Clashes of steel reverberated through the surrounding area as Richard and the shadow engaged in a brutal battle. Richard's weapon was the knife that Kai had used to attack him earlier, stained with both their blood. In contrast, the shadow wielded a dark, mystic sword.

Richard's large frame was completely covered in blood, a testament to the fierce combat they were locked in. The difference in skill between him and the shadow was shockingly apparent.

His flaw, the inability to feel pain or emotions, meant that he fought relentlessly and recklessly. Injuries didn't faze him at all. Instead, they fueled his determination as he sought to land a decisive blow. The battle raged on, each strike carrying the weight of their dark destinies.

As the battle raged, Richard's relentless attacks proved futile. He couldn't land a single blow on the shadow, which seemed to effortlessly evade every strike. It was as if the shadow could predict his every move, leaving him helpless and frustrated

The battle had become a maddening struggle for Richard, a relentless contest against a foe he couldn't touch. He felt like a caged animal.

"Tch, this is getting annoying" he growled, frustration and desperation seeping into his voice. He had always been the hunter, the one who struck fear into others, but now he was the prey, a helpless figure in the presence of an absolute monster.

As the reality of his situation sank in deeper with every fruitless attack, Richard's movements became increasingly reckless. He lunged and slashed with reckless abandon, but it was all in vain. The shadow's evasion was impeccable, its form a blur of darkness that seemed to mock his every move.

Then, in a sudden, fluid motion, the shadow performed a backspin, a graceful dance of darkness that culminated in a powerful strike. The hilt of its sword slammed into Richard's jaw with a sickening impact, sending him hurtling through the air until he crashed into the orphanage.

The force of the impact left Richard dazed and disoriented, but his determination burned fiercely. He staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his split lip, and his eyes locked onto a large chunk of debris nearby. Without hesitation, he lifted it with raw, chaotic strength and hurled it at the shadow.

But the shadow was ready, and with a single, fluid slash of its mystic sword, the debris disintegrated into nothingness. The ease with which it had thwarted his attack only deepened Richard's sense of powerlessness.

He was trapped in a nightmarish battle, the shadow's dominance becoming more evident with each passing moment. Richard's mind raced for a solution, but it seemed that, for the first time, he was the one cornered and helpless.

Richard's mind raced, desperately searching for an escape from the nightmare that had become his reality. Amidst the chaos of battle, a realization struck him like a bolt of lightning—the boy, the one responsible for his predicament, had reentered the fray. Despite the pain still etched across his face, Kai had managed to stand on his own two feet once more.

Kai had been a silent spectator, his eyes locked onto the battle unfolding before him, He wished he could take credit for Richard's current, sorry state, but he knew he wasn't responsible for it. All he could do was watch, a spectator to a deadly clash that had escalated far beyond his control.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

With the last shreds of his dwindling strength, Richard gathered his resolve for a final, desperate act. His mangled body moved with a grim determination as he lunged toward Kai, driven by an all-consuming desire to end the boy's life. He believed, perhaps, that by doing so, he could also defeat the shadow that had relentlessly tormented him.

"This is all your fault! "

Richard's voice erupted in a torrent of anger as he lunged at Kai.

But before he could close the distance, a swift, precise strike severed one of his arms, leaving him momentarily bewildered. A cruel realization dawned upon him as the shadow's power continued its relentless assault.

Then, with a cold and calculated precision,

the shadow's blade sliced through his remaining arm. A gasp escaped Richard's lips before he fell to his knees, crippled and defeated, the relentless rain providing a melancholic backdrop to his despair.

He knew that the source of his torment was the shadow, and in that moment, he came to terms with his impending demise.

As the the rain poured down, forming a curtain of despair, Richard's life seemed to ebb away. But in his final moments, a chilling utterance from the shadow sent shivers coursing through his broken form.

"Pathetic."

As his gaze locked onto the shadow's piercing crimson eyes, it felt as though his very soul resonated with the voice, as if his creator had spoken. In that fleeting moment, his defining flaw, the absence of emotions, seemed to evaporate into the shadows.

A newfound and overwhelming emotion surged within him—a sensation entirely foreign and never before experienced. For the first time ever, Richard felt an unsettling emotion that gripped his heart and soul—fear.

In the blink of an eye, the shadow swung its blade, and Richard's reign of terror was mercilessly brought to an end. The infamous serial killer was no more.

And as if the world itself had responded to this outcome, the relentless rain ceased, leaving an eerie calm in its wake.

In the aftermath, the only two figures left outside were Kai and the enigmatic shadowy figure. Kai stood before the entity, a complex whirlwind of emotions churning within him. It wasn't fear, nor shock, nor any easily definable emotion—it was something deeper, more profound.

With a solemn nod, Kai found his words amidst the silence. "Thank you."

In the next moment, the shadowy figure began to meld into Kai's form, its presence fading away until it was nowhere to be seen.

Kai's thoughts had been consumed by the shadow and its enigmatic presence. In his preoccupation, he had momentarily forgotten about the orphanage and the lives it housed. It was a crucial detail that slipped from his mind until a sharp pang of realization struck him

With a sense of urgency, he rushed inside the battered orphanage, his heart pounding in his chest. But what met his eyes was a scene of utter devastation that seemed to shatter his world into pieces

The once-welcoming hallways were now corridors of destruction, filled with debris and shattered memories. The rooms, which had once echoed with laughter and the warmth of camaraderie, lay in ruins. The walls bore scars from the fierce battle, and the heavy silence hung heavily in the air.

Kai's breath caught in his throat as he called out the names of his friends, but there was no response. It was a chilling realization that he couldn't deny—the orphanage and the lives within it had been irrevocably changed, and there was no going back.

As Kai's frantic search led him deeper into the wreckage of the orphanage, his heart sank like a stone when he finally saw the most heart-wrenching sight of all. There, amidst the debris and chaos, lay Miss Agatha—his guardian, his friend, the woman he had regarded as his mother.

His steps faltered, and he rushed to her side, his trembling hands reaching out to gently cradle her. His mind raced with a torrent of emotions as he tried to process what he was seeing.

Miss Agatha," he whispered, his voice choked with sorrow, "Please, wake up."

But there was no response, only the haunting silence of the orphanage's shattered remains.

In that moment, a flood of memories washed over Kai—the countless bedtime stories, the comforting presence during thunderstorms, the gentle guidance through life's challenges. Miss Agatha had been the pillar of strength in his world, the one who had shown him kindness and love when he needed it most.

As he held her unconscious form in his arms, Kai's internal dialogue was a jumble of regret and longing.

"I should have protected you," he thought, his voice breaking within his mind. "You've given me so much, and I couldn't do anything to save you. I should have been stronger, faster..."

But amidst the guilt and despair, his memories of Miss Agatha remained a beacon of warmth. He recalled her smile, the way she always knew how to make him feel better, and the unwavering support she had offered him.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he whispered, "Please, Miss Agatha, wake up. I need you now more than ever."