Chapter 9 — Shadows in the Mist
The forest lay quiet, mist curling between broken trees and scorched earth. Zero sat cross-legged on the damp ground, Dark Fragment energy coiling faintly around his limbs. His breathing was steady, but every pulse of the
Fragments of the Dark Element that have risen little by little reminded him of the power he had barely begun to control. Kyren knelt beside him, tending to shallow cuts across his arms and shoulders.
"Zero… are you okay?" she asked quietly.
He shook his head slightly, not in pain, but in focus.
"Kyren, don't interfere. Just stay back," he said firmly.
Kyren hesitated, then nodded. She melted into the shadows, her presence unseen but attentive.
From deeper within the mist, movement approached. A figure stepped forward — tall, imposing, his gauntlets crackling faintly with elemental energy. Captain Lysandor of Division 2. The wind swirled subtly around him, carrying an aura of authority and power.
Zero rose, shadows coiling around his arms. He did not flinch; he had faced far worse.
Lysandor's eyes locked on Zero. He took a cautious step closer, scanning the subtle fluctuations in Zero's aura.
"Eh… what is with him?"
He didn't say more. His frown lingered, a trace of unease in his expression, but he saw only Zero. Lysandor did not notice Kyren at all. Yet something about the young fighter before him struck him as unusual. Strong. Precise. Unpredictable. The energy emanating from Zero seemed alive, and it kept Lysandor alert in a way few had ever managed.
Zero's shadow tendrils coiled, moving with him as if alive. Lysandor stepped closer, the wind whistling around his gauntlets, lightning sparking faintly at his fingertips. Every pulse of energy he emitted was precise, deliberate, a predator testing its prey.
"You've been hiding, but I can sense your presence," Lysandor said calmly, though the sharpness in his gaze betrayed a rare wariness. "Step forward, or I will force you out."
Zero's eyes gleamed, Dark Elemental crawling over his arms like serpents. He rose to his feet, the damp earth sucking at his shoes.
"I won't back down," he said, voice low but unwavering.
The moment stretched, tension almost tangible. Then Lysandor moved.
A gust of wind erupted around him, lightning sparks lancing out, twisting toward Zero. Zero didn't flinch. Shadows sprang from his limbs, coiling around the incoming elemental strikes, diverting the lightning sparks with a hiss of dark energy.
He countered immediately, launching a Dark Fragment Surge, a pulse of jagged shadows that surged like a living storm toward Lysandor. Lysandor's eyes narrowed, and he spun gracefully, deflecting part of the assault with a swirling barrier of wind and lightning, the two forces clashing with a deafening crack that shook the forest floor.
Zero vanished into the shadows, reappearing behind Lysandor with Phantom Step, his shadow tendrils reaching for weak points in Lysandor's defense. Lysandor twisted, landing a solid kick that disrupted Zero's movement. Shadows recoiled, but Zero's momentum carried him forward, sword gleaming in hand.
"Impressive," Lysandor murmured, eyes flicking over the boy's form. He raised a hand, summoning a vortex of wind that lifted leaves and debris, scattering them in a blinding whirlwind. Lightning streaked across the spiraling winds, forcing Zero back, but not for long. Zero's Shadow Slash struck from an unexpected angle, tendrils of darkness wrapping around Lysandor's gauntlets and slicing cleanly across his forearm armor. Sparks flew.
The two clashed repeatedly, exchanging rapid strikes and elemental bursts. Lysandor's Wind and Lightning flowed in good position, precise curve, each strike measured to cut off Zero's movement. Zero responded with shadow clones and coiled tendrils, unpredictable, fluid, and aggressive, his Shadow Requiem echoing like whispers of death around Lysandor, destabilizing his focus.
"You're fast… but can you keep up?" Lysandor said, smirking despite the growing unease in his posture. He drew deeply on his elemental power, wind and lightning weaving a deadly dance around his fists. The ground around them cratered where energy met energy.
