章節 8: The Demon Within
Jin's eyes widened with fury, disbelief tearing at his heart. Ryker—swallowed in an instant. Gone. Rage roared through him, and he launched forward, a deadly determination blazing in his eyes as he charged directly at Valkris, his blade flashing as he moved.
Valkris observed Jin's approach with a calm, cold expression, his hand lifting as he invoked a technique known as Creation. Six arrows materialized behind him, each one sharp, dark, and pulsing with energy. They hovered for a heartbeat before streaking through the air, aimed precisely at the oncoming Jin.
The first arrow whizzed past Jin, cutting through the air with a sharp whoosh. He twisted his body to avoid the second, feeling its wind graze his shoulder as he dodged. The third arrow closed in fast, but he swung his blade in a sharp arc, the metal ringing as it deflected the arrow off course.
The fourth arrow was about to hit him squarely when Rex's cube shot out of nowhere, intercepting it mid-air with a loud crash, fragments scattering from the collision.
Jin's gaze never wavered as the fifth and sixth arrows came hurtling toward him. Without a moment's hesitation, he reached out with The Order, his eyes flashing with command. Two fallen agents' bodies jerked under his control, and Jin maneuvered them into the path of the oncoming arrows. The arrows pierced the agents with a sickening thud, and a moment later, they exploded in a fiery blast, a brief wave of heat and smoke billowing outward.
Using the explosion as cover, Jin leapt through the cloud of smoke, his figure shrouded in shadows as he launched himself toward Valkris. Dark tendrils of smoke began to emit from his body, swirling around him in thickening plumes, forming an ominous aura as he closed the distance.
Valkris's calm mask faltered for a split second, a flicker of wariness crossing his face as the dark energy began to interfere, blurring his perception and jamming his senses. Jin's power was overwhelming, the dark smoke twisting around Valkris like an inescapable shadow.
The two clashed mid-air, their force reverberating in a deep, resonant boom as they connected. Valkris's balance faltered as the dark smoke pressed in on him, its suffocating energy growing stronger, weighing down his movements.
Gravity took hold, and the two began to free fall, plummeting from the sky toward the earth below. The wind roared around them as they descended, their figures locked together in a spiraling dive, neither one giving ground. Jin's eyes were ablaze with fury, dark smoke radiating from his body, intensifying with every second as they hurtled toward the ground.
The battlefield below grew closer, the impact drawing near as both Jin and Valkris prepared for the inevitable crash.
As they hurtled closer to the ground, Jin's rage intensified, dark tendrils of energy swirling around his right arm. With a furious shout, he freed Valkris from his grip, channeling the dark energy into a devastating punch. His fist connected with Valkris's chest, the impact sending Valkris rocketing toward the earth. Valkris's body hit the ground with a bone-crunching crash, the earth itself shattering and cracking outward, a crater forming beneath him from the sheer force.
Valkris's eyes opened, dazed for only a split second before he focused. But Jin was already upon him, descending with another punch primed, dark energy blazing around his fist. Valkris's instincts took over, his body floating just in time as he dodged, dashing backward. Jin's fist collided with the ground, the impact sending a massive shockwave across the battlefield, splitting the earth in every direction as rocks and dust exploded outward.
Jin's hand remained buried in the fractured ground, his strength so immense it had wedged him deep into the earth. Slowly, his eyes began to shift, the whites darkening to an unsettling, complete black as dark smoke seeped from his form, a shadowy aura radiating with increasing intensity.
Valkris smirked, raising his hand, and from beneath Jin's feet, wooden tendrils burst forth, twisting and writhing like living vines. They surged up around Jin, their sharp points piercing through his body, coiling tightly as they trapped him in place. Each branch dug deeper, binding him in place, while the dark smoke continued to seep out, clashing against the wood's containment.
Across the battlefield, Rex saw Jin's struggle and sprang into action, hurtling toward him. But before he could reach Jin, a shadow loomed in his path—Nightshade, wielding Kurokage with deadly intent.
"Going somewhere?" Nightshade's voice dripped with menace, his sword glinting as he swung it in a deadly arc. Rex quickly brought up his cube, blocking the blade with a sharp clash that reverberated across the field.
