Flames Against the Abyss

The night sky roared as Yue Rin's flaming fists clashed against the masked warrior's dark energy. The ruins beneath them shattered, unable to withstand the sheer force of their battle. Each strike sent shockwaves through the air, scattering debris like a storm of stone and dust.

Bang!

Their fists met midair again, an explosion of golden fire and abyssal darkness rippling outward. The impact sent them both skidding backward, feet carving deep trenches into the ground. Yue Rin's arms burned, her bones vibrating from the force, but she refused to back down.

The masked warrior wiped the blood from his lips, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "I have to admit… you're still standing. That's rare."

Yue Rin exhaled sharply, flames flickering around her body like a protective barrier. Every muscle ached. Every breath felt like fire in her lungs. But she didn't let it show.

"I don't fall easily," she spat, rolling her shoulders. "You should've figured that out by now."

The masked warrior grinned. "Then let's change that."

Boom!

He vanished.

Yue Rin barely had time to react before a shadow loomed behind her.

Too fast!

CRACK!

A brutal kick slammed into her side, sending her flying into the remains of a broken wall. The stone exploded on impact, rubble collapsing around her.

She gritted her teeth, forcing herself up, even as pain screamed through her ribs. Blood trickled down her forehead, stinging her eyes.

She barely had time to recover—

Because he was already there.

"Too slow."

A punch aimed for her skull.

She twisted, dodging by inches, feeling the gust of air whip past her face. Her counterstrike was immediate—a blazing palm aimed straight for his ribs.

But he caught her wrist.

Damn it.

Before she could react, he yanked her forward and—

Slam!

A knee to her stomach.

Air rushed from her lungs. Her vision blurred for a moment.

But Yue Rin wasn't done.

Her free hand burned bright as she pushed off his knee, flipping backward in midair. Flames coiled around her foot as she swung it down in a fiery axe kick.

Boom!

The masked warrior dodged—but not completely. Her heel grazed his shoulder, tearing through his cloak.

She landed, breathing hard.

He touched the fresh burn on his skin, his grin widening. "Impressive."

But then, his aura darkened.

The air turned heavy, as if the world itself was pressing down on Yue Rin's shoulders. The ground beneath them cracked, the shadows stretching unnaturally.

And then—black flames erupted around him.

Not just flames. Something worse. Something unnatural.

They didn't flicker. They didn't waver. They simply devoured everything.

Yue Rin's heart pounded. Shit.

The masked warrior stepped forward, and with a mere flick of his hand—

The battlefield ignited in black fire.

The ruins vanished, swallowed by the abyssal inferno. Yue Rin leaped back, barely escaping the wave of destruction. The flames didn't just burn—they erased.

Her mind raced. I can't let that touch me.

The masked warrior raised his hands, the shadows twisting into jagged spears of darkness. They hovered for a moment—before he launched them all at once.

A storm of death.

Yue Rin's instincts screamed. She moved—fast.

She twisted, dodging the first spear by a hair. She ducked, barely avoiding another that tore through the air beside her. One grazed her shoulder, and even the smallest touch burned like ice and fire mixed into one.

She gritted her teeth. No choice.

Her aura flared, golden fire surrounding her like a second skin. And then—

She charged straight through the onslaught.

The masked warrior's eyes widened. "Oh?"

She closed the distance in a blink.

And then—she struck.

A blazing fist smashed into his face.

BOOM!

The impact sent him flying. His body tore through the ruins, crashing into the dirt with a deafening thud. Dust and embers filled the air.

Yue Rin stood there, chest heaving, her entire body screaming in pain. But she didn't care.

Because for the first time—she had landed a real hit.

The silence was deafening. The battlefield smoldered, flames flickering against the darkened sky.

Then—

A low, dark chuckle.

Yue Rin's stomach dropped.

From the wreckage, the masked warrior stood up.

His head tilted, cracking his neck. Blood dripped from his mouth. But his grin only widened.

"That," he whispered, "was fun."

And then, in an instant—

He was right in front of her.

His fingers curled around her throat.

Her body froze.

She had no time to react.

His golden eyes burned into hers, and for the first time since the battle began—

She felt true fear.

"Now," he murmured, tightening his grip.

"Let's see how long you can last."