Immortal Mythos: Bound by Void-Chapter 22: Haru vs Yuki

Chapter 34 has 4 parts

Part 1

The forest was silent—unnaturally so.

Yuki stood still, sensing something just beyond the edge of the trees. The wind didn't blow. The air didn't move. It was like time itself held its breath.

Then—snap.

A single twig cracked behind him.

Yuki spun around, his instincts on high alert. Emerging from the shadows was a figure in dark robes, a faint silver gleam to his eyes. Calm. Composed. Almost like Himari.

But this wasn't her.

Yuki narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

The figure didn't answer immediately. He stepped into the light, his tone flat, controlled. "You've awakened more than you realize. I've come to see if you're ready."

Yuki's fists clenched. "Ready for what?"

The stranger smiled faintly. "To survive what's coming."

In a blur, he rushed forward—faster than Yuki expected. Yuki barely dodged the first strike, the air around them cracking with energy. Their blows met with a sound like thunder, and Yuki felt his body react on instinct.

Void energy flared. Aura crackled.

The stranger moved like Himari—graceful, precise—but with a raw edge that was different. Sharper.

As the clash intensified, Yuki's eyes widened. "You're... her brother."

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The stranger gave no confirmation, but the glint in his eyes said enough. "Focus, Yuki. You'll learn nothing if you can't stay alive."

The fight pushed Yuki to the edge—forcing him to call on both his kitsune instincts and the void energy within. But something else stirred. Something deeper. A flicker of a new ability trying to awaken.

And Haru noticed.

He smirked. "Good. You're holding back. Let me see what you're really capable of."

"If you're enjoying the ride, don't forget to leave a power stone or a comment—it really helps this grow!"

Part 2

Echoes Through the Ether

Far away, atop an ancient peak where the spiritual winds never ceased, Ren knelt, eyes shut, hand pressed to the earth. A sudden surge rippled through him—violent, untamed, familiar.

His eyes snapped open. "The void just shifted again... but this isn't like before."

He stood, cloak billowing. "Yuki... what have you gotten yourself into now?"

Beside a nearby shrine, Himari stood still, her hands clutched together, aura faintly glowing. Her gaze turned to the east, her expression darkening.

"It's Haru," she whispered. "He's found Yuki."

From a distant rooftop in the city, Aiko nearly dropped the incense in her hand as the world momentarily twisted around her. Her breath caught. The aura—two of them—were clashing like storm and fire.

"That idiot," she muttered. "You better not get hurt..."

Back in the mountains, a lone figure leaned against a tree.

Nogitsune.

He smirked, watching the sky ripple. "Took you long enough, Haru... Let's see how much my brother can handle."

Back to the Fight: The Kitsune Awakens

Yuki's breath came hard and fast. Haru hadn't broken a sweat. The clash had pushed Yuki's reflexes, instincts, and aura to the limit.

Haru stepped forward, slow and confident. "You're holding back."

"I'm not—"

"You're afraid of what's inside you."

The words hit harder than the blows. Yuki's hands trembled. "I don't want to lose control again."

"You think fear will save you?" Haru's eyes narrowed. "You're not just fighting me. You're fighting yourself."

Yuki roared, his aura exploding outward—this time less void, more light, silver-white arcs dancing through the air. For the first time, the void and his innate spirit began to balance, harmonizing instead of clashing.

Haru grinned. "There you go."

He moved faster now—truly testing him.

This wasn't just training.

This was awakening.

"If you're enjoying the ride, don't forget to leave a power stone or a comment—it really helps this grow!"

Part 3

Cutaway: The Calm Before the Storm

The wind shifted sharply across the ridgeline as Ren leapt from tree to tree, his eyes glowing faintly as he tracked the surging energy through the ether. Each pulse from the battle ahead was like a drumbeat—wild, rhythmic, dangerous.

"He's not ready for Haru," Ren muttered. "Not like this."

Beside him, Himari glided silently, her steps light against the branches. Her expression was unreadable, but her voice was clear.

"If Haru wants to test him, we can't stop it. This is how he prepares people."

Ren gave her a sideways glance. "It's reckless."

"And so is awakening."

They didn't argue further—they both knew the truth. Yuki's power was unstable, but it needed pressure to refine it. Even if it meant danger.

As they neared the cliffside clearing, another presence stirred behind them—unseen but very much watching.

From a distance, nestled in the shadows of a twisted pine, Nogitsune perched effortlessly. Arms folded, expression calm.

"I knew he'd come," he whispered to himself. "But Haru... don't push him too far."

His gaze sharpened, one fang poking through a grin.

"Because if he breaks... I won't be the one to fix him."

Back to the Fight: Sparks and Shadows

Yuki's energy crackled like thunder, his feet skidding across the cracked earth. Haru pressed forward, relentless. His movements were precise—measured—but with purpose behind each blow.