The two launched into a fierce exchange, Nightshade's sword clashing against Rex's cubes with explosive intensity. Sparks flew with each collision, the air filled with the roar of their combined powers. Rex's cubes spiraled around him, exploding on contact with Nightshade's attacks, each blast sending shockwaves across the ground. Nightshade countered with swift, precise strikes, Kurokage's dark energy slicing through the air as it clashed with Rex's barrier.
Meanwhile, Jin's body continued to emit dark smoke, the intensity of his power building as he struggled against the wooden tendrils. The wood strained, cracking slightly as the black smoke intensified, pushing back against Valkris's attempt to contain him.
In the chaos of the battlefield, Jin's transformation continued, his entire aura growing darker, more volatile. His blackened eyes flashed with raw power, the smoke thickening as he prepared to break free, his every move promising destruction.
In a split second, everything around Jin faded to black. He was no longer on the battlefield but in the depths of his own subconscious, an empty, dark space that stretched endlessly. The silence was deafening until a deep, malevolent voice echoed from the darkness, filled with a chilling authority.
"You're too weak to be my host,"
the voice sneered, a figure emerging from the shadows—a demonic, monstrous being with an aura that reeked of ancient, unfathomable power. Its eyes gleamed with a twisted amusement as it observed Jin.
"Hmm… what a shame,"
it continued.
"Boy, let me in. Say these words."
The demon uttered a series of ancient words, their meaning hidden in a language long forgotten, yet their weight resonated in Jin's bones. Without hesitation, Jin repeated them, his voice barely a whisper, but the words echoed as though carved into reality itself.
In an instant, Jin was thrust back to the battlefield, but something had changed. The dark smoke around him stopped abruptly, swirling inward before igniting. His body erupted into a burning mass of black flames, an infernal transformation that made the very air around him shimmer with heat. The wooden tendrils binding him shattered, disintegrated by a massive shockwave that radiated from his form, splintering the ground beneath him.
Jin's eyes, now replaced by pure black voids, gazed out with a sinister gleam. His body moved with a new, terrifying grace, and his voice was no longer his own—it was deeper, laced with ancient malice.
"Finally,"
he muttered, stretching his limbs as if savoring the feeling of a physical form.
"Able to see the world once again… to be in a living body."
He cracked his knuckles, each movement effortless and deliberate. His gaze locked onto Valkris, a smirk spreading across his flaming face.
"You disturbed my sleep… woke me up. For that, I'm grateful. But I'm also… hungry for battle,"
he said, his voice a low, taunting growl.
In an instant, Jin's form vanished—no sound, no indication of movement, as though he'd shifted beyond the very fabric of time. Suddenly, he was beside Valkris, his hand gripping Valkris's head with an iron force. With a brutal twist, he spun Valkris around, hurling him straight into a massive rock with a thunderous crash.
The rock shattered upon impact, chunks of stone flying in every direction, and before Valkris could even register the pain, Jin appeared before him once again, this time pressing a foot down hard on Valkris's chest, pinning him in place. Valkris coughed violently, blood spurting from his mouth as he struggled beneath the demonic force.
Jin—or rather, the creature within him—looked down, a wicked grin on his face as he tightened his hold.
"Let's see if you're strong enough to entertain me,"
he said, his voice thick with malice as he pressed down, savoring every moment of Valkris's helpless struggle.
As Jin's body burned with black flames, Valkris's own power began to surge, cracks of lightning pulsing through his form, each jolt intensifying until his entire body sparked and crackled with raw, electric energy. The creature within Jin tilted its head, a twisted grin spreading across its face as it observed Valkris's transformation.
"Ah, you do have some fight in you,"
it murmured with mocking amusement, leaping back gracefully to give Valkris space.
"Show me what you've got Boy,"
it challenged, its voice laced with an almost gleeful anticipation.
Valkris steadied himself, his eyes alight with fury as he summoned his control over nature. The ground rumbled as colossal roots tore up from the earth behind him, thick as ancient tree trunks, reaching skyward before they hurtled toward Jin with deadly force.
The creature within Jin watched the advancing roots, a look of unimpressed disdain crossing its face.
