Raiden stood in the center of the Colosseum arena, his sword held upright before him. The blade gleamed under the moonlight as he closed his eyes, his breathing slow and deliberate.

  A few paces behind him, Hikari watched the scene while gripping his pouch of diamonds tight. "What are you doing?"

  "I'm preparing," Raiden answered, his voice calm. He adjusted his stance, widening his feet to align with his shoulders and distributing his weight evenly. "The distance to the underground is vast, and a normal strike won't reach." When he opened his eyes, his pupils had vanished into a stark, blinding white as he dipped his chin toward the ground beneath them.

  "Stand back. I'm going to use a technique called *the Void Cutter Strike*. It channels all my energy into a single vertical blow. The resulting force will cleave the earth and carve a path for us. If the attack touches you, you'll fade into the void."

  Hikari took a step back. "And the cost?"

  Raiden raised the blade above his head with both hands. "Most of my strength. I'll still be able to fight, but not at full capacity. Stay close when we descend."

  Hikari nodded.

  Raiden inhaled deeply, his muscles pulling taut. The air around him shifted, not from magic, but from pure, concentrated intent. The blade began to hum with a low vibration that echoed through the stones beneath their boots. He exhaled, then struck.

  The blade fell in a perfect vertical arc. There was no flash of light, no explosion of energy, only raw, overwhelming force. The earth split. A thunderous crack resonated through the Colosseum as the stone floor tore apart like paper, a jagged line racing out from where Raiden stood. The fissure widened, transforming into a yawning abyss that plummeted into absolute darkness. Dust and debris shot upward, forcing Hikari to shield his face with his arm.

  Raiden lowered his sword slowly. His breathing had grown heavier, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. He tilted his face toward the chasm. "It's done."

  Hikari stepped forward and peered over the edge. The opening was wide enough for two people, and far below, he could see a faint green light beckoning from the depths. "Are they down there?"

  "Yes." Raiden sheathed his sword and stepped toward the brink. "Follow me, and don't lag behind."

  He jumped. Hikari hesitated for only a second before clutching the diamonds in his hands and following. Together, they plummeted into the dark.

  Raiden landed lightly, his knees bending slightly to absorb the impact. The sound of his boots against the stone was solid but muffled. He raised his head, testing the atmosphere. They stood in a narrow stone corridor where walls covered in dim green crystals emitted a sickly glow. The air hung heavy and wet, thick with the stench of mold and ancient rust.

  Hikari landed a second later, his feet hitting the ground with far less grace. He stumbled forward but quickly regained his balance, looking around with unease. "This place..."

  "An underground dungeon," Raiden cut in quietly. He slowly drew his sword, the steel catching the green light. "Stay behind me. Don't stray more than five steps."

  Hikari nodded, gripping a red diamond in his right hand and a blue one in his left.

  Raiden began to walk with slow, cautious steps, his head turning gradually to sweep every corner with his senses. Hikari followed in silence, his breath coming slightly faster than usual. They passed through a long corridor with cracked walls and an uneven floor. After twenty paces, Raiden stopped abruptly and raised a hand. "Halt."

  Hikari froze.

  Raiden tilted his head, listening. A heavy silence filled the space for a few seconds before the sound of distant, distinct scratching reached them. Something was moving in the dark.

  "They're coming," Raiden said with absolute calm.

  From the end of the corridor, several shadows emerged. Bodies bent at unnatural angles, limbs horrifyingly long, and eyes as black and empty as the abyss. They stood twenty meters away, staring motionless, before surging forward all at once.

  Raiden moved first. One step forward, and his sword lashed out in a horizontal arc. The first beast fell, its body dissolving into black smoke. The second leaped from the flank, but Raiden pivoted on his heel and drove his blade into its chest. It vanished. The third closed in on Hikari, who released the red diamond. A small fireball detonated directly in the monster's face, stalling it long enough for him to release the blue gem. A bolt of lightning struck its head, and the beast collapsed and evaporated.

  The fourth and fifth attacked in tandem. Raiden stepped back, a swift vertical strike splitting the first from shoulder to waist before a lateral thrust finished the second. Silence returned.

  Raiden lowered his sword, turning his head left and right, listening. No movement. No sound.

  "This is just the beginning," he said softly. "More will come."

  Hikari pulled two fresh diamonds from his pouch. "Understood."

  Raiden resumed his march deeper into the shadowed corridors. Suddenly, he stopped in the middle of the passage, closing his eyes for a moment, his head cocked as if listening to something far away.

