Chapter 16 : Cursed allegiance

 The Shadows Stir

The cold night pressed against the city like a predator watching its prey. In the Syndicate’s underground chambers, the air remained heavy from Renzo’s outburst—but the weight of the revelation about Mikuya lingered even longer.

Kurogami stood at the head of the chamber now, his presence casting an oppressive shadow over the council. His blood-red eyes gleamed with unreadable intent as he absorbed every detail about his new target.

Renzo leaned against the cracked council table, his knuckles still tense from the earlier confrontation. “You have everything you need?” he asked, voice low and cold.

Kurogami didn’t turn to face him. “The girl. Her power. Her connection to Saito.” He paused, voice as smooth as a blade. “It doesn’t matter.”

Lady Hisoka’s silver eyes narrowed with interest. “And if she’s stronger than you expect?”

A faint, cruel smile touched Kurogami’s lips. “Then she dies slower.”

Renzo chuckled darkly, but Kaito’s gaze remained thoughtful—his fingers drumming softly on the table. “She’s not the only problem,” Kaito murmured. “Her… ally. Sora. He was once one of us. He knows our systems. Our secrets. He won’t just sit quietly while you hunt her.”

Kurogami tilted his head slightly, amused. “I will deal with him too.”

Takahiro, always calculating, broke his silence. “What if they’re prepared for you?”

At that, Kurogami finally turned. His red gaze swept across the room, sending a chill through even the most hardened leaders. “They won’t be.”

Without another word, he swept out of the chamber—shadows curling around his figure as he vanished into the darkness.

 The Assassins’ Orders

Later that night, in a secluded chamber hidden deep within the Syndicate's heart, Kurogami stood before three masked figures. The Specters—silent, deadly, and without mercy. Their reputation preceded them.

Kurogami’s voice was cold, deliberate, as he addressed them.

“The girl. Mikuya. She’s the key to everything. Her abilities could bring us victory, but only if she is under our control—or eliminated.” His red eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, his every word dripping with authority.

He paused, taking a slow breath before continuing. “Find her. Find Sora. Kill them both.”

The three Specters nodded in unison, their black masks obscuring any trace of emotion.

“And be quick about it,” Kurogami added, his tone sharpening. “I don’t want to waste time. If they resist, make sure they know it’s the last thing they’ll ever do.”

With a final gesture, Kurogami turned, his cloak flowing behind him like ink in the wind. “Go.”

The assassins silently melted into the shadows, already planning their next move.

 Mikuya’s Distrust

Far from the Syndicate’s watchful eye, Mikuya and Sora huddled inside a crumbling warehouse at the city’s edge. The faint flicker of a lamp cast jagged shadows along the walls.

Sora rolled out a rough map across the dusty table, pointing to a marked Syndicate supply route. “If we hit their energy reserves here, we can cripple their surveillance. It buys us time.”

Mikuya didn’t respond immediately. Her arms were crossed tightly against her chest, her face locked in a hard, distant expression.

Sora sighed, brushing a hand through his tousled hair. “Are you even listening, Mikuya?”

“I heard you,” she snapped, her tone sharp. But there was an edge of hesitation beneath her anger. “I’m not blind, Sora. I just don’t trust you.”

Sora let out a dry laugh. “You’ve made that clear.”

Silence hung thick between them. Mikuya’s fingers drummed against the edge of the table, her mind racing.

“You left them,” she finally said, her voice quieter. “But you were one of them once. How do I know you’re not leading me straight into a trap?”

Sora’s easy smile faded. For a moment, something unreadable flickered in his gaze. “I left because I knew what they were doing was wrong. And I’m still here—fighting by your side.”

Mikuya stepped closer, her piercing gaze searching his face. “And what happens when things get worse?”

“I stay.” His voice was steady. “No matter how bad it gets.”

Her heart clenched, but she forced herself not to soften. Trusting him would be a mistake.

“And if you’re lying?” she asked, her voice colder now.

Sora tilted his head, that familiar playful smirk tugging at his lips. “Then you kill me.”

The Specters Strike

A cold wind blew through a shattered window as the city’s distant hum echoed outside. Mikuya turned back to the map, her focus narrowing to the marked strike point.

“We move at dawn,” she said, her voice steady.

But dawn never came.

CRACK!

Glass exploded inward—shards slicing through the air like knives. Three figures in black masks dropped silently from the rafters, their movements as smooth as shadows.

Mikuya spun, her instincts flaring. Too late.

The first assassin lunged, blades glinting under the dim light. She barely dodged, her breath hitching as steel grazed her cheek.

