Published at 17th of September 2024 6:14 pm

Chapter 90 The Last Shadow: 13 Bonds Unbroken

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Kojiro’s muscles burned as he clashed with Ryunosuke, their swords sparking with each fierce blow. The force behind Ryunosuke’s attacks was relentless, but Kojiro held his ground. Every swing carried with it the weight of not just skill, but betrayal. The man he had once trusted more than anyone was now trying to kill him, and Kojiro had to push aside the emotions swirling inside.

“You’ve grown stronger, Kojiro,” Ryunosuke said between strikes, his voice cold and calculating. “But it won’t be enough. You can’t win this fight by clinging to your old ideals.”

Kojiro gritted his teeth, blocking another strike and shoving his sensei back. “I don’t need to abandon my ideals to beat you.”

But Ryunosuke was fast. Too fast. In a blur of movement, he was on Kojiro again, his blade slicing through the air with precision. Kojiro barely managed to dodge, the blade nicking his arm. The sting of the wound sharpened his focus, but he knew he couldn’t keep up this pace forever.

Behind him, Katsuro and Yui were locked in their own battles. The two shadowy figures that had emerged from the darkness were fierce opponents, moving with the same unnatural speed and agility as Ryunosuke. Katsuro’s sword flashed in the dim light, his movements precise as he parried and countered, but the shadow ninja pressed him hard, their attacks coming in unrelenting waves.

Yui, meanwhile, moved like a wisp of wind, her body a blur as she danced between the strikes of her opponent. Her kunai flashed out in quick, deadly arcs, but the shadows seemed to shift and twist around her, making it impossible to land a solid blow. She was fast, but so were they.

Kojiro’s mind raced. If they didn’t turn the tide soon, they’d be overwhelmed.

Ryunosuke’s voice cut through the chaos. “This is the future, Kojiro. The weak are swept aside, and the strong take what they want. The Order has shown me that strength is all that matters.”

Kojiro’s eyes narrowed. “You’re wrong. Real strength comes from protecting others, from standing together.”

Ryunosuke sneered, his blade swinging in a wide arc. Kojiro deflected it, but the force of the strike sent him stumbling backward.

“Together?” Ryunosuke scoffed. “Your precious bonds will only hold you back.”

Kojiro’s grip tightened on his sword. Ryunosuke’s words struck at something deep inside him, but he refused to give in. He remembered the lessons his sensei had once taught him — the importance of comrades, of loyalty, of fighting for a cause greater than yourself. That man was still in there, somewhere. He had to be.

“I’m not fighting alone,” Kojiro said, his voice steady despite the pain and fatigue weighing on him. “And that’s why I’ll win.”

Ryunosuke’s eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Yui’s voice cut through the air.

“Kojiro, now!”

In a blur of movement, Yui flung a barrage of kunai toward Ryunosuke. He moved to block them, his sword flashing, but that was the opening Kojiro needed. Channeling his chakra, he surged forward, his blade cutting through the air with blinding speed.

Ryunosuke barely had time to react. His eyes widened as Kojiro’s strike came down hard, forcing him to dodge. Kojiro’s sword grazed his former sensei’s side, drawing blood. Ryunosuke hissed in pain, leaping back to gain distance.

Kojiro didn’t let up. He pressed the attack, swinging his sword in a series of rapid, precise strikes. Ryunosuke deflected most of them, but Kojiro’s relentless assault began to chip away at his defenses. Each time their blades clashed, Kojiro pushed harder, refusing to give Ryunosuke a chance to recover.

“You don’t have to do this!” Kojiro shouted as their blades locked once more. “We can stop the Shattering together. It doesn’t have to end like this.”

For a moment, something flickered in Ryunosuke’s eyes — hesitation, doubt. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. His expression hardened, and with a snarl, he broke the lock and swung his sword with renewed fury.

“You’re a fool, Kojiro. The Shattering will happen whether you like it or not. The only question is who will be strong enough to survive.”

Kojiro’s heart ached. The man he had looked up to, the man who had once been a beacon of wisdom and strength, was now lost in the darkness of his own ambition. But Kojiro couldn’t give up — not now, not when so much was at stake.

He glanced toward Katsuro and Yui. They were still locked in their battles, but they were holding their ground. They had each other’s backs, and that was their greatest strength.

Kojiro turned back to Ryunosuke, his resolve solidifying. “You’ve lost your way, sensei. But I won’t lose mine.”

With a surge of chakra, Kojiro unleashed a powerful strike. His blade cut through the air, shimmering with a bright, blue glow as he channeled all of his energy into the attack. Ryunosuke’s eyes widened in shock, but it was too late. Kojiro’s strike connected, sending his former sensei flying back across the clearing.

Ryunosuke hit the ground hard, his sword clattering from his grasp. He struggled to get up, but the force of the blow had knocked the wind out of him. Blood dripped from the wound on his side, staining the ground beneath him.

Kojiro stood over him, his sword raised. His breath came in ragged gasps, but his resolve was unshaken.

“It’s over, Ryunosuke,” Kojiro said, his voice low but firm.

For a long moment, Ryunosuke said nothing. He stared up at Kojiro, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he caught his breath. Then, slowly, his lips twisted into a bitter smile.

“You’ve grown, Kojiro,” he said, his voice hoarse. “But you still don’t understand.”

Kojiro frowned. “What do you mean?”

Ryunosuke chuckled darkly. “The Shattering isn’t something you can stop. It’s already begun. You’re too late.”

Kojiro’s heart sank. “No…”

“Yes,” Ryunosuke continued, his eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction. “Even if you destroy me, the Order’s plan is already in motion. The world as you know it will fall, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”

Kojiro’s hands trembled, his mind racing. Could it be true? Had they been too late all along?

But before he could say anything, a sudden burst of energy surged from Ryunosuke’s body. Dark tendrils of shadow erupted from the ground, wrapping around him and pulling him deeper into the earth.

Kojiro’s eyes widened in horror. “Sensei!”

But it was too late. Ryunosuke’s body was consumed by the shadows, vanishing into the ground as if he had never been there at all.

Kojiro stood frozen, his sword still raised, his heart pounding in his chest. The man who had once been his mentor was gone — swallowed by the darkness he had chosen to embrace.

“Kojiro!” Katsuro’s voice snapped him back to reality.

Kojiro turned to see Katsuro and Yui standing over the defeated bodies of their opponents. Both of them were breathing heavily, their clothes torn and bloodied, but they were alive.

“We have to go,” Yui said urgently. “Whatever Ryunosuke was talking about… if the Shattering has already started, we need to find out where it’s happening.”

Kojiro nodded, his mind still reeling from the encounter. Ryunosuke’s final words echoed in his ears, a grim reminder that their battle was far from over.

He sheathed his sword, casting one last look at the spot where Ryunosuke had disappeared. “We’ll stop it,” he said, his voice filled with determination. “No matter what it takes.”

As they turned and raced back through the forest, the weight of the coming storm pressed down on Kojiro’s heart. The Shattering was real, and it was already underway. But together, they would find a way to stop it.

They had to.

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