Chapter 10: The Price of Survival
The man was still standing.
Blood ran down his chest.
Deep.
Lethal.
But he didn't fall.
Instead—
He smiled.
"…Good," he said.
Kairo's eyes narrowed.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
The Hidden Strength
The man straightened slowly.
His breathing steadied.
Then—
His aura changed.
He wasn't just strong anymore.
He was dangerous.
On another level.
"You thought that was enough?" he asked calmly.
Kairo said nothing.
But inside—
He understood.
This isn't over.
Second Phase
The man vanished.
Not fast.
Gone.
Kairo's eyes widened—
Then—
Pain exploded.
SLASH!
A deep cut tore across his back.
Kairo dropped to one knee.
Too fast.
He couldn't even see it.
Another strike—
He barely rolled away.
Blood splashed the ground.
Breaking Down
Not far away—
Seven saw it.
"…Damn it!" he growled.
Three pressed him harder.
"You're distracted," Three said calmly.
Seven blocked—
But stepped back.
His eyes kept shifting toward Kairo.
He's losing…
Back to Kairo
The enemy walked toward him slowly.
"This is the difference," he said.
"Between talent… and experience."
Kairo struggled to stand.
His body felt heavy.
Cold.
Weak.
But his eyes—
Still refused to give up.
The Final Push
The man raised his blade.
"This ends now."
He disappeared again.
Kairo forced his body to move.
But—
He was too slow.
The Moment of Death
The blade came down—
Aimed straight for his neck.
Kairo couldn't dodge.
Couldn't block.
Couldn't move.
This is it…
Then—
CLANG!
Steel collided.
The attack stopped.
Kairo's eyes widened.
Someone stood in front of him.
Seven.
Breathing hard.
Blood dripping from his arm.
"…Don't die yet," Seven muttered.
A Shift in the Battle
Three watched silently.
"…You chose him," he said.
Seven didn't look back.
"I told you," he said.
"I hate cowards."
Two vs One
Now—
They stood together.
Kairo.
Seven.
Against the elite enemy.
The man smiled slightly.
"Interesting," he said.
"Then both of you will die."
Last Stand
They attacked together.
For the first time—
Perfect sync.
Seven—aggressive.
Kairo—precise.
The man blocked—
Countered—
Moved faster—
But—
He was being pushed.
Slowly.
The Cost
Kairo saw an opening.
Small.
But real.
This is it.
He moved—
Ignoring the pain—
Ignoring the blood—
Ignoring everything—
And struck.
The man reacted—
But—
Seven came from the side—
CRASH!
Forcing his guard open.
Final Strike
Kairo stepped in—
Close.
Too close.
And—
SLASH!
The blade cut deep.
Straight through.
The man froze.
His eyes widened.
Then—
He collapsed.
Dead.
Silence
The battlefield went quiet.
The remaining enemies retreated.
Gone.
Like they were never there.
Aftermath
Kairo dropped to one knee.
His body finally gave in.
Blood everywhere.
Breathing heavy.
Seven stood nearby.
"…Tch," he muttered.
"You owe me."
Kairo didn't respond.
But for a brief moment—
Their eyes met.
And something changed.
Not friendship.
Not trust.
But…
Understanding.
Three's Silence
Three stood a few steps away.
Watching.
Silent.
Calculating.
Then—
He turned.
And walked away.
"…Next time," he said quietly.
"I won't miss."
End of Chapter 10
Kairo stared at the ground.
His body broken.
His enemies growing.
His path—
Becoming darker.
But one thing was clear now—
He wasn't alone anymore.
And that…
Changed everything.
Cliffhanger:
Kairo survived—but now Three has openly declared him a target… and next time, there will be no hesitation.