Echoes of the Abyss

The night air was cold against Shin's skin as he lay on the ground, staring up at the sky. The stars above shimmered like distant echoes of a world that had nearly been lost. His body ached, every muscle screaming in protest, but he was alive. They all were.

A groan came from nearby.

"Okay… let's agree to never do that again," Hiroshi muttered, rolling onto his back. His clothes were singed, his face smudged with dirt, but he still had enough energy to complain.

Kaida sat up, stretching her arms. "We just fought something that shouldn't have existed. I think we deserve a break."

Arashi exhaled, his usual stoicism shaken. "The Forgotten King is gone, but… I can still feel traces of the abyss lingering. It's not over."

Shin pushed himself up, his Abyss Eye flickering to life. He scanned the area, searching for any residual energy from the void. Arashi was right. The Forgotten King had been defeated, but the abyssal energy had not disappeared completely. Small fractures in reality still remained, like open wounds that refused to heal.

"We need to seal these rifts," Shin said, standing up despite the soreness in his limbs. "If we don't, something worse could crawl out."

Kaida frowned. "You think something worse than that exists?"

Shin didn't answer. He wasn't sure he wanted to.

They were standing in the ruins of an old temple, the same place where they had first entered the abyssal realm. The stone pillars were cracked, the air thick with the lingering scent of decay and void energy. In the distance, the first hints of dawn peeked over the horizon.

Hiroshi sighed, rubbing his temples. "Great. More work. How do we even seal these rifts?"

Shin turned to Arashi, who was already forming hand seals. "I might be able to suppress them temporarily," Arashi said. "But it's only a stopgap. Someone with greater knowledge of space-time techniques would need to permanently close them."

"Then do it," Shin said. "We'll figure out the rest later."

Arashi nodded, pressing his hand against the ground. His chakra flared, spreading out in intricate patterns. The air shimmered as the first rift began to shrink, its jagged edges pulling inward before collapsing in on itself.

One down. Several more to go.

As Arashi continued, Kaida walked up to Shin, her arms crossed. "You're thinking about something," she said. "Something you're not saying."

Shin exhaled. "The Forgotten King… he wasn't just some remnant of the abyss. He was the abyss, or at least part of it. And yet, he was bound here, like something had forced him to stay."

Kaida's brow furrowed. "You think something put him there?"

Shin nodded. "And if that's true, then whatever did it… is still out there."

The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

Before Kaida could respond, Hiroshi called out, "Uh, we've got company."

Shin turned sharply, hand going to his sword. Emerging from the trees was a group of masked shinobi, their movements silent and deliberate. Their uniforms were dark, but Shin recognized the insignia on their shoulders.

The Black Lotus.

A group of elite operatives from the Land of Iron, known for their ruthless efficiency and secrecy.

The leader stepped forward, his mask reflecting the early morning light. "Shin Noragetsu." His voice was calm, unreadable. "You're coming with us."

Kaida immediately reached for her weapons. "Like hell he is."

The leader raised a hand. "We are not here to fight. But this is not a request."

Shin narrowed his eyes. He had dealt with the Black Lotus before, but their presence here, now, was suspicious.

"Why?" he asked.

"You have trespassed where you should not have," the leader replied. "And there are those who wish to speak with you."

Shin exchanged glances with his team. None of them looked willing to let him go without a fight.

Hiroshi smirked. "Well, this is awkward, because we just fought an abyssal nightmare, and we're not in the mood for another round."

Arashi remained silent, but his fingers twitched, ready to form seals at a moment's notice.

Shin considered his options. They were exhausted. Fighting an elite unit like the Black Lotus in their current state was a gamble at best. And if someone powerful truly wanted to speak with him, then running wasn't an option.

He sighed. "Fine. I'll go."

Kaida's eyes widened. "Shin—"

"I'll go," he repeated, meeting her gaze. "But just me."

The leader nodded. "Agreed."

Kaida clenched her fists, but she didn't argue further. She knew Shin well enough to understand when he had made up his mind.

As Shin stepped forward, the Black Lotus operatives surrounded him. The leader placed a hand on his shoulder, and in an instant, they vanished into the shadows, leaving his team standing alone in the ruins.

Kaida exhaled sharply. "I hate when he does that."

Hiroshi stretched his arms. "So… do we go after him?"

Arashi closed his eyes, focusing. After a moment, he shook his head. "I can't track him. They're gone."

Kaida cursed under her breath. "Then we wait. But if they don't bring him back…" Her grip on her blades tightened. "We will go after him."

Shin found himself in a darkened chamber, the air heavy with the scent of incense and aged wood. The walls were lined with ancient scrolls, their faded scripts whispering of forgotten secrets. In front of him, seated on an ornate throne, was a figure he had not seen in years.

Lord Takeda, one of the highest-ranking officials of the Land of Iron.

"Shin," Takeda said, his voice steady. "You've stepped into something far greater than you realize."

Shin remained silent, waiting.

Takeda leaned forward. "The abyss is awakening. What you fought was only the beginning."

Shin's fists clenched. "Then tell me what you know."

Takeda exhaled, his gaze heavy with something Shin rarely saw in men like him—concern.

"The Forgotten King was once a warrior, long before even the Sage of Six Paths. He wielded the void, but it consumed him. He became a being of pure abyssal energy, and to stop him, he was sealed away in a prison of his own making."

Shin's heart pounded. "Then why was he still bound? If he was sealed, why did he still exist?"

Takeda's expression darkened. "Because the seal was never meant to be permanent. It was a delay, not a solution. And now, the abyss is stirring once more."

Shin took a step forward. "If you knew all this, why didn't you warn us? Why didn't you stop it before it got this far?"

Takeda met his gaze. "Because you are part of the solution, Shin. Whether you like it or not, the abyss has chosen you."

Shin felt a chill run down his spine.

"You have two choices," Takeda continued. "You can walk away, pretend this never happened, and live whatever life you have left."

He leaned forward, his eyes like steel.

"Or you can embrace what you've become… and prepare for what's coming."

Silence stretched between them.

Shin already knew his answer.

He met Takeda's gaze without hesitation. "Tell me everything."

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