Executioner's League-Chapter 68: The Storm Ahead!

The next morning, everyone

set out for Neonis. As Senjuro, Kyrin, and Kael boarded their

car, an unexpected detour took place.

To Senjuro's

surprise, Kyrin turned the vehicle toward the Neo-Shinkoku Aeroport instead

of taking the direct route.

"Why are we heading toward

the Aeroport?" Senjuro asked,

narrowing his eyes.

Kyrin kept his focus on

the road, his expression unreadable. "Sir Raizen isn't in a clear state

of mind."

Kael, seated in the back,

leaned forward. "What do you mean by that?"

Kyrin sighed. "Kairen

once told me about the herb. It only blooms during the rare full moon that

occurs in two months. I don't know why Raizen is sending us now."

Kael frowned. "Maybe

he got confused?"

Senjuro shook his

head. "No. Raizen isn't the type to make mistakes. When I first met

him, he was a fierce warrior, bold and confident. But now... he looks haunted, as

if he carries an unbearable weight."

Kael pondered this. "If

he's burdened by something, what could it be?"

Kyrin exhaled. "Whatever

the case, our mission remains the same. We must secure the herb—no matter

what."

With that, they pulled up

to the massive Neo-Shinkoku Aeroport, its floating terminals

shimmering under the morning sun.

The Neo-Shinkoku

Aeroport was unlike any conventional airport. Suspended in the air by

advanced graviton stabilizers, its sleek silver towers extended

toward the sky, while flux-powered aerial vessels hovered above, ready for

high-orbital flights.

As they entered, holo-terminals

scanned their identification and directed them to their gate. Their

destination: Aurora Spritian.

Kyrin took the lead,

checking their flight details. "We're taking an Aetherliner-class

aircraft. Flight duration: 30 minutes."

Kael smirked. "An

Aetherliner? That's high-tech even for Neo-Shinkoku's standards."

Senjuro nodded. "They

don't waste time when it comes to missions like this."

As they approached their

departure zone, an AI attendant projected itself in front of

them. "Welcome, travellers. Your flight is ready for boarding. Please

proceed."

Stepping into the quantum-phase

gate, they were instantly teleported onto their aircraft.

The Aetherliner was

unlike any aircraft Senjuro had experienced. Unlike traditional planes, it

didn't take off—it phased directly into the sky, entering

high-orbital altitude in a matter of seconds.

The interior was

minimalist, with hard-light seats that adjusted to body posture and holo-windows

displaying real-time star maps.

Kyrin took a deep

breath. "Alright, once we arrive at Aurora Spritian, we'll go to

Sensei's Mansion and then start to the base"

Kael stretched his

arms.

Senjuro's gaze remained

locked on the swirling clouds outside. "We'll do what we must."

Suddenly, the

aircraft's holo-interface flickered, and a transmission came

through.

"Unknown energy signature

detected near your arrival point."

The three exchanged

glances. Something was waiting for them at Aurora Spritian.

And it wasn't friendly.

The Void Strider

exited phase-warp and descended toward Aurora Spritian, a

breathtaking expanse of towering mountains covered in shimmering, blue-hued

flora.

As they disembarked onto

the landing platform, the cold air bit at their skin. The sky was

painted in hues of violet and gold, a testament to the unique atmospheric

conditions of this region.

Kael stepped forward,

scanning the landscape. "It's beautiful... but quiet."

Kyrin nodded. "Too

quiet."

Suddenly, Senjuro's eyes

narrowed. A dark presence lurked nearby.

Something was waiting for

them in the mountains.

And their real journey had

just begun.

Senjuro told Kyrin "Eyes of Darkness are on us, be in your

guard." Kael replied "Yessir!" As the group stepped out of the Neo-Shinkoku

Aeroport, Senjuro's instincts flared. He turned to Kyrin, his voice low but

firm.

"Eyes of Darkness are

on us. Be on your guard."

Kyrin's expression

sharpened, his fingers twitching near his concealed weapon.

Kael smirked. "Yessir!"

They continued through

the mist-covered streets of Neo-Shinkoku, carefully observing

their surroundings. The air felt heavy, charged with an ominous presence. Then,

Senjuro caught movement—a group of four cloaked figures trailing

behind them.

"We're being

tracked," he muttered under

his breath.

Kyrin stole a quick

glance. "Assassins?"

Senjuro nodded. "We

can't fight here. Too many civilians. We'll lure them into an alley and take

them out."

Kael grinned. "Not

necessary. Just lead them to the back. I'll take care of them."

There was something about

the way he said it—absolute confidence, no hesitation. Senjuro met Kael's gaze

and, after a moment, gave a nod of trust.

Slipping into a

narrow side street, they baited the assassins away from prying

eyes. One of the pursuers sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance.

"Easy prey. Let's

finish them."

The moment they stepped

into the darkened back alley, the assassins drew their blades. But before they

could make a move—

A flash. A whisper of

steel.

In an instant, their throats

were slit, their bodies collapsing without a sound.

Kyrin blinked in

shock. "What—?"

Kael sheathed his dagger

with a calm, calculated motion. "You'll know who I am when the

time is right."

The cryptic response left

more questions than answers, but there was no time to press him.

Without another word, they

moved toward the Archive of Aurora—their next destination.

The Archive of Aurora stood

at the outskirts of Aurora Spritian; a colossal structure carved

into the mountain's edge. Its ancient walls bore marks of battles

long forgotten, yet its presence remained unshaken—a fortress of knowledge,

power, and secrets.

Kael asked, "Why did we

come here?"

Kyrin replied, "Sensei

told me in these archives there's a thing or two about the Valley of Shadows."

Senjuro asked "The Archive

related to it might be old as it's not been updated, and we can't depend on it,

it's just a clue for us."

