The Darkness flashed its teeth at Yamikuro.
It started maniacally laughing.
"It's far too early for that!"
Yamikuro raised an eyebrow, stepping back. The laugh of the Darkness was demonic.
"With my strength, I can take you down."
The Darkness bit his lip until it bled.
"You don't get it. Do you? You are me, and I am you."
That's what Honor said earlier.
Yamikuro still didn't understand.
It couldn't have been something as simple as Yamikuro being literally the Darkness.
"Whatever." He said.
And he lunged at the Darkness.
But the Darkness blocked his attack.
Its speed matched Yamikuro's.
Water rippled from their clash.
"What is going on...?" Yamikuro asked out loud.
The Darkness' smile shrank.
It pushed Yamikuro backwards, creating space between them.
"How are you this stupid...?"
Yamikuro just stared; he didn't attack again. There wasn't a point in clashing over and over again until one of them passed out from exhaustion.
"What is there to get? Explain it to me, Darkness..."
The Darkness shook its head and turned around.
"I have no means of challenging someone who doesn't understand the rules of a game."
"I thought you wanted to take over my soul and body? What happened to that rule?"
The Darkness suddenly disappeared. Only an afterimage remained.
It appeared next to Yamikuro. Doing so, he reminded Yamikuro what he was capable of.
"A win without a challenge is meaningless. I've existed for thousands of years. Entertain me, push me to my limits, and in return, I'll give you power."
The mood of the Darkness had completely changed.
The once mocking and overly cocky Darkness wasn't here.
But why?
Did it really want a challenge?
"You had an awakening just a moment ago. Your strive is fading..."
"You're wrong," Yamikuro said.
His strive to get the power was there.
But the Darkness was a lot stronger than Yamikuro. There was no way for him to beat it.
"The Darkness is you, and you are the Darkness."
Could understanding that actually help him win?
But he wasn't the Darkness.
He was Yamikuro Asaki.
Yamikuro scowled. "No… I'm not you. Not yet. And maybe I never will be."
"You're just a power-up for me."
Yamikuro clenched his fists.
"I didn't choose to have you within me. That's why you aren't me."
The Darkness tilted its head. Yamikuro just went against everything laid out to him.
Yamikuro pushed the Darkness away from himself.
And then he lunged at the Darkness once again.
But this time—
The Darkness got hit.
It didn't match the speed of Yamikuro.
Did he figure out the secret?
The Darkness initially seemed shocked, but after staring into the darkness around them, a creepy grin appeared.
"Yes. That's right! Fight me...!"
Yamikuro and the Darkness lunged at each other.
The ripple of water was even stronger than before.
After their clash, Yamikuro landed another hit on the Darkness.
Yamikuro felt excitement in his chest. He was about to beat the Darkness.
But something still felt off.
The Darkness spread its arms apart.
A maniacal laugh escaped its lips.
"You're the first since Gold to make me feel like this. Keep fighting me!"
Yamikuro ignored those words. Even if fighting was just for entertainment, he could, in return, get some power.
He kept throwing punches, and the Darkness caught some of them, but others landed.
But then, Yamikuro landed a punch on its face.
It sent the Darkness flying to the ground.
Lying on the ground, the Darkness laughed. He was entertained, and the same Darkness from way back then reappeared.
The same Darkness that wanted to kill every human.
"I'll kill you... And take over your soul."
Yamikuro stood tall and unfazed.
"Try it then."
The Darkness jumped towards Yamikuro.
But mid-air, Yamikuro turned.
His hand already in a fist, he punched.
The punch sent the Darkness flying away again.
The Darkness seemed weaker than before.
What happened?
"What's wrong, Darkness?" Yamikuro taunted.
The Darkness spat on the ground.
"Don't get cocky. I'm still superior to you."
It stretched its back.
"But you've gotten stronger. I want to see just how far you can be pushed..."
"...Take my power. Use it as much as you can."
Yamikuro was startled.
Why did the Darkness want to give away its power all of a sudden?
Not like it mattered. It was fine as long as he got it.
"Fine." Yamikuro said.
With an echoing laughter, the Darkness disappeared.
And suddenly it was silent.
The light disappeared, making everything dark.
By defeating the Darkness, wasn't he supposed to return to Honor?
"Hello?" He called out.
No one answered. Yamikuro was left with no choice but to explore.
It felt empty and cold all of a sudden.
And it smelled like rain.
"...Honor?" Yamikuro called out once again.
Suddenly, the laughter of a kid echoed.
Yamikuro tried to look around to see where it was coming from, but it was pitch black.
It's not like he was afraid of darkness. But he didn't know where he was, or if he'd be stuck here forever.
That's what scared him.
"Who's that?" He asked out loud.
But before he could get an answer—
He appeared inside the library in a blink.
Honor sat before him. He continued to write in his beautiful handwriting.
Yamikuro was confused as to what had just happened.
"What's going on? Why did I not immediately return?"
Honor glanced up at Yamikuro.
And a smile appeared on his face.
"Ah, you're back. I knew you'd control the Darkness."
Yamikuro's eyes showed concern.
"Did you not see what happened in there?"
Honor tilted his head.
"That was your heart. I don't have access to such a place."
That was his heart? But it was a void; was he really that hollow the entire time?
"I see. So the void I saw was my heart."
Honor's blue eyes squinted slightly.
"Void?"
Yamikuro nodded.
"I'm sure of what I saw. It was pitch black, and the Darkness was the only thing lighting up the place."
Honor looked up at the sky. Not for any particular reason, but it felt right in the moment. A child in the hands of the Darkness stood in front of him after all.
"So the heart can be tied any color."
His eyes then met with Yamikuro's once again.
"That's all for now. I wanted to help you train the Darkness so you can defend yourself. As to how to use it...? You'll figure that part out yourself, I'm sure."
Yamikuro nodded in agreement, although he wasn't sure how to figure it out.
"See you."
Honor smiled.
"I'm sure we'll meet again."