The Second Avatar

Chapter 37: A Bloody Fight

The darkened streets of Bintan were hushed as Yogan and Yoan moved silently through the narrow alleys, keeping to the shadows, their senses sharp. Only the faint, flickering lights of distant torches illuminated the cobblestone paths, casting long shadows over walls and doorways. Behind them, Kezin and Kaiya followed at a distance, ready to cover other parts of the town. The plan was simple: split up to cover more ground, leaving no stone unturned until they cornered Kuno.

Yogan signaled to Yoan, gesturing toward a cluster of people milling around a small courtyard. It was late, and most of the townsfolk had retreated indoors, but a few lingered, moving in and out of shadow, obscuring the view. Yogan narrowed his eyes, his instincts kicking in. Amidst the shifting figures, a lone man stood too still, half-hidden by an awning. His face was partially obscured, but Yogan's eyes caught the faint glint of something metallic strapped to his side.

They moved in carefully, flanking him with practiced stealth, their movements synchronized. Kuno's head shifted, as if sensing them, and his body tensed, but he stayed rooted in place, blending seamlessly with the crowd.

"Kuno," Yogan's voice was low, barely above a whisper. "It's over. There's nowhere left to run."

Kuno's eyes flicked between them, assessing, but he made no move to flee. Instead, he gave a slow, sardonic smile, his eyes gleaming in the dim light. From his cloak, he drew two curved swords, their polished steel catching the glint of a nearby torch. They were twin blades, each perfectly balanced, honed for deadly precision.

"Kiva taught me well," Kuno said, his voice almost a murmur, filled with a hint of pride. He twirled the swords expertly, the edges singing through the air with a soft, lethal whisper. "I think it's time I showed you what she taught me."

Yogan clenched his fists, positioning himself low, his stance solid. Yoan mirrored him, each of them ready to strike.

With a sudden burst of speed, Kuno lunged forward, his blades flashing in the dim alley. Yogan ducked as one sword swiped near his head, feeling the sharp wind of its movement as it cut the air. Yoan retaliated immediately, sending a burst of wind from his hands aimed at Kuno's midsection. But Kuno anticipated it, twisting to the side and letting the gust pass him by inches.

Kuno's movement was fluid, his body bending and weaving as if he were part of the shadows themselves. He stepped toward Yoan, bringing his sword down in a swift, downward arc. Yoan deflected it with a quick blast of air, pushing Kuno back just enough to regain his footing. Yogan seized the opening, launching himself at Kuno from behind, fists swirling with wind.

But Kuno spun, using his left blade to block Yogan's strike. The force of Yogan's blow reverberated through the blade, but Kuno held firm, and with his right sword, he slashed downwards, forcing Yogan to leap back or risk a nasty gash across his chest.

"Not bad," Kuno sneered, breathing hard, his eyes darting between them. "But it'll take more than parlor tricks to bring me down."

The fight escalated. Yogan and Yoan adapted, attacking in tandem, each strike more coordinated than the last. Yoan spun, sending a sweeping gust of air toward Kuno's legs, while Yogan simultaneously aimed a concentrated blast at his upper body. But Kuno, quick and agile, flipped backwards, dodging the attacks in a blur of movement. He rolled into a crouch, then sprang up with both blades flashing, his eyes fixed on Yoan.

Kuno lunged again, this time with a series of rapid strikes, each one calculated, relentless, and precise. Yoan tried to deflect with bursts of wind, but Kuno's twin swords cut through the air like extensions of his own body. A quick slash grazed Yoan's shoulder, blood seeping through his tunic as he staggered back, wincing in pain.

Seeing his friend wounded ignited a fierce determination in Yogan. He surged forward, releasing a powerful wave of air meant to knock Kuno off his feet. Kuno, however, anchored himself by driving one sword into the ground, using the leverage to hold firm against the blast. In one swift motion, he yanked the blade free and retaliated, swiping both swords in a crisscross motion that forced Yogan to leap back, the tips of the blades grazing his chest and drawing a thin line of blood.

