# Chapter: The Abyss Stares Back

Kai felt his pulse hammering in his ears, drowning out the remnants of Alexios’s maniacal laughter. He tightened his grip on the bat, every muscle in his body coiled like a spring ready to snap. This man in front of him—Alexios—wasn’t like the others. This wasn’t just a street brawl or a struggle for dominance. This was something far more sinister.

And as much as Kai hated to admit it, he felt an icy thread of fear worming its way into his heart.

Alexios's laughter abruptly stopped, his grin fading into something that almost resembled serenity. He let out a long breath, like a worshiper emerging from a trance, and slowly, deliberately, he reached behind his back, drawing out two gleaming, curved blades—karambits. The metal caught the dim light, reflecting it in sharp flashes as Alexios spun them around his fingers with practiced ease.

“Let’s see if your spirit burns as brightly when faced with despair,” Alexios murmured, eyes narrowing, his gaze fixed solely on Kai.

Kai took a cautious step back, adjusting his stance. The bat felt heavier in his hands now, more like a lifeline than a weapon. “You talk too much,” Kai shot back, forcing a smirk onto his face. “All that worshiping must’ve rotted your brain.”

For a brief moment, Alexios’s smile faltered, his eyes flickering with something unidentifiable—something raw and dangerous. Then, without warning, he launched himself forward, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat.

Kai barely had time to react.

The first blade came in low, slicing through the air toward Kai’s abdomen. He twisted his body, deflecting the attack with the bat, but Alexios was already moving, fluid and relentless. The second blade arced toward Kai’s throat, and he had to duck, feeling the cold steel pass just inches from his skin.

Fast—he’s too fast!

Kai didn’t allow himself to panic. He parried the next strike with the bat, using the momentum to pivot on his heel, swinging the bat at Alexios’s ribs. But Alexios anticipated it. He sidestepped, grabbing the bat with one hand and yanking Kai toward him. The move caught Kai off guard, and before he could react, Alexios’s knee drove into his stomach with brutal force.

The air rushed from Kai’s lungs, pain exploding in his abdomen. He staggered back, gasping for breath, but Alexios didn’t relent. He came at Kai like a hurricane, a whirlwind of blades and fury. Each slash and thrust was precise, calculated, forcing Kai to retreat, blocking and dodging by the skin of his teeth.

Think, dammit! Think!

Kai couldn’t win this through sheer strength. Alexios was stronger, faster, more experienced. But if there was one thing Kai had learned in his life, it was how to adapt. He couldn’t overpower Alexios, but maybe—just maybe—he could outthink him.

The next time Alexios lunged, Kai didn’t try to block. Instead, he dropped to the ground, rolling to the side and swinging his leg out in a sweeping kick. It connected, and Alexios stumbled, losing his balance for a split second.

*Now!*

Kai surged to his feet, swinging the bat toward Alexios’s temple. But Alexios reacted with inhuman speed, raising his arm to catch the bat mid-swing. Kai’s eyes widened as Alexios twisted, ripping the bat from his grasp and tossing it aside as if it were nothing more than a child’s toy.

Unarmed and facing those blades, Kai felt the weight of his disadvantage pressing down on him. Yet even as he stood there, empty-handed, something in Alexios’s eyes gleamed with approval. “Yes… yes!” Alexios hissed, his voice trembling with excitement. “Show me more! Show me everything you have!”

Kai gritted his teeth. He wasn’t sure whether Alexios was testing him, toying with him, or simply prolonging the fight to savor it. But he didn’t have the luxury of figuring it out. He needed to change the tempo, needed to make Alexios react instead of dictating the flow of the battle.

Kai sprinted toward the wall, leaping up and planting his foot against the brick. Using the momentum, he pushed off, twisting his body mid-air to avoid Alexios’s blades as they lashed out, aiming to intercept him. As he landed behind Alexios, Kai spun, delivering a sharp kick to the back of Alexios’s knee. The assassin staggered, and Kai took advantage of the opening, wrapping his arm around Alexios’s neck in a chokehold.

