Blood, Sacrifices, and Determination
The atmosphere in Salem had shifted into something utterly unrecognizable. The crimson downpour continued to fall, drenching streets and rooftops in the suffocating red of despair. The seal encircling the city pulsed with a malignant energy—an oval barrier that not only isolated Salem but seemed to drain the very lifeblood of all within. Through the narrow alleys, anguished cries rose like wails of the damned, while others collapsed to their knees in desperate prayer. Some had already fallen, consumed by Yuri's ritual, their lifeless forms feeding the ever-growing power of the blood demon.
Inside the shattered bar, the contrast was stark. Among broken beams and a floor slick with rainwater and blood, a small band of souls Yuzuki had once saved huddled in silent supplication. Children, their eyes alight with flickers of hope, gazed upon him as though he were a beacon in the abyss. A little girl, her hair matted and cheeks streaked with grime, tugged at the sleeve of her guardian.
"He will protect us, won't he? Yuzuki is our hero! He never gives up…" she whispered, her voice trembling yet fierce with faith.
Yuzuki's heart tightened at her words as he surveyed the devastation around him. A brutal choice loomed: surrender and spare the city, or stand and battle these monstrous foes, risking every life he had sworn to defend. His mind flicked through memories of Akari, Gotier, and Zeke—unconscious in the castle's shadows. The weight of their lives pressed upon him like a crushing stone.
"You hesitate, Yuzuki?" Mao's deep voice echoed in his mind. "Remember: the greater your disadvantage, the mightier your power. But can your heart bear the cost?"
Clenching his fists, Yuzuki lifted his gaze to meet the looming forms of Alkaraz and Yuri—each radiating an aura of oppressive menace. He drew a slow, measured breath, letting resolve bloom within him even as fear clawed at the edges of his soul.
The Battle Begins
Alkaraz, wielding his newly forged green-and-black energy sword, advanced with astonishing speed. He was a storm of slashes and thrusts, forcing Yuzuki to retreat constantly. Each blow unleashed an explosion of power, further wrecking what remained of the bar.
"Come on, little warrior, show me what you can do against true power!" Alkaraz roared, a sadistic grin on his lips.
Yuri, meanwhile, stood back for a moment, watching the fight with an arrogant smile. From his hands, tiny blood daggers began to form, floating around him like a lethal swarm.
Yuzuki did not falter, despite the onslaught. He seized every opening, copying Alkaraz's movements. His body moved as if dancing, adapting to his opponent's tactics. When Alkaraz delivered a horizontal strike, Yuzuki responded with the same technique, intercepting the attack with millimeter-perfect precision. Yuzuki's sword briefly glowed as he matched the enemy's energy flow.
"This can't be! You… you're mimicking me?" Alkaraz shouted, furious.
"Not just mimicking. I'm improving." Yuzuki replied, his voice cold as ice.
Yuri's Ritual and Power
Meanwhile, Yuri laughed in a mix of madness and excitement.
"No matter how much you resist, Yuzuki. With every second that passes, my power grows. Do you feel it? The pain, the despair. This city is my sacrifice, and every drop of blood that falls is a reminder of your futility!" He raised his hands, and massive weapons—spears, swords, and axes—formed from the blood, hovering around him like a deadly arsenal.
Yuzuki leapt aside to evade a massive blade hurled at him, landing with agility as a spray of blood stained the floor where he'd stood. Yuri did not pause, conducting the weapons like a maestro in a deadly concerto.
"You can run, but I will always be one step ahead." Yuri flashed a dangerous smile.
Amok and His Fascination with Yuzuki
In the corner of the bar, Amok watched in silence, his eyes locked on Yuzuki. He felt an almost irrational attraction to the way the warrior resisted.
"Impressive… so fragile, yet so stubborn. Alkaraz and Yuri don't understand the greatness in this. Maybe I should join him…" Amok murmured to himself, a subtle smile forming.
Yuzuki pressed on, now alternating frantic attacks between Yuri and Alkaraz. His blood ability was in full effect—the more he found himself cornered, the more powerful he became. Each swing of his blade carried greater force; every movement grew faster and more precise.
Inside his mind, Mao offered constant instructions.
"Alkaraz leaves his right flank exposed when he strikes. And Yuri… focus on his legs—he needs stability to manipulate the blood. Take advantage of that!"
Yuzuki gave a slight nod, absorbing the information as he continued the fight.
With each passing second, the battle grew more visceral. Deep cuts appeared on the bodies of all involved. Alkaraz, now drenched in blood, roared in fury as his sword cleaved through beams and walls in pursuit of Yuzuki. Yuri, with Blood at his side, seemed ever more monstrous, his skin taking on a vivid red hue as he channeled the ritual's power.
