The Cyber Ascension
Chapter 7 : The Ruthless Shadow
Yuzurei fought with brutal precision, juggling his four katanas mid-combat with ruthless efficiency.
Each strike, each parry, was a symphony of destruction. The clash of steel echoed through the high-tech battlefield, scattering sparks like dying stars.
Nearby, Musukoni moved through the chaos with cold, surgical grace.
Minor wounds streaked his arms, but his precision never faltered. Every motion was calculated—every enemy fell before they even realized they'd been cut.
Yusikuna managed to ignite a building, the flames licking skyward and reflecting across the metallic walls.
The inferno tore through the enemy's formation, and for the first time, the battle began to tilt in their favor.
Jin Yuan stood amidst it all — calm, hollow, expressionless.
His massive blade moved like liquid death, each swing effortless yet absolute.
No emotion. No hesitation. Only motion — clean and deadly.
As Yusikuna's fire spread, the chaos deepened. Blue soldiers fell one after another, their formation collapsing under coordinated strikes.
When the final echo faded, silence returned.
Musukoni's breathing was shallow, his cuts bleeding faintly.
Yusikuna leaned on his bow, panting, exhausted but alive.
Yuzurei stood with blood splattered across his face, a savage smile curling at his lips.
And Jin Yuan — he bore only a thin cut across his cheek, his eyes as still as the void.
Yusikuna: "Close call… this place is full of mysteries."
Musukoni: "Now I understand."
Yuzurei turned, irritation sharp in his tone.
Yuzurei: "What!? Stop mumbling, genius! Spit it out!"
Jin Yuan: "Speak."
Musukoni: "This… is a plan to wear us down. They're waiting for us to collapse — then they'll strike."
The corridor ahead shimmered in dim blue light — its walls lined with mirrors, mist coiling across the floor like living smoke.
Yuzurei: "Heh. I don't wanna see my reflection. I want more blood."
Yusikuna: "Be ready, everyone."
Musukoni: "See? I was right."
Then — the mirrors moved.
A blinding flash engulfed them. The ground shattered beneath their feet.
---
They fell.
Musukoni and Yusikuna crashed into a shadowy pit surrounded by glowing towers.
The air was cold and heavy — every breath felt foreign.
Yusikuna: "Where… are we?"
Musukoni: "It's still the Blue Realm. But something's changed."
The mist thickened, and from it — two figures emerged.
Identical faces. Identical weapons.
Their clones.
Musukoni: "They want to break us mentally."
The clone of Musukoni lunged.
Steel screamed. Sparks burst like lightning as twin daggers collided again and again.
On the other side, Yusikuna fought his own mirror image — fire arrows slicing through the fog, light and shadow dancing in violent rhythm.
The battle was merciless. Each fought their own reflection — every flaw, every habit mirrored perfectly.
There was no upper hand. No escape.
Yusikuna: "Musukoni! We can't win like this!"
Musukoni: "Then we change. Switch targets — now!"
In perfect synchronization, they swapped opponents.
Musukoni fought Yusikuna's clone; Yusikuna faced his.
Flames and steel wove together — chaos turned into rhythm, rhythm into victory.
At last, the final clone fell.
But the price was unbearable.
Musukoni collapsed, blood pooling beneath him. His mind raced, body trembling.
Yusikuna stood, barely breathing, ribs shattered, body shaking with pain.
Clone (Musukoni): "Give up. You're done."
Yusikuna: "No… I'm not. Not yet."
His voice broke, but his will didn't.
"I'll protect him. Even if it kills me."
He drew every ounce of strength left — ten arrows, all blazing like suns.
He spun, unleashing them in a perfect burning circle.
The Moon Shot.
Flames burst outward, devouring the clones in one blinding inferno.
The blue mist parted — revealing the moon high above, cold and beautiful.
Yusikuna dropped to his knees, smiling faintly.
Musukoni crawled toward him, eyes wide, desperate.
Musukoni: "Don't talk. Please, don't—"
Yusikuna: "Promise me something…"
Musukoni: "…Anything."
Yusikuna: "Live. Protect Jin Yuan. Protect Yuzurei. Protect… this world."
A tear fell onto Yusikuna's burned hand.
He smiled — faint, peaceful, final.
And then, the light left his eyes.
---
Elsewhere, deep within the Blue Realm—
Jin Yuan descended the metallic stairs, his boots echoing softly.
The air shimmered with energy. His blade glowed faintly blue.
From the mist, Musukoni appeared — silent, broken.
Jin Yuan: "Where's Yusikuna?"
Musukoni: "…He's gone."
A pause. A flicker in Jin Yuan's eyes — gone as quickly as it appeared.
He said nothing more. Only continued walking forward.
---
Far away, Yuzurei wandered through another corridor, spinning his blades lazily.
Yuzurei: "Eh? Still no one? Damn boring place…"
He grinned, stepping into the shadows — unaware he was heading straight toward the Blue Knights themselves.
---
Jin Yuan and Musukoni moved deeper, their footsteps echoing through the mirrored halls.
Then — BOOM!
A massive figure dropped from above, the floor cracking under his landing.
Tall. Muscular. Eyes glowing red and blue.
His gauntlets shimmered with runic light.
Engraved on his arm:
Blue Knight – No. 3: Kaizen.
Musukoni: "Jin Yuan… he's the third strongest here."
Jin Yuan: "...Understood."
Kaizen grinned.
Kaizen: "Come on, then. Let's see what you're made of."
The air trembled.
And as their blades clashed, the entire realm roared in awakening.
The War of the Blue Realm had begun.
---
End of Chapter 7 : Arc1 | The Ruthless Shadow