  "What is it?" Hikari asked.

  Raiden opened his eyes. "People. Many of them. I can sense a multitude of lives everywhere." He started walking again. "Come here. There are three people close to us."

  They rounded a tight corner, and the corridor abruptly expanded into a vast hall. Massive green crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling pulsed with dim light. In the center of the hall, nearly twenty twisted beasts were gathered, waiting as if they had known the pair was coming.

  Raiden stopped at the entrance, sensing the hostility in an instant. "Ambush."

  "What do we do?"

  "We go through them."

  He didn't wait for a reply before rushing forward. The monsters moved as a single wave, but Raiden was faster. A horizontal slash cut down three at once, black smoke rising into the air, but more appeared behind them. He evaded a claw from the right, spun on his heel, and an upward strike cleaved a beast from below. It fell and vanished. Two attacked from behind, but Raiden turned with blinding speed, his sword cutting through both in one continuous motion.

  Hikari remained at the entrance, firing his diamonds. Fire, lightning, stone. Every attack found its mark, but the monsters were relentless.

  "They keep coming back," Hikari panted. "They won't end." He watched as a beast that had just fallen began to reform from the black smoke.

  Raiden cut down four more, then leaped back to Hikari's side, turning sharply toward the source of the humming in the walls. "The crystals. They're linked to them. We have to find and destroy the source, or kill the caster."

  Raiden surged forward again, slaughtering beasts with speed while Hikari followed, attacking from the rear. They reached a gateway and slipped through, Hikari using a diamond to raise a stone wall that sealed the monsters out.

  The two continued to run, passing through another hall and a long, narrow passage. More monsters appeared, and more crystals were shattered. Minutes later, they arrived at a different corridor, narrower than the last, the lighting dimmer. At its end stood a massive iron door fronted by thick iron bars. A cell.

  Hikari and Raiden stopped. Inside, they saw three figures. Mirai, Haru, and Saki. Raiden sensed a strange energy radiating from the cell's iron bars, causing him to step back and grip his sword.

  Hikari rushed forward. "Mirai!"

  "Stay back," Raiden said quietly.

  Hikari looked at Raiden for a moment, then retreated slowly. Raiden delivered a strike that sheared the iron bars in half.

  Hikari entered quickly, dropping to his knees beside Mirai. He looked at her pale face, then turned to scan the area around her. His eyes fell on her massive black sword lying on the stone floor beside her. He paused, staring at the weapon with obvious confusion. "Why did they leave her sword with her?"

  Saki was sitting beside Haru, her hand on his shoulder. She looked up at Hikari, exhaustion etched into her features. "The bars were magical. Haru tried to break them with his spear. They wouldn't break. Even the sword wouldn't have worked."

  Hikari turned to the broken bars, studying them. He understood. Magical bars don't break with physical force. The sword couldn't help her escape, so they left it.

  He reached out and grasped the handle of the colossal blade. It was incredibly heavy, but he managed to lift it with difficulty. Closing his eyes for a moment, he focused his spiritual energy into his hand. The sword began to glow with a faint light, gold mixed with black. It shrank slowly, reshaping itself until it was a small black dagger veined with gold.

  Hikari opened his eyes and looked at the dagger in his hand. Much easier to carry now. He carefully tucked it into Mirai's belt at her side.

  He returned his gaze to her face. Pale and motionless, but her chest rose and fell slowly. He reached out and touched her forehead gently. Cold. He sighed with relief mixed with anxiety.

  "Mirai..." he whispered.

  He checked her quickly with his eyes. Her clothes were stained with dried blood, but there were no open wounds or fresh bleeding. He turned to Saki, who was still trying to get Haru to look at her, but he didn't move. His eyes were empty, staring at the ground without blinking.

  Hikari stood up slowly, then bent down, carefully lifting Mirai onto his back. Her head rested on his shoulder, her arms dangling at his sides. She was light, far lighter than he expected. He stood firm. He could carry her.

  Raiden was facing the long corridor behind them, focused. "There are other cells."

  Hikari turned to him. "You're going to free them?"

  "Yes." Raiden slowly drew his sword. "Stay here. Don't move." He began to walk into the darkness with quiet, swift steps until he vanished into the corridor.

  Hikari remained standing with Mirai on his back, staring at the spot where Raiden had disappeared. Saki was still beside Haru, shaking him gently by the shoulders. "Haru. Look at me." Nothing. He didn't move or look. She sighed, letting her hands drop. "It's no use."

