Chapter 29 Bloody Halloween XVI
Kai tore down the middle of the empty quiet street his feet barely touching the ground the air rushed past him.
His hearts pounding like war drums, the seal clutched tightly in his grip. The initial pain he felt from his injuries seemed to have disappeared.
Ryder propelled himself through the streets chasing after Kai, Kagetsu, Damien, Dax and Freya were all behind him using their unique abilities to move forward.
Kai's head snapped backwards as he ran his gaze locking on Ryder, he faced front his speed dramatically increasing with each step, his legs fazing into a blur of motion as he moved.
"What's up with this guy's speed" Ryder muttered.
He clenched his palm tightly, and the flames on his arm flared inward, condensing into a searing core of heat. The scattered embers coalesced, their intensity surging as the fire grew denser, burning white-hot. With a sudden burst, the concentrated blaze roared to life, channeling its energy into a powerful thrust, propelling him forward like a blazing comet down the street.
Kai's gaze snapped backward again as he felt the blistering heat of Ryder's flames. The air shimmered around him, distorted by the rising inferno. Ryder wasn't just running—he was propelling himself forward with bursts of fire, each explosion beneath his feet launching him faster. His legs pounded against the road with relentless force, closing the gap in mere seconds.
Desperation surged through Kai. At the last moment, he swerved sharply into another street, his body nearly toppling as he struggled to keep balance through the sudden turn. His breath came in ragged gasps, but he couldn't afford to slow downnot with Ryder blazing toward him like a human comet.
Ryder's feet dug into the ground his body skidding to a stop, his anger flared all the more.
"Can't keep up with a crappy kid" Kagetsu called out as he zoomed past into the next street navigating his entire movement with black smoke from his legs.
The other members of the Alpha Squad cut and turned through different routes in order to reach Kai first.
****
Aiden sprinted through the dark streets, his breath coming in quick, controlled bursts. His sights were locked on one destination—the Crimson Vanguard gate.
But as expected, Kai wasn't there.
He dropped into a deep squat, muscles coiling like a spring. His gaze sharpened.
Boom!
He exploded into the air, the sheer force of his jump shattering the ground beneath him. The wind roared past his ears as he soared high above the cityscape.
From his vantage point, he scanned the streets below. His heart clenched.
He saw them, his classmates—splitting into different routes, moving fast, their paths converging on a single point.
And among them—Kagetsu.
They were all after Kai.
With a single glance, Aiden understood everything.
Flipping mid-air, he twisted his body upside down, positioning himself for another launch—this time, to intercept Kai.
But—
Shhkk!
A silver blade sliced through the air from his left, aiming straight for his face.
His instincts screamed—move!
Without hesitation, he released his legs. The force blasted him forward, narrowly dodging the deadly strike.
A searing pain ripped through his leg.
The blade had stabbed through his calf instead.
His balance shattered. He spiraled out of control, plummeting from the sky at blinding speed.
His eyes flicked toward a high-rise building—Dante.
The moment their gazes met, Dante moved. With a single, thunderous stomp, he vanished.
An instant later—he was there. Right in front of Aiden.
Too fast.
Dante wrenched his blade free, tearing it from Aiden's leg. Before Aiden could even register the pain—
A fist buried deep into his gut.
BOOM!
The force behind the punch amplified Aiden's descent.
He hit the ground like a meteor.
The street crumbled beneath him. His body lay in the wreckage—motionless.
Unconscious.
Dante barely spared him another glance.
His focus was locked elsewhere.
Kai.
His legs tensed, and in the next heartbeat—he launched himself forward.
A straight line of wind trailed behind him, the sheer velocity of his movement distorting the air.
The pressure slammed against his face, but he didn't blink. His eyes remained locked on his target.
Kai.
---
Down the road, Kai ran.
His legs moved in a blur, each step faster than the last. His breath came in controlled bursts, but his mind was unraveling.
His instincts screamed at him—keep running!
BOOM!
A figure crashed at the end of the road.
Dust and debris exploded outward. The ground beneath his feet shattered.
Dante.
His body was hunched slightly, his feet buried deep into the ruined pavement. Slowly, he rose.
Unscathed.
He took a single step forward.
Then another.
Until finally—he stretched his hand outward.
"Give me the seal." His voice was calm. Steady, but his eyes, sharp, unyielding, cold.
Like a blade pressed against Kai's throat.
Kai froze.
He knew this man.
The same one who had tried to kill him earlier. The same one Aiden had fought to protect him. And yet, Dante stood there, untouched. Not a single scratch.
Aiden lost.
Kai's heart pounded violently, he didn't stand a chance.
Then—
The sound of grinding heels against the pavement.
Damien skidded to a halt, his sharp gaze locking onto Kai.
Freya arrived in an instant, her swords already drawn.
Boom!
Dax landed with a thud, the sheer impact splitting the concrete beneath his feet.
A burst of flames erupted nearby—Ryder arrived, his hands already burning.
And then—
Black smoke swirled into the air.
A shadowed form emerged from the darkness.
Kagetsu.
The smoke curled around him like a living entity before finally fading, revealing his cold expression.
Kai's chest tightened.
They were all here, his escape route gone. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. And the seal in his hand?
Every single one of them wanted it.
Kai stood in the center of the road, his chest rising and
falling in rapid, uneven breaths. The glow of the seal in his palm pulsed like a heartbeat, casting an eerie blue light on the faces of the warriors surrounding him.