The blade vibrated in his hand. Tekio felt it pulse, as if alive—not chaotic and wild, but firm, purposeful. His eyes narrowed.
Velkros advanced.
The wind sliced through the air as the Kokuhan's short blade slashed toward him, seeking flesh. Tekio stepped back with precision, the electric knife appearing in his hand like an extension of his reflexes. He blocked the strike. Sparks tore through the space between them.
— That's it — Velkros whispered, his eyes burning red. — I can see your sister's glow in your eyes now.
Tekio said nothing.
He spun and delivered a direct strike aimed at Velkros' chest. The enemy dodged with cruel elegance, scraping the side of Tekio's face with his blade. Blood trickled, but Tekio did not hesitate—he spun the knife in his grip, releasing a surge of electricity toward him.
Velkros was thrown back, but landed on his feet, a wild grin on his face.
— That's it! That's what I wanted!
With a snap of his fingers, the marks across his body glowed like embers. The demonic aura around him expanded, distorting the air. His blade grew, becoming a living extension of the black energy flowing from his bones.
Tekio staggered, but the knife responded, vibrating with greater intensity. He clenched his fist, feeling the presence again… whispering firmly:
"Do not fight for revenge. Fight for her."
He lunged forward, slicing through the air with precision. The energy knife collided with the demonic blade in a strike that shook the ground.
---
From the top of a nearby ruin, Dan and Stella watched the battle.
Dan wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve, while Stella kept her eyes fixed on the scene, fists clenched.
— This… this isn't normal — she murmured.
Dan nodded, jaw tight.
— No. Tekio is different. That white glow… it's like someone else is fighting with him.
— Or for him.
Stella stepped forward, but Dan held her back.
— Wait. If we go now, we might get in the way. Tekio knows we're here. And he… he's holding on.
She looked down, her eyes almost brimming with tears.
— He's fighting with everything… but if he falls…
— We pull him back — Dan said firmly. — Even if it's from the depths of hell.
---
Tekio slid under a lateral strike and spun, slicing Velkros' thigh. The Kokuhan's blood evaporated into dark smoke, yet he only laughed.
— You really think that will kill me? A little knife? That won't be enough, Tekio!
— It's not the knife… — Tekio murmured. — It's what it carries.
The aura around him intensified. Tiny lightning bolts formed, like living nerves along his arm. His eyes shone for a moment in a lighter hue. Almost blue. Almost feminine.
Velkros paused for a moment.
— Wait…
The ground trembled. A line of energy cut across the floor between them. A nearby building shuddered from the impact.
— Who… is with you?
Tekio breathed heavily, blood dripping from his chin. But his eyes were sharp.
— No one.
— Hah. Lies. I know that look. That presence… that isn't just you.
Velkros clenched his fists, the marks on his chest opening like living wounds.
— I'm starting to find this even more fun.
He charged again, fast as a falling shadow.
But Tekio did not retreat.
This time, he smiled.
With the knife in hand, wrapped in thin lightning, Tekio launched forward like a lightning bolt.
The sky, at that instant, thundered.
To be continue...