Zero's shadow tendrils lashed out, seeking Lysandor's pressure points, but Lysandor countered with a spinning kick, sending a blast of charged wind through Zero's midsection. Zero grunted, but his Inner Palm — Heaven Break ignited, a sudden surge of raw force sending Lysandor stumbling back.
Each combatant pushed further, combining elemental finesse with brutal strength. Lysandor's gauntlets crackled with lightning, wind slicing through the shadows. Zero's Phantom Step allowed him to phase in and out of visibility, landing strikes Lysandor barely managed to block. Every movement was measured, dangerous, beautiful in its lethal precision.
The forest around them bore the scars of their clash — broken branches, scorched earth, leaves shredded into ribbons of shadow and lightning. Shadows coiled tighter around Zero, feeding on his inner energy, while Lysandor's eyes burned with focus, every strike carrying the weight of a master tactician.
Finally, both paused, breathing heavily. Lysandor's cloak flapped violently, a telltale sign of the wind still whirling around him, though he remained steady. Zero's sword dripped dark energy, his aura trembling from exertion.
"You… are unlike any I've faced," Lysandor said, a mixture of respect and caution in his tone. "Your control of shadows… it's unpredictable."
Zero's eyes, dark and gleaming, met Lysandor's.
"I'm just getting started," he said, shadows quivering like living snakes around him.
Lysandor spoke,
"Who are you? my name is Lysandor Captain from Division 2"
Zero spoke with an intimidating look
"Zero"
Lysandor spoke, his voice calm but serious.
"Zero… listen carefully. Division 3 has been dispatched. They're searching for an anomaly — something unusual that Commander Voltraz detected. You're the one they seek."
Zero's eyes narrowed.
"What do I do?" he asked.
Lysandor's gaze softened slightly, yet remained sharp.
"You have two choices. One: run. Avoid them entirely and stay safe. Two: seek out Commander 2 — Seraphel. He is calm, strategic… perhaps you can reason with him. But the risk remains."
Zero clenched his fists, shadows writhing subtly around his arms.
"I understand," he said quietly.
Lysandor gave a slight nod.
"I won't interfere, but the decisions are yours. Choose wisely."
With that, Lysandor melted back into the mist, leaving Zero and Kyren alone. Kyren exhaled softly, stepping closer.
"He's… weirdly intrigued by you," she whispered.
Zero only nodded, already refocusing. His shadows pulsed faintly, responding to the inner energy that still demanded control. Somewhere beyond the trees, the elite soldiers of Division 3 were beginning their sweep — the hunt for the anomaly had begun.
Hours passed in silence as Zero tested his new limits. Shadow tendrils twined around his arms, coiling and striking in subtle, controlled movements. Each motion strengthened the bond between his Inner Energy and the Dark Fragment, and he could feel the aura inside him grow sharper, more alive.
Then, faint echoes in the wind carried a warning — not voice, not words, but a shift in elemental currents. Division 3 was closing in. Zero's instincts screamed it: someone powerful was on the move, searching.
Captain Tharion, leader of Division 3, approached with elite soldiers in tow, scanning the forest with practiced precision. The air shimmered with energy — water, air, and faint traces of fire — reacting to the anomaly Zero carried. The hunt was no longer distant; it was here.
Zero crouched low, coiling shadows ready for movement. Kyren stayed behind, silently supporting him, her presence a steady reminder of focus and caution. The forest seemed to hold its breath as both hunter and hunted prepared for the inevitable clash.
And in the shadows, the Dark Fragment whispered again, a faint pulse of power calling him forward, promising strength… and danger.
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Power In Novel:
-Elemental Power FIRE/WATER/WIND/LIGHTNING/LIGHT/DARKNESS(OR SHADOW) (Have A Level To Cultivate)
-Internal/Inner strength/energy/power (Have A Level To Cultivate)
World:
Zerath-Zero World
Nether-Underworld
Underworld Creature:
-Netherborne
Race of Demon:
Beast race - Theralos Clan
Vampire race - Vyrinth Clan
Ancient Dragon Race - Drakonar Clan
Dimensional Race - Xynthera Clan
Special Race - Regalith Clan
Syrene race - Aetherin Clan