Sai was running, carrying Zixu on his shoulders. His breaths were fast, but his grip was even tighter. Zixu's small, fragile breaths felt heavy on his shoulders, yet Sai's mind was focused on only one thing—keeping him safe.
"Just a little more… Zixu… please don't close your eyes… Please… I can't lose you now," Sai murmured, his voice trembling slightly, yet every word carried unshakable determination.
WHOOSH—
A sudden, sharp attack came from behind, slicing through the air like a blade. Sai reacted instinctively, but the strike was so sudden he fell to the ground.
"UGH—!!"
Kay jumped in between, taking the brunt of the strike. He hit the ground hard, blood pouring from his body. Every drop told a story of pain, struggle, and sacrifice.
Sai's eyes widened, his heart tightened. "KAY!!" he shouted, running toward him, each step sending small tremors through the rocky floor.
Kay raised a trembling hand to stop him, struggling to speak—
"Stop… Sai… run… take Zixu and get out…"
Jai appeared above, shouting desperately—"Sai! If you stay here, we're all dead!"
Sai fell silent… his eyes burning with an inner fire. Something awakened inside him that he had never felt before—pure rage, raw and unrestrained.
His face slowly changed, muscles tightening, and a faint green glow appearing in his eyes.
"…I will not leave any of you behind," Sai said, his voice low and deadly.
A faint, sinister laugh echoed from behind—Erina's voice bouncing off the cave walls.
"What a useless decision… but perfect… you will all die in one place."
Sai slowly set Zixu down, looking into his eyes. "Just wait a little… I will fix everything…"
Then he turned sharply—toward Erina. Every step he took cracked the cave floor further. Rocks were falling, dust rising like smoke.
"You picked the wrong people…" Sai's voice was calm but carried the weight of a storm ready to break.
Acid energy began dripping slowly from Sai's hands, hissing as it touched the ground, making the air itself feel heavy with anticipation.
The next moment—SSSSHHHHHH
The attack struck Erina directly.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhh!!" Her scream echoed through the cave, bouncing off walls, making the air feel thick and suffocating.
Her face began to melt, skin twisting and contorting… and slowly—her true form was revealed.
A grotesque, horrifying figure, twisted unnaturally, muscles jagged, eyes glowing with a sickly, unnatural green.
"You destroyed my body…! I struggled so hard to adapt this leader's form…"
Sai stared at her without fear, cold and composed. "So, the true face finally shows."
Suddenly, the wind picked up violently… every corner of the cave trembled…
Rocks cracked and fell… dust and small debris swirled around… bones on the floor started moving, trembling, and then slowly began reassembling in one place…
Erina's eyes widened, horrified—"…No… no… it's coming…"
Sai furrowed his brow, but one question escaped his lips: "What's coming…?"
Without answering, Erina quickly shifted her form—taking the shape of a horse, legs striking the ground hard, mane fluttering wildly.
"We need to run! You don't understand!"
But it was already too late.
Bones slammed together with a terrifying rhythm… darkness deepened… the cave seemed alive… and something was being born…
A massive shadow emerged…
Holding an axe, eyes glowing like molten fire in the darkness.
KARMA.
Sai's heart raced, but his eyes were cold and focused. Every breath carried rage and determination. He took a stance, ready to face the embodiment of vengeance, ready to protect Zixu, ready to defy fate itself.
Erina, panicked in her horse form, tried to retreat… but Sai's rage had become an unstoppable force.
The wind howled through the cave… dust and fragments swirled… every sound echoed like war drums.
"You started this… now face the consequences," Sai murmured, acid energy pulsing in his palms.
With every step, cracks deepened in the cave floor and walls.
Karma lifted the axe… Sai's rage fully unleashed. A wave of energy spiraled through the cave, bending the very air… it felt as though time itself had stopped.
Zixu caught a glimpse from Sai's shoulder—he saw something he had never seen before. Sai's eyes held only one thing… Rage. Power. Unbreakable Will.
There was no turning back now… only one thing remained… the ultimate confrontation between Sai and KARMA.