Let's Escape (Last Part)

Cain barely ducked as his double's fist shattered the ground where he had been standing. Dust and debris flew into the air, but there was no time to recover. The other him was already moving, a relentless force, his blows fluid, calculated, and without hesitation.

Cain threw a punch, aiming for his double's ribs—but it was caught.

With unnatural ease, the doppelgänger twisted Cain's arm and drove a knee into his stomach. The impact stole his breath, sending him staggering backward.

Joker let out a low whistle. "Ohhh, that looked like it hurt."

Cain coughed, spitting blood onto the ground. His double stood tall, hands relaxed, unbothered.

Chun took a step forward. "Cain—"

"Stay back!" he barked. His gaze never left his opponent. This is my fight.

The double smirked. "You hesitate."

Cain exhaled sharply, straightening his stance. "No."

"You do," his double corrected, walking forward. "You think too much, you hold back, you refuse to unleash your true strength." His eyes gleamed. "And that's why you'll lose."

Cain barely had time to brace before his double vanished.

Then—pain.

A fist slammed into his ribs, sending him crashing through the walls of the ruined cityscape. Stone and metal crumbled around him as he tumbled, skidding to a stop on one knee.

His muscles screamed. His chest burned.

But his double—was already there.

Cain lifted his arms just in time as a monstrous punch came down, blocking it with every ounce of strength he had. The force cracked the ground beneath them, sending shockwaves in every direction.

Cain gritted his teeth, veins bulging as he pushed back.

His double grinned. "Strong… but still not enough."

Then—he activated Strength.

A burst of golden energy exploded from the double's body, raw and overwhelming. Cain had seconds to react before a knee drove into his ribs, then an uppercut to his jaw, then a crushing elbow to his spine.

Cain hit the ground, coughing violently.

The Strength card. His own tarot power.

And his double had mastered it.

Chun clenched her fists. "He's toying with him…"

Joker sighed dramatically. "That's because it's not a fair fight. This Cain? He's what the real Cain could be. He's faster. Smarter. Stronger. And, best of all—"

The double reached down, gripping Cain by the collar, lifting him effortlessly.

He leaned in, voice low, deadly.

"I don't fear my own power."

Then, he hurled Cain across the battlefield.

Cain crashed into the remains of a building, rubble collapsing over him.

Silence.

Chun felt her heart hammer in her chest. "Cain!"

Nothing.

Then—

The rubble shifted.

A deep, rumbling breath.

Cain rose, bloodied, battered—but standing.

He wiped the blood from his lip.

Then, he cracked his knuckles.

And he smirked.

"You think I fear my strength?" Cain's voice was low, dangerous. "You're wrong."

He clenched his fist. The Strength card in his hand burned bright.

His aura ignited.

The ground beneath him cracked as his power surged—raw, untamed.

Joker's grin faltered.

"Oh… this just got interesting."

Cain vanished.

And this time—he was faster.

As Cain squared his stance, the oppressive darkness around him pulsed like a living thing. The shadows stretched and twisted, forming grotesque shapes—faceless figures with clawed hands, reaching out but never quite touching. Whispers slithered through the air, their voices crawling into his mind like parasites.

His double stood before him, an exact replica but sharper, stronger—its presence weighed on him like an unseen force. It flexed its arms, veins bulging with unnatural energy, eyes burning with golden light. The embodiment of his Strength, but stripped of humanity, reduced to raw, merciless power.

Joker clapped his hands, laughing. "Ah, the grand struggle of self! Cain versus the beast within! Oh, how I love this game!"

Cain rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck. "I don't have time for this." He shot forward, fist cocked back, ready to test this thing's durability—only for his double to meet him halfway, their fists colliding in an earth-shaking impact.

The force of the clash sent shockwaves rippling through the shadowed void, the ground beneath them fracturing into floating shards of black rock. Cain gritted his teeth, pushing, but his double pushed back harder. His boots scraped against the shifting terrain as he was forced backward.

"Damn." His double was faster.

It moved without hesitation, without restraint—no wasted motion, no doubts. Cain barely dodged the next strike, ducking as a fist whistled past his ear, splintering the air itself. Before he could counter, a knee slammed into his gut, launching him backward into a wall of writhing darkness.

His breath hitched. That hurt.

His double didn't relent. It lunged, closing the distance instantly, raining down a brutal combination of strikes. Cain barely blocked in time, his arms going numb from the impact.

His own power was overwhelming him.

"What's wrong?" the double taunted, its voice layered with echoes. "You call yourself strong, but you hold back. You fear losing control."

Cain clenched his jaw. The words hit too close.

Joker cackled, spinning in place. "Ooooh, this is getting interesting! Should I place my bets now?"

Cain ignored him, focusing. His double was right—he was holding back. He had always fought with restraint, afraid of crossing a line. But in this place, against this opponent, hesitation would get him killed.

He exhaled sharply.

No more.

Cain's aura flared, golden energy crackling around him. The shadows recoiled at his presence, their whispers turning into pained shrieks. His Strength was more than raw power. It was will.

His double lunged, but this time—Cain didn't move.

He stood his ground.

The fist connected.

Cain caught it.

The air shattered.

For the first time, his double's expression changed—just a flicker of surprise before Cain crushed its hand in his grip, muscles coiling like steel cables.