Yuzuki, breathing heavily, paused for a moment. He looked toward the children and the hopeful faces of the civilians.
"I will not give up. Not for a single second. You all deserve to live." With those words, he channeled every last ounce of his strength, preparing for a final strike against Yuri and Alkaraz.
The fate of Salem hung in the balance, and the battle was only beginning.
Macabre Dance Under the Blood Sky!
The blood storm roared overhead, dyeing the streets a crimson shade of despair. The screams of Salem's people blended with the howling wind and driving rain. Some townsfolk whom Yuzuki had rescued gathered outside the bar, their voices rising in desperate prayers and cries of encouragement.
"Yuzuki! You are our only hope!" shouted a woman, clutching a child to her chest as tears streamed down her face.
Inside the bar, tension hung thick in the air. The floor, slick with blood and splintered wood, bore witness to the ferocity of the battle. Yuzuki, breathing heavily, held his stance firm. Mao, in his spectral form, hovered at his side, watching the fight with a grin that mixed amusement and malice.
"You know, Yuzuki… you entertain me like no one else," Mao whispered in a chill tone. "How about a little gift? Let's reshape this battlefield."
Mao raised his hand, and the floor around Yuzuki writhed, sprouting dark thorns that formed a living barrier of protection. Shadows pulsed around them as if alive, deepening the gloom of the room.
Yuri's Wrath
Across the bar, Yuri laughed uproariously, his domineering presence intensifying by the second. Blood, his kugutsu, floated at his side, the boy's sweet smile stark against his ruby eyes brimming with murderous intent.
"Do you think that will save you, Yuzuki? This is my domain!" Yuri thundered, slamming his open palm into the floor.
Instantly, pillars of blood erupted, creating barriers that encircled Yuzuki and Mao's shadows. Red spikes shot from the walls like serpents. Yuri unleashed his Blood Prison technique, trapping Yuzuki within a pulsating, impenetrable sphere.
"Inside here, you're my plaything. Let's see how long you last."
Within the prison, Yuzuki closed his eyes and attuned to the swirling energy. He had already memorized Yuri's patterns, and his technique-copying ability began to take shape. With supernatural agility, he recreated the blood spikes and hurled them back at the barrier.
"You're good, Yuri. But whatever you do, I do better."
The barrier cracked, and with a swift motion, Yuzuki shattered it using his blade infused with Mao's shadowy energy.
Alkaraz Reveals His New Techniques
Meanwhile, Alkaraz surged forward with his sword crackling in green and black energy.
"Ventriloquist Slash!" he shouted, spinning his blade in an arc so fast it seemed to multiply. The ghostly slashes cut the air, striking Yuzuki with a force that sent him crashing into the wall.
With no respite, Alkaraz followed up with his "Chaotic Puppet" technique, weaving threads of energy that wrapped around Yuzuki's arms and legs, binding his movements.
"You're nothing but a puppet in this battle, boy!"
As Yuzuki struggled against his restraints, Amok watched in fascination, a strange gleam in his black eyes. He was drawn to Yuzuki's stubborn resolve and skill, feeling a connection he'd never known before.
"Incredible… he is more than I imagined," Amok murmured to himself. "Perhaps… he is the perfect host."
Mao noticed Amok's look and laughed, as if he already read the demon's mind.
"So, you finally recognize his potential? Thinking of switching sides, Amok?"
Amok only offered a slight, knowing smile and remained silent.
Yuzuki's Turnaround
With a cry of effort, Yuzuki shattered the binding threads. He spun through the air, his sword slicing in a fluid motion that mirrored Alkaraz's attack—but with even greater precision.
"You call me a puppet? Then watch me dance better than you!" Yuzuki roared, his blade raking deep gashes across Alkaraz's armor.
Blood spurted, yet Alkaraz grinned, exhilarated by the ferocity of the fight.
"Finally, boy! Show me what you're truly capable of!"
Outside, the screams of Salem's residents intensified. Some fell lifeless, drained by Yuri's blood ritual. The sky burned a deeper red than ever, and the barrier encircling the city throbbed like a diseased heart.
Yuzuki felt the weight of his duty grow, but his blood ability surged in response—each strike stronger, each movement faster and deadlier than the last.
Sensing Yuzuki's rising power, Yuri lifted his arms and conjured a massive blood-forged weapon: a grotesque scythe that seemed to wail with the souls of its victims.
"This is the end, Yuzuki! No matter how hard you fight, I am the Blood Demon!"
Yuzuki, however, raised his sword—now fully infused with Mao's shadowy energy—and advanced, eyes ablaze with determination.
"I am Yuzuki of the extinct clan! And I will not fall before I protect this city!"
The chapter ends with steel crashing against steel, a flash of crimson light illuminating the wrecked bar, and the deafening roar of battle.