Yuki blocked, deflected, then countered with a burst of shimmering silver aura, void energy trailing behind like a comet's tail.

Boom!

The impact shattered the rocks beneath them, dust clouding the air.

From the haze, Haru's voice rang out. "Better."

Yuki breathed hard, arms trembling. "You're seriously trying to kill me?"

Haru emerged, calm and composed. "I'm trying to prepare you. If this is enough to break you, then you'll never survive what's coming."

Yuki gritted his teeth—and then smiled.

"I'm not broken. Not yet."

The void within him twisted—and then opened.

A new pulse of energy surged outward—calm and deadly. Controlled chaos.

Even Haru's eyes widened. "So... you are awakening."

Scene Shift: Aiko's Vision

In the dimly lit room of the spiritual shrine, Aiko sat cross-legged, surrounded by incense and glowing talismans. Her eyes were closed, her breath steady—until suddenly, everything stopped.

Her heart skipped.

The scent of the air changed, the very fabric of her surroundings trembled.

A surge—no, a breakthrough.

Her eyes snapped open, glowing faintly with spiritual light.

"Yuki..."

She staggered to her feet, gripping the edge of the table as visions crashed into her mind—wind, shattered stone, streaks of void light and silver flame. Haru's aura... and Yuki's presence rising like a wave.

"He's finally doing it," she whispered, awed. "He's fighting back."

Aiko reached for her staff, slinging her satchel across her shoulder. "But if he loses control..."

She didn't finish the thought—she was already moving.

Back to the Fight: The First Strike

The dust settled.

Haru raised an arm, preparing his next strike—until he felt it.

The temperature dropped.

The air bent.

And Yuki was gone.

A blink later—

CRACK!

A clean, brutal punch connected with Haru's ribs, sending him flying across the clearing. Stones shattered, a tremor shook the ground.

Haru hit the far cliffside, then tumbled to a stop. He lay there for a moment, then coughed—and smiled.

"Well... damn," he muttered. "You actually got me."

Yuki stood in the center, aura flaring—balanced between silver light and coiling shadow, his eyes bright but calm.

"I told you," Yuki said, panting, "I'm not broken."

Haru sat up, laughing softly. "No... you're finally waking up."

"If you're enjoying the ride, don't forget to leave a power stone or a comment—it really helps this grow!"

Part 4

Back to the Fight: Haru Unleashed

Haru slowly stood, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. The grin on his face faded—not out of anger, but from something more primal... anticipation.

"You're not broken," he echoed, cracking his neck. "But let's see if you're ready."

The air ignited.

In an instant, Haru's aura exploded—pure, searing pressure that warped the space around him. The ground shattered beneath his feet as he dashed forward, faster than before.

Yuki barely raised his guard before the barrage hit.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

A flurry of precise, devastating strikes hammered Yuki, forcing him back, step by step. Every blow rattled his bones. He was fast—but Haru was faster now. He was strong—but Haru was overwhelming.

Yuki's foot slipped.

CRACK!

A palm strike to the chest sent him flying—his body crashing into a jagged pillar of stone, splinters flying in every direction. He coughed, his vision swimming. Darkness flickered at the edge of his sight.

Too fast... too much...

Haru appeared above him, arm drawn back for the final blow—his aura burning white-hot.

"This is the last test, Yuki!!"

But then—

Everything stopped.

A pressure dropped like thunder.

Time itself seemed to hesitate.

A voice, low and calm, echoed across the battlefield.

"That's enough."

A single figure now stood between them.

Cloaked in a dark coat, long black hair flowing with the breeze, and eyes that shimmered like obsidian flames—Nogitsune had arrived.

He hadn't moved.

He didn't need to.

The sheer force of his presence had frozen the battle.

Haru's arm trembled mid-air—then slowly lowered. Sweat rolled down his temple as he stepped back, not in fear... but in respect.

Yuki blinked up through the haze, his vision clearing.

"N-Nogitsune...?"

Nogitsune glanced at him briefly. "You've done well. But pushing further now... would break you."

He turned to Haru, his voice low.

"That wasn't the deal."

Haru sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, yeah. I got carried away."

Scene Shift: Ren and Himari Arrive

Elsewhere, high on a ridge overlooking the battlefield, Ren landed gracefully beside Himari, his wings retracting in a gust of wind.

They both stared down in silence.

The fractured ground... the warped air... the overwhelming aura still lingering in the distance.

Ren narrowed his eyes. "That presence... Nogitsune."

"So he showed himself," Himari whispered. "But he wasn't alone."

Ren glanced at her, catching the tension in her posture.

"You sensed it too?" he asked.

She nodded slowly. "Something else stirred. Something darker... watching from the rift before it closed."

Ren's grip on his blade tightened slightly. "Then this wasn't just a test."

Himari's eyes glowed faintly. "It was a warning."

"If you're enjoying the ride, don't forget to leave a power stone or a comment—it really helps this grow!"