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Hikari looked at Haru. The confident young man he had seen fighting in the Colosseum with a smile was now kneeling as if something inside him had completely shattered.

  ---

  Elsewhere underground, in a vast hall lit by dim green light, four people gathered around a long table. Valdor sat with his hands clasped before him, while an old man with gray hair stood beside him, looking anxiously at a large green crystal pulsing on the table.

  "Raiden has arrived," the man said, his worry palpable.

  Valdor smiled slowly. "That's fine."

  He stood and walked toward a small window in the wall, looking up even though he could see nothing but solid stone. "He's down here, far from the city." He turned to the old man. "How many soldiers are ready?"

  "Six hundred. All strong, and the crystals in their bodies are stable."

  Valdor's smile widened. "Release them all. Every single one."

  He returned to the table, placing his hands confidently on its surface. "Raiden is occupied in the depths. The city above has no true protection." He looked at the pulsing crystal. "We'll take everything. And when he returns to the surface..." He paused, chuckling softly. "He'll find a hollow city. And every citizen will be a soldier for us."

  The old man nodded and hurried out the door. Valdor remained standing, staring at the crystal, the smile never leaving his face.

  ---

  Raiden stood before another cell and shattered the bars with a single, calm blow. The metal crunched and fell to the floor with a dull clatter. Inside were two fighters. "Get out," Raiden said calmly. "Follow the corridor back. You'll find others."

  They stood with difficulty and stumbled out. Raiden continued his path. A third cell, then a fourth. He freed them one by one.

  Then, he stopped abruptly, closed his eyes, and focused. Something had changed. A massive energy was approaching, and hundreds of monsters were vanishing. He opened his eyes slowly and whispered to himself, "They've started."

  He spun around and sprinted back toward where he had left Hikari and the others.

  ---

  On the surface, the city streets were quiet under the night sky. People were walking home or talking in alleys under the dim glow of lamps. Then, everything stopped.

  The earth split open. A black hole appeared in the middle of the main street, then another, and a third in different locations. From the pits, things began to rise. Twisted bodies with long limbs and empty, black eyes. Monsters. Dozens, then hundreds, spreading in every direction. Screams began to fill the city.

  Doors opened everywhere. People stepped out of their homes holding lamps, looking into the streets with caution and curiosity. The sound was strange, distant screams and the clatter of metal on metal. A middle-aged man stepped out of his house, lit a small lantern, and held it up. He asked his wife, who stood behind him at the door, "What is that sound?"

  She didn't answer. She was staring at the empty street before her. Then they saw it.

  From the end of the street, something moved with unnatural speed. A twisted body, scrambling on all fours like a wild beast. Its eyes were completely empty, black as deep pits. It stopped in the middle of the street and slowly raised its head toward the man standing at his door.

  The lantern fell from the man's hand and shattered on the ground. Oil spilled, and a small fire ignited on the stones. He didn't notice. He was staring at the monster with eyes wide in absolute terror. He screamed at his wife, "R... Run!"

  He shoved her inside and slammed the door behind her. The monster lunged. He heard his wife screaming from inside as he tried to hold the door shut with all his might, but the beast was faster. Claws struck the wood, splitting the door in half.

  In another street, an old woman walked slowly, leaning on her cane. She heard screaming from a nearby alley and turned slowly to see three monsters emerging from the darkness. Her cane fell, and she tried to run, but her legs wouldn't respond fast enough. She fell to the ground and began to scream.

  Panic erupted everywhere. People ran in every direction, children cried, doors were slammed shut, and windows were smashed. Chaos consumed the entire city in minutes.

  Then the knights appeared. Twenty knights in light armor, wielding swords and spears, rushed from the central guard post. They ran toward the source of the screams in formation. Their commander, a man in his forties with a thick mustache and a stern face, raised his sword high and shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos, "Protect the civilians! Do not let any of them pass!"

  The knights clashed with the monsters in the center of the main street. The battle ignited instantly. Swords struck, blood sprayed, and screams melded together. But the monsters were faster and greater in number. Every beast that fell reformed from black smoke within seconds. The knights began to retreat slowly; some were wounded, others fell to the ground, bleeding.

  The commander fought fiercely, but a sharp claw passed through his armor, tearing deep into his shoulder. He stumbled back, clutching his wound as blood poured out. He looked around and saw his men falling one by one. He screamed despite the pain, "Hold fast!" But his voice was weaker this time.

