The Last Bargain

Chapter XXXVIII: Into The Shadows

The shadows swirled around Zento and Shin, their dark forms stretching and warping, their whispers becoming an overwhelming roar. Each shadow seemed to pulse with a life of its own, shifting shapes and moving with an eerie, fluid grace. The air grew colder, and the ground beneath them seemed to tremble, as if the very earth were afraid.

Zento felt a chill creep up his spine, his heart pounding in his chest. His breath came in shallow, quick gasps, but he forced himself to stay calm. He knew that whatever these shadows were, they were tied to Raito's suffering, feeding off his pain and doubt.

"We have to reach him," Shin said, his voice steady but urgent. "We can't let these things keep hurting him."

Zento nodded, his eyes fixed on the figure of Raito in the distance. "Right," he agreed. "We push through... together."

The shadows seemed to sense their determination. With a hiss, they surged forward, their forms growing larger and more menacing. Faces with twisted expressions appeared in the darkness, their eyes glowing with a sickly, green light. Hands reached out from the shadows, claw-like fingers stretching toward Zento and Shin, as if trying to drag them into the darkness.

Shin didn't hesitate. He charged forward, his movements fluid and swift, slicing through the first shadow with a quick, powerful strike. The shadow let out a high-pitched wail and dissolved into a cloud of black mist, but more surged forward to take its place.

Zento followed close behind, his hands glowing faintly with the energy of his ability. He felt a rush of adrenaline as he moved, ducking and weaving around the shadowy figures, his senses sharpened. He dodged a swipe from one of the shadows and countered with a swift punch, his fist passing through the darkness with a burst of light. The shadow recoiled, its form flickering, but it did not vanish.

"They don't stay down," Zento muttered, frustration building in his chest. "There's too many of them."

Shin nodded, his eyes narrowing. "They're tied to Raito's pain," he said. "We have to weaken their hold... somehow."

A particularly large shadow lunged at them, its mouth wide open, revealing rows of jagged, teeth-like shapes. Shin reacted quickly, pulling one of his knives from his belt and flinging it straight into the shadow's gaping maw. The shadow let out a shriek, its form twisting in agony before disintegrating into mist.

But even as it vanished, more shadows rushed forward, closing in around them, their whispers louder and more insistent than ever. "You cannot save him..." they hissed. "He belongs to us... his pain is eternal."

Zento gritted his teeth, feeling the weight of those words pressing down on him. He could see Raito in the distance, still standing motionless, blood dripping from his countless wounds, his eyes vacant and lost. The shadows seemed to feed off his despair, growing stronger with every moment that passed.

"We can't keep this up," Zento said, his voice tight with urgency. "We need to reach Raito... now!"

Shin nodded, determination flashing in his eyes. "I'll clear a path," he replied. "Just focus on getting to him!"

He leapt forward, his movements a blur as he slashed and dodged, his knives cutting through the shadows with practiced ease. Each strike was precise, a mimic of the techniques he had learned in his trial. He moved with an almost unnatural grace, his body a whirlwind of motion.

Zento watched, feeling a surge of inspiration. He could see Shin's strategy—using quick, precise attacks to keep the shadows off-balance, never allowing them to close in completely. He needed to do the same, to match Shin's speed and agility, to keep moving forward.

He took a deep breath, feeling the energy building within him, and then he moved. His body blurred as he activated his ability, pushing himself to the limit, his feet barely touching the ground as he sped past the shadows. He ducked under a swipe, twisted to avoid another, and kept his eyes locked on Raito.

"Almost there," he muttered to himself, his heart pounding. "Just a little further..."

But the shadows seemed to sense his intent. They surged forward in a wave, blocking his path, their forms twisting into grotesque shapes. Hands reached out, clawing at him, their whispers growing louder, more insistent.

"Stay away..." they hissed. "You cannot reach him... his suffering is his alone..."

Zento felt a surge of anger at their words. "No," he shouted, his voice ringing out through the darkness. "Raito's suffering isn't just his... it's ours too. We won't let him face it alone!"

The shadows recoiled slightly, as if surprised by his defiance, but they quickly regrouped, closing in once more. Zento pushed harder, his speed increasing, his movements becoming a blur of motion. He could feel the strain in his muscles, the burn in his lungs, but he refused to slow down.

He saw Shin up ahead, carving through the shadows with relentless precision, clearing a path toward Raito. "Keep going!" Shin shouted over his shoulder. "Don't stop!"

Zento nodded, pushing himself even harder. He was close now, so close he could almost reach out and touch Raito. But the shadows were relentless, their whispers filling his ears, their hands clawing at his skin.

"Give up..." they hissed. "You are too weak... you cannot save him..."

Zento felt the doubt creeping in, the familiar fear that he wasn't strong enough, wasn't fast enough. But then he heard Shin's voice, clear and strong over the roar of the shadows. "Don't listen to them!" he shouted. "We're almost there, Zento! Just keep going!"

Zento gritted his teeth, pushing the doubt away. "Right," he muttered to himself. "We're almost there."

He surged forward, his speed increasing, and finally, he reached Raito. He skidded to a stop in front of his friend, breathing hard, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Raito!" he shouted, reaching out to grab his shoulder. "It's me! Zento! Wake up!"

Raito flinched at the touch, his eyes blinking slowly, as if trying to focus. "Zento...?" he whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. "Is that... you?"

Zento felt a surge of relief. "Yes, it's me," he said urgently. "We're here to get you out of this... you don't have to do this alone."

But Raito's eyes were still distant, filled with pain and confusion. "I... I don't know..." he muttered. "The shadows... they... they won't let me go..."

Shin reached them, panting hard, his knives still in his hands. "We're not leaving without you, Raito," he said fiercely. "You have to fight. You have to help us break through."

Raito looked at them, his eyes filled with doubt. "I... I don't know if I can..."

Zento shook his head, his grip tightening on Raito's shoulder. "You can," he said firmly. "We believe in you. You're not alone... not anymore."

The shadows hissed, their forms surging forward, more desperate now, their whispers a cacophony of anger and fear. "No... you cannot take him... he belongs to us..."

But Zento and Shin stood their ground, their eyes fixed on Raito, refusing to give up.

"We're not leaving," Shin said, his voice steady and strong. "Not without you."

Raito's eyes flickered, a spark of determination beginning to light in their depths. "I... I will try," he whispered, his voice shaky but growing stronger.

The shadows howled in rage, their forms twisting and stretching, preparing for one final assault.

Zento braced himself, feeling the energy build within him. "Together," he said, looking at Shin and Raito. "We fight... together."

And as the shadows surged forward, the three of them stood side by side, ready to face whatever came next, knowing that they were stronger together than they had ever been alone.