The Last Bargain

Chapter XLI: Trapped In Darkness

Shin's resolve solidified like steel, the memories of his past igniting a fierce determination in his heart. The swirling shadows continued to twist around Raito, their dark tendrils tightening, sinking deeper into his skin. Raito's face, pale and hollow, was contorted in agony, as if he were caught in a nightmare he could not wake from. The shadows coiled around his arms and legs, pulling him like a marionette on strings, his movements jerky and unnatural.

Zento stood beside Shin, his fists clenched, his body tense with frustration and fear. "How do we reach him?" he asked, his voice strained. "He's lost in there... and Yomi isn't going to make this easy."

Shin's gaze remained fixed on Raito, his friend now a prisoner in his own body. "We can't give up," he muttered, more to himself than to Zento. "Raito is still in there. We just have to find a way to break through... to reach him."

Behind them, Yomi loomed large, his dark form almost blending with the shadows themselves, his eyes gleaming with a cruel light. "Your efforts are meaningless," Yomi taunted, his voice like a knife slicing through the air. "The shadows have consumed him. He is no longer yours to save."

Shin felt a surge of anger rise in his chest, but he kept his voice calm, controlled. "I know you're in there, Raito!" he shouted, stepping forward, his eyes never leaving his friend. "You have to fight this! Don't let Yomi win!"

But Raito's body remained rigid, his eyes glazed over with that inky blackness. He moved with a sudden burst of speed, lunging at Zento, his hands glowing with a dark, corrupted energy. Zento barely managed to dodge the attack, feeling the air whip past his face as Raito's fist missed by inches.

"He's... fast," Zento muttered, his breathing quickening. "Faster than before."

Shin nodded, his mind racing. "The shadows are amplifying his strength, using his abilities against us," he said grimly. "We can't just fight him head-on... we need to find a way to break the shadows' hold."

Yomi's laughter echoed around them, low and mocking. "Fools," he sneered. "There is no breaking free. He belongs to me now, to the shadows... to the darkness."

Shin ignored Yomi's words, focusing instead on the movements of Raito. Each step, each swing of his arm seemed controlled by the shadows, manipulated like a puppet with invisible strings. He knew they had to find a way to disrupt the connection, to reach the part of Raito still buried deep inside.

Zento dodged another strike, his eyes darting to Shin. "Any ideas?" he asked, ducking under a swift kick. "Because I'm running out of room here."

Shin glanced at Zento, then back at Raito. "Keep moving," he replied, his voice steady despite the chaos. "We need to tire him out, force the shadows to work harder to maintain control. If we can create an opening, even for a moment, we might be able to get through to him."

Zento nodded, taking a deep breath. "Alright, I'll keep him busy. Just... find that opening, Shin."

Raito lunged at them again, faster this time, his fists a blur of motion. Zento met his attack head-on, blocking and dodging with all the speed he could muster. But Raito's strikes were relentless, each one stronger than the last, each one coming from a different angle. Zento could feel his muscles straining, the sweat pouring down his face, but he held his ground, refusing to back down.

"Come on, Raito!" Zento shouted, blocking another punch. "Fight it! I know you're in there!"

Shin circled around, watching Raito's movements carefully, looking for any sign of weakness, any hint that his friend was still in control somewhere deep inside. His mind flashed back to his own trial, his own battle against his mirror self, and he realized that Raito, too, was fighting a battle within—a battle against his own doubts, his own fears, amplified by the shadows that now controlled him.

I know what you're going through, Raito... Shin thought, his heart pounding. But you have to keep fighting. You have to let us help you.

Yomi watched them with a cold smile, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Your words are wasted," he taunted. "He cannot hear you... not anymore."

Shin felt a flicker of doubt, but he pushed it aside. "I don't believe that," he shot back. "Raito is stronger than you think. He hasn't given up yet, and neither will we."

Raito lunged again, his movements wild and erratic, and Shin saw his chance. He moved quickly, slipping past Zento and catching Raito's wrist in midair, pulling him off balance. "Raito!" he shouted, his grip tight. "Look at me! It's Shin! Remember who you are!"

For a moment, Raito's body stiffened, his eyes flickering with a faint light, as if he were trying to remember, trying to break free. The shadows around him seemed to writhe, tightening their hold, but Shin held on, refusing to let go.

"Come on, Raito," Shin whispered, his voice filled with urgency. "I've seen you fight through worse. I know you can do this... I know you can hear me."

Yomi's eyes narrowed, a look of annoyance crossing his face. "Enough of this," he growled. He extended his hand, and the shadows seemed to respond, twisting tighter around Raito, pulling him away from Shin with a violent force.

Raito's eyes glazed over again, his body moving with a sudden burst of strength, throwing Shin back with a powerful shove. Shin stumbled, catching himself just before he fell, his breath coming in sharp gasps.

"Shin!" Zento called out, ducking another wild swing from Raito. "Are you okay?"

Shin nodded, his jaw set with determination. "Yeah... but this isn't working. We need to do something else."

Raito's body moved again, striking out at Zento with a flurry of punches, each one stronger and faster than the last. Zento blocked and dodged, but he could feel his strength waning, his muscles tiring under the relentless assault.

"We need to break the shadows' hold," Shin muttered to himself, his mind racing. "But how...?"

He glanced at Yomi, who stood a few paces away, watching them with a satisfied grin. Shin felt a surge of anger at the sight, a burning need to wipe that smug look off Yomi's face.

He turned back to Raito, his eyes filled with determination. "We're not losing you," he said quietly. "Not to him... not to anyone."

As the chaos continued, Shin's thoughts drifted back to his past, to the moment he had left his family to pursue his dreams, to the guilt he had carried ever since. He remembered the weight of that guilt, the way it had almost crushed him, almost broken him.

But he had found a way through it, a way to keep moving forward. And now, he had to help Raito do the same.

"Raito," he called out again, louder this time, his voice filled with a fierce determination. "Remember who you are. Remember us. Remember that you're not alone!"

The shadows hissed and tightened, but Shin refused to back down. He had lost his family once; he wasn't going to lose his friend now.

He just had to find a way to reach him... before it was too late.