chapter 14

Neo City lay under a dim sky as a strange stillness filled the air. Ryo stood in the center of a cracked street, breathing heavily. The Twin Demons, invisible to the human eye, towered before him, grinning with malicious joy. One was tall and lean, shrouded in a thick black mist, while the other was short and stocky, its eyes glowing crimson like fireflies in the night.

With a primal roar, the first demon launched forward. Ryo barely raised his arms before a crushing punch sent him hurling backward, smashing through a bus stop. Glass shattered, metal twisted. He groaned and got to his feet, only for the second demon to appear behind him, grabbing his leg and swinging him into a building wall.

Ryo fought back. His fists glowed faintly with spiritual energy as he landed a punch against the misty demon's torso. It staggered but only for a moment. Then both demons assaulted him at once—one pummeling with monstrous fists, the other slashing with invisible claws. The impact trembled the earth.

Civilians screamed, running in every direction. From their perspective, it looked like Ryo was fighting thin air, slashing and screaming at nothing. Windows shattered, vehicles exploded, power lines crackled. "He's gone mad!" one shouted. "Someone stop him!"

Police sirens wailed. Officers rushed to the scene and surrounded Ryo. "Drop your weapon! Hands in the air!" they shouted. But Ryo, bloodied and panting, ignored them, ducking as one demon hurled a broken light pole at him. It tore through several patrol cars.

Chaos exploded. The demons rampaged—cars were hurled like paper, buildings groaned under the pressure of invisible forces. One demon cornered Mark behind an overturned van. It raised its claw to end him—

"NO!" Ryo screamed and threw himself between them. The claws sank into his shoulder, blood spraying, but he pushed Mark out of harm's way. Then the demon punched Ryo again. He fell.

Ryo lay there, broken, barely breathing. Mark crawled to him. "Ryo! Ryo, get up!" Ryo's eyelids fluttered, his body twitching. Then, one of the demons knelt beside him, grabbing his shirt. From beneath his coat, the glowing crystal was pulled free. The demon smiled coldly.

It vanished.

Ryo exhaled, eyes rolling back.

Darkness swallowed the underground chamber. Metro lay unconscious inside a glowing ritual circle drawn in ancient demon blood. Around him stood Caleb, hooded figures, and low-ranking demons. Candles flickered. Black smoke hovered like a hungry fog.

A black butterfly descended from above, fluttering around Metro, then morphed midair into a humanoid form—Sara. Her body shimmered, a soul spirit burning darkly.

She laughed. "At last, the Messiah is ours."

Caleb smirked. "He doesn't even know it yet."

Metro stirred, wincing as he opened his eyes to a blur of firelight and shadows. "W-Where…?"

Caleb approached, crouching beside him. "Welcome, Metro. Son of Clader."

Metro's breath caught. "You... how do you—?"

Caleb grinned. "Both son and father... so gullible."

Metro struggled against the ritual bindings. "Why are you doing this?"

"It was always part of the plan," Caleb said. "Your existence, your powers, your father's fall. Everything led to this moment."

Sara circled them. "And yet the Slayers haven't moved. Perhaps they're smarter than we thought… or more afraid."

Caleb sneered. "They'll come. They always do." He turned to her. "But where is Clader?"

Sara narrowed her eyes. "He's fighting… himself."

A news anchor appeared on screen, flanked by chaotic footage. "Reports are coming in from all over Neo City. Invisible forces are attacking civilians. Destruction spreads. There is no known cause—only devastation."

Video showed Ryo fighting alone, seemingly flailing and yelling.

"Experts are baffled. Is this a supernatural event? A mental breakdown? Divine punishment?"

Cut to public reactions:

"He's lost it. That boy needs help."

"No, no, he's protecting us! Can't you see it?!"

"This is God punishing the city!"

"It's the end times."

"There's something we're not being told."

"Where are the Slayers?"

---

Scene 4: Lucien vs Clader – Clash of Titans

On a mountain ridge, under a sky choked with black clouds, Lucien stood tall, his cloak fluttering. Across him stood Clader—Metro's father, a man twisted by pain, resolve, and grief.

Lucien charged first, creating a spear of light and throwing it. Clader deflected it with a wave of his hand, countering with shadow blades that sliced through the terrain. Lucien summoned his Domain of Celestial Judgment, raining holy symbols from the sky, but Clader's Obsidian Shield absorbed them all.

"Still clinging to your foolish light," Clader growled.

Lucien spun and summoned spectral wolves. "And you… hiding in darkness."

The battle raged. Magic collided with force. Earth quaked, trees splintered. Lucien summoned a dragon of white flame. Clader countered with a serpent made of pure darkness. They collided midair, erupting the sky.

In a clash of blades, Lucien stared into Clader's eyes. "Are you really going to let the demons sacrifice your only son?"

Clader paused. "…It's the only way to my freedom."

"Freedom?" Lucien shouted. "What freedom? Your wife wanted only peace. A life with you and your son."

A tremor passed through Clader.

"Don't you remember her words?"

---

Flashback: Clader and His Wife

She stood beneath a cherry blossom tree, her hands holding Clader's face. "Promise me, if anything happens, protect our son. Don't let your past swallow him."

She kissed his forehead. "Power means nothing without love. If you lose us, lose yourself—but don't lose him."

---

Back to Present

Clader's eyes widened. His breathing turned ragged. He screamed—

"STOOOOOOP!!!"

A shockwave erupted from him, flattening mountains, toppling buildings for miles.

Everything fell silent.

Lucien, injured but standing, whispered, "It's not too late… Clader."

[TO BE CONTINUED...]