"You're really trying, aren't you?"
it sneered, a dark chuckle escaping its lips. "Too bad you're up against someone who does it better."
It raised its hand, and with an icy calm, it invoked The Order.
"Be gone,"
it commanded, its voice echoing with an unnatural authority.
Instantly, a powerful blast rippled outward, the sheer force erasing the roots from existence in an explosion of splinters and dust. The impact of the creature's command left nothing behind, a void where Valkris's attack had once been, and the ground bore deep scorch marks from the erasure.
Valkris narrowed his eyes, rage fueling him as he dashed toward Jin at blinding speed. But the creature within Jin watched his approach with an unsettling calm, murmuring almost to itself,
"This might be the perfect moment to test something I've wanted to try… before I was sealed away."
With a chilling precision, the creature lifted two fingers, pointing them at the oncoming Valkris like a sniper taking aim.
"Baam,"
it whispered coldly.
A flash of dark energy surged from its fingertips, and Valkris's momentum broke as he stumbled forward, his face twisting in shock as he looked down to see his foot had vanished. He collapsed to the ground with a thud, blood seeping from the severed limb. The creature frowned, a glimmer of annoyance flickering in its eyes.
"Hmm, I missed. That's not quite what I wanted to test,"
it murmured, its tone casual but laced with impatience, as if Valkris were merely an experiment gone wrong.
Nearby, Rex lay on the ground, unconscious from his battle with Nightshade, but his eyes fluttered open just in time to see the horrifying display unfolding before him. Nightshade, realizing Valkris's vulnerability, leapt forward, his expression fierce as he swung Kurokage at Jin's possessed form.
The blade struck the creature's hand with a resounding clang. The creature's eyes turned to Nightshade with a mix of curiosity and disdain, observing the sword with a sinister smirk.
"Kurokage…"
it mused, its voice low and taunting.
"I thought it was lost. So, you're the little thief who took it."
Without a second glance, the creature repeated,
"Be gone."
An invisible force struck Nightshade, blasting him backward through the air like a ragdoll. He collided with the ground several feet away, his body hitting with a heavy, sickening thud.
The creature didn't spare him another glance. It turned its attention back to Valkris, who lay writhing on the ground, weakened and helpless. Slowly, with cold, measured steps, it approached him, the air around it thick with malice. The black flames flickered more fiercely as it moved, each step echoing with the promise of destruction.
Valkris, lying in the dirt, his face twisted in pain, reached into his pocket, his fingers closing around a glass vial marked with the emblem of the Foundation. Without a moment's hesitation, he plunged the needle into his arm, injecting the serum. His body convulsed, muscles straining as a violent transformation took hold. His severed leg regrew, thicker and stronger, while his entire frame expanded, his limbs lengthening and his head swelling to a grotesque size. Flesh and bone stretched and morphed, leaving him towering like a giant above the battlefield.
The creature within Jin observed this with an amused, almost lazy grin, its eyes glinting with cruel mirth.
"Oh, look at you," it sneered, a cold chuckle escaping its lips.
"Big boy now, aren't we?"
It tilted its head mockingly.
"Do you think a few extra inches will make a difference? I hope you've got more than that, or I'll be disappointed."
Valkris roared, the sound echoing across the battlefield as he swung his massive palm down toward Jin with crushing force. But as his hand hit the ground, Jin had already vanished, leaving only a faint trail of dark smoke where he had stood. The creature reappeared on a nearby rock, standing with an infuriating calm as it watched Valkris with piercing, mocking eyes.
"Try a little harder,"
the creature called, a wicked smirk tugging at its lips. "If you don't start taking this seriously, I might kill you out of sheer boredom."
Valkris's eyes burned with fury as he raised his giant frame and leapt into the air, his massive form defying gravity as he aimed a crushing blow at Jin. But once again, Jin moved with supernatural speed, vanishing at the last second and reappearing just out of reach, watching with an almost theatrical surprise.
"Well, I'll give you credit,"
it mused, placing a finger to its chin as if deep in thought.
"I didn't think you could get that big body off the ground. Impressive. Useless, but impressive."
It paused, as if a thought had suddenly come to mind.
