The Devil Summoner in Shadow

Chapter 10: Minoru VS Kurogane

(Kurogane's POV)

Why? Why does he keep getting up?

I stared at the boy, his battered body trembling as he forced himself upright, defying every ounce of logic and reason. Blood trickled down his arms, and his breathing was ragged, yet his eyes burned with that same fierce determination.

Every movement he made only deepened the ache in my chest. My fists clenched as I watched him stagger to his feet again, his defiance more stubborn than his fragile body could handle. What kind of world allowed this? What kind of organization thrust children into the role of Devil Summoners, expecting them to survive battles like this?

A lump formed in my throat, and for a fleeting moment, I wanted to yell at him-Stay down! Let it end! But my voice caught, swallowed by the weight of my own frustration.

Please... just collapse. Don't make me cross this line.

I didn't want to kill him. I couldn't let myself. Not because I lacked the capability, but because I refused to lose the last shred of my humanity. The COMP on my arm buzzed faintly, a reminder of the pact that tied me to this life. Since the moment we bind ourselves to these devices, we start to change. Slowly but surely, we become desensitized to death, to violence, to murder.

But there are limits-lines I've refused to cross. I've seen too many Devil Summoners lose themselves, becoming no different from the demons they command. Ruthless. Cold. Uncaring. They kill anyone who opposes them, no matter their age, gender, or circumstances.

I won't be like them.

This boy... he's just a child. He's younger than I was when I first picked up a COMP. And yet, he stares at me as if I'm the final boss of his world, as if beating me will somehow validate his existence.

He shifted his stance, raising his katana again. My gut twisted.

"I won't fall," he declared, his voice hoarse but firm.

I gritted my teeth, my resolve teetering under the weight of his determination. Every fiber of me wanted to end this quickly, to incapacitate him without taking his life. But I knew the danger. If I held back too much, he'd keep coming. If I pushed too hard, I'd lose control.

And if I crossed that line... there'd be no going back.

For a moment, I hesitated, the specter of doubt creeping into my mind. Could I subdue him without breaking him entirely? Could I fight without losing myself in the process?

The boy surged forward, his katana glinting in the dim light. I raise my arm ready to attack.

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(Minoru's POV)

I won't fall.

The words echoed in my head, even as my vision swam with pain and exhaustion. I could barely stand, let alone fight, but I forced myself to press forward. My body screamed for rest, but my spirit refused to yield.

Then, I caught his eyes-those damn eyes.

Why are you looking at me like that?! The anger burned through the fog in my mind. Why do you look at me as if I'm something fragile, something you're afraid to break? I'm your opponent! Don't you dare pity me!

The rage coursed through my veins, fueling what little strength I had left. He was ruining everything-this sacred conversation, this battle where I'd staked my life. He was tainting it with his mercy, and I hated him for it.

I wanted to shout those words at him, to make him understand how much he was insulting me with that gaze. But I couldn't. My body wouldn't let me. The pain was too overwhelming, each breath a struggle. That I won't fall might have been the last words I could muster in this fight if I didn't heal soon.