the arrow.
"You're going this low on me?"
Salim gripped his bow tighter.
Antonie continued.
"Don't you know?"
He raised one hand.
"Dark Energy is a superior form of energy compared to NIT."
The darkness around his fingers twisted.
"The only thing that could rival me…"
He looked directly at Salim.
"…would be a great Super NIT."
Antonie smiled.
"But you don't have it."
Salim stared at him.
"So basically…"
Antonie finished.
"Your attacks can't hit me."
Salim slowly raised his bow again.
"I'm sure they can."
Antonie's smile disappeared.
The atmosphere suddenly changed.
The darkness above Salim began to break apart.
A warm orange glow appeared.
Salim's body began radiating energy.
Orange light flowed through his arms.
His eyes sharpened.
His clothes moved violently in the energy surrounding him.
Antonie's expression changed.
"What…?"
Salim looked directly at him.
"Guru Achrya gave me his powers."
The orange energy exploded outward.
Antonie's eyes widened.
"Guru Achrya…"
For the first time—
Antonie looked genuinely surprised.
Salim pulled his bowstring.
The arrow glowed orange.
He released it.
WHOOSH!
Antonie immediately moved.
He twisted his body sideways.
The arrow passed directly beside his face.
He landed several meters away.
A small smile appeared.
"Surprisingly…"
He looked at Salim.
"…your attacks can hit me now."
Salim vanished forward.
He launched himself into the air.
His bow flashed repeatedly as he fired attack after attack.
Antonie moved between them.
Left.
Right.
Above.
Below.
The arrows tore through the darkness around him.
One nearly struck his shoulder.
Antonie's eyes narrowed.
"So…"
He raised his hand.
"You've changed the rules."
Salim rushed toward him.
Antonie began chanting.
The words were quiet at first.
Then—
the air suddenly became heavy.
Salim's body froze.
His eyes widened.
"What—?"
His muscles locked.
He dropped.
Salim crashed onto the surface of the ocean.
His entire body began shaking.
Antonie slowly walked toward him.
"Salim…"
He looked down.
"You really think you stand a chance against me?"
Salim struggled to move.
"Come on."
Antonie's voice became colder.
"No matter what you do, the difference between us is enormous."
He stepped closer.
"You simply don't know enough about the world yet."
Salim clenched his teeth.
"You people tried to defeat us…"
Antonie raised his hand.
"But no matter what you try…"
Dark energy gathered around him.
"Organization X is above your limits."
He looked down at Salim.
"You're just kids."
Antonie kicked Salim aside.
Salim rolled across the shallow water.
His breathing became heavier.
His heartbeat accelerated.
His orange energy flickered.
Antonie walked toward him.
"You wasted a lot of time during our mission."
He looked toward the battlefield.
"But now…"
His eyes darkened.
"You're all going to die."
Salim slowly lifted his head.
Antonie continued.
"The world is starting to change."
The sky above them became completely dark.
"And you guys…"
He smiled.
"…will be the first ones to see it."
Salim's eyes widened.
"Why are you doing all of this?"
Antonie looked toward the black sky.
"Because the world has to see its fall."
His voice became almost ceremonial.
"The Great Dark Era will return."
Salim froze.
"The devils will return."
The dark energy surrounding Antonie expanded.
"The world will return…"
"…to the Dark Era."
Salim's eyes widened.
"Dark Era?"
Antonie turned toward him.
"This…"
He raised his hand.
"…is the beginning of that mission."
Salim slowly pushed himself up.
His body was still shaking.
"I won't let this mission start."
Antonie stared at him.
Then—
he smiled.
The darkness around Salim suddenly intensified.
Salim's body tensed.
"AHH!"
Antonie increased the pressure.
The ocean beneath Salim began to ripple violently.
KATSA VS LUCIA
Lucia stood in the middle of the battlefield.
She looked around.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
"Why can't I see anything?!"
Her voice echoed.
Katsa stood somewhere nearby.
"You have been blinded by me."
Lucia's expression hardened.
"How can you make me lose my eyesight?!"
Katsa stepped from the darkness.
"I can do anything…"
Her eyes narrowed.
"…for the ones I love."
Lucia turned toward her voice.
"You can't even kill innocents for the mission."
Katsa's expression became cold.
"Trust me."
She raised her hand.
"I've done these things before."
Lucia suddenly understood.
"You altered my eyesight using that lightning potion."
Katsa smiled.
"You're right."
Lucia clenched her fists.
"Then I'll simply remove it."
Lightning began gathering around her.
Her body trembled.
The electrical energy surged through her system.
The effect broke apart.
Lucia opened her eyes.
Her vision returned.
She looked around.
"Katsa!"
Nothing.
"Where are you?!"
Suddenly—
Katsa appeared behind her.
Lucia turned.
Too late.
Katsa kicked her.
Lucia was sent across the battlefield and crashed onto the ground.
Katsa raised her hand.
Lightning erupted outward.
The entire area became illuminated.
Electricity raced across the ground and through the surrounding structures.
Lucia dropped to one knee.
"Katsa…"
Katsa walked toward her.
"I never wanted to go this far."
Lightning continued surrounding her.
"But you forced me."
Lucia slowly looked up.
Then—
Katsa's aura changed.
Lucia's eyes widened.
"…What?"
Katsa's energy began spreading around her.
A shape appeared behind her.
One wing.
Then another.
Lucia's eyes widened further.
"Six wings…"
Katsa's body became surrounded by brilliant energy.
Her entire aura transformed.
The color shifted toward pure white.
Her clothes began changing color as the energy moved through them.
The battlefield became silent.
Lucia stared at her.
"How…"
Katsa slowly raised her head.
"…did you achieve a form like this?"
Katsa looked directly at her.
Her expression was calm.
"The pain inside me…"
The energy behind her expanded.
"…forged me harder than anything."
The first wing opened completely.
Then the second.
WING TWO.
Lucia stared.
Katsa stood in front of her in a completely different state.
The atmosphere around both fighters had changed.
Two battles had reached their breaking points.
Salim was facing an enemy whose power belonged to an entirely different energy system.
Katsa had just revealed the next stage of her power.
And neither fight…
was finished.
TO BE CONTINUED.