Kael added "You're right!"

As they approached, the

air grew colder. The skies darkened, storm clouds swirling

unnaturally.

Kael muttered, "Something's

wrong."

Kyrin agreed. "We're

being watched."

Senjuro's eyes flickered

with awareness. "It's more than that. The archive itself feels...

disturbed."

Just as they stepped past

the threshold—

BOOM!

A violent shockwave

erupted, throwing them off balance. The gates slammed shut, sealing

them inside.

A figure emerged

from the shadows, cloaked in flowing black robes, his eyes glowing

with an eerie crimson hue.

"You should not have

come here," he intoned, his

voice deep and foreboding.

Kael immediately drew his

dagger. "Who the hell are you?"

The man smirked. "The

last warning you'll ever hear."

With a swift motion, dark

energy burst from his hands, surging toward them like a storm of death.

The battle had begun.

Kael's eyes sharpened as

he analyzed the dark figure. He turned to Kyrin and muttered, "He's not using

Abyssal Craven Flux. It's something else—less dark, but unstable. Like it's

incomplete or artificially manipulated. But I can't find an opening."

Senjuro stepped forward,

his expression calm and focused. "Leave that to me."

Without hesitation, he

pulled out a sleek dagger forged from Celestine Argent, its edge

glowing faintly with residual flux. The man ahead growled, dark energy

flickering around him like coiling serpents.

"Come at me with all

you've got!" the enemy shouted.

Senjuro wasted no time. He

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moved with a blur—fluid, controlled, and precise. With every step, his

visor analyzed the man's movement patterns, marking pressure points and areas

of inconsistent energy flow. He was reading his enemy like a book.

The man staggered under

the relentless assault. Senjuro's strikes were a refined fusion of core-enhanced

flux techniques and raw martial mastery, flowing together in seamless

harmony. Every motion he made was efficient, honed by battle, and driven by

purpose.

Senjuro whispered as he

closed in on one of the man's key vital points, "It's over."

But the man's eyes

narrowed, and with a sudden burst of force, a storm-like sphere of dark

energy formed in his hand. It spun violently, crackling with

distortion and malice.

"Not yet!" the man

roared—and released the attack.

The dark sphere slammed

into Senjuro's chest, sending him skidding backward across the stone floor. The

impact was fierce, but Senjuro stood tall, wiping the blood from his lip.

"Your ability to shift

your vital points to bait us... it's impressive," Senjuro said, voice steady.

"But it's not enough to stop me."

Kael stepped up beside

Kyrin. "I have a plan. Fire at him with something that has real impact."

Kyrin nodded and pulled

out a Lumin Emberlight Flux-powered handgun, the barrel glowing

with golden energy.

Kael's weapons, by

contrast, were still a mystery—simple in appearance, lightweight, but strangely

elegant. His movements had precision that betrayed deep mastery, yet his true

abilities were still concealed.

Kael turned to Senjuro.

"Coordinate with me."

Senjuro gave a brief nod.

"He shifts his vital points—he baits us in, then counters. He's playing the

long game."

"Exactly," Kael replied.

"I'll engage him up close. Kyrin, when I give the signal—fire."

Kyrin glanced at him.

"Wait. You have a core, right?"

Kael smiled faintly, eyes

now glowing with a faint cerulean hue. "You're about to see the

power of my core.

Kael stepped forward, his

stance shifting. In that moment, something changed in the air. A breeze

stirred, unnatural and chilling. Kael's jacket flared slightly as his core

surged—not with the usual radiant glow of trained flux, but with something

deeper, older.

"What... is that energy?"

Kyrin whispered.

Senjuro narrowed his eyes.

"It's not like ours. It's... refined but unrefined. Something ancient. But he's

in control."

The dark figure watched

Kael approach. "So, the silent one has a trick after all."

Kael said nothing. His

hands moved fast, unsheathing two short, curved daggers that shimmered with

shifting energy. Kyrin aimed from the rear, locking onto the man's center mass.

The battle ignited.

Kael blurred forward with

terrifying speed. He attacked not with brute force, but with surgical

precision—feints, slashes, and parries designed to keep the enemy

constantly reacting. Each move was perfectly timed, unpredictable and fluid. He

was controlling the tempo.

The man snarled, swinging

his corrupted weapon to parry—but Kael twisted mid-air, kicking off the man's

shoulder and landing behind him. A clean strike grazed his back.

BOOM!

Kyrin fired at that exact

moment. The shot struck the man's shoulder—not a vital point, but the

force of the Lumin Emberlight punctured his dark aura and sent

sparks erupting from the impact.

The man growled, furious.

"You pests!"

He raised his hand to

unleash another dark energy sphere, but Senjuro appeared before him with his

dagger already drawn, the Celestine glow intensifying.

"You're wide open."

Kael gave a signal.

Now.

Kyrin fired again—this

time aiming at the foot. The man shifted his vital points up to protect his

core. But it was a trap.

Senjuro and Kael struck

simultaneously—Kael slashing from the right, Senjuro driving his dagger

straight into the exposed spot.

The man screamed in pain,

his dark aura fracturing. His core pulsed erratically.

"You little—!" he hissed.

Before he could react, Kael

twisted the blade in his hand, activating a pulse from his own core. A

blinding flash surged into the man's body, overloading his corrupted energy.

He collapsed, barely

breathing, aura dissolving around him.

Kael stepped back. "He's

down. For now."

Senjuro exhaled. "That

core of yours. What is it?"

Kael looked away. "Not

now. Let's move."

Kyrin nodded. "We've drawn

enough attention already."

Together, the trio exited

the now-crumbling Archive of Aurora, stepping out into the dawn

sky.