The storm raged violently above the island.
Lightning cracked through the sky, illuminating the dense forest below in flashes of white.
And within that forest—
A deadly battle unfolded.
Sharin stood surrounded.
The ground beneath him was no longer safe.
Sticky spheres clung to trees, rocks, and soil.
Each one silently waiting.
Each one deadly.
A faint sizzling sound filled the air.
SSSSSSSS—
Sharin's eyes widened.
"…Acid."
The tree ahead of him began dissolving.
Its bark melted.
Its structure weakened.
Then—
It collapsed.
The rock nearby followed.
Slowly melting into a bubbling mass.
Steam rose from the ground.
The air itself felt toxic.
Kaali smiled.
"Now you understand."
"They stick…"
"And then they melt everything."
Sharin exhaled slowly.
"If those touch me…"
"…I'm done."
For a brief moment—
A horrifying image flashed in his mind.
His own body—
Melting.
Skin dissolving.
Bones exposed.
He shook his head violently.
"No… I can't let that happen."
Kaali threw another Stickedic Ball.
Sharin dodged.
Then another.
Then five more.
He moved constantly.
Left.
Right.
Forward.
Backward.
But the battlefield was shrinking.
Every dodge placed him closer to another acid trap.
"If this continues… I'll run out of space." Sharin's eyes hardened. "I need to stop him."
Black Prāṇa surged into his fist.
"PRĀṆA FIST!"
He dashed forward at high speed.
Kaali's eyes widened slightly.
But before Sharin could reach him—
BOOM—!!!
A massive wall of rock rose from the ground.
Sharin smirked.
"You think this will stop me?"
His fist slammed into it.
CRACK—!!!
Dust exploded outward.
But—
When the dust settled—
The wall still stood.
Only a small crack marked the surface.
Sharin froze.
"…What?"
His punch—
Barely did anything.
"Take this!" Daabur's voice echoed.
Spikes erupted from the wall.
Sharin jumped back instantly.
His heart raced.
"That should've shattered it…" He thought.
Kaali laughed.
"It's not your fault."
"That's Daabur's ability."
Kaali pointed at the wall.
"He doesn't just control rock."
"He controls its properties."
Sharin's eyes widened.
"…Properties?"
"Yes," Kaali said casually.
"He reinforces it with Prāṇa."
"Durability. Density. Hardness."
"He can push rock beyond its natural limits."
Realization hit.
"So he can make rock stronger than steel…"
Daabur smirked.
"…And that's not even everything."
Kaali grinned.
"He can also—"
"Stop talking," Daabur snapped.
"…You're revealing too much."
Kaali shrugged.
"Oh well."
Sharin observed them carefully.
"They're strong. Experienced. They've trained for years… And we've only trained for one."
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
Black smoke gathered around Sharin's hand.
Kaali and Daabur instantly tensed.
"What's that?" Kaali asked.
The smoke condensed—
Shaped—
And formed—
A blade.
A black sword.
Unstable.
Flowing.
Alive.
Daabur narrowed his eyes.
"…So he has something too."
Sharin stepped forward.
"Time doesn't matter."
"Only effort does."
His grip tightened.
"And this—"
He swung the blade slightly.
"—is the result of my hard work."
"BLACK BLADE."
Kaali smiled.
"…Interesting."
Kaali threw another acid sphere.
Sharin didn't dodge.
He swung his blade.
SHHHK—!!!
The sphere split in half mid-air.
Both halves fell—
And dissolved harmlessly.
Kaali's smile faded.
"…What?"
Sharin moved.
Fast.
Very fast.
He rushed forward.
Kaali threw more spheres—
But Sharin cut them all.
One by one.
Without stopping.
Without hesitation.
He closed the distance.
Leapt—
And swung at Kaali's neck.
But—
BOOM—!!!
Another rock wall appeared.
Sharin's eyes sharpened.
"Not this time."
He swung again.
SHHHK—!!!
The wall split in half instantly.
Daabur's expression changed.
"…Impossible."
Sharin pushed forward—
But Kaali reacted fast.
He fired a sticky rope to a nearby tree—
And pulled himself away.
Sharin's blade cut through empty air.
Daabur slammed his hand into the ground.
Spikes erupted toward Sharin.
Sharin cut them.
Effortlessly.
One after another.
Then—
Daabur changed his stance.
Spikes gathered around his arm.
Compressed.
Shaped.
Then—
Solidified.
A gauntlet.
"STONE GAUNTLET."
Sharin's eyes narrowed.
He's reinforcing his body now.
Sharin rushed forward.
He swung his blade.
Daabur blocked it with his gauntlet.
CLANG—!!!
The blade stopped.
"…What?"
For the first time—
The Black Blade didn't pass through.
Daabur smirked.
"Prāṇa vs Prāṇa."
"My reinforcement cancels your phase effect."
Then—
He punched.
BOOM—!!!
The impact slammed into Sharin's stomach.
Sharin flew backward.
"—UGH!"
Blood escaped his mouth.
He landed hard.
Struggled to stand.
"So that's the weakness… If the target is reinforced with Prāṇa… my blade becomes normal."
He wiped his mouth.
Sharin rushed again.
Daabur met him head-on.
Blade vs Gauntlet.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Rapid exchanges.
Each strike shook the air.
Sharin moved faster.
Sharper.
He created an opening—
A blind spot.
He swung—
Victory within reach—
But—
WHIP—!!!
A sticky rope wrapped around his wrist.
"…What?!"
Kaali smirked.
"Did you forget about me?"
The rope tightened.
Then—
Burned.
"AAAAAAH—!!!"
Acid ate into his skin.
His grip weakened.
That moment—
Was enough.
Daabur stepped forward.
And punched.
Full force.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
Sharin was blasted away.
He crashed into the ground.
Rolled.
Stopped.
His body trembled.
His stomach burned.
Blood flowed from his mouth.
His wrist—
Severely burned.
Pain flooded his body.
But—
He stood again.
Slowly.
Shaking.
"I… can't stop…"
He tried to move—
But suddenly—
CLANK—!!!
Chains erupted from the ground.
They wrapped around his legs.
His arms.
"What—?!"
He struggled.
They tightened.
More chains appeared.
Wrapped around his torso.
His neck.
They pulled.
Crushed.
Restricted.
"I—can't—breathe…"
His vision blurred.
He looked forward.
Daabur's hand—
Still connected to the ground.
"…So… he controls this too…"
The chains tightened further.
Darkness crept into his vision.
His strength faded.
His body went limp.
Sharin collapsed.
Unconscious.
Silence returned to the forest.
Kaali exhaled.
"…That was annoying."
Daabur nodded.
"He was strong."
"If you hadn't intervened…"
"I would've been injured."
Kaali smirked.
"Teamwork."
Daabur looked down at Sharin.
"…Let's take him to Bheem."
Chains wrapped around Sharin's body.
They lifted him.
Kaali hoisted him onto his shoulder.
And together—
They disappeared into the forest.
TO BE CONTINUED…