The Mystery [part 2]

The Journey of Suzuki Kyōi: The Dark Presence

The figure stood motionless, cloaked in darkness as deep as the abyss.

The mercenaries tensed, unsure of what they were facing.

Kyōi, however, observed with a mix of tension and surprise.

He had never seen anything like this before: the presence of this being was oppressive, almost unnatural.

Suddenly, the figure moved with astonishing speed, launching a dark attack toward Kyōi.

With impeccable reflexes, Kyōi dodged the assault, feeling the force of the energy that had grazed his body.

His gaze grew more intense, impressed by the creature's skill and aura.

"Impressive and terrifying," he thought, his katana still firmly in his hands.

As the figure continued to move with lethal grace, Kyōi studied its every movement, searching for a weakness.

But the creature seemed elusive, like an untouchable shadow.

Still, something struck him: the possibility that its existence was tied to something much larger.

The possibility that this figure was linked to the undead and their earlier resurrection.

"Take down one of those undead!" he ordered the mercenaries, his voice firm and filled with determination. "I want to see what happens."

The Journey of Suzuki Kyōi: The Return of the Undead

At Kyōi's command, the mercenaries sprang into action, charging toward the undead that moved slowly but relentlessly toward them.

The oppressive silence of the mine was shattered by the sounds of swords cutting through the air, striking rotten bones and decayed flesh.

One of the mercenaries, a burly man with a heavy axe, was the first to land his blow.

The blade sank into the shoulder of an undead, breaking the bone with a sharp crack and ripping the arm from its body.

The corpse collapsed to the ground, a heap of bones and decomposing flesh.

Another mercenary, a woman with quick reflexes, struck one of the creatures' skulls, driving her sword straight through it.

The sound of steel piercing bone was chilling.

With a violent yank, she pulled the sword free as the undead fell, emitting a screeching hiss.

Black blood, dark as the night, sprayed in all directions as the warriors plunged their weapons into the undead bodies.

Each strike was accompanied by the sound of breaking bones, torn muscles, and limbs falling to the ground in pools of decay.

One of the mercenaries grabbed the head of an undead and with a swift blow, smashed it under the weight of his shield, leaving the lifeless body to collapse like a puppet with its strings cut.

As the air filled with the sounds of moans, broken bones, and the stench of death, Kyōi watched carefully.

The Journey of Suzuki Kyōi: The Dark Presence and the Start of the Battle

Kyōi observed closely as the mercenaries brutally took down the undead, shattering bones and decayed flesh.

The sound of blows and the wails of the creatures filled the mine, but despite the intensity of the battle, Kyōi couldn't perceive any significant change in the dark figure before him.

Despite the undead falling one by one, the presence cloaked in darkness remained still, as if completely disconnected from the fate of the fallen creatures.

Its face stayed hidden beneath the shadow of the hood, and the aura and power it emitted showed no signs of weakening.

Kyōi tightened his grip on the katana.

"No visible effect... for now," he thought.

He wasn't sure of the connection between the figure and the undead, but he knew he had to push the limits.

"Keep going!" he shouted to the mercenaries with a determination that allowed no hesitation.

"Don't stop! Destroy as many undead as possible!"

The mercenaries, obedient to the command, intensified their attacks, striking with more violence and speed.

Swords and axes cut through the air and the rotting flesh, as the undead, increasingly torn apart, fell one after another.

The mine's floor was now littered with broken bones and black blood.

Kyōi, meanwhile, kept his attention divided between the horde and the figure, deciding to take the initiative.

If this figure was truly the core of all this as he suspected, he had to attack it directly.

With a swift and precise leap, Kyōi lunged toward the dark figure, his katana gleaming in the flickering torchlight as he aimed for a decisive strike.

The figure reacted with surprising speed, dodging the attack with fluid, unnatural movements, almost as if it were an elusive shadow.

Kyōi struck again, trying to anticipate the creature's movement.

This time, the katana sliced through the air, grazing the dark cloak, but once again, the figure shifted with supernatural speed, making Kyōi's movements seem slow in comparison.

"This isn't an ordinary creature," Kyōi thought, struck by the figure's deadly grace.

"But I can't let it keep toying with us."

As Kyōi tried to adapt to the figure's unpredictable movements, the mercenaries behind him continued to destroy the undead.

However, no clear connection emerged: for now, the figure seemed untouchable, almost immune to any effect from the destruction of the creatures.

With a surge of adrenaline, Kyōi decided to change his strategy.

He would test this figure in a real confrontation, forcing a clearer reaction.

His katana whistled through the air, aiming at the figure that moved through the shadows like an incorporeal presence.

With a swift and determined strike, Kyōi sought to anticipate the creature's next movement.

The blade flashed as it cut through the darkness, but the dark figure shifted once again, evading with inhuman fluidity.

The cloak rippled slightly as the blade passed, but the creature remained unharmed.

Kyōi tightened his grip on the katana, impressed by its speed and agility, realizing he was facing a being that didn't follow the normal rules of physicality.

"It has no obvious weakness, and it doesn't seem to be losing strength," he thought, his breath quickening as he continued to study the creature carefully.

"But there's always a vulnerable point—I just have to find it."

If there was one thing he had learned from his duel with Ryushin Tenkū, it was this.

He had thought it impossible to lose, but in the end, he was wrong—everyone had a vulnerability.

And now, he had to find this figure's weakness before it found his.