  ---

  Underground, Raiden fought in a narrow corridor. Three monsters ahead of him were cut down by rapid, consecutive strikes, fading into smoke, but he didn't stop. He continued to advance through the dark passages, shattering crystals and freeing prisoners. But suddenly, he stopped, closed his eyes, and focused.

  Something had changed. The energy he had felt in the corridors was gone. Not all of it, but most. The monsters that had filled the place minutes ago were now nearly nonexistent. He opened his eyes slowly and understood.

  "They moved them to the surface," he whispered. The city was now in real danger.

  He turned quickly and ran back to Hikari and the others. When he arrived, Hikari was waiting, Mirai still on his back. Haru and Saki stood beside him in silence.

  "The monsters are gone from here," Raiden said sharply. "They must have moved them above."

  Hikari nodded. "I know. I felt the energy move." He looked directly at Raiden with determined eyes. "I'm going to the surface. I'll protect the people."

  Raiden looked at him for a long moment. Hikari was physically weak, but there was something different in his eyes. Something that resembled his father. Raiden nodded slowly. "Go. Trust yourself."

  *He is Seijiro's son, after all,* Raiden thought as he watched Hikari's back.

  Hikari took off running toward the passage that led to the surface, Mirai on his back, with Haru and Saki following close behind. They climbed the narrow stone stairs step by step until they reached the exit. The door opened before them, revealing the faint light of the moon. They emerged into a narrow alley between two tall buildings. The sounds were very close now. Screams, shouting, and the ring of steel crashing against steel.

  Hikari stopped in the middle of the alley. He placed Mirai carefully on the ground, propping her against the wall. She was still unconscious, breathing quietly. He looked at her for a long moment, then turned to Haru and Saki. "Stay here. Protect Mirai."

  He didn't wait for an answer. He took a few steps forward and looked at the ring on his finger. The King of Spirits' crystal gleamed with a faint blue light. Then he looked at the robe he wore, the Crystalline Robe that protected his body and enhanced his magic. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

  "I'll use all my energy," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I hope I can endure it."

  He raised his hands slowly before his chest and began to focus. All his energy, every scrap of magical power left in his body, began to gather in his palms. The ring began to glow intensely, the blue light turning into a radiant gold. The robe, too, began to shine with a soft light that enveloped his entire frame.

  He took a deep breath. "I'm using everything."

  Then he released it.

  A massive torrent of golden light burst from his body like a tidal wave, spreading in every direction. The alley filled with light until it was as bright as day. The radiance poured out of the alley, flooding the neighboring streets, then the distant ones, until it covered the entire city. Every street, every alley, every house, and every dark corner was filled with warm, golden light. The entire city looked as if it sat beneath a blazing golden sun.

  The man bleeding from a deep wound in his stomach stopped screaming abruptly. He looked down at his injury and saw the golden light wrapping around it. The wound began to close before his eyes, the bleeding stopped, and the pain vanished. He stood up slowly, unable to believe what was happening, and looked up at the golden sky.

  The old woman who had fallen felt a strange warmth wrap around her body. She looked at her broken arm and saw the bones knitting back together, the bruises fading. She managed to stand again, tears of gratitude filling her eyes.

  Everywhere, the wounded began to heal. Children who had been crying from their injuries went silent, staring at their healed hands in awe. People who had been running in fear stopped and raised their heads toward the golden canopy that covered the city. Whispers of wonder and thanks began to spread.

  The knights who had fallen, bleeding on the ground, felt the light embrace them. The commander, clutching his torn shoulder, watched the wound seal and the skin knit together with astonishing speed. He stood up with renewed vigor, looking around to see his men rising one by one, their faces full of life again. He gripped his sword, raised it high, and shouted with a voice that pierced the city, "Rise! Return to the fight! We won't let them take our city!"

  The knights rose, their wounds fully healed, their strength returned. They gripped their weapons and stood in organized formation, possessing a morale they had never felt before. The monsters were still attacking, but now the knights fought with full power and without fear. The entire city was under the protection of the golden light.

  In the alley, Hikari stood firm, the golden light still pouring from him with immense power. The ring on his finger glowed intensely, and the robe shone as if woven from pure light. He felt his energy flowing without pause; the robe replenished what he drained, and the ring reduced the cost to a fraction. He felt a strength he had never known, as if the entire city was under his personal guard.