The first assassin lunged at Mikuya, her cold steel blades aimed directly for her heart. Mikuya’s reflexes kicked in. She ducked, her body twisting beneath the deadly strike as she countered with a swift kick to the assassin's chest, sending her crashing into the concrete wall. The air was thick with tension, the sound of metal clashing against metal as the second assassin dropped from above, swinging dual daggers.

Sora acted almost instinctively, moving with a speed that was unnerving. His own blade clashed against the assassin’s, sparks flying from the contact as they danced around each other in the tight space. The third Specter moved in the shadows, waiting for an opening.

Mikuya barely had time to breathe before another assassin was on her, a cruel sneer behind the black mask. She side-stepped the incoming strike, using the assassin’s momentum against her. A sharp, twisting movement from Mikuya's elbow caught her opponent off-guard, knocking the weapon from her hand.

Sora, however, was facing a more dangerous adversary. The assassin he was fighting was quicker, using high-level techniques that pushed him to his limits. His hands trembled slightly, his control wavering as the curse energy began to surge, but he was determined. Every movement he made was precise, calculated, as he held his own against the Specter.

The fight raged on, the warehouse becoming a battleground littered with broken glass and debris. Mikuya was a whirlwind of precise strikes and calculated movements, her fury evident with every blow she landed. Yet, despite her strength, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something far greater was at play.

As the final Specter closed in on her from behind, Sora’s voice broke through the chaos.

“Mikuya, duck!”

The warning came just in time. Mikuya dropped to the floor, narrowly avoiding a strike that would have ended her. Sora swung his blade in a vicious arc, cutting through the air and forcing the Specter back. His movements were faster now, fueled by the cursed energy that pulsed through his body like wildfire.

He stepped forward, each strike more aggressive, his control slipping as the energy within him grew. The Specter hesitated, sensing that Sora was no longer the same man they once knew. He was more than human now. 

The Origin Revealed

Breathing heavily, Sora stood over the fallen bodies of the Specters. Mikuya wiped the blood from her lip, her chest heaving with each breath. The battle had been intense, but they had won. She glanced at Sora, noticing the way his hand still trembled, the shadows around his fingers dancing in the dim light.

Mikuya's eyes narrowed. "That power," she said, her voice steady but laced with concern. "What is it, Sora? What did you use?"

Sora leaned against a broken beam, his face weary but resolute. His voice was quieter now, his playful attitude replaced by a somber tone.

"That power isn’t mine… not entirely. It’s cursed energy," he started, his gaze distant. "A forbidden form of power, hidden from the world because of how dangerous it is. It’s not just strength—it’s corruption. It feeds on emotion, on pain, on suffering. The more you use it, the more it consumes you."

Mikuya took a step forward, her skepticism evident. “Cursed energy? Why would you even—?”

"Because I had no choice," Sora interrupted, his eyes burning with an unspoken anger. "You don’t understand. We were all trained to use it back in the Syndicate... but they didn’t teach us the cost. The cost of giving in to it. It’s an ancient power—one that comes from the darkest corners of this world. Some of us were born with it, others… we were forced to learn it."

He took a deep breath, steadying himself before meeting her gaze.

“The Syndicate hid it from everyone, even the high-ranking soldiers. We were told never to use it because there was no enemy strong enough. But I learned how to harness it when things started to fall apart. When they started coming for me.” His eyes hardened. “I couldn’t let them take me down, Mikuya. Not when I still had a chance.”

Mikuya's expression softened slightly, but the doubt still lingered. "And now you’re using it again. Are you willing to destroy yourself for power, Sora?"

Sora's voice was a whisper, but it carried the weight of his burden. "I’m not destroying myself. I’m fighting back. I’m doing what’s necessary to keep us alive." He paused, a shadow crossing his face. "But every time I use it, I feel a part of me slipping away. It’s corrupting me. And I hate it."

Mikuya’s eyes widened. "That’s why you’re so cold. You’re already feeling the pull of the curse."

Sora nodded grimly, his gaze hardening as he glanced at the corpses of the Specters. "The Syndicate knows what this power can do. And if they ever learn to control it... nothing will be able to stop them."

Mikuya’s mind raced as the weight of his words settled in. She knew they had no choice but to fight on, but now she realized the true danger they were up against wasn’t just the Syndicate—it was the power that was slowly consuming Sora.

"And what about me?" she asked quietly, her voice almost a whisper.

Sora looked at her, his expression torn. "You’re stronger than you know, Mikuya. But there’s nothing you can do about this curse. It’s not something you can fight with just strength. If we’re going to survive, we’ll need to destroy the Syndicate—and this power—together.”

The air around them grew heavier, the shadows stretching long and ominous. The battle wasn’t over, and the real war was just beginning.