Yogan gritted his teeth, feeling the sting, but kept his focus. Kuno was a master with his swords, using every inch of space to his advantage, parrying their attacks and maneuvering with an agility that was astonishing for a non-bender. His movements were unpredictable, his body twisting and turning with the fluidity of a dancer, yet with the deadly precision of a seasoned killer.

Kuno dashed toward Yoan, who barely had time to throw up a wall of air. Kuno's blades struck it with a resounding clash, the impact echoing down the narrow alleyway. The force of the blow sent Yoan stumbling, his concentration faltering. Kuno seized the opportunity, striking Yoan's leg with the flat of his sword, sending him sprawling onto the cobblestones.

Yogan charged, furious, a powerful gust swirling around his fists as he launched himself at Kuno. This time, he landed a hit, the air pressure pushing Kuno back, forcing him to skid along the cobblestones. But Kuno rebounded, planting his feet and lunging forward again, his swords gleaming as he executed a flawless upward strike.

Yogan barely blocked it, summoning a burst of air to deflect the blade, but Kuno's second sword slashed upward, grazing Yogan's cheek and drawing a crimson line down his face. Blood trickled down, and he felt a surge of adrenaline as the pain sharpened his focus.

Yoan had recovered and joined in, flanking Kuno from the side, the two friends pressing him in tandem. They attacked in a furious rhythm, Yogan's fists creating vortexes of air while Yoan unleashed precise, controlled blasts to throw Kuno off balance. But each time they thought they had him, Kuno slipped through their strikes, his body twisting and ducking, his blades slicing dangerously close.

Kuno deflected Yoan's punch with the flat of his blade, then spun, slashing toward Yogan's leg. Yogan jumped back, but Kuno was relentless, pushing forward with a ruthless series of strikes that forced the two friends to separate. He darted between them, his swords carving through the air with deadly intent.

In a desperate attempt to control him, Yogan launched a concentrated burst of air directly at Kuno's center. This time, Kuno took the blow head-on, but his footing was impeccable. Instead of stumbling, he absorbed the impact, grinning as he retaliated with a swift upward slash, nicking Yogan's forearm and drawing another line of blood.

Kuno's smirk widened, his voice filled with a mixture of admiration and mockery. "You're fast. I'll give you that. But speed won't save you."

Kuno drove forward with renewed ferocity, his swords flashing under the moonlight. He moved like a whirlwind, a deadly storm of steel and precision. Yoan attempted a sweeping kick, hoping to trip him, but Kuno sidestepped, slashing downwards and catching Yoan's arm, leaving a bloody gash in its wake.

The pain flared, but Yoan pushed through, his eyes locking onto Yogan's in a wordless agreement. Together, they unleashed a coordinated attack, Yogan sending a gust of air toward Kuno's head, while Yoan aimed for his legs.

But Kuno had learned their rhythm. He ducked under the head blast, twisting in mid-air to avoid the lower strike. In a move that took both benders by surprise, he brought his blades together, creating a scissor-like motion as he lunged at Yogan, one blade aimed at his side, the other toward his neck.

Yogan barely managed to deflect the blow, but the impact sent him staggering back, his side burning from a shallow but painful cut. Blood dripped from his wound, staining his clothes as he steadied himself, eyes narrowing in defiance.

The alley was littered with shattered crates, blood-spattered cobblestones, and the battered forms of the fighters. Each of them bore cuts and bruises, their bodies aching, breaths ragged. But the fight was far from over. Kuno circled them, his eyes sharp, calculating, each step deliberate as he assessed their weaknesses.

From the far end of the alley, footsteps echoed—a hurried, steady rhythm. Kezin and Kaiya had arrived, their silhouettes visible against the faint glow of torchlight.

Kaiya's face paled as she took in the scene, her gaze shifting to the bloodstained ground and the battered forms of her friends. "They're in trouble," she murmured, her voice tight with worry.

Kezin's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing as he took a step forward. "I'll take care of it."

With a measured determination, he strode forward, prepared to face the deadly foe who had pushed Yogan and Yoan to their limits.

[A/N: Read 15-20 chapters ahead available on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]