He squeezed with all his strength, trying to cut off Alexios’s air supply, but it was like trying to choke a wild animal. Alexios snarled, slamming his head backward into Kai’s face. Stars exploded in Kai’s vision, and his grip loosened just enough for Alexios to slip free.

In one fluid motion, Alexios spun around, slashing with both blades. Kai barely managed to jerk his head back, the tip of one blade grazing his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood. He stumbled back, blinking away the dizziness, but he could see it in Alexios’s eyes—his opponent was no longer toying with him. He was serious now, and that only made him more dangerous.

“So close,” Alexios whispered, tilting his head as if studying Kai. “You’re quick. Adaptable. But not quick enough.”

Kai’s mind raced. He had to think of something, some way to turn the tables. As he glanced around, his eyes fell on the bat lying a few feet away, and an idea began to form.

*This is going to be risky.*

“Talking like that,” Kai said, straightening up, blood trickling from his cheek, “you might actually convince yourself you’re invincible. But you know what they say about pride, right?”

Alexios’s eyes narrowed, lips curling back to reveal clenched teeth. He charged, both blades flashing in the dim light, intent on finishing this.

Kai waited until the last possible second. Then, he dove toward the bat, grabbing it with one hand and swinging upward with every ounce of strength he had left. The blow connected with Alexios’s wrist, and the blade flew from his grasp, skittering across the alley.

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Kai didn’t stop there. He kept moving, using the bat to drive Alexios back, forcing him on the defensive for the first time. He struck again and again, battering against Alexios’s defenses, until the man stumbled, his remaining blade slipping from his fingers.

Kai's heart pounded in his ears. He raised the bat, panting, ready to strike the final blow.

But Alexios—weaponless, unarmed—didn’t flinch. Instead, he began to laugh. A low, rumbling sound that grew into a full-blown, maniacal cackle. “Yes,” he whispered, breathless and elated. “Yes! This is what I wanted!”

Kai froze, his grip on the bat tightening. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he spat, every nerve in his body screaming to end this now.

Alexios just smiled. “You’re still holding back,” he said, almost sadly. “You’re afraid to let go, afraid to lose control.” He took a step forward, arms spread wide, inviting Kai to strike. “But that’s what makes you weak, Kai. That’s why you’ll never truly win.”

Kai’s vision blurred with frustration and exhaustion, but he refused to let Alexios’s words worm their way into his mind. “And what does that make you?” he shot back, his voice hard as steel. “Just another lunatic who worships shadows and whispers?”

The smile faded from Alexios’s face, replaced by something darker, more twisted. “You’ll see,” he murmured, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. “You’ll see when the shadows finally claim you.”

And with that, Alexios took a step back, his head tilting skyward as if waiting for some unspoken command. The tension in the air shifted, and Kai felt it—a ripple, a presence, like the very shadows themselves had begun to move.

Kai's breath hitched. Whatever came next, he knew this fight was far from over.

And as he took his stance once more, bat held firmly in his hands, Kai braced himself for whatever madness awaited him.

The laughter that filled the alley came to an abrupt halt, leaving only an eerie silence in its wake. Alexios stood still, his manic grin fading into something far more sinister. His eyes snapped open, revealing a piercing, malevolent gaze that seemed to strip away the warmth of the world around him. Kai felt a chill crawl over his skin, as if the very air had turned frigid.

Then, before he could even process what was happening, Alexios vanished.

No sound. No blur of movement. One moment he was there, and the next, he was gone.

Kai's breath caught in his throat, his pulse quickening. Every nerve in his body screamed danger, but his mind struggled to keep up. *What the hell just happened?!* It was as if Alexios had simply blinked out of existence.

A whisper of air brushed the back of his neck. Kai whirled around, and his heart skipped a beat.

There, standing calmly behind him, was Alexios.

It was impossible. Kai's eyes darted back to the spot where Alexios had been standing just moments before, and then back to him again. The distance was far too great to cover in such a short span of time. It wasn't humanly possible.