  Saki stood behind him, staring in utter shock. She couldn't utter a single word. The scene before her was legendary. Hikari standing amidst a golden light that filled heaven and earth, powerful and majestic like a god descended to protect the city.

  After several moments, the light began to fade slowly. Hikari lowered his hands and took a deep breath. He felt tired, but not exhausted. The robe and ring had saved him from total depletion. He turned and looked at Saki, who was still standing there, stunned.

  "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice calm but strong.

  Saki opened her mouth to answer, but the words didn't come. She simply nodded slowly, her eyes wide as if seeing him for the first time, unable to speak.

  ---

  Underground, Raiden ran through the empty corridors. His sword was in hand, his senses alert for any movement. But the place had become strangely quiet. No monsters, no sounds. Even the green crystals that had pulsed with light were now dim and dull.

  He stopped before a vast hall filled with tables and chairs. Completely empty. No trace of Valdor or his men. He scanned the void carefully, then closed his eyes, trying to sense any spiritual energy. Nothing. They had all vanished.

  He opened his eyes slowly and whispered, a hint of hidden frustration in his calm tone, "They ran."

  Staying here was useless. The real battle was above. He turned and sprinted toward the surface at full speed.

  ---

  In the alley, Hikari stood steady, the golden light having faded to a faint glow surrounding the robe and ring. He breathed deeply. He felt a light fatigue, but he was still able to stand and move.

  Saki stood behind him, the astonishment never leaving her eyes. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. This young man, who had seemed calm and gentle all this time, had managed to fill the entire city with healing light. She was still trying to process it.

  Mirai was still propped against the wall, motionless, breathing quietly. Haru stood up slowly and walked a few steps toward the end of the alley where he could see the main street. He watched the scene in silence.

  The city was burning in several places, smoke rising from destroyed buildings. People were running in all directions, but the screams had quieted slightly after the healing. Monsters were everywhere, their twisted bodies moving with frightening speed, chasing anyone they saw. The knights were fighting now with greater courage and renewed strength, but the numbers were overwhelming. For every knight, there were at least five monsters.

  Haru gripped the handle of his spear until his knuckles turned white. He closed his eyes and remembered. Mirai's voice in the cell, her broken words even as she was delirious, speaking to someone else, but they had reached him.

  *What exactly did you want to prove in your life?*

  *Was your training a lie?*

  He opened his eyes slowly and looked at his spear. Why had he started fighting in the first place? Why did he want to be a hero? He turned toward Saki, whose gaze had shifted from Hikari to him with obvious concern.

  "Saki," he said quietly.

  Saki straightened and took a step closer. "What?"

  He looked at the ground for a long moment before speaking. "My parents... they weren't really there. They existed in the house, but not with me." He paused, taking a deep breath. "They didn't care. They never truly looked at me. I felt like I didn't matter to anyone."

  He raised his head to look at the dark sky. "That's why I wanted to be famous. I wanted people to chant my name. I wanted them to see me. To be someone important, just once in my life."

  Saki remained silent, listening. Her heart tightened.

  Haru continued, his voice quieter now. "I thought glory and victories would fill that void. But..." He turned to her, looking directly into her eyes. "You were there. From the beginning. In every training session, every fight, every moment. You never left me."

  Saki's cheeks flushed suddenly, and she took a step back. "Wh... What are you saying at a time like this?!" she stammered, her voice rising in feigned anger and confusion. "Look around you! The city is burning, people are dying, and you're saying this now?!"

  Haru smiled a small, genuine smile, the first real one since he had entered the dungeon. He looked at her with clear gratitude in his eyes. "In short, what I wanted was with me from the start. Thank you, Saki."

  Before she could reply, Haru bolted toward the street, spear in hand. He burst out of the alley and into the chaos. He saw a family running from two monsters chasing them, a father carrying a small girl, a mother dragging her son behind her. The monsters were closing in fast.

  Haru sprinted at full speed, arriving just in time. He planted himself between the family and the beasts, raising his spear. "Run! Now!" he screamed without looking back.

  He heard their footsteps fading quickly.

  The two monsters stopped before him. Their empty eyes stared at him without emotion. Haru gripped his spear tight. He didn't know how to kill them, didn't know their weakness, but he knew one thing. He could protect them. He could buy them time.

  The two beasts lunged at him together. Haru raised his spear and screamed at the top of his lungs before he attacked.

  (To be continued)