"You're right," Cain said, his voice low and unwavering. "This is fun."

With a violent twist, he yanked the shadowy version of himself forward and drove his knee into its gut. A shockwave burst from the impact, sending cracks splintering through the ground beneath them. The double coughed—its form flickering, distorting as if struggling to hold itself together.

But Cain wasn't done. Not yet.

He tightened his grip on its wrist and spun, hurling it across the void like a ragdoll. The creature crashed into the unseen walls of their twisted battlefield, but before it could recover, Cain was already on it. He leaped, his fist glowing with the full power of the Strength tarot.

The punch connected with its chest, and the force was devastating. The entire space trembled as the double's form shattered apart, fragments of darkness scattering like broken glass.

Cain landed smoothly, rolling his shoulders as the remaining wisps of the creature dissipated into the void. He exhaled, shaking out his hand. "Hmph. Not bad. But next time, don't make me waste my energy on myself."

A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the emptiness.

Cain didn't even need to turn around. He already knew who it was.

"Magnificent!" Joker's voice rang out, dripping with amusement. "Truly, that was a battle worthy of your namesake, Cain!"

Cain finally looked over his shoulder, finding Joker perched atop an invisible platform, legs crossed as he twirled a single card between his fingers. The eerie grin never left his face.

Cain scowled. "What, you want a round two?"

Joker chuckled, hopping down with unnatural grace. "Oh no, no, no. You've already proven your strength." He gestured at the fading remnants of Cain's double. "And I must say, you put on quite the show."

Cain's eyes narrowed. "Get to the point."

Joker's smile widened. "Gladly." He flourished his hand, and suddenly, multiple tarot cards floated around him, spinning lazily in the air. "You see, Cain, I find strength fascinating. It can manifest in so many ways—raw power, unwavering will, the ability to protect…" His grin sharpened. "But I wonder… how much of that strength is truly yours?"

Cain tensed. He didn't like where this was going.

Joker snapped his fingers.

The space around them shifted. The darkness peeled away like a curtain, revealing—

Cain's breath hitched.

There they were. His old comrades. The ones he had failed.

They stood before him, their eyes hollow, their bodies battered, just as he remembered them in their final moments.

Joker leaned in, his voice a whisper at Cain's ear. "Let's see if your strength can carry their weight."

And then—

They attacked.

Just as the hollow-eyed figures lunged at Cain, the world around him shattered.

The shadows that had swallowed them whole cracked and dissolved, peeling away like burned paper caught in the wind. The oppressive weight of the void lifted, and suddenly—Cain felt the ground beneath his feet again. Solid ground.

A hand reached out to him.

Cain's sharp gaze flicked up, his muscles still tensed for battle, only to find Ryuta standing over him, his expression unreadable.

"Need a hand?" Ryuta asked, his tone casual, but there was a knowing look in his eyes.

Cain hesitated for a fraction of a second, then clicked his tongue. "Tch. I had it handled." But despite his words, he grasped Ryuta's forearm, pulling himself up. His body still burned from the fight, but he wouldn't show it.

Nearby, Chun and Zhang were also being helped to their feet by the others—Alexia, Roy, Merlin, Parker, and Zhen. They looked disoriented but unharmed. Zhang was breathing heavily, his fists clenched, while Chun still had a wary look in her eyes as she scanned their surroundings.

The shadow realm was gone. In its place was a ruined landscape—fractured stone, dim unnatural light, and the eerie remnants of whatever magic had constructed that nightmare world.

But one thing hadn't changed.

Joker was still there.

He stood a short distance away, watching them with a wide grin, arms spread as if welcoming them back to reality.

"Well, well, well," Joker chuckled. "What a touching reunion. Almost makes me emotional." He wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "But I must admit… that wasn't how I expected things to go."

Cain flexed his fingers, rolling his shoulders. "Yeah? Too bad for you."

Joker smirked, unfazed. "Oh, not at all. This just makes things so much more interesting." His gaze flicked to Ryuta. "After all, our real game hasn't even started yet."

Ryuta met his eyes, his expression cold. "Then let's end it before it does."

Joker let out a dramatic laugh, spinning on his heels. "Oh, Ryuta, always so direct! But you see…" His form shimmered, the edges of his body flickering like a mirage. "That choice isn't yours to make."

Before anyone could react, the air around Joker rippled—and in the next instant, he vanished.

A silence settled over the group.

Cain exhaled sharply. "Tch. Coward."

Alexia narrowed her eyes at where Joker had stood. "No. He's just waiting for the right moment to strike again."

Roy crossed his arms. "Then we should be ready."

Ryuta turned to Cain, Chun, and Zhang. "Are you both alright?"

Chun nodded, though she still seemed tense. "Yeah… I think so." Zhang, however, remained quiet, his gaze lowered.

Cain sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't need babysitting, if that's what you're asking." But despite his words, he knew that—whether he liked it or not—he was now part of this group.

Ryuta didn't push the topic. Instead, he turned to the others. "Then let's move. Joker won't stay gone for long."

With that, the group gathered themselves and pressed forward—leaving the shattered remains of the shadow world behind.

But deep in the distance, hidden beyond their sight, Joker watched. And he was still smiling.