*Teleportation?* Kai’s mind raced. No, that was ridiculous. There had to be a logical explanation—some trick, some technique. But even as he tried to rationalize it, fear gnawed at the edges of his thoughts.

Primal fear took over, and Kai swung his bat with all his strength, hoping to connect, to feel some semblance of control. But Alexios moved faster than Kai could register, and with a single, fluid motion, he struck the bat mid-swing.

*CRACK!*

Splinters flew in all directions as the bat shattered, pieces of wood raining down around them. Kai stumbled back, wide-eyed, his heart hammering against his ribs. It wasn't just strength—it was like Alexios had crushed the bat effortlessly, as if it were nothing more than a twig.

Kai jumped back, putting as much distance between them as possible. He could feel his hands shaking, his grip slick with sweat. This wasn’t a fight anymore—it was a nightmare come to life.

“Wh…what are you?” Kai stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. But Alexios didn’t answer. He simply stood there, eyes gleaming with that same unsettling, cold amusement.

And then, in a blink, he was gone again.

Kai’s instincts screamed at him, and he twisted to his left just in time to see Alexios materialize mere inches from him. Kai lashed out, a desperate jab aimed at the man's face, but Alexios didn’t even try to dodge. He took the punch head-on, and Kai's fist collided with his cheek.

It was like hitting solid steel.

Pain shot up Kai’s arm, but Alexios didn’t flinch. He didn’t even blink. Instead, he smiled, almost kindly, as if he were indulging a child’s tantrum. “Not bad,” Alexios murmured, his voice soft and unsettlingly gentle. “You’ve got some skill in boxing. Go on, show me more.”

A surge of anger surged through Kai, drowning out the fear. He struck again, this time with a series of quick jabs, trying to break through, trying to find a weakness. Each punch connected, but it was as if Alexios's body absorbed the blows like they were nothing more than raindrops. No recoil, no reaction.

Kai’s frustration boiled over. “Why won’t you—” He didn’t finish the sentence. He pivoted, bringing his right leg up in a high roundhouse kick that snapped through the air with a sharp crack.

Alexios didn’t move. He took the full brunt of the kick to the side of his head, and still, he remained standing, his expression unchanging.

Panic mixed with disbelief. *How is this possible?* Kai could feel the sting in his knuckles, the ache in his muscles—he knew his strikes weren’t weak. And yet, they didn’t even faze this man.

“Is that it?” Alexios taunted, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You’ll have to do better than that, Kai.”

“Shut up!” Kai roared, and without thinking, he unleashed everything he had. He shifted his stance, transitioning seamlessly into a flurry of Taekwondo kicks. He launched a side kick aimed at Alexios’s ribs, a spinning back kick toward his head, and finished with a low sweeping kick meant to take out his legs.

Each strike landed perfectly. Alexios didn’t attempt to dodge or block a single one. He took every blow without so much as a grunt of pain. He stood like an unyielding monolith, as if Kai’s efforts were nothing more than a gentle breeze.

“Impressive,” Alexios mused, brushing dust off his shoulder as if to mock Kai’s efforts. “You truly are skilled. But…” He stepped closer, towering over Kai now, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. “Your power… is insufficient.”

Kai staggered back, breathless and disoriented. He had thrown everything at him, every ounce of strength, every technique he’d honed over the years. But it was all useless. Alexios might as well have been a ghost.

Kai’s heart pounded in his ears, a frantic rhythm that drowned out everything else. He could feel his legs trembling, his body crying out for him to run. But he couldn’t—he wouldn’t.

He had come too far to back down now.

As he locked eyes with Alexios, he felt a surge of defiance bubbling up, mingling with the fear and rage that threatened to swallow him whole. *If I’m going down,* Kai thought, gritting his teeth, *I’m not going down quietly.*

And Alexios, as if reading his mind, smiled wider. “Come then,” he whispered, his voice as cold as the void. “Show me more. Show me all of it.”

And the alley fell silent once more, the world narrowing to just the two of them—Kai and the monster that refused to be defeated.

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