Chapter:3.2-Dark Knight Message

(The air turns icy as the Ghost Knight raises his massive, cracked sword. Kael and Hong Sun feel the crushing weight of his aura pressing against them like an invisible force.)

Kael (gritted teeth): "This thing... it's not just strong. It feels like it shouldn't even exist."

Hong Sun (nervous chuckle): "Yeah? Well, I'd prefer it didn't!"

(The Ghost Knight moves first— despite his heavy armor, he closes the distance in a blink. Kael barely raises his sword in time as a devastating strike sends him skidding backward. Hong Sun lunges forward, aiming for an opening, but the knight parries with unnatural precision, his blade cutting through the air with a sickening hum.)

Hong Sun (stumbling back): "Damn it—this thing fights like a war god!"

Kael (panting, steadying himself): "Then we better not fight fair."

(Kael suddenly lunges low, aiming for the knight's legs, while Hong Sun moves to strike from the opposite side. Their combined attack should've been enough to at least force the knight to guard— but instead, he lets the attacks land.)

(Their swords clash against his armor—and do nothing. The knight doesn't even flinch.)

Kael (eyes widening): "No way—"

(With a flick of his wrist, the Ghost Knight backhands Kael across the battlefield. Kael's body slams through a broken stone wall, sending rubble flying. Hong Sun barely reacts in time before the knight's blade cuts through the air right where he stood. He stumbles backward, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.)

Hong Sun (muttering): "We… can't win this."

(The knight moves again, and Hong Sun has no choice but to go completely on the defensive. Every blow sends painful vibrations through his arms. His breath grows ragged.)

(Kael pulls himself from the rubble, spitting blood. His entire body aches, but his instincts scream at him to keep fighting.)

Kael (thinking): "If we don't do something, we're dead."

(Hong Sun tries to strike again, but the knight suddenly grabs his face and slams him into the ground. A cloud of dust explodes into the air. Hong Sun groans in pain, unable to move.)

Kael (furious): "You bastard!"

(Kael rushes forward, pouring everything he has into a final swing. The Ghost Knight finally reacts, raising his sword—this time, Kael's strike forces him back slightly. But just as Kael feels hope, the knight's red eyes glow brighter, and he releases an unseen force.)

(The wave of pressure knocks Kael and Hong Sun to the ground. They can't move. Their bodies scream in exhaustion, their vision blurring.)

Kael (gritting his teeth): "Damn it…"

(The Ghost Knight stands over them, silent. His blade hovers inches from Kael's throat—but he doesn't strike. Instead, for the first time, he speaks. His voice is deep, hollow, like it's echoing from another realm.)

Ghost Knight:

"You are not yet ready… but soon, the shadows will reach you."

(Kael's breath catches in his throat. The knight takes a step back, lowering his sword.)

Kael (forcing himself to speak): "Who… are you?"

(The knight doesn't answer. Instead, he turns away. The black mist around him swirls, and his entire body begins fading. The last thing they see are his glowing red eyes before he completely vanishes.)

(A heavy silence follows. The battlefield remains empty—as if the knight had never been there. Only the deep cuts in the ground and their aching bodies prove the fight was real.)

Hong Sun (groaning, lying flat on his back): "You know what? I change my mind. Next time, we really should just run."

(Kael doesn't respond. He stares at the spot where the Ghost Knight disappeared, his mind racing.)

Kael (thinking): "The shadows will reach me…?"

(Whatever the knight was, it wasn't just an enemy. He knew something. And that alone terrified Kael more than the battle itself.)

(As the chapter ends, Kael and Hong Sun remain on the battlefield, wounded but alive—left with more questions than answers. The fight may be over, but something far darker is coming.)