Ashura's delight overflowed as he clenched his fists in front of his chest. "Thank you… truly! Elder Brother, Shiraku."
The tension that had been weighing on the cave seemed to ease for a moment, replaced by the warmth of resolve. But even then, a small unease lingered in the air, as though unseen eyes were watching us from deeper within the darkness.
"Yea, don't worry Ashura," I said, arms crossed, "I too think Elder Brother Indra's methods are too ruthless and rigid."
Ashura nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to the floor. "Yes… Elder Brother Indra wasn't like this before. But… he has changed now."
I sighed, letting the thought pass. "No point dwelling on it now, Ashura. Let's free your friend. Come on, let's go."
Leading the way, I moved carefully toward the cell, Shiraku quietly following behind. The faint light revealed Taizou, slumped against the bars, looking exhausted but alert. His eyes widened as he recognized us.
"Elder Brother… Shiraku…" he whispered hoarsely, a mixture of hope and relief washing over him.
I crouched down slightly, meeting his gaze. "Don't worry, Taizou. We're getting you out of here."
Ashura stepped forward, placing his hands gently on the iron bars. "Hang on, I'll open it." His fingers began to manipulate the lock, guided by a mixture of skill and desperation.
Shiraku leaned against the wall, keeping watch with his calm, analytical eyes, while I readied my shadow around us, ready to blend and react if anything went wrong.
After a tense few moments, there was a soft click—the lock released. Ashura's face lit up immediately.
"Got it!" he exclaimed quietly.
Taizou stumbled out of the cell, leaning heavily on Ashura for support. I stepped close, letting a faint shadow surge from my feet, ready to cover our retreat if needed.
"Let's move," I whispered. "Stay close, and don't make a sound."
As the three of us—Ashura, Taizou, and I—began making our way back through the winding cave corridors, I couldn't help but glance toward the darker corners. Every shadow felt alive, every flicker of light suspicious.
Somewhere deep down, I knew the hardest part wasn't freeing Taizou—it was making sure Indra didn't notice.
Then we rushed to get out of the cave, moving as fast as we could, hearts pounding in sync.
But just as we reached the mouth of the cave, everything came to a sudden halt.
There he was. Indra. Standing silently with his Sharingan activated, his cold eyes locking onto us like they were piercing our very souls. The air around him seemed heavier, almost charged with menace.
"So… you all have chosen to break the law, huh?" he said, his voice low, calm, yet carrying an unmistakable edge of authority.
I stepped forward, feeling my shadow shift and stretch around me. In an instant, it wrapped around my body, forming the dark, sleek suit that felt like a second skin—my own shadow armor, alive and ready, reminiscent of how Venom's suit had fused with Spiderman in the stories I remembered.
"Shiraku, take Taizou and leave. I'll hold off elder brother," I said, locking eyes with Indra, letting the shadows on my body pulse subtly. "Ashura, you need to go too."
"No, elder brother! How can I leave you alone to face Indra?" Ashura's voice trembled, panic flashing across his face.
I gave him a small, reassuring smile, crossing my arms as my shadows rippled. "Oi, it's the duty of an elder brother to protect his younger siblings, right? Trust me. You've got Shiraku and Taizou—your job is to get them safe."
Ashura hesitated, his eyes darting between us, worry etched in every line of his face. "Elder brother…"
"Go," I said firmly, letting the shadows hum with energy. "I'll be fine. Now move."
Reluctantly, Ashura nodded, swallowing hard. Shiraku quickly grabbed Taizou's arm and guided him toward the forest path. They moved silently but swiftly, every step cautious.
I didn't take my eyes off Indra, watching him tighten his stance. His aura was intense, suffocating even. "So…" I muttered, letting a set of shadow kunai form in my hands, "you really haven't changed, have you?"
Indra's lips curled into the faintest smirk. "And you haven't either, Danava. Always meddling. Always getting in my way."
I let the shadows behind me stretch, forming long tendrils that swayed like serpents in the air. "Then let's see if you can handle this, elder brother."
He took a step forward, the ground seeming to hum beneath his feet. "I'll show you why weakness is unacceptable… why hesitation is fatal."
The tension in the air crackled as our eyes met. Shadow against Sharingan. Tonight, neither of us would hold back.
I rushed at him, my shadow armor rippling with power, amplifying every step, every movement. My speed and strength had increased drastically—this wasn't the same Danava from before.
Indra's eyes widened slightly, his Sharingan spinning as he focused. "You've gotten fast, Danava," he said, a hint of challenge in his voice.
I smirked beneath my shadow-clad mask. "And you're just as sharp as ever, elder brother."
I feinted a punch toward his chest, testing his reaction. Instantly, he sidestepped with inhuman precision, eyes locked on me. "Speed alone won't save you," he said calmly, already predicting my next move.
Four shadow tentacles burst from my back, whipping toward him with incredible force. "Then let's see how you handle this!" I shouted, sending them lashing like living whips.
Indra jumped back effortlessly, avoiding the flailing shadows. "Predictable," he muttered under his breath, calculating angles and timing.
I twisted midair, letting two tentacles anchor to a nearby tree and catapult me forward. My kick swung toward his torso, but he shifted just in time, blocking with a blur of his own enhanced movement.
"You've improved… but raw power isn't everything," he said, red Sharingan eyes narrowing.
I landed, shadows rippling across my body, forming solid plates over my arms. "Then I'll add some precision," I said, launching a volley of shadow kunai spinning like black lightning toward him.
Indra's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Now this is more like it," he said, dodging and weaving, the forest around us trembling as shadows and red eyes clashed under the fading sunlight.
Every step I took, every strike I threw, was amplified by my shadow armor—but Indra's speed, reflexes, and Sharingan foresight made him a relentless opponent.
The air crackled, the ground shook, and it was clear—this was no ordinary sparring. Two brothers, torn by ideals yet bound by blood, were about to test their limits.
"You've grown, Danava," he said flatly, voice void of warmth.
I feinted a punch toward his chest, testing his reflexes. Instantly, he sidestepped, fluid and precise, eyes locked on mine. No smirk. No playfulness. Just cold calculation.
I launched four shadow tentacles from my back, lashing them toward him like black lightning. He dodged with ease, moving as if he had predicted every angle.
Then, in an instant, I saw it—lightning arcing in his right hand, crackling with raw energy. My eyes widened.
He charged.
What the hell, Indra?! You shouldn't go so far so early—trying to kill your own younger sibling! Panic gripped my chest, my heart hammering against my ribs.
I quickly clasped my hands, shadow stretching outward in a perfect circle at rapid speed. My body blurred as the shadows whipped around, forming a barrier that encompassed him mid-charge.
Indra's eyes flickered in surprise—but just for a split second. The barrier slammed into him, halting his advance mid-stride, frozen in place as the shadows held him immobile.
I exhaled shakily, lowering my hands. "Elder brother Indra… were you trying to kill me just now? Do you even know how dangerous that attack is?" I said, panic rising in my voice.
His gaze stayed cold, piercing through me, as though my words were irrelevant. The air between us crackled with tension, and I could feel the weight of his anger pressing down.
"You shouldn't have stopped me," Indra said finally, his voice low and unwavering. "Weakness has no place in this world. Not even in you."
I swallowed hard, realizing this was no playful sparring anymore. Indra had crossed a line, and now the fight was far more dangerous than I had ever imagined.
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Can read up to 10 chapters ahead. (For now, don't worry; I will increase the chapter count soon, and you can read chapters of Tensura: True Dragon of Sun as well. It has somewhere around 25 or so chapters ahead, maybe? Yeah, but not less than 25, so go ahead.)