"Ah, yes... that reminds me. There's something l've want-d to try..."
With a calm, deliberate motion, the creature raised one hand, pointing it upward as a dark aura began to gather around its fingers, twisting and colling like a storm waiting to be unleashed. In an instant, it thrust its hand forward, appearing mid-air directly in front of Valkris, its hand pressed against Valkris's massive chest.
"Oh... I almost forgot the name,"
it said with a sinister smile, its voice cold and mocking.
"But it's coming back to me now."
It paused, savoring the moment, then murmured with chilling clarity,
"Netherstorm."
A torrent of dark energy erupted from its hand, spiraling out into a chaotic storm of shadows and decay. The energy spread across Valkris's body like wildfire, corroding everything it touched, leaving blackened, decayed flesh in its wake. His skin shriveled, his muscles withered, and the very life force within him seemed to drain away, consumed by the ravenous entropy of the storm.
Valkris's giant form convulsed as the Netherstorm spread, his towering strength reduced to nothing as his body decayed from within. The creature within Jin watched with cold satisfaction as Valkris's strength ebbed, his towering form collapsing, reduced to a lifeless, decayed shell beneath the merciless power of the storm.
As the creature within Jin finished with Valkris, reducing him to a withered, decayed shell, it sensed a new presence—a potent aura that flickered in the distance. Turning, it spotted Jon, standing calmly and watching with a steady, assessing gaze. A twisted smile spread across the creature's face, its eyes gleaming with an eagerness that bordered on madness.
"Well, well,"
it murmured, its voice dripping with delight.
"Finally, someone with enough power to keep things interesting."
In an instant, it closed the distance, moving with a speed beyond mortal sight. In a flash, it appeared before Jon, its hand reaching out to seize Jon's head in an iron grip. But Jon was ready. With a quick, precise motion, he spun his compass, the artifact glowing brightly as he channeled his magic. Reality itself seemed to ripple as the compass's power took hold, reversing the creature's manifestation and forcing it back into Jin's subconscious.
With a final flicker of dark smoke, Jin's form stilled, the black flames extinguished. His body was whole, healed from all injuries, yet his eyes remained dark, and he stood frozen, as if caught between worlds. Jon breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that he had arrived in time.
"Thank the heavens… he didn't enter Stage 1,"
Jon murmured, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow as he examined Jin's state.
"This is only the primary stage of his manifestation. Even the aura alone caused such devastation."
He glanced at Valkris's lifeless form, a grim expression settling on his face.
"Valkris… a top agent from the New World. And yet…"
He shook his head, realizing the urgency of the situation. Gently, he lifted Jin onto his shoulder, supporting the weight of his young but powerful ally. Turning, he bent down and picked up Rex, who was unconscious from his battle with Nightshade. As Jon moved, he failed to notice Nightshade slipping away, using the chaos as cover to disappear into the shadows without a trace.
At the new safe house
Jon arrived at the secluded safe house, where Amy and Aria were waiting. They looked up, their faces tense with concern as Jon entered, carrying Jin and Rex.
"Get ready,"
Jon instructed, setting the two down gently. "Start treatment on both of them "
Amy quickly moved to gather her healing supplies, her face set with focus, while Aria knelt by Rex's side, checking his pulse and wounds. Jon took a breath, his gaze distant, as he thought of Ryker.
"I couldn't find him," he said quietly. "No sign, no trace of his body. I… I was too late."
Amy's expression fell, a shadow of grief crossing her face. Aria looked away, her hand clenched in frustration as the weight of the day's losses settled on them. Jon closed his eyes, silently promising himself that this was far from over.
創作者的想法 
SosuDe
SosuDe Dear Readers,
First if you’ve read up to this point I want to say a very big thank you to you for your support. please keep going and make me know what you think of every chapter be it in the comments or whatever. thank you so much .
In this chapter, Jin confronts not only powerful foes but the darker parts of himself, revealing just how far he’ll go when pushed to his limits. It’s a moment of raw power and resilience, where allies, even in silence, remind him of what’s worth fighting for. I hope you feel every pulse of intensity—and the loyalty that binds this team together.
Warmly,
SosuDe
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票