𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙥𝙚 | 𝘢𝘬𝘪 𝘩. ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

036. | ꜱʟɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴀᴡᴀʏ

Touko felt a sharp, searing pain as the illusion figure plunged its claws into her side. The agony was intense, radiating through her body like wildfire, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to let out a cry. The darkness around her seemed to grow thicker, more oppressive, as if it were a living entity intent on swallowing her whole. Tendrils of shadow coiled around her, tightening their grip with every passing second, pulling her deeper into the abyss.

Her breaths came in short, ragged gasps, each one a struggle against the suffocating weight of the illusion. The air felt heavy, laden with a palpable sense of dread, and her vision began to blur. Yet, through the haze, she could see faint glimmers of light dancing at the edges of her consciousness, like distant stars in a night sky.

Determined not to succumb, Touko focused on those glimmers, drawing strength from the memories of her loved ones — Kishibe, Aki, Power, Denji. Their faces flashed before her eyes, their voices echoing in her mind, urging her to keep fighting. The claws dug deeper, and the pain intensified, but Touko's resolve only grew stronger.

She could feel the warmth of her own blood trickling down her side, a stark contrast to the cold darkness enveloping her. Her muscles tensed, and with a guttural cry, she summoned every ounce of her willpower, pushing back against the illusion. The shadows hissed and recoiled, the tendrils loosening their grip as if startled by her defiance. The illusion figure's form flickered, its once menacing presence now wavering. Touko's heart pounded in her chest, each beat a testament to her unyielding spirit. She would not be defeated by mere shadows; she was stronger than this.

The illusion's claws dug deeper, each motion a dagger thrust in her soul. Her mind flashed between the reality and the illusion, her world blending together as she battled both the shadows and her memories.

Even in her pain and emotional turmoil, she wouldn't give up. The glimmers of light she had seen before still burned in front of her eyes. Her father's voice was just an illusion. Her resolve was real, and she fought on with all she had in her.

The illusion of her father pulled his claws out, a sneer twisting his features. "No matter what you do," he shouted, his voice echoing in the void, "your death will mean nothing if we are still dead!"

His words cut deeper than any physical wound, but she clenched her fists, grounding herself in the reality of her own strength.

His words cut deeper than any physical wound, but she clenched her fists, grounding herself in the reality of her own strength.

Touko's thoughts were a tumultuous blend of guilt and determination. The memory of her family's death weighed heavily on her heart, a constant reminder of the lives she couldn't save. This guilt, however, was the very fuel for her resolve. She was determined to redeem herself and honor her family's memory, no matter how impossible the task seemed.

She focused on the impossibility of Aki's contract, a seemingly insurmountable barrier that stood in her way. But with each step forward, she felt a surge of strength, her resolve cutting through the darkness like a blade. Her family's faces flashed before her eyes, urging her on. She knew she couldn't let them down again. She had to penetrate through the impossibility, for their sake and for her own redemption.

With a deep breath, she steeled herself, pushing past the shadows and the pain. She would not be defeated. She would fight on, for her family, for herself, and for the hope of Aki's future.

With every step forward, Touko's determination grew. She thought only of Aki, and the impossible task ahead of her seemed less impossible. Her love for her family, her desire to redeem herself, they all pushed her forward; fueling her resolve. Her chest burned with the pain of it all, yet she fought on.