Night had fallen over the city.
In a quiet, forgotten corner, an abandoned building stood like a hollow shell. Inside, the air was cold and smelled of damp concrete.
Yoru leaned against a cracked wall. Every muscle in his body was screaming in pain.
"Damn… that guy…" he hissed, gritting his teeth.
Sairi stood a few feet away, her arms crossed over her black hoodie.
"Rei," she corrected him, her voice flat. "His name is Rei."
Yoru looked at her, his breathing still heavy.
"Fighting him… it's impossible."
"For now," Sairi replied bluntly.
Silence stretched between them. The only sound was the distant hum of the city.
"You are strong," Sairi said, looking him dead in the eye. "But you lack control. You're like a kid swinging a heavy sword he can barely lift."
Yoru's frustration boiled over. "I *am* trying—"
"Don't try," Sairi interrupted. "Control."
Yoru fell silent. He knew she was right.
"Activate your aura. Now," Sairi instructed.
Yoru closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, letting the cold air fill his lungs. He looked inward, back into that endless void.
Within—
Darkness.
Then, that familiar, haunting voice reached out to him.
'You've returned…'
Yoru didn't flinch this time. "I won't run away. Not today."
A black aura began to bleed from his skin. It formed a thin, dark layer around his body. This time, it wasn't wild. It wasn't shaking the room. It was stable.
Sairi observed him closely. "Better."
"Now, compress it," she said.
Yoru focused. He imagined the aura shrinking, tightening around him like a second skin. The energy wavered for a second, flickering like a dying candle—
Then, it stabilized.
Yoru opened his eyes. They glowed a deep, burning red, but his face remained calm.
"This… feels different…"
"This is control," Sairi said. "Now, for the test."
She suddenly shifted into an attack stance. Her eyes narrowed.
Yoru raised an eyebrow. "Right now? I'm still half-dead."
"Right now."
The very next second—
BOOM.
The two clashed.
Yoru lunged forward. His movements were faster than before. Sairi slipped to the side, dodging his strike with an inch to spare.
She countered with an ice spike, sharp and sudden.
Yoru didn't panic. He blocked it with his forearm, the dark aura absorbing the impact.
Their movements became a blur of black smoke and blue ice. Swift. Sharp. Controlled.
"Don't think," Sairi's voice echoed through the clash. "Feel the rhythm."
Yoru's movements became fluid, almost like a dance of shadows.
"I… I am in control…"
Suddenly, Sairi stopped. She pulled back, her aura vanishing.
"Yoru…"
"Now what?" Yoru asked, his aura still flickering around him.
"They aren't going to stop."
Silence returned to the building.
"What do you mean?"
"The Eclipse agents. Rei. They'll be back. And next time, they won't just be testing you."
Yoru clenched his fist. He felt the power thrumming under his skin—dark, heavy, and alive.
"Good…"
The red glow in his eyes flared brightly for a moment.
"This time… I'll be ready."