Chapter 33: Into the Abyss
The night sky was thick with smoke as Daijin and his team tore through the ruined city, their breaths ragged, their bodies battered but alive. Yeon's unexpected betrayal had bought them time, but the weight of Tenshi's wrath loomed over them like a storm waiting to strike.
Yeon led the way, her crimson-stained hands gripping the pistol that had just saved their lives. "We need to move—fast," she hissed, glancing over her shoulder. "Tenshi won't stay down for long."
Daijin's mind was a whirlwind. He had fought countless warriors, but Tenshi was something else. That eerie grin, the unshakable confidence—even after being shot, he didn't seem like a man who feared death.
The distant sound of boots pounding against the pavement sent a chill down Daijin's spine.
"They're already tracking us," Haru muttered, his knuckles white around the hilt of his blade.
Akane pressed a hand to her wounded side, her breath shaky but resolute. "Then we make sure they regret following."
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A City That Devours Its Own
The group maneuvered through the crumbling alleys of the old district, the remains of a once-thriving metropolis now reduced to rust and decay. Neon lights flickered weakly, illuminating the graffiti-scrawled walls with messages of lost revolutions.
"This way," Yeon whispered, guiding them into a narrow passage between two derelict buildings. "I know a place we can lay low."
As they pushed through the shadows, Daijin studied Yeon carefully. "Why did you do it?" he finally asked.
Yeon didn't stop moving. "Because I saw something in you that I thought was dead in this world."
Daijin narrowed his eyes. "And what was that?"
"A chance to end this madness," she said, voice softer now. "To stop Tenshi before he turns the entire underworld into his personal slaughterhouse."
Before Daijin could reply, a deep, guttural chuckle echoed through the alley.
The group froze.
From the darkness, a figure emerged—tall, cloaked in shadows, his coat billowing slightly in the wind. A mask covered the lower half of his face, but his eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Running won't save you."
Yeon paled. "No… It's him."
Tenshi's right hand—Renji.
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Blood on the Streets
Renji moved like a phantom, closing the distance between them with unnatural speed. Daijin barely had time to react before a blade was slicing toward his throat.
CLANG!
Daijin blocked just in time, sparks flying as steel met steel. He gritted his teeth as the force of the strike pushed him back.
"You're fast," Renji mused, adjusting his grip. "But not fast enough."
In a blur, he struck again.
Akane intercepted, her own sword clashing against his. The alley became a battleground, the confined space forcing them into brutal, close-quarters combat.
Renji fought like a predator—silent, precise, his every move calculated to kill.
Daijin ducked under a swing and countered, his blade carving a shallow cut across Renji's arm.
But Renji just laughed.
"You think this is enough?" His voice was almost disappointed.
Then, with terrifying speed, he twisted his body and drove his elbow into Akane's ribs.
CRACK.
She let out a strangled gasp, staggering back as pain surged through her.
Haru lunged at Renji from behind, but the assassin sidestepped effortlessly, slamming a dagger into Haru's shoulder.
Blood sprayed against the alley walls.
The fight was spiraling out of control.
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A Desperate Gamble
Yeon knew they couldn't win—not like this.
"Tenshi is coming," she shouted. "We need to leave, now!"
Daijin cursed under his breath. He hated retreating. But if they stayed, they wouldn't make it out alive.
"Cover me!" he commanded.
Akane, despite her injuries, mustered enough strength to launch a desperate strike at Renji, forcing him to block. Haru, clutching his bleeding shoulder, hurled a smoke bomb to the ground.
The alley filled with thick, choking fog.
"Go!"
They ran.
Through the haze, through the ruins, through the shadows of a city that refused to let them go.
But as they disappeared into the night, one thing was certain—
Tenshi would not stop hunting them.
And next time, there would be no escape.
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