The Labyrinth Horra's air had turned stale, every step stirring up a haze of ancient dust. My palm glowed faintly, arcs of red lightning dancing between my fingers like restless serpents, casting jagged shadows on the walls. The deeper we went, the more it felt like the Labyrinth was watching us.
"Hold up," Astrid said, slowing to a stop.
I followed her gaze to the wall ahead—lines and curves etched deep into the black stone. Symbols. Faint, almost erased by time, but unmistakably deliberate. They pulsed faintly with a colorless light, like they were breathing.
Astrid brushed her fingertips over the carvings. "These are… older than anything I've seen. Even the runes in my father's library didn't look like this."
I narrowed my eyes, tracing the lines with my gaze. "They're not just decoration. This is a seal… or was. Something's broken it."
Before she could answer, the air shifted—hot and sudden, like the inside of a forge. Then came the sound.
WHUP—WHUP—WHUP.
Wings.
We turned as three shadows dropped from the darkness above. Their bodies were long and sinewy, black scales broken by streaks of ash-grey fur. Wings like shredded banners unfurled, beating the air with bone-snapping force. Their faces were a blend of vulture and demon, eyes glowing with a sickly green light.
My stomach dropped. "Phantom-rank… all three."
Astrid's jaw tightened. "We're in trouble."
The first one struck like a thrown spear. I barely threw myself aside as talons gouged the stone where I'd been standing. My lightning flared, burning the air with the smell of ozone. I shot a bolt at its wing—fast, precise—only for it to twist midair, dodging like it had read my move before I even made it.
Astrid lunged at the second one, her blades flashing in a crossing slash. The yokai's wing snapped down, the force alone knocking her attack wide and sending her skidding back.
The third came from behind, silent as a shadow. My instincts screamed, and I spun, releasing a surge of red lightning in every direction. Sparks exploded through the hall, but when the smoke cleared, all three beasts were untouched—circling, watching.
"They're… too fast," Astrid hissed, pushing to her feet.
I clenched my fists, lightning crawling up my arms. "They're not just fast. They're predicting us."
We attacked again, Astrid cutting high while I feinted low, but every strike met empty air or the jarring crash of their claws batting us aside. My muscles burned, my mana churned, but no matter how much we pressed, they never let us close the gap.
One clipped Astrid's shoulder with its talon, sending her spinning to the ground. Another raked its claws across my chestplate, the blow knocking the breath from my lungs and leaving the metal scorched.
We regrouped back-to-back, panting, the sound of their wings circling above like the slow countdown to something worse.
"They're playing with us," Astrid said through gritted teeth.
"Yeah," I muttered, eyes locked on their glowing green gaze. "And I think we're running out of time."
The three beasts let out a low, bone-vibrating screech that made the runes around us pulse faintly again—like they were waking up.
The fight wasn't going our way. And I had the sinking feeling it was about to get worse.
My hand was still buzzing with red electricity, arcs sparking across my knuckles, but no matter how much mana I poured into my strikes… it wasn't enough.
The three winged Yokai beasts—phantom-ranked, I could feel it in the way their aura pressed against my skin—moved faster than my eyes could follow. Their wings beat once, and they vanished from sight, reappearing behind us with talons inches from our throats.
Every clash was a humiliation. I'd swing my electrified fist, but they'd tilt their heads just out of reach, mocking me with their speed. Astrid's blades cut nothing but air, her breath ragged as she tried to track them.
One dove in low, claws aimed for my ribs. I blocked with my forearm—pain shot up my arm like I'd just smashed bone into steel—and before I could recover, another slammed its knee into my stomach, folding me in half.
The third laughed.
Then, without warning, one of them zipped toward Astrid.
Its wing beats made the air scream.
"ASTRID—!"
BOOM!
Her body hit the wall so hard dust exploded from the impact. She slid to the ground, unmoving.
I barely had time to turn before another slammed into me, hard. My spine hit stone, the world rattling into a blur. Blood sprayed from my mouth, my vision flashing white.
I dropped to my knees, coughing and spitting blood onto the floor.
It can't… it can't end like this.
Then—
That sensation came back.
The same as when I fought the smoke man in Phase 2.
That burning in my chest, the rush of blood in my ears, the thrum of something primal clawing its way up my spine.
My teeth ached, then split into fangs behind my mask.
My hair bled from black to white.
My vision flooded with bright, unholy red.
My demon form was activating.
Then they spoke.
"Ha! Brother, let's play with them more!" one sneered.
"No," another growled. "We kill them. Then we finish the others here."
The third sighed like it was a chore. "Fine."
A flash of silver—
A dagger flew in from the shadows, aimed at the talkative one. He twisted aside, the blade nicking his wing. His eyes snapped toward me.
"You still got fight left, human? Hahahaha!"
He shot upward, wings snapping open, then dropped like a missile toward me—ready to end it.
But before his talons reached me…
CRASH!
The ceiling above us caved in.
Dust and rock erupted everywhere, the impact shaking the ground.
I couldn't see a thing.
Only the sounds.
Split.
Splat.
Crunch.
I froze. My instincts screamed danger.
Through the dust, a shadow moved.
A human silhouette, crouched low, one arm buried in something.
Slowly… the figure looked up.
Golden eyes—burning like molten metal—pierced through the haze.
My breath caught.
"…Kuro…?"
The smoke cleared just enough to show him.
His hand was lodged in the chest of the Yokai that had been charging me. He ripped it free, chunks of flesh and black ichor splattering onto the ground.
The Yokai dropped like a ragdoll.
Kuro spat on the corpse.
Then… he turned to me.
And smiled.
It wasn't his normal smirk.
It was something feral. Something wrong.
The two remaining Yokai screamed, "BROTHER!!" and dove at him in unison.
Kuro didn't move until the last second.
He ducked under the first slash, grabbed the attacker's wing mid-flight, and yanked so hard the joint tore free with a wet rip. The beast howled in agony before Kuro's clawed hand crushed its skull like a melon.
The other one tried to flank him, claws swiping for his throat.
Kuro caught the wrist, twisted, and used the Yokai's own momentum to slam it face-first into the stone floor. The impact cracked the ground. Before it could recover, he stomped on its head again… and again… until the floor was painted black with its blood.
The last one—wing mangled, body twitching—tried to crawl away.
Kuro appeared behind it in an instant, grabbed its jaw, and tore it open until the neck split.
He stood there, chest heaving, golden eyes burning.
And then—
"KURO! KURO! KURO!" I shouted, trying to reach him.
He turned his head slowly, then said in a demonic voice-
"Would you shut the hell up?!"
His voice was deeper. Almost monstrous.
He lunged for me, faster than I could react.
I barely saw his claws coming—
Fweeeeet!
A whistle.
Sharp, loud, echoing through the labyrinth.
Kuro froze mid-strike, head snapping toward the sound.
Then, without a word, he bolted toward it, vanishing into the shadows.
I collapsed, panting, my arms trembling from adrenaline.
Vision blurring, I crawled toward Astrid. My fingertips brushed her hand before darkness swallowed me whole.