The tunnel shook with every clash, the air thick with heat and dust. Rajiv gritted his teeth, his golden energy flickering weakly. His body felt heavy—his power wasn't responding.
Jiro stood in the center of the battlefield, his twisted form illuminated by a sinister glow. His lips curled into a smirk as he exhaled, and then—
FWOOSH!
A torrent of hellfire erupted from his mouth, the flames roaring through the tunnel like a living beast. The intense heat warped the air, turning the space into an inferno.
"Get down!" Yokudo shouted.
But before the fire could consume them, Liang Bai stepped forward. His eyes flashed with fierce determination as he raised both hands, chanting rapidly in Chinese.
A strange phenomenon occurred—the flames bent toward him, wrapping around his body.
Rajiv's heart pounded. "Liang Bai, what are you doing?!"
But Liang Bai didn't stop. His skin darkened, turning black from the heat, his veins glowing with fiery energy.
He was absorbing the flames.
For a moment, the tunnel was filled with nothing but the sound of roaring fire and Liang Bai's pained breathing.
Then—BOOM!
The flames vanished, their heat drained. Liang Bai staggered, smoke rising from his body. His skin was charred black, his breathing ragged.
"I… suppressed it…" he murmured, before his legs gave out beneath him.
Rajiv caught him before he hit the ground. "Liang Bai! Hold on!"
But Jiro only laughed.
"That was reckless," he said. "And useless."
Rajiv clenched his fists, anger boiling in his veins. Yokudo stepped forward, sword drawn, eyes locked on Jiro.
"You talk too much," Yokudo said coldly.
Jiro smirked. "Then shut me up."
With that, the fight resumed—but this time, Rajiv and Yokudo weren't alone.
From the shadows, another team emerged.
Rajiv's eyes widened as his rival team joined the battle.
"Looks like you need backup," the leader of the rival team said, cracking his knuckles.
Rajiv exhaled sharply, his grip tightening around his sword.
The battle against Jiro had only just begun.