The battle in the warehouse district had spiraled completely out of control. Cracked stone slabs littered the ground, and darkness lingered in the air like a thick fog. Though the remains of the shattered Shadow Beasts were slowly dissipating, fresh waves of darkness continued to spill from the runic array.
Lin Ye stood at the edge of the formation. His breathing grew increasingly heavy as the shadow beneath his feet flowed slowly—like a living creature.
Watching from a distance, Reg's expression became deathly serious. "This is bad..." he muttered.
Su Li had just pushed herself up from the ground. When she saw Lin Ye's state, her face paled. "Lin Ye?"
Lin Ye did not respond. His attention no longer seemed to be on his surroundings. The voice in his mind was becoming crystal clear.
"Finally."
"Finally, I can awaken."
Lin Ye grit his teeth. "Shut up."
But the voice did not stop; instead, it grew more ecstatic. "All this darkness belongs to me. Absorb it."
The shadows on the ground suddenly began to spread frantically. The darkness from the entire warehouse district—shadows that originally belonged to buildings and torches—was now converging beneath Lin Ye's feet, flowing like water.
The Demon Hunters watched the scene in shock. Someone whispered, "What kind of power is that...?"
The black-robed man stood at the center of the runic array, his gaze turning fanatical. "Do you see it now?" he said softly. "This is the true power of the Forbidden Book."
Reg roared, "Shut up!" He lunged toward the array once more, his silver sword swinging down with a brilliant white light.
The man in black simply raised a hand. A dark barrier manifested instantly.
BOOM!
Reg was violently repelled. The man's focus remained fixed on Lin Ye. "Continue," he urged. "Do not resist it."
Lin Ye's body trembled slightly. Shadows now blanketed half the street, and the air grew colder by the second.
Su Li suddenly rushed toward him and grabbed his arm. "Lin Ye!" she cried. "Listen to me!"
Lin Ye's eyes slowly turned dark, becoming like bottomless black holes. Su Li's heart sank. "Lin Ye, look at me!" Her voice was firm. "You are not its tool."
But the shadows continued to expand, churning like a rising tide. Reg finally realized the gravity of the situation and charged toward Lin Ye. "We have to stop him!"
Just then, the black-robed man laughed. "It's already too late."
The runic array flared again. Darkness erupted from the ground, and shadows surged toward Lin Ye like a tidal wave.
In that moment, Lin Ye's consciousness felt as though it were being pulled into an abyss. He saw a realm of endless dark. In the center of that darkness stood a colossal book, its pages turning slowly, covered in twisted, ancient runes.
The voice was coming from within the book. "I am the Book of the Abyss. And I am your power."
Lin Ye stared deathly at the book. "I don't need you."
The voice within the darkness chuckled softly. "Without me, you are nothing."
The shadows surged even more violently.
Back in the physical world, the shadows in the warehouse district had completely lost control. The ground cracked open, and darkness climbed the walls like grasping tentacles. The Demon Hunters were forced to retreat.
Reg grit his teeth. "Damn it..."
Su Li was still holding onto Lin Ye's hand. She was nearly submerged by the shadows, but she did not let go. "Lin Ye!" she shouted. "You said you wanted to protect people! Not let this power destroy everything!"
The darkness hesitated for a split second. Lin Ye's consciousness felt as if it had been yanked back. He saw Su Li's face—her eyes were still determined, devoid of fear or suspicion. There was only trust.
Lin Ye's heart jolted. The voice in the darkness grew furious. "Don't listen to her! Release the power!"
Lin Ye slowly raised his head. His eyes were still pitch black, but his voice regained a shred of clarity.
"This power..." He spoke slowly. "It belongs to me."
The shadows retracted abruptly, forced back into the ground. The air in the entire warehouse district vibrated with a sudden shockwave. For the first time, the black-robed man's expression shifted. "What?"
Lin Ye slowly stood straight. The shadows flowed beneath his feet like a cloak—no longer frantic, but stable. He looked at the man in the center of the array.
"You want this power?"
The man in black narrowed his eyes. Lin Ye raised his hand, and the shadows coalesced into a massive, dark blade.
"Then come and take it yourself."
The air fell into a sudden, heavy silence. The final battle was about to begin.