The campsite they found was nestled in the shadow of a jagged cliff, with a small brook cutting through the rocky terrain. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Kaito sat by the fire, staring at the relic resting on his lap. Its once-muted flames now danced with a vibrant white-gold light, casting long shadows against the rocks.

  Sayuri returned with water, her movements as quiet and deliberate as ever. “How are you holding up?”

  Kaito shrugged, still fixated on the relic. “It feels... different. Like it’s alive.”

  “It is,” Sayuri said, sitting across from him. “The relic isn’t just a tool—it’s a force of nature. It responds to your will, your emotions. But it also has its own purpose.”

  Kaito looked up, his brow furrowed. “And what purpose is that?”

  “That’s for you to discover,” Sayuri said, her gaze steady. “But whatever it is, you have to be ready. The Hunters won’t stop until they have it.”

  Her words hung in the air, a heavy reminder of the danger that loomed.

  The fire flickered, as if sensing the shift in the air. Kaito glanced around, his senses on high alert.

  “Do you feel that?” he asked.

  Sayuri nodded, already on her feet. “They’ve found us.”

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  Before Kaito could respond, a shadow moved at the edge of the firelight. Then another. Figures emerged from the darkness, clad in dark armor etched with glowing red runes. Each carried weapons that pulsed with an ominous energy.

  “The relic,” one of them hissed, his voice cold and sharp. “Hand it over, and we might let you live.”

  Kaito stood, the relic igniting in his hand. Its flames surged, illuminating the campsite in a brilliant glow. “Not a chance.”

  The leader of the Hunters stepped forward, his helm adorned with jagged spikes. He drew a massive blade that seemed to absorb the light around it. “Then we’ll take it by force.”

  The clash was immediate and brutal. Kaito swung the relic, its flames roaring as they collided with the Hunters’ weapons. Sayuri moved like a shadow, her blade flashing as she took down one opponent after another.

  But the Hunters were relentless, their attacks coordinated and ruthless.

  “Kaito, behind you!” Sayuri shouted.

  He turned just in time to block a strike, but the force sent him stumbling back. The relic flared, its power surging through him as if reacting to the danger.

  Cornered against the cliffside, Kaito felt the relic’s heat intensify, its flames licking up his arm. The world around him seemed to slow as a voice echoed in his mind: “Unleash the fire within.”

  Without thinking, Kaito thrust the relic forward. A torrent of white-gold flames erupted, engulfing the Hunters in a blinding inferno. The ground shook, and the air crackled with energy.

  When the flames subsided, the clearing was silent. The remaining Hunters had retreated, their leader glaring at Kaito with a mixture of rage and fear.

  “This isn’t over,” he snarled before disappearing into the shadows.

  Kaito dropped to his knees, the relic’s glow dimming as exhaustion overtook him.

  Sayuri knelt beside Kaito, her expression unreadable. “That was reckless.”

  “I didn’t have a choice,” Kaito said, his voice weak.

  “You always have a choice,” she said firmly. “The relic’s power is overwhelming, but it’s not infinite. If you push yourself too far, it will consume you.”

  Kaito looked at her, his exhaustion giving way to frustration. “You expect me to just hold back while they try to kill us?”

  “I expect you to stay alive,” she replied. “The Hunters won’t stop, and if you burn yourself out now, you’ll never survive the battles ahead.”

  Her words stung, but Kaito knew she was right. He took a deep breath, nodding slowly.

  “What now?” he asked.

  Sayuri stood, scanning the horizon. “We move. The Hunters will regroup, and next time, they’ll bring reinforcements.”

  Kaito gripped the relic, its faint warmth reassuring. “Then we’ll be ready.”