The abandoned cathedral reeked of shadow and rust.
Every surface seemed to absorb light, turning the vast hall into a void.
Luna Nakamori stood at the threshold, knife in hand, eyes unreadable.
Bren followed closely, exhausted but determined.
The Puppeteer waited at the center, cloaked in darkness.
The five corrupted figures—her former bullies—floated around it, fully under its control.
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The Calm Before the Storm
Luna scanned the room.
Her mind calculated every angle, every shadow, every possible attack.
She whispered to Bren:
"They are not my friends anymore. They are weapons… and I have to stop them."
Bren's eyes widened.
"You… you can do this?"
Luna's expression remained unchanged.
"I have no choice.
The Silent Moon never hesitates."
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Psychological Tension
The shadows of her former bullies advanced slowly, their voices distorted:
"Why did you leave us?"
"You silenced us!"
"You always thought you were stronger!"
Luna's grip on her knife tightened.
Her mind replayed their bullying, the warehouse, the warehouse nights of planning and silence.
She drew a deep breath.
"They are echoes of the past," she said softly.
"I control nothing but myself."
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The Puppeteer Speaks
The masked figure laughed, voice echoing unnaturally:
"Very well, Silent Moon.
Show me your power.
Face your past… and perhaps your own death."
Shadows surged violently, stretching toward her, a black tide threatening to engulf everything.
Bren struggled to hold his ground, swinging at the shadow-limbs, protecting Luna.
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The First Strike
Luna moved like liquid, striking first:
She sliced Hart's shadow-limbs before they could reach her.
Spinning midair, she disrupted Lili's tendrils, sending them dissipating.
Steve and Mira lunged together, but Luna's blade cut cleanly through both, disrupting the Puppeteer's control.
The villain screamed:
"No! You… you cannot!"
Luna didn't respond.
She focused on one goal: cutting the source of control.
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The Stage Is Set
The Puppeteer faltered, its concentration weakening.
The shadows around the five former bullies flickered—unstable, unsure.
Luna's calm presence radiated through the chamber, an unshakable force.
Bren shouted:
"Luna! Now's your chance!"
Her eyes narrowed, blade raised.
The final confrontation—the battle for Kurogiri and the control of the shadows—was about to begin.
And in the darkness, the Silent Moon prepared to strike.
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